Ferguson, Robert, Dd, Lld

Ferguson, Robert, D.D., LL.D.

an English Congregational minister, was born in Glasgow, May 12, 1806; educated at Hoxton College, and entered upon his ministry at Haddington about 1830. He afterwards preached at Leicester, Finchingfield, Stepney, Stratford, ten years at Ryde, beginning with 1849, and then, returning to London, undertook the charge of Portland Chapel, St. John's Wood, but resigned six years later in order to devote his energies more directly to the establishment of the Pastors' Retiring Fund, of which he was one of the original founders. He died March 27, 1875. As a preacher Mr. Ferguson was in a marked degree argumentative and rhetorical, though not to the exclusion of the practical. As a writer he was elegant, persuasive, and forcible. Among other interesting productions of his pen are, Sacred Studies: — Consecrated Heights: — The Pensalties of Greatness: — Sacrifice: — Family Prayers. He was for some time editor of the Eclectic Review, and the Free Church of England Magazine. He was elected a fellow of the Antiquarian Society in 1854, and in the same year became a member of the Royal Irish Academy. He took great interest in the advancement of workingmen, and wrote for their benefit popular histories of England and Scotland. See (Lond.) Cong. Year-book, 1876, page 331.