Lauchlan MacLean Watt FRSE (24 October 1867 – 11 September 1957) was the minister of

Glasgow Cathedral Glasgow Cathedral ( gd, Cathair-eaglais Ghlaschu) is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in Glasgow, Scotland. It is the oldest cathedral in mainland Scotland and the oldest building in Glasgow. The cathedral was the seat of the Archbisho ...

from 1923–34, and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1933. He was a published poet and author, and a literary critic.

Life

Glasgow Cathedral from Glasgow Necropolis - geograph

Maclean Watt was born on 24 October 1867 at

Grantown-on-Spey Grantown-on-Spey ( gd, Baile nan Granndach) is a town in the Highland Council Area, historically within the county of Moray. It is located on a low plateau at Freuchie beside the river Spey at the northern edge of the Cairngorm mountains, about ...

, Morayshire, the only son of Margaret Gillanders MacLean from Skye, and her husband Andrew MacLean Watt. He studied for a general degree at

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 ...

graduating with an MA in 1894. He then went on to study divinity, graduating with a BD in 1897. He received his licence to preach in 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 Reformation of 1560, when it split from the Catholic Church ...

at the Presbytery of Dalkeith on 12 May 1896. He was ordained as minister of

Turriff Turriff () is a town and civil parish in Aberdeenshire in Scotland. It lies on the River Deveron, about above sea level, and has a population of 5,708. In everyday speech it is often referred to by its Scots name ''Turra'', which is derived f ...

in 1897. In 1901 he was translated to the joint parishes of

Alloa Alloa (Received Pronunciation ; educated Scottish pronunciation /ˈaloʊa/; gd, Alamhagh, possibly meaning "rock plain") is a town in Clackmannanshire in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It is on the north bank of the Forth at the spot wher ...

and

Tullibody Tullibody ( gd, Tulach Bòide), is a town set in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies north of the River Forth near to the foot of the Ochil Hills within the Forth Valley. The town is south-west of Alva, north-west of Alloa and east-n ...

. In 1911 he moved to the prestigious

St Stephen's Church, Edinburgh Saint Stephen's Church is located in the New Town of Edinburgh, Scotland, at the bottom of Saint Vincent Street. It was built in 1827–1828, to a design by architect William Henry Playfair (1789–1857). The first minister of the church was ...

. Soon after arrival he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Rev Thomas Burns, Norman Macleod,

George Chrystal George Chrystal FRSE FRS (8 March 1851 – 3 November 1911) was a Scottish mathematician. He is primarily know for his books on algebra and his studies of seiches (wave patterns in large inland bodies of water) which earned him a Gold Meda ...

and

Arthur Pillans Laurie Prof Arthur Pillans Laurie FRSE LLD (1861 – 1949) was a Scottish chemist who pioneered the scientific analysis of paintings, especially by Rembrandt. He also was a fascist symapthiser who opposed the Second World War. Early life Laurie wa ...

. In 1907 he accompanied the King of Denmark to

Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...

as a correspondent for ''The Times'', ''The Scotsman'' and ''The Manchester Guardian''. During the

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

he was a chaplain with the

Gordon Highlanders Gordon may refer to: People * Gordon (given name), a masculine given name, including list of persons and fictional characters * Gordon (surname), the surname * Gordon (slave), escaped to a Union Army camp during the U.S. Civil War * Clan Gord ...

in the 7th Division. He was sent by the Government as Commissioner to the US and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

in 1918 to clarify UK war aims. In 1920 the University of Edinburgh awarded him the honorary doctorate DD. In 1923 he moved to High Kirk of

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 ...

, better known as

(1923–34). He was Turnbull Trust preacher at The Scots' Church in Melbourne in 1932. 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 , ...

awarded him an honorary doctorate (LLD) in 1933 for his publications. In 1933 he was elected

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 ...

of the

, in succession to Very Rev Hugh ross Mackintosh, the highest position in his church. On completion of this duty in the summer of 1934 he retired aged 67. He was succeeded as Moderator by Rev

Peter Donald Thomson Peter Donald Thomson (1872–1955) was a Scottish minister who served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1934. Life He was born in Glasgow. He was educated at Hermitage Academy in Helensburgh. He studied divinit ...

. He died at

Lochcarron Lochcarron ( gd, Loch Carrann) is a village, community and civil parish in the Wester Ross area of Highland, Scotland. It has a population of 923. Locality The name Lochcarron is also applied to the collection of small settlements strung out al ...

on 11 September 1957 and is buried in the Lochcarron Burial Ground at the east end of the Lochcarron Old Parish Church.

Publications

He was a prolific author in prose and verse, on folk-lore, history and antiquities, especially Celtic and Gaelic as well as aspects of religion, literature and the life of a soldier, and gave the Warrack Lectures and McNeil-Frazer Lectures on preaching in 1930. A number of his poems and books are war-related. *''I Bind My Heart this Tide'' (hymn - 1907) *''The Tryst: A Book of the Soul'' (1907) *''Scottish Life and Poetry'' (1912) *''In the Land of War'' (1915) *''The Soldier's Friend'' (1916) *''The Heart of a Soldier'' (1918) *''The

'' (1918) *''While the Candle Burns'' (1933) *''Scottish Ballads and Ballad Writing'' *''The Cameron Highlanders'' *''The Hills of Home'' (this appears to be the basis of the song " A Scottish Soldier") *''The Book of the Beloved'' *''The Advocate's Wig'' *''Edragil 1745'' *''By Still Waters'' *''

Thomas Carlyle Thomas Carlyle (4 December 17955 February 1881) was a Scottish essayist, historian and philosopher. A leading writer of the Victorian era, he exerted a profound influence on 19th-century art, literature and philosophy. Born in Ecclefechan, Dum ...

'' *''The Preacher's Life and Work'' *''Douglas's Aeneid''

Family

In June 1897 he married Jenny (or Jeannie) Hall Reid. They had one son, Hector MacLean Watt (b.1900).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watt, Lauchlan MacLean 1867 births 1957 deaths 20th-century Ministers of the Church of Scotland Moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland Scottish poets Scottish literary critics Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Ministers of Glasgow Cathedral 19th-century Ministers of the Church of Scotland