3 October 1808 A.D. Birth of Rev. James Begg, Free Church of Scotland
3
October 1808 A.D. Birth of
Rev. James Begg, Free Church of Scotland
No author. “A Brief Biography of Rev. James Begg, D.D.” The James Begg Society. N.d. http://www.nesherchristianresources.org/JBS/ebooks/begg_memoir/begg_memoir_front.html. Accessed 9 May 2014.
JAMES Begg was born a "son of the manse" at
New Monklands, Lanarkshire, Scotland, on 3rd October 1808. While his father
joined the Established Church and was minister in New Monklands for over 40
years, all his father's family were Covenanters and would not enter the
"parish" Church. At an early age, James came to regard these
relatives in the highest esteem for their steadfastness in religion. He thus
felt honoured to have Cameronian blood in his veins. "Their conduct and
determination gave me even then a strong impression of the importance of fixed
principles." 1
The Memoirs of
James Begg, D.D., are available as an E-book
on our website here. http://www.nesherchristianresources.org/JBS/ebooks/begg_memoir/begg_memoir_front.html
No author. “A Brief Biography of Rev. James Begg, D.D.” The James Begg Society. N.d. http://www.nesherchristianresources.org/JBS/ebooks/begg_memoir/begg_memoir_front.html. Accessed 9 May 2014.
A Brief Biography of Rev. James Begg, D.D.
JAMES Begg was born a "son of the manse" at
New Monklands, Lanarkshire, Scotland, on 3rd October 1808. While his father
joined the Established Church and was minister in New Monklands for over 40
years, all his father's family were Covenanters and would not enter the
"parish" Church. At an early age, James came to regard these
relatives in the highest esteem for their steadfastness in religion. He thus
felt honoured to have Cameronian blood in his veins. "Their conduct and
determination gave me even then a strong impression of the importance of fixed
principles." 1
This early impression developed throughout his life
into a resolute adherence to the principles and standards for which the Free
Church of Scotland stood. Men like Hugh Watt, Dr. Brown of St. John's, Dr.
Stevenson MacGill, Dr. Andrew Thompson and Dr. Thomas Chalmers contributed to
Begg's early education.
Begg was ordained in 1830, and was preaching
assistant in North Leith and then minster of churches in Maxwelltown,
Dumfries; Lady Glenorchy's Church, Edinburgh; Paisley, Glasgow; Liberton,
Edinburgh – all congregations of the established Church of Scotland. Then from
the Disruption in 1843 until 1883 (when he died), Begg was minister of the
Newington Free Church, Edinburgh.
Dr Begg wrote and spoke on innovations in worship,
social issues, missions, education, ministerial training, Sabbath observance
and much more.
In July 1851 the first edition of The
Bulwark appeared. Begg was its leading force, and was its
editor for 21 years. It was his boast that although he wrote uncompromising
articles, and although the Romanists were constantly on the watch, yet they
never found opportunity to libel him, such was his honesty.
He also wrote frequently to The
Witness, Hugh Miller's newspaper, and formed a monthly
magazine called The Watchword committed to exposing the propriety of unbiblical ecumenism.
So far as unscriptural novelties in worship were
concerned, he was consistent to the end. He summed up his own position by
saying that he "was neither in favour of surplices, nor liturgies, nor
organs nor any other innovations whatever (that deviated) from the simple and
Scriptural customs of our forefathers."
Begg's steadfast position was unpopular with some then
and may be so today, but he stood foursquare on the reformed understanding of
the Bible. Much of his unpopularity was due to his sincere adherence to his
ordination vows, but he saw clearly his cause, his Gospel, his calling; as he
said in the Assembly of 1870, "Come what will, I trust to die an honest
and consistent man." Begg died in September 1883.
1 Memoirs of James
Begg, D.D., by Rev. Thomas Smith, D.D., page 4.
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