page_title: John Goldie (philosopher)
section_title: Publications
hierarchical_section_title: John Goldie (philosopher) / Life and character / Publications
caption_attribution_description: A view of Kilmarnock Cross, East Ayrshire, Scotland in 1840.
context_page_description: John Goldie, Goudie or Gowdie the 'Philosopher' was a friend of the poet Robert Burns who was born the son of a miller at Craigmill on the Cessnock Water in East Ayrshire, Scotland. He was a miller, mechanic, cabinet maker, later a wine merchant and had interests ranging from the study of mathematics and astronomy to that of theology, publishing several books, in particular in 1780 the popular three volume Essays on various Important Subjects Moral and Divine, being an attempt to distinguish True from False Religion, a publication that became generally known as 'Goudie's Bible' and raised him to national prominence. The name John Goldie will be used throughout for consistency.
context_section_description: Some confusion exists in the literature as to the dates and titles of his works. His first publication, printed in Glasgow was Essays on various Important Subjects Moral and Divine, being an attempt to distinguish True from False Religion. and this expressed his then unorthodox views on original sin and upon the interpretation of many of the scriptures greatly concerned the 'Auld Lichts' or more fundamentalist presbyterians. In 1785 he published a second edition now titled "Essays on Various Subjects, Moral and Divine, in one volume, by John Goldie; to which is added, the gospel recovered from a Captive State, in five volumes. By a Gentle Christian."
  In 1786 he published The Gospel Recovered from its Captive State which confirmed his full and formidable opposition to the 'Auld Licht' order that he had supported as a younger man. In 1808 he had printed at Kilmarnock a book titles Conclusive Evidences Against Atheism. His last published work in 1809 was A Treatise upon the Evidences of a Deity. Dougal states that in 1811, aged over ninety and therefore just a few years before his death he published his last work Evidences against Atheism. He died before completing his work on a book to be titled A Revise, or Reform of the Present System of Astronomy.
caption: Kilmarnock Cross in 1840 where John Goldie's business was located.
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