Robert Blair (moderator)
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Robert Blair | |
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![]() Couston Castle where Robert Blair died.[1] | |
Personal details | |
Born | 1593 |
Died | Couston Castle | 27 August 1666
Buried | Aberdour |
Nationality | Scottish |
Denomination | Presbyterian |
Signature | ![]() |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Emigrants_memorial%2C_Larne_-_geograph.org.uk_-_216897.jpg/220px-Emigrants_memorial%2C_Larne_-_geograph.org.uk_-_216897.jpg)
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Robert Blair (1593 – 27 August 1666) was a Scottish presbyterian minister who became a Westminster Divine and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1646, after failing to emigrate to Boston in 1636.
Life
[edit]He was a native of Irvine, Ayrshire. His father was a merchant-adventurer, John Blair of Windyedge, a younger brother of the family of Blair of that ilk; his mother was Beatrix Muir (of the house of Rowallan), who lived for nearly a century.
From the parish school at Irvine Blair proceeded to the University of Glasgow, where he took his degree of M.A. He is stated to have acted as a schoolmaster in Glasgow. In his twenty-second year he was appointed a regent or professor in the university. One of his students was the future author of polemics for the Covenanters, Robert Baillie.[4] In 1616 he was licensed as a preacher of the gospel in connection with the established church (presbyterian) of Scotland. In 1622 he resigned his professorship.
Having gone over to Ireland, he was called to Bangor, County Down, and ordained by Robert Echlin, the Bishop of Down, on 10 July 1623. But he was suspended in the autumn of 1631, and deposed in 1632 for nonconformity; Echlin had turned a blind eye in the 1620s to presbyterian clergy in his diocese, but Blair (on his own account) didn't react to hints by Theophilus Buckworth, Bishop of Dromore, and was then interviewed by James Ussher, who tried to persuade him with arguments current from John Sprint.[5] By the intervention of the king, Charles I, he was restored in May 1634; but the former sentence was renewed, with excommunication, by John Bramhall, bishop of Derry, the same year.
Excommunicated and ejected, Blair, along with others, fitted out a ship, intending to go to New England in 1635. But the weather proved so bad that they were beaten back, and, returning to Scotland, he lived partly in that country and partly in England. Orders were issued in England for his apprehension in 1637, but he escaped to Scotland, and preached for some time in Ayr. He was invited to go to France as chaplain to the regiment of Colonel Patrick Hepburn of Waughton, but after embarking at Leith he was threatened by a soldier whom he had reproved for swearing, and went ashore again. He also petitioned the privy council 'for liberty to preach the gospel,' and received an appointment at Burntisland in April 1638. He was nominated to St. Andrews in the same year, and was admitted there on 8 October 1639.
In the Second Bishops' War of 1640, he accompanied the Scottish army on its march into England. He assisted in the negotiations for the treaty of peace presented by Charles I on 8 November 1641. After the Irish Rebellion of 1641 he once more went to Ireland with several other clergymen of the Scottish kirk, the Irish general assembly (presbyterian) having petitioned for supplies for their vacant charges. He afterwards returned to St. Andrews.
In 1645 he attended the lord president Robert Spottiswoode and others to the scaffold. In the same year, he was one of the Scottish ministers who went to Newcastle to speak very plainly to the king. In 1646 he was elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland (3 June). Later, on the death of Alexander Henderson, he was appointed chaplain-in-ordinary to the king, supported by the revenues of the Chapel Royal. The Commission of the General Assembly, in 1648, named him one of those for 'endeavouring to get Cromwell to establish a uniformity of religion in England.'
At the division of the church, in 1650, into Resolutioners and Protesters, he leaned to the former, but lamented the strife. Summoned with others to London in 1654, that 'a method might be devised for settling affairs of the church', he pleaded ill-health and declined to go. In the same year he was appointed by the council of England 'one of those for the admission to the ministry in Perth, Fife, and Angus.'
At the Restoration, he came under the notice of Archbishop James Sharp, had to resign his charge in September 1661, and was confined to certain places, first of all to Musselburgh, afterwards to Kirkcaldy (where he remained three and a half years), and finally to Meikle Couston near Aberdour. As a Covenanter he preached outdoors. He died at Aberdour on 27 August 1666, and was buried in the parish churchyard.
Family
[edit]He married first Beatrix, daughter of Robert Hamilton, merchant, in right of whom he became a burgess of Edinburgh on 16 July 1626; she died in July 1632, aged 27. Their issue were two sons and a daughter: James, one of the ministers of Dysart, Robert, and Jean, who married William Row, minister of Ceres. His second wife was Katherine, daughter of Hugh Montgomerie of Braidstane, afterwards Viscount Airds. Their issue were seven sons and a daughter. One of these sons, David, was the father of Robert Blair, the poet of the Grave, and another, Hugh, grandfather of Dr. Hugh Blair.
He married (1) on 16 July 1626, Beatrix (died July 1632, aged 27), daugh. of Robert Hamilton, merchant, burgess of Edinburgh, and had issue – James, min. of Dysart; Robert; Jean (marr. William Row, min. of Ceres). He married (2) Katherine, daugh. of Hugh Montgomerie of Braidstane, Viscount Airds, and had issue – William; David, min. of Old Kirk Parish, Edinburgh [father of Robert B., min. of Athelstane-ford, author of The Grave]; Samuel; John, writer, Edinburgh, born 1640; Archibald; Alexander in Edinburgh; Andrew, born 1644; Montgomery, born 1646; Hugh, merchant, Edinburgh; Catherine (marr. George Campbell, min. of Old Kirk, Edinburgh, and Professor of Divinity).[6]
Works
[edit]- Autobiography was published by the Wodrow Society (1848); fragments were published in 1754.
- Preface to Durham's Treatise on Scandal.
- Commentary on the Book of Proverbs, (ready but not published)
- Answer to Bishop Hall's Remonstrance, ready for the Press, but these were never published.[6]
References
[edit]Citations
- ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Couston Castle including Walled Garden and Garage (Category C Listed Building) (LB3606)". Retrieved 20 March 2019.
- ^ Kirkpatrick 2015.
- ^ Ross 1885, p. 256.
- ^ Campbell 2017, pp. 27, 143.
- ^ Ford 2007, pp. 166–168.
- ^ a b Scott 1925, p. 233.
Sources
- Aikman, James (1850). Annals of the persecution in Scotland, from the restoration to the revolution. Vol. 1 (2nd American ed.). Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publications. pp. 80. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
- Anderson, William (1877). "Blair, Robert". The Scottish nation: or, The surnames, families, literature, honours, and biographical history of the people of Scotland. Vol. 1. A. Fullarton & co. p. 321-322.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Baillie, Robert; Laing, David (1841–1842a). The letters and journals of Robert Baillie ... M.DC.XXXVII.-M.DC.LXII. Vol. 1. Edinburgh: R. Ogle. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
- Baillie, Robert; Laing, David (1841–1842b). The letters and journals of Robert Baillie ... M.DC.XXXVII.-M.DC.LXII. Vol. 2. Edinburgh: R. Ogle. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
- Baillie, Robert; Laing, David (1841–1842c). The letters and journals of Robert Baillie ... M.DC.XXXVII.-M.DC.LXII. Vol. 3. Edinburgh: R. Ogle. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
- Blair, Robert (1754). Memoirs of the life of Mr. Robert Blair. Edinburgh: Printed by David Paterson. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
- Blair, Robert; M'Crie, Thomas (1848). The life of Mr. Robert Blair, minister of St. Andrews, containing his autobiography, from 1593–1636 : with supplement of his life and continuation of the history of the times, to 1680. Edinburgh: Wodrow Society. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
- Brodie, Alexander; Laing, David (1863). The diary of Alexander Brodie of Brodie, MDCLII-MDCLXXX. and of his son, James Brodie of Brodie, MDCLXXX-MDCLXXXV. consisting of extracts from the existing manuscripts, and a republication of the volume printed at Edinburgh in the year 1740. Aberdeen: Printed for the Spalding club. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
- Campbell, Alexander D. (2017). The Life and Works of Robert Baillie (1602 – 1662): Politics, Religion and Record-Keeping in the British Civil Wars. The Boydell Press. pp. 27, 143.
- Chambers, Robert; Thomson, Thomas Napier (1857). . A Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Scotsmen. Vol. 1. Glasgow: Blackie and Son. pp. 259–61 – via Wikisource.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Conolly, Matthew Forster (1866). Biographical dictionary of eminent men of Fife of past and present times : natives of the county, or connected with it by property, residence, office, marriage, or otherwise. Edinburgh: Inglis & Jack. p. 66.
- Fleming, David Hay (1904). The story of the Scottish covenants in outline. Edinburgh: Oliphant, Anderson & Ferrier. p. xii. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Ford, Alan (2007). James Ussher. pp. 166–168.
- Grosart, Alexander Balloch (1886). Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
. - Howie, John; Carslaw, W. H. (1870). "Robert Blair". The Scots worthies. Edinburgh: Oliphant, Anderson, & Ferrier. pp. 335-354.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Johnston, Archibald, Lord Warriston; Paul, George Morison (1896). Fragment of the Diary of Sir Archibald Johnston, Lord Wariston. (May 21-June 25 1639), The preservation of the honours of Scotland, 1651–52, Lord Mar's Legacies, 1722–27, Letters concerning Highland affairs in the 18th century. Vol. 26. Edinburgh: Printed at the University Press by T. and A. Constable for the Scottish History Society. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Johnston, Archibald, Lord Warriston; Paul, George Morison (1911). Diary of Sir Archibald Johnston of Wariston (Volume 1: 1632–1639). 1. Vol. 61. Edinburgh: Printed at the University Press by T. and A. Constable for the Scottish History Society. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Johnston, Archibald, Lord Warriston; Fleming, David Hay (1919). Diary of Sir Archibald Johnston of Wariston (Volume 2: 1650–1654). 2. Vol. 18. Edinburgh: Printed at the University Press by T. and A. Constable for the Scottish History Society. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Johnston, Archibald, Lord Warriston; Ogilvie, James D. (1940). Diary of Sir Archibald Johnston of Wariston (Volume 3: 1655–1660). 3. Vol. 34. Edinburgh: Printed at the University Press by T. and A. Constable for the Scottish History Society. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Kirkpatrick, Laurence (2015). "The "Eagle Wing" 1636". The Presbyterian Historical Society of Ireland. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- Kirkton, James (1817). The secret and true history of the church of Scotland from the Restoration to the year 1678. Edinburgh: J. Ballantyne. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
- Reid, James Seaton (1853). A history of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, comprising the civil history of the province of Ulster from the accession of James the First ... Vol. 1 (3 ed.). London: Whittaker; [etc]. pp. 96-541. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
- Ross, William (1885). Aberdour and Inchcolme, being historical notices of the parish and monastery, in twelve lectures. Edinburgh: Douglas. pp. 245-257. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Scott, Hew (1925). Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae; the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation. Vol. 5. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd. pp. 232-233. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Smellie, Alexander (1903). "A Deathbed in St Andrews". Men of the Covenant : the story of the Scottish church in the years of the Persecution (2 ed.). New York: Fleming H. Revell Co. pp. 57. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
- Thompson, Mark (2006). "The Dawn of the Ulster-Scots – Part Five: The Arrival of the Presbyterian Ministers" (PDF). The Ulster-Scot July 2006. Archived from the original on 28 July 2007. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- Thompson, Mark (2006). "The Dawn of the Ulster-Scots – Part Six: Three Ulster-Scots Spiritual Revivals,the Death of Montgomery and the "Eagle Wing" sets sail" (PDF). The Ulster-Scot July 2006. Archived from the original on 28 July 2007. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- Thompson, Mark (2006). "The Dawn of the Ulster-Scots – Part Seven: Scotland's National Covenant, The Black Oath and the 1641 Massacre" (PDF). The Ulster-Scot July 2006. Archived from the original on 28 July 2007. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- Wodrow, Robert; Burns, Robert (1828–1830). The history of the sufferings of the church of Scotland from the restoration to the revolution, with an original memoir of the author, extracts from his correspondence, and preliminary dissertation. Vol. 1. Glasgow: Blackie, Fullarton & co., and Edinburgh: A. Fullarton & co. p. 159. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
- Wodrow, Robert; Leishman, Matthew (1842). Analecta: or, Materials for a history of remarkable providences; mostly relating to Scotch ministers and Christians. Vol. 3. Glasgow: Maitland Club. pp. 92-104. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
Further reading
[edit]- Edin. Guild. Reg.;
- Edin. Marr. Reg.;
- Reg. Sec. Sig.;
- G. R. Sas., iii. 164, ix. 106;
- Lamont's Diary;
- Tombst. ;
- Baillie's Letters ;
- Hill's Life of Hugh Blair ;
- Reid's Ireland, i., 101 et seq. ;
- Dictionary Nat. Biog.
- Reed's Presbyterianism of Ireland, i.;
- Row and Stevenson's Hist.;
- Rutherford's and Baillie's Letters;
- Kirkcaldy Presb. Reg.;
- Connolly's Fifeshire;
- Chambers's Biogr.;
- Scott's Fasti, ii. 91;
- Hill's Life of Hugh Blair