DEATH OF REV. DR MATTHEW GARDNER

Former Minister of Hyndland Church, Glasgow

The death occurred in Edinburgh yesterday of the Rev. Matthew Gardner, T.D., D.D., minister emeritus of Hyndland Parish Church, Glasgow, in his 89th year. For 41 years he had been in the ministry, and retired from Hyndland in 1923. He was minister at Hyndland for 17 years.

Born in Greenock, Dr Gardner started work in a Glasgow office. Later he took up sheep farming in the Peebles district, then went to Australia, and served for a time on a small ship trading in the South Sea Islands. Returning to Scotland, he entered Glasgow University with the intention of taking a medical degree. Then he decided to enter the ministry. He had a distinguished University career and was a class prizeman. In his native town of Greenock he became assistant in the West Church in 1882, and in the following year went to Mid Calder. He became minister of the Peebles Parish Church in 1893.

Dr Gardner went to South Africa in 1902, and had charge of the Presbyterian church of Pretoria. It was in 190S that he was elected to Hyndland Parish Church. The honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon him by Glasgow University in 1923.

For a period of six months, Dr Gardner was in charge of the Scottish Church in Cairo.