Reverend John Simson

REVEREND JOHN SIMSON

Professor of Divinity at Glasgow University; formerly Minister of the Gospel at Traquair

Marriage

SIMPSON
JOHN
JANE STIRLING/
25/10/1710
644/1
240 151
Glasgow

SIMPSON
JOHN
JEAN STIRLING/FR1511 (FR1511)
31/10/1710
622/
60 55
Barony

Children

Genealogy

Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae. The Succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the Reformation. By Hew Scott, DD. New Edition. Volume VIII. Synods of Ross, Sutherland etc. (Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh, 1928), page 400

Biographical Summary from the Fasti of the Church of Scotland

John Simson, born 13th July 1667, eldest son of Patrick S., min. of Renfrew ; educated at Univs. of Edinburgh, M.A. (18th July 1692), and Glasgow ; librarian to Univ. of Glasgow April 1696 ; went to Leyden, Holland, in 1696; licen. by Presb. of Paisley 13th July 1698 ; again went to Holland in Sept. that year, as tutor to John, eldest son of Francis Montgomerie of Giffen, and studied divinity under John Marckius, author of the Medulla ; returned Aug. 1700 ; became assistant to his father ; ord. to Troqueer 20th Sept. 1705; app. to this Chair 7th July, trans, and adm. 21st Sept. 1708 ; died 2nd Feb. 1740. He was the first notable heretic within the Scottish Church, the first to strike a blow that woke her from the lethargy of centuries. From 1714 to 1717 he was libelled on charges of Arminianism, and from 1721 to 1729 his alleged Arian beliefs were challenged by the General Assembly. He was finally prohibited from all ecclesiastical function, 13th May 1729, though retaining the emoluments of his Chair and his title of Professor. His supposed heterodox views included a belief that the moon was inhabited, that happiness here and hereafter was the chief aim of the Gospel, that the heathen could be saved even without the knowledge of Christ, God having declared Himself to man also by way of natural revelation, and that all baptized infants went immediately to glory at their death. He marr. 31st Oct. 1710, Jean (died 27th Nov. 1782), daugh. of James Stirling, min. of The Barony, Glasgow, and niece of Principal John S., and had issue — (1) Patrick, born 16th March 1712, died 2nd Sept. 1716 (2) James, born 1st Dec. 1713, died 17th April 1716 (3) Margaret, born 9th Aug. 1715, died 3rd Nov. 1725 (4) Joanna, born 23rd March 1719, died 12th April 1731 (5) Anna, born 15th Aug. 1720 (marr. Matthew Morthland of Rindmuir), died 11th March 1802 (6) Sarah, born 7th March 1722, died 15th Feb. 1723 (7) John, born 29th June 1723, died 18th Feb. 1730 (8) Elizabeth, born 12th Nov. 1724 (9) Patrick, born 16th May 1727, died 2nd Feb. 1733 (10) James, born 29th April 1729, died in London 26th May 1777 (11) Margaret, born 31st Jan. 1731, died 2nd Feb. 1733 (12) Sarah, born 4th July 1732 died 19th Aug. 1735 (13) Jean, born 5th July 1735 (marr. 1757, John Moore, M.D., author of Zeluco, and was mother of Lieut.-General Sir John M., hero of Corunna), died in London 25th March 1820."Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae. The Succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the Reformation, Vol. VII, page 400

Biographical Summary by Wikipedia

John Simson was an alumnus of the University who was Professor of Divinity from 1708 to 1740. Simson was a graduate of the University of Edinburgh and studied Divinity at Glasgow in 1694 before continuing his theological studies in the Netherlands. He was Minister of Traquair from 1705 until his appointment to the University Chair in 1708. During his professorship, Simson was accused of teaching Arminianism (in 1714) and Arianism (1726). His protestations of orthodoxy were upheld by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in the former case, but in 1729 he was found guilty of heresy and prohibited from preaching and teaching. He continued to enjoy his salary and his College house during the eleven years he remained in the Chair, while his teaching duties were performed by the Principal, Neil Campbell. The University of Glasgow Story: John Simson Wikipedia: John Simson