Grave of David Nasmith's wife in Highgate Cemetery (west)

David Nasmith (March 1799 – 17 November 1839) founded The City Mission Movement in the UK, the US and in Europe.

Biography

Born in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated pop ...

, Scotland, Nasmith began life in manufacturing as an apprentice. He set up The Young Men's Society for Religious Improvement (1824),

Glasgow City Mission Glasgow City Mission is a Christian charitable organisation A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the ...

(1826),

Edinburgh City Mission Edinburgh City Mission is a Christian charitable organisation whose aim is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in words and action, and engage in poverty relief among the inhabitants of Edinburgh and the surrounding area, particularly in deprive ...

(1832), and

London City Mission London City Mission was set up by David Nasmith on 16 May 1835 in the Hoxton area of east London. The first paid missionary was Lindsay Burfoot. Today it is part of the wider City Mission Movement The City Mission movement started in Glasgo ...

(1835). He "died poor", in 1839, aged 40, in Guildford, Surrey, England. He was buried in

Bunhill Fields Bunhill Fields is a former burial ground in central London, in the London Borough of Islington, just north of the City of London. What remains is about in extent and the bulk of the site is a public garden maintained by the City of London Cor ...

. His wife was later buried in

Highgate Cemetery Highgate Cemetery is a place of burial in north London, England. There are approximately 170,000 people buried in around 53,000 graves across the West and East Cemeteries. Highgate Cemetery is notable both for some of the people buried there as ...

and some friends from the City Missions erected a monument to David Nasmith over her grave. The inscription reads: ''IN MEMORY OF DAVID NASMITH (BORN A.D.1799 DIED A.D.1839) FOUNDER OF THE LONDON CITY MISSION AND OF VARIOUS CITY AND TOWN MISSIONS THROUGHOUT ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, IRELAND AND AMERICA.'' ''A FEW FRIENDS CONNECTED WITH THESE SOCIETIES HAVE ERECTED THIS STONE AS A MEMORIAL OF THEIR ESTEEM AND RESPECT FOR HIS CHARACTER AND WORKS.''

Influence

''City'' and ''Gospel'' missions, also known as Gospel Rescue Missions in the US, are practical religion outside the walls of the church and an example of

Evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being " born again", in which an individual exp ...

parachurch organisations.

"David Nasmith originated the Young Men’s Christian Association in Glasgow, and set the institution at work in other cities and around the world. His life work was noted for being instrumental in welding the various denominations together for useful purposes. In 1821 he became secretary of the "Religious Societies of Glasgow" at the "Institution Rooms", 59 Glasswork Street. Nasmith possessed a marvelous power of organization and capacity for work. He was a true reformer, and thoroughly sincere in his endeavors to benefit others. He founded City Missions and Young Men’s Christian Associations". (A. G. Callant, author of ''Saint Mungo's Bells'')

"Clubs and associations, missions and societies were in his blood. So many of them could claim him as founder that it is doubtful whether, at the age of thirty-six, he could have kept an accurate record of them all. As a founder of missions, it would be hard to find his equal." (Phyllis Thompson, author of ''To the Heart of the City'')''To the Heart of the City'', Phyllis Thompson, Hodder & Stoughton Religious (1 May 1985),

References

External links

''David Nasmith'' article, London City Mission

City Missions worldwide

London City MissionMission AustraliaAssociation of Gospel Rescue MissionsCity Mission Movement
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nasmith, David Burials at Bunhill Fields Burials at Highgate Cemetery Leaders of Christian parachurch organizations 1799 births 1839 deaths YMCA leaders

Biography

Influence

See also

References

External links

City Missions worldwide