James Esdaile (minister)

Esdaile began as a tutor in the family of James Christie of Durie. He then studied at the University of St Andrews. He was licensed by the presbytery of Kirkcaldy on 15 June 1803; and was ordained to Montrose, on 14 August 1805. He was admitted as minister in Perth in November 1810.[1]

Esdaile was awarded the degree of D.D. by the University of Edinburgh, 4 January 1838.[2] He resigned his position 15 June 1844; and died 8 January 1854.[1]

Esdaile wrote the prominent article "Logic" in the Edinburgh Encyclopædia, divided as Part I pneumatology, part II dialectics.[3] Here "pneumatology" is what now would be called psychology, and was handled in line with the natural theology of the Enlightenment.[4] It proved a source of controversy[5] with Thomas Brown, whom Esdaile accused of plagiarism, based largely on the use of the term "Relationist".[6] It also gave the author's opinion that Francis Bacon's influence on the advances of two centuries in natural philosophy was largely restricted to chemistry.[7] Esdaile was considered a candidate for the Chair of Moral Philosophy at Edinburgh in 1820, on Brown's death, at least in the eyes of some supporters of the Church of Scotland.[8] In the event John Wilson was elected over the claims of Sir William Hamilton.

Esdaile's theological works were:

• Christian Theology: Or, A Connected View of the Scheme of Christianity (Edinburgh, 1823)
• Apocrypha (Perthshire Bible Society, Perth, 1826);
• Lectures on the Shorter Catechism (Perth, 1829).

Two local controversies generated pamphlet wars:

• A Letter to the Rev. W. A. Thomson: In Answer to His "Reply," &c." (1826). Against William Aird Thomson (1773–1863) of the Middle Parish, Perth.
  • Dr. Thomson's two last letters to the editor of the Perthshire Courier, exposing the inconsistencies of Mr. Esdaile, and his doctrine of two standards of the Bible: with remarks on the conduct of the editor, and the notes of "a correspondent", respecting two standards of the pound weight and of the word of God (1829).
• Debate with David Young of Perth, who was the junior minister in the North Church,[9] in which Esdaile maintained the orthodox position in the Voluntary Controversy which ran in Scotland from 1829 to the Disruption of 1843:[10][11][12]
  • Ecclesiastical establishments opposed alike to political equity and Christian law (1833, Young);
  • Civil and Religious Institutions necessarily and inseparably connected (Perth, 1833, Esdaile);
  • Reply to the Rev. James Esdaile's examination of the Rev. D. Young's pamphlet on ecclesiastical establishments (1833, Young);
  • The Voluntary Church Scheme without Foundation in Scripture, Reason, or Common Sense (Perth, 1834, Esdaile);
  • A vindication of scripture, reason and common sense in reply to the Rev. James Esdaile's second pamphlet on establishment (Young);
  • The Spirit, Principles, and Reasoning of the Voluntaries Exposed (Perth, 1834, Esdaile).[1]

James Esdaile was one of the founding directors of the Perth Savings Bank and its unpaid Secretary from its formation in 1815 to his retirement in 1839. [13]

Esdaile married, at Borgue, on 3 December 1805, Margaret Blair (died at Rescobie, Angus, Scotland, 24 May 1843), daughter of David Blair of Borgue. Their children were:[14]

• James Esdaile M.D., H.E.I.C., Marine Surgeon, Calcutta. Author of Mesmerism in India, and Its Practical Application in Surgery and Medicine (1846), etc. He was born in Montrose, Angus, on 6 February 1808, and died at Sydenham, Kent on 10 January 1859. He married three times. His first wife, Mary Ann Christie — whom he had married, in Scotland, on 6 June 1838, whilst on furlough — died on their voyage to India ("in her 18th year") on 9 November 1838.[15] His second wife, Sophia Ullmann, whom he married on 17 November 1842 while stationed at Hooghly,[16] died in Calcutta on 27 July 1850, aged 44.[17] He married his third wife, Eliza Morton (1807-1862) (née Weatherhead) in Calcutta on 3 February 1851.[18]
• David, D.D., minister of Rescobie, Angus, Scotland, born 6 February 1811, who, with his brother James, founded the Esdaile College in 1860[19] a Ministers' Daughters' College, on Kilgraston Road in Edinburgh, which closed in 1972; he died 10 June 1880 [14]
• John, born 9 December 1813; married Mary Ann Fairbanks (1826-aft.1871) and died in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, 1877.[14]
• Robert, born 21 November 1816, who emigrated to Canada, and was in business there with his brother John.;[20] married Nancy Fisher Mackenzie; died 5 July 1882 [14]
• Janet (1818–1819).[1]

• James Esdaile