THOMSON,
ANDREW, D. D., an eminent modern divine, and leader in the national church
courts, was born at Sanquhar, in Dumfries-shire, July 11, 1779. His father,
Dr John Thomson, was originally minister of Sanquhar, afterwards of Markinch
in Fife, and lastly one of the ministers of Edinburgh. In early life, the
subject of this memoir exhibited no indications of those singular talents
which afterwards distinguished him; and he was several years at college
before he discovered any predilection for that profession of which he was
destined to become so great an ornament, or felt the influence of that
spirit which is so necessary for its effectual exercise. The precise period
when he first turned his attention to the ministry, is not known; but, in
1802, he was licensed to preach the gospel by the presbytery of Kelso; and,
on the 11th of March of the same year, was ordained minister of the parish
of Sprouston: shortly after which he married, and, by a happy union, added
greatly to his felicity.
Though Dr Thomson’s earlier
years presented no indications of those powerful talents which raised him,
in more advanced life, to a high place amongst the eminent men of his
country and time, he had not long ascended the pulpit before these talents
became conspicuous. During his ministry at Sprouston, he was distinguished
by that unbending integrity of character, that zeal in the sacred cause to
which he had devoted his life, and that vigorous eloquence which procured
him so high a reputation in the elevated sphere in which he was afterwards
placed. Dr Thomson now, also, began to take an active part in the business
of the church courts, of which he was a member; and further aided the
interests of religion, by publishing a catechism on the Lord’s Supper, which
subsequently passed through many editions, and has proved eminently
beneficial and useful.
In 1808, Dr Thomson was
removed to the East church of Perth, where he laboured, assiduously and
successfully, till the spring of 1810, when he received a presentation from
the magistrates and council of Edinburgh to the New Grey Friars’ church in
that city. He was now in a situation, where his singular talents could be
fully appreciated, and where they had a field wide enough for their
exercise: of these advantages he did not fail to avail himself. He applied
himself to the discharge of his sacred duties with redoubled ardour, and
with a vigour and activity both of body and mind, that at once procured him
an extraordinary share of public admiration. His powerful eloquence and
fearless charactor, pointed him out as no ordinary man, and made an
impression on the public mind, which has but few parallels in the history of
ministerial labours. Indefatigable and zealous, in a singular degree, he
left no hour unemployed, and no means untried, to forward the good work in
which he was engaged. He laboured incessantly; and such was the vigour and
grasp of his comprehensive mind, and the versatility, as well as brilliancy
of his talents, that he could, at one and the same time, bring the most
various and wholly different means, to bear upon the one great end which he
had in view, the spiritual and temporal happiness of mankind. To the
discussion of every variety of subject within the sphere of his calling, he
came alike prepared, and on each shed the strong light of his powerful
intellect, exciting the admiration of all who heard him, by his manly
eloquence, and convincing most, it is to be hoped, by the force of his
reasoning.
Among the other means to
which Dr Thomson had recourse to promote the interests of religion, was the
publication of a periodical work, entitled "The Christian Instructor." This
work he commenced, with the assistance of several of his clerical brethren,
a few months after his settlement in Edinburgh; and for many years he
discharged the duties of its editor, besides contributing largely to
the work itself. It is almost unnecessary to add, after what has been said
of Dr Thomson, that the "Christian Instructor" is a work of singular merit,
and, altogether, perhaps, one of the ablest of the kind which
the cause of Christianity has produced.
Dr Thomson’s literary labours
were not, however, confined at this period to the "Christian Instructor." He
contributed, besides, many valuable articles to the Edinburgh Encyclopedia;
all of which are distinguished by that nervous style and accuracy of
conception, which so peculiarly belonged to their author.
The extraordinary merits of
Dr Thomson had early forced themselves on the public notice; but they were
now become so obvious and incontestable, as to engross a very large share of
the public attention, and to form a subject of its consideration. The result
of this general feeling was, his appointment to St George’s church, which
took place on the 16th of June, 1814; one of the most important and
dignified charges in the church of Scotland. In this conspicuous situation,
he rapidly extended his reputation, and increased the number of his friends;
and, ultimately, acquired an influence over his congregation, composed of
the most influential persons in the metropolis, which few preachers have
ever enjoyed. Previously to his appointment to St George’s, Dr Thomson had
not been in the habit of writing out his discourses. He trusted to the
natural promptness with which his ideas presented and arranged
themselves, and to the remarkable fluency of expression with which he was
gifted; and these did not fail him: but he now thought it advisable, as he
was to preach to a more refined class of persons, to secure more correctness
for his discourses, by committing them to paper, before delivering them from
the pulpit. And in the pursuance of this resolution, he weekly composed and
wrote two sermons, and this in the midst of other avocations, which alone
would have occupied all the time of any man of less bodily and mental
activity than he was possessed of.
To the ordinary duties of the
Sunday, Dr Thomson added the practice of catechising the young persons of
his congregation, devoting to this exercise the interval between the
forenoon and afternoon services. He also held week-day meetings in the
church, for the purpose of instructing in the principles of religion, as
they are taught in the Shorter Catechism; and, to complete the system of
moral and religious culture, which his unwearying zeal had planned out, he
instituted a week-day school, for the benefit of those of his young
parishioners whose circumstances either prevented their attending church, or
rendered a greater extent of tuition necessary than he could afford to
bestow on Sunday. But he did still more than merely institute this little
seminary. He compiled suitable books for the different classes it comprised,
and crowned the good work, by acting himself as their teacher,—as the
teacher of the poorest and humblest of his flock.
With all this devotion to the
higher and more important duties of his sacred office, Dr Thomson did not
neglect those of a minor character. Amongst these, church music had an
especial share of his attention. Together with his other rare endowments, he
possessed an exquisite ear and taste for music, and not only introduced an
improved psalmody into the Scottish church, but added to it
several eminently beautiful compositions of his own. Admirable as Dr Thomson
was in all his relations to his flock, he was in none more so, than in that
of the personal friend, the soother of affliction, and the alleviator of
domestic misery. His private labours of this kind were very great, and
eminently successful. His presence never failed to excite a new feeling of
animation, nor his words to inspire hope. To the sick and the bereaved
his peculiarly acceptable; for his manner and his language were kind, and
soothing, and conciliating, in a remarkable degree: and, although these
could not always lessen pain, they never missed of reconciling the sufferer
to that which was inevitable.
Besides thus faithfully and
laboriously discharging the various important duties of his office, Dr
Thomson took an active part in all the church judicatories of which he was a
member. In these, his singular talents and high character, as might be
expected, always secured for him the first place, and at length acquired for
him the distinction, conceded silently but spontaneously, of being
considered the leader of the evangelical party in the church to which he had
attached himself. Amongst the other characteristics of that party, was a
strong feeling of hostility to the system of patronage; and to this feeling
Dr Thomson gave utterance in the General Assembly, on several occasions, in
a strain of eloquence, and with a power of reasoning, that will not soon be
forgotten.
Although a zealous member of
the church of Scotland, and strongly attached to her institutions, Dr
Thomson’s liberal and enlightened mind kept him entirely aloof from anything
approaching to bigotry. With dissenters of all descriptions he maintained a
friendly understanding. He made every allowance for difference of opinion on
points of comparatively inferior importance; and, when he was satisfied that
a genuine spirit of Christianity existed, never allowed such difference of
opinion to disturb that harmony which he wisely and benevolently conceived
ought to exist between those who, after all, laboured in the same vineyard,
and to obtain the same end.
Ever ready to lend his
powerful aid to all rational schemes for promoting the interests of religion
and extending its sacred influence, he eagerly enrolled himself amongst the
supporters of the British and Foreign Bible Society; and while that society
adhered to the principles which were laid down at its institution, he
continued to take a warm interest in its affairs, and laboured with tongue
and pen to secure success to its efforts. On the departure, however, of this
society from one of the leading conditions by which it was understood it
should be regulated, namely, that the copies of the Bible which it issued,
should be purely scriptural, and unaccompanied by note or comment of any
kind; Dr Thomson felt himself called upon, as a minister of the gospel, not
only to withdraw his support from it, but to oppose, by every means in his
power, the continuance of a system so injurious to the best interests of
religion. Into the well known controversy which ensued, and which has been
called "the Apocrypha Controversy," he entered with all his characteristic
zeal; and so effectually employed his powerful talents during its progress,
that whatever cause they may have found for rejoicing in the issue, could
find but little in the circumstance of having provoked his resentment.
The last great public effort
of Dr Thomson was in behalf of the slaves in our West India colonies; and,
in the prosecution of this humane and philanthropic work, he, on several
occasions, made displays of oratory, which have been seldom equalled, and
still seldomer surpassed. He demanded immediate emancipation, and supported
this demand with an eloquence and power of reasoning, which were altogether
overpowering.
These mighty labours, and
unceasing exertions in the causes of religion and philanthropy, were
destined, however, to come to a premature termination. Dr Thomson’s
constitution was naturally strong, and in person he was robust and athletic;
but unremitting study, and incessant toil of both body and mind, had their
usual effects. His health was impaired; and for some time before his death,
a secret sensation gave him warning that that event would take place soon,
and suddenly. The fulfilment of this melancholy anticipation took place on
the 9th of February, 1831. On that day, he appeared in his usual health, and
went through the ordinary routine of business with his accustomed activity
and energy, taking the same interest in everything that came under his
consideration, as he had been accustomed to do; and altogether presenting
nothing, in either manner or appearance, to indicate the near approach of
that catastrophe which was to deprive religion and morality of one of their
ablest supports, and society of one of its brightest ornaments. Having
completed the out-door business of the day, Dr Thomson returned home about
five o’clock in the afternoon, and while standing on the threshold of
his own door, just previous to his entering the house, he suddenly fell
down, and expired without a struggle or a groan. His remains were interred
in St Cuthbert’s church-yard and if anything were wanting to impress those
who have only read or heard of him, with a full conception of the estimation
in which he was held by all ranks and denominations in the metropolis, it
would be found in a description of his funeral,—the most numerously
attended, perhaps, that had ever been witnessed in the Scottish capital. Dr
Thomson’s literary labours exhibit a long array of religious works of
various descriptions, including lectures, sermons, and addresses. To these
there is to be added, a volume of posthumous "Sermons and Sacramental
Exhortations," published in Edinburgh in the same year in which he died;
with a memoir prefixed.
Life of Andrew
Thomson, D.D.
By Jean L. Watson (1882) (pdf) |