Machar, John, Dd

Machar, John, D.D.

a Presbyterian minister, was born in Brechin, Scotland, in 1798. He was educated at King's College, Aberdeen, and afterwards at the University of Edinburgh. On receiving license to preach, he became assistant to the parish minister, and in 1828 emigrated to Canada, and took charge of the Church in Kingston, C.W. In 1833 he was moderator of the synod; and at a meeting of lay delegates, assembled from all parts of the province, he was nominated commissioner to proceed to Britain, and attend to the interests of the Canadian branch of the Church of Scotland in one of the crises of her history. From 1846 to 1853 he was acting principal of Queen's College, Kingston, in which institution, during several sessions, he taught the Hebrew classes, and examined the candidates for license in the Oriental tongues. He died Feb. 7, 1863. Dr. Machar's attainments both in sacred and secular learning were exact and varied; he was familiar with English literature, and could read with ease Hebrew, Greek, and the modern languages. He was always a close student, an earnest preacher, and a faithful pastor. See Wilson, Presb. Hist. Almanac, 1864, p. 388.