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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 65

4.—A Fellow Member of Synod

4.—A Fellow Member of Synod.

"I have known Mr. MacGregor from the time he attended the University of Edinburgh, and can speak as an eye-witness of his career, both at the University and the Divinity Hall. He was, throughout his entire academical course, a most diligent and successful student. While occupying a high position in all his classes, he took a foremost place in Logic and Moral Philosophy. In the debating society connected with the College he had no superior; and in every discussion in which he took part he displayed great vigour and page 6 acuteness of mind, as well as a wide range of information The reputation which he earned at College was increased during his attendance at the Divinity Hall. The opinion of all the Professors regarding him was very decided. They spoke of him as a student of singular promise, of great acquirements, and of wonderful closeness and tenacity of thought. By his fellow students, as first among the foremost. He has carried with him his studious habits since entering upon the work of the ministry; for, while giving a foremost place to his pulpit preparations and pastoral work, he has continued to prosecute with the greatest zeal his studies in general literature, philosophy, and divinity. Nor is Mr MacGregor a mere helluo librorum. He exercises a vigorous and independent mind on every subject to which he turns his attention. Mr. MacGregor is as distinguished for vigour and originality of thought as he is distinguished for his extensive acquirements. In the articles on 'Hegel' and 'Jacobi' in the ' Encyclopaedia Britannica,' he has shown great capacity for dealing with the most abstract questions in philosophy. Referring to the special subjects of the Chair in question, and stating generally that in relation to them—e.g., 'the relation of Natural Ethics to Christian Ethics,'—'it is in the metaphysical nexus that the whole difficulty lies,' Mr -Kerr went on to say: ' For dealing, therefore, with this class of subjects, there is required a mind of a firm logical grasp, of keenness of edge, of depth of penetration. Moderator, it is because I find most of these qualities combined in a very high degree in Mr. MacGregor, that I now ask the Synod to recommend him for the Chair. He has a kindly, generous, and chivalrous spirit, and the more intimately he is known the more he will be esteemed and loved. Let him be surrounded by a group of earnest, intelligent students, and he would be found to exert a great influence on them not more by his intellectual powers than by the force of his character, the depth of his piety, the simplicity and purity of his whole life.'"