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Database

James Guthrie (1612-1661)

James Dodson

Biographical Sketch


James Guthrie, the son of the Laird of Guthrie, Forfarshire, was born 1612. He was educated in St. Andrews at St. Leonard’s College. Although he began his ministerial career as a friend of prelatic episcopacy, by the time of the signing of the National Covenant, in 1638, he was already numbered amongst those of the anti-prelatic party. In 1642, he was settled as the pastor of the church in Lauder, Berwickshire, where he showed himself to be a warm adherent to the cause of the National Covenant and the covenanting party. He was present at the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland from 1644 through 1651, the year in which the Protester/Resolutioner controversy reached its pitch and brought a breach in the church. In this controversy, Mr. Guthrie was an adherent to the stricter Protester minority and, when there was a separation, he remained with them. In November of 1649, Mr. Guthrie was transferred to be the minister of Stirling, where he would remain for a decade. In 1650, Mr. Guthrie was one of those who, with Patrick Gillespie, withdrew from the royalist cause (seeking the restoration of Charles II.) through the Western Remonstrance. Additionally, he denounced General John Middleton as an enemy of the Covenant and advocated his excommunication from the church. Middleton, who sided with Charles at the Restoration, in 1660, never forgave him. When Charles II. ascended the throne, in 1660, Guthrie and several others petitioned the king to remember his status as a Covenanter. In 1661, with Middleton presiding, Guthrie was arraigned for high treason. The six counts included his signing of the Western Remonstrance. He was ordered to be hanged on June 1, 1661, at the cross of Edinburgh. There he died the first minister to be martyred for Christ’s Crown and Covenant.


Works:

Thomas Nairn (1680-1764)

James Dodson

Born in Errol, Perthshire, in 1680. He graduated from St. Andrews with an M.A., in 1702. He was licensed by the Presbytery of Cupar, in 1708.  Nairn was ordained by the Church of Scotland, in 1710, at Abbotshall, Fifeshire but he was restless in the Revolution church. In 1737, he joined the Associate Presbytery, or Seceders, a connection that would be temporary and preparative to his later alignment with the Old Dissenters. As a result of this connection, he was deposed by the Church of Scotland, in 1740. In 1742, and into 1743, he became involved in controversy with the Associate Presbytery over their proposal to renew the National Covenant and Solemn League. In their act for renewing the Covenants, the Seceders condemned the views of the Old Dissenters over their views regarding the use of arms in resisting uncovenanted governments....

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A Serious Inquiry into the Nature and Effects of the Stage

James Dodson

1757-John Witherspoon (1723-1794).-In this essay, the character of the theater is subjected to close scrutiny and its nature and tendencies are shown to be contrary to the piety and spirituality of the Christian profession. To this is appended a Letter Respecting Play Actors highly critical of their general moral and spiritual character.

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A Short Account of Mr. Thomas Nairn,

James Dodson

1743-Thomas Nairn.-This contains Mr. Nairn’s account of his troubles in the Associate Presbytery relative to the scope and power of the civil magistrate and the relation of this doctrine to the renewal of the Covenants. This disagreement with the Seceders led to his accession to the Societies to constitute the Reformed Presbytery, in 1743.

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The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstruous Regiment of Women.

James Dodson

1558-John Knox.-This is one of the best and most forward strikes against the right of women to exercise political office written by a notable Reformer. This is not for the weak minded and should make many who think of themselves as Reformed ask themselves so fundamental questions. Knox was no proponent of a sad passive obedience and, as witnessed in this writing, he thought women should wear veils but not crowns.

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The Preface.

James Dodson

1687-Increase Mather (1639-1723).-In this preface, Mather begins by decrying the profaneness of the stage and stage plays, occasioned by the erection of a theater, this describes why this should be avoided by Christians.

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CHAPTER I.-Against Health-Drinking.

James Dodson

1687-Increase Mather (1639-1723).-This chapter discusses the common practice of drinking healths (i.e., the toasting that often accompanies special occasions) and its heathen origins and reasons why Christians should avoid such evils.

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