| Reference Number | 169 |
| Title | An Saighidear Criosduidh: no an Dleasnais Iomchuidh chaum Beatha Dhiadhaidh Chaithe, air an Sparradh air an Armailt: o Eisempleir Chornelius. Searmoin |
| Author | N/A (Translated work) |
| Editor | N/A |
| Date Of Edition | 1797 |
| Date Of Language | late 18c |
| Date Of Language Ed | 18th c. |
| DateMacro | Late 18th c. |
| Date Of Language Notes | |
| Publisher | Eoin Moir |
| Place Published | Edinburgh (Dun-Eaduin) |
| Volume | N/A |
| Location | National and academic libraries |
| Geographical Origins | Unknown |
| Geographical Origins Ed | Unknown |
| GeoMacro | Unknown |
| GeoX | |
| GeoY | |
| Geographical Origins Notes | |
| Register | Prose (Religious) |
| Register Ed | Religion, Prose |
| Genre | Literature |
| Medium | Prose |
| Rating | B Translation of Thomas Broughton’s sermon, The Christian Soldier, first published in 1738. The sermon is based on Acts 10. 1, in which Cornelius and a room full of people are visited by the Holy Spirit. The sermon analyses the episode, and offers advice on how to become good Christians. Broughton addresses some weaknesses of members of his congregation, and refers briefly to the question of Baptism. The sermon is not high-flown in style, though there are frequent rhetorical appeals to the hearers. |
| Alternative Author Name | N/A |
| Manuscript Or Edition | Ed. |
| Size And Condition | 17cm x 10cm |
| Short Title | An Saighidear Criosduidh |
| Reference Details | EUL, Sp. Coll.: MacKinnonColl.P.12/1 |
| Number Of Pages | 45 |
| Gaelic Text By | Anon. (The title-page states: ‘Le Roimh-radh, do na Saighidearan Gaidhealach, le neach araidh eile.’ It is unclear whether this refers to someone other than Thomas Broughton, or someone other than the translator of the Sermon; if the former is meant, the Introduction could be by the anonymous translator himself.) |
| Illustrator | N/A |
| Social Context | This text is a Gaelic translation of Thomas Broughton’s sermon The Christian Soldier, or, The Duties of a Religious Life Recommended to the Army, which advises soldiers on how to lead a good Christian life. The sermon was first preached in 1737, and was published in 1738. A twelfth edition was published in 1818. Broughton also published A Serious and Affectionate Warning to Servants in 1749. Thomas Broughton was born in 1712, in the parish of St. Martin Carfax, in Oxford. He studied at University College, Oxford, and in 1733 joined a group led by John Wesley, who called themselves the ‘Methodists’. In that same year, he was elected to a Petrean Fellowship at Exeter College, and he became a full Fellow of the College in the following year. Broughton remained an ally of the Methodists for some time, although by the end of 1734 he was becoming increasingly at odds with some of its members. In 1738 he split from them completely, after challenging Wesley’s claims of ‘instantaneous conversion and assurance of faith’. In 1735 Broughton became curate of Cowley, near Uxbridge, and in 1736 he became curate of the Tower of London. He was lecturer at St Helen’s Church in Bishopsgate for a time, and later at All Hallows in Lombard Street. In 1741 he resigned from his fellowship at Exeter, and in 1742 he married Miss Capel. They had fifteen children, five of whom died in infancy. In 1743 Broughton became secretary of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, and he held this position for the rest of his life. In 1752 he became rector of the church of St John the Evangelist in Wotton in Surrey. Broughton died on the morning of 21st September, 1777, as he was preparing for St. Thomas’s day services. The author is not to be confused with Rev. Thomas Broughton 1704-1774, who was also a Church of England minister and author. |
| Contents | This volume opens with an introduction entitled Do na Saighidearan Ghaidhealach (pp. 3-10), possibly written by the translator of this volume (see Gaelic Text by above). Tha main body of this text comprises the sermon entitled An Saighidear Criosduidh (pp. 11-42). It is based on the text of Acts 10. 1, in which the soldier Cornelius, a devout and God-fearing man, is visited by an angel and told to seek out the Apostle Peter. He does so, and as he listens to what Peter has to say, he and all those in the room are visited by the Holy Spirit. The volume closes with Briathra Diadhaidh air an Cuir a suas mar Ath-chuinge Ghoirrid, air an Tarruing a Leabhar nan Salm (p. 42-45), which contains four prayers: Airson Maitheanais Peacaidh (p. 42), Airson Grais (p. 43), Urnuigh air a toirt o’n Scrioptuir naomha ’n aghaidh Mionnan, Breagan, ’s Droch Cainnt (pp. 43-44), and Airson Measarachd Geanmnachd ’s Stuamachd (pp. 44-45). |
| Sources | |
| Language | The introduction, Do na Saighidearan Ghaidhealach, considers the story of Cornelius, and offers advice to its readers, under three headings: Biodh eagal Dhe oirbh, Thugaibh onoir do’n Righ, and Biodhibh umhal dhoibhsin uile aig am bheil ughdaras ’o n Righ thairis oirbh. Each point is supported by quotations from, or references to, the Bible. For example, the entry for Thugaibh onoir do’n Righ, begins Tha Dia ar Slanui’fhear, Iosa Criosd, Righ na’n righ, agus Tighearna na’n Tighearna. Taisb. Eoin, xix. 16. Is eisean an Righ, Jehobhah nan sluaigh; tha eisean a riaghaladh, biodh an saoghal ait. … Tha uile cumhachd aige (p. 7). The sermon itself begins: Agus bha duine araidh ann an Cesarea, do’m b’ainm Cornelius, ceannard cheud do’n chuideachd do’n gairrear a chuideachd Eadailteach. \ Duine crabhach ’s air an robh eagal De, maille ri thigh uile, bha toirt moran deirce do’n t shluagh, ’sa deanamh urnuigh ri Dia ghna (p. 11). Again, the audience is offered advice: 1. Eisempleir Chornelius a chuir romhaibh. \ 2. Fheuchain cia ea-cos’ail an eisempleir so ri giulan ’s caithe-beatha moran san arm. \ 3. Ainmichidh mi ni no dha chum bhur brosnacha gus an eisempleir so leantuin (p. 15). The author then returns to the story of Cornelius, telling us Bha eagal De air Cornelius. Air dha bhi na cheannard, ’s maith dh’fheuta cuideachd gun robh e lan misnich ’s cruadail, seolta ’n tarruing suas seachd [sic, for feachd] an ordu’ blair, ’s mar sin le threabhantas ’s a dheagh dheanadas gun d’arduich se e fein san armailt (p. 17). Broughton then turns to some specific weaknesses of his congregation, starting with the absence of temperance: ’S air tus, a thaobh stuamachd. Mo thruaigh mo chairdean, nach lionmhor aireamh na muinntir ’nar measg tha nan coigrich seadh na ’n naimhdean do chaithe beatha measara’ ’s stuama (p. 22). Next he addresses the need for prayerfulness: Rinn Cornelius urnuigh ri Dia. Ach mo thruaigh mo chairdean, ’s tearc a mhuintir n’ar measg-se tha cleachdain ’n dleasnais so (p. 24). The corrective he prescribes is mindfulness of Judgement: Deanabh bhi smuaineacha air la uabhasach a bhreitheanais ’s air a gheur chuntas a th’agaibh ri thoirt seachad, air son bhur smuainte bhur briathra, ’s bhur gniomhara, sibhse, bhrosnacha gur caithe-beatha leasacha, ’s a bhi gluasachd an ceumanan ’n duine naomha so (p. 30). He concludes with an adjuration to his hearers to seek God’s mercy: O! cuiribh bhur n ath-chuinge suas airson trocair fhad ’s ata trocair ri fagail (p. 35). The sermon closes with a prayer: Ni gu’n deonaicheadh Dia do throcair neo-chriochnach air sga toilteanas ard-cheannard bhur slainte Iosa Criosd, dhasan, maille ris an Athair ’s an Spiorad Naomha tha beo ’s a rioghcha aon Dia, saoghal gun chrioch. Amen (p. 42). The sermon is written in a religious register, but in a direct, conversational style in which the author frequently addresses the congregation. The military analogy of the title is reflected in the language of the sermon as a whole. |
| Orthography | The orthography is typical of religious texts of the late eighteenth century. There are a number of inconsistencies, e.g. the second person plural imperative appears as deanabh (bhi) on p. 30, deana (bhi) on p. 31 and deanadh (bhi) on p. 33; the verbal noun of smuainich is smuaineachd on p. 30 but smuaineacha on p. 31; the spellings gun and gu’n are both found on p. 36. There are few clear indications of the translator’s dialect; the verbal-noun form cleachdain (p. 24) could perhaps be one, as could the reduction to -acha of -achadh in the verbal nouns of verbs in -(a)ich, e.g. bhrosnacha and leasacha (both p. 30), smuaineacha (p. 31). |
| Edition | First edition. A second edition was published in 1804. |
| Other Sources | |
| Further Reading | Oxford Dictionary of National Biography on Thomas Broughton: http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/3590?docPos=2 |
| Credits | |
| Link Label | Digital version created by National Library of Scotland |
| Link | http://digital.nls.uk/early-gaelic-book-collections/pageturner.cfm?id=81836750 |
| Download File | 169.pdf |
| NumWords | 9633 |
