B I 0 GRAPH I CA L S K E T C €I E S. 103
of a stated pastor. With this view she invited Dr. Jones to come to Scotland
and preach. He acceded to her request, and the congregation having heard
him several times, and being fully satisfied, gave him a call to become their
minister. This call he accepted; and after being ordained to the office of
pastor by the Scotch Presbytery of London, he came back to Scotland, and
on the 25th July 1779, was settled as minister of Lady Glenorchy’s Chapel.
Here he continued to labour from that date until about three years previous to
his death, which happened on the 3d March 1837, a period of nearly fifty-eight
years.
In a city like Edinburgh there must of course always be great variety in the
merits of the clergymen ; and those who occupy the highest stations are not
necessarily the most popular. So it was with Dr. Jones. He was not one of the
of the public, and roused the indignation of the good lady’s friends, whose character was falsely and
scandalously attacked by a member of that reverend body. Though I am a great friend to L. G. (Lady
Glenorchy), I am no Enthusiast, which, in some people’s opinion, are synonymous terms. She is,
doubtless, far from being perfect j yet we read of one, of whom there is occasion to believe worse
things, who was set forth in the midst of a company of scribes and pharisees (I do not know if there
were any ministers among them !) and he that was without sin among them was desired to cast the
first stone at her ; yet proud and hot-headed as they were, not one had the assurance to proceed so
far. But our Modern Reformers do not betray such a pusillanimous conduct ; they are men of more
courage! (though it is not their sinless perfection that entitles them to go farther than their
brethren of old, who, it seems, had a more modest assurance), They scatter firebrands and sharp
arrows, even bitter words, and do not so much as pretend that they are in sport. Would cutting
off a right em satisfy such rage as this I! Nothing less would appease such blind and furious zeal,
than razing to the foundations. These men are indeed sharp-edged Tools, the keenness of which
makes them often cut before the point : insomuch that the more Jfunnerly friends to the cause
which they so desperutely espouse, cannot sit silent and hear such unjust mpersions thrown out
against a good lady behind her back. And one, in particular, could no longer be an idle Uriewe,l
but rose up and reproved his brother in the spirit of Meekness-
‘‘ Not all the RoLwtsons of Rathos *
Could have spoke out with so much pathos.
Claudero, though in constant use,
Could not have hatch’d so much abuse.
I’m bold to say there is not any
Could match the Parson of Dalmeny.
In Grub-street art he carries the degree,
As all the Synod know, as well as me.
Then, Master of this art, let him be made,
As he’s so learned in the railing trade ;
Though in divinity he knows not A, B, C,
He then may grace his works with a D.D.”
This refers to a circumstance which occurred in the debate before the Synod. The Rev. Mr.
Robertson, “the Parson of Dalmeny,” instead of confining himself to the exact subject before the
Court, broke out into an attack upon the character of Lady Glenorchy, and was immediately called
to order by Dr. Erskine. This, however, did not induce him to desist; he proceeded notwithstanding,
until Dr. Grieve, minister of Dalkeith, and a supporter of the same views of ecclesiastical
policy, interfered, and insisted on his friend abandoning such a line of argument. Mr. Robertson
was not prepared for any interruption from this quarter ; and, it is reported, was so mnch confounded
by it, that he immediately cut short a premeditated harangue upon the nature and evils of
enthusiasm, and the paramount importance of good works I
Mr. Robertson was at this time minister of Ratho.
104 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
city clergy, nor even a parochial clergyman ; and yet he acquired and preserved
a degree of popularity almost unprecedented, and gathered around him a congregation
as numerous and attached as any in the town.
There was
much originality of thought, combined with richness of fancy, variety of illustration,
earnestness, and zeal. He did not read his sermons, and seldom wrote
more than a general outline ; but there was so much method in their arrangement,
and he had his subject so thoroughly at command, that he was never at a
loss. His articulation was frequently indistinct, and his phraseology peculiar ;
his reasoning was plausible rather than solid, but his addresses, especially at
the communion table, were full of pathos and impassioned zeal ; and when he
had fairly entered on his subject he became exceedingly animated-his voice
was often elevated to the highest pitch-and it was almost impossible for anyone
who heard him to remain unaffected. On one occasion a Polish Jew, who
had begun to inquire into the truths of Christianity, was directed to this Chapel ;
and although he could then understand but little of what he heard, yet he was
so attracted by the manner of Dr. Jones, and so satisfied, as he himself said,
that the man was in earnest, that from that, moment he resolved to become a
stated hearer. He followed up this resolution ; and the result was, in a short
time after, he was publicly baptized by the Doctor.
Dr. Jones, it may be here remarked, was one of the clergymen who, in the
year 1794, attended in prison the unfortunate Watt, who was condemned and
executed for treason. Watt left behind him a full confession of the particulars
of a conspiracy-a document which, though attempted to be discredited, was so
fully attested by Dr. Jones and Dr. Baird as to place its authenticity beyond a
doubt.
In private life Dr. Jones was highly esteemed, alike for his unaffected kindness
and urbanity ; for his unflinching rectitude ; the extent of his information ;
and the uniform consistency of his Christian deportment. His conversation
was both instructive and amusing ; and having been acquainted with many of
the most eminent clergymen in England and Scotland, his anecdotes were very
attractive. Long before his death, a whole generation of his early clerical
friends had entirely passed away ; aad, at the close of fifty years, he found himself
one of only two alive, of a hundred and forty ministers of different denominations,
who, within the bounds of the Synod of Lothian and Tweeddale, were
running their course when he was inducted into his charge : at that period, too,
of his own congregation there were only twenty who then survived out of nearly
two thousand who had been assembled on the day when he preached his introductory
sermon.
In 1810 the Marischal College of Aberdeen, at the suggestion of his friend,
the late Dr. TViIliam Lawrence Brown, then Principal of that College, conferred
on him the degree of Doctor of Divinity.
Upon the 9th June 1828, when he entered the fiftieth year of his ministry,
he was presented by. his congregation with a handsome piece of plate, ae' a
As a preacher Dr. Jones was very impressive and commanding.
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