John Semple | |
|---|---|
 Carsphairn Parish Church | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1602 |
| Died | c. 1677[1] Carsphairn |
| Denomination | Presbyterian |
| Occupation | minister |
John Semple was a seventeenth century minister in Ulster and Scotland. He began to preach after exhorting the people while leading the psalm-singing. His Presbyterian principles brought him into opposition to the policies of the civil authorities. He refused The Black Oath and was pursued by those sent from Dublin to apprehend non swearers. He relocated to Scotland and was named multiple times and threatened with severe punishment throughout his life including shortly before his death in his 75th year.
Entry into ministry
John Semple was sometime precentor in a church in County Down. He is said to have been called to the ministry under the following circumstances. It was then the custom to begin divine service with praise, and this continued until the minister had entered the pulpit. On one occasion when a preacher was late in arriving, Semple "had an impulse" to expound the psalm which had been sung, and did it very well. He was shortly afterwards permitted to go on exhorting in private houses, and had many people to hear him in different parts of the country.[2][3]
The Black Oath
Deputy Strafford, then ruling in Ireland, sought to please Charles I. Two Scottish viscounts (Ards and Claneboy), in the North — on whose lands many of the Presbyterian ministers and people had dwelt, — found themselves and estates in hazard. And to vindicate them that they had no hand in the business of Scotland, there was an oath framed to be imposed on all the Ulster-Scots over 16 years of age in the country as a test of their loyalty.[4] They were required to abhor National Covenant in Scotland, or any such thing, and obey the King's royal commands. This oath, called by the people "the Black Oath," was (it is said) framed by these two noblemen, and recommended by the Lord Deputy to be urged by authority on the country — which was done with all rigour from 21 May 1639.[5] The generality did take it who were not bound with a conscience; others hid themselves or fled, leaving their houses, and goods; and divers were imprisoned and kept in various gaols for a considerable time.[6]
Upon refusing the oath, candidates had their names returned to Dublin, from where 'pursuivants' were sent to apprehend those who were deemed disloyal. Several were apprehended and taken prisoners to Dublin. Others, though sent for, escaped the pursuivants who were most earnest to apprehend them. John Semple is recorded to have been nearly captured by the pursuivants several times, but to have escaped despite numerous close shaves with the law.[6]
Carsphairn ministry
John Semple became minister of Carsphairn in Kirkcudbrightshire in 1646, and joined the Protesters in 1651.[2][7] M'Crie records that, Oliver Cromwell, "marching into a meeting of the ministers in Edinburgh on one occasion, he made a harangue to them nearly an hour in length, in his usual style of rhapsody, and copiously interlarded with quotations from Scripture. The members looked at each other in bewildered amazement, till at length an old minister, Mr. John Semple of Carsphairn, rose up and said : "Moderator, I hardly know what the gentleman wald be at in this long discourse; but one thing I am sure of, he was perverting the Scripture." For this speech the honest minister was punished by six months' imprisonment."[8]
On 23 August 1660 he was imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle by order of the Committee of Estates, who also sequestrated his stipend, 25 September following.[9][10][11][2] He was included in the list of rebels whom the lieges were prohibited from receiving, 4 December 1666, and in a list of those who were to be prosecuted, 15 August 1667, as well as in the list of those to whom pardon and indemnity were granted, 1 October following. At the request of Alexander, Viscount Kenmure, he was granted indulgence at Carsphairn on 3 September 1672. He was fined on 10 July 1673, for not observing the anniversary of the Restoration.[12] When cited before the Privy Council on 4 August 1677, and threatened with death or banishment, he replied, "He is abune [above] that guides the gully [knife]; my God will not let you either kill me or banish me, but I will go home and die in peace." He returned, preached in the parish, and died soon afterwards, aged 75.[13] He left a considerable sum of money to the poor of Kirkcudbright.[2]
Family
John Semple had a wife who was six years his senior.[14] Neither her name nor any children are listed in Wodrow.[15]
Bibliography
References
- Citations
- ↑ Howie 1870.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Scott 1917, 400.
- ↑ Reid 1853, 112.
- ↑ Tosh 2014.
- ↑ Thompson 2006g.
- 1 2 Adair 1866.
- ↑ Wodrow 1842.
- ↑ M'Crie 1846, p. 52.
- ↑ Wodrow 1835a, p66.
- ↑ Blair 1848.
- ↑ Morton 1914.
- ↑ Wodrow 1835b, p221.
- ↑ Wodrow 1835b, p348.
- ↑ Wodrow 1835b, p36.
- ↑ Bartholomew 2014b.
- ↑ Nicholson 1855, 179-183.
- ↑ Scott 1897.
- Sources
- Adair, Patrick (1866). A true narrative of the rise and progress of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (1623-1670). Belfast: C. Aitchison. pp. 60-62.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. - Bartholomew, David (2014a). "Rev John Semple of Carsphairn" (PDF). No. Newsletter 106, Spring 2014. Carsphairn Heritage Group. pp. 1, 6–8.
- Bartholomew, David (2014b). "Rev John Semple of Carsphairn" (PDF). No. Newsletter 107, July 2014. Carsphairn Heritage Group. pp. 2–4.
- Blair, Robert (1848). M'Crie, Thomas (ed.). The life of Mr. Robert Blair, minister of St. Andrews, containing his autobiography, from 1593-1636 : with supplement of his life and continuation of the history of the times, to 1680. Edinburgh: Wodrow Society. pp. 357-358, 364.
- Dunlop, Samuel (1912). "John Welsh, the Irongray Covenanter". Transactions and Journal of Proceedings 1911-1912. 2. Dumfries: Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society. 24: 75.
- Howie, John (1870). "John Semple". In Carslaw, W. H. (ed.). The Scots worthies. Edinburgh: Oliphant, Anderson, & Ferrier. pp. 378-382. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- M'Crie, Thomas (1846). "Chapter I: Cromwell dissolves the Assembly". Sketches of Scottish church history : embracing the period from the Reformation to the Revolution. Vol. 2. Edinburgh: J. Johnstone. pp. 52-53. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Morton, Alexander S. (1914). Galloway and the Covenanters; or, The struggle for religious liberty in the south-west of Scotland. Paisley : A. Gardner. pp. 85, et passim.
- Nicholson, John, ed. (1855). Minute book kept by the war committee of the Covenanters in the stewartry of Kircudbright in the years 1640 and 1641. Kirkcudbright: John Nicholson.
- Reid, James Seaton (1853). A history of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, comprising the civil history of the province of Ulster from the accession of James the First ... Vol. 1 (3 ed.). London: Whittaker; [etc].
- Scott, Hew (1917). Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae; the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation. Vol. 2. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd. p. 400. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Scott, Walter, Sir (1897). Waverley novels. Vol. 12. London: J.M. Dent. pp. 395 et passim.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Thompson, Mark (2006e). "The Dawn of the Ulster-Scots - Part Five: The Arrival of the Presbyterian Ministers" (PDF). The Ulster-Scot July 2006. Archived from the original on 28 July 2007. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- Thompson, Mark (2006f). "The Dawn of the Ulster-Scots - Part Six: Three Ulster-Scots Spiritual Revivals,the Death of Montgomery and the "Eagle Wing" sets sail" (PDF). The Ulster-Scot July 2006. Archived from the original on 28 July 2007. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- Thompson, Mark (2006g). "The Dawn of the Ulster-Scots - Part Seven: Scotland's National Covenant, The Black Oath and the 1641 Massacre" (PDF). The Ulster-Scot July 2006. Archived from the original on 28 July 2007. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- Tosh, Robert (18 September 2014). "Presbyterianism". Wars & Conflict - The Plantation of Ulster: Religious Legacy. BBC. p. 1. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
- Walker, Patrick (1827). Biographia Presbyteriana. Vol. 1. Edinburgh: D. Speare.
- Walker, Patrick (1901). Fleming, David Hay (ed.). Six saints of the Covenant : Peden: Semple: Welwood: Cameron: Cargill: Smith. Vol. 1. London : Hodder and Stoughton. pp. 181–204.
- Wodrow, Robert (1835a). Burns, Robert (ed.). The history of the sufferings of the church of Scotland from the restoration to the revolution, with an original memoir of the author, extracts from his correspondence, and preliminary dissertation. Vol. 1. Glasgow: Blackie, Fullarton & co., and Edinburgh: A. Fullarton & co.
- Wodrow, Robert (1835b). Burns, Robert (ed.). The history of the sufferings of the church of Scotland from the restoration to the revolution, with an original memoir of the author, extracts from his correspondence, and preliminary dissertation. Vol. 2. Glasgow: Blackie, Fullarton & co., and Edinburgh: A. Fullarton & co.
- Wodrow, Robert (1842). Leishman, Matthew (ed.). Analecta: or, Materials for a history of remarkable providences; mostly relating to Scotch ministers and Christians. Vol. 2. Glasgow: Maitland Club. p. p283.
