Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 30.djvu/343

 discovered by Dr. Wright in the library of Trinity College, Dublin, of the ‘Kalilah and Dimnah,’ otherwise known as the ‘Fables of Bidpai.’ This was published early in 1885, with a long introduction on the literary history of the document, and the bibliography of the versions. Its learning and critical acumen were recognised by Professor Nöldeke and other leading oriental scholars. Keith-Falconer wrote a very full article on ‘Shorthand’ for the ninth edition of the ‘Encyclopædia Britannica.’ He had taught himself Pitman's system at school.

Keith-Falconer acted as university examiner in 1883 and 1884. He was, however, becoming engrossed with the idea of mission-work in a field where his knowledge of Arabic might be directly utilised; and early in 1885 he was led on reading a paper by Major-general Haig, R.E., to fix upon Aden as presenting many advantages for communication with the interior of Africa. He made a preliminary visit of four months at the end of 1885 to test the climate, and acquired some medical knowledge with a view to founding a hospital, which formed part of his scheme. He decided to station himself at Shaikh Othman, nine miles and a half inland from Aden, but just inside British territory, where schools and a hospital could be built. He made some lengthy excursions inland, and began to study the language of the Somalis, an African race, of whom thousands had settled in and about Aden.

In April 1886 Keith-Falconer returned to England, and on 26 May was formally recognised as a missionary by the general assembly of the free church of Scotland, in which his father had been an elder, and in which he himself had been brought up. Early in the following summer he accepted the post of lord almoner's professor of Arabic in the university of Cambridge, which required the delivery of one lecture annually. He gave a course of three lectures in November on the ‘Pilgrimage to Mecca.’ These lectures have not been published. On the day after the last lecture he left England, arriving at Aden on 8 Dec. 1886. He went out at his own expense, and took with him, also at his own cost, Dr. Stewart Cowen, of the Western Infirmary, Glasgow, who proved most efficient and helpful. He had obtained a grant of land at Shaikh Othman, on which he at once began to build a permanent home for the mission. A rude hut was erected as a temporary hospital, and at the beginning of January 1887 he settled with his wife and the doctor in a temporary house, consisting of a roof on four pillars, with walls of iron lattice covered with matting, and wooden partitions inside. Early in February Keith-Falconer had an attack of Aden fever. His temporary house afforded insufficient shelter. The attack was often repeated, for the last time on 6 May. He died on 11 May following, and was buried in the Aden cemetery. His rare combination of qualities might have given great results if he had been spared to carry on his work.

[Personal knowledge and information derived from relations and friends; the present writer's Memorials of the Hon. Ion Keith-Falconer, late Lord Almoner's Professor of Arabic in the University of Cambridge, and Missionary to the Mohammedans of Southern Arabia, London, 1888, cr. 8vo, 2nd edit.] 

KELBURN, SINCLARE (1754–1802), Irish divine, only son of the Rev. Ebenezer Kelburn, minister of Plunket Street presbyterian church, Dublin, and Martha Sinclare, was born in Dublin in 1754. Entering Trinity College there he graduated A.B. in 1774, and then went to Edinburgh University to study theology and medicine. Having been licensed to preach he received a call from the third presbyterian congregation of Belfast (now Rosemary Street Church), and on 8 Feb. 1780 was ordained there as assistant and successor to the Rev. William Laird. The volunteer movement was then at its height, and Kelburn became one of its most ardent promoters, sometimes appearing in his pulpit on Sundays in the uniform of his corps, with his musket standing beside him. On one occasion 450 volunteers were quartered all night in his church, and he preached to them on the following day. His first publication, ‘The Morality of the Sabbath defended’ (Belfast, 1781), was a rejoinder to a sermon preached by his neighbour, the Rev. Dr. Crombie, in which the volunteers had been recommended to meet on Sundays for drill. He soon acquired a high reputation as a preacher. In 1790 he published ‘The Duty of Preaching the Gospel explained and recommended’ (Dublin, 1790). His largest and most important work was ‘The Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ asserted and proved, and the connection of this Doctrine with Practical Religion pointed out’ (Belfast, 1792). It reached a second edition. In 1797 he was arrested and lodged in Kilmainham prison on suspicion of being connected with the United Irishmen. On his liberation, after a lengthened incarceration, he had lost the use of both legs, and his health had otherwise suffered. In November 1799, at the request of his congregation, he resigned his pastoral charge. He died at Beersbridge, Belfast, on 31 March 1802, and was buried at Castlereagh, co. Down. 