James Begg

James Begg
James Begg by Hill & Adamson
Personal details
Born	31 October 1808
Died	29 September 1883

James Begg (31 October 1808 in New Monkland, Lanarkshire, Scotland – 29 September 1883) was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland^[1] who served as Moderator of the General Assembly 1865/66.

He was born in the manse at New Monkland the son of James Begg of the Church of Scotland.^[2]

He studied Divinity at Glasgow University graduating MA in 1824 and was licensed by the Presbytery of Hamilton in 1829 and was ordained as a minister by the Church of Scotland at Maxwelltown in Dumfriesshire in 1830. In 1831 he became assistant to Rev Dr Jones at Lady Glenorchy's Church in Edinburgh,^[3] and in 1832 moved to the Middle Parish Church in Paisley^[4] before being translated back to Edinburgh to serve Liberton parish in 1835.^[5][6]

Begg left the established Church of Scotland at the Disruption of 1843. He then became a minister of the Free Church of Scotland, serving Newington Free Church,^[7] but he was branded a 'disrupter of the peace' within the Free Church itself.^[8] The church was one of the first built in Edinburgh after the Disruption and was designed by David Cousin in 1843.^[9] Begg was then living at 15 Minto Street.^[10] The church later secured a manse for him at 34 Blacket Place. In 1865 he succeeded Very Rev Patrick Fairbairn as Moderator of the General Assembly.^[11]

Lafayette College awarded him an honorary Doctor of Divinity in 1847.^[6]

Begg was a key figure in the foundation of the Scottish Reformation Society in 1850 and the Protestant Alliance, and was known not only for anti-Roman Catholicism but also his concern for working and living conditions.^[12] He was editor for The Bulwark or The Reformation Journal for 21 years from its beginning July, 1851.^[13] He also wrote frequently to The Witness, Hugh Miller's newspaper.

Together with Thomas Chalmers, Begg was a major influence behind the colony houses of Edinburgh,^[14] which were built between 1850 and 1910 as homes for artisans and skilled working-class families by philanthropic model dwellings companies. In the late 1850s, alarm at the high illegitimacy rates in the northeast counties led Begg to launch a moral crusade against the accommodation of unmarried male farm servants in bothies.^[15]

In 1869 he was portrayed by Sir Daniel Macnee.^[16]

Not to be confused with James A. Begg (1800-1868), Scottish writer on prophecy and promulgator of the seventh-day Sabbath, born in Paisley.

• Are You Prepared to Die? (1845)
• How to Promote and Preserve the True Beauty of Edinburgh (1849)
• Pauperism and the Poor Laws (1849)
• Handbook of Popery James Begg (the Younger.) - 1852
• Reform in the Free Church (1855)
• The Art of Preaching (1863)
• Happy Homes for Working Men, and How to Get Them (London, 1866)
• Free Church Principles
• A Treatise for the Times on Worship
• The Bothy System

He married twice: Margaret Campbell in 1835 and Maria Faithfull, daughter of Rev Ferdinand Faithfull of Headley in Surrey, in 1846.

By his second marriage his children included William Begg, better known as actor "Walter Bentley" (b.1849).

• Begg, James (1829). A connected view of some of the scriptural evidence of the Redeemer's speedy personal return and reign on Earth with his glorified saints during the millenium; Israel's restoration of Palestine; and destruction of Antichristian nations with remarks on various authors who oppose these doctrines. Paisley: Alex. Gardener.
• Begg, James (1831). Letters to a minister of the gospel, on his and other interpretations of our Saviour's predictions of His return, recorded Matt. xxiii. xxiv. xxv. : containing a minute examination of these prophecies, and exhibiting the evidence they contain that Christ's coming in the clouds of heaven is personal, and near at hand. Paisley: Alex. Gardner.
• Begg, James (1833). A Careful and Strict Inquiry into the pretentions and designs of Dr. Heugh: or his "Considerations on Civil Establishments of Christianity" plainly discovered to be full of specimens of ignorance ... By a Watchman [i.e. the Rev. James Begg]. Edinburgh: W. R. M'Phun.
• Begg, James (1838). Seat rents brought to the test of Scripture, law, reason, and experience ; or, the spiritual rights of the people of Scotland vindicated against modern usurpations, both within and without the establishment ; with a special explanation of the case of Edinburgh, and an appendix ... Edinburgh: John Johnstone.
• Begg, James (1838). The Antiquity of Church Extension; with the Methods by which it was Promoted by the Church of Scotland, Nearly Two Hundred Years Ago, Etc. Edinburgh.
• Begg, James (1839). The Seat Rent Question. The Duty of the Friends of the Church of Scotland, in Consequence of the Judgement of the Lord Ordinary in the Case of the Tolbooth Kirk-Session V. the Magistrates of Edinburgh. Edinburgh: John Johnstone.
• Begg, James (1843). Reply to sir James Graham's letter [to the moderator of the General assembly, in answer to the Church of Scotland's claim of right]. Edinburgh: John Johnstone.
• Begg, James (1845). Reasons why no Seat-Rents should be in the Free Church, with practical directions for getting on better without them. Edinburgh: John Johnstone.
• Begg, James (1849). Pauperism and the poor laws, or, Our sinking population and rapidly increasing public burdens practically considered. Edinburgh: John Johnstone.
• Begg, James (1851). Purgatory and indulgences : a lecture. At head of title:Lectures on popery. Edinburgh: Johnstone and Hunter.
• Begg, James (1851b). Social Reform. How every man may become his own landlord; or, a way by which to elevate the condition of the masses of Britain, etc. Edinburgh: Johnstone & Hunter.
• Begg, James (1852). A Handbook of Popery; or, Text-Book of Missions for the conversion of Romanists, etc. Edinburgh: Johnstone & Hunter.
• Begg, James (1857). Scotland's Demand for Electoral Justice; or, the Forty shilling freehold question explained, etc. Edinburgh: James Nichol.
• Begg, James (1865). Free Church Presbyterianism in the United Kingdom Its Principles, Duties, and Dangers : Four Addresses Delivered in the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland, 1865. Edinburgh: Duncan Grant.
• Begg, James (1866). Happy homes for working men, and how to get them. Edinburgh: Cassell, Petter, & Galpin.
• Begg, James (1866b). The use of organs and other instruments of music in Christian Worship Indefesible: with reviews of the publications of Dean Ramsay, Dr. Robert Lee, and others on the subject; and some remarks on the bearing of recent innovations. Glasgow & London: W. R. M'Phun & son.
• Begg, James (1868). The proposed disestablishment of Protestantism in Ireland : in its bearings upon the religion and liberties of the empire. Edinburgh: J. Nichol.
• Begg, James (1868b). The Late Dr. Chalmers on the Establishment Principle and Irish Protestantism. With Some "forgotten Chapters" of Free Church History. Edinburgh: James Nichol.
• Begg, James (1868c). The Union Question. Speech Delivered in the Free Presbytery of Edinburgh, on Monday, March 2, 1868. With a Preface in Regard to Our Connexion with the Australian Union and Other Matters. Edinburgh: James Nichol.
• Begg, James (1869). Free Church Principles Since the Disruption. With Special Reference to Some Remarks Made by Dr. Buchanan at a Meeting of the Free Church Presbytery of Glasgow on the 3rd February 1869. Edinburgh: James Nichol.
• Begg, James (1871). A Violation of the Treaty of Union the main origin of our Ecclesiastical Divisions and other evils. A second address to the people of Scotland. Edinburgh: Johnstone, Hunter & Company.
• Begg, James (1871b). The Ecclesiastical and Social Evils of Scotland, and how to Remedy Them. An Address ... with Some Reference to the Speech of Mr. Gladstone at Aberdeen. Edinburgh: Johnstone, Hunter & Company.
• Begg, James (1874). Memorial with the opinions of eminent counsel in regard to the constitution of the Free Church of Scotland, and remarks on our present state and prospects. Edinburgh: Johnstone, Hunter.
• Begg, James (1875). Anarchy In Worship or Recent Innovation Contrasted with the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church and the Vows of Her Office-Bearers. Edinburgh: Lyon & Gemmell.
• Blaikie, William Garden (1885). "Begg, James". In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 4. London: Smith, Elder & Co. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• Scott, Hew (1915). Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae; the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation. Vol. 1. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd. pp. 173, 80. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• Scott, Hew (1920). Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae; the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation. Vol. 3. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd. p. 180. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• Smith, John (1851). Our Scottish clergy : fifty-two sketches, biographical, theological, & critical, including clergymen of all denominations. Vol. 3. Edinburgh : Oliver & Boyd ; London : Simpkin, Marshall ; Glasgow : A. Smith. pp. 127-133. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• Smith, Thomas; Begg, James (1885). Memoirs of James Begg including autobiographical chapters by James Begg. Vol. 1. Edinburgh: James Gemmell.
• Wylie, James Aitken (1881). Disruption worthies : a memorial of 1843, with an historical sketch of the Free Church of Scotland from 1843 down to the present time. Edinburgh: T. C. Jack. pp. 23–30.

• Works by or about James Begg at the Internet Archive

Wikisource has the text of the 1885–1900 Dictionary of National Biography's article about Begg, James.