John Willison facts for kids

John Willison (born 1680, died 1750) was an important Scottish minister and writer. He belonged to the Church of Scotland, which is a Christian church. He wrote many books and papers about Christian faith and life.

Life Story of John Willison

John Willison was born near Stirling, Scotland, in 1680. His father owned a small piece of land there.

He became a minister in a town called Brechin in 1703. Later, in 1718, he moved to serve as a minister in Dundee.

Willison's Writings and Debates

John Willison wrote a book about keeping Sunday as a special day of rest and worship. This was a response to some rules made by King James VI and other church leaders.

His book caused a debate with another writer named James Small. Willison wrote a letter back to him, explaining his views. After this, he wrote a book about how to prepare for a special church service called Communion.

The debate continued, and Willison published another book defending the Church of Scotland. He also wrote about political topics, like a letter to a member of the English Parliament.

Church Challenges and Efforts for Change

In 1733, some ministers, including Ebenezer Erskine, were removed from their church roles. This happened because they disagreed with a system called "patronage." Under this system, wealthy landowners could choose ministers, not the church members.

Willison spoke out against this removal in a sermon. He tried to help these ministers return to their positions. In 1734, the main church meeting agreed to try and fix the problem.

Willison was sent to London with others to ask the government to change the patronage law. They were able to get some small changes, but not enough to satisfy Erskine and his friends. Because of this, Erskine and his group formed their own separate church group in 1739.

Famous Books by Willison

In 1737, Willison wrote one of his most famous books, The Afflicted Man's Companion. This book has been printed many times. He also wrote simpler guides to Christian teachings for children, like An Example of Plain Catechising and The Mother's Catechism.

In 1742, he published another popular book called The Balm of Gilead. This book included many talks, with some focusing on the Lord's Supper. In 1744, he wrote Fair and Impartial Testimony about the state of the Church of Scotland.

Facing Danger During the Rebellion

During a rebellion in 1745, called the Jacobite rebellion, Willison faced danger. He had just published a book called Popery Another Gospel. Soldiers from the Highland army threatened him while he was leading a church service. For a few weeks, he had to hold his services in private homes to stay safe.

His last book, Sacramental Meditations and Advices, was published in 1747. John Willison passed away on May 3, 1750.

Key Writings of John Willison

Here are some of the important books and papers John Willison wrote:

• Treatise Concerning the Sanctification of the Lord's-Day (1712 or 1713)
• A Sacramental Directory (1716)
• An apology for the Church of Scotland (1719)
• The Church's danger, and the minister's duty declared (1733)
• The Afflicted Man's Companion (1737)
• The balm of Gilead, for healing a diseased land (1742)
• A fair and impartial testimony (1744)
• Sacramental meditations and advices (1747)