James Fordyce
Encyclopedia
James Fordyce, DD
(1720–1 October 1796), was a Scottish Presbyterian minister and poet. He is best known for his collection of sermons published in 1766 as Sermons for Young Women
, popularly known as Fordyce's Sermons.
, merchant and Provost of Aberdeen
(who had twenty children); and was born at Aberdeen in the last quarter of 1720. David Fordyce
was his elder brother, Alexander Fordyce
and Sir William Fordyce were his younger brothers, and George Fordyce
, M.D., was his nephew. After the Aberdeen High School Fordyce went to Marischal College
, where he was educated for the ministry. On 23 February 1743 he was licensed by the Aberdeen presbytery.
In September 1744 he was presented by the Crown to the second charge at Brechin
, Forfarshire. His admission was delayed, when the parishioners stood out for their right of election; he was ordained at Brechin on 28 August 1745. His position was not comfortable, and he did not get on with his colleague. In 1753 he took his degree of M.A. at Marischal College, and in the same year he received a presentation to Alloa
, Clackmannanshire
. The parishioners wanted another man; however, Fordyce got a call on 5 June, demitted his charge at Brechin on 29 August, and was admitted at Alloa on 12 October 1753. Here he was on better terms with his congregation, and acquired areputation as a preacher. He published several sermons; in 1760 his sermon before the General Assembly on the 'folly, infamy, and misery of unlawful pleasures ' created an impression. The University of Glasgow
made him a Doctor of Divinity
.
Fordyce's delivery and gestures were studied, and he drew crowds to Monkwell Street. His topics were didactic, but he also satisfied cultured tastes, and dealt with the ethics of actual life. David Garrick
was impressed; Fordyce associated with Samuel Johnson
, and introduced him to Blair. He gave sympathetic account in Addresses to the Deity,' 1785, of Johnson's religious character, speaking as an evangelical moderate.
Fordyce's popularity lasted for about twelve years. Several causes contributed to its decline. In 1772 the banking failure of his brother Alexander involved the ruin of some adherents, and the loss of many friends. In 1775 the congregation was split by a quarrel between Fordyce and Toller, and Fordyce had Toller dismissed on 28 February 1775. A large part of the congregation moved with Toller to an independent meeting-house in Silver Street.
On the death (1792) of his brother, Sir William Fordyce, he removed to Bath, Somerset. He was troubled with asthma
, and died suddenly of syncope
on 1 October 1796 in his seventy-sixth year. He was buried in one of the parish churches of Bath; funeral sermon was preached by Lindsay at Monkwell Street on 16 Oct. He married (1771) Henrietta Cummyng, who died at Bath on 10 January 1823, aged 89. There was no issue of the marriage.
Also a sermon on popery (1754), reprinted 1779; ordination sermon and charge (1755); sermon on Eccles. xi. 1 (1757); funeral sermon for Samuel Lawrence (1760); sermon on Prov. viii. 6, 7 (1775); charge at ordination of James Lindsay (1783). His book Sermons for Young Women was also published in an American edition (First Boston Edition) in 1796, by Thomas Hill, printers.
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....
(1720–1 October 1796), was a Scottish Presbyterian minister and poet. He is best known for his collection of sermons published in 1766 as Sermons for Young Women
Sermons for Young Women
Sermons to Young Women , often called Fordyce's Sermons, is a two-volume compendium of sermons compiled by Dr. James Fordyce, a Scottish clergyman, which were originally delivered by himself and others. Dr. Fordyce was considered an excellent orator, and his collection of sermons found a ready...
, popularly known as Fordyce's Sermons.
Early life
He was the third son of George Fordyce (1663-1733) of BroadfordBroadford
Broadford may refer to:Places*Broadford, County Clare, Republic of Ireland*Broadford, County Limerick, Republic of Ireland*Broadford, Skye, Scotland*Broadford, Pennsylvania, United States*Broadford, Victoria, Australia...
, merchant and Provost of Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
(who had twenty children); and was born at Aberdeen in the last quarter of 1720. David Fordyce
David Fordyce
David Fordyce was a Scottish philosopher, a contributor to the Scottish Enlightenment.Fordyce was educated at Marischal College, Aberdeen . He entered the ministry and returned to Marischal as regent in 1742, teaching Moral Philosophy there until 1751, when he died by drowning at sea...
was his elder brother, Alexander Fordyce
Alexander Fordyce
Alexander Fordyce was a Scottish banker, centrally involved in the bank run on Neal, James, Fordyce and Down in 1772.-Early life:He was the youngest son of Provost George Fordyce of Aberdeen, and brother to David Fordyce, James Fordyce, and William Fordyce...
and Sir William Fordyce were his younger brothers, and George Fordyce
George Fordyce
George Fordyce was a distinguished Scottish physician, lecturer on medicine, and chemist, who was a Fellow of the Royal Society and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.-Early life:...
, M.D., was his nephew. After the Aberdeen High School Fordyce went to Marischal College
Marischal College
Marischal College is a building and former university in the centre of the city of Aberdeen in north-east Scotland. The building is owned by the University of Aberdeen and used for ceremonial events...
, where he was educated for the ministry. On 23 February 1743 he was licensed by the Aberdeen presbytery.
In September 1744 he was presented by the Crown to the second charge at Brechin
Brechin
Brechin is a former royal burgh in Angus, Scotland. Traditionally Brechin is often described as a city because of its cathedral and its status as the seat of a pre-Reformation Roman Catholic diocese , but that status has not been officially recognised in the modern era...
, Forfarshire. His admission was delayed, when the parishioners stood out for their right of election; he was ordained at Brechin on 28 August 1745. His position was not comfortable, and he did not get on with his colleague. In 1753 he took his degree of M.A. at Marischal College, and in the same year he received a presentation to Alloa
Alloa
Alloa is a town and former burgh in Clackmannanshire, set in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies on on the north bank of the Firth of Forth close to the foot of the Ochil Hills, east of Stirling and north of Falkirk....
, Clackmannanshire
Clackmannanshire
Clackmannanshire, often abbreviated to Clacks is a local government council area in Scotland, and a lieutenancy area, bordering Perth and Kinross, Stirling and Fife.As Scotland's smallest historic county, it is often nicknamed 'The Wee County'....
. The parishioners wanted another man; however, Fordyce got a call on 5 June, demitted his charge at Brechin on 29 August, and was admitted at Alloa on 12 October 1753. Here he was on better terms with his congregation, and acquired areputation as a preacher. He published several sermons; in 1760 his sermon before the General Assembly on the 'folly, infamy, and misery of unlawful pleasures ' created an impression. The University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
made him a 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....
.
Preacher in London
With several members of his family established in London, in 1760 he was chosen as colleague to Samuel Lawrence, D.D., minister of the presbyterian congregation in Monkwell Street. He demitted his charge at Alloa on 30 May, and was released from it on 18 June 1760. Lawrence died on 1 October, and Fordyce became sole pastor. He preached only on Sunday afternoons, the morning lecturer being Thomas Toller, Lawrence's son-in-law.Fordyce's delivery and gestures were studied, and he drew crowds to Monkwell Street. His topics were didactic, but he also satisfied cultured tastes, and dealt with the ethics of actual life. David Garrick
David Garrick
David Garrick was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of theatrical practice throughout the 18th century and was a pupil and friend of Dr Samuel Johnson...
was impressed; Fordyce associated with Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
, and introduced him to Blair. He gave sympathetic account in Addresses to the Deity,' 1785, of Johnson's religious character, speaking as an evangelical moderate.
Fordyce's popularity lasted for about twelve years. Several causes contributed to its decline. In 1772 the banking failure of his brother Alexander involved the ruin of some adherents, and the loss of many friends. In 1775 the congregation was split by a quarrel between Fordyce and Toller, and Fordyce had Toller dismissed on 28 February 1775. A large part of the congregation moved with Toller to an independent meeting-house in Silver Street.
Later life
With a diminished congregation, and under medical advice, Fordyce resigned his office at Christmas 1782. His charge at the ordination of his successor, James Lindsay, D.D., on 21 May 1783, was highly regarded. He retired to a country residence near Christchurch, Hampshire, where he was a neighbour of Lord Bute, who gave him the use of his library.On the death (1792) of his brother, Sir William Fordyce, he removed to Bath, Somerset. He was troubled with asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
, and died suddenly of syncope
Syncope
In phonology, syncope is the loss of one or more sounds from the interior of a word; especially, the loss of an unstressed vowel. It is found bothin Synchronic analysis of languages and Diachronics .-Found synchronically:...
on 1 October 1796 in his seventy-sixth year. He was buried in one of the parish churches of Bath; funeral sermon was preached by Lindsay at Monkwell Street on 16 Oct. He married (1771) Henrietta Cummyng, who died at Bath on 10 January 1823, aged 89. There was no issue of the marriage.
Works
He published:- 'The Eloquence of the Pulpit,' &c., 1752, (ordination sermon; often reprinted with David Fordyce's ' Theodorus').
- 'The Temple of Virtue,' &c., 1757, (by David Fordyce; but this edition has additional matter by James Fordyce).
- 'The Folly … of Unlawful Pleasures,' &c., 1760; 2nd edit. Edinb. 1768.
- 'Sermons to Young Women,' 1765, 2 vols., often reprinted.
- 'The Character and Conduct of the Female Sex,' 1776.
- 'Addresses to Young Men,' 1777, 2 vols.
- 'Addresses to the Deity,' 1785.
- 'Poems,' 1786.
- 'A Discourse on Pain,' 1791, (Chalmers refers to a certain 'cure for the cramp' here given, and connects it with a passage from Beaumont and FletcherBeaumont and FletcherBeaumont and Fletcher were the English dramatists Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, who collaborated in their writing during the reign of James I ....
).
Also a sermon on popery (1754), reprinted 1779; ordination sermon and charge (1755); sermon on Eccles. xi. 1 (1757); funeral sermon for Samuel Lawrence (1760); sermon on Prov. viii. 6, 7 (1775); charge at ordination of James Lindsay (1783). His book Sermons for Young Women was also published in an American edition (First Boston Edition) in 1796, by Thomas Hill, printers.