John Eadie

'''John Eadie''' (9 May 1810 – 3 June 1876) was a Scottish theologian and biblical critic.

==Life== He was born at Alva in Stirlingshire (now in Clackmannanshire). Having studied the arts curriculum at the University of Glasgow, he studied for the ministry at the Divinity Hall of the United Secession Church, a dissenting body which, on its union a few years later with the Relief Church, adopted the title the United Presbyterian Church.<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=Eadie, John|volume=8|page=789}}</ref>

In 1843 Eadie was appointed professor of biblical literature and hermeneutics in the Divinity Hall of the United Presbyterian body. He held this appointment along with his ministerial charge for the rest of his life.<ref name="EB1911"/>

He received the honorary degree of LLD from Glasgow University in 1844, and that of DD from the University of St Andrews in 1850. He died at 6 Thornville Terrace<ref>Glasgow Post Office Directory 1876</ref> in Hillhead, Glasgow on 3 June 1876. He is buried in the Glasgow Necropolis not far from the John Knox monument.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://billiongraves.com/grave/John-Eadie/14506683|title=John Eadie 1810 – 1876 BillionGraves Record}}</ref>

His book collection was bought and presented to the United Presbyterian College.<ref name="EB1911"/>

==Ministry==

In 1835 Eadie became minister of the Cambridge Street Secession church in Glasgow, and for many years he was generally regarded as the leading representative of his denomination in Glasgow. As a preacher, though he was not eloquent, he was distinguished by good sense, earnestness and breadth of sympathy.<ref name="EB1911"/> In 1863 he removed with a portion of his congregation to the new Lansdowne United Presbyterian Church, which became a notable landmark at Kelvinbridge. Cambridge Street was in one of the poorer parts of Glasgow, in stark contrast to the Lansdowne area.<ref>s9.com Biographical Dictionary, retrieved 7 May 2016</ref> This gave rise to the following verse, well known in Glasgow church circles:<ref>[http://www.openhousescotland.co.uk/one-drone-leads-another Very Rev John Miller, ''Open House'' (14 April 2016), retrieved 7 May 2016]</ref>

<poem>''This Church is not built for the poor and needy,'' ''But for the rich and Dr. Eadie''. ''The rich may come in and take their seat,'' ''But the poor must go to Cambridge Street.''<ref>[https://theweeflea.com/2015/03/27/post-presbyterian-scotland, March 27, 2015, retrieved May 7, 2016]</ref></poem>

He served as Moderator of the General Assembly for the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland for the year 1857/8.<ref name="alloa" >Alloa Advertiser (newspaper) 3 February 2021</ref>

==Works== His publications were connected with biblical criticism and interpretation, some of them being for popular use and others more strictly academic. To the former class belong the ''Biblical Cyclopaedia'', his edition of Alexander Cruden's ''Concordance'', his ''Early Oriental History'', and his discourses on the Divine Love and on Paul the Preacher; to the latter his commentaries on the Greek text of St Paul's epistles to the Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians and Galatians, published at intervals in four volumes.<ref name="EB1911"/>

His last work was the ''History of the English Bible'' (2 vols, 1876). He rendered service as one of the revisers of the authorized version.<ref name="EB1911"/>

==Memorials==

In his home town of Alva the Eadie Church is named in his memory and a drinking fountain with his portrait in low relief stands in the local park.

==Family==

He married Allison Pringle Palfrey of Edinburgh. They had five children. She died suddenly in 1855.<ref name="alloa" />

In 1862 he married Mary Home of Berwick-upon-Tweed.<ref name="alloa" />

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Internet Archive author |sname=John Eadie}}

{{s-start}} {{s-aca}} {{s-bef| before=John Mitchell}} {{s-ttl| title=Professor of Biblical Literature of the United Secession Church|years=1843-1847}} {{s-aft|after=Himself as Professor of Hermeneutics and Evidences of the United Presbyterian Church (Scotland)}} {{s-bef| before=Himself as Professor of Biblical Literature of the United Secession Church}} {{s-ttl| title=Professor of Hermeneutics and Evidences of the United Presbyterian Church (Scotland)|years=1847-1867}} {{s-aft|after=Himself as Professor of Biblical Literature and Exegesis of the United Presbyterian Church (Scotland)}} {{s-bef| before=Himself as Professor of Hermeneutics and Evidences of the United Presbyterian Church (Scotland)}} {{s-ttl| title=Professor of Biblical Literature and Exegesis of the United Presbyterian Church (Scotland)|years=1867-1876}} {{s-aft|after=Robert Johnstone}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eadie, John}} Category:1810 births Category:1876 deaths Category:Scottish Christian theologians Category:People from Alva, Clackmannanshire Category:Ministers of Secession Churches in Scotland Category:Ministers of the United Presbyterian Church (Scotland)