Western Worthies: A Gallery of Biographical and Critical Sketches of West of Scotland CelebritiesJeans, J. Stephen (James Stephen)
History
Western Worthies: A Gallery of Biographical and Critical Sketches of West of Scotland Celebrities
Jeans, J. Stephen (James Stephen)
Scotland -- Biography
From that time until now he has never ceased to manifest the warmest
interest in the missions of the Church, watching over them with an
almost paternal zeal and solicitude; and no man in the Establishment is
so well qualified as himself to preside at the Indian Mission Board--an
office which he has occupied with equal credit to himself and advantage
to the church for a number of years.
Many who are quite unacquainted with Dr. Macleod's antecedents, will
have heard of him as the editor of _Good Words_. It is not too much to
assume that even the contributor to a New York journal, who lately
described him as "Dr. Macleod, one of the Court physicians," will know
him in this capacity. Commencing his editorial career on the _Edinburgh
Christian Magazine_, which he conducted from April, 1849, till April,
1869, Dr. Macleod, in the course of the latter year, became connected
with Mr. Strahan; and the _Christian Guest_, which was started in the
beginning of that year, appeared with Dr. Macleod's name as reviser. The
latter magazine, which was published by Messrs. A. Strahan & Co.,
Edinburgh, came to a conclusion at the end of the year which witnessed
its birth, and it was succeeded in January, 1860, by _Good Words_,
published by Messrs. A. Strahan & Co., London, and in which Dr. Macleod's
name appeared as editor. We need hardly criticise the merits of the
latter periodical, which, as we have indicated, owes its origin to the
joint labours of Mr. Strahan and its able editor. From the first it was
conducted on what might be called popular principles--being something
more than a religious magazine pure and simple. The result was that it
grew rapidly in public favour, and commanded the support and approbation
of the highest literary circles. Indeed, it may safely be said that
there is not a moral, religious, or scientific writer of any note that
has not in one form or another contributed something to its contents.
Mr. Gladstone, Dr. Vaughan, the Rev. Charles Kingsley, Dean Alford, and
Mrs. Oliphant are but a few of the many names that have adorned its
pages, and its popularity and merits are still maintained with
undiminished vigour. Mr. Strahan's boundless energy and excellent
discrimination have contributed more to this result than any other
cause; but Dr. Macleod's editorship has at the same time been singularly
able and judicious. Although Dr. Macleod never aspired to rank as a
theological writer, he has in his way been a prolific and successful
author. His works may be said to have merits peculiarly their own. His
graceful, easy, fluent style; his admirable capacity for illustration;
his graphic delineations of scenery and character; and, above all, his
unfailing use of simple, terse, homely Saxon, have combined to place him
in the front rank of living writers. Among his more notable publications
we may mention "The Home School" (Edinburgh, 1856, 12mo), a reprint and
extension of lectures for working men; "Deborah" (Edinburgh, 1857, cr.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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