7 July 1559 A.D. John Knox, St. Giles and Reformation Preaching
in Edinburgh
July 7: When Reformation Preaching
Prevailed in Edinburgh
Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that
it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah—Psalm
37:4, KJV
It
wasn’t the case that John Knox had not been a pastor before this date. After
all, he has served as a pastor in a couple of congregations in his Anglican
days. Further, during his time of exile, he had been a undershepherd in Germany
and Geneva. But now, having returned to his beloved Scotland, John Knox was
called to St. Giles, the mother church of Presbyterianism, the High Kirk of
Edinburgh on this day, July
7, 1559. He was to serve the people of God there, except for a
brief stint in St. Andrews, Scotland, for the next twelve years, until his
death in 1572.
St.
Giles was a historic church in many ways. It went back to the Middle Ages. In
more recent times, the National Covenant was signed there in 1638. There is a
framed copy of it in one of the rooms. Even the Solemn League and
Covenant was drawn up in 1643 when the General Assembly met there at the
church. Oh yes, this was also the church in which one Jenny Geddes threw
her stool at an Anglican leader when he tried to lead the worship from the new
Anglican Prayer Book, which action in turn led to a riot. Supposedly, there is
a stool present within the church there to remember that celebrated incident.
Then in 1904, a statue of John Knox himself was presented by Scots people from
all over the world for the church.
Knox
was a busy pastor during these years at St. Giles. He preached twice on Sunday.
Another day of the week had him preaching three times. He met with the Session
of Elders weekly for discipline purposes. Still others of the congregation met
with him for what is described as “exercises in the Scriptures.” The regional
and national meetings of the church were not neglected by the Reformer.
And of course, he was invited to preach the Word all over the kingdom during
those years. In fact, so busy was he that the Town Council in 1562 brought in
another pastor by the name of John Craig to assist Knox in the ministrations of
the ministry.
As
far as books were concerned, in 1652, the First
Book of Discipline was written there by Pastor Knox. Five years
later, his Reformation in
Scotland was completed while a pastor there.
And
most of all, his celebrated conversation with Mary, Queen of Scots, all took
place during these twelve years. He wanted to lead her to Jesus as Lord
and Savior. She wanted to get rid of him out of the kingdom!
He
was to take one sabbatical for his own safety to St. Andrews for a while.
Someone tried to kill him as he sat in his study at his table. The bullet
missed him. So he went to this other pulpit for a time. After several months,
the Session re-called him as their pastor. He went back, but with little
strength for the work of the pastor.
John
Knox went to be with the Lord in 1572, the details of which this author
will write on that date in Presbyterian History.
Words to Live By:
It has been said that John Knox was the Scotsman to whom the whole world owes a
debt. Certainly, we Christian Presbyterians need to celebrate what
the Holy Spirit did through him in Scotland and our land, considering that 2014
is the 500th anniversary of his birth. Is your church planning any sort of
celebration of his life and ministry? It is not too late to plan one
for your people’s appreciation of this Reformer, not to elevate the man, but to
praise the Lord who so powerfully worked through him.
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