Abstract
The plan of the thesis is to ,portray James Oswald,the
the
man, to show the relation of his life to /times in which he
lived, and to provide a study of ,his contribution to the
history of thought. The first chapter is biographical, and
includes the facts gathered from church records, sermons, and
letters. The chapter immediately following makes a rapid
survey of the main movements of the century as they were felt
in Scotland, and is intended wherever possible to show their
direct points of contact with Oswald's life. This was though
necessary in as much as it is a.'oon truth that one can not
know a man apart from his time.
The third chapter deals with the philosophy of: Common
Sense according to the position Oswald held. The organization
of it has been to use sections in order to facilitate reference.
Chapter four deals with Oswald's theology." It follcaws,
general, the plan of his own work. Therefore, it will' be noted
that a subject such as "Revelation", which is ordinarily aeáorded
a primary place in a theological discussion, is held.... over
the 'very `' last.
The fifth chapter deals with Oswald's contribution to the
vexing problem of patronage that caused so much ill feeling
within ,the Church during the latter part of. the eighteenth and
the opening years of the nineteenth centuries.
