It was the lay preacher Brownlow North talking at Free St Lukes Church who inspired her to take an interest in religion in 1859 and she attended more revivalist meetings.

She went to the Scottish Borders where the hymn writer Horatius Bonar arranged her calendar in Kelso.

Bonar was a minister and hymn writer in the Free Church of Scotland and while Macfarlane was there the town had a growth in evangelism.

In 1862 she was on the east coast of Scotland at Gullane and her meeting included women but men also gathered around the building.

In memoriam Jessie McFarlane was published and this book included her justification for women preaching which was based on scripture.