Robert Bruce (moderator)
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Robert Bruce was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
which was called on 6 February 1588 to prepare defences against a possible invasion by the Spanish Armada
.
He was born in 1554, the second son of Sir Alexander Bruce of Airth
. His mother Janet was the great, grand daughter of King James I of Scotland
. In 1572, he graduated M.A.
from St Andrews University, where he had been a student at St Leonard's College. He then went to Paris
where he studied law
, returning to Edinburgh
to practice. However, during the night of 31 August 1581 he had a remarkable religious experience, which made him decide to study for the Church. He was licensed by the Presbytery of St Andrews
in 1587 and immediately took up the post of Minister of St Giles, Edinburgh
. In October 1589, in very disturbed times, King James VI appointed him as Privy Councillor
. He so helped keep the peace while the King was away in Norway
(where he had gone to bring home bride Anne of Denmark
) that he got a personal letter of thanks on his return.
He crowned the Queen
17 March 1590, and was again elected Moderator in May 1592. In 1596, he was banished from Edinburgh for opposing the King’s religious policy. He was allowed to return after a time, and in May 1598 was appointed Minister to the Little Kirk, a division of St Giles
, though he quibbled a bit about the admission ceremony. In August 1600 the Gowrie Conspiracy took place. Bruce was one of those who doubted there was a real threat, so he did not offer prayers of thanksgiving for the King’s safe delivery. For this, he was banished from Edinburgh
and forbidden to preach publicly anywhere in Scotland
under pain of death.
This did not seem to stop him. From 1605 he was in Inverness
, where he seemed to have continued preaching, at least to friends. He even acted as Minister at Forres
’ In 1609, his son managed to persuade the King to let Bruce return to his own lands at Kinnaird
, near Stirling
. There, he paid for the repair of the Kirk
at Larbert
, where he also acted as Minister. Sometimes he preached in Stirling
. He had property in Monkland near Glasgow
where he also preached, apparently to great acclaim. “Wherever he had an opportunity of preaching, great crowds attended; he preached with remarkable power, and his own life being in full accord with his preaching, the influence lie attained was almost without parallel in the history of the Scottish Church." Inevitably, he was, in 1620, again banished to Inverness
, where he remained until 1624, growing increasing infirm. King James died in 1625. His son King Charles I allowed Bruce to return to Kinnaird
, where he died 27 July 1631. Andrew Melville
described him as a "hero adorned with every virtue, a constant confessor and almost martyr to the Lord Jesus”.
Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The Moderator of the General Assembly of Church of Scotland is a Minister, Elder or Deacon of the Church of Scotland chosen to "moderate" the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which is held for a week in Edinburgh every May....
which was called on 6 February 1588 to prepare defences against a possible invasion by the Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
.
He was born in 1554, the second son of Sir Alexander Bruce of Airth
Airth
Airth is a Royal Burgh, village, former trading port and civil parish in Falkirk, Scotland. It is north of Falkirk town and sits on the banks of the River Forth. Airth lies on the A905 road between Grangemouth and Stirling and is overlooked by Airth Castle, the village retains two market crosses...
. His mother Janet was the great, grand daughter of King James I of Scotland
James I of Scotland
James I, King of Scots , was the son of Robert III and Annabella Drummond. He was probably born in late July 1394 in Dunfermline as youngest of three sons...
. In 1572, he graduated M.A.
Master of Arts (Scotland)
A Master of Arts in Scotland can refer to an undergraduate academic degree in humanities and social sciences awarded by the ancient universities of Scotland – the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, while the University of...
from St Andrews University, where he had been a student at St Leonard's College. He then went to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
where he studied law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, returning to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
to practice. However, during the night of 31 August 1581 he had a remarkable religious experience, which made him decide to study for the Church. He was licensed by the Presbytery of St Andrews
St Andrews
St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
in 1587 and immediately took up the post of Minister of St Giles, Edinburgh
St. Giles' Cathedral
St Giles' Cathedral, more properly termed the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is the principal place of worship of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh. Its distinctive crown steeple is a prominent feature of the city skyline, at about a third of the way down the Royal Mile which runs from the Castle to...
. In October 1589, in very disturbed times, King James VI appointed him as Privy Councillor
Privy Council of Scotland
The Privy Council of Scotland was a body that advised the King.In the range of its functions the council was often more important than the Estates in the running the country. Its registers include a wide range of material on the political, administrative, economic and social affairs of Scotland...
. He so helped keep the peace while the King was away in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
(where he had gone to bring home bride Anne of Denmark
Anne of Denmark
Anne of Denmark was queen consort of Scotland, England, and Ireland as the wife of King James VI and I.The second daughter of King Frederick II of Denmark, Anne married James in 1589 at the age of fourteen and bore him three children who survived infancy, including the future Charles I...
) that he got a personal letter of thanks on his return.
He crowned the Queen
Anne of Denmark
Anne of Denmark was queen consort of Scotland, England, and Ireland as the wife of King James VI and I.The second daughter of King Frederick II of Denmark, Anne married James in 1589 at the age of fourteen and bore him three children who survived infancy, including the future Charles I...
17 March 1590, and was again elected Moderator in May 1592. In 1596, he was banished from Edinburgh for opposing the King’s religious policy. He was allowed to return after a time, and in May 1598 was appointed Minister to the Little Kirk, a division of St Giles
St. Giles' Cathedral
St Giles' Cathedral, more properly termed the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is the principal place of worship of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh. Its distinctive crown steeple is a prominent feature of the city skyline, at about a third of the way down the Royal Mile which runs from the Castle to...
, though he quibbled a bit about the admission ceremony. In August 1600 the Gowrie Conspiracy took place. Bruce was one of those who doubted there was a real threat, so he did not offer prayers of thanksgiving for the King’s safe delivery. For this, he was banished from Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and forbidden to preach publicly anywhere in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
under pain of death.
This did not seem to stop him. From 1605 he was in Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
, where he seemed to have continued preaching, at least to friends. He even acted as Minister at Forres
Forres
Forres , is a town and former royal burgh situated in the north of Scotland on the Moray coast, approximately 30 miles east of Inverness. Forres has been a winner of the Scotland in Bloom award on several occasions...
’ In 1609, his son managed to persuade the King to let Bruce return to his own lands at Kinnaird
Kinnaird
Kinnaird can refer to:* Kinnaird, Gowrie, village in Gowrie * Kinnaird, Atholl, village in Atholl * Kinnaird, Stirlingshire, estate of the Bruces of Airth* Kinnaird, British Columbia...
, near Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
. There, he paid for the repair of the Kirk
Kirk
Kirk can mean "church" in general or the Church of Scotland in particular. Many place names and personal names are also derived from it.-Basic meaning and etymology:...
at Larbert
Larbert
Larbert is a small town in the Falkirk council area of Scotland. The town lies in the Forth Valley above the River Carron which flows from the west. Larbert is 3 miles from the shoreline of the Firth of Forth and 2.5 miles northwest of Falkirk, the main town in the area...
, where he also acted as Minister. Sometimes he preached in Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
. He had property in Monkland near Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
where he also preached, apparently to great acclaim. “Wherever he had an opportunity of preaching, great crowds attended; he preached with remarkable power, and his own life being in full accord with his preaching, the influence lie attained was almost without parallel in the history of the Scottish Church." Inevitably, he was, in 1620, again banished to Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
, where he remained until 1624, growing increasing infirm. King James died in 1625. His son King Charles I allowed Bruce to return to Kinnaird
Kinnaird
Kinnaird can refer to:* Kinnaird, Gowrie, village in Gowrie * Kinnaird, Atholl, village in Atholl * Kinnaird, Stirlingshire, estate of the Bruces of Airth* Kinnaird, British Columbia...
, where he died 27 July 1631. Andrew Melville
Andrew Melville
Andrew Melville was a Scottish scholar, theologian and religious reformer. His fame encouraged scholars from the European Continent to study at Glasgow and St Andrews.-Early life and early education:...
described him as a "hero adorned with every virtue, a constant confessor and almost martyr to the Lord Jesus”.