Ralph Erskine

Erskine, Ralph, was son of Henry Erskine who was Rector of Cornhill, Northumberland, before the Act of Uniformity in 1662, and after the Revolution of 1688 was Parish minister of Chirnside, Berwickshire. He was born at Moneylaws, Northumberland, March 15, 1685, his father being then in exile from Scotland for taking part in conventicles. He entered the University of Edinburgh in 1699, was licensed to preach in 1709, in 1711 ordained second minister of the Abbey Church, Dunfermline, and became first minister in 1716. Joining in 1737 with the "Four Brethren," who, protesting against the action of the General As¬sembly on Patronage, had been loosed from their charges by the Commission in 1733 and had formed themselves into a Presbytery at Gairney Bridge, near Kinross, Dec. 5, 1733, thus founding the Associate Church, he was with them and three others cited to, and de¬posed by, the General Assembly of 1740. In 1740 the majority of his congregation seceded with him and built him a church in Queen Anne Street, Dunfermline, in which he continued to minister till his death. He did not, however, cease to preach in his turn in the Abbey Church till after May, 1742. He died at Dunfermline, Nov. 6, 1752.

His published works are included in his Sermons and other Practical Works (Glas. 1764-1765), the complete folio ed. in 2. vols. ed by John Newlands (his son-in-law), contains a short memoir, 141 sermons, and (1) Gospel Sonnets: or, Spiritual Songs . These Gospel Sonnets, of which the 2nd and complete ed. appeared in Edinburgh, 1726, and the 5th finally revised, in London, 1741, though homely, enjoyed great popularity, and did much good in Scotland in the last century. (2) A Paraphrase upon the Song of Solomon. In this, first published in Edinburgh, 1736, the "Song" is spiritualized at great length. (3) Scripture Songs. These are in 2 Books. The Old Testament Songs are (i.) 14 Songs from Genesis to Job; (ii.) Job's Hymns, 100; (iii.) The Song of Solomon, complete ; (iv.) 21 Songs from Ecclesiastes, Isaiah, and Jeremiah; (v.) Lamentations, complete; (vi.) 6 Songs from the Minor Prophets. The New Testament Songs are (i.) 17 Songs from the Gospels; (ii.) 24 Songs from the Epistles; (iii.) 16 Songs from the Revelation. Of these parts the 2nd (Glas., 1753), the 3rd (Glas., 1752), and the 5th (Glas., 1750), the Old Testament, were the first published separately. The remainder, published at Glasgow, in 1754 as Scripture Songs, in 3 Books, were undertaken by request of the Associate Synod, in 1748, but not being published before Erskine's death never came into Church use. Many are altered from Watts, and some from the Translations and Paraphrases of 1745. (4) Miscellaneous Poems. These include 3 English and 2 Latin Elegies, a poem on the Civil Magistrate and Religion, and 7 Epitaphs. Smoking Spiritualised is given at the end of the Gospel Sonnets. A number of pieces by Erskine were included, more or less altered, in the Moravian hymn-books. The only one found in a modern hymnal which is well known is annotated under, "Ah! mournful case, what can afford," and another not now in common use under “Aurora veils her rosy face." [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)