Haldane, James Alexander

Haldane, James Alexander brother of the following, was born at Dundee July 1 1768. Having imbibed the family passion for the sea, he was appointed captain of the Melville Castle in 1793. The vessel, however, did not sail for four months, and during that interval a great change took place in captain Haldane's character. He became serious and thoughtful on the subject of religion, and, having determined to follow the example of his brother, who had already relinquished the seafaring life, he disposed of his command for £9000, and his share in the property of the ship and stores for £6000 more. With this fortune of £15,000 he retired with his wife to Scotland in 1794, and gave himself up to those religious inquiries which now engrossed his chief concern. Several years elapsed before his views were established; but at length he attained to a knowledge of the truth as well as peace hi believing. Mr. James Haldane, having plenty of time at command, occupied himself with many plans of Christian usefulness; among which the opening of Sabbath-schools, and itinerant preaching, at first in the villages around Edinburgh, and afterwards in the other large towns of Scotland, were the chief. His principal coadjutor in these labors of love was John Campbell, the African traveler. In company with that zealous Christian, Mr. Haldane made successive tours throughout all Scotland as far as Orkney, and those who were awakened by their preaching were, through the liberality of Mr. Robert Haldane, accommodated with suitable places of worship. Mr. James eventually accepted the office of stated pastor in the Tabernacle, Leith Walk, Edinburgh, and in that capacity he exercised, without any emolument, all the public and private duties of a minister with unbroken fidelity and zeal for a period of fifty years. Although he vacillated on some points of Church government, he and his brother remained steadfast in their adherence to the general principles of the Scotch Baptists. He died in Edinburgh Feb. 8, 1851. Besides a number of controversial tracts, he published A View of the social Worship of the first Christians (Edinb. 1805, 12mo): — Man's Responsibility and the Extent of the Atonement (Edinb. 1842, 12mo): — Exposition of Galatians (Edinb. 1848, 12mo): — Inspiration of the Scriptures (Edinb. 1845, 12mo). — Jamieson, Religious Biography, p. 242; Rich, Biog. Dict. s.v. Haldane; Lives of the Brothers Haldane (1852, 8vo); Belcher, Memoir of Robert and James Alexander Haldane, etc. (Amer. Tract Soc.); New Englander, April 1861, p. 269. SEE INDEPENDENTS, III.