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Bible Encyclopedias
Haldane, Robert
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or an eminent Christian philanthropist, was born in London (of Scotch parents) Feb. 28, 1764, and inherited a large property. His early manhood was spent in the navy; he was afterwards an enthusiastic Democrat in politics, and welcomed the French Revolution. After this excitement subsided he was converted, and resolved on dedicating his life to missionary labors. India was the chosen field, and, having secured the promised co-operation of Messrs. Innes, Ewing, and Bogue, of Gosport, to whom he guaranteed adequate stipends, he applied to the Indian government to sanction his enterprise. The East India Company directors, after much deliberation, resolved that the superstitions of. Hindostan should not be disturbed. Mr. Haldane now determined to employ his resources in spreading the Gospel at home, and, in conjunction with Rowland Hill and other eminent evangelists, he was instrumental in awakening an extensive revival of religion throughout Scotland. The General Assembly (1800) forbade field preaching, and discouraged the revival. Mr. Haldane therefore seceded from the Established Church, and at his own expense erected places of worship, under the name of Tabernacle in. all the large towns of Scotland; and educated 300 young men under Dr. Bogue at Gosport, Mr. Ewing at Glasgow, and Mr. limes at Dundee. He also organized a theological school at Paris. His attention was subsequently directed to the evangelization of Africa. To commence this undertaking, the procured thirty young children from Sierra Leone to receive a Christian education at his expense, and gave a bond for £7000 for their board arid education, which, however, the friends of emancipation in London undertook to defray. This is only one specimen of his munificence. His personal labors. in awakening a religious spirit in the south of France were successful beyond his own most sanguine expectations; and both at Geneva and Montauban he sowed the seeds of truth, which are bearing good fruit to this day in the Protestant churches of France. Mr. Haldane took a prominent part in the management of the Continental Society and the Bible Society of Edinburgh; and in the painful controversy relative to the circulation of the Apocrypha by the British and Foreign Bible Society, which led to the establishment of the latter. He was the author. of The Evidence and Authority of divine Revelation (3rd ed. 1839, 2 vols. 12mo): — An Exposition of the Epistle to the Romans (Lond. 1839, 2 vols. 12mo): — Verbal Inspiration (6th ed. 1853, 12mo); and various controversial pamphlets. He died Dec. 12, 1842. — Jamieson, Religious Biography, p. 240; Rich, Biogr. Dictionary; Darling, Lives of the Brothers Haldane (Lond. 1852, 8vo); Belcher, Memoir of Robert and James Alexander Haldane (Amer. Tract. Soc.).
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McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Haldane, Robert'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/h/haldane-robert.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
