William Hanna (26 November 1808 – 24 May 1882) was a Scottish minister, known as a
theological
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
writer and as the biographer of his father-in-law,
Thomas Chalmers
Thomas Chalmers (17 March 178031 May 1847), was a Scottish minister, professor of theology, political economist, and a leader of both the Church of Scotland and of the Free Church of Scotland. He has been called "Scotland's greatest nine ...
.
Life
Born in
Belfast
Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...
on 26 November 1808, he was the son of Rev Prof
Samuel Hanna
Samuel Hanna (1772?–1852), Irish presbyterian divine, was born at Kellswater, near Ballymena, Co. Antrim.
Education and training
He was educated at the University of Glasgow, graduating M.A. in 1789. In 1790 he was licensed by Ballymena presby ...
, a minister of the
Presbyterian Church of Ireland
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI; ga, Eaglais Phreispitéireach in Éirinn; Ulster-Scots: ''Prisbytairin Kirk in Airlann'') is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the Republic of Ireland, and the largest Protestant denomination in ...
. He studied at 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
, ...
, going on to 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 15 ...
where he studied under
Thomas Chalmers
Thomas Chalmers (17 March 178031 May 1847), was a Scottish minister, professor of theology, political economist, and a leader of both the Church of Scotland and of the Free Church of Scotland. He has been called "Scotland's greatest nine ...
.
In 1834 Hanna was licensed to preach the
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland.
The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Scottish Reformation, Reformation of 1560, when it split from t ...
.
He was ordained at
East Kilbride
East Kilbride (; gd, Cille Bhrìghde an Ear ) is the largest town in South Lanarkshire in Scotland and the country's sixth-largest locality by population. It was also designated Scotland's first new town on 6 May 1947. The area lies on a rais ...
, a parish near
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, on 17 September 1835. In 1837 he was translated to the parish of
Skirling
Skirling is a parish, community council area and village in Peeblesshire in the Scottish Borders situated 2½ miles east of Biggar in Lanarkshire. Biggar Water, a tributary the River Tweed forms the southern boundary of the parish with the pa ...
in
Peebles-shire, near
Biggar. During the ten-year controversy that preceded the
Disruption of 1843
The Disruption of 1843, also known as the Great Disruption, was a schism in 1843 in which 450 evangelical ministers broke away from the Church of Scotland to form the Free Church of Scotland.
The main conflict was over whether the Church of S ...
, he took an active part on the side of Chalmers and his allies. He left the established Church of Scotland in 1843, joining the
Free Church of Scotland Free Church of Scotland may refer to:
* Free Church of Scotland (1843–1900), seceded in 1843 from the Church of Scotland. The majority merged in 1900 into the United Free Church of Scotland; historical
* Free Church of Scotland (since 1900), rema ...
, taking most of his congregation with him.
Having resigned his charge at Skirling in 1838, Hanna removed permanently to
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 ...
, where in 1850 he was called to be assistant to
Thomas Guthrie
Thomas Guthrie FRSE (12 July 1803 – 24 February 1873) was a Scottish divine and philanthropist, born at Brechin in Angus (at that time also called Forfarshire). He was one of the most popular preachers of his day in Scotland, and was associa ...
, as minister of St. John's Free Church on Johnstone Terrace near
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. ...
. In 1852 he received an honorary doctorate of
LL.D.
Legum Doctor (Latin: “teacher of the laws”) (LL.D.) or, in English, Doctor of Laws, is a doctorate-level academic degree in law or an honorary degree, depending on the jurisdiction. The double “L” in the abbreviation refers to the early ...
from the University of Glasgow and in 1864 an honorary doctorate
D.D.
A Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DDiv; la, Doctor Divinitatis) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity.
In the United Kingdom, it is considered an advanced doctoral degree. At the University of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ra ...
from the University of Edinburgh. In 1855 he was living at 4 Castle Terrace facing Edinburgh Castle.
[Edinburgh Post Office Directory 1855]
During his time in Edinburgh he founded the Mission Church at the Pleasance.
[
In 1866 he retired from the active duties of the ministry, being replaced by Rev George Philip.][Ewing, William ''Annals of the Free Church'']
He died in London, 24 May 1882. He is buried in the Grange Cemetery
The Grange (originally St Giles' Grange) is an affluent suburb of Edinburgh, just south of the city centre, with Morningside and Greenhill to the west, Newington to the east, The Meadows park and Marchmont to the north, and Blackford Hil ...
in south Edinburgh in the plot of his father-in-law, Thomas Chalmers (against the north wall).
Works
On the death of Thomas Chalmers in 1847, Hanna was asked to write his biography, and arranged a temporary exchange so he could reside for a time in Edinburgh. The ''Life of Chalmers'' came out in four volumes (1849–52), to which was added a fifth, containing extracts of ''Correspondence''. Hanna also edited the ''Posthumous Works of Dr. Chalmers'', in nine volumes. In 1847 he was appointed editor of the ''North British Review
The ''North British Review'' was a Scottish periodical. It was founded in 1844 to act as the organ of the new Free Church of Scotland, the first editor being David Welsh. It was published until 1871; in the last few years of its existence it had a ...
'', but did not hold the post long.
Hanna published (among other books):
* ''Wycliffe and the Huguenots'', 1860 (originally two series of lectures at the Philosophical Institution, Edinburgh).
* ''Martyrs of the Scottish Reformation''.
* ''Last Day of our Lord's Passion'', 1862 (this volume reached a circulation of fifty thousand).
* ''The Forty Days after the Resurrection'', 1863.
* ''The Earlier Years of our Lord'', 1864.
* ''The Passion Week'', 1866.
* ''Our Lord's Ministry in Galilee'', 1868.
* ''The Close of our Lord's Ministry'', 1869.
* ''The Resurrection of the Dead'', 1872.
Hanna edited in 1858 a volume of ''Essays by Ministers of the Free Church of Scotland'', Charles Hodge
Charles Hodge (December 27, 1797 – June 19, 1878) was a Reformed Presbyterian theologian and principal of Princeton Theological Seminary between 1851 and 1878.
He was a leading exponent of the Princeton Theology, an orthodox Calvinist theol ...
's ''Idea of the Church'' in 1860, and in 1877 the ''Letters'' of Thomas Erskine of Linlathen. He circulated privately a memoir of Alexander Keith Johnston.
Hanna was also a contributor to the ''Sunday Magazine
A Sunday magazine is a publication inserted into a Sunday newspaper. It also has been known as a Sunday supplement, Sunday newspaper magazine or Sunday magazine section. Traditionally, the articles in these magazines cover a wide range of subject ...
'', ''Good Words
''Good Words'' was a 19th-century monthly periodical established in the United Kingdom in 1860 by the Scottish publisher Alexander Strahan. Its first editor was Norman Macleod. After his death in 1872, it was edited by his brother, Donald Macleod, ...
'', ''The Quiver
''The Quiver'' (18611956) was a weekly magazine published by Cassell's and was "designed for the defence and promotion of biblical truth and the advance of religion in the homes of the people."
History
John Cassell (18171865), the English publ ...
'' and other periodicals.
Family
While at East Kirkbride, Hanna married Anne Simson Chalmers (1813–1891), eldest daughter of Thomas Chalmers
Thomas Chalmers (17 March 178031 May 1847), was a Scottish minister, professor of theology, political economist, and a leader of both the Church of Scotland and of the Free Church of Scotland. He has been called "Scotland's greatest nine ...
.
They had a daughter, Matilda Grace Hanna (d. 1930), who married Alexander Watt Blackie.
Their son, Thomas Chalmers Hanna (1837–1910), was a chartered accountant.
Notes
;Attribution
*
References
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanna, William
1808 births
1882 deaths
19th-century Ministers of the Church of Scotland
19th-century Ministers of the Free Church of Scotland
Scottish Christian theologians
Scottish biographers
Alumni of the University of Edinburgh