John Todd Ferrier (7 November 1855 — 31 August 1943)Kemmis, E. Mary Gordon (1947). ''Shepherd of Souls: Some Impressions of the Life and Ministry of the Reverend John Todd Ferrier'', p. 88. J.F. Rowney Press was the founder of the Order of the Cross, whose 'aims and ideals' state that it is an informal spiritual fellowship, "having for its service in life the cultivation of the Spirit of Love towards All Souls: helping the weak and defending the defenseless and oppressed: abstaining from hurting the creatures, eschewing bloodshed and flesh eating and living upon the pure foods so abundantly provided by Nature: walking in the Mystic Way of Life whose Path leads to the realisation of the Christhood and sending forth the Mystic Teachings unto all who may be able to receive them - those Sacred interpretations of the Soul, the Christhood and the Divine Love and Wisdom for which the Order of the Cross stands". Ferrier considered that compassion towards creatures was essential to realise 'Jesushood' within the soul. He was a proponent of vegetarianism from a Christian point of view.

Biography

Although biographical details are sparse, in 1947, E. Mary Gordon Kemmis wrote a biography and her memoirs of Ferrier: ''Shepherd of Souls: Some Impressions of the Life and Ministry of John Todd Ferrier''. Ferrier was born in

Greenock Greenock (; sco, Greenock; gd, Grianaig, ) is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council areas of Scotland, council area in Scotland, United Kingdom and a former burgh of barony, burgh within the Counties of Scotland, historic ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

in 1855. An early publication of some of his works, "Sacrifice a necessity; or the atonement in the light of our Lord's teaching, and the unfolding of the sacrificial idea", summarised eight lectures he delivered in 1885 at the

Congregational Church Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...

in Preston where in 1888 he was reported to be a pastor. He was minister at

Wigton Wigton is a market town in the Allerdale borough of Cumbria, England. Historically in Cumberland, it lies just outside the Lake District in the borough of Allerdale. Wigton is at the centre of the Solway Plain, between the Caldbeck Fells an ...

from 1882 to 1883, then at Grimshaw Street, Preston, from 1884 to 1891; for the subsequent twelve years, until 1903, he was a minister in Park Green Congregational church in

Macclesfield Macclesfield is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East in Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Bollin in the east of the county, on the edge of the Cheshire Plain, with Macclesfield Forest to its east ...

, England. In 1903 Ferrier authored a book, ''Concerning Human Carnivorism''. It was reprinted as ''On Behalf of the Creatures'' in 1968. Ferrier argued that Jesus was a vegetarian who espoused

Essene The Essenes (; Hebrew: , ''Isiyim''; Greek: Ἐσσηνοί, Ἐσσαῖοι, or Ὀσσαῖοι, ''Essenoi, Essaioi, Ossaioi'') were a mystic Jewish sect during the Second Temple period that flourished from the 2nd century BCE to the 1st c ...

-like

asceticism Asceticism (; from the el, ἄσκησις, áskesis, exercise', 'training) is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their p ...

. He became increasingly dissatisfied with the traditional Christian attitude toward animals. For this and other reasons he left the church, and, via the

Order of the Golden Age The Order of the Golden Age (OGA) was an international animal rights society with a Christian, theosophical and vegetarian emphasis, which existed between 1895 and 1959. History The Order of the Golden Age (OGA) was founded by Rev. Henry Joh ...

,Calvert, Samantha (2012)
''Eden's diet: Christianity and vegetarianism 1809 – 2009''
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Birmingham (extensive material on Ferrier), accessed 29 May 2018 in 1904 (1907 according to another source) founded the Order of the Cross. Some confusion over the date of establishing of the Order of the Cross may derive from its early publications containing the phrase "Formerly The Order of the Golden Age". In 1905 The Order of the Golden Age issued a disclaimer regarding the claimed overlap of the two Orders, and -following some discrete diplomacy- after 1906 the two became more widely recognised as distinct. In the informal spiritual communion of the Order of the Cross, the members are both

vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetarianism m ...

vegan Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. Di ...

and

pacifist Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaign ...

. Ferrier often spoke in defence of 'the creatures', and stated that a true Christian should be vegetarian. In his writings (over 40 volumes) he emphasised the underlying unity of all religious aspirations and suggested that many traditional Christian teachings are allegorical and universal in nature.

Selected list of Ferrier's works

*''The Mystery of the Light Within Us'' *''Life's Mysteries Unveiled'' *''The Master, Known Unto the World As Jesus the Christ: His Life & Teachings'' *''Spiritual Healing'' *''Isaiah: A Cosmic and Messianic Drama'' *''The Minor Prophets'' *''Ezekiel: A Cosmic Drama'' *''Logia: or Sayings of the Master'' (4th Revised edition) *''Divine Renaissance'' *''The Pathway to Peace'' *''The Message and the Work'' *''The Prophecy of Daniel'' *''The Christ Festival'' *''On Behalf of the Creatures: a plea historical, scientific, economic, dynamic, humane, religious'' *''What is a Christian'' *''Sublime Affirmations''

Notes

References

External links

*The

Anna Kingsford Anna Kingsford (; 16 September 1846 – 22 February 1888), was an English anti-vivisectionist, vegetarian and women's rights campaigner. She was one of the first English women to obtain a degree in medicine, after Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, an ...

website.
''John Todd Ferrier'' About the Author
''orderofthecross.org''
Order of the Cross
top level of website ''orderofthecross.org''- 'The Order of the Cross is a spiritual fellowship that embraces a life of love and light, compassion and peace. The sanctity of all life is honoured by members who are vegan or vegetarian and embrace the ideal of a pacifist way of life.' See also: 'The Order of the Cross was founded in 1904. The founder of this informal Fellowship, John Todd Ferrier, brought through a recovered Message of Love, Peace, Joy and Hope using the spoken and written word.' {{DEFAULTSORT:Ferrier, John Todd 1855 births 1943 deaths 19th-century Congregationalist ministers 20th-century Congregationalist ministers Christian vegetarianism People from Greenock Scottish vegetarianism activists