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Kay's Originals Vol. 2

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224 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. All who chose to come were welcome ; and many students were in the habit of attending, to profit by his instructions, and obtain his advice, ever readily extended, as to the prosecution of their studies. A characteristic feature in Dr. Colquhoun was an unvarnished sincerity and simplicity of manner. These natural traits, possessed even to a fault, and probably increased by his seclusive habits, led him sometimes into positions which the exercise of a due degree of prudence would have avoided. The unhappy misunderstanding with his congregation, towards the close of his life, respecting the appointment of an assistant, and which had nearly the effect of breaking up the Church, was an instance of injudicious policy, if not questionable feeling, which even his advanced age could scarcely palliate. Several rather amusing anecdotes are told, illustrative of his exceeding severity of religious sentiment. Oh the laying the foundation stone of the New Church of North Leith, which was done with masonic honours, his venerable contemporary, Dr. Johnston, as a principal party concerned in the new erection, very appropriately presided at the dinner given in the evening. After the cloth had been withdrawn, and the glass in circulation, a song happened to be called for by one of the company. Dr, Colquhoun instantly rose, and addressing the chair, protested in strong terms against indulging in such mirth, declaring that prayer was more suitable to the occasion than a profane song. To this his Rev. friend good-humouredly replied by observing that “ everything is beautiful in its season,” and not only assented to the call for a song, but to the delight of the company, set the example himself, by immediately singing a favourite old Scottish ditty. For several years before his death Dr. Colquhoun had been unable to preach regularly. He appeared for the last time in the pulpit on the forenoon of the 18th November 1826. He survived, however, till the 27th of November next year. He was interred in the churchyard of South Leith, and his funeGa1 sermon was preached by Dr. Jones, of Lady Glenorchy’s Chapel, one of his earliest and most attached friends. Dr. Colquhoun is known as an author by the publication of various works. The first, “A Treatise on Spiritual Comfort,” appeared in 1813 : another, “ On the Law and the Gospel,” in 1815 : ‘‘ On the Covenant of Grace,” in 1818 : “ A Catechism for the Instruction and Direction of Young Communicants,” in 1821 : “On the Covenant of Works,” in 1822 : “A View of Saving Faith, from the Sacred Records,” 1824 : “A Collection of the Promises of the Gospel, arranged under their proper Heads, with Reflections and Exhortations deduced from them,” 1825 : and lastly, in 1826, “A View of Evangelical Repentance from the Sacred Records.” A small posthumous volume of “ Sermons, chiefly on Doctrinal Subjects,” with a memoir of the author, was published by J. and D. Collie in 1836. Dr. Colquhoun was twice married, but had no children.
Volume 9 Page 298
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Volume 9 Page 299
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