John Macdonald (Apostle of the North)

The Rev Dr John Macdonald DD (1779–1849) was a Scottish minister known in Scotland as the Apostle of the North. He is also remembered for his visits and descriptions of life on St Kilda.

The Rev John MacDonald of the Gaelic Chapel as portrayed by John Kay

Life

He was born at Balnabein near Reay on the extreme north-most coast of Scotland on 12 November 1779. His father was a weaver and catechist.

He was educated at Reay parish school (a church school) then studied Divinity and Mathematics at King's College, Aberdeen. He is said to have been the best mathematician in Scotland. He was licensed to preach by the Presbytery Church of Scotland in Caithness in 1805.[1]

He began working as an assistant minister at Kingussie then did mission work at Berriedale.

In January 1807 he went to the Gaelic Chapel on Castle Wynd in Edinburgh to replace Rev McLachlan. During his time in Edinburgh he lived at Ramsay Gardens close to the chapel.[2]

In July 1813, at the wishes of Duncan Forbes of Culloden, he was translated to Urquhart. In 1818 he was discussed by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland regarding his apparent unwanted preaching in the neighbouring parishes of Aberlour and Strathbogie. This case attracted much public interest.[3]

In 1822 he made a mission voyage to the island of St Kilda, seeking to address its absence of church and minister. He spent two weeks on the island together with his friend Mr McLellan. He made a very detailed account of the inhabitants and the island.[3] He made three further visits to the island, 1825, 1827 and 1830, making a detailed journal of each visit.[4]

In 1842 the University of New York awarded him an honorary doctorate.

At the Disruption of 1843 he left the Church of Scotland to join the Free Church of Scotland. He preached the very first Free Church sermon at Tanfield Hall in Edinburgh. His charge at Urquhart changed slightly and he served the new Free Church in nearby Ferintosh.[5]

In the General Assembly of the Free Church in 1845 Macdonald served as Gaelic Moderator in Inverness with Patrick MacFarlan as lowland Moderator (the more critical role).[6]

He died on 16 April 1849.

Family

He married twice: in 1806 Georgina Ross (d.1814) daughter of Simon Ross of Gledfield; and in 1818 Janet (Jessie) MacKenzie (d.1868) daughter of Kenneth MacKenzie of Millbank.

By his first marriage his first son John Macdonald (b.1807) became a Church of Scotland missionary in India. Simon (d.1808) died abroad. Margaret (b.1810) married Rev Duncan Campbell of Kiltearn. He had several children by his second mariage.

Publications
  • The Righteousness of God (1825)
  • Journal of a Visit to St Kilda (four visits:1822, 1825, 1827 and 1830)
  • Elegies on Eminent Ministers of the Church in Gaelic (1848)

Artistic recognition

He was portrayed around 1810 by the Edinburgh artist John Kay.

References
  1. Scott, Hew; Macdonald, D. F. (Donald Farquhar); Macdonald, Finlay A. J. (February 25, 1915). "Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae : the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation". Edinburgh : Oliver and Boyd – via Internet Archive.
  2. Edinburgh Post Office Directory 1810
  3. "CCLXXXI. Rev. John McDonald of the Gaelic Chapel, Castle Wynd, Edinburgh - Kay's Originals Vol. 2 by John Kay". www.edinburghbookshelf.org.uk.
  4. The Apostle of the North: The Life and Labours of Rev John Macdonald by Rev J Kennedy
  5. Ewing's Annals of the Free Church
  6. Brown;s Annals of the Free Church
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