William Gibson (1808–1867), Irish presbyterian divine, son of James Gibson, a merchant in

Ballymena Ballymena ( ; from ga, an Baile Meánach , meaning 'the middle townland') is a town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is part of the Borough of Mid and East Antrim. The town is built on land given to the Adair family by King Charles I i ...

, Co. Antrim, was born there on 8 May 1808.

Education

He attended school in his native town and in the

Belfast Academical Institution The Royal Belfast Academical Institution is an independent grammar school in Belfast, Northern Ireland. With the support of Belfast's leading reformers and democrats, it opened its doors in 1814. Until 1849, when it was superseded by what today is ...

, where he took the medal for classics in 1829. His collegiate training was obtained partly in Belfast and partly in Edinburgh.

Presbyterian minister

In 1833 he was licensed, and in 1834 ordained minister of First

Ballybay Ballybay () is a town and civil parish in County Monaghan, Ireland. The town is centred on the crossroads of the R183 and R162 regional roads. Geography The town is the meeting point for roads going to Monaghan, Castleblayney, Carrickma ...

, Co. Monaghan. In 1835 a pamphlet which he wrote on ‘The Position of the Church of Ireland and the Duty of Presbyterians in reference to it’ had a wide circulation. In 1840 he became colleague to the Rev.

Samuel Hanna Samuel Hanna (1772?–1852), Irish presbyterian divine, was born at Kellswater, near Ballymena, Co. Antrim. Education and training He was educated at the University of Glasgow, graduating M.A. in 1789. In 1790 he was licensed by Ballymena presby ...

, D.D., in Rosemary Street Church, Belfast. In 1842 he was the chief means of establishing the ‘Banner of Ulster,’ a newspaper devoted principally to the interests of Irish presbyterianism. In 1847 he was appointed the General Assembly's Professor of Christian Ethics. In 1859 he became

Moderator of the General Assembly The moderator of the General Assembly is the chairperson of a General Assembly, the highest court of a Presbyterian or Reformed church. Kirk sessions and presbyteries may also style the chairperson as moderator. The Oxford Dictionary states th ...

Death and works

He died suddenly in June 1867. His chief work wa
‘The Year of Grace, a History of the Ulster Revival of 1859’
Edinburgh, 1860.

Notes

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gibson, William Irish Presbyterian ministers Moderators of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland 1808 births 1867 deaths People from Ballymena People educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution