James Esdaile (minister) explained

James Esdaile (1775–1854) was a Scottish minister and writer who spent his working life mainly at the East Church, Perth, Scotland.

Life

Esdaile began as a tutor in the family of James Christie of Durie. He then studied at the University of St Andrews. He was licensed by the presbytery of Kirkcaldy on 15 June 1803; and was ordained to Montrose, on 14 August 1805. He was admitted as minister in Perth in November 1810.^[1]

Esdaile was awarded the degree of D.D. by the University of Edinburgh, 4 January1838.^[2] He resigned his position 15 June 1844; and died 8 January 1854.^[1]

Works

Esdaile wrote the prominent article "Logic" in the Edinburgh Encyclopædia, divided as Part I pneumatology, part II dialectics.^[3] Here "pneumatology" is what now would be called psychology, and was handled in line with the natural theology of the Enlightenment.^[4] It proved a source of controversy^[5] with Thomas Brown, whom Esdaile accused of plagiarism, based largely on the use of the term "Relationist".^[6] It also gave the author's opinion that Francis Bacon's influence on the advances of two centuries in natural philosophy was largely restricted to chemistry.^[7] Esdaile was considered a candidate for the Chair of Moral Philosophy at Edinburgh in 1820, on Brown's death, at least in the eyes of some supporters of the Church of Scotland.^[8] In the event John Wilson was elected over the claims of Sir William Hamilton.

Esdaile's theological works were:

• Christian Theology: Or, A Connected View of the Scheme of Christianity (Edinburgh, 1823)
• Apocrypha (Perthshire Bible Society, Perth, 1826);
• Lectures on the Shorter Catechism (Perth, 1829).

Two local controversies generated pamphlet wars:

• A Letter to the Rev. W. A. Thomson: In Answer to His "Reply," &c." (1826). Against William Aird Thomson (1773–1863) of the Middle Parish, Perth.
  • Dr. Thomson's two last letters to the editor of the Perthshire Courier, exposing the inconsistencies of Mr. Esdaile, and his doctrine of two standards of the Bible: with remarks on the conduct of the editor, and the notes of "a correspondent", respecting two standards of the pound weight and of the word of God (1829).
• Debate with David Young of Perth, who was the junior minister in the North Church,^[9] in which Esdaile maintained the orthodox position in the Voluntary Controversy which ran in Scotland from 1829 to the Disruption of 1843:^{[10] [11] [12]}
  • Ecclesiastical establishments opposed alike to political equity and Christian law (1833, Young);
  • Civil and Religious Institutions necessarily and inseparably connected (Perth, 1833, Esdaile);
  • Reply to the Rev. James Esdaile's examination of the Rev. D. Young's pamphlet on ecclesiastical establishments (1833, Young);
  • The Voluntary Church Scheme without Foundation in Scripture, Reason, or Common Sense (Perth, 1834, Esdaile);
  • A vindication of scripture, reason and common sense in reply to the Rev. James Esdaile's second pamphlet on establishment (Young);
  • The Spirit, Principles, and Reasoning of the Voluntaries Exposed (Perth, 1834, Esdaile).^[1]

Perth Savings Bank

James Esdaile was one of the founding directors of the Perth Savings Bank and its unpaid Secretary from its formation in 1815 to his retirement in 1839. ^[13]

Family

Esdaile married, at Borgue, on 3 December 1805, Margaret Blair (died at Rescobie, Angus, Scotland, 24 May 1843), daughter of David Blair of Borgue. Their children were:^[14]

• James Esdaile M.D., H.E.I.C., Marine Surgeon, Calcutta. Author of Mesmerism in India, and Its Practical Application in Surgery and Medicine (1846), etc. He was born in Montrose, Angus, on 6 February 1808, and died at Sydenham, Kent on 10 January 1859. He married three times. His first wife, Mary Ann Christie — whom he had married, in Scotland, on 6 June 1838, whilst on furlough — died on their voyage to India ("in her 18th year") on 9 November 1838.^[15] His second wife, Sophia Ullmann, whom he married on 17 November 1842 while stationed at Hooghly,^[16] died in Calcutta on 27 July 1850, aged 44.^[17] He married his third wife, Eliza Morton (1807-1862) (née Weatherhead) in Calcutta on 3 February 1851.^[18]
• David, D.D., minister of Rescobie, Angus, Scotland, born 6 February 1811, who, with his brother James, founded the Esdaile College in 1860^[19] a Ministers' Daughters' College, on Kilgraston Road in Edinburgh, which closed in 1972; he died 10 June 1880 ^[14]
• John, born 9 December 1813; married Mary Ann Fairbanks (1826-aft.1871) and died in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, 1877.^[14]
• Robert, born 21 November 1816, who emigrated to Canada, and was in business there with his brother John.;^[20] married Nancy Fisher Mackenzie; died 5 July 1882 ^[14]
• Janet (1818–1819).^[1]

See also

• James Esdaile

Notes and References

1. [Hew Scott]
2. A Catalogue of the Graduates in the Faculties of Arts, Divinity, and Law, Of the University of Edinburgh, Since Its Foundation (1858), p. 251; archive.org.
3. Book: The Edinburgh Encyclopaedia. 118. 1 January 1830. W. Blackwood. Google Books.
4. Web site: Archived copy . 2012-05-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131012035745/http://fds.oup.com/www.oup.com/pdf/13/9780198122838.pdf . 2013-10-12 . dead .
5. Book: The Edinburgh Magazine and Literary Miscellany. 538. 1 January 1820. Archibald Constable. Google Books.
6. Remarks on Dr. Brown's Physiology of the Mind (1820)
7. Book: Hans Aarsleff. Hans Aarsleff. The Study of Language in England, 1780-1860. 3 May 2012. 1983. University of Minnesota Press. 92 note. 9780485300079 .
8. Web site: The life and times of the Rev. Robert Burns, D.D., F.A.S., F.R.S.E. Toronto : including an unfinished autobiography. archive.org. 1872 .
9. Book: The United Presbyterian magazine. 3 May 2012. 1857. 89.
10. Book: Church of Scotland. Presbytery of Perth. The Presbytery of Perth: or, Memoirs of the members, ministers of the several parishes within the bounds, from the Reformation to the present time. 3 May 2012. 1860. Mrs. C. Paton. 224.
11. Book: George Penny. Traditions of Perth, containing sketches of the manners and customs of the inhabitants, and notices of public occurrences, during the last century: interesting extracts from old records; notices of the neighbouring localities of historical interest .... 3 May 2012. 1836. Dewar, Sidey, Morison, Peat, and Drummond. 185.
12. Book: John C. Johnston. Treasury of the Scottish Covenant. 3 May 2012. 1887. Andrew Elliot. 182.
13. W A Barclay
14. Esdaile Family History per Janet White, descendant
15. https://books.google.com/books?id=-iYoAAAAYAAJ&dq=Asiatic%20Journal%2C%20January%201839%2C&pg=RA1-PA142 Deaths, The Asiatic Journal and Monthly Register for British and Foreign India, China, and Australasia, Vol.28, No.110, (February 1839), p.142
16. https://books.google.com/books?id=VyEYAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA70 Marriages, The Asiatic Journal and Monthly Register for British and Foreign India, China, and Australasia, Vol.40, No.157, (January 1843), p.70
17. https://books.google.com/books?id=n2ZOAQAAMAAJ&q=%22the+second+Mrs.+Esdaile+died%22 Bengal, Past & Present: Journal of the Calcutta Historical Society, Volume 5, Part 1, p.55
18. https://books.google.com/books?id=vnhNAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA153 Marriages, The Indian News, No.207, (2 April 1851), p.153
19. Buildings of Scotland: Edinburgh by Gifford, McWilliam and Walker
20. Book: A history of the Scotch Presbyterian Church, St. Gabriel Street, Montreal [microform]]. 1887 . 9780665003974 .