Robert Gordon (minister)

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Robert Gordon
14 Northumberland Street, Edinburgh
New North Free Church in Edinburgh

Robert Gordon FRSE (5 May 1786 – 21 October 1853) was a Scottish minister and author. Originally prominent in the Church of Scotland, and serving as Moderator of the General Assembly in 1841, following the Disruption of 1843 he joined the Free Church of Scotland and became a prominent figure in that church.[1]

He was the inventor of a self-registering hygrometer.[2]

Life[]

He was born 5 May 1786 at Old Crawfordton, Glencairn, Dumfriesshire, the son of John Gordon, parish schoolmaster, and his wife, Janet McAdam. He was educated at Tynron school. Aged 15, he was appointed parish teacher at Kirkland School, in place of his father, who had died some years before. He then taught mathematics at Perth Academy.[3]

Gordon then decided to enter the ministry. He initially studied Divinity at the University of Edinburgh, then in 1809 transferred to Marischal College, Aberdeen, where he graduated BD around 1806. After holding several tutorships, he was licensed by the presbytery of Perth on 27 July 1814, and was ordained as minister of the Church of Scotland at Kinfauns on 12 September 1816.[4]

In February 1821 he was translated to St. Cuthbert's Chapel of Ease, on Buccleuch Street in Edinburgh, and in January 1824 to the Newington Parish Church to the south, which was built for his growing congregation. In September 1825 he moved to the New North Church (West St Giles), one of the four parish churches housed in St Giles Cathedral, and in 1830 to the High Church of Edinburgh. The latter was normally also housed in St Giles but at the time of his occupation was housed at the new Royal High School on Calton Hill.[5]

In 1823 Aberdeen University awarded him an honorary Doctor of Divinity (DD). In 1827 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh his proposer being Robert Stevenson.[6]

From 1836 till 28 November 1843 he was collector of the Ministers' Widows' Fund.[4] In the 1830s he is listed as living at 27 Lauriston in the Tollcross area of the city.[7]

When the conflict which led to the disruption of the Scottish church began (around 1833), Gordon had sided with the non-intrusionists, and was one of the committee appointed in 1839 to consider the case of the seven suspended ministers of Strathbogie. During the same year he appeared in the court of session to support the presbytery of Dunkeld, then threatened with censure for disregarding the interdict in the . When the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland met in Edinburgh on 20 May 1841, Gordon was elected Moderator of the General Assembly, the highest position in the Church of Scotland, with all parties uniting in his election: in this capacity he had to pronounce the deposition of the Strathbogie ministers.[4]

Gordon presided at the public meeting in St. Cuthbert's Church, Edinburgh on 25 August 1841, and delivered an address. He was one of the deputation which waited on Sir Robert Peel in the following month to state the case for the church. At the General Assembly of 1842 Gordon seconded the adoption of the "Claim of Right", which had been moved by Thomas Chalmers. During the convocation held in Roxburgh Church in the following November, Gordon presided, and delivered a speech, which has been described as the best apology for the Free Church movement.[4]

In the Disruption of 1843 he left the established church, together with almost the whole of his congregation. He replaced Thomas Chalmers as Professor of Divinity at the Free Church College on the Mound, but declined the Principalship thereof.[8]

From then until death he was minister of the Free New North Church of Edinburgh (later converted into the Bedlam Theatre.

He was a member of the Royal Scottish Society and was also one of Her Majesty, Queen Victoria's Master Printers for Scotland.[4]

He died at home, 14 Northumberland Street in Edinburgh's Second New Town following a short illness, on 21 October 1853. He is buried in East Preston Street Burial Ground on the south side of the city.[6] The grave lies on the north wall of the western section.

The grave of Rev Robert Gordon, East Preston Street Cemetery, Edinburgh

Works[]

Early in life he devoted himself to scientific studies, invented a self-registering hygrometer, and was the author of the articles on 'Euclid,' 'Geography,' and 'Meteorology' in the Edinburgh Encyclopædia. He also wrote introductory essays for The Redeemer's Tears, by John Howe, in 1822, 2nd edit. 1825; for the Mourner's Companion, edited by him, with works by John Flavel and others;[9] and for 'Emmanuel,' by Samuel Shaw, in 1829.[4]

A volume of his sermons was published at Edinburgh in 1825, and after his death a selection appeared under the title, 'Christ as made known to the Ancient Church,' vols. i. and ii. on the historical books of scripture in 1854, and vols. iii. and iv. on the prophetic books in 1855. Reports of some of his speeches were also preserved.[4]

Family[]

In November 1816 he married Isabella Campbell, daughter of Donald Campbell, a schoolmaster in Kinnaird. They had a large family. Two of his sons, Robert and Donald Campbell, became ministers in the Free Church.[4] Robert (1823-1910) was minister of Buccleuch Free Church in Edinburgh. Donald Campbell Gordon (1824-1866) was minister of the South Free Church in Elgin. James Gordon (1821-1914) became Sheriff Substitute of Banffshire. Alexander Moncrieff Gordon (1826-1889) became a banker.

References[]

  1. ^ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
  2. ^ Waterston, Charles D; Macmillan Shearer, A (July 2006). Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783-2002: Biographical Index (PDF). I. Edinburgh: The Royal Society of Edinburgh. ISBN 978-0-902198-84-5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 October 2006. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  3. ^ Fasti Ecclesiastae Scoticana by Hew Scott
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h "Gordon, Robert (1786-1853)" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
  5. ^ Fasti Ecclesiastae Scoticana by Hew Scott
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002 (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. ISBN 0-902-198-84-X.
  7. ^ "Edinburgh Post Office annual directory, 1832-1833". National Library of Scotland. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  8. ^ Fasti Ecclesiastae Scoticana by Hew Scott
  9. ^ Gordon, Robert; Flavel, John; Cecil, Richard; Shaw, Samuel (1825). The mourner's companion. Princeton Theological Seminary Library. Glasgow : Printed for Chalmers and Collins.
Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Gordon, Robert (1786-1853)". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

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