Samuel Rutherford Scandal

VirginiaHuguenot · #1 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 01:27 PM

A testimony to the grace of God, not unlike the experience of David in Psalm 51, in the life of Samuel Rutherford from the DNB:

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He entered the university of Edinburgh in 1617, graduated in 1621, and in 1623 was appointed regent of humanity, having been recommended by the professors for 'his eminent abilities of mind and virtuous disposition.' The records of the two council of Edinburgh under 3 Feb. 1626 contain the following: 'Forasmuch as it being declared by the principal of the college that Mr. Samuel Rutherford, regent of humanity, has fallen in fornication with Eupham Hamilton, and has committed a great scandal in the college and...has since demitted his charge therein, therefore elects and nominates...commissioners...with power...to insist for depriving of the said Mr. Samuel, and being deprived for filling of the said place with a sufficient person.' Rutherford married the said Eupham, and his whole subsequent life was a reparation for the wrong he had done. According to his own statement, he had 'suffered the sun to be high in heaven' before he became seriously religious.

FenderPriest · #2 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 01:37 PM

That is interesting. In the collection of his letters, he talks very sweetly of his wife's pain, subsequent death, and passing to be with the Lord Jesus. This adds a richer, Gospel flavor to that part of his life in my mind. Thanks for posting this!

VirginiaHuguenot · #3 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FenderPriest

That is interesting. In the collection of his letters, he talks very sweetly of his wife's pain, subsequent death, and passing to be with the Lord Jesus. This adds a richer, Gospel flavor to that part of his life in my mind. Thanks for posting this!

Amen, and you're welcome. That quote from Rutherford, btw, also comes from his letters.

This is from Beeke & Pederson's Meet the Puritans:

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In 1623, Rutherford was chosen to serve as Professor of Humanity at Edinburgh, with responsibilities as a Latin tutor. Two years later, he was forced to resign after behaving inappropriately with a young woman named Euphame Hamilton, whom he subsequently married. God apparently used this incident to initiate or further his conversion. In a letter to Robert Stuart (1637), Rutherford wrote, “Ye have gotten a great advantage in the way of heaven, that ye have started to the gate in the morning. Like a fool, as I was, I suffered my sun to be high in the heaven, and near afternoon, before I ever took the gate by the end.”