The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-05-12
A PASTOR OVER 400 YEARS
OLD

The Rev. DR.. Ingram, "father' Of
the Free Church of Scotland and
pastor of the Free Church congre-
CATION at INST, Shetland, entered
last Monday on his 101st year, and
the 74th of his ministry. The event
was celebrated by a soiree, at which
a large number of representatives
from all denominations in Scotland
were present, and the venerable
clergyman was presented with a
considerable sum OF money. He
was born in the parish of Logic
Collision, in Aberdeenshire, on the
Sd of April, 1776. His father lived
to the age of 100, and his grand
father to the age of105. Beth &C.
cupied a house in Daugh, in the par
ish just mentioned. He became a
student of Kings College when 10
years of age, having gained the
highes competition bursary given
at the time. In 1895 he entered the
Divinity Hail at Aberdeen, and in
1900 was licensed as q preacher of
the Established Church of Scotland
by the Presbytery of Shetland. He
afterward assisted the Rev. James
Gordon, minister of Fetlar and
North Yell. In 1903, on Mr.. Cor
don's death, at the unanimous re-
quest of the congregation, he was
presented to the vacant living by
Lord Dundas, aud in the same year
be married the daughter of james
Barclay, minister of INST, and sis
ter of DIR. Archibald Barclay, late
secretary to the HudsOn's Bay Com
pany, aud of DIR. Thomas Barclay,
the late principal of the University
of Glasgow. In discharge of his
clerical duties he crossed q stormy
tideway of six miles to preach in
Yell on alternate Sundays until
1921, when Lord Dundas presented
him with another charge-thNt of
the parish of INST, which had be-
come vacant. In 1888 his son, who
had been educated at the University
of Edinburgh, and had been licens-
ed as a preacher of the Established
Church, was, by the presentation of
Lord Zetland and the cordial con-
currence of the congregation, set
tied as his assistant and successor.
Both father and son took q warm
interest in the struggle that termin-
ated ia the disruption of the Scotch
Church in 1913; and. though firmly
attached to the principles of an es-
Enlistment, they left the church,
taking with them g large majority
of their Pensioners. Considers
BILE inconvenience was for some
time experienced from the want of
q place of worship, and divine SER
vice was conducted and the Sunday
school held in the open air until a
tent was erected over 8 small gar
den, which served as q church dur
ing the summer months. In the
meantime, though the liberality of
of the Countess of Bingham, to
whom DR.. Chalmers had mention
ed the circumstances, two churches
were erected one of them had been
rooted in, and was in q state for
shellering the congregation, when
a gale of wind tore the tent to
pieces. For many years the father
and son preached alternately at the
two churches, which are six miles
apart, until DIR. Ingram, from de-
caying strength, was obliged to con.
fine himself 10 the church close to
his dwelling house. At the age Of
60 DIR. Ingram set himself to the
study of. Hebrew, which was moi
taught at Aberdeen in his college
days, and he so far mastered the
language as to be able to read with
ease any passage in the Bible. Muct
later in life be acquired q respecta
BILE knowledge of German. In I86.
he received the degree of d. d
from the University of Glasgow
Until about four years ago he wa
able to preach occasionally. Since
then, through physical infrmity
and failing memory and sight, ht
has felt himself unfit for publ,
duty. His voice, however, remains
strong and firm, and his genera
health is excellent. He has
wonderfully distinct remembrance
i of the scenes and circumstances o
his early days, and even now he i