Doctor Guthrie.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4413, 24 February 1883, Page 2

Doctor Guthrie.

The Rev. 0. E. Barley delivered a lecturo on this famous Scotch preacher at the Primitive Methodist Church oh Thursday evening. The attendance was rather sparse, but the lecture waa attentively listened to throughout. Dr Guthrie was born at Buchin, a small town in Forfarshire, in 1803. He was the youngest but one of a family of thirteen, and inherited his marked decision of character from his grandmother. He went to the Edinburgh University at the age of 12, and was there over 10 years. In 1825 he Was licensed to preach by the Buchin Presbytery, and fourlnouths afterwards was offered one of the best livings in Scotland, on condition that he would support the moderate, party in the Church. This he declined to do, and .'went to Paris and studied for five months, after which he" took the post of banker, in the plaoe of one of his brothers, for two years. In 1829 he was uominated to the parish of

Arbirlot, and in the following year was ordained the minister, and inducted to the living. Six months after taking charge he wasi married. He succeeded a man who had grown old and feeble in the work, but by his talent and earnestness at his post he very soon became a great favorite with the people. Dr Guthrie stayed seven years at Arbirlot, and everything was under his management. In 1837 he was elected to take charge of the Old Grey Friar parish of Edinburgh, though it was with great reluctance that he left Arbirlot He soon became one of the* most popular preachers of the city, and' took a'great interest in Dr Chalmers' Church extension principle. He labored hard among the poorer classes, and instituted a soup kitchen, though he had some difficulty in keeping; up the subscriptions. His new churoh, called St. Johns', was opened in 1840, the bottom end being reserved free for the poor of the parish. The lecturer then sketched the circumstances which led to the establishment of the Free Church, graphically describing the sufferings and privations of those who had given up their livings for the Gospel's sake, and the struggles of people and Ministers to get new Churches and manses built. Guthrie's noble work among the street arabs of Edinburgh was also re-^ lated. In 1847 his health began to fail, but from then to '64 he was able to take a portion of the services in his Church.i From then to 1872 he wrote for the Sun-' day Magazine, but he grew rapidly worse, and on the 24th of February breathed his last-, and was interred in Edinburgh on the 28th.