Free Presbyterian Magazine and MONTHLY RECORD (Issued by a Committee of the Free Presbyterian Synod.)

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Free Presbyterian Magazine and MONTHLY RECORD (Issued by a Committee of the Free Presbyterian Synod.) Vol. LX.-No. 4 August, 1955 THE Free Presbyterian Magazine AND MONTHLY RECORD (Issued by a Committee of the Free Presbyterian Synod.) " Thou hast given a bamwr to them that fear Thee, that it lIwy be displayed beca'U-se of the tnbth "-Ps. Ix. 4. CONTENTS page Duties We Owe to Civil Magistrates ... ... 97 The General Assemblies ... ... .. ... 101 Two Famous Christian Brothers ... ... ... 113 The late Mrs. Connell, King's Parl<, Glasgow ... 117 Searmonan .. ... .. .... ... .. 118 Literary Notice ... ... ... ... ... 120 Notes and Comments 121 Church Notes ... .. ... .. .. ... 124 Acknowledgment of Donations .. ... ... 125 Financial Statement ... ......... ... 126 Printed by N. Adshead & Son, Ltd., 13 Dundas Place, Glasgow. Price 5d. Post Free 6d. Annual Subscription 6/· prepaid, post free. THE Srtt ~rt5bpttrian .fflaga~int AND MONTHLY RECORD. VOL. LX. August, 1955. No. 4 Duties We Owe to Civil Magistrates. IN chapter eight of the Book of Proverbs there are many great truths recorded concerning wisdom. And as Matthew Henry asserts, "Wisdom here is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." But the internal evidence of this fact is to be found in the words of wisdom recorded in this chapter, viz., "I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was" (verse 23); and there is more doctrine to the same purpose throughout the ehapter. For instance, relevant to our present notes, Christ, or 'Wisdom, declares, "By me kings reign and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth" (verses 15, 16). And the late Rev. A. A. Hodge, D.D., in his commentary on The Confessiotn of Faith, in dealing with the chapter on "The Civil Magistrate," makes the following statement :-" God as Creator, as revealed in the light of nature, has established Civil government among men from the beginning, and among all peoples and nations, of all ages and generations. But in the development of the plan of Redemption, the God Man, as Mediatorial King, has assumed the government of the universe. As the universe constitutes one physical and moral system, it was necessary that His headship as Mediator should extend to the whole and to every department thereof, in order that all things should work together for good to His people and for His glory " We will now quote from The Confession of Faith, chapter xxiii., which deals with "The Civil Magistrate." Firstly, Section 1:­ "God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, hath ordained civil magistrates to be under him over the people, for his own glory and the public good; and to this end hath armed them with the power of the sword, for the defence and encouragement of them that are good, and for the punishment of evil doers." Now, secondly, Section 4 :-"It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates, to honour their persons, to pay them tribute, and other dues; to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority for conscience sake " D 98 Fl'ee Pl'esbyterian Magazine. ----------------" -- --- The appropriate Scripture passag'es are given in reference to these Confessional statements and doctrines in any full copy of The Con­ fession of Faith. For instance, in the case of Section 1, quoted above, the Epistle to the Romans, chapter xiii., verses 1 to 4, are given. And in regard to this part of the Epistle to the Romans, we would here­ with give some extracts from a commentary on the Romans by the late Charles Hodge, D,D., Professor of Theology, Princeton, D.S.A. Re begins by saying that from verse 1 to verse 7 inclusive the Apostle enforces the duties which we owe to civil magistrates. "The duty of obedience to those in authority is enforced (1) By the consideration that civil government is a divine institution and, therefore, resistance to magistrates in the exercise of their lawful authority is disobedience to God: verses 1, 2. (2) From the end or design of their appointment, which is to promote the good of society, to be a terror to evil doers and a praise to them that do well: verses 3, 4. (3) Because such subjection is a moral as well as civil duty: verse 5. On these grounds the payment of tribute or taxes and general deference are to be cheerfully rendered: verses 6, 7." We now give eA'iracts from the commentary itself as follows:­ Verse 1 : Let every soul be s"UJbject to the higher powers. "The expres­ sion every soul is often used as equivalent to everyone. By hvgher powers are most commonly and naturally understood those in authority without reference to their grade of office or their character. "\Ve are not only to be subject to the supreme magistrates, but to all who have authority over us. The abstract word powers or OtUthorities is used for those who are invested with power. The word rendered hig'her is applied to anyone who, in dignity and authority, excels us. In Peter ii. 13, it is applied to the king as supreme, i.e. superior to all other magistrates. Magistrates are spoken of as being ovel' other men who are not in office. Obedience is enjoined on the ground of their official station." "There was peculiar necessity, during the apostolic age, for incul­ cating the duty of obedience to civil magistrates. This necessity arose in part from the fact that a large portion of the converts to Chris­ tianity had been Jews, and were peculiarly indisposed to submit to the heathen authorities. This indisposition arose from the pTevailing impression among them that this subjection was unlawful or at least highly derogatory to their character as the people of God. It was a question, therefore, constantly agitated among them, 'Is it lawful to pay tribute unto Caesar or not?' A question which the great majority were at least secretly inclined to answer in the negative. They were continually breaking out into tumults, which led to their expulsion from Rome, and finally to the utter destruction of J eru­ salem. It is therefore not a matter of surprise that converts from among such a people should need the injunction, 'Be subject to the higher powers.''' Duties We OW'e to Civil Magistrates. 99 ----- For there is no power but of God; and the powers that be are ordained of God. "This is a very comprehensive proposition. All authority is of God. No man has any rightful power over other men which is not derived from God. All human power is delegated and ministerial. This is true of parents, of magistrates, and of Church officers. Every magistrate is of God. That is, his authority is of God. 'The higher powers' and 'the powers that be' are terms meaning those invested with power. Compare verses 3' and 4, where , rulers' and 'ministers' are substituted for the abstract 'powers.' The doctrine here taught is the ground of the injunction contained in the first clause of the verse. We are to obey magistrates because they derive their authority from God. Not only is human govern­ ment a divine institution, but the form in which that government exists, and the persons by whom its functions are exercised, are determined by His providence. All magistrates of whatever grade are to be regarded as acting by divine appointment; not that God designates the individuals, but it being His will that there should be magistrates, every person who is in point of fact clothed with autho­ rity is to be regarded as having a claim to obedience, founded on the will of God. In like manner, the authority of parents over their children, of masters over their servants, is of God's ordination. There is no limitation to the injunction in the verse, so far as the objects of obedience are concerned, although there is as to the extent of the obedience itself. The aetual reigning emperor was to be obeyed by the Roman Christians, whatever they might think as to his title to the sceptre. But if he transcended his authority, and required them to worship idols, they were to obey God rather than men. This is the limitation to all human authority. Whenever obedience to man is inconsistent with obedience to God, then disobedience becomes a duty." Verse 2: Whoso, thm'efore, resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God. "This is an obvious inference from the doctrine of the preceding verse. If it is the will of God that there should be civil government, and persons appointed to exercise authority over others, it is plain that to resist sueh persons in the exercise of their lawful authority is an act of disobedience to God." .And they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. "Tlhis also is an obvious conclusion from the preceding. If disobedience is a sin it will be punished. The word rendered dJamnation means simply sentence, judicial decision; whether favourable or adverse, depends on the context. Here it is plain it means a sentence of con­ demnation. He shall be condemned, and by implication, punished. 'Paul does not refer to the punishment which the civil magistrate may inflict; for he is speaking of disobedience to those in authority as a sin against God, which He will punish." 100 F1·ee Presbyterian Magazine. How clear these Scriptures and the expositions of Dr. Charle~ Hodge, D.D., make our duty with regard to the civil magistrate! And it is the fact, that in these present times, when it srems that there is in many sections of society a disregard for authority, that God will in His own manner and season, punish all such as are wilfully guilty of such sinful disregard.
Recommended publications
  • The Interaction of Scottish and English Evangelicals
    THE INTERACTION OF SCOTTISH AND ENGLISH EVANGELICALS 1790 - 1810 Dudley Reeves M. Litt. University of Glasgov 1973 ProQuest Number: 11017971 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 11017971 Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I gratefully acknowledge my indebtedness to the following: The Rev. Ian A. Muirhead, M.A., B.D. and the Rev. Garin D. White, B.A., B.D., Ph.D. for their most valuable guidance and criticism; My wife and daughters for their persevering patience and tolerance The staff of several libraries for their helpful efficiency: James Watt, Greenock; Public Central, Greenock; Bridge of Weir Public; Trinity College, Glasgow; Baptist Theological College, Glasgow; University of Glasgow; Mitchell, Glasgow; New College, Edinburgh; National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh; General Register House, Edinburgh; British Museum, London; Sion College, London; Dr Williams's, London. Abbreviations British and Foreign Bible Society Baptist Missionary Society Church Missionary Society London Missionary Society Ii§I I Ii§I Society for Propagating the Gospel at Home SSPCK Scottish Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge CONTENTS 1.
    [Show full text]
  • This Thesis Has Been Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for a Postgraduate Degree (E.G
    This thesis has been submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for a postgraduate degree (e.g. PhD, MPhil, DClinPsychol) at the University of Edinburgh. Please note the following terms and conditions of use: This work is protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights, which are retained by the thesis author, unless otherwise stated. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author. The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author. When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given. THE APOSTOLATE OF THE LAITY: A RE-DISCOVERY OF HOLISTIC POST-WAR MISSIOLOGY IN SCOTLAND, WITH REFERENCE TO THE MINISTRY OF TOM ALLAN ALEXANDER C. FORSYTH Thesis submitted for the degree of PhD at the University of Edinburgh in 2014 2 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my academic supervisors, Professor David A.S. Fergusson and Professor Stewart J. Brown, for all of their support, insight and encouragement in the preparation of this thesis. My thanks to Maggie Boulter for donating the papers of her father (Tom Allan) to New College, University of Edinburgh; to Maggie, John Harvey, Bill & Betsy Shannon, Andrew MacGowan and Allan Clark for kindly providing access to papers and recordings in their private possession and for their encouragement; to Frank Bardgett for additional extracts from D.P.
    [Show full text]
  • New College Library Archives and Manuscripts
    New College Library Archives and Manuscripts Interim Handlist Collection reference AA6 Collection title Papers of Rev Tom Allan (1916-1965) 1859-1967 Shelfmark(s) AA6.1-AA6.13 About this handlist Copy of an older typescript list New College Library Edinburgh University Reference: AA6 Title: Papers of Rev Tom Allan (1916-1965) Extent: 20 boxes Dates of creation: 1859-1967 System of Arrangement: The original administrative order has been adhered to where possible. Administrative History: Rev Thomas Allan was born on 16 August 1916 in Newmilnes, Ayrshire to William and Agnes. He was educated at Newmilnes Primary School and Kilmarnock Academy before going on to graduate from the University of Glasgow with a first class honours degree in English Literature. In 1945, following a number of years war service in the RAF he entered Trinity Theological College, Glasgow and was ordained a minister of the Church of Scotland in 1946. In 1941 Tom Allan married Jane Moore and they had three children, Margaret Elizabeth, William Thomas and Kenneth John. Rev Tom Allan’s first charge was North Kelvinside Church in Glasgow and he served here until 1953 when he left to join the “Tell Scotland” movement. Tell Scotland started as a result of two Scottish radio missions of the BBC in which leading preachers of several denominations combined in a nation wide evangelistic drive. In 1953 the “Tell Scotland” committee was formed and Rev Tom Allan was appointed evangelistic organiser. He became a key figure in the Scottish evangelical movement of the mid-20th century and travelled extensively throughout Britain in his capacity as evangelist for the Church of Scotland.
    [Show full text]
  • Derek Boyd Murray Phd Thesis
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n, ABSTRACT This Thesis sets out to examine in its eighteenth century context a Scottish Calvinist sectarian group of churches deriving the main features of their faith and practice from the writings of John Glas and Robert Sandeman. kt proceeds by way of a description of the milieu out of !výjch they came to describe the birth and spread in Scotland of these groups, the Glassites, the Scotch Baptists and the Old Scots Independents, and a similar group, the Bereans. Using some manuscript evidence and other sources, it looltf; at the social origin of the churches, and the composition of the groups. Some main theological distinctives are outlined, and the social and religious life of the groups illustrated, from contemporary sources. With this material as the evidence, an attempt is made to place the group in a wider settinge by comparison with other sectarian movements, and the conclusion drawn that the eighteenth century Independent movement in Scotland can be classified as a variety of the Revolutionary type of Sect, although other characteristics occur.
    [Show full text]
  • Scottish Eccentrics
    SCOTTISH ECCENTRICS by HUGH MacDIARMID SCOTTISH ECCENTRICS The distinguished Scottish poet and literary critic who writes this book recalls how Bernard Shaw in On The Rocks ironically declares that the massacres after the Battle of Culloden were not "mur- der" but simply "liquidation," since the slain Scots in question were "incompatible with British civilization." He then surveys the whole field of Scottish biography, and shows how true this has proved of an amazing number of distinguished Scots, no matter how successfully the bulk of the Scottish people have been assim- ilated to English standards since the Union. The facts are irresist- ible and bring out the "eccen- tricity" of Scottish genius in an extraordinary fashion. The author gives full-length studies often outstanding Scottish eccentrics, including Lord George Gordon of the "Gordon Riots"; Sir Thomas Urquhart, the trans- lator of Rabelais', "Christopher North"; "Ossian" (James Mac- pherson, M.P.); James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd; and William McGonagall, perhaps the world's best "bad poet". But he supports these leading cases with apt material drawn from the lives of hundreds of Scots of every period in history and every walk of life, and in this way builds up a bril- liant panoramic picture of Scottish psychology through the ages, singularly at variance with all generally accepted views of the national character. 15 S. net By the Same Author Poetry Sangschaw Penny Wheep To Circumjack Cencrastus First Hymn to Lenin, and other Poems A Drunk Man looks at the Thistle Stony Limits, and other Poems Fiction Annals of the Five Senses Translations The Handmaid of the Lord (novel, from the Spanish of Ramon Maria de Tenreiro) Birlinn Chlann-Rhagnaill (poem, from the Scots Gaelic of Alasdair Mac- Mhaighstir Alasdair) Criticism Contemporary Scottish Studies Albyn: or Scotland and the Future Scottish Scene (in collaboration with Lewis Grassic Gibbon) At the Sign of the Thistle etc.
    [Show full text]
  • “I Thought Myself a Sound Presbyterian” John Glas’S Break from the Church of Scotland
    ì 1 ì “I Thought Myself a Sound Presbyterian” John Glas’s Break from The Church of Scotland This young man seems to be Independent in his principles, and against all pouer in spiritual Societys beyond a single congrega- tion....He is not for any Society, and can bear no contradiction, without running to hights. It’s designed by smooth methods to keep him quiet. —Robert Wodrow, Analecta On 17 October 1727, John Glas waited anxiously, steeling himself as he prepared to stand before the Synod of Angus and Mearns to answer the charges of heterodoxy levied against him. The thirty-two-year-old minister of the Church of Scotland1 had grown increasingly impatient with the weight of Presbyterian authority, particularly the synods, which exercised powers he thought bore marks of worldliness and clerical despotism. Individual churches, he averred, had gradually lost the ability to govern their own affairs, being forced to submit proposals even on minor decisions to local presbyteries for approval on matters having little or nothing to do with church doctrine. He criticized the Presbyterian establishment from his pulpit, and published critical polemics charging its leaders with corruption. He defiantly rebuffed a preliminary exami- nation, and the matter shifted to the Presbytery of Dundee, which demanded that he renounce his opinions and reaffirm his Confession of Faith and the Formula. He stood his ground, and the presbytery suspended him from preaching until the matter could be decided by the Synod of Dundee, which stripped Glas of his license to preach; this penalty was ratified in 1730 by a Commission of the General Assembly sitting in Edinburgh.
    [Show full text]
  • The Church of Scotland, Past and Present : Its History, Its Relation To
    BR i^'ih'^i.m ,# .mmMm In compliance with current cop\Tight law. LBS Archival Products produced this replacement volume on paper that meets the ANSI Standard Z39.48-1984 to replace the irreparably deteriorated original. 1993 SCO- WiEVc Ft. [K]= ST©KYp B„[a'=.F=S=ii. PROFESSOR OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW from a FccK. "bv T. a^ R_Atiii21i S. Sons THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, PAST AND present: ITS HISTORY, ITS RELATION TO THE LAW AND THE STATE, ITS DOCTRINE, RITUAL, DISCIPLINE, AND PATRIMONY. EDITED EY ROBERT HERBERT STORY, D.D. [Edin.] F.S.A., PROFESSOR OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW, AND ONE OF HER MAJESTY'S CHAPLAINS. m^ MAR 27 1994 A/ ^OGfCAl S£1»k^^ LONDON: WILLIAM MACKENZIE, 69 LUDGATE HILL, E.C.; EDINBURGH, GLASGOW, & DUBLIN. [REVo A.K. Miu E©Y[Q), B.B, MODERATOR OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1890 troin a i'iiotof,raiih 'cy KlliDtt ScRv Round Tcwer of Abep„k^ethy. ^ Ruixs OF \Veithorn Cathedra! < <: o o CO < l-J THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND: FROM ITS FOUNDATION TO THE REIGN OF MALCOLM CANMORE. EY Rev. JAMES CAMPBELL, D.D., F.S.A. FROM THE REIGN OF MALCOLM CANMORE TO THE REVOLUTION OF 1688. BY Rev. JAMES RANKIN, D.D. FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE PRESENT TIME. BY Rev. T. B. ^Y. NIVEK THE CHURCH IN ITS RELATION TO THE LAW AND THE STATE. r. V ANDREV.' MACGEORGE. THE CHURCH\S DOCTRINE BY Rev. ADAjM MILROY, D.D. THE CHURCH'S RITUAL. BT Rev. THOMAS LEISHMA^', D.D.
    [Show full text]
  • ANGLO-SCOTTISH TRACTS, 1701-1714 a Descriptive Checklist
    ANGLO-SCOTTISH TRACTS, 1701-1714 A Descriptive Checklist Compiled by W. R. and V. B. McLeod UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LIBRARIES 1979 University of Kansas Publications Library Series, 44 ANGLO-SCOTTISH TRACTS, 1701-1714 A Descriptive Checklist Compiled by W. R. and V. B. McLeod UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LIBRARIES 1979 PRINTED IN LAWRENCE, KANSAS, U.S.A, BY THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PRINTING SERVICE To Helen and Don CONTENTS PREFACE « LIBRARY SYMBOLS XV ABBREVIATIONS XV THE CHECKLIST 1 BIOGRAPHIES 154 CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX 210 VII PREFACE For some years we have been interested in various aspects of a bibliography of works published during the reign of Queen Anne, and in particular in a working checklist of Anglo-Scottish materials from the conclusion of Wing's Short-Title Catalogue, 164-1-1700 to Anne's death in the late summer of 1714. We originally became interested in the union of 1707, and the vast quantity of pamphlets and other printed materials which that union and its subsequent history provoked. Even a superficial examination revealed numerous works in almost every major repository in the United States and in Great Britain; there had never been a bibliographical survey of such works and much confusion existed in contemporary as well as in later histories as to their number and content. Since some major and many more minor figures contributed writings to the Anglo-Scottish debate, both the literary and the political historian face controversy and disagreement in handling Daniel Defoe, Charles Leslie, An• drew Fletcher, George Ridpath, James Hodges, and others. Basically, this checklist attempts to do nothing more than to clear a path for the historian who seeks to write a history of the union in any or all of its many aspects, and to facilitate the study of such men as Defoe and Ridpath.
    [Show full text]
  • Popular Religio Ie Lighte Me T Scotla D, 1712-1791 A
    “I A AGE SO ELIGHTEED, ETHUSIASM SO EXTRAVAGAT”: POPULAR RELIGIO I ELIGHTEMET SCOTLAD, 1712-1791 A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA BY Luke G. Brekke IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY James D. Tracy, advisor May 2009 © Luke G. Brekke, 5/2009 ACKOWLEDGEMETS AD DEDICATIO Archival research for this project was made possible by the generosity of the Center for Early Modern History’s Union-Pacific Dissertation Grant, the Thesis Research Grant of the University of Minnesota’s Graduate School, and by the Hedley Donovan Research Fellowship. A year of writing was made possible by the University of Minnesota’s Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship. Thanks are also due to Irene O’Brien and her staff at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow and to the archivists at the National Archives of Scotland, for their assistance in my research; to Anna Clark, who pointed me to the Wodrow-Kenrick correspondence, an invaluable source for this study; and to Nick Williams, with whom I lived in Edinburgh in January and February 2008. This dissertation is dedicated to my parents and my grandmother Lydia Gallup, who tolerated and even facilitated my intellectual eccentricities from an early age; to Laurel Carrington, who helped me begin to think about early modern Europe; to Jim Tracy, who taught me to be a historian; to all the family and friends on whom I have inflicted stories of ornery Scots these three years; and to the congregation of St. Columba’s Free Church in Edinburgh, among whom I was able to experience something like Scottish folk Calvinism in the twenty-first century, and who proved to be warmly hospitable rather than gloomy and puritanical.
    [Show full text]
  • Church, Law and the Individual in Scotland
    CHURCH, LAW AND THE INDIVIDUAL IN SCOTLAND FRANCIS LYALL 1. INTRODUCTION To begin with two elementary but basic points: first, although Scotland is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, for many purposes it has a separate and distinct legal system within that Union1. Second, the relationship between Church and State is another very clear instance of its difference with England, the Church of Scotland being Presbyterian, not episcopal, in its form of government, and Scots Law showing numerous features traceable to a more thorough Reformation than that accomplished south of the Border2. Questions of church and state, and of religion and the Law, have continued to cause discussion in Scotland in the Twentieth Century, but it has to be said that such matters appear not to be as important to the gen- erality of the population as they once were3. However, this development is * This article is adapted from a chapter, ‘Church, Law and the Individual in the Twentieth Century’, to be published in MACKAY, M. and MACLEAN, C., (ed.), Institutions of Scotland – The Church, Vol. 12 of Scottish Life and Society: A compendium of Scottish ethnology, 13 Vols. (Fenton A., General Editor), East Linton, U.K., Tuckwell Press, in association with the European Ethnological Research Centre and the National Museums of Scotland, forthcoming. The law is stated as at 2001. 1 See Lyall, F., An Introduction to British Law, 2nd ed., Baden-Baden, Nomos, 2002. 2 LYALL, F., Of Presbyters and Kings: Church and State in the Law of Scotland, Aberdeen: Aberdeen U.P., 1980, is based on my Ph.D.
    [Show full text]
  • Matthew Fowlds, Centenarian Weaver, 1806-1907 : and Other Fenwick
    MATTHEW FOWLDS Other Fenwick Worthies ar MATIHRW FOWLDS rKNTKNARi.w wI':a\i:k Other Fenwick Worthies BRIEF HISTORIES OF lie Martyrs and Covenanters of Fenwick, 1 lie Secession Cnurcli, and I lie Weavers Society EDITED BY RKV J. KIRKVVOOD FAIRLIE Kilmarnock Sl'ANDARU" PRINTING WORKS 1G10 1368:274 CONTENTS paob Introductory Note ----- xi CHAPTER I The Martyrs and Covenanters of Fenwick Parish, by Rev. James Barr, B.D. - i Rev. William Guthrie - - - - 2 John Pat on of Meadowhead - - - ii The Howies of Lochgoin - - - - 10 The Mures of Rowallan - - - - 29 The Fenwick Martyrs - - - - 32 Fenwick' s Cloud of Witnesses - - - 46 CHAPTER II The Seccession Church in Fenwick, by Rev. J. Kirkwood Fairlie— A Forced Settlement and its Consequences, ------- 51 1779 Rev. James Dewar, 1787-1833 - - - 56 Rev. William Orr, 1830-1882 - - - 66 Rev. J. Kirkwood Fairlie, 1879 - - - 83 CHAPTER III The Weavers' Society, by Mr. Thomas W. Orr— Descriptive View of the Parish - - - 91 Honoured Names ----- 95 The Charter .-.--- 104 Brotherhood - - - - - - 112 The Fowlds Members ----- 118 Plans and Achievements - - - - 130 Dissolution - ----- 139 vi CONTENTS CHAPTER IV Page Reminiscenxes by Members of the Family- Mi-. William Faulds ----- j_^- The Hon. George Fowlds - - - - 132 Mrs. Gibson ------ ^5- Reminiscences by— Rev. James Barr, B.D. - . j^^ Rev. David Landsborougli, LL.D. - lyq The Late Mr. A. W. Meiklejohn - - - 181 - Principal A. M. Fairbairn, D.D. - - 186 Greystone Knowe—A Summer Afternoon, by - Rev. J. KiRKWooD F.mrlie - 187 " An Irregularity," by Rev. J. Kirkwood FaIRLIE ------- iQo CHAPTER V Three Old Documents— The Present Times, 1840, by Matthew Fowlds - - - - - -IQ4 A Long Treasured Letter, 1845, by Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • The History of St. George's Church the Early Years St. George's Church Was Born out of the Disruption of 1843, a Period in C
    The History of St. George’s Church The early years St. George’s Church was born out of the Disruption of 1843, a period in church history when 474 ministers (out of a total of 1,203) from the established Church of Scotland seceded to form the Free Church of Scotland. It came at the end of a bitter conflict within the established Church, known as the Ten Years Conflict. In leaving the Church, ministers forfeited their livings and manses, with an uncertain future ahead of them. The Reverend Thomas Chalmers became the first Moderator of the Free Church. One of the first acts of the founders was the signing of the Act of Separation and Deed of Demission on May 23rd 1843. The 37th signatory was the Reverend John Robertson Mackenzie of St. Mary’s, Dumfries who had been ordained in 1841. When he seceded from St. Mary’s, he was followed by the majority of his Kirk Session, plus many of his congregation and sympathisers from St. Michael’s and Greyfriars. Immediately after the Disruption, there was a need for money to build churches, manses and schools, pay the salaries of ministers, teachers and missionaries and support the poor. It was Mr. Mackenzie and his followers who worked tirelessly to raise money and support for the building of a Free Church in Dumfries. The Church’s work also depended on the generosity and goodwill of independent benefactors. Mrs. Susan Henderson (nee Milligan), purchased a piece of land in George Street for £185 and the foundation stone of the Free Church was laid on Saturday August 26th 1843, on the same site as our present church.
    [Show full text]