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The subject of this sketch was a native of Edinburgh,
where he was born in 1767. Being originally designed for a secular
profession, he was, at the usual age, bound apprentice to an engraver. A
strong desire, however, to be engaged in the work of the ministry,
induced him, at the close of his apprenticeship, to relinquish his
intended profession, and devote himself to study. He accordingly entered
the University of Edinburgh, where he passed through the usual
curriculum of preparatory discipline; and in the year 1792 he was
licensed to preach, in connection with the National Church by the
Presbytery of Hamilton. A few months after this he was ordained as
colleague with Dr. Jones, to the office of minister of Lady Glenorchy's
Chapel, Edinburgh. A deep interest in the cause of missions seems, at an
early period of Mr.
Ewing's ministry, to have occupied his mind. At that time, such
enterprises were, to a great degree, novelties in this country ; and
even by many who wished them well, great doubts were entertained of
their ultimate success. By his exertions and writings, he contributed
much to excite a strong feeling in regard to them in Edinburgh ; nor did
he content himself with this, but, fired with a spirit of true
disinterested zeal, he determined to devote himself to the work of
preaching the gospel to the heathen. For this purpose he united with a
party of friends, like-minded with himself, who had formed a plan of
going out to India, and settling themselves there as teachers of
Christianity to the native population. The individuals principally
engaged in this undertaking, besides Mr. Ewing, were the Rev. David
Bogue, D.D., of Gosport; the Rev. William Innes, then one of the
ministers of Stirling, now of Edinburgh; and Robert Haldane, Esq., of
Airthrey, near Stirling—by the latter of whom the expenses of the
mission were to be defrayed. Of these gentlemen, the two latter still
survive. The peremptory refusal of the East India Company, after
repeated applications and memorials on the subject, to permit their
going out, caused the ultimate abandonment of this scheme. Mr. Ewing,
however, and his associates, feeling themselves pledged to the
missionary cause, and seeing no opening for going abroad, began to exert
themselves for the promotion of religion at home. A periodical, under
the title of The Missionary Magazine, was started in Edinburgh,
of which Mr. Ewing undertook the editorship; the duties of which office
he discharged in the most efficient manner for the first three years of
its existence. This periodical has continued till the present day, under
the successive titles of The Missionary Magazine, The Christian
Herald, and The Scottish Congregational Magazine. It has, for
the last forty years, been the recognised organ of the Congregational
churches of Scotland. Exertions of a missionary kind were also made in
different parts of Scotland, where a necessity for such appeared.
Out of these efforts ultimately arose the secession of Messrs. Ewing and
Innes from the National Church; for feeling themselves hampered in their
efforts among their countrymen by the restrictions which an
Establishment necessarily imposes, they were led—from this, as well as
from other considerations of a conscientious kind—to resign their
respective charges, and occupy themselves in preaching the gospel
without being connected with any religions denomination whatever. They
very soon, however, adopted the principles of Independency, or
Congregationalism; after which Mr. Ewing removed to Glasgow, where he
remained till the close of his life as the pastor of a large and
influential Congregational church.
In connection with his pastoral duties, Mr. Ewing for
many years sustained the office of Divinity Professor to the
denomination with which he was connected. In this office he was
associated with Dr. "Wardlaw, the well-known author of "Lectures on the
Socinian Controversy," and other valuable theological works. The
department of study presided over by Mr. Ewing was that of Biblical
Criticism and Church History.
Mr. Ewing was three times married. His first wife was
the sister of his friend, Mr. Innes; but neither she nor his second
wife, whose maiden name was Jamieson, were long spared after their
marriage. His last wife, who was a daughter of the late Sir John
Maxwell, of Pollock, Bart., died in the year 1828, in consequence of a
melancholy accident experienced by the overturning of their carriage,
while she, with her husband and a party of friends, were visiting the
scenery on the banks of the Clyde, near Lanark.
After the distressing event above referred to, the
health of Mr. Ewing began gradually to decline. He continued, however,
to officiate both as a minister and a tutor for several years
afterwards, until his growing infirmities compelled him to resign the
latter office, and only occasionally to engage in the duties of the
former. His death occurred on the morning of the 2nd of August, 1841,
terminating a life of singular activity and usefulness in a decease no
less singular for gentleness and peace. He had one child—a daughter—by
his second marriage, who is now the wife of the Rev. Dr. Matheson of
London.
Mr. Ewing appeared frequently before the public as an
author. His principal works are:—"Essays to the Jews," London, 1809; "An
Essay on Baptism," 2nd edit., Glasgow, 1824; "A Greek Grammar, and Greek
and English Lexicon," published first in 1801, again in 1812, and again
in a very enlarged form, in 1827. These, and all his other writings, are
marked by extensive and accurate learning, ingenuity of argument, and,
where the subject is such as to admit of it, by great vigour and
eloquence of composition. They have proved of eminent service to the
cause of sound and literate theology.
In private life, Mr. Ewing was distinguished by that
pervading courteousness and cheerfulness which form such important
ingredients in the character of the perfect gentleman, as his public
career was marked by all that can add dignity and influence to the
Christian minister. In his younger days, his countenance is said to have
been very handsome ; and even in his later years it was highly
prepossessing. Kay's portrait was taken while he was minister of Lady
Glenorchy's Chapel. |
