John Macgowan (26 October 1726 – 25 November 1780) was a Scottish

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only ( believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compe ...

minister and author. John Macgowan 1825

Life

Macgowan was born in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

, received an education, and was apprenticed to a weaver. He subsequently settled in Bridge Street,

Warrington Warrington () is a town and unparished area in the borough of the same name in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, on the banks of the River Mersey. It is east of Liverpool, and west of Manchester. The population in 2019 was estimat ...

, as a baker. He had early become a

Wesleyan Wesleyan theology, otherwise known as Wesleyan– Arminian theology, or Methodist theology, is a theological tradition in Protestant Christianity based upon the ministry of the 18th-century evangelical reformer brothers John Wesley and Charle ...

; he now joined the

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...

movement as a preacher. At a later period he was attracted by the Independents, but finally joined the

Particular Baptists Reformed Baptists (sometimes known as Particular Baptists or Calvinistic Baptists) are Baptists that hold to a Calvinist soteriology (salvation). The first Calvinist Baptist church was formed in the 1630s. The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith w ...

. He ministered at the old baptist chapel at Hill Cliff, near Warrington, and then at

Bridgnorth Bridgnorth is a town in Shropshire, England. The River Severn splits it into High Town and Low Town, the upper town on the right bank and the lower on the left bank of the River Severn. The population at the 2011 Census was 12,079. Histor ...

. In September 1766 Macgowan became pastor of the old Baptist meeting-house in Devonshire Square, Bishopsgate, London, opened by William Kiffin in 1687. Here he remained until his death. His preaching, despite its

Calvinistic Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Ca ...

tone, became popular. Macgowan's congregation were typically artisans. On its behalf he signed the petition of the Protestant Association of London, in the prelude to the Gordon Riots. In failing health, Macgowan administered the sacrament for the last time on 12 November 1780, and died 25 November. He was buried in Bunhill Fields. He left a widow and children.

Works

Macgowan was a caustic controversial writer, who used allegory in devotional works. His books went through many editions in London, the North of England, and America. Several were published under pseudonyms such as "The Shaver" and "Pasquin Shaveblock". His major work, ''Infernal Conferences, or Dialogues of Devils, by the Listener'', London, 1772, 2 vols. may have been suggested by ''The Dialogues of the Dead'' (London, 1760) of George Lyttelton, 1st Baron Lyttelton. Macgowan's other works included: * ''Letter to an Arian'', dated 28 April 1761, printed in John Allen's ''Crown of Crowns'', 3rd edit. 1816. * ''The Arians' and Socinians' Monitor, being a Vision that a young Socinian lately had'', London, 1761; 3rd edit. 1795; 12th edit. 1883. * ''Death: a Vision, or the Solemn Departure of Saints and Sinners, represented under the Similitude of a Dream'', London, 1766; 2nd edit. 1768; 7th edit. 1780; other editions, Leeds, 1805; Edinb. 1844, &c. * ''Priestcraft Defended; a Sermon occasioned by the Expulsion of Six Young Gentlemen from the University of Oxford, for praying, reading, and expounding the Scriptures; humbly dedicated to the Vice-Chancellor and the Heads of Houses, by the Shaver''. This pamphlet, written in a satirical vein upon a text taken from the "St. James's Chronicle" of Thursday, 17 March 1768, relating to the expulsion of

Erasmus Middleton Erasmus Middleton (1739–1805) was an English clergyman, author and editor. Early life He was the son of Erasmus Middleton of Horncastle, Lincolnshire. At age 22 he underwent a religion conversion among Wesleyan Methodists in Horncastle. He wa ...

and other "preaching tradesmen" from Oxford, ran through eleven editions in eight months. It was followed by ''A Further Defence of Priestcraft, being a Practical Improvement of the Shaver's Sermon on the Expulsion of Six Students, &c., occasioned by a Vindication of that pious act, by a Member of the University'', 5th edit. 1768. This was answered by ''The Shaver Shaved by a Matriculated Barber'', London, 1769. ''The Shaver's New Sermon for the Fast Day, by Pasquin Shaveblock'', 5th edit. 1795, appears to be by Macgowan, although the preface to this edition is dated "Barbers' Hall, 17 Feb. 1795", five years after his death. * ''Familiar Epistles to the Rev. Dr. Priestley, by the Author of "The Shaver's Sermon"'', London, 1771. * ''The Life of Joseph, the Son of Israel'', in eight books, London, 1771; in ten books, with a frontispiece, dedicated to the Rev. Dr. Honywood, 1799. This has been frequently reprinted, and was translated into Gaelic by Patrick Macfarlane, Glasgow, 1831. * ''Socinianism brought to the Test, &c., in a series of Twenty Letters to Dr. Priestley''. An answer to ''A Free Address to Protestant Dissenters'' (1768), London, 1773. * ''A curious Letter to the Rev. S. B. Blacket, occasioned by his Sermon preached before the Bishop of Exeter at the Consecration of St. Aubin's Church, Plymouth''.’ * ''The Foundry Budget opened, or the Arcanum of Wesleyanism disclosed'', a reply to Walter Sellon's ''Defence of God's Sovereignty against the Aspersions cast upon it'', by

Elisha Coles Elisha Coles (c. 1640 – 1680) was a 17th-century English lexicographer and stenographer. Life He was son of John Coles, schoolmaster of Wolverhampton, and nephew of Elisha Coles the religious author. He became chorister of Magdalen Coll ...

, London, 1780; another edition Manchester. This work relates to the Calvinist controversy within Methodism, the title referring to the Windmill Hill Foundry, a

headquarters. It has been called "flippant and abusive".Richard Green, ''Anti-Methodist Publications Issued During the Eighteenth Century'' (1902) p. 137
archive.org.
/ref> * ''Discourses on the Book of Ruth, and other Important Subjects'', edited and prefaced by the Rev. J. Reynolds, 1781. A collected edition, consisting of ''Infernal Conferences'' and four other of Macgowan's works, with portrait and illustrations, was published soon after his death, London, no date. Another, containing nine of the above, was published in 2 vols. London, 1825. ''Church and King'', a thanksgiving sermon for 29 May, by Pasquin Shaveblock, London, 1795, although attributed to Macgowan, seems unlikely to be his. Macgowan also edited, with notes, ''Night, a Satire upon the Manners of the Rich and Great'', by Charles Churchill, probably about 1768.

Notes

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Macgowan, John 1726 births 1780 deaths Scottish Baptists Scottish satirists Clergy from Edinburgh Burials at Bunhill Fields Writers from Edinburgh