ALL OF OUR ROOTS AND BRANCHES:Information about Rev. GeorgeGillespie, Sr.
Rev. GeorgeGillespie, Sr. (b. 21 Jan 1613, d. 16 Dec 1646)
Notes for Rev. GeorgeGillespie, Sr.:
*NOTES:
*I. Event: University in St. Andrews Education
*II. HIST: GILLESPIE, GEORGE, an eminent divine at a time when divines were
HIST: nearly the most eminent class of individuals in Scotland, was
HIST: the son ofthe Rev. JohnGillespie, minister at Kirkcaldy, and
HIST: was born January 21,1613. His advance in his studies was so
HIST: rapid, that he was laureated in his seventeenth year. About the
HIST: year 1634, when he must have still been very young, he is known
HIST: to have been chaplain to viscount Kenmure: at a subsequent
HIST: period, he lived in the same capacity with the earl of Cassils.
HIST: While in the latter situation, he wrote a work called "English
HIST: Popish Ceremonies," in which, as the title implies, he
HIST: endeavoured to excite a jealousy of the episcopal innovations of
HIST: Charles I., as tending to popery. This book he published when he
HIST: was about twenty-two years of age, and it was soon after
HIST: prohibited by the bishops. Had episcopacy continued triumphant,
HIST: it is likely that Mr Gillespie's advance in the church would
HIST: have been retarded; but the signing of the national covenant
HIST: early in 1638, brought about a different state of things. In
HIST: April that year, a vacancy occurring at Wemyss in Fife, he was
HIST: appointed minister, and at the general assembly which took place
HIST: at Glasgow in the ensuing November, he had the honour to preach
HIST: one of the daily sermons before the house, for which he took as
HIST: his text, "The king's heart is in the hands of the Lord." The
HIST: earl of Argyle, who had then just joined the covenanting cause,
HIST: and was still a member of the privy council, thought that the
HIST: preacher had entrenched a little, in this discourse, upon the
HIST: royal prerogative, and said a few words to the assembly, with
HIST: the intention of warning them against such errors for the
HIST: future.
HIST: In 1641,an attempt was made to obtain the transportation of Mr
HIST: Gillespie to Aberdeen but thegeneral assembly, in compliance
HIST: with his own wishes, ordained him to remain at Wemyss. When the
HIST: king visited Scotland in the autumn of this year, Mr Gillespie
HIST: preached before him in the Abbey church at Edinburgh, onthe
HIST: afternoon of Sunday the 12th of September In the succeeding
HIST: year, he was removed by the general assembly to Edinburgh, of
HIST: which he continued to be one of the stated clergymen till his
HIST: death. Mr Gillespie had the honour to be one of the four
HIST: ministers deputed by the Scottish church in 1543, to attend the
HIST: Westminster assembly of divines; and it is generally conceded,
HIST: that his learning, zeal, and judgment were of the greatest
HIST: service in carrying through the work of that venerable body,
HIST: particularly in forming the directory of worship, the
HIST: catechisms, andother important articles of religion, which it
HIST: was the business of the assembly to prepare and sanction.
HIST: Baillie thus alludes to him in his letters: "We got good help in
HIST: our assembly debates, of lord Warriston, an occasional
HIST: commissioner, but, of none more than the noble youth Mr
HIST:Gillespie. I admire his gifts, and bless God, as for all my
HIST:colleagues, so for him in particular, as equal in these to the
HIST: first in the assembly." It appears that Mr Gillespie composed
HIST: six volumes of manuscript during the course of his attendance at
HIST: the Westminster assembly;and these were extant in 1707, though
HIST: we are not aware of their still continuing in existence. He had
HIST: also, when in England, prepared his sermons for the press,in part
HIST: being controversial, and part practical; but theyare said to
HIST: have been suppressed in the hands of the printer, with whom he
HIST: left them, through the instrumentality of the Independents who
HIST: dreaded their publication. He also wrote a piece against
HIS
More About Rev. GeorgeGillespie, Sr.:
Occupation: Scotland; Occupation: Scottish Presbyterian Minister of the Gospel.
Religion: Scotland; Religion: Member of the Westminister Assembly.
More About Rev. GeorgeGillespie, Sr. and Margaret Murray-Gillespie:
Marriage: Bef. 1640, Scotland.
Children of Rev. GeorgeGillespie, Sr. and Margaret Murray-Gillespie are:
- +Rev. GeorgeGillespie, Jr., b. 20 May 1644, Scotland, d. 1724, Saint Marys, Maryland, USA.