Page:Dictionary of National Biography. Sup. Vol I (1901).djvu/431

 as was said by T. H. Green, the essence of Hegelianism as applicable to the Christian religion is presented by 'a master of style.' Combating materialism, agnosticism, and other negative theories, and working from a reasonable basis along a careful line of evolution, Caird furnishes in this work a substantial system of theism. In the volume on Spinoza, contributed to Blackwood's 'Philosophical Classics' (1888), he gives a specially full and comprehensive statement and discussion of the philosopher's ethics. In 1899 appeared two posthumous volumes, 'University Sermons, 1873-98,' and 'University Addresses.' The Gifford lectures on 'The Fundamental Ideas of Christianity,' with a prefatory memoir by Caird's brother, Dr. Edward Caird, master of Balliol, were published in two volumes in 1900. This work expands, and in some measure popularises, the discussions in the 'Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion,' the author's desire being, in his own words, to show 'that Christianity and Christian ideas are not contrary to reason, but rather in deepest accordance with both the intellectual and moral needs of men.'

 CAIRNS, JOHN (1818–1892), presbyterian divine, born at Ayton Hill, Berwickshire, on 23 Aug. 1818, was the son of John Cairns, shepherd, and his wife, Alison Murray. Educated at Ayton and Oldcambus, Berwickshire, he was for three years a herd, doing meanwhile private work for his school-master. In 1834 he entered Edinburgh University, and, while diversifying his curriculum with teaching in his native parish and elsewhere, became the most distinguished student of his day. Sir William Hamilton (1788–1856) [q. v.], in some instances, discussed Cairns's metaphysical opinions at considerable length in the class-room, and Professor Wilson highly eulogised his talents and his attainments in literature, philosophy, and science. Speaking to his class of a certain mathematical problem that Cairns had solved. Professor Kelland said that it had been solved by only one other of his thousands of students. Cairns was associated with A. Campbell Fraser, David Masson, and other leading students in organising the Metaphysical Society for weekly philosophical discussions. He graduated M.A. in 1841, being facile princeps in classics and philosophy, and equal first in mathematics.

Having entered the Presbyterian Secession Hall in 1840, Cairns continued his brilliant career as a student. In 1843 the movement that culminated in the formation of the Free Church aroused his interest, and an article of his in the 'Secession Magazine' prompted inquiries regarding the writer from Thomas Chalmers [q. v.] In the end of 1843 Cairns officiated for a month in an English independent chapel at Hamburg, and he spent the winter and spring of 1843-4 at Berlin, ardently studying the German language, philosophy, and theology. On 1 May he went on a three months' tour through Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland, writing home descriptive and critical letters of great interest. lieturning to Scotland, he was licensed as a preacher on 3 Feb. 1845, and on 6 Aug. of the same year he was ordained minister of Golden Square Church, Berwick-on-Tweed. Here he became one of the foremost of Scottish preachers — notable for certain quaint but attractive peculiarities of manner, but above all for his force and impressiveness of appeal — and he declined several invitations to important charges, metropolitan and other, and to professorships both in Great Britain and Canada.

In 1849, visiting the English lakes. Cairns met Wordsworth, from whom he elicited some characteristic views on philosophy and the descriptive graces of Cowper. Interesting himself in public questions at home, he delivered his first great platform speech at Berwick in 1856, when he successfully combated a proposal favouring the introduction into Scotland of the methods of the continental Sunday. In 1857 he addressed in German the members of the Evangelical Alliance in Berlin, having been chosen to represent English-speaking Christendom on the occasion. Edinburgh University in 1858 conferred on him the honorary degree of D.D., and in 1859, on the death of John Lee (1779–1859) [q. v.], principal of Edinburgh University, he declined the invitation of the Edinburgh town councillors (patrons of the vacant post) to be nominated as his successor.

From 1863 to 1873 the question of union between the United Presbyterian Church and the Free Church of Scotland occupied much of Cairn's attention, but the difficulty was unripe for settlement. Meanwhile, in August 1867, Cairns became professor of apologetics in the United Presbyterian Theological Hall, retaining his charge at Berwick. His students testify to his zeal and success,