Erskine, Ralph

(1685-1752)

   Scottish cleric born at Monilaws, Northumberland. While at Edinburgh University he narrowly escaped a fire in the Parliament Close, where he lodged. He was licensed in 1709 by Dunfermline presbytery and ordained in 1711. He was one of the "twelve apostles" of 1721, arraigned by the synod of Fife for non-compliance with the act of 1720, regarding the Marrow doctrine (a complex issue to do with justification). He refused to comply and he and many others joined the secession from the Church of Scotland. He was buried at Dunfermline; a statute of him was erected in front of the Queen Anne Street Church. Some of his publications: Song of Solomon, 1738. Book of Lamentations, 1750 (a paraphrase). Job's Hymns, 1753. Scripture Songs, 1754. Gospel Sonnets, 1762 (25th edition, 1797). Gospel Sonnets, 1797. Some of his poems: "A Fourfold Exercise for the Believer," "A Song of Praise [Isaiah 25:1-12]," "Benefits Accruing to Believers from Christ," "Christ the Believer's Sweet Nourishment," "Earth Despicable, Heaven Desirable," "Smoking Spiritualized," "The Believer's Faith and Hope Encouraged," "The Believer's Riddle," "The Free Gospel-Call [Isaiah 55:1-3]."

   Sources: A Sacrifice of Praise: An Anthology of Christian Poetry in English from Caedmon to the Mid-Twentieth Century. James H. Trott, ed. Cumberland House Publishing, 1999. Dictionary of National Biography. Electronic Edition 1.1. Oxford University Press, 1997. Ralph Erskine's Marvelous Ministry by G. Ella (http://www.puritansermons.com/erskine/erskin19.htm). Some Sidelights on Ralph Erskine by Alasdair B. Gordon (http://www.puritansermons.com/erskine/erskin16.htm). The Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry. 11th ed. The Columbia Granger's World of Poetry, Columbia University Press, 2005 (http://www.columbiagrangers.org).