McManus 168

Islay Burns was born at the Manse of Dun in Forfarshire to Dr William Hamilton Burns(1779-1859) and Elizabeth Chalmers (1784-1879), daughter of the proprietor of the Aberdeen Journal.  His entry in the baptismal register for the parish of Dun, of which his father was minister, gives his Christian name as Ilay.^[1]  His parents had ten children. Their first-born, John, died in infancy, but there followed James, 1808(who became a Catholic publisher in London); Margaret, 1810; Jane, 1812; William Chalmers, 1815  (who became a missionary to China); Islay, 1817; Charlotte Grizel, 1819; Elizabeth Christina, 1822; Walter, 1824 (who became a music publisher in Belfast) and another John, 1826 (who also died in infancy).^[22]  Islay Burns had a good education, starting at the Parish School, Kilsyth, then the Grammar School of Aberdeen.  He went on to study at Marischal College, Aberdeen, and then at the University of Glasgow.^[23] Burns came from a family “who have given many distinguished occupants to the Scottish pulpit”.^[24]

After a probationary period, Burns was in the process of resettlement to St. Peter’s, Dundee, which was a church extension charge vacant due to the death of Robert Murray McCheyne. Before the procedure could be completed the Disruption of the Church of Scotland occurred and the congregation “came out” in support of the new Free Church of Scotland. Its assembly instructed the presbytery of Dundee to complete the settlement and Burns was ordained on 7 June 1843. The church was purchased for the use of the congregation rather than having to find a new place of worship.^[25] Islay Burns’ father, William Hamilton Burns, Church of Scotland minister of Kilsyth, Stirlingshire, also joined the Free Church of Scotland in 1843, becoming minister of Kilsyth Free Church.^[26]

While in Dundee he lived at various addresses close to his church.He married Catherine Sarah Brown, who was born in Aberdeen and was sister to Professor David Brown and Dr. C. J. Brown, on 29 April 1845. The couple had eight children.^[27]

In 1863 Burns received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Divinity from Aberdeen University.^[28] In 1864 was elected to the Chair of Apologetics and Systematic Theology at the Free Church College in Glasgow;^[29] a position which he held for the rest of his life. He died at Sardinia Terrace, Hillhead, Partick, on 20th May 1872 after a long illness at the age of 55.^[30]

In the obituary in the Brechin Advertiser Dr Burns was described as having “…a sunny, cheerful, joyous temperament.” In 1870 Dr Burns eldest son, William Burns, died and it was reported that he never really recovered fully from this blow. His large funeral had a hearse drawn by four horses, four mourning coaches and several other coaches and was attended by many, including ministers from various denominations. The service was conducted by Professor Douglas and Rev. R. McNair Wilson from Maryhill.^[31]

Not only was Burns a minister and a professor but he was also a prolific author. Possibly, one of his most notable literary works is “Memoir of the Rev. William C. Burns”, a biography of his brother, who was a missionary in China.^[32] Other writings include “A Series of Essays on the Tractarian and other Movements in the Church of England” which was published in the “British and Foreign Evangelical Review”, “The History of the Church of Christ” with special view to the delineation of Christian faith and life (from A.D.1 to A.D. 313), “The Pastor of Kilsyth” (a history of his father’s life), “Praxis Primaria; Progressive Exercises in the Writing of Latin” and “The Sanctity of Home – Being Words of Counsel and Incitement to Christian Fathers and Mothers”.^[33]