1862 THOMAS M'CRIE. Important Scottish Divine Manuscript against Religious Tyrrany
1862 THOMAS M'CRIE. Important Scottish Divine Manuscript against Religious Tyrrany
A wonderful little non-authorial holograph in the hand of influential Scottish Presbyterian, Thomas M'Crie. He here records, for a journal long ago disassembled, the words of the Christian poet and hyminist, William Cowper on the need for brave patriots to rise and resist religious and governmental tyranny.
M'Crie [1797-1875] was one of the early Scottish Secession ministers, then elected Moderator in 1856 and 1857. He was also author of more than a dozen Presbyterian works of history and theology and countless smaller publications. His influential works include two volume Sketches of Scottish Church History, Lectures on Christian Baptism, Annals of English Presbytery, Ancient History of the Waldensians, etc., He also edited the complete works of his long-time friend, James Hamilton.
In full:
"Patriots have toiled, and in their country's cause
Bled nobly; & their deeds, as they deserve,
Receive proud recompense.
Yet few remember them. They lived unknown,
Till persecution dragged them into fame,
And chased them up to heaven. Their ashes flew -
No marbled tells us whither. With their names
No bard embalms & sanctifies his song;
And history, so warm on meaner themes,
Is cold on this. She execrates, indeed,
The tyranny that doomed them to the stake
But gives the glorious sufferers little praise.
Cowper
Tho. MCrie
Jan 8th 1862."
There is also another smaller quotation, in Latin, by Edoardo Tusca [?], likely a Presbyterian missionary in Italy or similar.