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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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^ JeHeverf came witMn compass of his . pastqral office . In this v \ e \ v of his duty , as a minister , much of his time was occupied in providing for the comforts and necessities of his parishioners ; in difficulty , he afforded them advice , —in distress , comfort , — in want , pecuniary assistance ; nor did lie think it unsuitable to his character ,
to point out to the unskilful and imprdvident the best modes of improving and enjoying the earnings of their industry . ¦' " ftis sermons , for several years after his settlement at Primrose , were
written and composed with much care , and display great vigour of mind and powers of illustration , which , under favourable circumstances , might have been polished to excellence . But being destined to instruct plain people in a country parish , he soon perceived "that such sermons were not fitted to
produce their full effect upon bis audience . His ambition was to be useful rather than admired , and , therefore , he studied to prepare such discourses as the most illiterate might understand ; and , latterly , seldom wrote them out . He did not , at any
time , make a practice of reading < hi 8 sermons in the pulpit , which , indeed , his extreme shortness of sight would have rendered very inconvenient ; he thought a short outline better for his purpose ; and having adjusted the heads , he preached from careful meditation , making the
simplicity of the gospel his model . Conscious of the sanctity of the message which he delivered , he studiously avoided every thing mean or colloquial by which it might be degraded . His delivery was not remarkable for grace or elegance , but there was in every sermon so much sound sense and
genuine piety , that they never failed to command attention ; and some were highly valued for their just observation and reasoning particularly one on this text , * Seek , that ye may eatcel to the edifying of the church * * which
he preached at the induction of Mr . Kelloch , of Crichton , and which , when delivered on other occasions , was $ 0 fl $ fctly admired . Among the English ^ divines , he particularly admired the uX . _ - . t :. 1 Cor . xir . 12 . v
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writings of Barrow , Tillotson and Hdadley ; among our own , those of Charters had much of his esteem and , as philosophical divines , Butler and Price were hi 3 favourites ; As an
author , he was extremely fastidious being well aware that no published work can succeed unless of the first excellence . The only composition of his , to which publicity has been given , is the Account of the Parish of Cairal
ton , printed in the Statistical Account of Scotland , and often quoted with approbation , for its enlightened and solid remarks . * ' ' * No one entertained a higher value , or a more ardent love , for civil and religious liberty , than Mr . Fleming-. He mentioned to some of his intimate
friends , that he felt this disposition strongly from his earliest recollection ; and he believed that it was cherished , in a great degree , from hearing * in his infancy , that his great-grandfather had suffered death as a Covenanter , under the arbitrary reign of the Stuarts . f This feeling increased with Uis years , and inspired him with a hatred of
arbitrary power , which he never failed to reprobate , on every occasion where he saw the slightest desire to stretch the law , at the expense of justice or humanity . €€ While Mr . Fleming resided at Primrose , that remarkable event , the French Revolution , was too intimately
connected with the principles which he had imbibed , not to excite in hhn the deepest interest ; and when , by the Constitution which the King accepted in 1789 , the French nation seemed likely to enjoy a portion of rational liberty , he heartily rejoiced in it ; but was indeed mortified that they had not wisdom to retain that constitution , and shocked at the excesses committed by the anarchists during the
• " On Preparation for Death : 3 Sermon preached at Colinton on the 2 d February , being the first Sabbath after the interment of the Rev . John Fleming , Jate Minister of that parish - with a short Me moir of the deceased . By D . Scot , M- ^ Minister of Corstorphine . Edinburgh 1823 . "
t " While In health , Mr . rFlemhtg * to give an annual dihber to W » w ^ intimate friends , in honour of his at ****' tor . "
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580 Memoir of the tM&Ji&tUohn Fleming , of&rtoigrs , Minister of Colinton .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Oct. 2, 1823, page 580, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1789/page/20/
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