A Remarkable Circle of Friends

Thomas Chalmers

and the universal subordination of all things to the one great purpose for which he evolved and was supporting creation.’ Chalmers’ admission that he had no relish in those days for what he calls ‘evangelical sentiment’ is a sobering one. But neither among students for the Church of Scotland ministry, as he was, nor among Church of Scotland ministers, was it at all uncommon. The closing years of the eighteenth century were dark years for Scotland’s national church. The warmth and light of evangelical life and ministry were largely to be found outside her communion among the various branches of the Secession Church. In God’s grace, however, a remark able change for the better was soon to begin — a change in which Chalmers himself would both participate and play a major role. Chalmers was licensed to preach on 31 July 1799, at the age of eighteen. It was not generally the case that a divin ity student would be licensed by a presbytery until he was twenty-one, but in the case of Chalmers the rule was waived. An old statute of the church was invoked which allowed exceptions to what was then the minimum age of twenty-five if the candidate in question showed ‘rare and singular qualities.’ In the judgment of the men who pleaded his case, Chalmers did. ‘A lad o’ pregnant pairts,’ they said. He preached his first sermon on 25 August 1799 in the Lancashire town of Wigan. According to one of his brothers, who was present on the occasion, ‘it is the opinion of those who pretend to be judges that he will shine in the pulpit.’ Chalmers himself, however, had little interest in preaching. ‘His mathematical studies,’ comments his brother, ‘appear to occupy more of his time than his religious.’ From 1799 till his ordination in May 1803 Chalmers did a variety of things. During the academic year 1799–1800, for example, he studied mathematics and natural philosophy at the University of Edinburgh. The following year was taken up

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