John M'Gilligen | |
|---|---|
 Dalmore Conventicle Stone, Alness (transcription below) | |
| Personal details | |
| Died | 8 June 1689 |
| Denomination | Presbyterian |
John M'Gilligen was a 17th-century Presbyterian minister. [1] He resisted the demands of the Episcopalian authorities and was imprisoned on the Bass Rock. His name is sometimes also spelled as John MacKilligen [2] or John M'Killican or John MacKillican [3] or even John M'Gilligine. [4]
John M'Gilligen was minister of Fodderty which Anderson describes as "a parish lying partly in Ross-shire and partly in the shire of Cromarty, chiefly in the beautiful and arable vale of Strathpeffer, west from Dingwall." [5]
He was licensed by the Presbytery of Aberdeen and received by the Presbytery of Forres 28 March 1655. He was called to North of Ireland and to Islay but did not go. [6] [7]
He was admitted to Fodderty 26 February 1656. Having been admitted to that charge, subsequent to 1649, M'Gilligen came under the Act of 1662 which required that he should anew seek presentation from his patron and collation from the Bishop of the diocese, or be ejected. With the terms of this Act he refused to comply; and, accordingly, ejectment followed as he was deprived by Act of Parliament 11 June and Decreet of Privy Council 1 October 1662. He was, moreover, deposed by the Bishop of Ross from the office of the holy ministry, on 31 May 1663, [5] which farcical act (Dickson says) M'Gilligen treated with contempt. Leaving Fodderty, he went to Alness and dwelt in his own private house, from whence he made itineraries for the purpose of holding conventicles. His success was so marked, that the Bishop, mortified, threatened to add to the sentence of deposition, that of excommunication. But M'Gilligen cared as little for the one as for the other.
Complaints were lodged against him in 1667 for holding conventicles with Thomas Hog of Kiltearn. In 1668 complaints were lodged against him by the Bishop of Moray, in consequence of which he was imprisoned in the Tolbooth of Forres. [5] After his release he returned to Alness. He was again summoned – on 10 July 1674 – before the Privy Council to answer a charge, preferred against him, for holding conventicles. Failing to attend, they denounced him as one of His Majesty's rebels and pronounced sentence of outlawry against him. Still M'Gilligen continued to preach; and, even on one occasion, in September, 1675, dispensed the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in the house of the Lady Dowager of Fowlis at Obsdale. [8] [9]
Early in the following year, his enemies laid hands on him and took him to Fortrose. The speech he gave is recorded in Anderson and by Wodrow. [10] After lying for some time in the tolbooth of Fortrose, he was, by an act of the Privy Council, 11 October 1676, ordered to be transported via Nairn till he reached Edinburgh, where he was to be imprisoned. [5] He was sentenced to the "limbo" of the Bass Rock, where he remained for nearly two full years from (1677 – 19 July 1679; and, again 28 July 1683 – 27 July 1686) No-one was allowed to do menial tasks for him but, at length, he was permitted sometimes to walk upon the rock, through the influence of Sir George Mackenzie of Tarbet which pleased him greatly. [5] He had indemnity granted 11 July 1679, when he was liberated.
M'Gilligen immediately resumed the work of preaching which he carried on, without much molestation, until 1682. Then the Privy Council — being informed that he had "relapsed into his former guilt in keeping conventicles, disorderly baptisms, and marriages, to the endangering of the peace of the country where he lives " - instituted new proceedings against him. Refusing to depone on oath to the truth of these charges, he was sentenced to pay a fine of five thousand merks and to be imprisoned until the fine was paid.
He was again summoned before the Privy Council 18 January 1683, and fined £277, to remain in prison till paid. After six months' imprisonment at Edinburgh he was sent to the Bass for a second time, by an Act of Council, dated 28 July 1683. [11]
Some pages of M'Gilligen's diary on the Bass are recorded by Wodrow and Anderson. [12]
Here he remained until 27 July 1686, when a dangerous illness, which threatened to prove fatal, necessitated his being set at liberty. On being released under bond he went home to Alness. [13]
After Toleration had been given to the Presbyterians, 5 July 1687, he built a meeting-house on his own property with the money he received for the damage done to his property by the party of soldiers sent by Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Findon in 1675 to prevent the celebration of the communion at Obsdale. He received a call from Elgin which he declined, and accepted a call to Inverness, but he was not settled there. He died 8 June 1689 and was buried at Inverness. [13]
He married Catherine, daughter of John Munro of Balchraggan, and had children: John, minister of Lochalsh ; Daniel, minister of Alness ; Janet (married Alexander Munro of Kilchoan), and four others. His second wife was Margaret, third daughter of Donald Mackenzie of Meddat, who survived him. [13]
The Dalmore Conventicle Stone has the following inscription:
This stone marks the only place in Ross-shire in which the sacrament of the Lord's Supper is known to have been dispensed to the covenanters during the days of persecution. Respecting the command of their divine redeemer more than they feared the fury of the oppressor they met here on a Sabbath in September 1675. Soldiers were sent to apprehend them but they did not arrive till the communion service was over and the congregation had dispersed. The Rev J. McKilligan of Alness was the officiating minister on that interesting occasion assisted by Mr Anderson of Cromarty and Mr Fraser of Daviot. This stone was designed as a token of respect for the memory of men who loved their Saviour better than their lives. As a testimony against the unscriptural system, the baseless pretensions, and the persecuting spirit of the Scottish Prelacy. And as a stimulus and encouragement to all who would fain be followers of that which is good.
Three generations of the Mackilligen family have been written about in the historical fiction novel Across the Deep. [14] The novel follows John and also William McKillican (Canadian pastor) [15] and Jennie McKillican (missionary nurse to China during the Boxer Rebellion). [16] [17]
John Michael Welsh of Irongray was a leader of the Scottish Covenanter movement. Dunlop, an early 20th century writer, says: "It is a noteworthy fact that there exists no memoir of John Welsh of Irongray, though from the Battle of Rullion Green till Bothwell Bridge he was the most conspicuous Covenanting minister in Scotland. Had he glorified God in the Grassmarket, or fallen in some scuffle with Claverhouse's dragoons, or even like his friend Blackadder of Troqueer languished in prison on the Bass Rock, some pious hand would have been moved to write his story." Dunlop also wrote: "The events of Welsh's life must be sought for in the pages of Wodrow and Kirkton and in the letters and State papers of the reign of Charles II. After spending a fortnight hunting him in the British Museum, I have come to sympathise with Clavers and his dragoons. Mr John Welsh is a most elusive gentleman."
George Gillespie was a Scottish theologian.
John Nisbet (1627–1685) was a Scottish covenanter who was executed for participating in the insurgency at Bothwell Brig and earlier conflicts and for attending a conventicle. He took an active and prominent part in the struggles, of the Covenanters for civil and religious liberty. He was wounded and left for dead at Pentland in 1666 but lived and fought as a captain at Bothwell Bridge, in 1679. He was subsequently seized and executed as a rebel. He was a descendant of Murdoch Nisbet, a Lollard who translated the Bible into the Scots language.
John Blackadder (1615–1685) was an eminent Presbyterian Covenanter preacher in Scotland during the period of the Commonwealth of England (1649–1660). Of the times MacPherson said that "after the first rejoicings of the Restoration were over, the Covenanters — Resolutioners as well as Protesters — were speedily disillusioned, and it became evident that the aim of Charles II and the junta of self-seeking noblemen who were in control of the affairs of Scotland was to establish in Scotland something approximating to an oriental despotism. The Presbyterian system, in which an Assembly of ministers and elders controlled the affairs of the Kirk, had to be supplanted by an Episcopal, with a hierarchy controlled by the Crown and easily manipulated in the interests of tyrannical rule." Despite a government ban he continued to preach in the fields. He was arrested and imprisoned in 1681 and died in jail on the Bass Rock.
John Stewart was a 17th-century Scottish minister.
John Nevay was a Scottish Covenanter. He was the nephew of Andrew Cant, minister of Aberdeen. He graduated with an M.A. from King's College, Aberdeen, in 1626. He worked as tutor to George, Master of Ramsay. He was licensed by the Presbytery of Dalkeith 14 October 1630 on the recommendation of that of Alford, but left its bounds a fortnight after. He was admitted about 1637 and appointed in 1647 a member of committee to revise the Psalter. He was present at Mauchline Moor in opposition to the royal army in June 1648. He was subsequently pardoned by Parliament on 16 January 1649. Nevay was appointed a commissioner by Parliament for visiting the University of Aberdeen 31 July 1649. He was active in raising the western army in 1650, and in 1651 a prominent supporter of the Protesters. In 1654 he was named by the Council of England on a committee for authorising admissions to the ministry in the province of Glasgow and Ayr. On 23 December 1662 he was banished by the Privy Council from His Majesty's dominions and went to Holland, where he died in 1672, aged about 66.
Robert Bennet of Chesters was a 17th-century Scottish gentleman. He lived in the Scottish Borders. Chesters or Grange lies on the banks of the Teviot and is close to the town of Ancrum in Roxburghshire.
Robert Dick of Prestonpans was a 17th-century merchant and inspector of salt works to Lord Carringtoune. He was arrested on 4 September 1676 for attending an open-air service in the Pentland Hills.
John Dickson was a 17th-century minister from Rutherglen in Scotland. He was a Covenanting field-preacher and a close associate of John Blackadder. For preaching outdoors without a licence he was imprisoned on the Bass Rock from 1 September 1680 to 8 October 1686.
Rev Archibald Riddell (1635–1708) was a Scots-born 17th-century Presbyterian church minister in Scotland and America. His name is sometimes spelled Riddel. He preached at conventicles in a time when such actions were considered high treason. He was imprisoned on the Bass Rock and was later banished to New Jersey.
James Drummond was a seventeenth century Scottish covenanting field preacher. He was imprisoned on Bass Rock for around nine months. At the time of his incarceration his occupation was listed as chaplain to Margaret, Marchioness of Argyll.
Rev Thomas Hog of Kiltearn (1628–1692) was a controversial 17th century Scottish minister.
John Rae was an English parish minister.
John Spreul was a town clerk in Glasgow who was educated at the University of Glasgow, where he completed his Master of Arts degree in 1635. His father was the Provost of Renfrew and an MP for Renfrew. After university, he thought about becoming a church minister but could not, in good conscience, sign the Five Articles of Perth. He was converted after hearing a sermon from David Dickson in 1644. He was a writer which is a Scottish term for a lawyer. For example William Lin is described as a Writer to the Signet which would make him a senior lawyer. He became unpopular with some Glaswegian magistrates because of his opposition to Hugh Binning. According to rumours, he potentially fought for the Covenanters at the Battle of Kilsyth. Spreul and John Graham fought together at the Battle of Philiphaugh in September 1645. Spreul became town clerk of Glasgow on 21 October 1645. He fought for the Scottish Covenanters in the Battle of Dunbar. He is reported to have had a very long beard and to have been mocked for it before the Privy Council of Scotland.
Alexander Forrester (1611–1686) was a Scottish minister of the 17th century.
Robert Gillespie was a 17th-century Presbyterian preacher. His father was George Gillespie the famous Westminster Divine. His mother was Margaret Murray, who had £1000 sterling voted by Parliament immediately after George's death, for the support of herself and family, but, owing to the distractions of the time, it was never paid. Robert was baptised 15 May 1643.
Thomas Ross of Nether Pitkerrie, was born about 1614. He was the son of George Ross of Nether Pitkerrie. He continued in Kincardine after the establishment of prelacy and owes his leaving to a meeting with John M'Gilligan.
Robert Ross was a Presbyterian preacher. He did not have a government licence to preach. He was apprehended at Leith and sent to the Bass Rock. He was kept in confinement there for upwards of three months from April 4-July 19, 1679.
William Gordon was a 17th-century landowner and Covenanter. He is remembered as being a correspondent in Samuel Rutherford's Letters and being one of the biographies in John Howie's Scots Worthies. He was regarded as a man of strong religious convictions and piety. In 1664 he was banished for listening to ministers who lacked a government licence, both at his mother's house and in the woods. He arrived at the Battle of Bothwell Bridge after the fighting was over and, hesitating to surrender, was shot.
John King was an outlawed minister of the Covenant, chaplain at one time to Lord Cardross, but seized by Claverhouse among the insurgents after the affair at Drumclog. King was taken to Edinburgh along with another preacher named John Kid. They were each subjected to torture, condemned to death, and executed. Following his death King's head and limbs were displayed at the Netherbow Port on Edinburgh's Royal Mile beside James Guthrie's skull.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain . This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain . This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .