Robert Balmer (1787–1844), was successively a minister of the Burgher Seceder,

New Licht The terms Old Lights and New Lights (among others) are used in Protestantism, Protestant Christian circles to distinguish between two groups that were initially the same but had come to a disagreement. The terms originated in the early 18th century ...

Burgher Seceder and United Associate Synod of the Secession Churches in Scotland. Balmer was born at Ormiston Mains, in the parish of Eckford,

Roxburghshire Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh () is a historic county and registration county in the Southern Uplands of Scotland. It borders Dumfriesshire to the west, Selkirkshire and Midlothian to the northwest, and Berwickshire to the north. T ...

on 22 November 1787. He evinced considerable abilities and a disposition towards the

Christian ministry Christian ministry is the vocational work of living and teaching about faith, in the hopes of increasing the population of God's people done by the church, church officials, congregational members, and Jesus followers. The '' Cyclopedia of Bib ...

. He entered the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...

in 1802, and in 1806 the Theological Hall at Selkirk, under George Lawson of the Secession Church. In 1812 he received licence as a preacher from the

Presbytery of Edinburgh The Presbytery of Edinburgh was one of the Presbyterian polity, presbyteries of the Church of Scotland, being the local presbytery for Edinburgh.Church of Scotland Yearbook, 2010-2011 edition, Its boundary was almost identical to that of the City ...

, and in 1814 was ordained minister in

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, where he remained till his death. In 1834 he became a professor of pastoral theology at the United Secession church, and later a professor of systematic theology. In 1840 he received a D.D. from 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 ...

. Balmer had great influence in the denomination to which he belonged. When certain discussions arose among his brethren on some

Calvinistic Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Christian, Presbyterian, ...

doctrines, he supported the less stringent views. At a meeting held in

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in 1843, to commemorate the bicentennial of the

Westminster Assembly The Westminster Assembly of Divines was a council of Divinity (academic discipline), divines (theologians) and members of the English Parliament appointed from 1643 to 1653 to restructure the Church of England. Several Scots also attended, and ...

, he delivered a speech in favour of Christian union, which attracted the attention of

Thomas Chalmers Thomas Chalmers (17 March 178031 May 1847), was a Scottish Presbyterian minister, professor of theology, political economist, and a leader of both the Church of Scotland and of the Free Church of Scotland (1843—1900), Free Church of Scotl ...

and others, and led to important measures being taken by John Henderson of Park for promoting that cause. Balmer did not publish much during his life but two volumes of ''Lectures and Discourses'' were posthumously published in 1845, a year after he died on 1 July 1844.

References

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Balmer, Robert 1787 births 1844 deaths Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Ministers of Secession Churches in Scotland