Irish immigrants

[Currie]

Since there doesn’t appear to be an obituary in the wild for the Rev Robert Knox, of Linenhall Street, I’ll post this rather lengthy one from the Belfast News-Letter, Friday, August 17, 1883.

DEATH OF THE REV. ROBERT KNOX, D.D.
After a lingering illness, borne with the fortitude which was a marked feature of his character through life, Rev. Dr. Robert Knox, who for close upon forty years ministered to the congregation worshipping in Linenhall Street Church, died yesterday morning at his residence, Windsor Park. By his death the Presbyterian communion loses a minister whose services, so far from being confined to Belfast, were co-extensive with the bounds of the Church in whose cause his long and valuable life was spent. Dr. Knox had been in failing health for a long time past. Two years ago he suffered from a severe affection of the throat, and his medical advisers on that occasion despaired of sustaining his life. He rallied rapidly afterwards, however, and was soon able to resume his duties in the congregation. When Messrs. Moody and Sankey visited Belfast in the early part of the present year he took an active part in the success of the meetings which these distinguished revivalists convened. Engaging with much spirit in the evangelistic work which was then so vigorously prosecuted, especially amongst our working population, Dr. Knox was a good deal abroad, early in the frosty mornings and late in the foggy February nights. He caught a cold, which settled on his lungs; and when being treated for the pectoral affection Dr. Byers, his medical attendant, discovered the presence of cardiac disease. He sought change of air in Rostrevor, but the affection of the heart, combined with the cold, soon developed grave complications, which continued to manifest themselves with more or less frequency until some weeks ago, when a severe relapse took place. Since then the patient was hourly watched day and night. He sank slowly until a peaceful death relieved him shortly after four o'clock yesterday morning in the sixty-eighth year of his age.

Dr. Knox was born in Clady, in the parish of Urney, County Tyrone, and received his elementary education from the curate of the parish. After the usual elementary course, he entered Glasgow University, where he successfully graduated, receiving with distinction the degree of M.A. He then passed through the theological curriculum required by the Synod of Ulster, and in the year 1840 was licensed to preach the Gospel by the Presbytery of Strabane—a Presbytery which embraced in its membership the late Rev. Dr. Goudy, an eminent leader of the Irish Presbyterian Church. Shortly after becoming a licentiate Dr. Knox was called to the mission field in the South and West of Ireland, and, having accepted the call, he was set apart to his work by the Presbytery under whose auspices he was inducted into the Church. He subsequently laboured successfully in conjunction with Rev. Jonathan Simpson, then a fellow-missionary, and now the much-respected minister of Portrush. By their united exertions mission stations were organised in New Ross, Wexford, Tralee, and Bandon, the last three being now self-sustaining congregations. Dr. Knox continued to work in connection with the mission for upwards of two years, after which he received a call to become the assistant and successor to the Rev. John Whiteside, the senior minister of the Terrace Row Congregation of Coleraine. Having accepted the call, he was installed in office on the 10th April, 1842. He was not permitted long to remain in Terrace Roe. His popular talents having become more widely known, he received, a few months after his settlement in Coleraine, an invitation from the congregation of Linenhall Street to become their pastor, in succession to the Rev. Dr. Wilson (now deceased), who had been appointed to the Chair of Biblical Criticism in the Assembly's College, Belfast. Dr. Knox was formally place in the pastorate of Linenhall Street Church on the 18th of April, 1843, and continued the minister from that period till his decease. As already stated, he was for a length of time in failing health, and was seized in April last with the attack which has resulted in his death. Believing that he was not likely to recover, he asked and obtained leave from the General Assembly at its meeting in June last to retire from the active duties of the clerical office, and his congregation was permitted to choose an assistant and successor to him in the Linenhall Street Church.

About twenty years ago he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from the University of Shenectady, in the United States. Dr. Knox's ministerial career covered a period of forty-three years, and though he was not in the strict sense of the term an orator, he succeeded in obtaining a place in the front rank of the General Assembly, and was highly esteemed by his brethren for his sagacity and power of organisation. Early in his ministerial life he identified himself with the public work of the Church. He always took a deep interest in every movement that had for its object the union of the branches of the great Presbyterian family over the world. When a theological student he succeeded by his energy and influence in forming a coalition between the students of the Synod of Ulster and those of the Secession Synod for the purpose of prosecuting evangelistic work, and it is believed that this coalition prepared the way for the incorporate union of those two Synods, which took place in 1840, and whereby both merged their respective designations in the distinguishing name of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. About ten years ago a movement was set on foot for a general alliance of the Presbyterian Churches of the world, and to this movement, which was very dear to him, Dr. Knox devoted all the energies of his ripened years. He had the satisfaction to see it reaching a successful issue in the convention of the first Pan-Presbyterian Council, which was held in the Free Assembly Hall, Edinburgh, in July, 1877. At one of the sessions of the Council Dr. Knox was asked to preside, and it was noted that he discharged the functions of the chair with ability and grace. The next meeting of the Council was held in 1880 in Philadelphia, and this too was attended by Dr. Knox, who, as one of the delegates of the Irish Presbyterian Church, received a cordial welcome from his American brethren. His physical frame was greatly prostrated by his visit to America, and it was then, it is said, that the seeds of the disease were laid which had their fruition in his death. It was through his influence that the Pan-Presbyterian Council resolved to hold its meeting in 1884 in the town of Belfast. To this meeting he looked forward with intense interest, and he was prepared to give a truly Irish welcome to his ministerial brethren from all parts of the globe. Dr. Knox was an indefatigable preacher, as is evidenced by the flourishing congregation amongst whom he laboured for forty years. He was deeply concerned in the Belfast Town Mission, of which he was secretary for nearly a third of a century, and in the work of which he had the hearty and sustained co-operation of the late Mr. Charles Finlay and the present Mr. William Finlay, the descendants of a long line of Presbyterian ministers. Dr. Knox's death leaves a blank in the Irish Presbyterian Church which will not soon be filled. The remains will be removed for interment in the Borough Cemetery on Saturday afternoon, at four o'clock.


All the best,
Alan

[DaveMitchell53]

Wow, Alan

Many many thanks!


Dave

[crayspond]

Thanks to all for replying to DaveMitchell53. I was camping in Weymouth in Dorset last week and only saw the post last night.
The Rev Robert Knox was obviously a very popular and revered Minister from his obituary. Nice to know my gg grandfather and grandmother were married by him.

Ailsa