III. PROBATIONERS AND STUDENTS
James Dodson
II. THE THEOLOGICAL HALL
For a considerable time no special arrangements were made for the training of students for the ministry. Candidates betook themselves to the usual classes at the Universities for Arts, and carried on their studies in Divinity under the general care of the minister of the district in which they ordinarily resided.
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The question of the appointment of a regular Teacher of Theology was raised in a curious way. The congregation of Pentland had got into financial trouble, due to the withdrawal from them of the aid of the Edinburgh section, and declared to the Presbytery “their inability to support themselves in the character of a congregation.” The Presbytery were indisposed to accept of their dissolution, and proposed to meet the difficulty by creating a paid post for their minister, John Thorburn—who both by experience and learning was well qualified for the work. “In order to supply their deficiency,” runs the minute of November 23, 1785, “they propose to institute a Teacher of Divinity, and that the present minister of Pentland be appointed for that purpose, and to compensate for his labour they propose that a yearly collection should be made through all the congregations belonging to the community at large for the support of this institution.” In the following year, on March 8, Thorburn was formally appointed. The support asked for, however, was not forthcoming, and the actual institution of the chair was delayed until the death of Thorburn in 1788 made the scheme impossible and unnecessary.
The question was raised again in 1799. It was then proposed to take steps for the “settling of one of the ministers in the station of a teacher of Divinity to take charge of training the young men for the ministry.” The matter was postponed from time to time, but on August 17, 1803, John M‘Millan of Stirling consented to fill the office, the classes to begin in October. Remuneration was fixed at the “sum of £30 or a sum as near it as possible.” In 1847 it was stated in a Report to the Synod that “the course of tuition under his care was very simple. His lectures were an extemporaneous comment on Christian doctrine in the order pursued in the Confession of Faith. He possessed singular accuracy of thought and statement.” The College met in the new Professor’s church in Stirling. The session extended to two months in summer, at which length it stood while the Hall lasted.
M‘Millan died in 1819, and next year Dr Andrew Symington was appointed. The classes were held in Paisley from that date till his death in 1853. In 1854 the demands of the time were met by the appointment of two professors—Dr William Symington to the Chair of Systematic Theology, and Dr W. H. Goold to the Chair of Biblical Literature and Church History. The classes met in Great Hamilton Street Church, Glasgow. On the death of Dr Symington in 1862, Dr William Binnie was chosen as his successor, and after another session in Glasgow, the Hall was transferred to Edinburgh. It continued there till 1875, when the union with the Free Church conjoined it with the Hall meeting in the New College, Edinburgh.
A regular Matriculation Book was provided for the first time in 1854,
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but the Roll of Students was written up in it, as far as possible, from 1805. The largest attendance in any one year was 25.
The following list contains only the names of students from Scotland who were not ordained by the Synod. They are entered whether they completed their course or not. From the beginning many attended from Ireland until the Irish Church set up a Hall of its own in 1854. In intimating the withdrawal of its students the Irish Synod expressed “the deep sense of obligation of this Church” to the Scottish Synod “for the manifold benefits conferred upon its students, who attended their Theological Hall.” In later years several students came from America and Hungary.¹
DAVID M‘DOUGALL, 1805. There is no indication of the district from which this student came. On November 9, 1808, the Presbytery reached the conclusion that “he had not the ability necessary for the edification of the Church,” and asked him to withdraw, which he did.
JOHN SPROTT, Galloway, 1805–7, was born at Caldons, Stoneykirk, Wigtown, in 1780. He was educated at Stranraer and Edinburgh University. He was licensed, March 1, 1809, and on May 2, 1810, was called to Water of Urr. Part of his trials for ordination was undergone when there appeared to be a minority against his settlement. Much trouble ensued, but the Presbytery resolved that the dissatisfaction was unfounded. Sprott, however, refused the call, July 1, 1811. For the next few years he acted as a probationer, but on July 31, 1815, withdrew from the Church on the ground of change of views. He joined the Relief Church, and in 1818 sailed for America, where he joined the Presbyterian Church of Nova Scotia. He afterwards occupied several charges. He died September 16, 1869, aged 89. His son was G. W. Sprott, D.D., North Berwick, an authority on Scottish liturgies. See Scottish Presbyterian, 1844; Reformed Presbyterian Magazine, 1870; Ormond, p. 67; Memorials of the Rev. J. Sprott, Edin., 1906.
JOHN GIBB, Holytown, 1806–9, was the eldest son of a farmer at Bothwell, and entered Glasgow University in 1801. Nothing further is known.
ANDREW IRVINE, Dumfriesshire, 1806–9, failed to satisfy the Presbytery as to the efficiency of his trials for licence, and on October 2, 1811, he intimated that he was proceeding to America.
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¹ After each name are given the place from which the student came, as entered in the Matriculation Album, and the years during which he was a student. Both years are inclusive.
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JAMES DOUGLAS, Kirkcudbright, 1808–12, was licensed by the Southern Presbytery, May 6, 1813. In 1814 he was elected by the congregations of Quarrelwood, and Chirnside and Kelso. The Synod left the choice in his own hands, and after some delay he refused Quarrelwood. He accepted Chirnside on June 9, 1815. This was the beginning of some trouble, for after undergoing part of his trials he proposed to give up the call, apparently from ill-health. The Synod recommended the Presbytery to deal with him, but before its next meeting in 1818 he had left for America.
MATTHEW ADAM, Ayrshire, 1808–10, was born at Bargeny, Dailly, on February 20, 1780. Originally a blacksmith, he taught a school in Glasgow during 1808–11. He was appointed Rector of Inverness Academy in 1811, and retired in 1839. He died at Newton-on-Ayr on December 10, 1853.
EDWARD GIBB, Holytown, 1809. A brother of John Gibb. He entered Glasgow University in 1805, and was a student in Hebrew there in 1814–15.
JOHN COURTASS, Dumfries, 1811–14, was licensed on October 18, 1815, and next month at Dalbeattie preached his first sermon as a licentiate. He died, January 2, 1816.
JOHN MARTIN, Airdrie, 1815. Only his entrance to the Hall is noted.
JOHN FLEMING, Darvel, 1817.
JAMES HENDERSON, Kilmalcolm, 1819. A process of discipline was instituted against him on February 26, 1821. He left for America two days later, and the case was transferred there.
JOHN GILMOUR, Chirnside, 1820–2, was licensed on April 8, 1823. He received appointments as a probationer till the beginning of 1826, and then disappears from view.
DAVID SCOTT, Glasgow, 1820–3, was born in Glasgow on July 17, 1794. He was licensed by the Western Presbytery on May 14, 1824. In 1829 he went to America, and in 1832 was ordained as a home missionary. In 1836 he was called to Albany, and in 1844 to Rochester, New York. He occupied a chair in the Theological Seminary temporarily in 1866–7, and died at Rochester on March 29, 1871.
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JOSEPH WAITT, Chirnside, 1820–1, declined his annual examination by the Presbytery, and is not heard of again.
DANIEL LIDDLE, Wishawtown, 1821–4, had trials for licence appointed, but delayed preparing the necessary exercises. On March 1, 1825, correspondence with him was finally dropped.
WILLIAM BRYDEN, 1821–3. At the conclusion of his third session Bryden married and became a teacher in England. In 1829 he made application for a certificate from his Presbytery of Newton-Stewart, but he was asked for certain information about his marriage, and he did not reply.
JAMES FERGUSON, Dumfries, 1821–4, was licensed by the Southern Presbytery on April 12, 1826. He appears on the Roll of Preachers for the next year, and was ordained in Ireland on October 7, 1845.
JAMES PATERSON, Wishawtown, 1822, died on April 16, 1824.
WILLIAM BROWN, 1822–5, was licensed by the Western Presbytery, and afterwards betook himself to teaching.
ROBERT MONTGOMERY, Airdrie, 1824–7. On November 28, 1827, the North-Eastern Presbytery agreed that Montgomery “should undergo a considerable course of training before they could license him.” He was transferred to the Western Presbytery, and was licensed by them on April 29, 1829, with considerable difficulty. On August 8, 1835, he sailed for America and started work in Baltimore. As late as May 1861 he applied for a copy of his certificate, but the “Synod did not deem it necessary to renew it.”
SAMUEL KENT, Glasgow, 1824–9. After some difficulty Kent received licence on May 4, 1832, after which “he laboured as a preacher with great industry and earnestness.” He died at Govan from consumption on May 28, 1836, aged about 35.
JAMES M‘CONACHIE, Water of Urr, 1825–8, was licensed on February 2, 1830. In 1831 he was taken to task for recognising a deposed minister. On March 7, 1837, he wrote to the Presbytery of Kilmarnock declining further appointments as a probationer. He died December 5, 1859, aged 57. For the last five years of his life he acted as chaplain and teacher of the Blind Asylum, Glasgow.
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JAMES SYMINGTON, Paisley, 1825–7, the youngest brother of Andrew and William Symington, was licensed by the Western Presbytery on April 21, 1829, but died in April of the following year.
JOHN DUNN, Stranraer, 1827–9.
ALEXANDER SHAND, Dundee, 1829–32, was licensed by the North-Eastern Presbytery on February 25, 1833. On May 13, 1834, complaint was made by the congregation at Dundee of the injurious effect of his preaching. At the same meeting of Presbytery Shand and his brother, a student, declared their separation from the Church.
ANDREW M‘DOWALL, Colmonell, 1830–5, was licensed by the Presbytery of Newton-Stewart on March 1, 1836, and for the next few years itinerated as a probationer. On July 3, 1844, he was granted a certificate of full standing on joining the Free Church. In 1849 he was ordained at Kircolm, Wigtownshire. He died in 1864.
THOMAS HANNAY, Ireland, 1831–4, was licensed by the Presbytery of Kilmarnock on March 4, 1835. On November 13, 1838, it is reported that he is in a “state of indisposition,” and at the following meeting of Synod, May 1839, he is found to be labouring under “mental aberration,” and congregations are warned that he cannot be heard in vacancies as he is “altogether incapacitated for public preaching.”
WILLIAM SHAND, Dundee, 1832–3, left with his brother mentioned above.
JOHN M‘CUBBIN, Glasgow, 1833–6, 1839, was licensed March 31, 1840. During the sittings of the Synod of May 1842, he wrote the Moderator saying that he had, without consulting the Presbytery, joined the Irish Presbyterian Church. The Synod minuted that the reasons assigned for doing so were inadequate.
JAMES BROWN, Douglas Water, 1835–9, was licensed on April 28, 1840. He volunteered for the Mission field, but there was no post available at the time. He offered next year for Canada, but was considered unsuitable. On October 4, 1853, he asked a certificate of licence from the Presbytery of Kilmarnock, on his appointment to do work for the London City Mission.
DAVID ROBISON, Dumfries, 1838–9. Questions were raised in the Presbytery over his equipment for the ministry, and he retired.
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JAMES MILLIGAN BEATTIE, America, 1840, was licensed by the Presbytery of Paisley on June 8, 1841, but was not put on the roll of preachers, as he intended to leave for America immediately.
JOHN COWAN M‘DOWALL, Stranraer, 1844–6, 1848, was licensed on November 20, 1849, by the Presbytery of Newton-Stewart. Even then he was in enfeebled health, and died on June 13, 1854.
JOHN RICE, Paisley, 1844–7, was licensed on July 4, 1848. In 1852 he obtained a post as teacher, and asked his name to be removed from the list of probationers. On July 5, 1853, he was granted a certificate on going to America.
WILLIAM CAMPBELL, Eaglesham, 1845–7, joined the Free Church as a student.
ANDREW COCHRANE, Stranraer, 1847–9. In November 1849 transference of Andrew Cochrane from the Presbytery of Newton-Stewart is agreed to: he then disappears from view.
ALEXANDER M. MOORE, M.A., Glasgow, 1848–52, was licensed by the Presbytery of Glasgow on 13th December 1853. After acting as a probationer, in May 1856 he applied to the Synod for a certificate, so that he might join the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland. The Presbytery certified to his “ability and earnestness as a preacher.” He ultimately became minister of the Reformed Presbyterian congregation at Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
JOHN BOLE, Newton-Stewart, 1849–52. On April 12, 1853, Bole asked for a certificate as he “proposes to leave the country at an early period for a different sphere of labour.” It was granted with regret. He was settled at Ryegate, Virginia, U.S.A.
WILLIAM DALZIEL, Penpont, 1849–51, 1853, died at Auchengruith, Sanquhar, on September 19, 1853.
JAMES GUTHRIE, Glasgow, 1849–53. During his trials, July 10, 1855, Guthrie evidently suffered from nerves, and retired. He does not seem to have tried again.
ROBERT J. JEFFREY, Dumfries, 1849 and 1851, was the youngest son of the late Rev. John Jeffrey, Dumfries. He did not finish.
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DAVID EASTON, B.A., Wishaw, 1851, brother of Matthew and Thomas. On January 11, 1853, the Clerk of the Glasgow Presbytery was instructed “to ascertain from Mr David Easton, who is supposed to be a divinity student, what Presbytery he deems himself to be under.” He replied Newton-Stewart, but he did not continue his studies in divinity. In 1857 he graduated M.D. at Glasgow and L.R.C.S., Edin., in 1857. He became a practitioner at Stranraer, and died in April 1885.
HUMPHREY DAVIE, Renton, 1852. On July 5, 1853, a member of the Paisley Presbytery was appointed to see Davie and learn his intentions, but the meeting did not take place. He became an engineer.
JAMES M‘INTYRE, Greenock, 1853–4. Afterwards minister of parish of Seafield, Banffshire, 1877– . Brother-in-law of Dr John Kay.
JOHN LAIDLAW, Edinburgh, 1854–6. Afterwards Professor John Laidlaw, D.D., of the New College, Edinburgh. On October 14, 1856, he wrote for a certificate because he desired to join the Free Church on the ground of having no strong views on the political position of the Church. The certificate was granted on October 30.
JOHN H. FORSYTH, Wishaw, 1854, 1857, attended only half of the session 1857, and his Presbytery refused to sustain the attendance. He afterwards became minister of Calnady Secession Church, Ulster.
ROBERT MARTIN, Airdrie, 1854–8. The last reference seems to be that Martin was unable to proceed to trials for licence through illness. He emigrated to New Zealand, became a journalist, and died at Napier in 1894.
ARCHIBALD GLENDINNING, Eskdalemuir, 1854–7, died during his course, April 27, 1858. His Presbytery spoke of his “high talent, manly simplicity and genial warmth of heart.”
JAMES LITTLEJOHN, Glasgow, 1855–9, acceded from the Free Church on June 5, 1855. He was licensed on November 29, 1859, and was the only probationer who sided with the minority in 1863. For some years he was useful as supply. He was ultimately ordained over the remnant at Lorn on September 22, 1870, the ceremony taking place in the Free Church at Kilbrandon, as the building was still in the hands of the majority. He ultimately died as minister of Garvagh, Ulster.
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WILLIAM HENDERSON CARSLAW, B.A., Glasgow, 1856, son of John Carslaw of Airdrie, and afterwards Dr Carslaw of Helensburgh. Next year he intimated his intention of attending the Free Church College—March 1857.
ARCHIBALD THOMSON, Glasgow, 1856, had worked for three years as a Glasgow City missionary and attended only one year at the Hall. On July 14, 1857, he was granted certificates for the work he had done, because he was proceeding to Nova Scotia. He was there taken immediately on trial for licence, which was granted on August 28, because he was “a student of advanced standing,” and because of his “examinations and discourses which gave evidence of superior attainments in scholarship and theology.” He had been with difficulty admitted to the Hall in Glasgow!
JAMES GRAHAM, Ayr, 1856.
ROBERT HUNTER, M.A., Edinburgh, 1860–4, was licensed by the Presbytery of Edinburgh on December 30, 1863. In 1865 Hunter intimated that he had offered his services to the Presbyterian Church of Victoria, Australia, and had been accepted. Certificates were granted to him. He was ordained at Kilmore in 1868.
JOHN WATT, Glasgow, 1860–4, was licensed on September 13, 1865, but suffered from ill-health and received no call. He spent some time in Canada, but died in this country.
ANDREW MORRISON BROWN, Glasgow, 1861–5, attended Glasgow University, where he graduated B.A. in 1861, M.A. in 1862, and B.D. in 1866. He also attended classes in the Glasgow Hall during 1861–5. He was licensed on September 5, 1865, and on August 22, 1867, was ordained by the Free Presbytery of Glasgow to the charge of Marshall Free Church, Kirkintilloch. “He took an active part, especially as a leader-writer and special contributor to the North British Daily Mail, in the religious thought and movements of his day.” He died March 18, 1916. His brother was Matthew Brown, minister of Hightae. A portrait is in A Century of Congregational Life.
JAMES GLENDINNING, Eskdalemuir, 1861–5, was licensed on September 5, 1865, and took charge of Dunscore as a probationer. On February 27, 1867 he informed the Presbytery that he could no longer agree to the binding obligation of the Covenants, and was admitted to the Free Church. He was ordained at Ecclefechan in 1868, and after a varied career, not always creditable, died in 1896.
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WILLIAM A. MARTIN, Strathmiglo, 1862–5, son of the minister at Strathmiglo, was killed while picnicking at Rumbling Bridge, near Dollar, by falling into the ravine on August 4, 1865.
ROBERT WHYTE, M.A., Dumfries, 1862–6, was licensed on October 3, 1866. In April 1868 he informed the Presbytery that he intended applying for admission to the Free Church. He never seems to have received a charge.
JOHN KINNIBURGH, Glasgow, 1862–5, was licensed by the Glasgow Presbytery on January 8, 1867. On the following April 9 he applied for, and received, certificates on the ground that he was joining the United Presbyterian Church. He was removed from the roll of probationers for misconduct.
JOHN DALZIEL, Wishaw, 1864–8, was licensed on October 27, 1868. He withdrew his name from the roll of preachers on January 14, 1873, and on January 12, 1875, asked for, and received, a certificate of licence. He became an agent of the Glasgow City Mission, dying in February, 1901.
ALEXANDER BRYCE MUIR, Kilbirnie, 1865–9, was licensed by the Kilmarnock Presbytery on August 31, 1869. Owing to there being no vacancies he asked to be set free so that he might join the United Presbyterian Church. In 1870 he was called to Otterburn, and in 1874 to Birkenhead, where he died in 1887.
JOHN TOWERT, B.D., Edinburgh, 1866–70, was licensed on December 20, 1870. On March 2, 1875, he was ordained at Neston, in the English Presbyterian Presbytery of Liverpool. He was a frequent contributor to the Reformed Presbyterian Magazine.
DUNCAN RODGER, Liverpool, 1866, was missionary in the congregation at Liverpool, and came up for his first examination by the Presbytery, but did not complete it.
ALLAN BAYNE, Renton, 1867–71, was licensed on December 5, 1871. He was not mentally certain and never received a call. He died after 1912. He was a cousin of Allan M‘Dougall, Rothesay.
ANDREW M‘QUEEN, Whithorn, 1867–8, was a Free Church student. He was afterwards minister of Holborn, Aberdeen, being ordained in 1875. He died in 1924.
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JAMES EWING, Glasgow, 1869–73, was licensed on October 7, 1873, and died in sad circumstances, while on holiday in Germany in 1877.
WILLIAM BOAL, M.A., Edinburgh, 1869–70, died in the spring of 1871.
HENRY B. GOOLD, M.A., Edinburgh, 1871–5, son of Dr Goold, Edinburgh, was licensed on October 5, 1875. He became missionary in Great Hamilton Street, Glasgow, the congregation of his uncle. His health was infirm and he had to resign before completing a year of service. He died on November 25, a few weeks after licence. For portrait see A Century of Congregational Life.
JOHN ALLAN, Darvel, 1872–5, was licensed by the Presbytery of Glasgow on April 25, 1876, a few weeks before the Union. On May 17, 1877, he was ordained at Girvan, West. In 1879 he took charge of the colonial station at St John’s, Antigua, West Indies, but died there on November 22, 1879, aged 24.
ADAM MAXWELL, Dunscore, 1873–5, applied in 1876 to the Glasgow Presbytery to be taken on trials for licence, although he had not completed the regular routine of classes: he had taken additional classes in the Free Church College, Glasgow. He was licensed on April 25, along with other two students. After being missionary in Great Hamilton Street, Glasgow, he was ordained at Galston in 1877, and was translated to Peterhead in 1883, and to Coatbridge in 1888. A portrait is in A Century of Congregational Life.
JOHN FAIRLEY DALY, B.D., Glasgow, 1874–5. A grandson of John Fairley, Glasgow, he completed his course in the Free Church College, Glasgow, and was licensed by the local Presbytery. He was ordained at Inch, Wigtownshire, in 1879, and was translated to Renwick, Glasgow, in 1882. He resigned in 1901, and has since resided in Glasgow. There is a portrait in The Rise and Progress of Renwick Free Church.