Life

Armstrong was born in 1780 at Ballynahinch, county Down. He was the son of John Armstrong, who married a daughter of Rev. John Strong, for thirty-six years (1744–1780) presbyterian minister of Ballynahinch. He was a descendant of John Livingstone, of Killinchy, one of the founders of Irish presbyterianism. He was first trained at the Rademon Academy, under Moses Neilson, D.D., after which he became classical assistant to William Bruce, D.D., in the Belfast Academy, and conducted a special class of sacred history. He graduated at Trinity College, Dublin

Trinity College, Dublin

Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...

, and studied philosophy in Edinburgh University under Dugald Stewart. He was licensed 11 May 1806 by Antrim Presbytery (non-subscribing). The same year he received calls to Clonmel and Strand Street, Dublin (2 October); choosing the latter, he was ordained 25 December 1806 by Dublin Presbytery (non-subscribing) as colleague to John Moody, D.D. (b. 11 Dec. 1742, d. 15 July 1813), after whose death William Hamilton Drummond, D.D. [see Drummond, W. H.], became (25 Dec. 1815) his colleague. He was one of the founders of the Irish Unitarian Society (1830) and of the Association of Irish Nonsubscribing Presbyterians (1835), and he represented the latter body at the celebration of the tercentenary of the reformation at Geneva in August 1835.

In the previous year he had received the degree of D.D. from the university of Geneva

University of Geneva

The University of Geneva is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland.It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin, as a theological seminary and law school. It remained focused on theology until the 17th century, when it became a center for Enlightenment scholarship. In 1873, it...

. He was a member of the Royal Irish Academy

Royal Irish Academy

The Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...

. He died very suddenly at Stonehouse

Stonehouse

Stonehouse may refer to:*Stonehouse, Nova Scotia, a community in Nova Scotia, Canada*Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, a town now in Stroud District, England**Stonehouse railway station, currently open in the above town...

on Wednesday, 4 December 1839, having preached on the previous Sunday, and married a couple that very morning. He married Mary Allman, and left two sons (John Strong Armstrong, A.B., president of the Dublin Historical Society, and Rev. George Allman Armstrong, A.B., originally a barrister, who succeeded him in 1841 at Strand Street) and four daughters. A petition from his widow is printed in Parliamentary Debates on the Dissenters' Chapels Bill, 1844.

Works

He published:

• 'A Discourse on Presbyterian Ordination,' and an 'Appendix, containing some account of the Presbyterian Churches in Dublin,' both included in the 'Ordination Service' for James Martineau, London 1829.
• 'The Sin against the Holy Ghost,' London 1836 (sermon before the British and Foreign Unitarian Association).
• 'A Sermon vindicating the Principles of Unitarian Christianity,' Dublin, 1838 (a discourse originating in local controversy).