Elspeth Buchan
Encyclopedia
Elspeth Buchan was the founder of a Scottish
religious sect known as the Buchanites
.
She was the daughter of John Simpson, proprietor of an inn
near Banff
.
Having quarreled with her husband Robert Buchan, a potter of Greenock
, she settled with her children in Glasgow
- a quite daring and unconventional act for a woman to take in the society of the time.
With the Church of Scotland
still inspired by the teachings of John Knox
, organized religion of the time offered women no possibility of a leading role. However, Buchan - deeply impressed by a sermon preached by Hugh White, minister of the Relief church at Irvine - persuaded White and others that she was a saint
with a special mission. Specifically, that in fact she was the woman described in Book of Revelation
, chapter 12, and White - the man-child in the same.
White was condemned by the presbytery
. The sect
, which ultimately numbered forty-six adherents - but which clearly got public attention completely disproportionate to their modest size - was expelled by the magistrate
s in 1784 and settled in a farm, consisting of one room and a loft, known as New Cample in Dumfriesshire
.
Mrs Buchan claimed prophetic inspiration and the ability to confer the Holy Spirit
upon her followers by breathing upon them. They believed that the millennium
was near, and that they would not die, but be
translate
d. It appears that they lived on funds provided by the richer members.
As with regard to many controversial sects at various times and places, they were rumoured by the surrounding society to practice "a community of wives" or "orgies in the woods", but there is no conclusive proof of that.
The poet Robert Burns
, in a letter dated August 1784, describes the sect as "idle and immoral".
In 1785 White and Mrs Buchan published a Divine Dictionary, but the sect broke up on the death of its founder, in spite of White's attempts to prove that she was only in a trance. Even White was eventually undeceived.
Andrew Innes, the last survivor, died in 1848.
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...
religious sect known as the Buchanites
Buchanites
The Buchanites or Presbytry Relief were late 18th century followers of Elspeth Buchan, a Scottish woman who claimed to be one of the figures named in the Book of Revelation....
.
She was the daughter of John Simpson, proprietor of an inn
INN
InterNetNews is a Usenet news server package, originally released by Rich Salz in 1991, and presented at the Summer 1992 USENIX conference in San Antonio, Texas...
near Banff
Banff, Aberdeenshire
Banff is a town in the Banff and Buchan area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Banff is situated on Banff Bay and faces the town of Macduff across the estuary of the River Deveron...
.
Having quarreled with her husband Robert Buchan, a potter of Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
, she settled with her children in 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...
- a quite daring and unconventional act for a woman to take in the society of the time.
With 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....
still inspired by the teachings of John Knox
John Knox
John Knox was a Scottish clergyman and a leader of the Protestant Reformation who brought reformation to the church in Scotland. He was educated at the University of St Andrews or possibly the University of Glasgow and was ordained to the Catholic priesthood in 1536...
, organized religion of the time offered women no possibility of a leading role. However, Buchan - deeply impressed by a sermon preached by Hugh White, minister of the Relief church at Irvine - persuaded White and others that she was a saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
with a special mission. Specifically, that in fact she was the woman described in Book of Revelation
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
, chapter 12, and White - the man-child in the same.
White was condemned by the presbytery
Presbyterian polity
Presbyterian polity is a method of church governance typified by the rule of assemblies of presbyters, or elders. Each local church is governed by a body of elected elders usually called the session or consistory, though other terms, such as church board, may apply...
. The sect
Sect
A sect is a group with distinctive religious, political or philosophical beliefs. Although in past it was mostly used to refer to religious groups, it has since expanded and in modern culture can refer to any organization that breaks away from a larger one to follow a different set of rules and...
, which ultimately numbered forty-six adherents - but which clearly got public attention completely disproportionate to their modest size - was expelled by the magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
s in 1784 and settled in a farm, consisting of one room and a loft, known as New Cample in Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries is a registration county of Scotland. The lieutenancy area of Dumfries has similar boundaries.Until 1975 it was a county. Its county town was Dumfries...
.
Mrs Buchan claimed prophetic inspiration and the ability to confer the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
upon her followers by breathing upon them. They believed that the millennium
Millennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
was near, and that they would not die, but be
translate
Translation (LDS Church)
In the theology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , translation refers to being physically changed by God from a mortal human being to an immortal human being. A person that has been translated is referred to as a translated being...
d. It appears that they lived on funds provided by the richer members.
As with regard to many controversial sects at various times and places, they were rumoured by the surrounding society to practice "a community of wives" or "orgies in the woods", but there is no conclusive proof of that.
The poet Robert Burns
Robert Burns
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
, in a letter dated August 1784, describes the sect as "idle and immoral".
In 1785 White and Mrs Buchan published a Divine Dictionary, but the sect broke up on the death of its founder, in spite of White's attempts to prove that she was only in a trance. Even White was eventually undeceived.
Andrew Innes, the last survivor, died in 1848.