PRINCIPAL RAINY. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. Auckland, September 5.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 402, 14 September 1889, Page 6

PRINCIPAL RAINY. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. Auckland, September 5.

AN" eminent Presbyterian divine, in the person of the Rev. Dr. Rainy, Principal of - the Free Church College, Edinburgh, ' as- • ri^ed at Oriehunga f rbtn Wellington hf the . • J s.s. Wanakd this morning. ' He' was received by a number of Presbyterian ministers.who welcomed him to this part of the colony. Principal Rainy was then .driven to the residence ot Mrs A.' Clark,' where he will stay during his sojourn'in Auckland. This evening *a special meeting of the Presbytery will be held for the purpose of welcoming Principal 1 Rainy, and at 7.30 o'clock", a conversazione will take place in the* ? Choral Hall, when Dr. Rainy' will be introduced to the Presbyterian's of this city. Principal Rainy has been for many years one of the most prominent figures in Scottish ecclesiastical life. He is one of the three delegates from the Home Presbyterian Churches who have been selected to take part in the Jubilee celebration, of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria, to be held in the course of a few weeks. The Principal has visited" Victoria, Tasmania and New Zealand. He is the son of Dr. Harry Rainy, who was for many years Professor of Medical Jurisprudence in the University of Glasgow. He is about 64 or 65 years of age. After attending classes at the University of Edinburghandatudying theology under the distinguished Dr. Chalmers, who in the year 1843 headed, the great Secession from the Church of ' Scotland, he received license as a preacher in the newly - formed Free Church, and was in the year 1850 ordained to a church in Huntly, Aberdeenshjre. Huntly is a parish in the Presbytory. of Strath bogie, famed in Scottish ecclesiastical annals of half a century ago as' a' considerable factor in the '" Ten 1 Years' Conflict," which culminated in 1843, and , called the Free Church of Scotland into existence. After remaining in. ■ ttiis rural district for four or five years, he/ became minister of the Frde High Church, -, Edinburgh ; a somewhat r,apid promotion ,for so young a man, but one whicli was abundantly justified by the success of Mr* Rainy's subsequent career. Among the eminent clergymen who have ministered in the Free High Church may be mentioned the names of the late Dr. William Arnob and the- present Dr. Walter C. Smith, author of " Olrig Grpiig,*,*" and other poems, and one of "the most cultured and broad-minded men w,fcony the. Free Church numbers 5 among its clergy: Still farther promotion awaited Mr Rainy ; for in the year 1862 he was elected f to the .professorship of Church History in wtiat is called the "New Cpllege:" On the death of Principal Candlish, one" of,, the mpsb vigorous thinkers and ablesVdeba£erj3 of x the ante- disruption period, and one of ihe most honoured leaders of the Free Church, Dr. Rainy was elected as hhf successor, 'and' has retained this distinguished office ever since. During all these years he has carried on his work as Professor of Church History,, . and has proved of eminent service -in educating young men for the, ministry. . There are many Presbyterian ministers, not only in Scotland, but scattered over all the rolonies, who were students of Professor Rainy, and who can now look back to the pleasure and profit they derived from his interesting and instructive ' leg-, tures. While not a disinterested observer of recent speculations in the realm of theology, as is evidenced by his volumes oa "The Bible and Criticism,'.', and "The Delivery and Development of Chiistian Doctrine," his public reputation rests, rather on his skill as a clear, logical, and able debater, and his acknowledged position as leader of the General Assembly on all gieat questions. In the negotiations which were begun a goodmany years ago forunion between the Free and U.P. Churches in Scotland, but which ended in nothing but what was called the Mu,tual Eligibility Act — by which vacant congregations of the oneCh,urch were at liberty to " call " ministers of the other — Dr. Rainy took a leading part. In the movement for the disestablishment of the Church of Scotland ho has also been a prominent figure; and, although in each General Assembly in which, the matter has been discussed, a powerful, minority voted against him, he had alwaygv the satisfaction of carrying his motion by ah,overwhelming majority. Last t year the' numerous and important services which he has rendered to the Free Church received substantial recognition, for the laity of that church presented him with £5,000., • In 1887 he was raised to the . Moderator/s Chair of the Frjee Church Assembly, s tha highest di.stinctipri wkich the' Church ;C,a;n. bestow. Principal Rainy has'a calm, \6gi\ cal, judicial mind. He never was; 'and never claimed to be, an orator or ( a popular preacher. In connection with this f Y(& may quote a story which, the Principal, lecently told to a Tasmanian audience. He. said (so the "Tasmanian Mail I " reports,), " That all this about his being the greatest 1 man in the Free Church was so much; nonsense. There were dozens of men in: the' Free Church greater than he was. ; , TMy, used to have a minister and professor in s Edinburgh, who, whether he w.&s 'a learned man or not, was certainly ( heavy^ On ' one occasion, a stranger 'came to his church, and was 1 not altogether editied with his preaching. 'Who' is he, that 'man V he asked, as he went out of {She chqrch.and remarked, *A' didna think muqkle qVh'rin.' ' Oh,' was the reply, ' that's the r <man that maks the ministers. 1 *Is ( ,he?' he rejoined. ' Weel, am thinfein' he'll, ;be an honest' kin' q a man,, for ,/he maks better preachers o1o 1 them/than, he is himself.* jNowi ho, (Dr. Itainy) was a professor, and could' v claim a right to be heard, though he'^ was not a great preacher himself so far as he had made many, ministers \' who were t ' much better ministers' than heywas." 'Notwithstanding ehis modest ' disclaimer^thereiB no man in the Free CJ^rcb at the present " time' jw-ho is held in,Hi'gh'er esteem 1 or wields greater, influence tban v Dr. Rainy. 'He is not credited with having much i ;sym path y.wit'h what are i called , ** .'advanced r view's ;" but 'he' is regarded v as a safe 'and s ' 'fair-minded guide iri all judicial que'scibns which 1 arise from, time to, time, \ •