Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-11-06
Rev. Robert Smith Clandlish, u. d.

A dispatch from Ediuburg, Scotland,
announces the death of Rev. DR.. Gland
lish, the emminent Scottish divine, at
midnight on Sunday. He was born
about the beginning of the present
century, and after the tardy processes
by which ministers of tie Established
Church of Scotland attain to a
"charge,' he was settled in parish of
the Presbytery of Kelso. In 1894 he
was ordained to the pastorate of St.
Georges Church, Euinburg, perhaps
the wealthicst and most influential con-
gregation in Scotland. In 1889 he took
part in the General Assembly, and by
his remarkable talents in debate was
recognized as among the ablest Of the
Evangelical leaders. Hugh Miller, in
a series of sketches of the noted mem.
bers of the General Assembly of the
Church of Scotland of 1941, describes
DIR. Clandlish as ga man fitted for
every walk of literature, whether power
OF eloquence or intellect, just taste or
nice discrimination be the qualities re-
quircd. He has risen to address the
Assembly, and general hush runs
along the galleries like that which
greeted the speaker (Dr. Chalmers)
previously described. The voice was
clear and we'll modulated, the action
simple. The arm was stretched out on
an angle raised very little above the
horizontal, but as the speaker warns
the angle rises. Mark first the wonder.
full flow of language. OF all the men,
bers of the Assembly, that member
has, perhaps, the readiest command of
English, and his spoken style the most
nearly approaches written one."
But the controversy on the subject
of reform in he Established Church
becoming warm, DR.. Clandlish espous.
ed the popular cause in the church
with great ardor, and soon stood Prom
inently forth as q leader in the 'sNop-
Intrusion party. The disruption
which sprung from the action Of the
General Assembly is passing the men,
orable Veto act, known as "The Ten
Years Conflict" came in 1843, and
with it division in congregations, ana
even in families. The seceders walked
unhesitatingly out of the churches of
the Establishment" led, in many in
stances, by their pastors, and took up
on their shoulders the burden of build
ing new churches and maintaining an
independent ministry therein. It is
not supposable that DR.. Clandlish
could leave the established St. Georges
without taking a large constituency
from its congregation, and Us early as
May, lS43, he preached his first ser
mon as Free Church minister in the
Free st. Georges, new brick edifice
hurriedly erected for him on the Castle
terrace, with nearly the whole of the
old St. Georges congregation as his
audience. In this temporary structure
he preached eighteen months, until
more suitable place was conn pleted in
the Lothian road. This building had
in time to yield to the progress OF i'm.
provement, and was removed to make
room for the Caledonian Railway Com
pany's new station, and in 1869 the con
gregation of Free St. Georges complet-
ell an edifice in Shandwick place, ut a
cost, including the site, of $3.50, 600.
DIR. Clandlish's prominence in the
Free Church, in the organization of
which he took part, was second only
to that of DR.. Chalmers. He was also
an earnest promoter of all the great re-
ligious movements OF the day, and was
an active agent in establishing the
Evangelical Alliance. He was charged
with presenting and explaining the re-
port of the Committee on the Basis of
Union to the conference at Liverpool.
in 1845; and in Birmingham, in 1916,
he offered resolution that no invita-.
tion to join the Alliance he extended to
those who "hoil their fellowmen as
slaves" He used his influence and
eloquence at later period to promote
union between the Free Church and the
other non-established Presbyterian
Churches in Scotland. In 1861 he was
appointed Moderator of the Free
Church Assembly. Between DR..
Chalmers and DR.. Clandlish the most
cordial relations existed, and at a meet
ing of the Free Church General Assem-
bly, in 1916 the former said, pointing to
DR.. Clandllsh: "There goes very
mana very great and good
man-Scotland could not do without
him." On the death of DR.. Chalmers
in 1S47 the Office of Principal of the
New College in Glasgow became vacant,
and to this Office DR.. Cunningham was
and DIR. Clandlsh was chosen
to fill the chair of Divinity. He, how
ever, reeigned the professorship before
fairly entering upon the duties, and
continued to administer to his charge
in Edinburgh. DIR. Clandlish was the
author of an Exposition of the Book of
Genesis, works ON The eAtonement, and
the Resurrection, Life in Risen
Savior, Scripture Characters, and ali
Examination of Mr.. Maurice's Theo.