Free church
Early in 1845 Chalmers sent him to preach at the Free church, Dunblane and was later ordained in August of that year. Overwork soon brought on an alarming attack in the right lung, and he was advised to spend the winter in Madeira. He was appointed to the congregation at Funchal under the Free church colonial mission, and landed on 21 September 1847. His diary of this period, though chiefly occupied with devotional and theological matter, gives interesting glimpses of a poetic nature. He left Madeira on 27 May 1848 and arrived at Broadstairs on 11 June 1848. Under medical advice he was induced to return, with a view to take permanent charge of the presbyterian congregation at Funchal. Set free from Dunblane on 4 October, he sailed again on 6 October and arrived back in Madeira. In the summer of 1853 he left Madeira considerably improved in health. After preaching at Brighton and Saint Helier, he settled on 22 May 1855 with the newly formed presbyterian congregation in Well Walk, Hampstead. He married, in the autumn of 1859, Margaret, daughter of Major-general John Macdonald, of the Bengal service, and widow of Lieutenant A. Procter, of the same.