author
John Cairns
1857–1922
A Scottish minister and biographer, he wrote with a clear sense of character and history, bringing church life and notable religious figures into sharp focus. His best-known work includes a life of Principal Cairns, written with both family insight and a biographer’s care.
1 Audiobook
Principal Cairns
by John Cairns
About the author
Born in Roxburghshire in 1857, John Cairns was a Scottish minister, writer, and biographer. He studied at the University of Edinburgh, graduating with an M.A. in 1878, and later entered the ministry of the United Presbyterian Church.
He served congregations in places including Berwick-upon-Tweed and Edinburgh, and after church union became a minister of the United Free Church of Scotland. Alongside his pastoral work, he wrote biographical and religious works, including Principal Cairns, a study of the theologian John Cairns.
His writing is closely tied to the religious and intellectual world of late 19th- and early 20th-century Scotland. Even in brief works, he comes across as a careful, informed guide to the people and ideas he admired.