J. A. (James Alexander) M'Clymont

Born in Girvan, Ayrshire, on May 26, 1848, James Alexander M'Clymont was educated at the University of Edinburgh and at Tübingen. Early in his ministry he served in Dundee, and from 1874 onward he was minister of Holburn Parish in Aberdeen.

Alongside his parish work, he became known as a church leader and scholar. Sources describe him as a minister of the Church of Scotland, chaplain to the Gordon Highlanders, and later Principal Chaplain to the Royal Army Chaplains' Department during the First World War. In 1921, he served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

M'Clymont wrote widely on religion and biblical interpretation. His best-known works include The New Testament and Its Writers and St John for The New Century Bible, and he also published other devotional and religious books. His writing has lasted because it aims to guide readers clearly through Christian scripture without losing sight of everyday faith.