JOHN KNOX; Converting our Scottish Ancestors from Catholicism to Protestantism

Searching for the

Identity and Faith of

the Ulster Protestant

Standing in the Shadow of Three

Historic Leaders

Searching for the Identity and

Faith of the Ulster Protestant 1


Faith of the Ulster Protestant

John Knox

Converting our

Scottish

Ancestors from

Catholicism to

Protestantism

2

Prelates and

Preachers

The Battle for Christ and

His Kirk





The Reformation In Scotland

“England, in reforming itself, worked mainly from the political

centre. Scotland worked mainly from the religious one. The

ruling idea in the former country was the emancipation of the

throne from the supremacy of the Pope; the ruling idea in

the latter was the emancipation of the conscience from the

Popish faith. The more prominent outcome of the

Reformation in England was a free State; the more

immediate product of the Reformation in Scotland was a free

Church.”

J.A. Wylie, The History of Protestantism

4



Early Witnesses

1407; James Resby

1431; Paul Crawer

1494;

30 Gentlemen charged with heresy

5



Three Men who Changed

Scotland

Patrick Hamilton; 1504

John Knox; 1505

George Wishart; 1512

6



The Beaton Dictat

David Beaton was the virtual ruler who dominated the 16 year old James 5th.

His nephew, Cardinal James Beaton had similar power.

These two men would see Protestantism as a threat to their power.

7



A Changing Spiritual Climate

By 1525 Tyndale’s translation of the scriptures had found their way to Scotland.

The work of reformation had commenced in the hearts of the people.

There was a need for a preacher to expound these truths on a national scale.

8



Patrick Hamilton

1504 -1528

A member of the Stewart dynasty.

Great grandson of James 2nd.

1517 – appointed Titular Abbot of Ross-shire.

1518 – Paris, studied and Marburg.

Lambert was an ex Franciscan who held the same views as Luther.

Convicted about reaching his own people Hamilton returned to Scotland, 1527.

9



Patrick Hamilton

Ministry and Death

His Father’s home.

Throughout Scotland.

St Andrews.

Alexander Campbell.

For six hours he burnt, 28th February 1528.

The flames of the Reformation had been kindled. “his reek infected all it

blew on”

10



George Wishart

1512-1546

The son of Sir James.

Cambridge educated.

A classical Greek scholar.

Converted.

11



Tough Days for a New Convert

After Hamilton’s death the Reformed Faith progressed.

The persecution intensified.

1532 – Henry Forrest burnt on high ground overlooking St Andrews.

1532 – Norman Gourley and and David Straiton burnt on a hill between Edinburgh and Leith.

12



His Flight from Scotland

1538 – Five Protestants burnt, Castle Hill.

1539 – David Beaton died to be replaced by Cardinal

James Beaton.

1542 – James 5th died.

His wife, Mary of Guise, a French Romanist became

Regent, their daughter Mary sent to France.

Godly ministers fled Scotland.

During these turbulent years he fled Scotland.

13



Failure and Redemption

Burnt his Faggot in Bristol.

Travelled to Switzerland.

Restored to faith through the ministry

of Henry Bullinger.

14



His Ministry

1543 – Returned to Scotland.

Preaching in Montrose, Dundee, Ayr, Kyle and

Edinburgh the people flocked.

His preaching was expository, majored on Romans.

Arrested; 16th January 1546 and taken to St Andrews.

15



His Martyrdom and Legacy

Burned at Saint Andrews 28th February 1546.

“The grim fire I fear not. I know surely that my

soul shall sup with my Saviour this night.”

Speaking of Cardinal Beaton he declared that he

would die very soon.

A young onlooker was both impressed and inspired

by Wishart.

JOHN KNOX.

16



John Knox

1505 - 1572

Educated at Haddington and Glasgow University.

1530 - Ordained as a Priest.

1535 – Convinced that Rome was false through reading the Scriptures.

Became a private tutor.

1544 – declared himself a Protestant through Wishart’s ministry.

17



John Knox

1505 - 1572

May 1546, Norman Leslie seized St Andrews Castle.

Easter 1547, John Knox became their Pastor.

His preaching condemned the Papacy as Anti Christ.

Laing – “He strikes at the root to destroy the whole.”

18



The Papacy as the Anti-Christ

2nd Thessalonians 2:3-4

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, that son of perdition.; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God”

19



The Papacy as the Anti-Christ

2nd Thessalonians 2:3-4, 7

ANTI = INSTEAD OF

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, that son of perdition.; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God…for the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he now hinders will hinder until he be taken out of the way”

20



From The Ministry To The Galley

Rome remained in the ascendancy throughout Scotland.

June 1547; Castle fell to French and Scots.

Knox was captured and spent 19 months as a slave on a French warship.

21



Serving The English King

After his release he laboured in England because under Edward 6th things were more favourable than in Scotland.

He became one of the King’s chaplains and was even offered a Bishopric which he refused.

When Mary ascended the throne he made good his escape to the continent.

22



In Calvin’s Geneva

4 happy and blessed years:

“…the most perfect school of Christ that ever was in the earth since the days of the apostles. In other places I confess Christ to be truly preached, but manners and religion to be so truly reformed, I have not yet seen in any other place”.

John Knox

23



Visiting Home

He longed for Scotland; “bound in the chains of

Rome, riveted by French steel.” (Wylie)

Some noble families espoused the reformation.

1555 he briefly visited Scotland.

He advised these noble families to refuse Mass and

he dispensed the Lord’s Supper.

The Reformation had now become a congregation.

24



The Cause Advances

The Lords of the Congregation entered into

a Covenant in 1557.

Establish the Gospel, defend its Ministers

and build up its Congregation.

1558 – they introduced the English Book of

Common Prayer into their parishes.

25



The Last of the Reformation

Martyrs

Parish Priest Walter Millar had been faithful

since the days of Cardinal Beaton.

He had been sought for many years.

At 82 years of age he was arrested.

“I will not recant the truth, for I am corn

and not chaff.”

Burnt to death, St Andrews, 28th August

1558.

26

The Crisis of 1549

Cometh the Hour, Cometh the Man





Demands to the Regent

Dispense sacraments and preach in the

native tongue.

Bishops should have the consent of the

barons and priests must have the consent of

the people.

Immoral and incapable men removed from

the pulpit.

28



The Moment of Crisis

Mary of Guise introduced a new law prohibiting preaching which did not have the license of a bishop.

Paul Methaven, John Cristison, William Harlow

and John Willock refused.

They were summoned to the Palace to meet the Regent.

She planned their execution.

France and Spain were willing to help her crush the Reformation.

29



Cometh the Hour….

At this moment Knox arrived.

He promised to accompany the preachers to their meeting.

The Regent cancelled the meeting.

Knox declared a rebel and outlaw.

The preachers declared to be outlaws for refusing to meet her.

30



Disturbances in Perth

Knox preached against idolatry.

A priest, a young boy and a stone.

Idols broken, monasteries ransacked.

Knox – “the best way to keep the rooks from returning was to pull down their nests”

The Regent sent her army to Perth.

Crisis temporarily averted as she met a strong Protestant Army.

31



St Andrews

Archbishop threatened assassination.

Against much advice Knox preached.

Edinburgh and Glasgow decided to support the Reformation.

Scotland was now fully supportive of Protestantism.

32



On The Brink of Civil War

The Regent was building a strong French Army.

Knox wrote to Queen Elizabeth 1st.

English reinforcements were sent to support the Protestant forces.

The French returned home.

1560 – Mary of Guise died.

33



A New Scotland is Born

1560 – 1st Scots Confession.

Mass outlawed.

A Protestant Church established by law.

Knox was installed as Minister of St Giles Cathedral.

34



Presbyterianism Established

Offices Employed:

1: Ministers for preaching.

2: Doctors for teaching

students.

3: Elders to rule.

4: Deacons to manage the

finance.

5: Superintendents to inspect

ministers and plant churches.

35



Presbyterianism Established

The Government:

1: Kirk Session for the local church.

2: Presbytery for governing a shire.

3: Synod for governing a province.

4: General Assembly for governing the national church.

5: The clergy and the people had equal powers.

36



His Principle

“Take from us the purity

of the Communion-table,

and You take from us the

Evangel.”

“Take from us the

freedom of Assemblies,

and you take from us the

Evangel.”

37



Knox’s Emphasis on Education

A school in each Parish.

A college in each town.

A University in each of

the three cities.

The poor would be

educated free of charge.

38



Mary Queen of Scots

Married to Francis 2nd

of France.

Widowed in 1560.

Returns in 1561 as

Queen of Scotland.

39



Challenges the Reformed Faith

Celebrates Mass in

Holyrood Palace.

Knox persuaded

Protestants from

storming the palace.

He preached against

her Romanism.

40



The Famous Interviews

Queen – “Who are you in this Commonwealth?”

Knox – “A subject born within the same, and although I am neither earl, Lord, or baron in it, yet has God made me a profitable member within the same, and both my vocation and conscience require plainness of me”.

“I have learned plainly and boldly to call wickedness by its own terms, a fig, a fig and a spade, a spade.”

41



As a Result of 3 Private Interviews

“If there be not in her a

proud mind, a crafty wit,

a callous heart against

God and his truth, my

judgement faileth me”

Knox

42



Knox on Trial

1563 – Queen managed to have Knox tried for treason.

“That man made me weep and shed never a tear himself I

will now see if I can make him weep.”

The council acquitted the preacher.

That night the Queen sat in her palace in darkness and

alone.

43



The Demise of Mary

Queen of Scots

1565 – married her cousin, Lord Darnley

1567 – he was found murdered in his garden.

James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, charged with murder.

April 1567 acquitted.

The following month he married the Queen.

There was an uprising against her reign.

Abdicated – July 1567.

She fled to England where Elizabeth had her imprisoned for 18 years before she was eventually executed.

44



The Period of the Regency

She was succeeded by her Son, James 6th.

Her half-brother, James, 1st Earl of Moray, Regent assassinated.

Matthew Stewart, Earl of Lennox, grandfather of the young James 6th also assassinated

Earl of Mar only survived a few months, some said he was poisoned.

James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, was the last and most successful of the Regents.

45



News of St Bartholomew

24th August 1572

Estimated 70,000

Protestants murdered

in France.

In Rome the bells rang, medals were struck, the city was lit for 3 nights celebrating

46



John Knox –

Died 24th November 1572

“Here lies one who never feared

the face of man”.

James Douglas, Regent

47

A Legacy Forgotten?





Was the Battle Won?

James Douglas pursued a policy of Episcopacy

He neither had the support of Presbyterian or Catholic.

James 6th became King when only 11 years old.

As James 6th and later as James 1st of England he never showed favour to the Presbyterian cause.

As Monarch he believed that he ought to have power over the Church, sought to impose Prelacy.

49



Andrew Melville

“But your majesty there are two Kings

And two Kingdoms in Scotland. There

is King James, the head of this

commonwealth, and there is Christ

Jesus, the King of the Church, Whose

subject James 6th is, and of whose

Kingdom he is not a King, nor A lord

nor a head but a member. We will yield

you your place and give you all due

obedience. But again I say you are not

the Head of the Church.”

50



James 1st of England

1606 – detained in the Tower of London before

being exiled to Sedan, France.

1618 – The Five Articles of Perth:

1. Kneeling during Communion

2. Private Baptism.

3. Private Communion for the sick.

4. Confirmation by the Bishops.

5. Holy Days – Christmas and Easter

51



Revival and Renewed

Convictions

Preachers testified to new power.

Many conversions.

Two main centres:

Ayrshire – Mr Dickson and his weekly lectures in Irvine.

Kirk of Shotts – Mr John Livingstone, 500 converted during one communion address.

52



Jenny’s Geddes

In 1625 Charles 1st was crowned.

1633 – William Laud became Archbishop of Canterbury

Prosecuted a policy of Catholic Ritualism.

Many godly Scots tired of the strife saw Ireland as a more peaceful place to worship God.

1637 – Book of Common Prayer introduced to Scotland.

Jenny Geddes threw her stool at the Dean of Edinburgh.

53



Refusing to Conform

Many godly Presbyterian Ministers refused to accept these changes.

Samuel Rutherford was exiled to Aberdeen.

Robert Blair preferred to be ordained to Ulster.

George Dunbar, moved to Ulster, after being ejected from Ayr twice.

Edward Brice, moved to Broadisland, Co Antrim, opposed to the King’s policy.

54



The National Covenant

1638 – all classes vowed to defend the Reformed Church of Scotland.

General Assembly annulled the 5 Articles.

“We have cast down the walls of Jericho, let him who rebuildeth them beware of the curse of Hiel the Bethelite”

Alexander Henderson, Moderator

55



A Century of Agitation

The battle for Presbyterianism in Scotland climaxed in the infamous “killing times.”

It was the Glorious Revolution of 1688 which settled the issue of an Established Church in Scotland which was Presbyterian in worship.

56



The Ulster Connection

Throughout the 17th Century many Presbyterians would seize new opportunities in Ulster.

They came for freedom of worship.

They fought the same battles as their Scottish brethren.

Experienced the same revival.

Felt the onslaught in Popery as they never experienced that in Scotland.

Established an Irish Presbyerian Church.

57

Archbishop James

Ussher

Forging the Faith of the Ulster

Plantation in the Fires of

Persecution and Genocide



JOHN KNOX; Converting our Scottish Ancestors from Catholicism to Protestantism

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Transcript of JOHN KNOX; Converting our Scottish Ancestors from Catholicism to Protestantism