Robert Douglas (minister)
Encyclopedia
Robert Douglas was the only minister of the Church of Scotland
to be Moderator
of the General Assembly
five times.
Douglas officiated at the coronation of Charles II
at Scone
in 1651. During the ceremony he preached a sermon which said that it was the monarch's duty to maintain the established religion of Scotland and to bring the other religions in Britain into conformity with it. Douglas assisted in the Restoration
of the monarchy in 1660, and afterwards was offered the bishopric
of Edinburgh
if he would accept the introduction of episcopacy into Scotland. He refused, and was latterly simply Pastor of Greyfriars
in Edinburgh
and then Minister
of the Parish
of Pencaitland
until his death.
. He was educated at the University of St Andrews
, where he took the degree of M.A. in 1614.
He became minister of Kirkaldy in 1628, and a year later was offered a charge at South Leith, which he declined. He became chaplain to one of the brigades of Scottish auxiliaries sent with the connivance of Charles I to the aid of Gustavus Adolphus in the Thirty Years' War
. Gustavus landed in Germany in June 1630; Robert Wodrow
, in his ‘Analecta,’ gives several anecdotes, showing how he appreciated Douglas's advice. Returning to Scotland, he was elected in 1638 member of the General Assembly, and in the following year was chosen for the second charge of the High Church in Edinburgh. In 1641 he was removed to the Tolbooth Church, and in July of the same year preached a sermon before the Scottish parliament. In the following year he was chosen moderator of the general assembly—a post he also held in 1645, 1647, 1649, and 1651—and in 1643 he was named one of the commissioners of the Westminster Assembly
.
In 1644 he was chaplain to one of the Scottish regiments in England, an account of which he gives in his ‘Diary.’ In 1649 he was retransferred to the High Church, and with other commissioners presented the Solemn League and Covenant
to the parliament, and was appointed a commissioner for visiting the universities of Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and St Andrews. In the following year he was one of the ministers who waited on Charles II at Dunfermline
to obtain his signature to a declaration of religion; but as this document reflected on his father, Charles refused to sign it. The result was a division in the Scotch church on the matter, Douglas being a leader of the resolutioners, the party which preferred to treat the king leniently. In January 1651 Douglas officiated at the coronation of Charles II at Scone, preaching a sermon in which he said that it was the king's duty to maintain the established religion of Scotland, and to bring the other religions of the kingdom into conformity with it.
Douglas was sent prisoner to London by Oliver Cromwell
, when he suppressed the Scotch royalists, but was released in 1653. In 1654 he was called to London with other eminent ministers to consult with the Protector on the affairs of the Church of Scotland
. Douglas was now the acknowledged leader of the moderate presbyterians or ‘public resolutioners,’ and retained the position till the English Restoration
, which he largely helped to bring about. In 1659 he joined with the other resolutioners in sending James Sharp to London to attend to the interests of the Scottish church, and Wodrow (Sufferings of the Church of Scotland) gives most of the correspondence which took place between them. In this year Douglas preached the sermon at the opening of Heriot's Hospital.
After the Restoration Douglas was offered the bishopric of Edinburgh if he would agree to the introduction of episcopacy into Scotland, but declined the office, and remonstrated with Sharp for accepting the archbishopric of St. Andrews. He preached before the Scottish parliament in 1661, and 27 June 1662 was removed to the pastorate of Grey Friars' Church, Edinburgh. For declining to recognise episcopacy Douglas was deprived of this charge on 1 October 1662.
In 1669 the privy council licensed him as an indulged minister to the parish of Pencaitland
in East Lothian
. He died in 1674, aged 80.
, Elizabeth, Archibald, and Robert. He had also two children (Robert and Margaret) by his second wife.
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....
to be Moderator
Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The Moderator of the General Assembly of Church of Scotland is a Minister, Elder or Deacon of the Church of Scotland chosen to "moderate" the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which is held for a week in Edinburgh every May....
of the General Assembly
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the sovereign and highest court of the Church of Scotland, and is thus the Church's governing body[1] An Introduction to Practice and Procedure in the Church of Scotland, A Gordon McGillivray, 2nd Edition .-Church courts:As a Presbyterian church,...
five times.
Douglas officiated at the coronation of Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
at Scone
Scone, Scotland
Scone is a village in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The medieval village of Scone, which grew up around the monastery and royal residence, was abandoned in the early 19th century when the residents were removed and a new palace was built on the site by the Earl of Mansfield...
in 1651. During the ceremony he preached a sermon which said that it was the monarch's duty to maintain the established religion of Scotland and to bring the other religions in Britain into conformity with it. Douglas assisted in the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
of the monarchy in 1660, and afterwards was offered the bishopric
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
if he would accept the introduction of episcopacy into Scotland. He refused, and was latterly simply Pastor of Greyfriars
Greyfriars
Greyfriars may refer to:* the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor, in particular the Conventual Franciscans* Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh, a church* Greyfriars Bobby, a renowned dog in Edinburgh* Greyfriars Kirkyard, a graveyard in Edinburgh...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and then Minister
Minister of religion
In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community...
of the Parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Pencaitland
Pencaitland
Pencaitland is a village in East Lothian, Scotland, about south-east of Edinburgh, south-west of Haddington, and east of Ormiston.The land where the village lies is said to have been granted by William the Lion to Calum Cormack in 1169, who gave the church, with the tithes and other property...
until his death.
Life
He was son of George Douglas, governor of Laurence, Lord Oliphant; the father was said to be an illegitimate son of Sir George Douglas of Lochleven, brother of Sir William Douglas, 6th Earl of MortonWilliam Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton
William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton was the son of Sir Robert Douglas of Lochleven and Margaret Erskine, a former mistress of James V of Scotland. Sir William's half-brother from his mother's liaison with the king was James Stewart, Earl of Moray, Regent of Scotland from 1567 until his...
. He was educated at the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
, where he took the degree of M.A. in 1614.
He became minister of Kirkaldy in 1628, and a year later was offered a charge at South Leith, which he declined. He became chaplain to one of the brigades of Scottish auxiliaries sent with the connivance of Charles I to the aid of Gustavus Adolphus in the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
. Gustavus landed in Germany in June 1630; Robert Wodrow
Robert Wodrow
Robert Wodrow , Scottish historian, was born at Glasgow, being a son of James Wodrow, professor of divinity.-Biography:Ordered as in the text above:...
, in his ‘Analecta,’ gives several anecdotes, showing how he appreciated Douglas's advice. Returning to Scotland, he was elected in 1638 member of the General Assembly, and in the following year was chosen for the second charge of the High Church in Edinburgh. In 1641 he was removed to the Tolbooth Church, and in July of the same year preached a sermon before the Scottish parliament. In the following year he was chosen moderator of the general assembly—a post he also held in 1645, 1647, 1649, and 1651—and in 1643 he was named one of the commissioners of the Westminster Assembly
Westminster Assembly
The Westminster Assembly of Divines was appointed by the Long Parliament to restructure the Church of England. It also included representatives of religious leaders from Scotland...
.
In 1644 he was chaplain to one of the Scottish regiments in England, an account of which he gives in his ‘Diary.’ In 1649 he was retransferred to the High Church, and with other commissioners presented the Solemn League and Covenant
Solemn League and Covenant
The Solemn League and Covenant was an agreement between the Scottish Covenanters and the leaders of the English Parliamentarians. It was agreed to in 1643, during the First English Civil War....
to the parliament, and was appointed a commissioner for visiting the universities of Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and St Andrews. In the following year he was one of the ministers who waited on Charles II at Dunfermline
Dunfermline
Dunfermline is a town and former Royal Burgh in Fife, Scotland, on high ground from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. According to a 2008 estimate, Dunfermline has a population of 46,430, making it the second-biggest settlement in Fife. Part of the town's name comes from the Gaelic word...
to obtain his signature to a declaration of religion; but as this document reflected on his father, Charles refused to sign it. The result was a division in the Scotch church on the matter, Douglas being a leader of the resolutioners, the party which preferred to treat the king leniently. In January 1651 Douglas officiated at the coronation of Charles II at Scone, preaching a sermon in which he said that it was the king's duty to maintain the established religion of Scotland, and to bring the other religions of the kingdom into conformity with it.
Douglas was sent prisoner to London by Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
, when he suppressed the Scotch royalists, but was released in 1653. In 1654 he was called to London with other eminent ministers to consult with the Protector on the affairs 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....
. Douglas was now the acknowledged leader of the moderate presbyterians or ‘public resolutioners,’ and retained the position till the English Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
, which he largely helped to bring about. In 1659 he joined with the other resolutioners in sending James Sharp to London to attend to the interests of the Scottish church, and Wodrow (Sufferings of the Church of Scotland) gives most of the correspondence which took place between them. In this year Douglas preached the sermon at the opening of Heriot's Hospital.
After the Restoration Douglas was offered the bishopric of Edinburgh if he would agree to the introduction of episcopacy into Scotland, but declined the office, and remonstrated with Sharp for accepting the archbishopric of St. Andrews. He preached before the Scottish parliament in 1661, and 27 June 1662 was removed to the pastorate of Grey Friars' Church, Edinburgh. For declining to recognise episcopacy Douglas was deprived of this charge on 1 October 1662.
In 1669 the privy council licensed him as an indulged minister to the parish of Pencaitland
Pencaitland
Pencaitland is a village in East Lothian, Scotland, about south-east of Edinburgh, south-west of Haddington, and east of Ormiston.The land where the village lies is said to have been granted by William the Lion to Calum Cormack in 1169, who gave the church, with the tithes and other property...
in East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
. He died in 1674, aged 80.
Works
His published works are:- ‘The Diary of Mr. Robert Douglas when with the Scottish Army in England,’ 1644.
- ‘A Sermon preached at Scone, January the first, 1651, at the Coronation of Charles II,’ 1651.
- ‘Master Douglas, his Sermon preached at the Down-sitting of the last Parliament of Scotland,’ 1661.
Family
He married (1) Margaret Kirkaldie, and (2) Margaret Boyd on 20 August 1646. By the former he was father of Thomas, Janet, Alexander, minister of LogieLogie
If you searched for Logie you may be looking for:*Logie, Dundee, a residential area in the City of Dundee, Scotland*Logie Coldstone, an Aberdeenshire village north of the River Dee in Scotland*The Logie Award, the Australian television industry awards...
, Elizabeth, Archibald, and Robert. He had also two children (Robert and Margaret) by his second wife.