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John Marshall Lang
John Marshall Lang was born on May 14th, 1834, the second son of Gavin Lang, Minister of Glasford. He was educated at the High School of Glasgow and the University of Glasgow, licenced by the Presbytery of Hamilton, then assistant to Dunoon. Ordained to the Presbyterian ministry for East Parish, Aberdeen June 26th 1856, transferred to Fyvie August 5th 1858, transferred to Anderston, Glasgow January 12th 1865, and transferred to Morningside, Edinburgh, June 25th 1868.
In 1872, he was a deputy, with Professor William Milligan D.D., from the Church of Scotland to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of America. Shortly thereafter, on January 9th 1873, he was transferred to The Barony, Glasgow. He attained his D.D. in Glasgow in 1873.
He was instrumental in raising £28,000 for the rebuilding of the Church and took an active interest in educational, social and other matters in the City of Glasgow. He instituted daily services in his Church, and was convener of the General Assembly's Committee on correspondence with foreign Reformed Churches.
In 1887 he went to Australia and officiated for four months in the Scots Church, Melbourne. There, he was convener of the General Assembly's Commission to inquire into the religious condition of the people of Scotland, 1890-1896. His LL.D. was conferred in Glasgow in 1901.
John Marshall Lang was elected Moderator of the General Assembly on May 18th, 1893. He was the Duff lecturer in 1897, President of the Pan-Presbyterian Alliance at the Washinton Meeting in 1889, and appointed administrative Principal of the University of Aberdeen March 31st, 1900. In 1901, he delivered the Baird Lecture at the University of Glasgow, entitled The Church and its Social Mission.
By his energy he largely helped to complete the New Marischal College, which was opened by King Edward and Queen Alexandra in September 1906, on which occasion he was created C.V.O. He died at Aberdeen on the 2nd of May 1909, and was buried in the ruined transept of Aberdeen Cathedral.
References
* Research undertaken by Miss Susan Moore, M.A., Genealogical and Historical Research, East Lodge, Newliston, Kirkliston, West Lothian, Scotland
* Compiled from unpublished Lang genealogical sources. Derived from and credited to Lang genealogical material written by Elsie Y. Endicott, Moosomin Saskatchewan, 1980