An address commemorating the Disruption, given at Knox PCEA, Melbourne, on 18 May 1993.

Anyone who followed John Knox would have to stand in his shadow. Perhaps, for that reason, his name is not so well known. However, as a contributor to the Reformation in Scotland, Andrew Melville merits equal consideration with Knox. He proved to be a worthy successor - equal if not greater in intellect, a reformer of the educational system of his country through his impact on the Scottish universities, a defender of the rights of the church of Jesus Christ and one who suffered for his loyalty to Christ, a man of immense courage.

My purpose is to demonstrate Melville's contribution to the universities of Scotland and to indicate the value of that contribution in setting a pattern of Christian education for the whole country. That pattern was a model which became the ideal for Christian educators over centuries and set the standards for the educational system in Scotland. Indeed it is not unusual to hear glowing references to the Scottish system of education today including here in Australia. The contribution of Andrew Melville was the foundation of that development.

At the same time his loyalty to the church of Jesus Christ in Scotland cannot be questioned. His defence of it was one of total commitment. The imprisonment and exile that he suffered were because of that loyalty. Some have criticised his involvement with the church because it took him away from the university labours to which he had contributed so significantly, but his intellectual integrity and the integrity of his spirit were forged in the same furnace. In his life they complemented one another.

It was that same integrity, both spiritual and intellectual, that characterised the leadership of the Church of Scotland at the Disruption in 1843. While fully accepting the need for loyalty to the State and desirous of maintaining the link between Church and State, they were unwilling to compromise what was of the essence of the church ie. the Headship of Jesus Christ over it and the primacy of the Word and Spirit in it.

Let us examine Andrew Melville's own education and see how that contributed to his later participation as a leader of educational thought.

Born on 1st August, 1545 near Montrose on the East coast of Scotland, he was the youngest of nine sons of the laird of the estate of Baldovie. The area was one where there was considerable sympathy for reformation ideas - George Wishart and John Erskine of Dun are two well-known figures associated with that region.

Scotland was then, after the death of James V, under the regency of the earl of Arran and later of Mary of Lorraine, a Frenchwoman. The Scottish connection was still stronger with France than with England where Henry VIII was engaged in his struggle with forces loyal to the Papacy and where the Protestant movement was endeavouring to grow in its understanding of the Word. Henry wished to bring Scotland under his control but Scotland under Mary of Lorraine, later Queen Regent, with Cardinal Beaton was an unwilling partner and resisted Henry's use of force to accomplish union.

In 1547, Andrew Melville's father, Richard, was killed along with many other leading Scots from Angus and the Mearns at the Battle of Pinkie near Musselburgh close to Edinburgh when English forces, immediately after the death of Henry VIII, attempted to force on the Scots the wedding of the young Prince Edward and Mary, the daughter of James V.

Andrew, thus orphaned of his father, lost his mother shortly afterward. The elder brother, Richard, then took on the responsibilities of caring for his two-year old brother and Richard's wife was a diligent and loving foster-mother to the child. A further benefit was to come from this fostering of Andrew in that Richard's youngest son, James, grew up to be one of Andrew's most loyal companions and, as a diarist, has left us excellent accounts of his uncle.

Richard made arrangements for Andrew to be educated at the grammar school of Montrose taught by Thomas Anderson. There Andrew made good progress in Latin, French, Scots and English as well as in knowledge of the Scriptures. In the school they were also taught archery, golf, fencing, running, jumping, swimming and wrestling.

Richard Melville had travelled on the Continent and met with those who held reformed views of religion He undoubtedly encouraged Andrew in his attention to Protestant teaching. When Andrew was 11, John Knox visited Dun, the estate of John Erskine. Most of the local gentry attended the services there. Dun was a very short distance from Baldouy, the estate of Richard Melville.

Also in Montrose, a Greek school had been established by John Erskine. Pierre de Marsiliers, a Frenchman, taught there. When Melville finished his studies in Latin in the Grammar School, he was put under the tuition of Pierre for two years and made excellent progress in Greek. He was also able to refine his French.

In 1559, at the age of 14, Andrew Melville went to St. Andrews University. He entered the College of St. Mary. The writings of Aristotle were then the textbooks for learning. Lectures were comments on his treatises of logic, rhetoric, ethics and physics. The professors did not know Greek and studied the works in Latin translation. It was with some amazement that they discovered that their student was proficient in Greek. To their credit they showed no envy, but encouraged him in his studies and commended his diligence. There were separate classes for grammar and rhetoric, classes also in philosophy and law.

Having completed his course Melville left the university of St Andrews, with the reputation of being "the best philosopher, poet and Grecian of any young master in the land."

While still at St. Andrews, Melville attracted the attention of scholars like George Buchanan and Petrus Bizarrus, an Italian poet who came to Scotland after spending some time at the court in London.

In 1564, at the age of 19, Melville set out for France and the University of Paris. The university had a very high reputation and students flocked to it from around Europe. About 1500, it had 10,000 students . Scaliger mentions a figure of 30,000 a few years prior to Melville's entry.

In 1529, some 35 years before, the Royal Trilingual College had been founded to teach the 3 learned languages - Latin, Greek and Hebrew. The king of France had the right of appointment to chairs and men of academic distinction were selected. They helped to reform the university. The "old guard" viewed them with hostility, but at the same time were challenged to emulate them. Otherwise they might lose both students and stipend.

Notable scholars were there and Melville was able to study under very superior academics in Greek, Hebrew and Chaldee. Mercerus wrote commentaries on the Old Testament which are still of considerable worth. A contemporary of his praised him, but regretted that he was carried away by the novel opinions of the reformers.

Another scholar of great significance was Peter Ramus. He attacked the emphasis put on Aristotelian philosophy and encouraged significant analysis of Aristotelian ideas which led to a more direct philosophical approach to learning.

During these years in Paris, there was religious liberty which was later curtailed. A number of professors including several heads of Colleges openly espoused Protestant opinions. A few years later there was compulsory subscription to Roman doctrines.

About this time the Jesuits opened a College in order to gain admission to the university. A Scot, Edmund Hay, was nominated to head the establishment. Melville's knowledge of this situation later encouraged him to ensure that Scots would not need to leave Scotland to gain a good education.

Wishing to continue studies in Civil Law - which he could not do in Paris - Melville left Paris for Poitiers in 1566. Although a stranger and only 21 years of age he was made regent in the College of St. Marceon. He encouraged his students in literary and poetry contests where they performed very successfully and continued his studies in jurisprudence. When the religious wars made their impact on the city in 1567, the university classes ceased and Melville took up a position as a private tutor. His pupil was killed during the siege.

When the siege was lifted Melville decided to leave France and continue to Geneva. With one companion, travelling on foot, they made their way across France to Geneva. Shortly after their arrival, Melville was interviewed by Theodore Beza who was so pleased with Melville that he offered him the chair of Humanity, then vacant. Prior to taking up this position he was examined in Latin and Greek. He was thus able to support himself and to provide for his companion until he found a position. The Academy of Geneva enjoyed an excellent reputation and had brilliant professors. With true intellectual zeal and commendable humility, Melville attended their classes as well as teaching his own.

Melville furthered his knowledge of Hebrew, grammar and literature under Bertram, learning Aramaic and Syriac.

Portus encouraged him in his knowledge of Greek Literature. He was able to introduce him to the fine detail of his studies.

Beza was professor of Divinity as well as a minister of Geneva. He was a theologian, poet, orator and critic. He edited the Greek New Testament with a Latin translation and notes. As a poet he excelled, and his politeness and affable nature heightened the strength of his piety.

Beza had been a friend of Knox and of Buchanan. Melville was welcomed into his circle of friends.

After the Massacre of St Bartholomew's Day in France in 1572 many leading Protestants escaped to the city of Geneva. Some of these were scholars of the highest rank. Melville was a friend of many of these and also a student of their work.

These years in Geneva were years when Melville matured still further in his understanding of vital religion, of academic responsibility, of political affairs and love of freedom.

About this time Melville renewed his contacts with relatives in Scotland. The messenger who carried the news also learned of the esteem in which he was held and news of his capacity and influence reached those who were leading the movement of reformation in Scotland. Their plea was that he should devote the knowledge acquired abroad to the service of his country.

Reluctantly he was allowed to demit office and Beza in a letter to the General Assembly, testified that Melville was equally distinguished by his piety and erudition; and that the Church of Geneva could not give a stronger proof of affection to her sister Church of Scotland than by suffering herself to be bereaved of him, "that his native country might be enriched with his gifts."

In July 1574, Melville arrived in Edinburgh after 10 years of absence from his country.

Very significant opportunities opened up for him. The Earl of Morton offered him a position in his household, not insignificant - he was Regent of Scotland at the time. Melville turned down the offer. At the General Assembly in August, the claims of two universities were presented very strongly - St Andrews and Glasgow.

A preliminary visit to Glasgow led him to consider and accept their offer. On his way to take up the position of Principal of the University of Glasgow, he spent two days in Stirling and met with James VI, then a lad of 9 - a gifted child with an extraordinary memory and a remarkable grasp of language.

The University of Glasgow was founded in 1451, over a century before Melville went there. To that time it had had no significant profile. On the death of its previous Principal, John Davidson, the students dispersed and the College was closed down.

Melville, not unaware of the difficulties that awaited him, but with confident hope that he could accomplish something positive, set to work. His reputation was sufficiently established to attract enough students to warrant the recommencement of classes. He wished to train academics who would follow through the methodology he wished to establish. He selected a group of young men already well-grounded in Latin.

He then instructed them in the principles of Greek grammar and followed that with the study of logic and rhetoric - using amongst other books the Dialectus by Ramus, his professor in Paris. He read with them some of the best classical authors - Virgil and Horace in Latin, and Homer, Hesiod, Theocritus, Pindar and Isocrates in Greek.

Proceeding to Mathematics and Geography he taught the Elements of Euclid, the Arithmetic and Geometry of Ramus, and the Geography of Dionysius.

Moral Philosophy was the next branch of knowledge to be studied where Cicero, the Ethics and Politics of Aristotle and some of the dialogues of Plato were used. He taught the framework of universal history as well.

In Natural Philosophy he used Fernelius and parts of the writings of Aristotle and Plato.

In Theology he taught first the Hebrew language and examined the principles of it through a study of the books of Psalms and Proverbs. He then taught Chaldee and Syriac reading the parts of Ezra and Daniel in Chaldee and the epistle to the Galatians in Syriac. He also went through the heads of Christian doctrine, following the order of them in Calvin's "Institutis" - that is of the Apostle's Creed, and lectured on various of the books of Scripture.

The course of study took 6 years. It was a phenomenal task for one person to undertake. By the second year, his nephew James Melville had joined him and others thereafter. Melville established specialist teachers in groups of subjects, adding physics and astronomy.

By the end of his second year, his reputation was established and students who had completed their degrees at St Andrews came to study under him in Glasgow.

Fund-raising was another essential and from the Regent he received a valuable benefaction. A new foundation was given to the College by royal charter. Up to 12 persons, both masters and students were maintained from this benefaction.

With all his contribution to learning, Melville remained a man of firm principle, but humble and courageous behaviour. Principals of colleges were expected to administer corporal punishment when necessary. Melville laid the responsibility on the regents.

When one young nobleman neglected his studies and behaved in a disorderly manner, Melville rebuked him publicly. The student, with a number of disorderly young men from the town, followed the masters and students back from church one day, provoking them with insults. Finally the student drew his sword and threatened the Principal. Melville stood his ground, but at the same time restrained the students who were keen to deal with the miscreant. The student's father, on hearing of the episode, obliged his son to offer a public apology on his knees.

During his second year in Glasgow his library reached him. Although generous in other respects it appears that he was not keen on giving away his books or even lending them.

It is worthy of mention that Melville was no mean poet. Unfortunately for us his work was written in Latin and consequently means little to us. It was a model of its type and highly regarded in its time.

The University of St Andrews was jealous of its reputation and envious eyes were cast on Glasgow and its meteoric rise under Melville. In October 1580 the king directed a letter to the General Assembly requesting them to agree to transfer Melville to St Andrews and appointing a replacement to Glasgow. Since the king was only 13 or 14 at the time, other influences had come into play. Melville eventually agreed to go.

In December 1580, Melville went to St Andrews and was installed as Principal of New College, also and presently known as St Mary's. He proceeded to give lectures on theology. James Melville accompanied him and was appointed Professor of Oriental Languages.

Melville taught the Old Testament languages, the courses in Biblical Studies and Theology. His lectures made their impact and soon other professors and masters of the university became students in his classes. Melville was not without his detractors, especially when he criticised certain ideas of Aristotle as inconsistent with the principles of natural and revealed religion. Several professors in St Leonard's College stirred up their students, but in public meetings Melville responded to such effect that his critics were left without arguments.

St Andrews proved to be a centre of learning under Melville as Glasgow had also become under him. The curriculum developed on similar lines as also the form of teaching.

Unfortunately for St Andrews and for Melville the arrival of Esmé Stuart, a cousin of James VI, later Duke of Lennox, in Scotland and his friendship with James VI and influence over him proved detrimental. There was an attempt on the part of the Crown to diminish the influence of the church and to control it by making appointments to significant positions within it. This Melville resisted, insisting on the rights of the Church under Christ to be responsible for its appointments. For some time he had to flee to England and, while there, made contact with senior English statesmen such as Sir Francis Walsingham and visited the universities of Cambridge and Oxford.

The origin and limits of kingly power were often discussed in the Scotland of this time. James VI was ready to act against anyone involved in such discussion. Through a royal visitation James closed down the Law classes at St Andrews and deprived the professor of his living. It probably did not help that the professor, William Welwood, was a friend of Andrew Melville. Melville was not removed, presumably because young men from Denmark, Poland, France and the Low Countries were attracted to St Andrews by his fame.

Melville was, however, deprived of his rectorship of the University by the royal visitation on the grounds that the rectorship and the position of professor of theology were incompatible. Melville retained his professorship and a commission was appointed to run the university.

Aberdeen University derived benefit from Andrew Melville through its Principal, Alexander Arbuthnot. On Melville's return from Geneva he contacted him and came to meet him. They worked out together the constitutions to apply to both universities, Aberdeen and Glasgow.

In addition, a disciple of Melville's set up a university on a Protestant model in Fraserburgh. It did not last long, succumbing to the pressure from Aberdeen University which added Marischal College to the already existing King's College. The founder of the university in Fraserburgh was Charles Fairholme (Ferme) and the pressure from Aberdeen was assisted by the mischief of the Earl of Huntly and his imprisonment of Fairholme for attending a General Assembly.

In 1583 the Academy, which was to develop into the University, was set up in Edinburgh on the lines of the Academy in Geneva. Its first Principal was Robert Rollock who had been a professor under Andrew Melville at St Andrews. It was declared to be a college of humane letters and tongues, of philosophy, theology, medicine, the laws and all other liberal sciences.

It was the university system so largely reorganised under the influence of Melville which contributed to the whole system of education since graduates of the universities often became teachers in the burgh and parish schools throughout the country as well as becoming ministers of the parishes.

During these years of service in the University of St Andrews, Andrew Melville cared for the interests of the church against the attempts of King James to dominate it and bring it under his personal control. James expected the church to conform in several ways to his desires:

• ministers should make no reference from the pulpit to affairs of government;
• the courts of the church should not take notice of offences against the law of the land;
• the General Assembly should only meet by the King's special command:
• the Acts of Assembly should receive his personal approval and ratification before they were recognised and implemented in the same way as other legislation of the realm was dealt with.

James was unable to subdue Melville and others, although some ministers accepted James's authority and the privileges that accompanied such acceptance.

In 1603, on the death of Queen Elizabeth, James became King of England and Scotland. In England he found a more acquiescent church and, from a position of greater personal power, forced his will on the church in Scotland.

In May 1606 Andrew Melville and seven other Scottish ministers including James Melville were ordered to present themselves in London by September to deal with matters which would help settle the peace of the church. They were held there during the winter. In May of the following year Andrew Melville was sent to the Tower, James Melville was detained in Ward in Newcastle and the other six were confined to districts in Scotland named in the King's warrant. None were allowed to participate in Church courts.

Melville's stay in the Tower extended to four years. At the close of 1610, the English ambassador at the French court brought a request from a leading French Protestant nobleman that Melville should be released to go to Sedan to occupy the collegiate Chair of Divinity at Sedan University. The Principal was a Scot, as was the Professor of Philosophy. In 1611 Andrew Melville moved there where he spent the final years of his life.

Before leaving London he wrote his nephew a very moving letter

"My dear son, my dear James, farewell, farewell in the Lord, with your sweet Melissa. I must now go to other climes. Such is the pleasure of my divine and heavenly Father; and I look upon it as a fruit of His paternal love towards me. Why should I not, when He has recovered me from a sudden and heavy distemper, and animates me to the journey by so many tokens of His favour? ..... In the mean time I retain you in my heart nor shall anything in this life be dearer to me, after God, than you ...... Today I set out on my journey under the auspices of Heaven: May God in His mercy give it a prosperous issue. Join with me in supplicating that it may turn out to His glory and the profit of His church...."

For the remaining years of his life he continued to follow with interest the course of affairs in Scotland. His health gave way in 1620 and he died in Sedan in 1622 in his seventy-seventh year.

As Thomas M'Crie sums up his life: "Melville possessed great intrepidity, invincible fortitude and uninextinguishable ardour of mind. His spirit was independent, high, fiery, and incapable of being tamed by threats or violence; but he was at the same time open, candid, generous, affectionate, faithful. The whole tenor of his life bears testimony to the sincerity and strength of his religious convictions.

Few, if any, individuals have contributed so much to Scottish character and education as he. In making that contribution he gave an impetus to sound learning based on Christian teaching wherever the Scottish example has been studied and followed.