Thomas Wilkie
{{Short description|Scottish minister}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
File:The Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh.JPG
File:The grave of Rev Thomas Wilkie, Canongate Kirkyard, Edinburgh.jpg
Thomas Wilkie (1645-1711) was a Scottish minister who was elected Moderator of the Church of Scotland twice: once in 1701{{cite book|last1=Stephen|first1=Thomas|title=The History of the Church of Scotland From the Reformation to the Present Time|date=1844|publisher=John Lendrum|location=London|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PFILAAAAYAAJ|accessdate=15 March 2016|language=English|volume=3}}{{rp|627}} and once in 1704.{{rp|659}} He was the minister at the Kirk of the Canongate.{{cite book|last1=Turnbull|first1=John|editor1-last=Paul|editor1-first=Robert|title=Miscellany of the Scottish Historical Society|date=1893|publisher=University Press|location=Edinburgh|chapter=The Diary of John Turnbull, Minister of Alloa and Tyninghame 1657-1704|volume=First Volume|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bLfgAAAAMAAJ|accessdate=15 March 2016|language=English|page=438}}
Life
He was born on 6 April 1645 the son of N. N. Wilkie.{{cite web|url=https://www.geni.com/people/Thomas-Wilkie-Min-of-Canongate/6000000028843668677|title=Thomas Wilkie, Min. of Canongate|website=www.geni.com|access-date=7 July 2017|archive-date=23 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123010627/https://www.geni.com/people/Thomas-Wilkie-Min-of-Canongate/6000000028843668677|url-status=live}} His uncle Rev Thomas Wilkie (1638-1717) was the minister of Tolbooth Parish in Edinburgh (housed in St Giles Cathedral), the parish which was the forerunner of Canongate Kirk.{{cite web|url=https://www.geni.com/people/Thomas-Wilkie-Min-of-Tolbooth-Parish/6000000028847777918|title=Thomas Wilkie, Min. of Tolbooth Parish|website=www.geni.com}} He studied at Edinburgh University and graduated MA in 1662.Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae; by Hew Scott
In January 1672 he translated from Galashiels Parish Church to North Leith Parish Church in the harbour district of Edinburgh. In 1687 he moved to Tolbooth Parish in Edinburgh town centre.
During Wilkie's ministry at North Leith the building was remodelled, adding a tower/Dutch steeple on the north-east corner (dated 1675) to balance the additional height added to the body of the church to accommodate Cromwell's troops in the 1650s. This tower had the first public clock in Leith.Buildings of Scotland: Edinburgh by Gifford, McWilliam and Walker
In 1678, Hector Allan, a Quaker in Leith was found guilty of "abusing and railing" (i.e. verbally insulting) Thomas Wilkie and was rather harshly sent to the prison on the Bass Rock for this. He was later instead placed in the Leith Tolbooth (prison) until he repented.Cassell's Old and New Edinburgh; vol. 6, ch. 25
He was the first minister to preach in the new Canongate Kirk following its construction (begun in 1688).Collection of Epitaphs and Monumental Inscriptions: Chiefly in Scotland He was placed as minister of the Canongate congregation in May 1689 but spent over two years preaching from their temporary home at Lady Yester's Church near the Edinburgh High School.
On 14 January 1690 he formed the first kirk session. The congregation continued to meet in a meeting house until 22 August 1691 when the keys of the new church were passed to him.
He died in Edinburgh on 19 March 1711.{{cite book|author1=Anonymous|editor1-last=Maidment|editor1-first=James|title=Scottish Elegiac Verses|date=1842|publisher=Thomas G Stevenson|location=Edinburgh|pages=[https://archive.org/details/scotishelegaicv00maidgoog/page/n234 183]–184|url=https://archive.org/details/scotishelegaicv00maidgoog|accessdate=15 March 2016|chapter=On the Much Lamented Death of the Reverend Mr. Thomas Wilkie, Minister of the Gospel in the Canongate Church of Edinburg, Who Departed This Life, 19th of March 1711}} He is buried in Canongate Kirkyard against the east wall of the church.
His will bequeathed 400 books to Edinburgh University's Divinity Hall.
Family
He was married to Rachel Sinclair, widow of William Hog WS and daughter of Rev John Sinclair of Ormiston.{{cite web|url=https://www.geni.com/people/Rachel-Sinclair/6000000028846214285|title=Rachel Sinclair|website=www.geni.com|access-date=7 July 2017|archive-date=23 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123071303/https://www.geni.com/people/Rachel-Sinclair/6000000028846214285|url-status=live}}
References
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Category:Moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland