H/E was born at Piteddie, parish of Kinghorn, Fifeshire, May 8, 1778, and received his early education in the village school of Lochgelly.He matriculated in the university of Edinburgh in 1795, and seems there to have enjoyed the privilege of sitting under the instructions of Dugald Stewart.His parents belonged to the church of Scotland, but from conscientious motives, and from perceiving the want of religion in the students intending for the ministry in that body, he joined the burgher branch of the seceders, and attended their theological hall, where his metaphysical abilities were noticed by his professor Dr.
Lawson.After being licensed to preach the gospel, he taught schools at Lochgelly, and at Colinsburgh.In 1805, he was settled as minister in the shire of Kincardine, at Stonehaven, a some what exposed place on the German ocean, but made interesting by bold rocks in the neighborhood, and a grand old ruined castle where the covenanters had been imprisoned.There he ministered to a small congregation of fifty members, and specially exerted himself in establishing sabbath schools, at that time very much unknown in the district.He lived a sly and retired life, cheerful in his own home, but not much known beyond, except by a few who noticed him taking his solitary walk daily along the links of Cowie, with tall and well-proportioned frame, and high capacious forehead, pondering, they supposed, some deep ecclesiastical or philosophic subject.In 1824, he published anonymously, "A Comparison of Established and Dissenting Churches by a Dissenter," and, in 1830, an enlarged edition of the same with his name prefixed.This work may be regarded as starting the voluntary controversy, which was carried on vigorously by the religious body to which he belonged, for years agitated Scotland from one end of it to the other, in the course of time spread into England, and, directly or indirectly, has been followed by far-reaching results, that have not yet exhausted themselves.There is reason to believe that he foresaw the consequences; he told his friend, Mr.Longmuir, that he expected to see him out of the established church and a dissenting minister like himself.
But he was also speculating on other topics.In 1828, he published An Examination of the Human Mind." It should be interesting to any one who has had to contend with adverse circumstances to contemplate this man in his quiet seceder manse on that bare coast, and among a people who appreciated his piety and devotedness, but had no comprehension of his philosophy, devoting himself so earnestly to the original study of the human mind.He could have been swayed by no inferior hope in the shape of an expected chair in one of the Scottish colleges; for these, while open to persons adhering really or nominally to established-church Presbyterianism and Episcopacy were practically closed to a dissenting minister.This was doubtless one of the rankling causes that prompted the seceders to espouse the voluntary side so eagerly.They felt, in an age which was moving on towards the reform bill, that they had a title to complain of being consigned to an inferior position: it should be added that they felt that they had to abandon their strict covenanting principles, which were seen to be exclusive.Nor was this man or his book likely to get a favorable.hearing from the literary or metaphysical readers in Scotland, where the influential thinkers were James Mylne and Thomas Brown, to whose philosophy he was entirely opposed; and, as to England, it felt little interest in such inquiries.The work, though clearly written, has no such literary beauties as drew many towards the writings of Stewart and Brown, and it had some difficulty in getting into notice.There is no evidence that any of the professors {390} in the chairs of mental science took any interest in it, or were disposed to lift the author out of his obscurity.Nevertheless there were some in his own religious communion, and beyond it, who perceived the merit of the work, which is distinguished for its independence, and its rising above the philosophy of his time." A gentleman," says Mr.Longmuir, " eminent both for his wealth and literary distinction, (the late Mr.Douglas of Cavers?) having seen the manuscript, and been informed of the limited means of the author, kindly offered to run the risk of its publication; but Mr.Ballantyne, having found that he had accumulated sufficient means to publish it himself, gratefully declined the generous offer.Some time after, a considerable sum of money was sent by the same gentleman, and placed entirely at Mr.Ballantyne's disposal.
Instead of applying it, however, to the publication of his book, he paid it over for the benefit of the missionary operations that his presbytery was then promoting." Adisparaging notice of his work appeared in "The Edinburgh Literary journal," a periodical long since consigned to oblivion, but he was not moved by it: he had done his work, and left it to speak for itself.Thus lived, and thus died, Nov.5, 1830, one who was, above all things, resolute in maintaining his independence, both of action and thinking, -- independence not of God, but of man.
He finds it necessary to criticise Dr.Brown, and has anticipated some of the objections, afterwards propounded more formally by Hamilton.The system of Dr.Brown certainly discovers great ingenuity, and is expounded with great eloquence; but it appears to betray a want of that persevering diligence and scrupulous caution, without which metaphysical enquiries are in a great measure unavailing."He begins with a discussion of the sensitive principle." He distinguishes between sensations and ideas of sensation.
