Adam Cairns

File:Rev-john-cairns-1818-1892-united-presbyterian-mini.jpg There is some doubt as to who this photograph depicts. Other images of Adam Cairns can be found on the East Melbourne Historical Society website.{{sfn|EMHS images|2022}}]]

File:Portrait of Reverend Adam Cairns holding book in Chalmers Church, Melbourne.jpg

File:St John's Church, Cupar - geograph.org.uk - 847784.jpg

Adam Cairns was born at the manse of Longforgan, on 30 January 1802. Of that parish his father, also called Adam Cairns, was minister for many years.{{sfn|Scott|1925|page=[https://archive.org/details/fastiecclesiaesc05scot/page/353/mode/1up 353]}} Dr. Cairns’s father appears to have belonged to the parish of Temple. His mother’s father was minister of the parish of Kinnaird, in the Carse of Gowrie.{{sfn|Scott|1925|page=[https://archive.org/details/fastiecclesiaesc05scot/page/346/mode/1up 346]}} He was descended from a long line of ministers.{{sfn|Wylie|1881}}

Having received the rudimentary part of his education in his native parish, he entered the University of St. Andrews before he was fourteen years of age—too young, as he himself has often confessed. Yet as a student he did more than hold his own among his class-fellows, many of them by far his senior in years. Throughout his whole course of study, both in the University and in the Theological Hall, he occupied a distinguished place. With more than average natural gifts he combined more than average application. He was a hard working student. Of himself he has been heard to say, “I have no great natural ability; and any measure of success to which I have attained has been won through hard labour and close application to present duty.”{{sfn|Wylie|1881}}

He was licensed as a preacher by the Presbytery of Cupar on 5 October 1824.{{sfn|Scott|1925}} Soon after this, he passed through a severe ordeal, which lasted for several years. His health at this stage suffered greatly, and threatened for a time entirely to give way. Cast on his own resources, he was obliged to support himself by private teaching. In various ways his strength was overtaxed; he was in a state of physical exhaustion, nervous and irritable.{{sfn|Wylie|1881}}

After serving for a time as assistant to Henry Moncreiff, minister of the parish of St. Cuthbert’s, Edinburgh, Cairns was presented to the parish of Manor, in the county of Peebles, where he was ordained on 21 August 1828.{{sfn|Scott|1915}}{{sfn|Scott|1925}} The parish is a quiet pastoral valley and for four years and a-half he went in and out among them.{{sfn|Wylie|1881}}

But now his work in this his first charge was drawing to a close. His health was again seriously affected. His old complaint returned upon him. It was brought on, or at all events accelerated, by the illness of a brother, who had returned from America in quest of health. Having come to reside at the manse at Manor, Mr. Cairns was unremitting in his attention to him. The complaint in his brother’s case got worse. He died. The care and anxiety of waiting at that death-bed left serious effects on Cairns’s own health. And just at the time when a change was desirable, he received a presentation to the parish of Dunbog, in the north-west of Fife. Feeling it to be his duty to accept the offer, he was inducted into that charge, on 7 April 1833. {{sfn|Scott|1925|page=[https://archive.org/details/fastiecclesiaesc05scot/page/151/mode/1up 151]}} Being strictly a rural parish, the work was easy. It gave the opportunity for recruiting his shattered health. It was here, and on 11 February 1834, that Cairns was married to Miss Jessie Ballingall.{{sfn|Wylie|1881}} After a successful ministry in his second charge of about equal duration with that of his first, Mr. Cairns was translated to Cupar-Fife.{{sfn|Scott|1925}}

It was a collegiate charge. He was inducted on 1 September 1837.{{sfn|Scott|1925}} In the midst of his labour his strength again gave way. For months his life hung quivering in the balance. He was an invalid for years.{{sfn|Wylie|1881}} Again there is another break, and it seemed at the time that his ministry was at end. At the Disruption in 1843 he sided with the Free Church. In November 1847, during the afternoon service, he was struck down in the pulpit. He was carried to the vestry, and there laid down as a dying man. Contrary to expectation, he soon recovered. Having gone to Gibraltar, in the hope that the climate there would renovate his shattered system, and feeling greatly benefited by the change, he hired a hall in the principal street, where he preached morning and evening, the morning attendance being always crowded. The Free Church minister of Cupar was able to contribute, to the current literature of the day. In view of this, and in particular, in recognition of an able and interesting volume produced by him, entitled "The Second Woe", the Senatus of St. Andrews University conferred on him the degree of D.D. on 9 April 1853.{{sfn|Scott|1925}}{{sfn|Wylie|1881}}

The gold discovery in Australia was attracting universal interest and migrants were landing daily there in thousands. The Free Church determined to strengthen the hands of the ministers already in Australia, by sending immediately other ten or twelve at least. Ten young men gave their consent to go. They were but newly licensed, and though now to be ordained, they had no experience. It was needful, therefore, to secure along with them one or two ministers of standing and experience. Two such men were Mackintosh Mackay, of Dunoon, and the other the Rev. Dr. Cairns, of Cupar.{{sfn|Wylie|1881}}

The twelve ministers, sailing some together, and others singly, in different vessels, all arrived safely in Australia. The sphere assigned to Dr. Cairns was Melbourne. It was then in a state of strange transition; passing from a small town into the dimensions of a great and populous city. There were two congregations of the Free Church in Melbourne at the time, but only one church, the second congregation worshipping in a rented hall. Cairns at once commenced his labours, preaching in the Temperance Hall in the forenoon, and in Knox’s Church in the evening. A large congregation sprang into existence at once. It was one of the largest in the southern hemisphere. From his first public appearance it was felt by all classes that he was to wield an immense power in the colony. On a valuable piece of ground on the Eastern Hill, granted by the Government, a large wooden erection was hastily run up, which served as a church for two or three years, until a more substantial building was erected. Here Dr. Cairns ministered to a large and attached congregation for more than twenty years. In 1876 he demitted his charge, constrained to do so on account of advancing years and failing strength.{{sfn|Wylie|1881}}

He died at home in Richmond, Melbourne on 30 January 1881.

• Some Objections to Universal Atonement Stated and the Current Objections to a Particular and Efficacious Atonement considered, two discourses (Cupar, 1844)
• On the Origin and Obligation of the Sabbath, being No. 1, Sermons on the Sabbath (Dundee, 1847)
• Account of Dunbog (New Statistical Account, ix.){{sfn|Cairns|1845}}
• The Second Woe (Edinburgh, 1852){{sfn|Cairns|1852}}
• Sermon LXIII. (Free Church Pulpit, ii.){{sfn|Scott|1925}}

He married 11 February 1834, Jessie (died 26 August 1906), daughter of — Ballingall, Ayton, and had issue —

• Margaret, born 26 August 1835
• Elizabeth, born 25 February 1837
• Jessie, born 5 September 1840
• Ebenezer Adam, born 8 January 1843{{sfn|Scott|1925}}
• Jane Ballingall, born 1847, married Robert Harper{{cite news|url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/harper-robert-6572|title=Robert Harper (1842–1919)

|first=Peter|last=Cook|volume=9|work=Australian Dictionary of Biography|year=1983|publisher=Melbourne University Press}}

James Forbes

{{Reflist}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite book |last1=Balfour |first1=R. Gordon |title=Presbyterianism in the colonies, with special reference to the principles and influence of the Free church of Scotland .. |date=1899 |publisher=Macniven & Wallace |location=Edinburgh |pages=[https://archive.org/details/presbyterianismi00balf/page/118/mode/2up 119]-171 |url=https://archive.org/details/presbyterianismi00balf |chapter=Lecture 4 - II Presbyterianism in Victoria}}
• {{cite book|last1=Brown|first1=Thomas|author-link=Thomas Brown (minister)|title=Annals of the disruption with extracts from the narratives of ministers who left the Scottish establishment in 1843 by Thomas Brown|date=1893|publisher=Macniven & Wallace|location=Edinburgh|pages=[https://archive.org/details/annalsofdisrupti1892brow/page/568/mode/2up?q=cairns 568], et passim|url=https://archive.org/details/annalsofdisrupti1892brow}}
• {{cite book |last1=Cairns |first1=Adam |title=The new statistical account of Scotland |date=1845 |publisher=William Blackwood and Sons |location=Edinburgh and London |pages=[https://archive.org/details/b21365805_0009/page/204/mode/2up 205]-217 |volume=9|chapter=Parish of Dunbog |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/b21365805_0009/page/538/mode/2up}}
• {{cite book |last1=Cairns |first1=Adam |title=The Second Woe; a Popular Exposition of the Tenth and Eleventh Chapters of Revelation, Showing that the Theory of the Rev. Mr. Elliott, and the Author of the "Seventh Vial," as to the Death and Resurrection of the Witnesses, is Inconsistent Both with Prophetic Scripture and Profane History |date=1852 |publisher=Johnstone & Hunter |location=Edinburgh|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F0BVAAAAcAAJ}}
• {{cite book |last1=Cairns |first1=Adam |title=England's Policy and Prospects in connection with the Eastern War: a discourse, etc |date=1854a |publisher=Hugh M'Coll |location=Melbourne|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_col1MstdEcC}}
• {{cite book |last1=Cairns |first1=Adam |title=The Jews; Their Fall and Restoration. Two Discourses, Etc |date=1854b |publisher=J. J. Blundell & Company|location=Melbourne|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OTJoBDjw-YMC}}
• {{cite book |last1=Cairns |first1=Adam |title=New Year's Sermon; with remarks suggested by the decease of ... Sir Charles Hotham |date=1856a |publisher=Wilson, Mackinnon & Fairfax |location=Melbourne|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yuFeAAAAcAAJ}}
• {{cite book |last1=Cairns |first1=Adam |title=The Dangers and Duties of the Young Men of Victoria ... Lecture Delivered Before the Victoria Early Closing Association, Etc |date=1856b |publisher=Wilson, Mackinnon & Fairfax |location=Melbourne|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QWt1Qu4cUNQC|author-link=Adam Cairns}}
• {{cite book |last1=Cairns |first1=Adam |title=Church and State. A lecture, etc |date=1856c |publisher=Wilson, Mackinnon & Fairfax |location=Melbourne|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A_k7agCuckoC}}
• {{cite book |last1=Cairns |first1=Adam |title=The Inauguration of the Political Independence of Victoria ... A Lecture, Etc |date=1856d |publisher=Wilson, Mackinnon & Fairfax |location=Melbourne|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3kFcAAAAcAAJ}}
• {{cite book |last1=Cairns |first1=Adam |title=Inaugural Address delivered at the opening of the Theological Hall of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria, etc |date=1866 |publisher=A. J. Smith |location=Melbourne|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=clJgAAAAcAAJ|author-link=Adam Cairns}}
• {{cite book |last1=Campbell |first1=Alexander James |title=50 Years of Presbyterianism in Victoria |date=1889 |publisher=M. L. Hutchinson |page=132 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3ngwAQAAMAAJ}}
• {{Cite AuDB|title=Cairns, Adam (1802–1881)|id2=cairns-adam-3140|author-link=Don Chambers|last=Chambers|first=Don |page=76|volume=3|date=1969|url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/cairns-adam-3140|ref={{harvid|ADB online|1969}}}}
• {{cite book |last1=Hamilton |first1=R. W. |title=A jubilee history of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria; or, the rise and progress of Presbyterianism from the foundation of the colony to 1888 |date=1888 |publisher=M.L. Hutchinson |location=Melbourne |pages=[https://archive.org/details/jubileehistoryof00hami/page/78/mode/2up?q=%22cairns%22 78]et passim |url=https://archive.org/details/jubileehistoryof00hami}}
• {{Dictionary of Australasian Biography|wstitle=Cairns, Rev. Adam|author-link=Philip Mennell|last=Mennell|first=Philip|page=76|noicon=1}}{{PD-notice}}
• {{cite book |last1=Philip |first1=Adam |title=The parish of Longforgan; a sketch of its church and people |date=1895 |publisher=Oliphant, Anderson & Ferrier |location=Edinburgh |pages=[https://archive.org/details/parishoflongforg00philiala/page/246/mode/2up 247]-259 |url=https://archive.org/details/parishoflongforg00philiala/page/n5/mode/2up}}
• {{cite book |last=Scott |first=Hew |title=Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae; the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation |volume=1|date=1915|publisher=Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd |url=https://archive.org/details/fastiecclesiaesc01scot|page=[https://archive.org/details/fastiecclesiaesc01scot/page/283/mode/1up 283] |author-link=Hew Scott}}{{PD-notice}}
• {{cite book |last1=Scott |first1=Hew |title=Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae; the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation |date=1925|page=[https://archive.org/details/fastiecclesiaesc05scot/page/145/mode/1up 145],151,353,346,356 |publisher=Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd |volume=5 |url=https://archive.org/details/fastiecclesiaesc05scot |author-link=Hew Scott}}{{PD-notice}}
• {{cite book |last=Scott |first=Hew |title=Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae; the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation |volume=7|page=[https://archive.org/details/fastiecclesiaesc07scot/page/586/mode/1up 586]|date=1928 |publisher=Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd |url=https://archive.org/details/fastiecclesiaesc07scot |author-link=Hew Scott}}{{PD-notice}}
• {{cite book |last1=Stewart |first1=D. Macrae |title=The Presbyterian Church of Victoria : growth in fifty years, 1859-1909 / issued by authority of the General Assembly by D. Macrae Stewart |date=1909 |publisher=Paterson |location=Melbourne |pages=[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.aa0016360406&view=2up&seq=45&skin=2021&q1 31]-32 |url=https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100894764}}
• {{cite book |last1=Sutherland |first1=Robert |title=The History of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria From the Foundation of the Colony Down to the Abolition of State Aid in 1875 |date=1877 |publisher=James Nisbet |location=London |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BMwNAAAAQAAJ|pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=BMwNAAAAQAAJ&dq=years%20presbyterianism%20victoria&pg=PA122 123]et passim}}
• {{cite book |last1=Walker |first1=David |title=The Fife pulpit: a series of sketches of a number of ministers of various denominations, repr. from The Fife advertiser, enlarged [&c.]. |date=1876 |publisher=David Walker |location=Dysart |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=AiwVAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA92 93]-101 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AiwVAAAAQAAJ |chapter=Chapter X - The Rev. John Laird, Free Church, Cupar}}
• {{cite book |editor-last=Wylie |editor-first=James Aitken |editor-link=James Aitken Wylie|title=Disruption worthies : a memorial of 1843, with an historical sketch of the free church of Scotland from 1843 down to the present time |date=1881 |publisher=T. C. Jack |location=Edinburgh |pages=[https://archive.org/details/disruptionworthi00wyli/page/117/mode/2up 117]–124 |url=https://archive.org/stream/disruptionworthi00wyli}}{{PD-notice}}
• {{cite web |title=1865 Dr. Adam Cairns by Henry Samuel Sadd |url=https://emhs.org.au/gallery/cairns_memorial_church/1865_dr_adam_cairns |website=East Melbourne Historical Society|ref={{harvid|EMHS images|2022}}}}

{{refend}}

• {{Internet Archive author |sname=Adam Cairns}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cairns, Adam}}

Category:1802 births

Category:1881 deaths

Category:19th-century ministers of the Free Church of Scotland

Category:19th-century Scottish Presbyterian ministers

Category:19th-century ministers of the Church of Scotland