George Lawson of Selkirk. I: A Godly heritage
Today the lowlands of Scotland have a reputation for barrenness as far as the Gospel is concerned, yet in the past the situation was far otherwise. Thomas Boston and the Covenanters all hailed from south of Edinburgh. Our subject in this series will be, God willing, another of these lowland worthies, George Lawson (popularly called ‘of Selkirk’). Lawson is known today by such volumes as his Life of Joseph and his Esther. A great reformed preacher it is fitting that today he is remembered for books that began as volumes of sermons.
George Lawson was born in 1749 at the small farm of Boghouse in Peebleshire, the son of a hard-working farmer and carpenter who had by his industry secured himself a noble reputation. Better, he and his wife were devout Christians, members of the West Linton Secession congregation. They pertook of the spirit that animated Knox in his stand against Queen Mary, and that led the Covenanters to die for ‘the Crown Rights of King Jesus’. The deadening ‘Moderatism’ of the Church of Scotland had driven them forth from the parish Kirk to seek Christ elsewhere. And they found him among the hardy folk of the Secession, the party of Ralph and Ebenezer Erskine. Lord’s Day by Lord’s Day they were to be found in the humble edifice in East Linton, and each day of hard labour on the farm was sanctified and sweetened by prayer and praise.
Young George Lawson was early brought to the little church to be baptised and dedicated to God, and his parents took their responsibility seriously. He learned true religion, and the theology of Owen, Manton and Boston. His father and his friends loved to talk about ‘the deep things of God’, and young George listened intensely. Nor weas his early education neglected. By his industry Mr. Lawson was able to employ a young man called Johnson, a future Secession minister, as a private tutor to teach young George the classics. George Lawson loved his tutor, and to the end of their days they kept up a warm friendship.
And then the day came around when young George must go to university - but more of that, God willing, next time.
George Lawson was born in 1749 at the small farm of Boghouse in Peebleshire, the son of a hard-working farmer and carpenter who had by his industry secured himself a noble reputation. Better, he and his wife were devout Christians, members of the West Linton Secession congregation. They pertook of the spirit that animated Knox in his stand against Queen Mary, and that led the Covenanters to die for ‘the Crown Rights of King Jesus’. The deadening ‘Moderatism’ of the Church of Scotland had driven them forth from the parish Kirk to seek Christ elsewhere. And they found him among the hardy folk of the Secession, the party of Ralph and Ebenezer Erskine. Lord’s Day by Lord’s Day they were to be found in the humble edifice in East Linton, and each day of hard labour on the farm was sanctified and sweetened by prayer and praise.
Young George Lawson was early brought to the little church to be baptised and dedicated to God, and his parents took their responsibility seriously. He learned true religion, and the theology of Owen, Manton and Boston. His father and his friends loved to talk about ‘the deep things of God’, and young George listened intensely. Nor weas his early education neglected. By his industry Mr. Lawson was able to employ a young man called Johnson, a future Secession minister, as a private tutor to teach young George the classics. George Lawson loved his tutor, and to the end of their days they kept up a warm friendship.
And then the day came around when young George must go to university - but more of that, God willing, next time.
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