Baptist Pioneer in Scotland
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ARCHIBALD M'LEAtt, 1733-181?, BAPTIST PIONEER IN SCOTLAND. by ROBERT DAWSON MITCHELL B.SC* B.D. A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE FACULTY OP DIVINITY OF THE UNIVERSITY< OF EDINBURGH IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY. MAY, 1950. CONTENTS Section I. A Study, for the purpose of obtaining knowledge of the background and setting of the life of Archibald JI'Lean, of A. THE GENERAL BACKGROUND. Scotland in the 18th Century. PP»1 - 12. B. THE RISE OF DISSStfT. Within the Church of Scotland in the 18th Century. pp.13 - 33. C. THE HISTORY OF BAPTISTS IN SCOTLAND BEFORE THE DATE 1765. ,'hen the first of the "Scotch Baptist" churches was formed. pp.34 - 57. Section II. THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF ARCHIBALD M'LEAN. in which is incorporated, an account of the Rise and Development of the Scots Baptist Churches, during his lifetime, and an attempt is made to discover as many source documents as possible of Scottish Baptist history in this period. Chapter I. 1733 - 1758. The early days of Archibald M'Lean. Influences upon him in his education, apprenticeship, and religious training. pp.58 - 65. Chapter II. 1759 - 1768. Archibald II'Lean in business for himself - becomes a Glasite - leaves that body on an affair of dis cipline - studies subject of Boptism - Baptism of Edinburgh group - Church formed - M'Lean baptized - writes pamphlet,"Letters to I'r. 11; s," - his London voyage and experiences - settles in Edin burgh - becomes co-pastor in Edinburgh church. pp.66 - 83. Chapter III, 1769 - 1785. Archibald U'Lean as lay-pastor - account of the rise and development of Scots Baptist churches beyond Edinburgh - his vrit.ings during this per iod - correspondence and guidance of other elders- controversies almost split church - LI'Lean's ability to lead recognized - so't apart to full time work as m.lniviter, overseer among churches, and as author. pp.84 - 118. Chapter IV. 17S5 - 1800. Archibald M'Lean as Overseer and spokesman of the Scots Baptists - His ministry among the churches of tue connexion in Scotland and England - death of Hrs. "."''Lean - meeting with Fuller - controversy started on faith - H Lean's zeal and support of the missionary society - advocates home missions - Scotch Baptists in V/ales - writ in "s and pamphlets. pp. 119 - 177. Chapter V. 1800 - 1812. Archibald I! 1 Lean, author, and acknowledged leader of his denomination great increase of publicat ions in periodicals and magazines by H'Lean and his co-pastors. - M'Lean's WORKS be^-un. Accessions to Baptist group. - ITevv churches and new problems - controversies and strictures - churches divid^ on communion, but It'Lean holds many to his view death of Archibald 11'Lean. pp. 178 - 200. Section III. THE THOUGHT OP ARCHIBALD M'LEAN. The Trend of His Thought. pp. 201 - 204. A Summary View of His Principles. pp. 204 - 210. ! T 'Lean on Church Discipline pp. 210 - 213. Lord's Supper Without a Pastor. pp. 213, 214, M'Lean on BAPTISM. pp. 215 - 238. M'Lean on FAITH. pp. 239 - 279. The Doctrine of Original Sin. pp. 280 - 283. Distinction between Common ana Saving Grace. pp. 283, 284. The Evidence of Christ's Resurrection, pp. 284 - 286. Disinterested Love, and the Principle of Fear. pj/>. 286 - 2R9. APPE^IDIX. !^>te A - Letter, Dr. Gill to Edinburgh, July 15, 1765. ( TTote B - Second Letter, Gill to Ed in. , July 16, 17G5. Tiote C - Letter, Robert Carmichael to II'Lean, 19 Sept. 1765. rote D - Letter, Carraichael to Dr. R. V/alker, 12 Oct., 1765. Note E - Outline, Sermon of Dr. "ill at baptism of Carmichael. Fote F - Letter, Carmichael to I f 'Lean, 12 June, 1766. Fote 3 - Letter, Ed in. Church to churches at ITarton, Hexhani) and Newcastle, 28 July, 1766. Tote H - Letter, David Fernie to Edinburgh, 5 Aug. 1766. Note I - Letter, A. M'Lean to Krs. M'Lean, 13 July, 1767. ! rote J - Letter, M'Lean to J.O. - Montrose, i^eb. 7, 1776. Appendix on pp.290 - 309. BIBLIOGRAPHY pp.310 - 322. OP SECTION I. THE GENERAL BACKGROUND SCOTLAND IN THE 18th CENTURY A. THE GENERAL BACKGROUND The eighteenth century could be called a "Golden Bra" in the history of Scotland. That title is well applied to the material interest and progress of the times, but in the figurative sense, it is also applicable to Scottish letters, thought, philosophy, science and religion, because of the galaxy of glittering names wh,ich at that period brought international honour to the name of Scotland, It is a glorious story of the marvellous change wrought to a poverty stricken, famine ridden, backward, rather isolated, provincial nation, by the application of new methods, native intelligence, inventive genius, and ability to adapt to new circumstances. For the material resources of Scotland at the beginning of the century were so slender as to make the gaining of a living a tedious, tiresome, and disheartening task. Almost all of the population was rural, dependent for food upon an antiquated, medieval method of agriculture, which yielded at the best a pitifully lean harvest, and in poor weather conditions failed entirely to support even the farmer. The chief export trade was the shipping of cattle to England, - surely a precarious trade - for the cattle were starvelings, fodder unobtainable in the winter, the cold bitter, the frost severe. The main centres of population - Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, etc. - were places of a few thousands, for the industries which cause the groupings of large numbers of people / in one place were not then in existence. What few industries there were, were carried on in the homes of the people - flax spinning, hand-loom weaving, and primitive manufactures of that sort. Money was exceedingly scarce, coins and small notes far "below the demand, so that travellers were under the necessity of carrying in saddlebags ready cash enough to pay the expenses of their journey. (1) The small gentry shared in the general poverty, and in lieu of money, received roughly two thirds of their income in kind, - Sir John Preston of Prestonhall, for example, receiving £68 in coin, and the rest of his income of £230 per annum being paid in grain, straw, and poultry. Sir David Threipland of Fingask had an income of £537, all but £147 being paid in grain, yarn, geese, hens and chickens. (2). In agriculture, certain of .the progressive nobles and lairds took the first steps toward progress when they lengthened the leases of their tenants, broke up the open fields, enclosed the land in walls and dykes. They introduced wheat, roots and stored fodder; they drained and manured poor soil; they planted forests of fir to shelter men and beasts; and bred their sheep and cattle in scientific manner for meat and wool (sheep) or meat and milk (cattle)'. By these measures the threat of hunger and starvation was lifted from the minds and hearts of the poor. (3) (1) H.G. Graham, Social Life of Scotland in the Eighteenth Century, p. 31- (2) J). Murray, York Buildings Company, p. 121. (3) I.!'1 . Grant, Everyday Life in Old Scotland, Part III, PP. 307, 308, 309- 3. tfree trade with England, the development of roads and transport facilities in North and South Britain, put markets at 'the door of the productive Scottish farmers, the home weavers, the tobacco traders, - and enormously stimulated the forward movement of Scottish prosperity. The civilization of the riding-horse and the pack-horse gave way to the stage coach and the waggon, and at the beginning of the next century, to the railroad. The sailing ship was replaced by the steam boat, distance was lessened and wealth poured into Scotland from all sides. Invention produced the machines which gave birth to the factories, and these drew the people to centres of industry, so that Glasgow increased in population from 12,000 in the year 1700 to 80,000 in the year 1800. Thus industrial Scotland came to be. In the one hundred years from 1700 to 1800 the revenue of Scotland increased until it was fifty times what it had been at the start. In that same length of time, the total population increased by only 500,000 from 1,100,000 to 1,600,000 souls. (1) Gone were the days of poverty, of hunger, of isolation and distance, of almost inaccessible localities on main roads, of the monotonous round of daily fare, of home spun and home brew, of blue bonnets and braid Scots tongue, - for Scotland had come out of the moors and the mists, and was now a competitor for world markets. Many Englishmen discovered to their surprise that the Scots, whom they had despised and abused as needy adventurers, were a peculiarly intelligent and highly educated people. i (1) G.M, Trevelyan, 19th Century and After, p.~ 34. Even the farmers whom they had regarded as clods proved capable of becoming not less but more progressive than the English farmers themselves. In the age of Sir .Walter Scott, England discovered once and for all that she was linked with a partner not inferior to herself. (1) Without unduly stressing the subject, it must in fairness be noted that one of the lessons which had to be learned by both North and South Britain after the Union of the Parliaments in 1707, was how to live together. Scotland and England had been "auld enemies" so long, and were separated by so many factors in their national life and interests, that intercourse and amity between the peoples was a slowly developed, inter mittent, and rather fragile offshoot of the progressive eight eenth century." Scots were Scots, and English were English, so that it was the double honour of a man overcoming the serious handicap of his nationality when a Scottish man of letters was appreciated and approved then by English critics.