Alexander Moody Stuart
Encyclopedia
Alexander Moody Stuart was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland
.
He was born Alexander Moody at Paisley
. On 9 September 1839 he married Jessie Stuart (died 27 April 1891), eldest daughter of Kenneth Bruce Stuart of Annat. Jessie inherited the family estate at Rait
on the braes of the Carse of Gowrie
, which was named Annat after an old family estate, with the condition that her husband should take the surname Stuart of Annat. Hence Alexander Moody took the name Alexander Moody Stuart.
Moody was a missionary in Holy Island
, Northumberland
, from 1831 to 1835. Under the Kirk session of St George's, Edinburgh, he began, in 1835, the work of gathering a congregation in Young Street. He was ordained to his first ministry at St Luke's, Young Street, on 27 July 1837.
After the Disruption of 1843
he joined the Free Church of Scotland
on his return from a trip to Madeira and Brazil, and became minister of St Luke's Free Church, Edinburgh in 1843. He was convener of the Jewish Mission of the Free Church from 1847 to 1889 (with a brief interval), and was Moderator of the General Assembly
of the Free Church in 1875. He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity
(DD) from the University of Edinburgh
in 1875.
He was a strong supporter of the Establishment Principle and opponent of disestablishment of the Church of Scotland
. He opposed Higher Criticism, and the proposed union with the United Presbyterian Church
. He interested himself in promoting friendly relations between Scottish Presbyterians and the Reformed churches
of Hungary and Bohemia
.
He died at Crieff
in Perthshire
. His son Kenneth Moody Stuart wrote his biography and that of the preacher Brownlow North.
Free Church of Scotland (1843-1900)
The Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish denomination which was formed in 1843 by a large withdrawal from the established Church of Scotland in a schism known as the "Disruption of 1843"...
.
He was born Alexander Moody at Paisley
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
. On 9 September 1839 he married Jessie Stuart (died 27 April 1891), eldest daughter of Kenneth Bruce Stuart of Annat. Jessie inherited the family estate at Rait
Rait
Rait is a small village in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It lies north-west of Errol, in the Gowrie area west of Dundee. The former parish church, now ruined, was built in the middle ages, and abandoned in the 17th century when the parish of Rait was merged with Kilspindie. The remains of a...
on the braes of the Carse of Gowrie
Carse of Gowrie
The Carse of Gowrie consists of a stretch of low-lying country in the southern part of Gowrie, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It stretches for about 20 miles along the north shore of the Firth of Tay between Perth and Dundee. The area offers high quality agricultural land and is well known as a major...
, which was named Annat after an old family estate, with the condition that her husband should take the surname Stuart of Annat. Hence Alexander Moody took the name Alexander Moody Stuart.
Moody was a missionary in Holy Island
Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne is a tidal island off the north-east coast of England. It is also known as Holy Island and constitutes a civil parish in Northumberland...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, from 1831 to 1835. Under the Kirk session of St George's, Edinburgh, he began, in 1835, the work of gathering a congregation in Young Street. He was ordained to his first ministry at St Luke's, Young Street, on 27 July 1837.
After the Disruption of 1843
Disruption of 1843
The Disruption of 1843 was a schism within the established Church of Scotland, in which 450 ministers of the Church broke away, over the issue of the Church's relationship with the State, to form the Free Church of Scotland...
he joined the Free Church of Scotland
Free Church of Scotland (1843-1900)
The Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish denomination which was formed in 1843 by a large withdrawal from the established Church of Scotland in a schism known as the "Disruption of 1843"...
on his return from a trip to Madeira and Brazil, and became minister of St Luke's Free Church, Edinburgh in 1843. He was convener of the Jewish Mission of the Free Church from 1847 to 1889 (with a brief interval), and was Moderator of the General Assembly
Moderator of the General Assembly
The Moderator of the General Assembly is the chairperson of a General Assembly, the highest court of a presbyterian or reformed church. Kirk Sessions and Presbyteries may also style the chairperson as moderator....
of the Free Church in 1875. He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
(DD) from the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
in 1875.
He was a strong supporter of the Establishment Principle and opponent of disestablishment of the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
. He opposed Higher Criticism, and the proposed union with the United Presbyterian Church
United Presbyterian Church of Scotland
The United Presbyterian Church of Scotland was a Scottish Presbyterian denomination. It was formed in 1847 by the union of the United Secession Church and the Relief Church, and in 1900 merged with the Free Church of Scotland to form the United Free Church of Scotland, which in turn united with...
. He interested himself in promoting friendly relations between Scottish Presbyterians and the Reformed churches
Reformed churches
The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations characterized by Calvinist doctrines. They are descended from the Swiss Reformation inaugurated by Huldrych Zwingli but developed more coherently by Martin Bucer, Heinrich Bullinger and especially John Calvin...
of Hungary and Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
.
He died at Crieff
Crieff
Crieff is a market town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It lies on the A85 road between Perth and Crianlarich and also lies on the A822 between Greenloaning and Aberfeldy. The A822 joins onto the A823 which leads to Dunfermline....
in Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
. His son Kenneth Moody Stuart wrote his biography and that of the preacher Brownlow North.