John Sym
John Sym | |
|---|---|
| Church | Greyfriars' Free church |
| Successor | William Chalmers (1824-1857) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 6 June 1833 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 January 1809 Paisley, Scotland |
| Died | 28 January 1855 Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Denomination | Free Church of Scotland |
| Spouse | Catherine Glassford Munro |
| Children | James Sym (b. 1837), Margaret Scott Sym (b. 1840), Jane Melvill Sym (b. 1842), Catherine Sym (b. 1846), Mary Agnes Sym (b. 1848), Georgina Violet Sym (b. 1851), and Henrietta Wilson Sym (b. 1853) |
| Alma mater | University of Glasgow |
John Sym (19 January 1809 – 28 January 1855) was a Scottish Presbyterian minister. He served as the minister of Old Greyfriars' Church in Edinburgh before joining the Free Church during the Disruption of 1843.[1]
Life
[edit]Sym was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Glasgow in 1832, and his early ministry included preaching in St. Enoch’s Church, Glasgow, during a vacancy. His sermons were highly regarded despite his youth, earning him recognition for his maturity and depth of insight.[2]
Disruption of 1843 and the Free Church
[edit]Sym played a crucial role during the Disruption of 1843, a succession in the Church of Scotland in which many ministers, elders, and members left the established church to form the Free Church of Scotland. This event was motivated by disputes over the independence of the church from state control, particularly in the appointment of ministers. He also conducted the Church History class in the New College, Edinburgh during the late illness of Dr David Welsh.[3]
Sym was also involved in the creation of Chalmers’ Territorial Church, a project initiated by Thomas Chalmers aimed at providing for the spiritual and material needs of the poorest areas of Edinburgh.[2]
Convener of the Home Mission Committee
[edit]He was appointed Convener of the Home Mission Committee. In this role, he oversaw efforts to support and evangelize underserved communities across Scotland. His last public act was preaching at his own mission station at Leven Lodge, reflecting his lifelong commitment to outreach.[2]
Personal life
[edit]John Sym married Catherine Glassford Munro on 28 June 1836. The couple had several children, including Major-General Sir John Munro Sym, K.C.B. (born 1839). Sym's eldest son, James, born in 1837, died in infancy. His daughters were Margaret Scott Sym (b. 1840), Jane Melvill Sym (b. 1842), Catherine Sym(b. 1846), Mary Agnes Sym (b. 1848), Georgina Violet Sym (b. 1851), and Henrietta Wilson Sym (b. 1853). [3]
Death and legacy
[edit]On 28 January 1855, Rev. John Sym died from an infection. He was 46 years old.[2]
Publications
[edit]- The Claims and Grievances of the Church of Scotland briefly stated, Edinburgh: John Johnstone, 1843.
- Address of the Free Protesting Church of Scotland to Scotsmen, and others residing in the British colonies, attached to the standards of the Church of Scotland, Toronto: G. Brown, 1844.
- Suggestions for members of the evangelistic deputation, Edinburgh, 1855?
Following Sym's death, a posthumous volume of his sermons was published in 1856 along with by a memoir.
References
[edit]- ^ Bryce, William Moir; Fleming, D. Hay (1912). History of the Old Greyfriars' Church Edinburgh. Edinburgh: William Green and Sons. p. 145.
- ^ a b c d "The Late Rev. John Sym". The Home and Foreign Record. 5: 213. March 1855.
- ^ a b Scott, Hew (1915). Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae; the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd. p. 42.