Birth:15.02.1662
Home calling: 17.02. 1688
Native Place: Moniaive, Scotland
Vision: Scotland
James Renwick was a Scottish Presbyterian minister who became a martyr for Christ for his radical obedience to the Word of God. Born into a pious family, Renwick had a strong affinity towards church activities from a very early age. At the age of thirteen, he went to the University of Edinburgh, where he studied religion and theology. There he was drawn towards Richard Cameroon’s teachings who was killed for resisting King Charles II to impose the Bishops’ authority on the Scotland church. Later he went to the Netherlands for theological training, where he was ordained as a church minister.
Renwick returned to Scotland in 1683 and started serving the Lord boldly when Presbyterians were killed for rejecting the Crown’s attempts to control the church. In his first year of the ministry, he brought more than five hundred people into the knowledge of Christ. For the next five years, he traveled throughout Scotland preaching Biblical truth to anyone who would listen. Eventually declared a rebel, he was in constant pursuit by the authorities. Despite the risk of being arrested, he continued preaching. There was always a horse standing by, saddled and bridled so that he could make a swift getaway.
After escaping multiple close shaves with death, Renwick was ultimately captured in early 1688. Placed on trial, he was sentenced to die for treason and blasphemy. When several people persuaded him to accept at least some authority of the King, he refused, saying, “No, I’ll own authority that has its prescriptions and limitations from the Word of God.” The Army Captain astonished to see Renwick, a man with a slight build and youthful look bravely walking towards gallows and said,
