THE LATE DR BURNS.

Bruce Herald, Volume VI, Issue 353, 1 February 1871, Page 6

THE LATE DR BURNS.

In mentioning last week the death of the venerable pastor of the first organised Christian congregation in Otago, we promised to give a biographical sketch of his career in this issue. The Rev Dr had for some time past retired from public duty ; he was last seen on the streets of Dunedin about three weeks prior to his death; for the last fortnight he was confined to bed., and although the announcement of his decease was universally regretted it was 'not altogether unexpected. During his confinement his strength gradually gave way and he fell into a state of unconsciousness from which he never rallied. On Monday, when his death became known, the 1 colors of the vessels in the harbor were hoisted half-mast high, as also were the flags upon the public buildings in the city. Dr Burns was the third son of Gilbert Burns— brother of the Scottish bard. Robert Burns— ■ and was born at Mosgiel, Dumfriesshire, on the 10th April, 1796. After the ordinaiy attendance at the parish school, he was entered as a pupil of the academy at Closeburn, in his native county. From the academy of Closeburn he passed to the University of Edinburgh, where '"he associated with the well- known Irving, and Thomas Carlyle, and . there pursued the course of studies required of candidates for the ministry in the Established Church of Scotland, to which, with i the approval of his. excellent father, he had devoted himself. Having finished the usual curriculum, he was licensed in 1823 to preach ; the gospel by the Presbytery of Haddingtrm, being at the time tutor in the family of Sir H. Dalrymple. In 1825 he received a presentation to the parish church of BaJlantrae, which he'accepted, and where he labored with ■ much success till 1830, in which year he received and accepted the presentation to the parish of Monckton, Ayrshire. Before leay--1 ing Ballantrae, he married Clementina Grant (who still survives him), daughter of the Rev James Francis Grant, Rector of Wrabness, * Essex, and Merston, in Sussex. At Monckton he continued to discharge with much acceptance the duties of parish -minister" till 1843, when he joined the Free Church a| the Disruption^ sacrificing for the sake of princii pie the status and emolaments of s parish - minister, the latter amounting on an, average toL4ooper annum: After the Disruption ; he continued for two years nominally Free Church Minister of Monckton; ;. but in. reality establishing Free ; Churches in not a few, ; parishes, not only in Ayrshire, but in several other counties of Scotland where the Ministers had continued in /the Established Church. In ''■ 1846 the Lay Association of the Free Church, for the colonisation of Otagq was .formed: from j which lie received the offer of "minister of the first settlement; of emigrants to this province." : As is well .known, ; . difficulties 'arose, I 'which prevented the immediate prosecution ; of theimmigratipn scheme agreed upon he-. twee'n the 'NeW Zealand Cotripany and the * Lay; Association. ; -During the 'delay Dr Burns was employ^ in sustaining the scheme,

visiting for thjs purpose nearly air parts of S.coiiland., -aiid setting forth- the advantages of emigrating to 6tago> For the services he thus renderedi. and into which he entered conamore, he receivetfilo remuneration from the New Zealand Company, though he was instrumeiital in inducing a large extent of emigration," and in securing no small amount of capital for the advancement of the scheme, through his having persuaded many of his personal frienda and others to invest iii the purchase of properties, though the purchasers had no idea of making Otago their home. Finding that thtf'delay in entering upon the work of polonising . tha projected settlement of Otago w.as continued; and being unable to devote more of his time unremuneratively to advance the interests of the New Zealand Company, he accepted a call to Portobello, near Edinburgh/ and was inducted into that j charge. There he remained for eighteen, months, when the matter of colonising this portion of New Zealand was revived, and arrangements effected for starting the first "batch of immigrants. With these Dr Burns sailed, having resigned his charge at Porto- ■ bello, and having been appointed first minister of Otago , he sailed with his family from Green ock in the ship Phillip Laing, under the command of Captain Ellis, now Collector of Customs at Inveroargill. ' Dr Burns arrived'in Otago on April ] sth, 1848, a fewweeks after the arrival of the John Wickliffe, which had "brought out Capt. Cargill and a large party of immigrants* Forseveral years Dr Burns continued unaided to minister to the Presbyterian population, extending his labors to all the settled portions of the Province, but giving the larger portion of his time to Dunedin and the immediate neighborhood. In the beginning of 1854, the Rev. W. Will, of the Taieri, and the Rev. W. Bannerman, of the Clutha, arrived, and with Dr Burns constituted, in the month of June of the same year, the Presbytery of Otago, which has since expanded into the Synod of Otago and Southland, consisting of three large Presbyteries. In 1861. the University of Edinburgh conferred upon Mr Burns the degree of D.D., as a mark of their estimate of his talents ; the proposal to confer this degree emanating, if we have not been misinformed, from Sir David Browster, then Principal of that University. Of these talents the congregation had weekly proofs in the able discourses to which it was their privilege to listen, as he preached to them Sabbath after Sabbath Some of th^se discourses many of the members of the First Church, as well as of many other congregations throughout the province, would like to have in a permanent form, both on account of their intrinsic value and as a momento of their beloved pastor. Increasing years, as well as the debility consequent upon his early excessive labors as the sole pastor of the Presbyterian Church, after more than twenty years service in the colony, necessitated the appointment of a colleague to relieve him of many of the duties of the ministerial office, an appointment that resulted in the selection of the Rev. George Sutherland. Soon after the induction of Mr Sutherland, Dr Burns ceased altogeoher to take any part in the ministerial work, and withdrew himself from the active business of the Church, in which hitherto he had taken a large part. The name t>f Dr Burns is bound up with the early settlement of the Province, and but few of its founders will occupy so large a place in that history. In everything which pertained to the advancement of the Province and the prosperity and happiness of the people, lie took a deep interest, and his advice and assistance was mo3t valuable in the promotion of these ends. As a ministei* of the gospel his abilities were acknowledged by every section of the community ; while he was highly respected by all, he received for himself the special love and devotion of his o/n congregation. He took a special interest in the cause of education, and the inauguration of the Universit}*-, of which he was appointed chancellor, was looked forward to by him as the placing of the copestone of our educational institutions. The accomplishment of this object seemed to be his last great wish for this world, and many will regret it has been denied him. He has, however, departed full of years, and crowned with honors, and his name will long be gratefuly preserved in the hearts of the oreat body of the people of the Province. The f unei'nl took place on Thursday afternoon, and was the largest ever witnessed in | the Province. At the request of the Superintendent and the Mayor, all the public offices and places of business were closed, and flags were displayed half-mast high upon many of the buildings and by the vessels in the harbor. At one o'clock the congregation of the First Church assembled there, and after devotional exercises, proceeded to the residence of the deceased, the Rev. G. Sutherland, with others from the country, and the office-bearers leading the procession. After arrival, the Rev. W. Will, conducted devotional exercises. At half-past two the corpse was carried by six of the former members of session of the First Church to the hearse. They were the following gentlemen :. — Honorable James Paterson, and Messrs Charles Robertson James Adam, Robert Hood,. James Souness, and George Hepburn. The procession was then formed in the following order • — Hearse. Relatives. Session, Deacons Court, and former Officebearers. Ministers of Religion. Congregation of First Ohurch. University Council. Office-bearers of other Churches. Mayor and Corporation of Dunedin. Officials of General and Provincial Governments. Schoolmasters. The various Friendly Societies of Otago. General Public. Vehicles and Horsemen. The chief mourners were tho two sona oi Mr A.. J. Burns, the Rev. Mr Bannerman, Mr A. R. Livingston, Mr H. Livingston, Master W. Bannerman, Mr. A. Livingston, senr., Mr R. Burns, and Mr W. Livingston. The pall-bearers, consisted chiefly of the ; immediate relatives ' of the deceased. These were the two sons, of Mr. Arthur Burns, itke Rev. Mr ; B.annerman. ', and son, , Mr A. ; R. Livingston and Mr. Henry Livingston.; : : The bell at the University, . as well as that of:the First Church, was;tolled* at intervals, and an immense crowd of spectators lined the streets. * ■ . On arriving at the cemeterythe coffin was borne;tb, the grave, by Messrs John Duncan, Robert Mackay^ James T M^ son R. A. Lawson,; George: Maith'e.ws, John Hill, and William SinQlairr-eignt of the present members .of -session of , the First Church. Before the coffin was lowered ; a pretty, wreath' of white flowers, made by a ,ladyrof i the- congregation, rwas placed on the lid encircling . the plate. T^e ? . inscription readas follows •— . ,-.'.. .■• : <:.:.:^ o^iv>> ■ : _,_ •; J 4 The IRejr^THOMAsBTJ:RNS,;DAD;j -I < : . '.Died 23rd January; 1871, : i

Five or six baskets of- very choice flowers, iwhichjhad also been supplied byi ladies ofthe congregation, were ■. then strewn on the r qofSn. . . ;< "■ At the grave no religious service was held in harmony with Dr Burn's own sentiments, and shortly after the coffin had been lowered the assemblage gradually dispersed. It may : be mentioned that the procession was marshalled by Mr John Bathgate, M.H.R., assisted by Sergeants Murdoch and Stevens, and Messrs Lawson, Mercer, and. Stewart, office-bearers of the Church. Funeral. sermous were preached on Sunday last in the. First Church,. by. the. Rev. Messrs Will, Stewart and Sutherland, who referred in suitable terms to the virtues and services of the deceased. The church on the several occasions were crowded— a large proportion of the congregation being in mourning.