William Taylor (minister)
Encyclopedia
William Taylor was a Scottish Minister, Principal of Glasgow University and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
.
) of Trinity-Gask in Perthshire
. He received his early education in the parochial school in the neighbouring Parish of Fowlis (or Foullis) Wester and proceeded to Edinburgh University, where he graduated M.A.
. It was not until he was 28 that he was ordained Minister of the High Kirk, Paisley
(22 July 1772), perhaps indicating some difficulties in getting an initial position. This appointment seems to have been a result of his connections to the Patronage networks
of Henry Dundas, the virtual ruler of Scotland and the Duke of Montrose
. He was elected to represent the Paisley Presbytery in 1777. However, in 1780 he moved to be Minister of the Inner High Kirk
(or St Mungo's
) in Glasgow
. It was a lucrative position, under the Patronage of the Crown, bringing him £400 per year, along with other perquisites, including a glebe
. The Duke was, among many things, Chancellor of the University of Glasgow
and Taylor strove for some time to get an appointment there. He mixed with the Professors in the College Literary Society
and was popular with them. On 17 February 1783, the University awarded him the degree of Doctor of Divinity
, often a preliminary to an academic appointment, though formally in honour of his position as Minister of the High Kirk. However, he was never made a professor and in 1785, when Principal Davidson died, he was passed over in his efforts to succeed him, though he was the choice of the Professors, despite him not having any academic post.
, when there was fear of both a French invasion, and popular unrest, he became chaplain
to two regiment
s. The 2nd Regiment of Loyal Glasgow Volunteers, raised in 1797, had 800 paid rank and file soldiers with volunteer officers from the Glasgow merchant classes. The Royal Glasgow Volunteer Light Horse, also raised in 1797, had 60 rank and file volunteers each with his own horse, arms and equipment, who elected their officers by ballot. He seems to have been the author of a list of the Professors and their political sympathies sent to Ilay Campbell the Lord Justice General in 1800. He was certainly the author of a letter to Charles Abbot
, Speaker of the House of Commons
, in 1816, giving a detailed, if partisan, report on the Roman Catholics in his Parish, to help him oppose any move towards Catholic Emancipation
. "... an immense influx of low Irish and Scotch Highlanders"
. In the troubled times of the war with France, and civil unrest at home, the King, in his letter to them, was anxious the Ministers should continue their efforts at properly instructing their parishoners. They were anxious, in a return letter were anxious to comply and expressed their devotion to him and his rule.
One of his printed sermons showed that Dr Taylor was anxious to continue the work he had begun as early as 1794.
, to which was attached a stipend of £600 per year. Taylor was allowed to continue with his post as Minister of the High Kirk (and its £400). It was strictly against Church law to hold a "plurality" of offices, and many objected. But it was argued that the Principalship was a merely honorific and ceremonial post that would not interfere with his Minister's duties and he took up post. (Dr William's son, defending the dual appointment of his successor, said the Principalship was "little more than a sinecure". There was also the problem that Dr Taylor, as Minister of the High Kirk, was "visitor" to the University – a role that involved inspecting its Accounts. His argument was that he had never personally done this There was later gossip that he (with the collusion of the othe Professors, nicknamed "Taylor and Co.") manipulated endowments of the university to their own profit. A piece of land given as a garden for the students to rest in had been sold or, or rented, to the burgeoning industrial demands of the city. He did accept an offer from James Watt
to endow an annual prize for the best student essay on scientific or mechanical topic.
at Edinburgh University. Professor John Leslie
had written an Essay on Heat, which was thought to echo too closely some sceptical philosophic views of David Hume
, and were therefore "destructive of religion". The public crowded in to hear the obscure debates, but in the end, the Assembly dismissed the complaints. In 1806 we Dr Taylor is Moderator of Glasgow Presbytery where we find him remitting £888 1s 6 to London for the British and Foreign Bible Society. The next year, October 1807, Dr Taylor objected to a decision of the Presbytery, which banned all organ music in worship, as being contrary to the law of the land and of the Church. He promised to come back with his reasoning.
He married Ann Stewart on 22 June 1773, a year after he had been ordained, and had six sons and three daughters by her. Principal Taylor died on 29 March 1823, having outlived his wife and all but one of his numerous children. (Another, not immediately related William Taylor, junior was Minister of St Enoch's, Glasgow, and became Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
in 1806.)
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....
.
Parish Minister
William Taylor was born in 1744, the fifth son of Robert Taylor (possibly a land factorFactor (Scotland)
In Scotland a factor is a person or firm charged with superintending or managing properties and estates -- sometimes where the owner or landlord is unable to or uninterested in attending to such details personally, or in tenements in which several owners of individual flats contribute to the...
) of Trinity-Gask in Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
. He received his early education in the parochial school in the neighbouring Parish of Fowlis (or Foullis) Wester and proceeded to Edinburgh University, where 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...
. It was not until he was 28 that he was ordained Minister of the High Kirk, 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...
(22 July 1772), perhaps indicating some difficulties in getting an initial position. This appointment seems to have been a result of his connections to the Patronage networks
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 Henry Dundas, the virtual ruler of Scotland and the Duke of Montrose
James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose
James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose KG, KT, PC , styled Marquess of Graham until 1790, was a Scottish nobleman and statesman.-Background:...
. He was elected to represent the Paisley Presbytery in 1777. However, in 1780 he moved to be Minister of the Inner High 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:...
(or St Mungo's
Glasgow Cathedral
The church commonly known as Glasgow Cathedral is the Church of Scotland High Kirk of Glasgow otherwise known as St. Mungo's Cathedral.The other cathedrals in Glasgow are:* The Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew...
) 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...
. It was a lucrative position, under the Patronage of the Crown, bringing him £400 per year, along with other perquisites, including a glebe
Glebe
Glebe Glebe Glebe (also known as Church furlong or parson's closes is an area of land within a manor and parish used to support a parish priest.-Medieval origins:...
. The Duke was, among many things, Chancellor of the University of Glasgow
Chancellor of the University of Glasgow
The Chancellor is the titular head of the University of Glasgow and President of the General Council, by whom he is elected. The office is intended to be held for life. His principal duty is to confer degrees upon those presented to him by the Senate, although this role is usually carried out by...
and Taylor strove for some time to get an appointment there. He mixed with the Professors in the College Literary Society
Glasgow Literary Society
The Glasgow Literary Society was founded in 1753, as a forum for intellectual discussions and debates. It met every Thursday from November to May...
and was popular with them. On 17 February 1783, the University awarded him the degree of 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....
, often a preliminary to an academic appointment, though formally in honour of his position as Minister of the High Kirk. However, he was never made a professor and in 1785, when Principal Davidson died, he was passed over in his efforts to succeed him, though he was the choice of the Professors, despite him not having any academic post.
Loyal party man
He has been described as "a time serving party man". During the French Revolutionary WarsFrench Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
, when there was fear of both a French invasion, and popular unrest, he became chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
to two regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
s. The 2nd Regiment of Loyal Glasgow Volunteers, raised in 1797, had 800 paid rank and file soldiers with volunteer officers from the Glasgow merchant classes. The Royal Glasgow Volunteer Light Horse, also raised in 1797, had 60 rank and file volunteers each with his own horse, arms and equipment, who elected their officers by ballot. He seems to have been the author of a list of the Professors and their political sympathies sent to Ilay Campbell the Lord Justice General in 1800. He was certainly the author of a letter to Charles Abbot
Charles Abbot, 1st Baron Colchester
Charles Abbot, 1st Baron Colchester PC, FRS was a British barrister and statesman. He served as Speaker of the House of Commons between 1802 and 1817.-Background and education:...
, Speaker of the House of Commons
Speaker of the House of Commons
Speaker of the House of Commons can refer to:*Speaker of the House of Commons *Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada*Speaker of the Northern Ireland House of Commons...
, in 1816, giving a detailed, if partisan, report on the Roman Catholics in his Parish, to help him oppose any move towards Catholic Emancipation
Catholic Emancipation
Catholic emancipation or Catholic relief was a process in Great Britain and Ireland in the late 18th century and early 19th century which involved reducing and removing many of the restrictions on Roman Catholics which had been introduced by the Act of Uniformity, the Test Acts and the penal laws...
. "... an immense influx of low Irish and Scotch Highlanders"
Moderator of the General Assembly
On 17 May 1798, he was 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....
. In the troubled times of the war with France, and civil unrest at home, the King, in his letter to them, was anxious the Ministers should continue their efforts at properly instructing their parishoners. They were anxious, in a return letter were anxious to comply and expressed their devotion to him and his rule.
They are sensible that all that is sacred to them as Christians, and dear to them as men, is at stake; and that, in resisting their impious and ourtrageous foes, they are not only defending a Sovereign whom they love and revere, and supporting a constitution under which they have long been happy, but defending, at the same time, their own families, their persons, and property.
One of his printed sermons showed that Dr Taylor was anxious to continue the work he had begun as early as 1794.
Principal of Glasgow University
In 1803, upon the death of Principal Hamilton, Dr William Turner became Principal of the University of GlasgowPrincipal of the University of Glasgow
The Principal of the University of Glasgow is the working head of the University, acting as its chief executive. He is responsible for the day-to-day management of the University as well as its strategic planning and administration. The Principal is appointed by the University Court and is...
, to which was attached a stipend of £600 per year. Taylor was allowed to continue with his post as Minister of the High Kirk (and its £400). It was strictly against Church law to hold a "plurality" of offices, and many objected. But it was argued that the Principalship was a merely honorific and ceremonial post that would not interfere with his Minister's duties and he took up post. (Dr William's son, defending the dual appointment of his successor, said the Principalship was "little more than a sinecure". There was also the problem that Dr Taylor, as Minister of the High Kirk, was "visitor" to the University – a role that involved inspecting its Accounts. His argument was that he had never personally done this There was later gossip that he (with the collusion of the othe Professors, nicknamed "Taylor and Co.") manipulated endowments of the university to their own profit. A piece of land given as a garden for the students to rest in had been sold or, or rented, to the burgeoning industrial demands of the city. He did accept an offer from James Watt
James Watt
James Watt, FRS, FRSE was a Scottish inventor and mechanical engineer whose improvements to the Newcomen steam engine were fundamental to the changes brought by the Industrial Revolution in both his native Great Britain and the rest of the world.While working as an instrument maker at the...
to endow an annual prize for the best student essay on scientific or mechanical topic.
Other activities
He was elected Honorary Burgess of the City of Glasgow and was appointed Librarian of Stirling's Library in 1791. In 1805, he was asked to chair a two day, heated debate in the General Assembly on a complaint against the Professor of Natural PhilosophyNatural philosophy
Natural philosophy or the philosophy of nature , is a term applied to the study of nature and the physical universe that was dominant before the development of modern science...
at Edinburgh University. Professor John Leslie
John Leslie (physicist)
Sir John Leslie was a Scottish mathematician and physicist best remembered for his research into heat.Leslie gave the first modern account of capillary action in 1802 and froze water using an air-pump in 1810, the first artificial production of ice.In 1804, he experimented with radiant heat using...
had written an Essay on Heat, which was thought to echo too closely some sceptical philosophic views of David Hume
David Hume
David Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist, known especially for his philosophical empiricism and skepticism. He was one of the most important figures in the history of Western philosophy and the Scottish Enlightenment...
, and were therefore "destructive of religion". The public crowded in to hear the obscure debates, but in the end, the Assembly dismissed the complaints. In 1806 we Dr Taylor is Moderator of Glasgow Presbytery where we find him remitting £888 1s 6 to London for the British and Foreign Bible Society. The next year, October 1807, Dr Taylor objected to a decision of the Presbytery, which banned all organ music in worship, as being contrary to the law of the land and of the Church. He promised to come back with his reasoning.
He married Ann Stewart on 22 June 1773, a year after he had been ordained, and had six sons and three daughters by her. Principal Taylor died on 29 March 1823, having outlived his wife and all but one of his numerous children. (Another, not immediately related William Taylor, junior was Minister of St Enoch's, Glasgow, and became Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
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....
in 1806.)
Publications
- The education of the children of the poor, in the principles of religion, a work of charity perculiarly excellent. A sermon, preached in the Tron Church of Edinburgh, on Sabbath, 29 May 1796; for the benefit of the Society in Scotland, for Promoting Religious Knowledge among the Poor. By William Taylor, D.D. ...Glasgow, The Courier Office, 1796
Sources
- The Edinburgh magazine, or Literary Miscellany, April 1799 p. 474, reports an "excellent sermon" by Dr Taylor.
- Harper's Magazine, Volume 44 p. 447, Harper's Magazine Co. 1872 (The Making of America Project)
- Cleland, James Annals of Glasgow Vol 1 , Glasgow, 1816
- Emerson, Roger L Academic patronage in the Scottish enlightenment: Glasgow, Edinburgh and St Andrews Universities, Edinburgh University Press 2007 ISBN 0748625968
- Scott, Hew Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae, the succession of Ministers in the Church of Scotland from the Reformation, Vol III Synod of Glasgow and Ayr, New Edition, Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh, 1920