Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 2.djvu/541

 appointed to the parish of Monimail, Fifeshire. Translated to Tron Church, Glasgow (10 March 1864), as colleague and successor to Dr. James Boyd, father of A. K. H. Boyd [q. v. Suppl. I], he won great popularity as preacher and pastor. After four years in Glasgow he succeeded Dr. Maxwell Nicholson on 9 Jan. 1868, in the Tron Church, Edinburgh. There he fully maintained his reputation for pulpit oratory. A well-organised parochial visitation committee, which he initiated, was at length amalgamated with the Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor. On 30 Nov. 1873 MacGregor became first minister of St. Cuthbert's parish, Edinburgh, which has the largest of Scottish congregations. With various colleagues he completed there a distinguished record during the remaining thirty-seven years of his life. Mainly through his exertions the old parish church was superseded in 1894 by a new edifice, which, with its equipment, cost about 50,000l.

From 1885 MacGregor effectively defended on the platform the existing relations between church and state. As moderator of the general assembly in 1891, he guided the proceedings with notable success. 'I heard his closing address,' wrote A. K. H. Boyd, 'and all the old indescribable fire and charm were there. . . . MacGregor is a born orator. You have to listen with rapt attention to every word he says. He is equally great, too, as Guthrie was, in pulpit and on platform.' Although a staunch churchman he was considerate and tolerant when his cherished principles were not assailed, and was not without hope that divided presbyterians might ultimately recognise one inclusive Church of Scotland. MacGregor proved the most popular Scottish preacher of his day. In 1870 St. Andrews conferred on him the honorary degree of D.D. In 1877 he was elected chaplain to the Royal Scottish Academy and to the Midlothian volunteer artillery, earning in his latter capacity the long service medal. In 1886 he became chaplain-in-ordinary to Queen Victoria (who gave him frequent tokens of her esteem), and the appointment was renewed by Edward VII in 1901 and by George V in 1910. MacGregor was also a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Although apparently of fragile physique MacGregor travelled much. In 1861 he was in the countries adjoining the Levant. When the marquis of Lorne was governor-general of Canada, he accompanied him in 1881 into the north-west provinces witnessed the progress of the Canadian Pacific railway. One of the railway stations, named MacGregor in his honour, is now a flourishing township, with a church that contains his portrait and is appropriately named St. Cuthbert's. In 1889 he was one of the Scottish presbyterian representatives at the jubilee celebration of the Australian presbyterian church. He described some of his travels in the 'Scotsman,' but published nothing else. He died at his manse on 26 Nov. 1910, and was interred in the Grange cemetery, Edinburgh.

MacGregor married twice: (1) in 1864 Helen, daughter of David Robertson, publisher, Glasgow; she died in 1875 and her two children both died young; (2) in 1892 Helen Murray, who survived him.

About 1875 a portrait of MacGregor was painted by Otto Leyde, and in 1898 another by Sir George Reid, P.R.S.A., was presented to him by his congregation and friends. These are family possessions. A third, a study by John Bowie, A.R.S.A., for a group of 'Queen's Chaplains,' is in the session house of St. Cuthbert's parish church.

 MACHELL, JAMES OCTAVIUS (1837–1902), owner and manager of racehorses, born at Etton rectory, near Beverley, on 5 Dec. 1837, was son of Robert Machell, vicar of Marton-in-Cleveland, who descended from an old Westmorland family, by his wife Eliza Mary, daughter of James Zealy and heiress to the Sterne and Waines property at Little Weighton and Beverley.

After education at Rossall school, where he distinguished himself in athletics, James joined, when seventeen years old, the 14th foot (afterwards the West Yorkshire regiment) as ensign. In 1858 he was gazetted lieutenant, and in 1862 captain. For some time he was quartered in Ireland, where he had ample opportunities for indulging his love of sport. He won many a bet by jumping over the mess-room table or from the floor to the mantel-shelf. He exchanged into the 59th in 1863, but retired from the service the same year, owing (it is said) to the commanding officer's refusal to permit him to go to Doncaster for the St. Leger.

Thereupon Machell settled at Newmarket, taking with him a three-year-old horse 