152 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
No. CCXXII.
REV. DR. BUCHANAN,
ONE OF THE MINISTERS OF THE CANONOATE CHURCH.
THER EV.W ALTEBURC HANAwNa s born in Glasgow in 1755. After completing
his studies at the University of that city-where he was the class-fellow of the
late Rev. Dr. Dickson of Edinburgh and Dr. Robertson of Leith, with whom
he formed an intimacy which continued uninterrupted during the remainder of
their lives-he was licensed by the Presbytery of his native place in 1778.
He approved himself an ‘‘ acceptable preacher ; ” and at an early period had
the Scotch Church at Rotterdam offered to him. This he declined, and almost
immediately afterwards received a call to the new Church or Chapel (now St.
John’s) South Leith ; but, while on trials for ordination before the Presbytery
of Edinburgh, the death of Mr Randall of Stirling having occasioned a vacancy
there, he was appointed, and ordained to the first charge of that town in 1780.
He remained in Stirling about nine years, and was greatly esteemed by his
parishioners, among whom he laboured with conscientious and effective zeal.
Dr. Buchanan was translated to the second charge of the Canongate Church
in 1789. He had been opposed, as a candidate, by the late Dr. Thomas
M‘Knight, and the parish was much divided respecting the choice ; but, such
was his character and usefulness, he soon became respected and beloved by alleven
those who had most resolutely opposed his settlement. As a preacher he
was highly evangelical ; his oratory plain, but impressive ; his language chastely
simple ; and his manner displayed an affectionate warmth of feeling, which he
carried into the performance of all his duties.
In the discharge of his pastoral superintendence-throughout the long period
of his incumbency, until within a few years of his death-he was distinguished
not less for unwearied diligence, than the charity with which he administered
to the temporal as well as spiritual wants of the distressed. “With what
affectionate zeal ” (in the language of Dr. Dickson of St. Cuthbert’s),’ ‘‘ did he
enter into the condition of all who needed or solicited hi% friendly advice or
exertions; to how many a bereaved widow was he like a husband-to how
many an orphan like a father-to how many of the poor a steward of heaven’s
bounty-to how many helpless and destitute did he stretch out the hand of
protection, or obtain for them places of shelter or other means of relief! In
him peculiarly was the character of Job exemplified, that ‘ when the ear heard
Funeral sermon preached on the 16th December 1832.