James Struthers (1770–1807) was a late 18th century Scottish minister renowned for his orations during the

Scottish Enlightenment The Scottish Enlightenment ( sco, Scots Enlichtenment, gd, Soillseachadh na h-Alba) was the period in 18th- and early-19th-century Scotland characterised by an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. By the eighteenth century ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

Life

He was born at

Glassford Glassford (; locally known as ''The Glesart'' ) is a small village located south of Hamilton, and north-east of Strathaven, in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It has a population of roughly 500–600 people. Features include the 19th-century Pa ...

Lanarkshire Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark ( gd, Siorrachd Lannraig; sco, Lanrikshire), is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the central Lowlands of Scotland. Lanarkshire is the most populous county in Scot ...

on 31 October 1770. He studied at

Glasgow University , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

. He was licensed to preach around 1788. In the summer of 1791, aged 20, he was ordained as minister of the Relief Church on College Street in Edinburgh (just south of Old College) in place of Rev James Baine. In October 1793 he preached against the immorality of Rev David Gellatly of Haddington. In 1805 he is listed as an Extraordinary Director of the Beneficent Society of Edinburgh alongside George Baird (Principal of

Edinburgh University The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI i ...

) and

Adam Rolland Adam Rolland of Gas