John Semple was a seventeenth-century minister who served in both Ulster and Scotland. He began his ministry by exhorting the people while leading the psalm-singing. His Presbyterian principles brought him into opposition to the policies of the civil authorities. Semple refused to take The Black Oath, a stance that brought him into conflict with those sent from Dublin to apprehend non swearers.
John Semple | |
|---|---|
 Carsphairn Parish Church | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1602 |
| Died | c. 1677[1] Carsphairn |
| Denomination | Presbyterian |
| Occupation | minister |
He later relocated to Scotland, where he was named multiple times and threatened with severe punishment throughout his life, including in his 75th year, shortly before his death.
Entry into ministry
editJohn Semple occasionally served as precentor at a church in County Down. He is said to have been called to the ministry under the following circumstances. At the time, it was customary to begin divine service with praise, which continued until the minister had entered the pulpit. On one occasion, when a preacher arrived late, Semple "had an impulse" to expound on the psalm which had been sung, and he did it very well. Shortly afterward, he was permitted to begin exhorting in private houses, where many people in various parts of the country heard him.[2][3]
The Black Oath
editDeputy Strafford, then ruling in Ireland, sought to gain favor with Charles I. Two Scottish viscounts (Ards and Claneboy), in the North—on whose lands many of the Presbyterian ministers and people had dwelt—found both themselves and their estates in hazard. And to vindicate them that they had no hand in the business of Scotland, an oath was devised to be imposed on all the Ulster-Scots over the age of 16 as a test of their loyalty.[4] The oath required them to abhor the National Covenant in Scotland, or anything similar, and obey the King's royal commands. This oath, known as "the Black Oath," was reportedly framed by these two noblemen, and recommended by the Lord Deputy, who urged its enforcement throughout the country starting on 21 May 1639.[5]
The generality did take it who were not bound with a conscience; others hid or fled, leaving their houses, and goods; and divers were imprisoned and kept in various gaols for a considerable time.[6]Those who refused to take the oath, had their names sent to Dublin, where 'pursuivants' were sent to apprehend those deemed disloyal. Several individuals were apprehended and taken to Dublin as prisoners, while others managed to escape, despite being actively pursued. John Semple is recorded as having narrowly avoided capture by the pursuivants on multiple occasion, evading arrest despite numerous close shaves with the law.[6]
Carsphairn ministry
editJohn Semple became minister of Carsphairn in Kirkcudbrightshire in 1646 and joined the Protesters in 1651.[2][7] M'Crie records an incident involving Oliver Cromwell, who "marched into a meeting of the ministers in Edinburgh on one occasion. He made a harangue to them nearly an hour in length, in his usual style of rhapsody, and copiously interlarded with quotations from Scripture. The members looked at each other in bewildered amazement, till at length an old minister, Mr. John Semple of Carsphairn, rose up and said : "Moderator, I hardly know what the gentleman wald was at in this long discourse; but one thing I am sure of, he was perverting the Scripture." For this speech the honest minister was punished by six months' imprisonment."[8]
On 23 August 1660, John Semple was imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle by order of the Committee of Estates, who also sequestrated his stipend, 25 September of the same year.[9][10][11][2] He was included in the list of rebels whom the lieges were prohibited from receiving, on 4 December 1666, and in a list of those who were to be prosecuted, 15 August 1667, as well as in the list of those to whom pardon and indemnity were granted, 1 October of the same year. At the request of Alexander, Viscount Kenmure, Semple was granted indulgence at Carsphairn on 3 September 1672. On 10 July 1673, he was fined for not observing the anniversary of the Restoration.[12] When summoned before the Privy Council on 4 August 1677, and threatened with death or banishment, Semple replied, "He is abune [above] that guides the gully [knife]; my God will not let you either kill me or banish me, but I will go home and die in peace." He returned, preached in the parish, and died soon afterwards, at the age of 75.[13] He left a considerable sum of money to the poor of Kirkcudbright.[2]
Family
editJohn Semple had a wife who was six years his senior.[14] Neither her name nor any children are listed in Wodrow.[15]
Bibliography
editReferences
edit- Citations
- ^ Howie 1870.
- ^ a b c d e Scott 1917, 400.
- ^ Reid 1853, 112.
- ^ Tosh 2014.
- ^ Thompson 2006g.
- ^ a b Adair 1866.
- ^ Wodrow 1842.
- ^ M'Crie 1846, p. 52.
- ^ Wodrow 1835a, p66.
- ^ Blair 1848.
- ^ Morton 1914.
- ^ Wodrow 1835b, p221.
- ^ Wodrow 1835b, p348.
- ^ Wodrow 1835b, p36.
- ^ Bartholomew 2014b.
- ^ Nicholson 1855, 179-183.
- ^ Scott 1897.
- Sources
- Adair, Patrick (1866). A true narrative of the rise and progress of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (1623-1670). Belfast: C. Aitchison. pp. 60-62. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Bartholomew, David (2014a). "Rev John Semple of Carsphairn" (PDF). No. Newsletter 106, Spring 2014. Carsphairn Heritage Group. pp. 1, 6–8.
- Bartholomew, David (2014b). "Rev John Semple of Carsphairn" (PDF). No. Newsletter 107, July 2014. Carsphairn Heritage Group. pp. 2–4.
- Blair, Robert (1848). M'Crie, Thomas (ed.). The life of Mr. Robert Blair, minister of St. Andrews, containing his autobiography, from 1593-1636 : with supplement of his life and continuation of the history of the times, to 1680. Edinburgh: Wodrow Society. pp. 357-358, 364.
- Dunlop, Samuel (1912). "John Welsh, the Irongray Covenanter". Transactions and Journal of Proceedings 1911-1912. 2. 24. Dumfries: Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society: 75.
- Howie, John (1870). "John Semple". In Carslaw, W. H. (ed.). The Scots worthies. Edinburgh: Oliphant, Anderson, & Ferrier. pp. 378-382. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- M'Crie, Thomas (1846). "Chapter I: Cromwell dissolves the Assembly". Sketches of Scottish church history : embracing the period from the Reformation to the Revolution. Vol. 2. Edinburgh: J. Johnstone. pp. 52-53. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Morton, Alexander S. (1914). Galloway and the Covenanters; or, The struggle for religious liberty in the south-west of Scotland. Paisley : A. Gardner. pp. 85, et passim.
- Nicholson, John, ed. (1855). Minute book kept by the war committee of the Covenanters in the stewartry of Kircudbright in the years 1640 and 1641. Kirkcudbright: John Nicholson.
- Reid, James Seaton (1853). A history of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, comprising the civil history of the province of Ulster from the accession of James the First ... Vol. 1 (3 ed.). London: Whittaker; [etc].
- Scott, Hew (1917). Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae; the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation. Vol. 2. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd. p. 400. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Scott, Walter, Sir (1897). Waverley novels. Vol. 12. London: J.M. Dent. pp. 395 et passim.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Thompson, Mark (2006e). "The Dawn of the Ulster-Scots - Part Five: The Arrival of the Presbyterian Ministers" (PDF). The Ulster-Scot July 2006. Archived from the original on 28 July 2007. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- Thompson, Mark (2006f). "The Dawn of the Ulster-Scots - Part Six: Three Ulster-Scots Spiritual Revivals,the Death of Montgomery and the "Eagle Wing" sets sail" (PDF). The Ulster-Scot July 2006. Archived from the original on 28 July 2007. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- Thompson, Mark (2006g). "The Dawn of the Ulster-Scots - Part Seven: Scotland's National Covenant, The Black Oath and the 1641 Massacre" (PDF). The Ulster-Scot July 2006. Archived from the original on 28 July 2007. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- Tosh, Robert (18 September 2014). "Presbyterianism". Wars & Conflict - The Plantation of Ulster: Religious Legacy. BBC. p. 1. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
- Walker, Patrick (1827). Biographia Presbyteriana. Vol. 1. Edinburgh: D. Speare.
- Walker, Patrick (1901). Fleming, David Hay (ed.). Six saints of the Covenant : Peden: Semple: Welwood: Cameron: Cargill: Smith. Vol. 1. London : Hodder and Stoughton. pp. 181–204.
- Wodrow, Robert (1835a). Burns, Robert (ed.). The history of the sufferings of the church of Scotland from the restoration to the revolution, with an original memoir of the author, extracts from his correspondence, and preliminary dissertation. Vol. 1. Glasgow: Blackie, Fullarton & co., and Edinburgh: A. Fullarton & co.
- Wodrow, Robert (1835b). Burns, Robert (ed.). The history of the sufferings of the church of Scotland from the restoration to the revolution, with an original memoir of the author, extracts from his correspondence, and preliminary dissertation. Vol. 2. Glasgow: Blackie, Fullarton & co., and Edinburgh: A. Fullarton & co.
- Wodrow, Robert (1842). Leishman, Matthew (ed.). Analecta: or, Materials for a history of remarkable providences; mostly relating to Scotch ministers and Christians. Vol. 2. Glasgow: Maitland Club. p. p283.