Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Martin, Hugh
MARTIN, HUGH (1822–1885), minister of the free church of Scotland, born at Aberdeen on 11 Aug. 1822, was son of Alexander Martin, and was educated at the grammar school and Marischal College of his native city. He had a distinguished career in the university classes, obtaining, among numerous prizes, the Gray bursary, the highest mathematical reward at Marischal College. He graduated M.A. in April 1839, and subsequently attended the theological classes at King's College, Aberdeen. He was in his student days opposed to the 'non-intrusion' party, which in 1843 became the free church; but at the general assembly of the church of Scotland in 1842 he was converted by a speech of Dr. Cunningham to free church principles. Licensed as a minister in 1843, he was appointed in 1844 to Panbride, near Carnoustie, in the presbytery of Arbroath, to build up the free church charge after the disruption. Martin remained at Panbride till 1868, when he was called to the important charge of Free Greyfriars in Edinburgh. This position he held till June 1865, when he retired owing to ill-health. In 1866-8 Martin acted as examiner in mathematics for the degree of M.A. in the university of Edinburgh, which conferred upon him in 1872 the degree of doctor of divinity. In the debates in the general assembly of the free church Martin was a frequent and an able speaker. On his retirement from Greyfriars, Martin took a house at Lasswade, near Edinburgh, where he occupied himself with music and mathematics. He died 14 June 1885.
Martin was a frequent contributor to the 'British and Foreign Evangelical Review' and the 'Transactions of the London Mathematical Society.' His works comprise: 1. 'Christ's Presence in the Gospel History,' 8vo, London, 1860. 2. 'The Prophet Jonah, his Character and Mission to Nineveh,' 8vo, London, 1866. 3. 'A Study of Trilinear Co-ordinates,' 8vo, Cambridge, 1867. 4. 'The Atonement,' 8vo, London, 1870. 5. 'National Education,' 8vo, Edinburgh, 1872. 6. 'Mutual Eligibility,' 8vo, Edinburgh, 1872. 7. 'Relations between Christ's Headship over Church and State,' 8vo, Edinburgh, 1875. 8. 'The Shadow of Calvary,' 8vo, Edinburgh, 1875. 9. 'The Westminster Doctrine of the Inspiration of Scripture,' 8vo, London, 1877 (this work reached a fifth edition in the same year). 10. 'A Sequel to "The Westminster Doctrine of the Inspiration of Scripture,"' 8vo, London, 1877.
[Information obtained from Dr. Martin's son, the Rev. Alexander Martin, M.A., one of the ministers of Morningside Free Church, Edinburgh.]