A NATIVE of Kilmarnock, Dr. Duff received his early
classical education under Mr. Gunnyon. Afterwards, at Glasgow University, he
graduated M.A. He proceeded to study Theology successively at Glasgow Free
Church College and the English Presbyterian College, London, with additional
courses at Leipzig and Edinburgh. During his college course he acted as resident
tutor for some years in the families of Sir Robert Napier, Bart., of Milliken,
and Mr. Thomas Corbett, having, among his pupils the late Sir Archibald Napier,
Bart., Mr. T. L. Corbett, M.P., and Mr. A. Cameron Corbett, M.P.
In 1872 he found it necessary, for his health's sake, to make
a voyage to Australia, and at Evandale, Tasmania, he was ordained in 1874. For
six years he was Presbyterian minister of that district, and he went as deputy
from Tasmania to the Pan-Presbyterian Council at Philadelphia in 1880. Returning
to Scotland, he settled as minister of St. George's Free Church, Glasgow, in
1883, in which charge he remained till his death.
For seven years, from 1892 till 1899, he acted as Convener of
the Colonial Committee of the General Assembly. In this capacity he visited New
Zealand, Tasmania, and the other Australian colonies, preaching and addressing
church courts and public meetings, and returned by China, Japan, Canada, and the
United States. He has also made frequent holiday visits to Switzerland and other
parts of the continent of Europe.
Dr. Duff acted as convener of several commissions appointed
by Colonial churches to select ministers for special charges in Victoria, New
South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, and South Africa. He was for several
years special agent for this purpose for the Church of New South Wales. He was
author of "Pleasant Places: a Volume for the Young," and of "The Song of the
Shepherd," and was the writer of various articles in Schaff's edition of
Herzog's Encyclopaedia, and in newspapers and periodicals, as well as of various
booklets and special sermons. He received the degree of D.D. from Glasgow
University in 1895, and died on 23rd January, 1909.
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Index of Glasgow Men (1909)