The shaping of Irish Presbyterian attitudes to mission, 1790-1840

Journal of Ecclesiastical History

Volumn 57, Issue 4, 2006, Pages 711-736

  Holmes, Andrew ^a  

^a NONE

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EID: 58249111078     PISSN: 00220469     EISSN: 14697637     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1017/S0022O46905004355     Document Type: Review

References (120)

1. Hugh McLeod, Religion and the people of western Europe, 1789-1989, 2nd edn, Oxford 1997, ch. i; W. R. Ward, 'The religion of the people and the problem of control', in his Faith and faction, London 1993, 264-84.
2. Mark Noll, 'Revolution and the rise of evangelical social influence in North Atlantic societies', in M. A. Noll, D. W. Bebbington and G. A. Rawlyk (eds), Evangelicalisin: comparative studies of popular Protestantism in North America, the British Isles, and beyond, 1700-1990, New York 1994, 113-36 at p. 113.
3. D. M. Thompson, Denominationalism and dissent, 1795-1835: a question of identity, London 1985, 12.
4. David Hempton and Myrtle Hill, Evangelical Protestantism in Ulster society, 1740-1890, London 1992, chs iii, iv.
5. The best overview of the involvement of Presbyterians in missionary activity before 1840 is W. P. Addley, 'A study of the birth and development of the overseas missions of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland up to 1910', unpubl. PhD diss. Queen's University, Belfast 1994, ch. i.
6. For an introduction to this historiography and the issues it raises see Andrew Porter, 'Church history, history of Christianity, religious history: some reflections on British missionary enterprise since the late eighteenth century', Church History lxxi (2002), 555-84.
7. For examples of a more balanced view of Protestant missions and missionaries see Donald Meek, The Scottish Highlands: the Churches and Gaelic culture, Geneva 1996;
8. Andrew Porter, 'Religion and empire: British expansion in the long nineteenth century, 1780-1914', Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History xx (1992), 370-90;
9. '"Cultural imperialism" and Protestant missionary enterprise, 1780-1914', ibid, xxv (1997), 367-91;
10. Brian Stanley, The Bible and the flag: Protestant missions and British imperialism in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Leicester 1990;
11. A. F. Walls, The missionary movement in Christian history: studies in the transmission of the faith, Edinburgh 1996,
12. and The cross-cultural process in Christian history: studies in the transmission and appropriation of the faith, Edinburgh 2002.
13. Porter, 'Religion and empire', 375, and Religion versus empire?, 11, 13, 116-17.
14. David Miller, 'Presbyterianism and "modernisation" in Ulster', Past & Present lxxx (Aug. 1978), 66-90.
15. Andrew Holmes, 'Ulster Presbyterian belief and practice, 1770-1840', unpubl. PhD diss. Queen's University, Belfast, 2002; 'Community and discipline in Ulster Presbyterianism, 1770-1840',
16. in Kate Cooper and Jeremy Gregory (eds), Retribution, repentance and reconciliation (Studies in Church History xl, 2004), 266-77;
17. in Michael Brown, C. I. McGrath and T. P. Power (eds), Converts and conversions in eighteenth-century Ireland, Dublin 2004.
18. Idem, 'Millennialism and the interpretation of prophecy in Ulster Presbyterianism, 1790-1850', in Crawford Gribben and T. C. F. Stunt (eds), Prisoners of hope? Aspects of evangelical millennialism in Scotland and Ireland, 1800-1880, Carlisle 2004.
19. David Stuart, The call of God to Irish Christians, in behalf of their perishing countrymen, and the guilt and danger of neglecting to hear it: a sermon preached in the new meeting-house, Cookstown, at the opening of the Presbyterian Synod of Ireland, distinguished by the name Seceders; on Tuesday, July 4,1820, Dublin 1820, 14-15.
20. I. R. McBride, Scripture politics: Ulster Presbyterians and Irish radicalism in the late eighteenth century, Oxford 1998, 115-16;
21. Trevor Parkhill, 'Between revolution and famine: patterns of emigration from Ulster, 1776-1845',
22. in John Gray and Wesley McCann (eds), An uncommon bookman: essays in memory of J. R. R. Adams, Belfast 1996, 59-73.
23. Boyd Stanley Schlenther, 'Religious faith and commercial empire', in P.J. Marshall (ed.), The Oxford history of the British empire, II: The eighteenth century, Oxford 1998, ii. 128-50;
24. M. J. Westerkamp, Triumph of the laity: Scots-Irish piety and the Great Awakening, 1625-1760, New York 1988.
25. Addley, 'Overseas missions', 7; John McKerrow, History of the Secession Church, rev. edn, Edinburgh 1847, 274-6, 343-4.
26. Addley, 'Overseas mīssions', 8-9.
27. Myrtle Hill, 'Popular Protestantism in Ulster in the post-rebellion period, c. 1790-1810', in W. J. Sheils and Diana Wood (eds), The Churches, Ireland and the Irish (Studies in Church History xxv, 1989), 171-89.
28. David Stewart, The Seceders in Ireland wilh annals of their congregations, Belfast 1950, 104-7, 187-90.
29. For similar developments elsewhere see D. W. Lovegrove, 'Idealism and association in early nineteenth century Dissent', in W. J. Sheils and Diana Wood (eds), Voluntary religion (Studies in Church History xxiii, 1986), 303-17, and Walls, Missionary movement, ch. xviii.
30. Addley, 'Overseas missions', 41-54; David Nesbitt, Full circle: a story of Ballybay Presbyterians, Monaghan 1999, 53.
31. The regulations of the Ballymoney Association for Religious Purposes, established October, 1826; and the address of the committee, Belfast 1827;
32. J. S. Reid, History of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, 2nd cdn, Belfast 1867, iii. 424, 422.
33. John Roxborogh, Thomas Chalmers: enthusiast for mission: the Christian good of Scotland and the rise of the missionary movement, Carlisle 1999, ch. xiii.
34. R. F. G. Holmes, Our Irish Presbyterian heritage, Belfast 1985, 59.
35. Minutes of a General Synod, held at Ballymena, 1826, Belfast 1826, 33-6.
36. [James Carlile], Memorial recommending the establishment of a mission to the Roman Catholics of Ireland, Dublin 1825.
37. Statement of the constitution and proceedings of the Reformed Presbyterian Home and Foreign Missionary Society,first established in 1823, and re-modelled, according to appointment of Synod, in 1828, Belfast 1828.
38. Minutes of a General Synod, held at Strabane, 1827, Belfast 1827, 32-5.
39. Minutes of a General Synod, held at Omagh, 1830, Belfast 1830, 35.
40. Reid, History, iii. 465; Stewart, Seceders, 207-8.
41. James Morgan, 'On the unity of the church, and its influence upon the cause of mission', in Missionary sermons and speeches delivered at a special meeting of the General Synod of Ulster, held in the Scots Church, Mary's Abbey, Dublin, in September, 1833, Belfast 1834, 93-4.
42. Addley, 'Overseas missions', 19.
43. Orthodox Presbyterian vii (1836), 181-6.
44. For an overview see the relevant chapters in Jack Thompson (cd.), Into all the world: a history of the overseas work of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, 1840-1990, Belfast 1990.
45. Thirteenth Report of the home mission of the Presbyterian Synod of Ireland, distinguished by the name Seceders, Belfast 1832, 2.
46. For example, James Carlile, The general diffusion of Christianity the duty of the Churches: a sermon, preached before the General Synod of Ulster, assembled in Ballymena, June, 1826, Dublin 1826, 13-16.
47. John Brown, The Christian ambassador: a sermon, preached before the General Synod of Ulster, at Cookslown, upon the last Tuesday of June, 1833, Belfast 1833, 33.
48. Minutes of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (hereinafter cited as MGA), i, 1840-50 [1840], 23.
49. For further information about the relationship between Reformed theology, millen-nialism and mission in the eighteenth century see James A. De Jong, As the waters cover the sea: millennial expectations and the rise of Anglo-American missions, 1640-1810, Kampcn 1970.
50. All references to the doctrinal standards of Irish Presbyterianism are taken from The Confession of Faith; the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, with the Scripture Proofs at Large [1646], Inverness 1976; 'Directory for public worship', 377. See also, Larger Catechism, q. 191.
51. Roxborogh, Thomas Chalmers, 237-8. The relevant section in the Westminster Confession of Faith is ch. v, section 3.
52. Andrew Walls, 'Missions', in N. M. de S Cameron (ed.), Dictionary of Scottish church history and theology, Edinburgh 1993, 567-94 at p. 567.
53. For examples of this theme in sermons see the works discussed in McBride, Scripture politics, 195-201. For a discussion of the millennialism of Willison's sermon see De Jong, As the waters cover the sea, 143-6, and for details of the popularity of his works in Ulster see J. R. R. Adams, The printed word and the common man: popular culture in Ulster, 1700-1900, Belfast 1987, 46-7, 190.
54. George Hamilton, The great necessity of itinerant preaching: a sermon delivered in the new meeting-house of Armagh, at the formation of the Evangelical Society of Ulster, on Wednesday, 10th of October, 1798: with a short introductory memorial respecting the establishment and first attempt of that society, Armagh 1798, 34-5.
55. Thomas Ledlie Birch, The obligations upon Christians, and especially ministers, to be exemplary in their lives; particularly at this important period, when the prophecies are seemingly about to be fulfilled in the fall of Antichrist, as an introduction to the flowing in of Jew and Gentile into the Christian Church: a sermon preached before the very reverend General Synod of Ulster, at Lurgan, June 26th, 1793, Belfast 1794, 32.
56. McBride, Scripture politics, 197-9, 201.
57. James Donnelly, 'Propagating the cause of the United Irishmen', Studies lxix (1980), 5-23, esp. pp. 15-21;
58. N.J. Curtin, The United Irishmen: popular politics and Dublin, 1791-1798, Oxford 1998, 189-91.
59. Hill,'Popular Protestantism in Ulster', 171-89.
60. Roxborogh, Thomas Chalmers, 169-72; Gavin White, '"Highly preposterous": origins of Scottish missions', Records of the Scottish Church History Society xix (1972), 111-25.
61. David Hempton, Religion and political culture in Great Britain and Ireland from the Glorious Revolution to the decline of empire, Cambridge 1996, 95.
62. Covenanter iii (1833), 370-3; iv (1834), 148-50; John Coulter, Will the two synods ever unite? The Rev. John Coulter's address to the students' united prayer meeting, Belfast College on the prospect of union between the General and Secession Synods, Belfast 1839, 3-4; Missionary Herald (1858), 97.
63. Stephen Orchard, 'Evangelical eschatology and the missionary awakening', Journal of Religious History xxii (1998), 132-51, 139.
64. Brian Stanley, 'The future in the past: eschatological vision in British and American Protestant missionary history', Tyndale Bulletin li (2000), 103.
65. David Stuart, The claims of the poor children of Ireland on Christians, stated and enforced: a sermon ⋯ preached in the new meeting-house, Mary's Abbey, on Sabbath, the 9th of April, 1820, in aid of the funds of Mary's Abbey Sabbath and weekday evening schools, Dublin 1820, 33-4.
66. Stanley, 'The future in the past', 104. For evidence of social and cultural transformation see part III below.
67. Francis Pringlc, The Gospel ministry, an ordinance of Christ; and the duty of ministers and people: a sermon, at the opening of the Associate Synod of Ireland, in Belfast, July 12, 1796, [Belfast] 1796, 32.
68. John Lowry, Sermon preached before the Associate Synod of Presbyterians, in Ireland, July 1816, Belfast 1816, 20. See also Stuart, The claims of the poor children of Ireland, 36.
69. For example, David Maxwell, A sermon on the conversion of the heathen: published, chiefly with a dew to promote attention of this important subject, Belfast 1815, 3-4, 28;
70. Samuel Edgar, The times, a sermon, preached at the ordination of the Rev. Thomas Heron, Fourtowns, Donoughmore, Belfast 1814, 51.
71. Minutes of a General Synod, held at Belfast, 1836, Belfast 1836, 58-9.
72. Orthodox Presbyterian n.s. i (1838), 358-66 at p. 358; Henry Wallace, Christ the head over all things to the Church: a sennon, preached at the opening of the General Synod of Ulster, at their annual meeting in Belfast, on the 25th June, 1839, Belfast 1839, 40.
73. Grayson Carter, Anglican evangelicals: Protestant secession from the via media, c. 1800-1850, Oxford 2001, chs v, vi.
74. For an introduction to the differences between the two groups see Stanley, 'The future in the past', 104-9.
75. Fourth Report of the Seceder home mission, 1823, 10.
76. John Coulter, Ministers addressed on the subject of their own salvation: a sermon, preached at the opening of the Presbyterian Synod of the Secession Church in Ireland, assembled in the Berry Street meeting-house, Belfast, July 6, 1830, Belfast 1830, 39-40.
77. MGA i [1846], 485; [1848], 680; [1849], 771; [1850], 1836; E. M. Dill, The mystery solved: or, Ireland's miseries; the grand cause, and cure, Edinburgh 1852, 277-94.
78. James Carlile, The fust and second advents, with a view of the millennium, Edinburgh 1848, 29.
79. John Brown, 'Thy kingdom come': a sermon, preached at Magherafelt, on the 29th May, 1849, at the opening of the synod of Ballymena and Coleraine, Coleraine 1849, 11-12.
80. Andrew Walls, 'The eighteenth-century Protestant missionary awakening in its European context', in Brian Stanley (ed.), Christian missions and the Enlightenment, Grand Rapids, MI. 2001, 22-44, 30.
81. J. C. S. Mason, The Moravian Church and the missionary awakening in England, 1760-1800, Woodbridgc 2001.
82. R. J. Rodgcrs, 'James Carlile, 1784-1854', unpubl. PhD diss. Queen's University, Belfast, 1973. 68-7l.
83. Stuart, The call of God to Irish Christians, 14, 22; Hibernian Evangelical Magazine i (1815), 46; Annual pastoral address of the General Synod of Ulster to the congregations under their charge, Belfast 1831,11.
84. Missionary sermons and speeches, 3.
85. Walls, Missionary movement, ch. xviii.
86. David Stuart, Christian anniversaries contrasted with Jewish festivals: a sermon, preached on occasion of the annual meetings of the principal national societies of Ireland, for propagating the Gospel at home and abroad. On Sabbath, April 11th, 1824, Dublin 1824, 27. See also James Morgan, Christian education, the foundation of national prosperity: a sermon, preached to the Belfast Sabbath-School Union, on the 1st of February, 1835, Belfast 1835, 29, and Orthodox Presbyterian vii (1836), 246-7.
87. See, for example, Edgar, The times, 20-7.
88. James Rentoul, The angelic anthem, applied to the present times, in two sermons, Strabane 1815, 66.
89. Lowry, Sermon, 24.
90. Orthodox Presbyterian iv (1833), 347-50.
91. John Brown, Meroz: a sermon showing the duty of Scottish Christians to Ireland at tlie present crisis: preached in Hope Street Gaelic church, on the 18th November, Glasgow 1838, 14.
92. Stanley, Christian missions and the Enlightenment. David Bebbington in particular has outlined the indebtedness of evangelicalism to the Enlightenment: Evangelicalism in modem Britain: a history from the 1730s to the 1980s, rev. edn, London 1995, and 'Revival and Enlightenment in eighteenth-century England', in Andrew Walker and Kristin Aune (eds), On revival: a critical examination, Carlisle 2003, 71-85.
93. Ian Douglas Maxwell, 'Civilisation or Christianity? The Scottish debate on mission methods, 1750-1835', in Stanley, Christian missions and the Enlightenment, 123-40 at p. 124.
94. Maxwell, A sermon on the conversion of the heathen, 21-3.
95. Samuel Butler, Death and life in many views; or, a series of fiffy-two discourses, Londonderry 1826, 358-60.
96. Coulter, Ministers addressed on the subject of their own salvation, 39-40.
97. Peter Brooke, 'Controversies in Ulster Presbyterianism, 1790-1836', unpubl. PhD diss. Cambridge 1980, 53-4.
98. Belfast Monthly Magazine xi (1813), 7-8, 13-14, 203-4, 287, 352-4, 441-7; xii (1814), 281-3; Ulster Register i (1816), 66-8; ii (1817), 195-200, 232-9.
99. Belfast Monthly Magazine xi (1813), 441-7, 442.
100. Belfast Monthly Magazine xii (1814), 105-7.
101. Samuel Edgar, A sermon; preached before the Down Missionary Society, at Rathfriland, Belfast 1815.
102. Idem, The times, 56-60, 57.
103. Idem, Improvement of Irish Catholics: a sermon, Belfast 1822, 44.
104. Idem, The times, 50.
105. Linde Lunney, 'Knowledge and enlightenment: attitudes to education in early nineteenth-century Ulster', in Mary Daly and David Dickson (eds), The origins of popular literacy in Ireland: language change and educational development, 1700-1920, Dublin 1990, 97-112.
106. William Carr, The importance of religious education, and the duty of instructing the children of the ignorant poor, illustrated in a sermon preached in Berry Street meeting-house on Sunday 6th of February, 1822, in aid of the funds of the Belfast Sunday School Society, mid the Ladies Sunday Local School Association, Belfast 1822, 11-12.
107. Christian Freeman i (1833), 93.
108. John Paul, The mountain of the Lord's house: a sermon preached at Rathfriland, Sabbath evening, June 16, 1839 ⋯ and published at the request of the committee of the Rathfriland Sabbath-School Union, Belfast 1839, 36.
109. James Glasgow, Our foreign mission: an address to newly-ordained missionaries, Belfast 1867; James Morgan, Rome and the Gospel, Edinburgh 1854, 151-2.
110. Porter, 'Church history, history of Christianity, religious history', 563-4, and Religion versus empire?, chs iii-v.
111. For a detailed discussion of how this 'Atlantic system' stimulated a broader interest in mission amongst North Atlantic evangelicals in the eighteenth century see Porter, 'Church history, history of Christianity, religious history', 568-76.
112. Maxwell, 'Civilisation or Christianity?', 136.
113. James Morgan, The Gospel preached with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven: a discourse, addressed to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, on Tuesday, the 6th July, 1847, Belfast 1847, 17.
114. Orchard, 'Evangelical eschatology and the missionary awakening', 149-50.
115. Good examples of the relationship between patriotism and mission may be found in Stuart, Christian anniversaries contrasted with Jewish festivals, 7, and Edgar, Sermon, 11-14.
116. James Morgan, A pastoral address, to the Lisburn Presbyterian congregation, Belfast 1824, 48.
117. Idem, Christian education, 25.
118. Benjamin McDowell, The standing orders of Christ to the messengers of his grace, of aery Church, and in every age; considered, and applied to the present time, in a sermon preached in St Mary's Abbey meeting-house, on Sunday the 21st of July, 1799, from Isaiah LXII. 10, at the request of the General Evangelical Society; and now published at their desire, Dublin 1799, 33-4.
119. Carr, The importance of religious education, 25-6.
120. Monthly Missionary Herald, no. 35 (1839), 118-21 at p. 119.