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Alexander John Scott (1805–1866) was a Scottish dissident theologian, who became the first principal of
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in
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.


Early life

The son of Rev Dr John Scott DD (died 1836), minister of the Middle Parish,
Greenock Greenock (; ; , ) is a town in Inverclyde, Scotland, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The town is the administrative centre of Inverclyde Council. It is a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, and forms ...
, by his wife Susanna Fisher, daughter of Alexander Fisher of Dychmount, he was born on 26 March 1805. He was educated at the local grammar school and at the
University of Glasgow The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the List of oldest universities in continuous ...
, which he entered at the age of fourteen, remaining there until he was twenty-one. Having graduated M.A. in 1824, then studying Medicine for three years at
Edinburgh University The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the town council under the authority of a royal charter from King James VI in 1582 and offi ...
, tutoring in Edinburgh during the same period.''Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae''; vol. 7; by Hew Scott In 1807 he was licensed by the presbytery of Paisley to preach as a minister of the
Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland (CoS; ; ) is a Presbyterian denomination of Christianity that holds the status of the national church in Scotland. It is one of the country's largest, having 245,000 members in 2024 and 259,200 members in 2023. While mem ...
.


Minister

His first sermon after he was licensed was preached in the Row Church for the Rev. John McLeod Campbell, who heard him ‘with very peculiar delight.’ In the following year (1828) he made the acquaintance of Thomas Erskine of Linlathen, afterwards one of his closest friends, and of
Edward Irving Edward Irving (4 August 17927 December 1834) was a Scottish clergyman, generally regarded as the main figure behind the foundation of the Catholic Apostolic Church. Early life Edward Irving was born at Annan, Annandale, the second son of G ...
, who invited him to be his assistant in London. He accepted the invitation, without committing himself to Irving's doctrinal views. He spent the winter months in preaching and teaching among the poor of
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. Towards the close of 1829 he went to preach for McLeod Campbell at Row, and also at
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, where his sermons on the Charismata or ‘spiritual gifts’ of 1 Corinthians xii. led to an exhibition of speaking with tongues and prophesying in the church. The movement and the manifestations accompanying it had great influence on Irving, more than on Scott himself, who never felt the utterances to be proofs of any inspiration. The connection between the two preachers was soon afterwards severed, though their friendship continued. In the summer of 1830 Scott received an invitation to the pastorate of the Scottish church at
Woolwich Woolwich () is a town in South London, southeast London, England, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The district's location on the River Thames led to its status as an important naval, military and industrial area; a role that was mainta ...
, but the necessary ordination involved subscription to the
Westminster Confession of Faith The Westminster Confession of Faith, or simply the Westminster Confession, is a Reformed confession of faith. Drawn up by the 1646 Westminster Assembly as part of the Westminster Standards to be a confession of the Church of England, it becam ...
. This he could not give, and he put his objections in a letter to the moderator of the London presbytery, in which he stated his inability to assent to the doctrine that ‘none are redeemed by Christ but the elect only,’ as well as his conviction that the ‘Sabbath and the Lord's day were not, as stated in the catechism, one ordinance, but two, perfectly distinct, the one Jewish and the other Christian.’ He also mentioned doubts as to the validity of the presbytery's powers in ordination. On 27 May 1831 he was charged with heresy before the presbytery of Paisley, and deprived of his licence to preach, a sentence which was confirmed by the
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the sovereign and highest court of the Church of Scotland, and is thus the Church's governing body.''An Introduction to Practice and Procedure in the Church of Scotland'' by A. Gordon McGillivray, ...
. Scott then remained at Woolwich until 1846, as minister of a small congregation.


Academic

In November 1848 he obtained the chair of English language and literature in
University College, London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...
, and in 1851 was appointed principal of Owens College,
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, then recently established. With this post he held the professorship of logic and mental philosophy, of comparative grammar, and of English language and literature. Soon after his appointment he took part with the Rev.
William Gaskell William Gaskell (24 July 1805 – 12 June 1884) was an English Unitarian minister, charity worker and pioneer in the education of the working class. The husband of novelist and biographer Elizabeth Gaskell, he was himself a writer and poet, and ...
and others in starting the Manchester Working Men's College, later merged in the evening classes at Owens College. He resigned the principalship in May 1857, being succeeded by Joseph Gouge Greenwood, but continued to act as professor until his death. His health, always delicate, grew weaker in his later years. With the hope of gaining strength he went to Switzerland in the autumn of 1865, but died at
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on 12 January 1866, and was buried in the cemetery at Clarens.


Works

His lecture series printed in separate form included: * ‘Lectures Expository and Practical on the Epistle to the Romans,’ 1838. * ‘On the Academical Study of a Vernacular Language,’ 1848. * ‘Suggestions on Female Education,’ 1849. * ‘Notes of Four Lectures on the Literature and Philosophy of the Middle Ages;’ printed for private circulation (by Thomas Erskine of Linlathen), Edinburgh, 1857. * ‘Discourses,’ 1866; this posthumous volume contains early addresses on ‘Social Systems of the Present Day compared with Christianity,’ ‘Schism,’ and ‘The First Principle of Church Government.’ F. D. Maurice dedicated his ‘Mediæval Philosophy’ to him; James Baldwin Brown dedicated to him his ‘Divine Life in Man,’ 1860; and
George MacDonald George MacDonald (10 December 1824 – 18 September 1905) was a Scottish author, poet and Christian Congregational minister. He became a pioneering figure in the field of modern fantasy literature and the mentor of fellow-writer Lewis Carrol ...
, besides inscribing his novel of ‘Robert Falconer’ to him, wrote two poems ‘to A. J. Scott,’ which are included in his ‘Poetical Works’ (1893, i. 271, 280).


Family

He married Ann Ker at Greenock in December 1830, and had an only son, John Alexander Scott, B.A., barrister-at-law, who died on 9 January 1894, aged 48; and a daughter. Mrs. Scott died in December 1888.


References

* ;Attribution


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Scott, Alexander John 1805 births 1866 deaths 19th-century ministers of the Church of Scotland 19th-century Scottish Presbyterian ministers Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Academics of University College London Academics of the University of Manchester