Hugh Macmillan

FRSE Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". This soci ...

FSA (1833-1903) was a Scottish minister of the Free Church of Scotland who served as their

Moderator of the General Assembly The moderator of the General Assembly is the chairperson of a General Assembly, the highest court of a Presbyterian or Reformed church. Kirk sessions and presbyteries may also style the chairperson as moderator. The Oxford Dictionary states t ...

in 1897. He was a prolific author on theological subjects and the relationship between God and Nature. His most popular book ''Bible Teachings in Nature'' ran to 15 editions in both UK and USA and translated into several languages.

Life

The grave of Rev Hugh Macmillan, Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh

He was born on 17 September 1833 in Aberfeldy the eldest of nine children of Margaret (née Macfarlane) and Alexander Macmillan, a merchant. He attended school in Aberfeldy then Hill Street Academy in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

. He began an arts degree then medicine at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 1 ...

, dropping out when he decided instead to train for the Free Church of Scotland, which had been created in 1843. He trained at

New College, Edinburgh New College is a historic building at the University of Edinburgh which houses the university's School of Divinity. It is one of the largest and most renowned centres for studies in Theology and Religious Studies in the United Kingdom. Students ...

. He was licensed to preach in January 1857 and began his ministry at the Free Church in Breadalbane. In 1859 he moved to Kirkmichael Church in

Perthshire Perthshire ( locally: ; gd, Siorrachd Pheairt), officially the County of Perth, is a historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the nort ...

. In 1864 he moved to the Free Church of St Peter in

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, a far larger charge. In 1878 he moved again to the Free Church in

Greenock Greenock (; sco, Greenock; gd, Grianaig, ) is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in Scotland, United Kingdom and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowland ...

. In 1871 the

University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

awarded him an honorary doctorate (LLD) for his writing. In 1872 he was elected a Fellow of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was established i ...

, his proposer being John Hutton Balfour. The

awarded him an honorary doctorate (DD) in 1879 and the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

gave a second DD in 1883 and made a Fellow of the

Scottish Society of Antiquaries The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland is the senior antiquarian body of Scotland, with its headquarters in the National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh. The Society's aim is to promote the cultural heritage of Scotland. The usua ...

in the same year. In 1886 he delivered the Thomson Lecture at the Free Church College in Aberdeen. In 1894 he delivered the Cunningham Lecture at

. In 1897 he gave the Gunning Lecture at the

. In the same year he was elected

to the Free Church of Scotland, the highest accolade in his church. He was invited to the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...

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in this capacity. The Queen is said to have greatly admired his books. He was succeeded in his role as Moderator by Rev

Alexander Whyte ''For the British colonial administrator, see Alexander Frederick Whyte'' Rev Alexander Whyte D.D.,LL.D. (13 January 18366 January 1921) was a Scottish divine. He was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland in 1898. ...

. He lived his final years of ministry at 70 Union Street in Greenock. In 1892 he jointly founded the Clan MacMillan Society and served as its Chief 1892 to 1896. He retired in 1901. He died at home, 2

Murrayfield Murrayfield is an affluent area to the west of Edinburgh city centre in Scotland. It is to the east of Corstorphine and north of Balgreen and Roseburn. The A8 road runs east–west through the south of the area. Murrayfield is often con ...

Road in West Edinburgh on 24 May 1903 and is buried in

Dean Cemetery The Dean Cemetery is a historically important Victorian cemetery north of the Dean Village, west of Edinburgh city centre, in Scotland. It lies between Queensferry Road and the Water of Leith, bounded on its east side by Dean Path and o ...

. The grave lies in the first northern extension, on its southern wall, backing onto the original cemetery.

Family

In 1859 he married Jane Pattison (1833-1922), second daughter of William Pattison of Williamfield. Their children included Hugh, who later became Baron Macmillan, a law lord, and five daughters.

Publications

*''Footnotes from the Pages of Nature'' (1861) *''Bible Teachings in Nature'' (1867) *''Holidays on High Lands in Search of Alpine Plants'' (1869) *''The Ministry of Nature'' (1871) *''The Garden and the City'' (1872) *''Sun Glints in the Wilderness'' (1872) *''First Forms of Vegetation'' (1874) *''Our Lord’s Three Raisings from the Dead'' (1876) *''The Sabbath of the Fields'' (1876) *''Two Worlds are Ours'' (1880) *''The Marriage in Cana of Galilee'' (1882) *''The True Vine'' (1883) *''The Riviera'' (1885) *''The Olive Leaf'' (1886) *''Roman Mosaics, or Studies in Rome'' (1888) *''The Gate Beautiful'' (1891) *''My Comfort in Sorrow'' (1891) *''The Mystery of Grace'' (1893) *''The Daisies of Nazareth'' (1894) *''The Clock of Nature'' (1896) *''The Spring of Day'' (1898) *''Gleanings in Holy Fields'' (1899) *''The Corn of Heaven'' (1901) *''The Highland Tay from

Tyndrum Tyndrum (; gd, Taigh an Droma) is a small village in Scotland. Its Gaelic name translates as "the house on the ridge". It lies in Strathfillan, at the southern edge of Rannoch Moor. Location and facilities Tyndrum is a popular tourist village, ...

Dunkeld Dunkeld (, sco, Dunkell, from gd, Dùn Chailleann, "fort of the Caledonians") is a town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The location of a historic cathedral, it lies on the north bank of the River Tay, opposite Birnam. Dunkeld lies close to t ...

'' (1901) *''The Christmas Rose'' (1901) *''The Poetry of Plants'' (1902) *''

George Frederick Watts George Frederic Watts (23 February 1817, in London – 1 July 1904) was a British painter and sculptor associated with the Symbolist movement. He said "I paint ideas, not things." Watts became famous in his lifetime for his allegorical work ...

RA'' (1903- posthumously) *''The Touch of God'' (1903- posthumously) *'' Rothiemurchus'' (1907- posthumously) *''The Isles and the Gospel'' (1907- posthumously)

References

Citations

Sources

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Macmillan, Hugh 1833 births 1903 deaths Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 19th-century Ministers of the Free Church of Scotland Burials at the Dean Cemetery Scottish non-fiction writers