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In the Scottish church of the 18th and 19th centuries, a burgher was a member of that party amongst the seceders which asserted the lawfulness of the burgess oath. The burgess oath was that oath a town burgess was required to swear on taking office. The secession church in Scotland split in 1747 into the Burghers and the Anti-Burghers over the lawfulness of the forms of the oath then current in Scotland, the contentious clause being that in which the burgess professed the true religion professed within the realm. According to Dale Jorgenson, "...The Patronage Act, enacted under the reign of Queen Anne (1702-14), gave lay patrons the right to present ministers to parishes. This act of patronage was an affront to classic
Presbyterianism Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their n ...
, and resulted in a division between Burghers who accepted the Burghers' Oath and its consequent patronage, and the Anti-Burghers who would not accept the oath."


Notable Burghers

*
Robert Balmer Robert Balmer (1787–1844), was successively a minister of the Burgher Seceder, New Licht Burgher Seceder and United Associate Synod of the Secession Churches in Scotland. Balmer was born at Ormiston Mains, in the parish of Eckford, Roxbur ...
('New Licht' - subsequently Professor of Theology of the
United Secession Church The United Secession Church (or properly the United Associate Synod of the Secession Church) was a Scottish Presbyterian denomination. The First Secession from the established Church of Scotland had been in 1732, and the resultant "Associate Pre ...
) * John Brown of Haddington (ordained after the 1747 'Breach' and died before the 'Auld Licht'/'New Licht' division), Professor of Theology of the
Associate Presbytery The First Secession was an exodus of ministers and members from the Church of Scotland in 1733. Those who took part formed the Associate Presbytery and later the United Secession Church. They were often referred to as seceders. The underlying ...
* John Dick, 'New Licht' Professor of Theology of the
Associate Presbytery The First Secession was an exodus of ministers and members from the Church of Scotland in 1733. Those who took part formed the Associate Presbytery and later the United Secession Church. They were often referred to as seceders. The underlying ...
* Ebenezer Erskine (one of the 1733 seceders) (died before the 'Auld Licht'/'New Licht' division) * Ralph Erskine (seceded 1737) (died before the 'Auld Licht'/'New Licht' division) * James Fisher (one of the 1733 seceders) (died before the 'Auld Licht'/'New Licht' division) * George Lawson (1749–1820), 'New Licht' Professor of Theology of the
Associate Presbytery The First Secession was an exodus of ministers and members from the Church of Scotland in 1733. Those who took part formed the Associate Presbytery and later the United Secession Church. They were often referred to as seceders. The underlying ...
*
Michael Willis Michael Willis, (born October 4, 1949), is an American television and movie character actor. Willis' credits include movie roles in ''Pushing Tin'' and ''Men in Black'', and several episodes of ''Law & Order''. Willis was born in Lancaster, Penn ...
'Auld Licht' Professor of Theology, son of the next * William Willis, 'Auld Licht' Professor of Theology, father of the previous


Theological Professors


Before the 'Auld Licht'/'New Licht' division (1747-1800)

1. James Fisher (1749-1764) 2. John Swanston (1764-1767) 3. John Brown of Haddington (1768-1787) 4
George Lawson
(1787-1800)


New Light (1800-1820)

1
George Lawson
(1800-1820) 2. John Dick (1820)


Old Light (1800-1839)

Annals and statistics of the original Secession church: till its disruption and union with the Free church of Scotland in 1852, page 611
/ref> 1. William Willis (1800-1803) 2. George Hill (1803-1819) 3. William Taylor (appointed interim Professor, 1818) (1819-1833) (died 1836) 4.
Michael Willis Michael Willis, (born October 4, 1949), is an American television and movie character actor. Willis' credits include movie roles in ''Pushing Tin'' and ''Men in Black'', and several episodes of ''Law & Order''. Willis was born in Lancaster, Penn ...
(1835-1839)


References

Citations Sources * * Presbyterianism in Scotland Schisms in Christianity History of the Church of Scotland 18th century in Scotland 19th century in Scotland 18th-century Calvinism 19th-century Calvinism Church of Scotland {{Scotland-reli-stub