HALDANE, ROBERT ( 1764-1842). A philan thropist and preacher of Scotch descent. He was born February 28, 1764, in London. He inherited a large property, but, having a passion for the sea, after studying but a short time in Edin burgh University, he entered the navy, where he served with honor (1780-83). When the French Revolution commenced he regarded it with pleas ure and hope, but was soon disappointed by its excesses. Having, after a season of doubt, be come convinced of the divine origin of Chris tianity, he heartily embraced it, and resolved to devote his life and fortune to its advancement, and in 1796 he selected India as a field for mis sionary operations, intending to go himself as a missionary, and engaged the coliperation of sev eral ministers to whom he pledged a sufficient support; but as the East India Company refused to sanction the enterprise, it had to be given up. He then resolved to work at home. In company with Rowland Hill and others, he was very suc cessful in awakening throughout Scotland a deep interest in the subject of religion. The unusual methods of work which they adopted excited the opposition of the Scottish General Assembly. Field preaching was forbidden and other features of the revival were disapproved. Haldane se
ceded from the Established Church (1799) and entered the Congregational body, and, at his own cost, erected tabernacles for public worship in many of the large towns of Scotland. At his expense also, 300 young men were educated for the ministry under several eminent teachers. In 1808 he adopted Baptist views, engaged in personal labors to promote reliodon in the south of France and in Switzerland (1816). and in 1817 removed to Montauban. By his work in Geneva a new impulse was given to evangelical Christianity, and an important theological school was established. In 1819 he returned to Scot land. Previously (1798) his attention had been directed to missionary work in Africa, and, as a beginning, he had 30 children brought to England from Sierra Leone to be educated. He died in Edinburgh, December 12, 1842. Several of his writings had a large sale: The Evidence and Authority of Divine Revelation (1816, 2d ed. 1834) ; The Books of the Old and New Testament Proved to be Canonical, and Their Verbal In spiration Maintained and Established (1830, 7th ed. 1877) ; Exposition of Romans,(1835; 2d ed. 1874). For his life, consult Alexander Haldane (London, 1852).