Alexander R. MacEwen (1851–1916) was a Scottish writer, minister, professor and Moderator of the

United Free Church of Scotland The United Free Church of Scotland (UF Church; , ) is a Scottish Presbyterian denomination formed in 1900 by the union of the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland (or UP) and the Free Church of Scotland (1843–1900), majority of the 19th-cen ...

Life

He was born on 14 May 1856 at

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

and was the son of Rev. Alexander MacEwen D.D., and Elisa Robertson. His childhood was spent in

Helensburgh Helensburgh ( ; ) is a town on the north side of the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, situated at the mouth of the Gareloch. Historically in Dunbartonshire, it became part of Argyll and Bute following local government reorganisation in 1996. Histo ...

(1851–56) and he was then educated at Glasgow Academy (1856–66). He graduated M.A. at

University of Glasgow The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the List of oldest universities in continuous ...

in 1870, and was subsequently awarded B.D. (1879), and D.D. (1892). He attended

Balliol College, Oxford Balliol College () is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. Founded in 1263 by nobleman John I de Balliol, it has a claim to be the oldest college in Oxford and the English-speaking world. With a governing body of a master and aro ...

(1870–74) and graduated M.A. in 1874. He spent a summer semester at

University of Göttingen The University of Göttingen, officially the Georg August University of Göttingen (, commonly referred to as Georgia Augusta), is a Public university, public research university in the city of Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1734 ...

in 1877 and attended U.P. College, Edinburgh (1877–80). On 29 January 1885, he married Margaret Jane Begg of

Moffat Moffat is a burgh and parish in Dumfriesshire. Part of the Dumfries and Galloway local authority area in Scotland, it lies on the River Annan, with a population of around 2,500. It was a centre of the wool trade and a spa town. Moffat is arou ...

, and they had two sons. He travelled widely and visited Greece in 1883 and journeyed through Sinai and Palestine in 1892, writing many letters home about his experiences. He died in Edinburgh on 26 November 1916 and was buried with his wife, Margaret Jane Begg (d.1929), on the eastern corner of the south-west section of

Dean Cemetery The Dean Cemetery is a historically important Victorian cemetery north of the Dean Village, west of Edinburgh city centre, in Scotland. It lies between Queensferry Road and the Water of Leith, bounded on its east side by Dean Path and o ...

. The grave is marked by a simple stone cross.

Career

* 1875-7 – Assistant to George Gilbert Ramsay (1863–1906), Professor of Humanity at

Glasgow University The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in post-nominals; ) is a public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ...

; * 1879 – Student missionary at

United Presbyterian Church of Scotland The United Presbyterian Church (1847–1900) was a Scottish Presbyterian denomination. It was formed in 1847 by the union of the United Secession Church and the Relief Church, and in 1900 merged with the Free Church of Scotland to form the U ...

at Colson Street, Leith Walk, Edinburgh; * May 1880 – Licensed by U.P. Presbytery of Glasgow; * Dec 1880 – Ordinated and inducted at

U.P. Church; * 1881-4 – Classical Examiner for Degrees at

; * Sep 1886 – Transferred to Glasgow Anderston U.P. Church; * Oct 1889 – Transferred to Glasgow Claremount U.P. Church; * May 1901 – Professor of

Church history Church history or ecclesiastical history as an academic discipline studies the history of Christianity and the way the Christian Church has developed since its inception. Henry Melvill Gwatkin defined church history as "the spiritual side of t ...

, New College, University of Edinburgh; * Deputy Professor of Greek; * Assistant Professor of Latin; * 1912 – Lecturer in

, Westminster College, Vancouver, Canada; * 1915 – Moderator of the

General Assembly A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company. Specific examples of general assembly include: Churches * General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presby ...

of the

Official appointments

* Chairman of

School Board; * Member of Glasgow School Board; * Governor of Hutcheson's Schools; * Secretary of Christian Unity Association; * President of Scottish History Society; * director of other trusts and societies; educational, charitable, and religious

Publications

Classical

* ''The Origin and Growth of the Roman Satiric Poetry''. rnold Prize Oxford: T. Shrimpton and Son, 1877. * ''

St Jerome Jerome (; ; ; – 30 September 420), also known as Jerome of Stridon, was an early Christian priest, confessor, theologian, translator, and historian; he is commonly known as Saint Jerome. He is best known for his translation of the Bible i ...

'', 1878; * ''The

Eastern Church Eastern Christianity comprises Christian traditions and church families that originally developed during classical and late antiquity in the Eastern Mediterranean region or locations further east, south or north. The term does not describe a ...

in Greece'', 1890; * ''A History of the Church in Scotland.'' Vols. I, II. London:

Hodder & Stoughton Hodder & Stoughton is a British publishing house, now an imprint of Hachette.H ...

, 1913–1918.

Biographies

* ''Sermons'' by Alexander MacEwen D.D., (1822–1874); edited by his son, with a memoir. Glasgow: James MacLehose, 1877. * ''Life and letters of John Cairns, D.D., LL.D.'' London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1895. * ''The Erskines.'' ( Ebenezer Erskine and Ralph Erskine). Edinburgh: Oliphant, Anderson and Ferrier, 1900, ( "Famous Scots Series") * '' Antoinette Bourignon, Quietist''. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1910.

Sermons and lectures

* ''The dangers of professional training'': an address given to the Glasgow branch of the Educational Institute of Scotland on 16 November 1889. Glasgow : Robert Maclehose, 1889. * ''The distress of nations'' : a sermon preached in Claremont Church, 17 January 1892, on the occasion of the death of H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence and Avondale. Glasgow : James MacLehose & Sons, 1892. * A'' sermon on the death of the Right Hon. W.E. Gladstone'': preached in Claremont Church on 22 May 1898. Glasgow : James MacLehose and Sons, 1898. * ''A sermon on union with the Free Church'': preached in Claremont Church on 25 September 1898. Glasgow: James MacLehose and Sons, 1899. * ''The Province of Church History'': introductory lecture delivered on 16 October 1901. Edinburgh: Macniven & Wallace, 1901.These published lectures are listed i
Glasgow University library catalogue
* various articles and reviews

Sources

* ''The

Fasti In ancient Rome, the ''fasti'' (Latin plural) were chronological or calendar-based lists, or other diachronic records or plans of official and religiously sanctioned events. After Rome's decline, the word ''fasti'' continued to be used for simi ...

of the

, 1900–1929''. Edited by the Rev. John Alexander Lamb. Edinburgh and London: Oliver & Boyd, 1956. p. 579. * Who Was Who, A & C Black, 1920–2008; online edn,

Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...

, Dec 200
MacEwen, Dr Alexander R., (1851–26 Nov. 1916), Moderator, General Assembly, United Free Church, 1915; Professor of Church History, New College, Edinburgh, since 1901
* ''A roll of the graduates of the

, from 1727 to 1897'' : with short biographical notes / compiled by W. Innes Addison. Glasgow : MacLehose, 189
University of Glasgow :: Story :: Biography of Alexander Robertson MacEwen

Dean 2g Cemetery, Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland indexed by Gravestone Photographic Resource Project
* David Smith Cairns (1862–1946),''Life and times of Alexander Robertson MacEwen, D.D''., Professor of Church History, New College, Edinburgh. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1925. *

Library catalogue
University of Glasgow - MyGlasgow - Library - Specific search - Quicksearch

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:MacEwen, Alexander 1856 births 1916 deaths Clergy from Edinburgh Scottish biographers 19th-century Scottish historians Academics from Edinburgh Burials at the Dean Cemetery People educated at the Glasgow Academy Alumni of the University of Glasgow Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford 20th-century Scottish historians Historians of Christianity Academics of the University of Edinburgh Scottish classical scholars Academics of the University of Glasgow Scottish religious writers British historians of religion Writers from Edinburgh Ministers of the United Presbyterian Church (Scotland)