John Livingstone
"Go call thy sons - instruct them what a debt
They owe their ancestors, and make them swear
To pay it by transmitting down entire
Those sacred rights to which themselves were born."
EARLY YEARS
A son of the manse, John was born on the 21 July, 1603 in the parish of Monyabroch where his father, William, had succeeded his own father as rector. The family was later to move to Lanark. It was never assumed that John would enter the ministry: his father hoped he would run the family estate. The decision to enter the ministry would not be taken lightly, but when it was, he would set a course that resulted in him becoming one of the greatest preachers of his time.
One of seven children, three boys and four girls, John was christened as such at the compliance
of the request of Lady Lilias Graham, a gentlewoman of the House of Wigton with whom, as with many persons of equal rank, his father was of personal and religious friendship. Lady Graham`s father, husband and son were of the same appelation.
His mother, Agnes, was the daughter of Alexander Livingston of the House of Dunipace. John described her, "ane rare pattern of piety and meekness". As well as John, she had two sons and four daughters. She was to die in 1617 at the age of 32. This would have made her aged 18 at John`s birth.
After receiving the rudiments of education at home...reading and writing, he was sent to Stirling Grammar School at the age of ten in 1613. There he studied classics under a Mr William Wallace. Livingstone later recorded that during his first year he had profited not much and was often beaten by the schoolmaster "so as my face swelled". It so happened that on that day his father visited the school and saw the injury to his son. He remonstrated with the Master and procured an apology and an assurance it would not happen again. From this point on, John excelled in his pursuit of education and profited very rapidly from his studies.
His father was entreated to allow him to continue there for a fourth year, and John would recount that this was his most profitable time at school.
"I, alongwith another student, stayed ane year more, and for the most part read by ourselves in ane little chamber above the school, the master furnishing us in books, where we went through the most part of the choice of Latine writers, both poets and others."
Only in the third year of his attendance at the College of Glasgow did he read more than he was ever to do since.
In 1617, he went on to study at the College of Glasgow where, under the tutelage of Mr Robert Blair, for two years he got his grounding in "logick and metaphysick and the subtilties of the schoolmen". He added, "ane vain desire to be above my equals set me to great pains.". After a further two years, he gained his M.A.
A typical daily time-table that was stringently adhered to is listed as follows:
05.00
Rise
06.00 - 08.00
Questioned on previous day`s lecture
08.00 - 08.30
Prayers
08.30 - 09.00
Revise and repeat morning`s lectures
09.00 - 09.45
Breakfast
10.00 -11.00
Return to studies or rooms. Senior students to attend public lecture in theology
12.00 - 13.00
Mid-day meal
13.00 - 16.00
Disputations when students took turns to propound on a thesis on a subject the previous day. Fellow students to produce arguments opposing same. Debate conducted alternate days in Latin and Greek. Masters in attendance.
16.00 - 17.00
Further teaching and questioning by the masters
17.00
All classes to meet for disputations in the public schools as opposed to the masters` classes.
The schedules were revised on the Tuesdays and Thursdays to accommodate games, and from the 1st April to 1st August when all disputations were held after supper
In the final part of his last year at college, he unfortunately was detained in Edinburgh where doctors and `chirugions` were treating him for a fistula in his left leg. During his enforced absence, he missed out on the study of Hebrew which his class received from Mr Robert Boyd. This study of the ancient language was expected of all students who were contemplating a career in the ministry, though it would seem Livingstone was as yet undecided on which path to pursue.
Much disappointed at this loss, he determined to catch up by a period of home study. This resulted in him attaining a level of knowledge to a high standard.
Career Chosen
He agonised for some time as to whether to pursue the ministry or study medicine in France. He would often go to a secret cave on Mouse Water near Stirling where he would deliberate alone. This cave was reputed to have been a hiding place for William Wallace. " It was there that I believed God made it clear to me that I should go out into the world and preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified , and that if I resisted, I would have no assurance of my own salvation".
While still at the college, he visited a Glasgow church alongwith several student friends. As they sat, Archbishop Law entered to celebrate communion for the first time after the fashion as laid down by the Articles of Perth. Seeing the people seated, he commanded them to kneel.
Livingstone and his party continued to remain in their seats blatantly defying the order. Law approached them and bade them to kneel or leave the church. Livingstone spoke for the party, "....there is no warrant for kneeling, and, for want of it. no one should be excommunicated." With that they were ordered from the building.
Livingstone had set his course that he would follow to the bitter end. Although his non-conformity would bring him into disfavour with both church and civil authorities, his strongly held ethos would never waver.
