Dr. Burns was born at Paisley, Scotland, on the 23rd of December, 1826. After spending a term of four years at the Public Grammar School of that town, he was entered as a student at the University of Glasgow in the month of November, 1840, before he had quite completed his fourteenth year. He remained at that seat of learning four sessions, during which he achieved high standing in his classes, and carried off several prizes, including two in Latin. He stood third in Greek, second in Logic, and first in Moral Philosophy. While attending the University he had for associates Principal McKnight, of Halifax, the Rev. William Maclaren, of Blairlogie, and the late Rev. John Maclaren, of Glasgow. In 1844-5 he attended New College, Edinburgh, during the second session of its existence, and sat at the feet of Drs. Chalmers, Cunningham and Duncan. He had meanwhile resolved on emigrating to Canada, and on the 29th of March, 1845, he sailed from Greenock for Quebec. He made his way to Toronto, where he attended two sessions at Knox College, having for his contemporaries there Dr. Black, of Manitoba, and the late Rev. James Nisbet, of the Prince Albert Mission. During his collegiate career he acted as Student Catechist, and preached as a volunteer at Proudfoot's Mills, and also at Oakville. During the summer of 1846 he laboured to good purpose at Niagara. In April, 1847, he was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Toronto, and on the first of July following he was ordained as first pastor of Chalmers Church, Kingston. During his residence at Kingston he officiated for a year as Chaplain to the Forty-first Regiment of Highland Infantry.