Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Davidson, John Thain
DAVIDSON, JOHN THAIN (1833–1904), presbyterian minister, born on 25 April 1833 at Broughty Ferry, near Dundee, was a twin son of David Davidson, parish minister of Broughty Ferry, who seceded from the established church at the disruption of 1843 and died a few months later. His grandfather, Dr. David Davidson of Dundee, and his great grandfather were also ministers of the church of Scotland. His mother, daughter of Dr. Ireland of Leith, removed to Edinburgh on her husband's death, and at her house the boy John met Drs. Guthrie, Candlish, Cunningham, and other religious leaders. Educated successively at Edinburgh High School and at Edinburgh University, he studied for the ministry at the Free Church Theological College. After a few months in charge of a mission station at Craigmill in Perthshire, and as a probationer in Free St. George's, Montrose, he was ordained on 19 Feb. 1857 a minister of the Free church at Maryton, near Montrose, and remained there until 1859, when he was inducted minister of the presbyterian church at Salford. Thenceforth his life was spent in England.
After three years in Salford, he removed on 5 August 1862 to the presbyterian church, Colebrooke Row, Islington. There he achieved a memorable success, He not only converted a decaying congregation into a large and growing one, but his influence spread beyond his own denomination. On 4 Oct. 1868 he inaugurated in the Agricultural Hall, and continued every Sunday for nearly twenty-three years, the novel enterprise of services on Sunday afternoons for non-churchgoing people. The services, held at first in the smaller hall, which seated about 1000, were soon transferred to the great hall, where about 4000 persons were regularly present. The meetings were catholic in spirit. The speakers included the earls of Shaftesbury, Aberdeen, and Kintore, the bishops of Ballarat and Bedford, Canon Fleming, the vicars of Islington, Holloway, and Clerkenwell, Dr. Guthrie and Dr. Talmage.
In 1872 he was elected moderator of the synod of the presbyterian church of England. Subsequently he received the degree of D.D. from Montgomery College, Alabama. After nearly thirty years' work at Islington, he removed in 1891 to Baling, where he became on 16 Sept. minister of St. Andrew's presbyterian church. In 1903 he obtained as colleague W. S. Herbert Wylie, M.A., who succeeded him. Dr. Davidson died on 7 November 1904 and is buried in the churchyard of Gray's 'Elegy' at Stoke Poges.
He married on 4 Oct. 1859 Isabella, daughter of M. M'Callum of Glasgow, by whom he had two sons and six daughters.
Davidson's varied powers as a preacher were, perhaps, seen to best advantage in his monthly sermons to young men, commenced at Islington in 1878 and continued through the rest of his ministry. The main points in these addresses were published in 'Talks with Young Men' (1884); 'Forewarned, Forearmed' (1885); The City Youth' (1886); 'Sure to Succeed' (1888); 'A Good Start' (1890); and 'Thoroughness' (1892).
[John Thain Davidson: Reminiscences, by his daughter Mrs. Newson, 1906; British Weekly, 9 July and 17 Sept. 1891; private information.]