Robert Gordon (minister)

Rev Dr Robert Gordon DD 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]

Robert Gordon
14 Northumberland Street, Edinburgh

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

Life

He was born 5 May 1786 at Old Crawfordton, Glencairn, Dumfriesshire, where his father was the parish schoolmaster. Aged 15, he was appointed parish teacher, in place of his father, who had died some years before.

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, and acting for a time as master in the Perth Academy, he was licensed by the presbytery of Perth on 27 July 1814, and was ordained as minister of Kinfauns on 12 September 1816.[3]

In February 1821 he was promoted to St. Cuthbert's Chapel of Ease, on Buccleuch Street in Edinburgh, and in January 1824 to the Hope Park Chapel of Ease, which was built for him. In September 1825 he moved to the New North Church, collegiate charge, and in 1830 to the High Church.

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.[4]

From 1836 till 28 November 1843 he was collector of the Ministers' Widows' Fund.[3] In the 1830s he is listed as living at 27 Lauriston in the Tollcross area of the city.[5]

When the conflict which led to the disruption of the Scottish church began, Gordon 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; and 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 Lathendy case. When the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland met at Edinburgh on 20 May 1841, Gordon was chosen Moderator, both parties uniting in his election; in this capacity he had to pronounce the deposition of the Strathbogie ministers.[3]

Gordon presided at the public meeting in St. Cuthbert's Church, 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 in 1842 Gordon seconded the adoption of the claim of right 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.[3]

In the Disruption of 1843 he left the established church, together with almost the whole of his congregation.

From then until death he was minister of the Free High Church of Edinburgh.

He was a member of the Royal Scottish Society and was also one of Her Majesty, Queen Victoria's Master Printers for Scotland.[3]

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 Newington Cemetery on the south side of the city.[4]

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;[6] and for 'Emmanuel,' by Samuel Shaw, in 1829.[3]

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.[3]

Family

He married Isabella Campbell, with whom he had a large family. Two of his sons, Robert and Donald Campbell, became ministers in the Free Church.[3]

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. "Gordon, Robert (1786-1853)" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
  4. 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.
  5. "Edinburgh Post Office annual directory, 1832-1833". National Library of Scotland. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  6. 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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