Blair, James, Dd

Blair, James, D.D., was born in Scotland 1656, and died at Williamsburg, Va., 1743. He was one of the most eminent of the earlier Episcopalian ministers in America. Having been sent as missionary to Virginia in 1685, he rendered himself highly acceptable, and in 1689 was appointed commissary-the highest ecclesiastical office in the province. He was the founder and first president of William and Mary College, receiving the latter appointment in 1692. Dr. Blair was for some time president of the council of the colony and rector of Williamsburg. Many traditions are extant which testify to the excellence of his character and the usefulness of his life. In 1722 he published an Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount (4 vols. 8vo; also London, 1724, 5 vols. 8vo). It was again printed 1740 (4 vols. 8vo), with a commendatory notice by Waterland, and is highly commended by Doddridge Sprague, Annals, v, 7; Hawks, Ecclesiastical Contributions, vol. i; Allibone, Dict. of Authors, i, 201.