Robert Liston (minister)
Encyclopedia
Robert Liston was a Scottish Minister, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
.
. The Liston family had been much involved in the Covenanter struggles. His great grandfather William had been sentenced to death for his part in the Battle of Rullion Green
, though he fled and escaped. Robert began to attend school on 11 February 1735 and, when he was thirteen, he matriculated as a student at the University of Edinburgh
on 13 October 1743. He was licensed to preach the Gospel
by the Presbytery of Dunfermline
on 5 September 1753. Some members of the Presbytery had opposed his father's original appointment as Minister, fighting it all the way up to the General Assembly
. They felt he was being imposed on them by then Patron
, Robert, Earl of Morton
, and the rich Heritor
s of the Parish. Such disputes were common throughout Scotland at the time. One of those who had added his voice against John Lister's appointment, Ebenezer Erskine
was to lead a number of Ministers out of the Church of Scotland
as a protest against Patronage, forming the Original Secession Church
.
Perhaps to avoid such disputes, several heritor
s and Elders of the Kirk Session of Aberdour wrote to James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton
, who now Patron of the Parish, shortly after Robert had been licensed, and asked that he be appointed assistant and expected successor to his father. This was agreed and he was called on 13 December and ordained on 2 April 1754 as Assistant Minister of Aberdour. Ten years later, on 17 September 1764, when his father died, he became the Minister of Aberdour.
As Minister of Aberdour, Robert Liston wrote the Report for that Parish for John Sinclair's
First Statistical Account of Scotland
in 1792. This seems to have been his only publication.
on 17 May 1787., the last person to be elected to that post who was not a Doctor of Divinity
. This was a fairly routine meeting of the General Assembly. The King's Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
, David Melville, 6th Earl of Leven
read the King's letter, assuring those assembled of his respect and admiration, advised them to avoid unnecessary disputations and to do all they can to encourage virtue and obedience to the law. The King also sent them £1000 to promote the Protestant religion (and loyalty to the throne) in the Highlands and Islands. A Committee of the Assembly drew up a reply, pledging their loyalty and devotion and promising to encourage their members to appreciate that they live in the freest country in the world with the most benign of monarchs. They thanked him for his £1000 and promised to put it to good use, especially in the more barbarous parts of the country (South Uist, Argyle and Glenelg) which were blighted with Popery
and superstition.
It was brought to their notice that a Patron had advertised the sale of his Patronage over a Parish. This outraged the Assembly, who set up a committee to clarify the rules to avoid Simony
. Other routine activity dealt with the training of divinity students and proper attendance at the General Assembly. Otherwise, it acted as a final court of appeal on a number of cases. The Patron
of the Parish of Kilbarchan
had died and his trustees had presented a Mr Maxwell, who was tutor to the family, to the Presbytery as the new Minister. The Presbytery of Paisley
had objected that the Patronage had been willed to his son-in-law, who had not presented anyone, so the right had descended to them. The Assembly ordered the Presbytery to admit Mr Maxwell immediately as Minister of Kilbarchan. In another case, after much deliberation, it dismissed the appeal of Mr James Mcintosh, Minister of Moy and Dalarossie, and formally deposed him, for the offence of fornication, from the office of the holy ministry "for all time coming". It also dismissed the appeal of Thomas Rattray, Esquire, of Dalrulzian, against the Presbytery of Dunkeld
, claiming he was not, as libelled, the father of the children of Isabel Downie.
The Assembly received petition from the Scots Church in Shelburne, Nova Scotia
, asking for some help to build a church. The Assembly agreed to send them a message of support, but could not send any money in the current circumstances.
on 11 November 1766. His children became, or married, ministers, lawyers, army officers and merchants. They were a diverse and creative group. Two of his children Henry
and William, followed him into the Ministry. Henry declined the offer of the Kirk Session to be appointed his father's successor, feeling dynasties were not the proper thing for the Church of Scotland. He became Minister of Ecclesmachan, and also became an inventor. He was the father of the famous surgeon Robert Liston
. William was a keen botanist
(he had studied Medicine at University]]. The Rev Robert Liston died on 11 February 1796. His wife Janet died at Auldcathie, Hoptoun Park, on 31 December 1814.
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....
.
Life
Robert Liston, was born 22 March 1730, the son of the Reverend John Liston, Minister of AberdourAberdour
Aberdour is a scenic and historic village on the south coast of Fife, Scotland. It is on the north shore of the Firth of Forth, looking south to the island of Inchcolm and its Abbey, and to Leith and Edinburgh beyond. According to the 2006 population estimate, the village has a population of...
. The Liston family had been much involved in the Covenanter struggles. His great grandfather William had been sentenced to death for his part in the Battle of Rullion Green
Battle of Rullion Green
The Battle of Rullion Green in the Pentland Hills, Scotland on 28 November 1666 was the culmination of the brief Pentland Rising . At least 3000 men of the Scottish Royal Army led by Tam Dalyell of the Binns opposed about 900 Covenanter rebels.The Pentland Rising was in the context of the...
, though he fled and escaped. Robert began to attend school on 11 February 1735 and, when he was thirteen, he matriculated as a student at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
on 13 October 1743. He was licensed to preach the Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
by the Presbytery of Dunfermline
Dunfermline
Dunfermline is a town and former Royal Burgh in Fife, Scotland, on high ground from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. According to a 2008 estimate, Dunfermline has a population of 46,430, making it the second-biggest settlement in Fife. Part of the town's name comes from the Gaelic word...
on 5 September 1753. Some members of the Presbytery had opposed his father's original appointment as Minister, fighting it all the way up to the General Assembly
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the sovereign and highest court of the Church of Scotland, and is thus the Church's governing body[1] An Introduction to Practice and Procedure in the Church of Scotland, A Gordon McGillivray, 2nd Edition .-Church courts:As a Presbyterian church,...
. They felt he was being imposed on them by then Patron
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
, Robert, Earl of Morton
Earl of Morton
The title Earl of Morton was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1458 for James Douglas of Dalkeith. Along with it, the title Lord Aberdour was granted. This latter title is the courtesy title for the eldest son and heir to the Earl of Morton....
, and the rich Heritor
Heritor
Heritor, was a privileged person in a Parish in Scots Law. In its original acceptation, it signified the proprietor of an heritable subject, but, in the law relating to Parish government, the term was confined to such proprietors of lands or houses as were liable, as written in their title deeds,...
s of the Parish. Such disputes were common throughout Scotland at the time. One of those who had added his voice against John Lister's appointment, Ebenezer Erskine
Ebenezer Erskine
Ebenezer Erskine was a Scottish minister whose actions led to the establishment of the Secession Church ....
was to lead a number of Ministers out of the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
as a protest against Patronage, forming the Original Secession Church
First Secession
The First Secession was an exodus of ministers and members from the Church of Scotland in 1733. Those who took part formed the Associate Presbytery and later the United Secession Church....
.
Perhaps to avoid such disputes, several heritor
Heritor
Heritor, was a privileged person in a Parish in Scots Law. In its original acceptation, it signified the proprietor of an heritable subject, but, in the law relating to Parish government, the term was confined to such proprietors of lands or houses as were liable, as written in their title deeds,...
s and Elders of the Kirk Session of Aberdour wrote to James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton
James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton
James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton KT FRS was a Scottish astronomer and representative peer who was President of the Philosophical Society of Edinburgh from its foundation in 1737 until his death...
, who now Patron of the Parish, shortly after Robert had been licensed, and asked that he be appointed assistant and expected successor to his father. This was agreed and he was called on 13 December and ordained on 2 April 1754 as Assistant Minister of Aberdour. Ten years later, on 17 September 1764, when his father died, he became the Minister of Aberdour.
As Minister of Aberdour, Robert Liston wrote the Report for that Parish for John Sinclair's
Sir John Sinclair, 1st Baronet
Sir John Sinclair, 1st Baronet was a Scottish politician, writer on finance and agriculture and the first person to use the word statistics in the English language, in his vast, pioneering work, Statistical Account of Scotland, in 21 volumes.Sinclair was the eldest son of George Sinclair of...
First Statistical Account of Scotland
Statistical Accounts of Scotland
The Statistical Accounts of Scotland are three series of documentary publications covering life in Scotland in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries....
in 1792. This seems to have been his only publication.
Moderator of the General Assembly
He was unanimously elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of ScotlandModerator 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....
on 17 May 1787., the last person to be elected to that post who was not a Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
. This was a fairly routine meeting of the General Assembly. The King's Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the British Sovereign's personal representative to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland , reflecting the Church's role as the national church of Scotland, and the Sovereign's role as protector and member of...
, David Melville, 6th Earl of Leven
David Melville, 6th Earl of Leven
David Melville, 6th Earl of Leven was the son of Alexander Melville, 5th Earl of Leven.Grand Master of Scottish Freemasons 1759-61; Deputy Governor of the Bank of Scotland; a Lord of Police 1772-82; High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 1783-1801On 29 July 1747, he...
read the King's letter, assuring those assembled of his respect and admiration, advised them to avoid unnecessary disputations and to do all they can to encourage virtue and obedience to the law. The King also sent them £1000 to promote the Protestant religion (and loyalty to the throne) in the Highlands and Islands. A Committee of the Assembly drew up a reply, pledging their loyalty and devotion and promising to encourage their members to appreciate that they live in the freest country in the world with the most benign of monarchs. They thanked him for his £1000 and promised to put it to good use, especially in the more barbarous parts of the country (South Uist, Argyle and Glenelg) which were blighted with Popery
Papist
Papist is a term or an anti-Catholic slur, referring to the Roman Catholic Church, its teachings, practices, or adherents. The term was coined during the English Reformation to denote a person whose loyalties were to the Pope, rather than to the Church of England...
and superstition.
It was brought to their notice that a Patron had advertised the sale of his Patronage over a Parish. This outraged the Assembly, who set up a committee to clarify the rules to avoid Simony
Simony
Simony is the act of paying for sacraments and consequently for holy offices or for positions in the hierarchy of a church, named after Simon Magus , who appears in the Acts of the Apostles 8:9-24...
. Other routine activity dealt with the training of divinity students and proper attendance at the General Assembly. Otherwise, it acted as a final court of appeal on a number of cases. The Patron
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
of the Parish of Kilbarchan
Kilbarchan
Kilbarchan is a village and civil parish in central Renfrewshire, in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The village's name means "cell of St. Barchan". It is known for its former weaving industry.- History :...
had died and his trustees had presented a Mr Maxwell, who was tutor to the family, to the Presbytery as the new Minister. The Presbytery of Paisley
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
had objected that the Patronage had been willed to his son-in-law, who had not presented anyone, so the right had descended to them. The Assembly ordered the Presbytery to admit Mr Maxwell immediately as Minister of Kilbarchan. In another case, after much deliberation, it dismissed the appeal of Mr James Mcintosh, Minister of Moy and Dalarossie, and formally deposed him, for the offence of fornication, from the office of the holy ministry "for all time coming". It also dismissed the appeal of Thomas Rattray, Esquire, of Dalrulzian, against the Presbytery of Dunkeld
Dunkeld
Dunkeld is a small town in Strathtay, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It is about 15 miles north of Perth on the eastern side of the A9 road into the Scottish Highlands and on the opposite side of the Tay from the Victorian village of Birnam. Dunkeld and Birnam share a railway station, on the...
, claiming he was not, as libelled, the father of the children of Isabel Downie.
The Assembly received petition from the Scots Church in Shelburne, Nova Scotia
Shelburne, Nova Scotia
Shelburne is a town located in southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada. It is the shire town of Shelburne County.-History:-Settlers:...
, asking for some help to build a church. The Assembly agreed to send them a message of support, but could not send any money in the current circumstances.
Family
Robert married Janet Hardie, daughter of Henry Hardy, Minister of CulrossCulross
The town of Culross, pronounced "Coo-ros", is a former royal burgh in Fife, Scotland.According to the 2006 estimate, the village has a population of 395...
on 11 November 1766. His children became, or married, ministers, lawyers, army officers and merchants. They were a diverse and creative group. Two of his children Henry
Henry Liston
Henry Liston was a Scottish minister and inventor. Born on 30 June 1771 he was the oldest son of Robert Liston, minister of Aberdour, Fifeshire. He studied for the ministry and in 1793 became minister to the parish of Ecclesmachan, Linlithgowshire, and was clerk of its presbetery and in 1820 he...
and William, followed him into the Ministry. Henry declined the offer of the Kirk Session to be appointed his father's successor, feeling dynasties were not the proper thing for the Church of Scotland. He became Minister of Ecclesmachan, and also became an inventor. He was the father of the famous surgeon Robert Liston
Robert Liston
Robert Liston was a pioneering Scottish surgeon, and the son of the Scottish minister and inventor Henry Liston, whose father was also a Robert Liston, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland....
. William was a keen botanist
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
(he had studied Medicine at University]]. The Rev Robert Liston died on 11 February 1796. His wife Janet died at Auldcathie, Hoptoun Park, on 31 December 1814.
Publication
- Report for the Parish of Aberdour in Sir John Sinclair's Statistical Account of Scotland Vol IV, Number XLV, page 327 Edinburgh 1792 http://stat-acc-scot.edina.ac.uk/sas/sas.asp/?monospace=&twoup=&nohighlight=&account=1&transcript=&session-id=02cf7f8291a83033b4e5d826aba1ee07&naecache=3&accountrec=002076&navbar=&action=publicdisplay&parish=Aberdour&county=Fife&pagesize=
Sources
- The Scots Magazine Vol XLIX Sands, Brymer, Murray and Cochran, Edinburgh, 1787 http://books.google.co.uk/booksid=1SsoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA254&dq=1787+Robert+Liston+Moderator&hl=en&ei=T7gkTZXzBo6AhQeylvTOAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=1787%20Robert%20Liston%20Moderator&f=false
- Struthers, John The history of Scotland, from the union to the abolition of the heritable jurisdictions in MDCCXLVIII Vol II, Blackie, Fullarton, & Co., Glasgow, 1828 http://books.google.co.uk/booksid=rQ1IAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA581&dq=Robert+Liston,+Aberdour&lr=&ei=BjEjTYmUJIy8zgSL6o3PDg&cd=16#v=onepage&q=Robert%20Liston%2C%20Aberdour&f=false
- Woodrow, Robert & Burns, Robert The History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland, from the Restoration to the Revolution, Volume II, Blackie, Fullarton, & Co., Glasgow, 1829 http://books.google.co.uk/booksid=6AErAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA278&dq=History+of+the+state+and+suffering+of+the+Church+of+Scotland&ei=7TojTe-rJqfmyASI5v31Cw&cd=2#v=onepage&q=Liston&f=false
- Acts of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 1787 Church Law Society, Edinburgh 1849 (British History Online) http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=60189
- Ross, William Aberdour and Inchcolme; being historical notices of the parish and monastery, in twelve lectures David Douglas, Edinburgh, 1885 http://www.archive.org/details/aberdourinchcolm00rossiala
- McCall, Hardy Bertram Some Old Families: A Contribution to the Genealogical History of Scotland Birmingham, 1890 (Facsimile 2000 by Heritage Books, Bowie, Maryland, USA)http://books.google.co.uk/booksid=UfyHAWrsSWcC&pg=PA97&dq=Robert+Liston,+Aberdour&ei=hC0jTdrVJKDMywSUtMCpAQ&cd=2#v=onepage&q=Robert%20Liston%2C%20Aberdour&f=false
- Scott, Hew Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae; the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation New Edition Vol V Synods of Fife and of Angus and Mearns, Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh 1925 http://www.archive.org/stream/fastiecclesiu05scotuoft#page/n5/mode/2up