James Henderson (1797 – 12 September 1874) was a Scottish minister of the Free Church of Scotland who served as Moderator of the General Assembly to the Free Church 1855/56.

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James Henderson
Rev Dr. James Henderson
Church	Glasgow, St Enoch's
Personal details
Born	1797
Died	12 September 1874

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Henderson was born in Kelso on 4 February 1797 and was educated at Kelso Grammar School. He studied divinity at the University of Edinburgh.^[1] Then he studied under George Lawson at Selkirk Divinity Hall.^[2] After examination he was licensed by Presbytery of Selkirk.^[1]

He was ordained by the by Presbytery of Kelso, on 4 September 1821, to the Low Meeting, Berwick-upon-Tweed. On 27 November 1823 he translated to St Bernard's Church in Stockbridge, Edinburgh. On 21 February 1828 translated to Ratho Kirk.^[3] He lived in Ratho manse.^[4]

In 1832 he moved to St Enoch's Church in Glasgow, being presented by the Magistrates and Council 29 August, and admitted 29 November 1832. He was awarded a doctorate D.D. by Glasgow University in 1837.^[3] He was then living at 29 Bath Street.^[5]

In the Disruption of 1843 he left the Church of Scotland and joined the Free Church of Scotland. He was minister of St Enoch's Free Church from 1843-1874. A St Enoch's Free Church was built on Waterloo Street in Glasgow.^[6] He also played a role in the wider church being convener of the Foreign Mission Scheme of the Free Church.^[3] In 1855 he succeeded Rev James Grierson as Moderator of the General Assembly the highest position in the church. In 1856 he was succeeded in turn by Rev Thomas M'Crie.^[4]

He died in North Berwick on 12 September 1874.^[7]

After his death St Enoch's Free Church was known as the Melville Church after its next minister Rev Melville.^{[citation needed]}

He married twice:

• (1) 16 March 1826, Eleanor Rutherford (died 27 January 1841), daughter of James Russell, Professor of Clinical Surgery, University of Edinburgh, and had issue —
  • Joseph, born 7 January, and died 18 April 1829
  • Eleanor Russell, born 27 September 1830, died 23 August 1840
  • James, merchant, Burma, born 18 June 1832, died 12 May 1904
  • John Joseph, born 15 March 1834, died 13 February 1837
  • Agnes, born 1836, died 26 February 1845
  • Archibald, D.D., United Free Church minister of Crieff, Moderator of United Free Assembly in 1909, Principal of U.F. College, Glasgow, 1918, born 9 August 1837
  • Francis, M.D., Glasgow, born 28 August 1838, died 15 May 1910

• (2) 16 August 1854, Charlotte Margery (died s.p. 28 November 1885), daughter of James Reddie, solicitor, Glasgow.^[3]

• Two occasional Sermons (Edinburgh, 1828; Glasgow, 1843)
• Popery un-changed, the Creed of Pius IV. still the Creed of the Church of Rome
• Lectures IV. (On the Social Condition of the People)
• VII. (On the Jews)
• VIII. (On the Evidences of Revealed Religion)
• I. (On Protestantism)^[3]

• The Border Almanac, 1875^[3]

He was photographed in 1860 (illustrated right) at the foot of the steps to New College with several other ex-Moderators of the Free Church.^[8]