Rev. Josias Welsh, of Templepatrick

The Children Of John Of Ayr and Elizabeth Knox wee:

4. Rev.Josias Welch, Of Temple Patrick. Buried at Upton Castle Cemetery, Templepatrick.Educated in Geneva & Glasgow. PROFESSOR OF HUMANITIES AT EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY

Headstone Description: “To the glory of God Josias Welsh 1598-1634 minister of Templepatrick circa 1622-1634. Grandson of John Knox the scottish reformer.”

HIS STORY

HERE LIETH THE BODY OF THE REV. JOSIAS WELCH, MINSTER OF TEMPLEPATRICK, WHO DIED ANNO DOM.1634

JOSIAS WELCH HAVEING BEEN EXPLELLED FROM SCOTLAND, CAME OVER TO IRELAND, AND BECAME A REGULAR AND ZEALOUS PREACHER OF THE PRESBYTERIAN FAITH AND DISCIPLINE: THAT NO PRIVATION DISCOURAGED HIM, OR ABATED HIS ARDOUR; BUT THAT, LIKE OTHER MEN OF UNWEARLED ACTIVITY, HE PREACHED ON THE MOUNTAINS AND FIELDS, TO CROWDS OF FOLLOWERS. THE DAME OF HIS PREACHING AT LENGTH REACHED THE HED OF THE UPDTON FAMILY, THEN RESIDING IN HIS CASTLE AT TEMPLEPATRICK, WHO INVITED WELCH TO TAKE PROSSESSION OF THE CHURCH IN THAT PLACE, A MEASURE TO WHICH HE PROMISED HIS COUNTENANCE AND ASSISTANCE. tHE EPISCOPAL MINISTER, HOWEVER, OBTAINING A PRIVATE INTELLIGENCE OF THIS BUISNESS, WHICH SEEMS INDEED TO HAVE BEEN RATHER ARBITRAY AND IRREGULAR, RESOLVED NOT TO ACQUIESCE WITHOUT A STRUGGLE IN SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT; AND , EARLY IN THE MORNING OF THE DAY ON WHICH THE SCOTTISH PREACHER WAS TO OCCUMPY HIS CHURCH, CAME HIMSELF, AND TOOK FIRM AND DETERMINED POSSESSION OF HIS ACCUSTOMED PULPIT. BUT AT LENGTH, DOUBTLESS AFTER MANY WORDS AND MUCH EXPOSTULATION, IT WAS FOUND THAT NEITHER PARTY WOULD SUMBIT, SO THEAT THEY WERE OBLIGED TO APPLY TO FORCE TO SETTLE THE DISPUTE. THE EPISCOPALIANS WERE DEFEATED IN THE CONTEST, THEY AND THEIR MINISTER DRIVEN FROM THE CHURCH, WELCH INSTEALLED IN THE VACANT PULPIT BY UPTON, AND THE PEOPLE, AND EVER AFTER PATRONISED AND PROTECTED BY THE LORD OF THE SOIL.

SOURCE; THE BELFAST MAGAZINE AND LITERARY JOURNAL, VOL. 1, NO 4 MAY, 1825, PP 351-355 sTABLE URL: HTTP://WWW.JSTOR.ORG/STABLE/20495571 ACCESSED: 16-03-2018

Family

From Charles Rogers. Genealogical memoirs of John Knox and of the family of Knox online. (page 11 of 14) link

Josias Welsh, minister of Templepatrick, married subsequent to his settlement in Ireland, but his wife's name and the date of his marriage have not transpired. As his wife is not mentioned at the time of his death, it is probable she predeceased him.

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From The Life of Mr. Josias Welch. Biographia Scoticana (Scots Worthies) — John Howie link

Mr. Josias Welch was a younger son to the famous Mr. John Welch sometime minister of the gospel at Ayr, and Elizabeth Knox daughter to the great Mr. John Knox, who was minister at Edinburgh, from whom he received a most liberal and religious education. But what enhanced his reputation more, was, that he was, heir to his father's graces and virtues. ....
After this, Mr. Welch continued for some time preaching in his own house, where he had a large auditory, and such was his desire to gain souls to Christ, that he commonly stood in a door looking towards a garden, that so he might be heard without as well as within, by means of which, being of a weakly constitution, he contracted such a cold as occasioned his death in a short time thereafter. ...
... He continued in this way, until May 1634, when by the intercession of Lord Castle-Stuart with the king in their behalf, the foresaid ministers received a grant from the bishop of six months liberty, which freedom none more willingly embraced than Mr. Welch, but he had preached only a few weeks in his own pulpit before he sickened, and the Sabbath afternoon before his death, which was on the Monday following. "I heard of his sickness," saith Mr. Livingston, "and came to him about eleven o'clock at night, and Mr. Blair came about two hours thereafter. He had many gracious discourses, as also some wrestling and exercise of mind. One time cried out, Oh for hypocrisy; on which Mr. Blair said, See how Satan is nibbling at his heels before he enter into glory. A very little before he died, being at prayer by his bed-side, and the word victory coming out of my mouth, he took hold of my hand and desiring me to forbear a little, and clapping his hands, cried out, Victory, victory, victory for ever more, then he desired me to go on, and in a little expired -- on the 23d of June 1634."
... Thus died the pious and faithful Mr. Josias Welch, in the flower of his youth, leaving only one son behind him, viz. Mr. John Welch, who was afterward minister at Irongray in Galloway
===References===

• https://billiongraves.com/grave/person/16112668

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