Robert Murray M'Cheyne
Encyclopedia
Robert Murray M'Cheyne was a minister
in the Church of Scotland
from 1835 to 1843. He was born at Edinburgh
, was educated at the University of Edinburgh
and at the Divinity Hall
of his native city, where he was taught by Thomas Chalmers
. He first served as an assistant to John Bonar in the parish of Larbert
and Dunipace
, near Falkirk
, from 1835 to 1838. After this he served as minister of St. Peter's Church (in Dundee
) until his early death at the age of 29 during an epidemic
of typhus
.
Not long after his death, his friend Andrew Alexander Bonar
edited his biography which was published with some of his manuscripts as The Memoir and Remains of the Rev. Robert Murray M'Cheyne. The book went into many editions. It has had a lasting influence on Evangelical
Christianity
worldwide.
In 1839, M'Cheyne and Bonar
, together with two older ministers, Dr. Alexander Black and Dr. Alexander Keith, were sent to Palestine
on a mission of inquiry to the condition of the Jews. Upon their return, their official report for the Board of Mission of the Church of Scotland
was published as Narrative of a Visit to the Holy Land and Mission of Inquiry to the Jews. This led subsequently to the establishment of missions to the Jews by the Church of Scotland and by the Free Church of Scotland
. During M'Cheyne's absence, his place was filled by the appointment of William Chalmers Burns
to preach at St. Peter's as his assistant.
M'Cheyne was a preacher
, a pastor
, a poet
, and wrote many letters. He was also a man of deep piety
and a man of prayer
. He never married, but he did have a fiancée at the time of his death, Jessie Thain, who died heartbroken.
M'Cheyne died exactly two months before the Disruption of 1843
. This being so, his name was subsequently held in high honour by all the various branches of Scottish
Presbyterianism
, though he himself held a strong opinion against the Erastianism which led to the Disruption. Bonar records, "And when, on the 7th March of the following year (i.e. 1843), the cause of the Church was finally to be pleaded at the bar of the House of Commons, I find him writing: 'Eventful night this in the British Parliament! Once more King Jesus stands at an earthly tribunal, and they know Him not!'" (Memoir {1892 ed.}, p. 147).
M'Cheyne designed a widely used system for reading through the Bible
in one year. The plan entails reading the New Testament
and the Psalms
through twice a year, and the Old Testament
through once. This program was included (in a slightly modified form) in For the Love of God by D. A. Carson (ISBN 0851115896) and is recommended by several Bible publishers, such as the English Standard Version
and the New English Translation
.
Minister of religion
In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community...
in 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....
from 1835 to 1843. He was born at 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...
, was educated 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...
and at the Divinity Hall
Divinity Hall
Divinity Hall is an historic building that is part of Harvard Divinity School on 12 Divinity Avenue in Cambridge, Massachusetts.The hall was built in 1825 by Willard Solomon and Thomas W. Sumner and added to the National Historic Register in 1986....
of his native city, where he was taught by Thomas Chalmers
Thomas Chalmers
Thomas Chalmers , Scottish mathematician, political economist, divine and a leader of the Free Church of Scotland, was born at Anstruther in Fife.-Overview:...
. He first served as an assistant to John Bonar in the parish of 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...
and Dunipace
Dunipace
Dunipace is a village in the west of the Falkirk council area of Scotland. The village is south of Stirling and north-west of Falkirk. The village is situated on the north bank of the River Carron and adjoins the town of Denny to the south of the river....
, near Falkirk
Falkirk
Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....
, from 1835 to 1838. After this he served as minister of St. Peter's Church (in Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
) until his early death at the age of 29 during an epidemic
Epidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
of typhus
Typhus
Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters...
.
Not long after his death, his friend Andrew Alexander Bonar
Andrew Bonar
Andrew Alexander Bonar was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland and youngest brother of Horatius Bonar....
edited his biography which was published with some of his manuscripts as The Memoir and Remains of the Rev. Robert Murray M'Cheyne. The book went into many editions. It has had a lasting influence on Evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
worldwide.
In 1839, M'Cheyne and Bonar
Andrew Bonar
Andrew Alexander Bonar was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland and youngest brother of Horatius Bonar....
, together with two older ministers, Dr. Alexander Black and Dr. Alexander Keith, were sent to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
on a mission of inquiry to the condition of the Jews. Upon their return, their official report for the Board of Mission 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....
was published as Narrative of a Visit to the Holy Land and Mission of Inquiry to the Jews. This led subsequently to the establishment of missions to the Jews by the Church of Scotland and by the Free Church of Scotland
Free Church of Scotland (1843-1900)
The Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish denomination which was formed in 1843 by a large withdrawal from the established Church of Scotland in a schism known as the "Disruption of 1843"...
. During M'Cheyne's absence, his place was filled by the appointment of William Chalmers Burns
William Chalmers Burns
William Chalmers Burns was a Scottish Evangelist and Missionary to China with the English Presbyterian Mission who originated from Kilsyth, North Lanarkshire. He was the coordinator of the Overseas missions for the English Presbyterian church...
to preach at St. Peter's as his assistant.
M'Cheyne was a preacher
Preacher
Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...
, a pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
, a poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, and wrote many letters. He was also a man of deep piety
Piety
In spiritual terminology, piety is a virtue that can mean religious devotion, spirituality, or a combination of both. A common element in most conceptions of piety is humility.- Etymology :...
and a man of prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
. He never married, but he did have a fiancée at the time of his death, Jessie Thain, who died heartbroken.
M'Cheyne died exactly two months before the Disruption of 1843
Disruption of 1843
The Disruption of 1843 was a schism within the established Church of Scotland, in which 450 ministers of the Church broke away, over the issue of the Church's relationship with the State, to form the Free Church of Scotland...
. This being so, his name was subsequently held in high honour by all the various branches of Scottish
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...
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
, though he himself held a strong opinion against the Erastianism which led to the Disruption. Bonar records, "And when, on the 7th March of the following year (i.e. 1843), the cause of the Church was finally to be pleaded at the bar of the House of Commons, I find him writing: 'Eventful night this in the British Parliament! Once more King Jesus stands at an earthly tribunal, and they know Him not!'" (Memoir {1892 ed.}, p. 147).
M'Cheyne designed a widely used system for reading through the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
in one year. The plan entails reading the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
and the Psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
through twice a year, and the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
through once. This program was included (in a slightly modified form) in For the Love of God by D. A. Carson (ISBN 0851115896) and is recommended by several Bible publishers, such as the English Standard Version
English Standard Version
The English Standard Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible. It is a revision of the 1971 edition of the Revised Standard Version...
and the New English Translation
New English Translation
The New English Translation is a free, "completely new" on-line English translation of the Bible, " with 60,932 translators’ notes" sponsored by the Biblical Studies Foundation and published by Biblical Studies Press....
.
External links
- Robert Murray M'Cheyne Resources – new website
- Robert Murray M'Cheyne (1813-1843) – (Host ISP is to close on 2011-01-21)
- Robert Murray M'Cheyne: The Shining Light of Scotland by David Estrada, pages 28–37 in Christianity & Society, volume 14, no. 4, October 2004
- St Peter's Website
- McCheyne, McGonagall and the West End of Dundee - a lecture by David Andrew Robertson on 2010-06-21 as part of Dundee's WestFest celebrations.
- The Impact of McCheyne