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Alexander Neill Somerville
Stephencdickson: article created--~~~~
Very Rev Dr '''Alexander Neill Somerville''' DD (1813–1889) was a 19th century Scottish minister and evangelist, who served as [[Moderator of the General Assembly]] for the Free Church of Scotland 1886/87. Glasgow University called him "Missionary to the World".<ref>http://bit.ly/2FrC6e1>
==Life==
He was born in [[Edinburgh]] on 29 January 1813, the eldest of eight children of Alexander Sommerville (sic), a wine-merchant living at 65 York Place<ref>Edinburgh Post Office Directory 1813</ref>, and his wife, Elia Munro. He was educated at the High School on Calton Hill, his friends including [[Robert McCheyne]] and [[Horatius Bonar]]. He then studied Divinity at [[Edinburgh University]].<ref>ODNB Alexander Somerville</ref>
He was ordained by the [[Church of Scotland]] at [[Anderston]] in [[Glasgow]] in 1837.
In the [[Disruption of 1843]] he left the established [[Church of Scotland]] to join the Free Church of Scotland, a new church being built for him in Cadogan Street. Following this he became an evangelist for the Free Church in [[Canada]], [[Spain]] and especially in [[India]]. In Spain he organised a confession of faith for Spanish Protestants.<ref>http://bit.ly/2Fxj2KC Annals of the Free Church of Scotland</ref>
In 1873 he had a legitimate claim to the title of [[Somerville Baronets|Baron Somerville]] but did not press his claim.<ref>ODNB Somerville Baronets</ref>
In 1874 he was invited to India By Rev John Fordyce of the Anglo-Indian Union. He visited over 20 cities in six months including [[Calcutta]], [[Agra]], [[Allahabad]], [[Madras]], [[Delhi]] and [[Bombay]]. An avid traveller his later trips included Australia and New Zealand in 1877/78. The visit to [[Dunedin]] and [[Otago]] in New Zealand in May 1878 proved particularly influential in promoting the Free Presbyterian movement in that country. This was partially at the invitation of a family friend, Captain William Cargill.<ref>http://bit.ly/2FuH0GZ>
Later trips included Italy in 1880, Germany and Russia in 1881, South Africa 1882/3, Greece and Turkey 1885/6. In the summer of 1886 he was elected [[Moderator of the General Assembly]] the highest position in his church. Following his year in office he returned to evangelism, this time concentrating on Jewish areas in [[Hungary]] and southern Russia.<ref>http://bit.ly/2FyHdbu>
He died at home, 11 South Park Terrace in [[Glasgow]] on 18 September 1889.<ref>Glasgow Post Office Directory 1889</ref> He is buried in the [[Western Necropolis, Glasgow]].
==Publications==
*''Sacred Triads, Doctrinal and Practical'' (1859)
*''A Day in Laodicea'' (1861)
*''The Churches in Asia'' (1885)
*''Evangelism from the World'' (1886)
*''Precious Seeds Sown in Many Lands'' (1890-posthumously)
==Family==
In 1841 he married Isabella Mirrlees Ewing, daughter of James Ewing of [[Halifax, Nova Scotia]]. They had three sons and two daughters.
His daughter Marianne Somerville married Rev George Halley Knight of [[Dollar, Clackmannanshire]].<ref>Ewings Annals of the Free Church: Rev G H Knight</ref>
==References==
[[Category:1813 births]]
[[Category:1889 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Scottish clergy]]
[[Category:Scottish missionaries]]
==Life==
He was born in [[Edinburgh]] on 29 January 1813, the eldest of eight children of Alexander Sommerville (sic), a wine-merchant living at 65 York Place<ref>Edinburgh Post Office Directory 1813</ref>, and his wife, Elia Munro. He was educated at the High School on Calton Hill, his friends including [[Robert McCheyne]] and [[Horatius Bonar]]. He then studied Divinity at [[Edinburgh University]].<ref>ODNB Alexander Somerville</ref>
He was ordained by the [[Church of Scotland]] at [[Anderston]] in [[Glasgow]] in 1837.
In the [[Disruption of 1843]] he left the established [[Church of Scotland]] to join the Free Church of Scotland, a new church being built for him in Cadogan Street. Following this he became an evangelist for the Free Church in [[Canada]], [[Spain]] and especially in [[India]]. In Spain he organised a confession of faith for Spanish Protestants.<ref>http://bit.ly/2Fxj2KC Annals of the Free Church of Scotland</ref>
In 1873 he had a legitimate claim to the title of [[Somerville Baronets|Baron Somerville]] but did not press his claim.<ref>ODNB Somerville Baronets</ref>
In 1874 he was invited to India By Rev John Fordyce of the Anglo-Indian Union. He visited over 20 cities in six months including [[Calcutta]], [[Agra]], [[Allahabad]], [[Madras]], [[Delhi]] and [[Bombay]]. An avid traveller his later trips included Australia and New Zealand in 1877/78. The visit to [[Dunedin]] and [[Otago]] in New Zealand in May 1878 proved particularly influential in promoting the Free Presbyterian movement in that country. This was partially at the invitation of a family friend, Captain William Cargill.<ref>http://bit.ly/2FuH0GZ>
Later trips included Italy in 1880, Germany and Russia in 1881, South Africa 1882/3, Greece and Turkey 1885/6. In the summer of 1886 he was elected [[Moderator of the General Assembly]] the highest position in his church. Following his year in office he returned to evangelism, this time concentrating on Jewish areas in [[Hungary]] and southern Russia.<ref>http://bit.ly/2FyHdbu>
He died at home, 11 South Park Terrace in [[Glasgow]] on 18 September 1889.<ref>Glasgow Post Office Directory 1889</ref> He is buried in the [[Western Necropolis, Glasgow]].
==Publications==
*''Sacred Triads, Doctrinal and Practical'' (1859)
*''A Day in Laodicea'' (1861)
*''The Churches in Asia'' (1885)
*''Evangelism from the World'' (1886)
*''Precious Seeds Sown in Many Lands'' (1890-posthumously)
==Family==
In 1841 he married Isabella Mirrlees Ewing, daughter of James Ewing of [[Halifax, Nova Scotia]]. They had three sons and two daughters.
His daughter Marianne Somerville married Rev George Halley Knight of [[Dollar, Clackmannanshire]].<ref>Ewings Annals of the Free Church: Rev G H Knight</ref>
==References==
[[Category:1813 births]]
[[Category:1889 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Scottish clergy]]
[[Category:Scottish missionaries]]
January 15, 2019 at 09:57PM
