ADAM CAIRNS.

Evening Star, Issue 5592, 9 February 1881, Page 4

ADAM CAIRNS.

TO THB EDITOR. Sir,— The D; Cairns landed in Melbourne in 1853, just one y*ar after my ai rival, I was present in Knox Cburoh when he was received by ths Presbytery of Melbourne, His speech upon that occasion was so dogmatia and egotistic that tba Rev. William Miller hit the church in disgust. Dr Cairns was despotic and impulsive. He did me a leal injury. Nevertheless, lam free to own that in the abnormal circumstance* of Victoria at thait time he was the right man in the right pla:e. Mr Miller was an amiable and hooeat man; but he lacked the force of oharacter nece-««ary f>r a leader of men in Churoh or State. When Dr Cairns came there were not half-a-d<«3n churohes in the Colony. Dr eairns lived to see about 220 ohurohes ereoted in Tiotoria. He was about fifty-five when he arrived, but his energy and enthusiasm were unbcui ded. la fourteen days a temporary wooden oaureh was constructed on the Eastern Hill, and he himself lived in a corrugated iron cottage which he brought out along wiah him. Dariag the hot weather it was like au oven, and so the doctor comp*e* hit stm.ns in tho church. Now thore is a handsome blueatone manse and also a largo and substantial church, called after tho great Dr Cnalmers. There are Presbyteries. Synods, and a General Aesembly Hall in the Colony now, and matters ecclesiastical are in a really flourishing condition. Dr Cairns was not a groat man, but he had a large Bhare of the spirit of Knox. He was strongly imbued with Buchanan's " pcrfervklwm mgenium Scotorum." He was no visionary ; on the contrary, he was a atern man of the world, a good business man, and an admirable ecclesiastical leader. Ho was a genuine Calvisiist, and of the real stuff of which martyrs are composed. In defence of the faith he would have marched joyfully to the stake, and would submit to any privation or indignity for the sake of Christ. As a pre-dwruption minister of good standing in the church—for he was minister of Cupar-in-Fife—he was just the man that Melbourne wa <ttd in 1853, after the gold discovery. The Free Ohuich could not possibly have made a happier and better selection. He stood up for the principles of Presbyterianism, and defends d the sanctity of the Sabbath against the enemies of both. He rebuked wickedreas in high place*, and subjected politioal adveutarers and schemers to a scathicg criticism. He was a really respectable representative of Scottish Preabyterianism in the cosmopolitan eity of Melbourne. —I am, eta., J. G. S. Grant.