Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

capacious mind, the rich stores of ancient and modern literature.

Having now mastered his theological horn-book, his mother provided him with a copy of the New Testament, and carefully superintended his perusal of that sacred volume. Commencing with the Gospel of St. John, the pious matron caused him daily to commit to memory the passage he had just read; but what he experienced most useful in after-life, from her instructions was, the particular manner in which she pointed out Jesus Christ, in every place where his name was mentioned,-uniformly inquiring of her pupil, "Who Christ was? What he did? What he said?"-shewing how mysterious he was as God and man, and how graciously and powerfully he exhibited himself, in all his parables and miracles. This was real instruction; and it laid a foundation on which her pupil has since raised an immortal superstructure.

Under such instructions, his mind caught a flame of love for the New Testament. He reposed with it under his pillow at night. It was his last care when going to sleep, and his first when he awoke. He could now repeat many chapters and psalms. His mind expanded in the knowledge of the scriptures, and his memory became retentive of their truths. As he began to feel the force of the pulpit ministrations in the Presbyterian place of worship, of which his mother was a member, the good woman regularly required his repetition of the passages of scripture from which the clergyman preached, the various collateral texts that were referred to, and the heads of every sermon that he heard.

When about eight years of age, he went to the meeting-house of Broughshane, on a communion-sabbath. The assembly being more crowded than usual, he did not find admission into a pew; but as the sacramental seats were to remain unoccupied until the commencement of the communion service, he was permitted to sit on one of the benches, in full view of the minister, the Rev. Charles Brown.

Agreeably to the ancient usage of the Scottish Kirk, it was, at that time, customary for Presbyterian clergymen to be habited in blue, when dispensing the Lord's Supper. The appearance of the minister in this singular

dress, the white covering of the sacramental table, the view of the holy elements, the solemnity of the subject, and the devotion of the people, made an indelible impression on his young mind; and he has been frequently heard to declare, that, on that day, and in that place, he formed the resolution of using every endeavour to become qualified for being a preacher of the gospel of Christ. But, to defeat this intention, many difficulties presented themselves. The first, and most serious, was pecuniary disability. Mrs. Kidd, having his two brothers to provide for, was not in circumstances to afford her aspiring boy what he so ardently desired.

Struggling with these obstacles, he borrowed a copy of Wittenhall's Latin grammar, and began repeating lessons to a young man named James Ritchie, a pupil of Mr. Linton, the ablest teacher in the county. Ritchie, who was accounted the best Latin scholar then attending the school, became exceedingly attached to the young tyro, and assiduously laboured to promote his improvement. It was now that the embryo Professor of languages set to work in earnest. The intensity of his application so absorbed every thought, that his mind was both night and day upon the stretch. He never arose from his humble pallet, but his task was uppermost in his thoughts. He awoke frequently in the silence of night, and lighting what in the country is called a split, looked at the passage in which he found himself deficient; and, having mastered the difficulty, consigned himself again to the arms of sleep. At the tender age of nine, he accustomed himself to rise by the first glimpse of dawn, and since that time, to the present day, he has continued to inculcate and practise early rising.

In this manner he had continued to pursue his Latin studies through the grammar, vocabulary, Corderius, and Justin, when death deprived him of Ritchie, his friend and benefactor. New difficulties now presented themselves. Many lamented Ritchie, suddenly cut off from the fairest worldly prospects, and many sympathized with his young protegee. The one was lamented for his removal from life; the other for the loss of his affectionate teacher.

So much, however, had the industry

and perseverance of our young scholar attracted general notice, that Mr. Allan, a neighbouring farmer, offered to place him for six months at the school which his deceased friend Ritchie had attended. A son and a nephew of the Rev. Mr. Brown, already mentioned, were here his fellow-stu- | dents; and though they were considerably farther advanced in their studies, he was soon enabled, by the assistance they voluntarily gave, to join readily in the exercises of the class.

Feeling daily the importance of knowledge, and stimulated by the approbation of his teacher, and the good-will of his school-fellows, he began now to entertain hopes of his original design. He was still farther induced to look forward to the object of all his wishes, from the circumstance of Mr. Bankhead, a neighbouring clergyman, who had been lately ordained, having surmounted many difficulties, in prosecuting the various branches of a liberal education; and hope gladdened his breast, when reflecting that it might be possible for him to accomplish a similar achievement. He now began to rival those who had formerly assisted him. It gave him no uneasi- | ness that they were better dressed than he, but his young heart was like to break if they excelled him in preparing his daily tasks.

While thus making rapid progress in the study of Latin, writing and arithmetic were not neglected; and when he left school, scarcely ten years of age, he was so well grounded in these departments, that, with the assistance of such class-books as he could procure in loan, he was able to commence his own instructor.

Having for several years assiduously struggled "to climb the steep where Fame's proud temple shines afar," many speculations of castlebuilding engrossed his attention; but these were uniformly subservient to the one great aim he had in view. As a step towards its accomplishment, he formed the intention of becoming a teacher of youth; and though his age was yet tender, and his knowledge of the world extremely limited, no other employment suggested itself, that appeared so likely to correspond with his intentions. He accordingly opened a school at Elginy, an adjacent farm-town, where his success exceeded his best expectations.

The study of English grammar was, at that period, little attended to in country schools, and this our young teacher soon discovered to be a great desideratum. His knowledge of the Latin grammar had given him at best but an imperfect view of the subject; and though he understood it in theory, he found great difficulty in reducing his knowledge to practice. Having communicated his embarrassment to the Rev. Henry McNiel, of the Cameronian persuasion, that gentleman kindly undertook his tuition, at such hours as he was unoccupied in school, and accompanied his instructions with many salutary advices and wholesome warnings for his conduct in after life. By extreme parsimony having succeeded in accumulating a small sum of money from the proceeds of his school, he repaired to Belfast, for the purpose of studying under Mr. Mason, the most popular teacher of English in the North of Ireland.

Having acquired a competent knowledge of teaching, and obtained from Mr. M. the most flattering testimonials of abilities, he repaired to Kildownie, where a school-house was erected for him on the great road between Balleymoney and Ballymena, about 20 miles from Belfast. Here he laboured for about four years, with the most persevering activity. During this period an intimacy was established between Mr. Kidd and the family of Mr. Robert Boyd, a respectable farmer at Carnlea, near Ballymena, which ended in his marriage with Miss Jane Boyd, Mr. Boyd's second daughter.

Britain having now acknowledged the independence of her late colonies in America, Mr. Kidd formed the resolution of emigrating to that interesting country, in the hope of being able to push his fortune. Having accumulated some little capital by persevering industry, he accordingly embarked for Philadelphia, with Mrs. Kidd, in April, 1784, on board the "Irish Volunteer," from Larne, in the north of Ireland. He carried with him not a single letter of introduction, and on his arrival, after a passage of nine weeks, he had no friend to bid him welcome. Having been recommended to lodgings by Capt. Baird, of the Volunteer, his first inquiry was concerning the probability of succeeding as a teacher of youth; and being recommended to his countryman, Mr.

[ocr errors]

James Little, a schoolmaster in the neighbourhood, he waited on that gentleman, and communicated to him his situation and intentions. There was something providential in this meeting; Mr. Little, who was considerably advanced in life, was a man of genuine piety, and of consummate prudence and knowledge of the world. His sympathy for a stranger, his compassion for youthful inexperience, and his partiality for a fellow-countryman, conspired to excite his benevolence and humanity.

On Mr. Little's recommendation, Mr. Kidd undertook the tuition of a family near Egg Harbour, New Jersey, | where he removed with Mrs. Kidd; but hearing, soon after, of a preferable situation in Maryland, he became preceptor in the family of Nathaniel Ewing, Esq. brother of the provost of the College of Pennsylvania.

This migratory life but ill agreed with his early resolution of becoming qualified for a preacher of Christ's gospel, and he hailed with pleasure an invitation from his friend Little to settle in Philadelphia, and take part with him in the labour of conducting his school. A mutual intimacy was soon established between Mr. Little and his assistant;-esteem was succeeded by regard;-regard by confidence; and confidence by friendship, which continued through life; not merely without diminution, but with perpetual accessions of affection. Death has, some years since, broken the link that connected them in this world, but the survivor has the remembrance of the past to console him, and the expectation of that future life, in which he hopes to rejoin him, and which, by this very hope, presents a new motive to his own virtues.

By his friend's persuasion, Mr. Kidd was some time afterwards induced to open a classical academy. In this undertaking, he was particularly successful; and several individuals, who have since acted conspicuous parts on the theatre of public life, received the rudiments of their education under his charge. Amongst these was the celebrated Commodore Decatur, between whom and his respected teacher a correspondence continued until the death of the former, in a fatal duel.

A vacancy for an usher having occurred in the college of Pennsylvania, Mr. Kidd became a candidate,

and was elected to the situation. Having continued to act in this capacity for some length of time, he was enrolled a student in the university, where he went regularly through the course of the classics, natural and moral philosophy, with civil history and mathematics. During his academical career, he became acquainted with Mr, Young, an eminent printer, and was, by this gentleman, employed in the capacity of corrector for the press. In this situation, to the duties of which he devoted every moment of leisure he could spare from his other avocations, he had access to Legoneer's Printer's Grammar, and in this work he first saw the Hebrew alphabet. In a very short time he became perfectly master of the letters and points, and placed himself under the tuition of a Portuguese Jew, by whose instructions, and his own intense application, he became familiar with the book of Genesis in the course of a few months.

The exorbitant charges of his Jewish teacher, and the expenses consequent on a rising family, reduced Mr. Kidd's finances, at this period, to a very low ebb. With extreme parsimony, he had accumulated as many dollars as would purchase a suit of clothes, of which he stood very much in want ;but he had likewise, for some time, cast his eyes wistfully upon a Hebrew bible, in the shop of a Dutch bookseller, to obtain which, was to him an object of extreme solicitude.

The

He had repeatedly called, on purpose to see the much-wished-for treasure; and oftentimes, in passing, he looked at it through the window. While going in quest of the new suit, he went near the book-shop. bible caught his eye,—and that glance was sufficient. The cash was in hand, and his heart greedy for the longcoveted object. The Dutchman was loud in his encomiums on the excellence of the type and the edition. It was enough. Our young Hebraist threw down the money destined for another purpose, and carrying off his prize in triumph, began again, with humility and resignation, to accumulate, by private teaching and correcting the press, the sum requisite to replace, by new ones, his threadbare garments.

He now occasionally attended a Jewish synagogue, every Friday evening, where he learned to read Hebrew

fluently; and became intimately ac- | many other distinguished individuals, quainted with the peculiarities of the recommended Mr. Kidd to the patron, language, and the Jewish ceremonials. Sir Alexander Ramsay, of Balmain, Oriental languages became his favou- bart., as a gentleman amply qualified rite study, and two designs occupied to fill the chair. After much personal all his thoughts-namely, travelling in intercourse with Mr. Kidd, Sir Alexthe East,- —or studying divinity in Scot- ander not only readily acceded to the land, under the famous John Brown, of recommendation, but proffered his Haddington, the Burgar Professor of thanks to those who had been instruTheology. He was induced to aban- mental in bringing under his notice don the former project, by his intimate this poor but deserving stranger. friend, the celebrated Dr. Benjamin Rush, of Philadelphia. "Methinks," said the Dr., when conversing on this subject; "Methinks I see you, after you have made the tour of Asia, returned to America, and lecturing to empty benches. Study men and things!" This was certainly, in Mr. Kidd's circumstances, a shrewd and seasonable reproof; but neither raillery nor remonstrance could induce him to give up his long-cherished wish for the ministry of Christ.

All thoughts of returning to America being now necessarily abandoned, Mr. Kidd wrote for his wife and family, and proceeded to Aberdeen in October, 1793. At the commencement of the college-session, he began the duties of his office, and he has since conducted this department with distinguished honour to himself and advantage to the numerous ministers of the gospel of Christ, who have studied the original of the sacred scriptures under his care. By his instrumentality, the knowledge and study of Hebrew have been revived in the north of Scotland, where this language had been comparatively dormant for a great lapse of years.

Although he had studied divinity for two successive sessions in the university of Edinburgh, he was so anxious to perfect himself for the duties of the ministry, that he attended four successive courses at the Theological Halls of King's and Marischal colleges,-in the former, under Dr. Gerard; and in the latter, under Dr. Campbell.

At length, with Dr. Rush's sanction, though scarcely with his approbation, Mr. Kidd embarked for Scotland, carrying with him letters of introduction to many of the most celebrated literary characters in Edinburgh, with whom Dr. R. had been acquainted, when a student of medicine in that city. By the advice of these gentlemen, he, a second time, commenced a course of academical study, under Dr. John Hill, Professor of Humanity; Mr. Dalziel, Professor of Greek; and Mr. Dugald Stewart, Professor of Moral Philosophy. By Professor Hill, with whom he was an especial favourite, he was introduced to Dr. Erskine, of Carnock, to whose good offices he was subsequently deeply indebted. After studying chemistry under Dr. Black, and anatomy under Dr. Monro, he was enrolled a sudent of divinity of the He was, shortly afterwards, appointestablished church of Scotland,-Pro-ed evening lecturer in the Trinity fessor Brown, of Haddington, having Chapel, which had been lately erected; died during Mr. K.'s voyage from and in this situation he continued for America. five years.

While attending the various duties at college, Mr. Kidd opened classes under the immediate patronage of the celebrated Rabbi Robertson, as a teacher of Oriental literature. His success in this undertaking was so eminent, that when the professorship of Oriental languages in the Marischal college and University of Aberdeen, became vacant by the death of Dr. Donaldson; Drs. Hill and Erskine, Mr. Anderson of St. Germain's, and

At the end of this period, he presented himself before the very rev. the Presbytery of Aberdeen; and being found amply qualified for a preacher of the gospel, he was, by them, licensed accordingly.

In the beginning of the present century, the Gilcomston Chapel of Ease, in the immediate neighbourhood of Aberdeen, becoming vacant, Professor Kidd presented himself as a candidate; and the patronage being vested in those who had subscribed one guinea to the funds of the chapel, he was elected minister by a large majority. He has now preached in this chapel for 25 years, to perhaps the most numerous congregation in Scotland.

In October, 1818, the College of New Jersey conferred on Professor Kidd the unsolicited degree of Doctor in Divinity. To this honour, his superior talents gave him an unquestionable claim. Independently of his preaching abilities, the vigour of his expansive mind is conspicuous in his publications. In these, its energies were perceived in the United States, so that the title he has received, may be considered as an acknowledgment of merit, by the college whence it emanated, and a memorial of their genuine affection and high esteem.

To idleness, in any of its branches, Dr. Kidd is an entire stranger. He knows the value of time, and evinces the sincerity of his conviction, by an unremitting activity in doing good to the bodies, as well as the souls, of those committed to his care.

Deeply impressed with the importance of the doctrines he inculcates, and the responsibility attached to his character as a minister of the everlasting gospel, he labours in the discharge of his duty with an assiduity that has seldom been equalled. The dying and the afflicted, the widow and the orphan, are the objects of his daily care and while he strenuously exerts himself for the relief of their temporal wants, he pours the consolations of religion into their wounded spirits, and teaches them to lay their burdens upon Him who alone can administer comfort to the dying, and balm to the afflicted; and who is the husband of the widow, and the orphan's stay.

With a view to check the licentiousness in which many formerly indulged on the evening of the Sabbath, he has, since his induction, besides the morning and afternoon services, regularly conducted an evening lecture, the collections at which, amounting to a very large sum, have been exclusively appropriated to the support of the parochial poor. The population in the district of the parish of Old Machar, of which he has the pastoral charge, exceeds ten thousand; and the funerals, marriages, and baptisms, at which he presides, are consequently very numerous. The young men and women of his congregation, before their admission for the first time to the Lord's table, are, in separate weekly classes, during three months previous to the celebration of the ordinance, instructed

by him in the fundamental principles of our holy faith, and are admitted or rejected according to the extent of their knowledge of divine subjects. During the Theological Session, he also teaches Hebrew daily in the University. He has likewise, for a series of years, conducted a private class, the members of which he instructs in the principles of moral philosophy. In this department, we believe he was the first teacher in the kingdom, who adopted as a text-book the "Lectures on the Philosophy of the Human Mind," of the late Dr. Thomas Brown, of Edinburgh.

But, numerous, diversified, and arduous, as the preceding labours appear, they were insufficient to engross the whole of Dr. Kidd's time, or to furnish full employment for the vigour of his mental energies. The principles of Economical Science, at present, occupy a considerable portion of his attention; and, that he acquits himself in this department in a manner creditable to himself, beneficial to his auditors, and satisfactory to the public, we gather from the following paragraphs, which we copy from the Aberdeen Journal of November 9th, 1825 :

"When we contemplate the numerous institutions established in almost every part of the country, for the laudable purpose of directing the attention of the people in general to those arts and sciences which are calculated to ameliorate the condition of man, whether considered as an individual, a member of society, or a moral agent; we fondly anticipate the approach of a time, when the British community will be as superior to their neighbours in intellectual improvement, as they have long been in moral rectitude, constitutional liberty, and military prowess. The vast mass of intellect, possessed by the middle and lower ranks of society, which had so long slumbered in comparative inactivity, and been debarred, by the want of opportunities, from the sources of knowledge, has, at length, by the exertions of some spirited individuals, been roused from its lethargy, and invited to elevate itself, from the pursuit of all that is low and grovelling, to the investigation of subjects worthy the dignity of our nature,

"Among these, we think ourselves justified, both by the importance of

« VorigeDoorgaan »