Robert Arnot
Robert Arnot (1744–1808) was a Scottish
St Andrews University, who was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
in 1794.
Early life
Arnot studied (most likely at St Andrews) and was licensed by
presbytery in December 1777. He resigned this post on 16 October 1792 to take up his post as professor of divinity at New College, (nowadays, more commonly called St Mary's College, St Andrews). This had been achieved as a result of much lobbying, and the support of Dundas, and possibly as compensation for a failure to get the chair of ecclesiastical history.[1]
Arnot seems not to have published anything and was described by one historian as "no scholar". He owed his career to the influence of
Henry Dundas. The principal of St Andrews, George Hill, described him in 1791. "There is not a more staunch friend to the true principles of moderation, or a man more firmly attached to the Constitution, in the whole Church than Dr Arnot." He was therefore a loyal member of the so-called Moderates in the Church of Scotland. Thomas Chalmers in a letter from Anstruther
1800 says:
"Dr Arnot resides in Kingsbarns, and will, I believe, win over the people by the popularity of his manners". This related to the legal challenge of some of his congregation to his appointment as minister there in 1800, in conjunction with his appointment to the divinity professorship.
Moderator
In a similar fashion, in 1794 he was "elected"
Shorter Catechism. They also required every minister to inspect the schools to ensure these activities took place regularly. In addition, the assembly thanked the king for his efforts to spread the Protestant religion in the Highlands and Islands.[2]
Disputed appointments
In 1799, he was presented by the
Free Church of Scotland
.
In 1799 he lobbied hard, proclaiming his loyalty as good Dundas man, for principalship of the
St Leonards
. He had strong support among the faculty, but so did his rival, and neither would give way so Dundas went outside the university for someone "independent".
Arnot was not averse to challenging appointments himself. In 1804, the professor of medicine, James Flint, tried to secure the succession of his son John to his post, by getting him appointed joint professor. Arnot refused to attend the inauguration and took the matter to court. the Court of Session turned down his challenge, but this was overturned five years later by the House of Lords.[3]
Death
On 24 May 1772 he married Helen Barclay, who outlived him and died 4 April 1816. The Reverend Doctor Robert Arnot died on 2 July 1808.
See also
Footnotes
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "Acts - 1794 | Acts of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 1638-1842 (pp. 843-847)". British-history.ac.uk. 22 June 2003. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ Memoirs of the life and writings of Thomas Chalmers — William Hanna. Thomas Constable. 1849. p. 41. Retrieved 25 March 2014 – via Internet Archive.
References
- Emerson, Roger L (2007). Academic patronage in the Scottish enlightenment: Glasgow, Edinburgh and St Andrews universities. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 9780748625963. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- Scott, Hew (1869). Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- "Acts of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 1638-1842". British History Online. 22 June 2003. Retrieved 25 March 2014.