James Carlile
Encyclopedia
James Carlile was a Scottish
clergy
man from Paisley
. He was a joint minister of a Scots church
in Dublin and an Irish
commissioner of education. He introduced a different style of education in Ireland whereby children of different denominations could go to the same school.
. He was educated at Paisley Grammar School
and then at the universities in Glasgow
and Edinburgh
. He was licensed in 1811 by the Paisley Presbyterian
s and in 1815 at the Scots' Church, Mary's Abbey, in Dublin.
On 1 July 1813 he published the constitution of a Purgatorian Society, which was an unusual concept. The constitution took a tract from the Bible as their guide. They agreed to pay one penny a week, and in exchange prayers would be offered for their souls at 10 a.m. every month. The tract they chose was It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins. The idea was that members would spend less time in Purgatory
. The rules of the society laid down that all members would be entitled to a mass
in their honour assuming that they had a natural death and there were no fees owing to the society.
In 1817 he made an important speech which changed Irish church policy.
This speech was in protest of Lord Castlereagh
's suggestion that the synod should recognise the Belfast Academical Institution instead of a Scottish university to educate their ministers.
Carlile was moderator of the synod of Ulster
in 1825.
and the Roman Catholic Archbishop Daniel Murray
. The two Dublin archbishops both regarded Carlile highly despite the objections they all received from less radical wings of both denominations. In 1839 he resigned, but by this time he had handled the main arguments, commissioned new textbooks and a new Dublin teacher training college where he had served as a professor. The educational reforms are seen as divisive. The Catholic encyclopedia describes how the reform was "left in the hands of the Protestant Archbishop of Dublin (Dr. Whately) and his Presbyterian ally, Rev. James Carlile, both of whom were unceasing in unscrupulous efforts to make it an engine of attack on the Catholic faith of the Irish people."
A geography course written by Carlile describes a tour of the world including England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland which are the "British Empire in Europe". The Welsh are so industrious that they "carry their knitting wherever they go", whereas Dublin used to have more factories, but the workers refused to lower their wages to a level that their masters could afford.
Carlile journeyed to London
to attend the World's anti-slavery convention on 12 June 1840. The picture above shows him in a painting made to commemorate the event which attracted delegates from America, France, Haiti, Australia, Ireland, Jamaica and Barbados.
In 1846 Carlile was moderator of the church's general assembly and in the same year he was awarded a Doctorate in Divinity from Glasgow University.
Carlile retired to Dublin in 1852 after his wife, Jane, died in Birr. He died at his home in Rathmines
, on 31 March 1854. A church service in Dublin was followed by a burial in Birr.
His sister Elizabeth married Nathaniel Stevenson, a Glasgow businessman involved with cotton.
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...
clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
man from 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...
. He was a joint minister of a Scots church
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....
in Dublin and an Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
commissioner of education. He introduced a different style of education in Ireland whereby children of different denominations could go to the same school.
Biography
Carlile was born in Paisley and became a Doctor of DivinityDoctor 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....
. He was educated at Paisley Grammar School
Paisley Grammar School
Paisley Grammar School, known for a period following 1896 as the Paisley Grammar School and William B. Barbour Academy, is a non-denominational state comprehensive secondary school in Paisley, the largest town in Renfrewshire, Scotland. The school was founded in 1576 and was formerly a selective...
and then at the universities in Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
and 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...
. He was licensed in 1811 by the Paisley Presbyterian
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,...
s and in 1815 at the Scots' Church, Mary's Abbey, in Dublin.
On 1 July 1813 he published the constitution of a Purgatorian Society, which was an unusual concept. The constitution took a tract from the Bible as their guide. They agreed to pay one penny a week, and in exchange prayers would be offered for their souls at 10 a.m. every month. The tract they chose was It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins. The idea was that members would spend less time in Purgatory
Purgatory
Purgatory is the condition or process of purification or temporary punishment in which, it is believed, the souls of those who die in a state of grace are made ready for Heaven...
. The rules of the society laid down that all members would be entitled to a mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
in their honour assuming that they had a natural death and there were no fees owing to the society.
In 1817 he made an important speech which changed Irish church policy.
This speech was in protest of Lord Castlereagh
Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh
Robert Stewart, 2nd Marquess of Londonderry, KG, GCH, PC, PC , usually known as Lord CastlereaghThe name Castlereagh derives from the baronies of Castlereagh and Ards, in which the manors of Newtownards and Comber were located...
's suggestion that the synod should recognise the Belfast Academical Institution instead of a Scottish university to educate their ministers.
Carlile was moderator of the synod of Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
in 1825.
Education policy
Carlile was appointed resident commissioner to the new Irish board of national education in 1831. He devised and introduced a radical system of education. It was based on the idea of both Protestant and Catholic children being educated together, except for separate religious education. He sat on on the school board with the Anglican Archbishop Richard WhatelyRichard Whately
Richard Whately was an English rhetorician, logician, economist, and theologian who also served as the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin.-Life and times:...
and the Roman Catholic Archbishop Daniel Murray
Daniel Murray (archbishop)
Daniel Murray was a Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin.He was educated at Dr. Betagh's school, and at Salamanca, and ordained priest in 1790. After some years as curate in Dublin he was transferred to Arklow, and was there in 1798 when the rebellion broke out...
. The two Dublin archbishops both regarded Carlile highly despite the objections they all received from less radical wings of both denominations. In 1839 he resigned, but by this time he had handled the main arguments, commissioned new textbooks and a new Dublin teacher training college where he had served as a professor. The educational reforms are seen as divisive. The Catholic encyclopedia describes how the reform was "left in the hands of the Protestant Archbishop of Dublin (Dr. Whately) and his Presbyterian ally, Rev. James Carlile, both of whom were unceasing in unscrupulous efforts to make it an engine of attack on the Catholic faith of the Irish people."
A geography course written by Carlile describes a tour of the world including England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland which are the "British Empire in Europe". The Welsh are so industrious that they "carry their knitting wherever they go", whereas Dublin used to have more factories, but the workers refused to lower their wages to a level that their masters could afford.
Home missionary
In 1839 he successfully persuaded his church to allow him to become their missionary to a church in Birr. This church, led by their minister, had left the Roman Catholic Church and had applied to join the Presbyterians. Carlile served in this role of missionary, but continued with other interests.Carlile journeyed to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to attend the World's anti-slavery convention on 12 June 1840. The picture above shows him in a painting made to commemorate the event which attracted delegates from America, France, Haiti, Australia, Ireland, Jamaica and Barbados.
In 1846 Carlile was moderator of the church's general assembly and in the same year he was awarded a Doctorate in Divinity from Glasgow University.
Carlile retired to Dublin in 1852 after his wife, Jane, died in Birr. He died at his home in Rathmines
Rathmines
Rathmines is a suburb on the southside of Dublin, about 3 kilometres south of the city centre. It effectively begins at the south side of the Grand Canal and stretches along the Rathmines Road as far as Rathgar to the south, Ranelagh to the east and Harold's Cross to the west.Rathmines has...
, on 31 March 1854. A church service in Dublin was followed by a burial in Birr.
His sister Elizabeth married Nathaniel Stevenson, a Glasgow businessman involved with cotton.
Works
- Sermons on Faith and Repentance, London, 1821.
- The Apocryphal Controversy summed up, Glasgow, 1827.
- On the Constitution of the Primitive Churches, Dublin, 1831.
- Letters on the Divine Origin and Authority of Scripture, 2 vols., London, 1833.
- On the First and Second Advents, Edinburgh, 1848.
- Fruit gathered from among Roman Catholics in Ireland, London, 1848.
- The Papal Invasion: how to repel it, London, 1850.
- Manual of the Anatomy and Physiology of the Human Mind, London, 1851.
- Station and Occupation of Saints in Final Glory, London, 1854.