William Paton Mackay (13 May 1839 – 22 August 1885) was a Scottish doctor, Presbyterian minister and hymn writer.

Biography

Mackay was born in

Montrose, Angus Montrose ( , gd, Monadh Rois) is a town and former royal burgh in Angus, Scotland. Situated north of Dundee and south of Aberdeen, Montrose lies between the mouths of the North and South Esk rivers. It is the northernmost coastal town in Angus ...

, Scotland, on 13 May 1839. He was educated 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 15 ...

, where he graduated as MA, MB and CM before going on to gain his MD in 1870 with a thesis on leprosy. He worked as a doctor for a number of years before deciding to become a minister. He testified that the reason behind his conversion was the discovery of his own Bible in the possession of a dying patient he was attending. This Bible had been given to him by his mother when he left home aged 17, but he had sold it to help make ends meet. He became minister of Prospect Street Presbyterian Church, Hull, in 1868 just two years after the church was built. He married Mary Loughton Livingstone in the same year. During his time as a minister he also wrote a number of hymns, one of the best known of which is "We praise Thee, O God, for the Son of Thy love" He died on 22 August 1885 in Portree, Scotland, as the result of an accident. He fell from the pier while boarding a ferry, striking his head and spending some time in the water before being rescued. He regained consciousness, but died later in a local hotel.

Hymns (selection)

* We praise Thee, O God, for the Son of Thy love (Aka "Revive Us Again") * Accepted in Christ, who has stood in our place * Be strong in Jehovah, though hard be the fight * Rejoice and be glad, the Redeemer has come

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mackay, William Paton 1839 births 1885 deaths Presbyterian ministers Hymnwriters 19th-century Scottish medical doctors 19th-century Presbyterians Alumni of the University of Edinburgh