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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 65
III.—Last Period
III.—Last Period.
1. Rev. John Ferguson, First Church, Invercargill.
I am very glad to know that you intend to offer yourself for the Chair of Mental Science in the Otago University. When I heard that the vacancy was probable, I at once thought of you as the man most likely and most fit. All your students within reach will he ready enough to testify to your qualifications as a teacher. I was in both your classes, and during my entire course in Edinburgh you took a very kindly interest in me. I am able to say that you are an effective teacher. You could invest the driest subject with interest; your statements on matters speculative, historical, or dogmatical, were as a rule, clear, comprehensive and weighty-well worth remembering, and from the way they were put likely to be remembered. It was, I think, the general opinion of your students that you excelled in speculative discussion. You always tried to make them see into things, and if you did not always succeed the fault was not yours.
I do hope you will be nominated for the Chair. You have my warmest support.
2. Rev. James H. Mackenzie, Wallacetown.
I understand that the Rev. James Macgregor, D.D., Osmaru, is a candidate for the vacant Chair of Mental Science and Moral Philosophy in the Otago University. It was ray good fortune to study under Dr. Macgregor during the usual course in the New College, Edinburgh, and I deem it a pleasure to state the Dr. Macgregor is an able and effective teacher and specially so when occupying a Professor's chair, hie critical power which Dr. Macgregor brought to bear on every subject discoursed on before his class was universally confessed, and his success in interesting the students in the questions discussed was equally acknowledged.
Dr. Macgregor's distinguished career in Mental Philosophy is well known.
3. Rev. Andrew Mackay, Gore.
It was with very great pleasure I learnt of your intention to offer yourself as a candidate for the Chair of Mental Philosophy in the Dunedin University. Now you must pardon me if what I am to say seems flattery; while I must assure you that that is an offence of which I am innocent.
During the four years of my Theological studies you were Professor of Divinity in the Edinburgh College, and in due I tine I came into your classes. As you are aware, in one year we hill men from Ireland, Scotland, America, New Zealand, and the Continent of Europe. With a great number of these I become personally acquainted Naturally, amongst other things discussed, we talked of our Professors, and not a man to whom I spoke of the effects of teaching to which they were subjected, but acknowledged the strong obligations under which you had placed them by the instruction you imparted.
For myself, I have only to add that by your kindness to me when—as a student—I lay at the point of death at Leith, and the lectures I had the pleasure of listening to from you, together with your uniform kindness since then, you have laid me under a debt of gratitude which I am unable to pay.
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Since I left College, and during my ministry in Scotland many opportunities have been taken by me of talking over College days with many of my old fellow students, as well as with others who sat at your feet before me, and every one of them expressed themselves strongly on what was then deemed "The loss of Professor Macgregor"; but what was the Free Church students' loss has been New Zealand's gain. And my earnest hope is that whatever good you may have done as a minister the Synod will put it in your power to do a greater by placing you where you ought to be, in the Chair of Mental Science in the University of Dunedin.
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Printed at the "North Otago Times" Office, Thames Street, Oamaru.