Rainy, Robert

RAINY, ROBERT: United Free Church of Scotland; b. at Glasgow Jan. 1, 1826; d. at Melbourne, Australia, Dec. 21, 1906. He was educated at the university of his native city (M.A., 1843) and New College, Edinburgh (graduated 1848). He was minister of the Free Church at Huntly, Aberdeenshire (1851–54), and of the Free High Church, Edinburgh (1854–62); professor of church history in New College (1862–1900), and principal after 1874. In theology he was an Evangelical Protestant, and was the leader in the union of the Free and the United Presbyterian churches of Scotland. He wrote Life of William Cunningham (in collaboration with J. Mackenzie; London, 1871); Three Lectures on the Church of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1872); The Delivery and Development of Christian Doctrine (Cunningham lectures; 1874); The Bible and Criticism (London, 1878); The Epistle to the Philippians (1893); and The Ancient Catholic Church (Edinburgh, 1902).

Bibliography: P. C. Simpson, The Life of Principal Rainy, 2 vols., London, 1909; R. Mackintosh, Principal Rainy, a Biographical Study, ib. 1907.