352 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES,
Societies of Edinburgh-of its Subscription Library, etc. He was for forty-one
years treasurer of the Synod of his church ; and, from its commencement, and
for more than forty years, had acted as treasurer of the Widows’ Fund of Dissenting
Ministers of Scotland.
They consist principally of
single sermons published at intervals ; the first of which was preached on the
occasion of the Centenary of the Revolution. Two or three were delivered
before missionary and philanthropic societies ; one before the United Associate
Synod; another upon the occasion of the Great Fires in Edinburgh, in 1824;
and the remainder on funeral and other occasions. He also contributed
various articles to religious periodicals ; in particular, to the Chvistian Illagaxine,
the Christian Monitov, and the Theological Magazine. More lately, a series of
lectures on the book of Jonah, from his pen, appeared in successive numbers of
the United Xecession Mugaxine. His most remarkable publication was a letter
addressed to the late Rev. Dr. Porteous of Glasgow, in 1800, in reply to a
charge of political disaflection which that Divine advanced against the Associate
Synod, in consequence of their having made an alteration in their doctrinal
standards, in reference to the subject of the magistrate’s power in matters of
religion. This letter was much admired at the time for its delicate yet keen
satire, and the clearness, strength, and elegancies of its reasoning. The late
Dugald Stewart recommended it to his students, as one of the most masterly
pieces of classical sarcasm in our language.
Dr. Peddie’s publications are few in number.
No. CCLXXXVIII.
REV. DR. PEDDIE,
IN 1810.
To the foregoing slight sketch of the reverend gentleman, it may be added,
that he received the degree of Doctor in Divinity, in 1818, from the University
of Aberdeen, and that he was twice married-first, to Margaret, daughter of
the late Rev. George Coventry of Stitchill, and sister to the late Dr. Andrew
Coventry, Professor of Agriculture in the University of Edinburgh, by whom
he had no children; and, secondly, to Earbara, daughter of the late Donald
Smith, Esq., banker in Edinburgh. By his second wife he had a family of
nine children, one of whom, his second son, the Rev. William Peddie, was
ordained his colleague and successor in the year 1828.
Dr. Peddie had the honour of being the oldest clergyman among the
various denominations within Edinburgh and Leith. His long ministry having
been wholly spent in Edinburgh, it is satisfactory to know that, in return for
