CHISHOLM, JAMES (1843-1916) was born at Scotlandwell, Kinrossshire, on the shores of Loch Leven, where he attended the parish school to the age of 13. He came to New Zealand in the Three Bells (1858) and worked with his father as a carpenter for three years. Then he visited the diggings at Gabriel's Gully, where he won sufficient to fulfil his desire of studying for the ministry.

Returning to Scotland in 1863, he took the regular arts course at Edinburgh University, where he won prizes in English literature and mental and moral philosophy. His health broke down at this stage and he returned to Dunedin, where he completed his theological studies. In 1870 he was inducted to the charge of the Tokomairiro Church, where he laboured for 28 years. In 1883 he was moderator of the Otago synod and in 1886 he acted temporarily as professor of theology. Chisholm married Jessie, daughter of J. B. Park (of Loanhead, Scotland, and afterwards master of the High Street school, in Dunedin). As a pastor and as a preacher he stood very high in the Church. He also had a graceful literary style and contributed freely to the Outlook and other Presbyterian journals. In 1898 he published Fifty Years Syne (a memorial volume of the Presbyterian Church in Otago) and in 1908 a Memoir of J. A. Torrance. For 27 years he was a member of the foreign missions committee of the Otago Church and for 15 years of the United Church. In 1898 Chisholm resigned the charge at Milton from a sense of duty. Taking charge of the church at Palmerston North in 1899, he succeeded in healing a breach in the congregation and then resigned in order that someone altogether unconnected with either section might be appointed. In 1901 he took charge of Roslyn, where he died in 1916. Chisholm was moderator of the General Assembly in 1908.

Who's Who N.Z.; A. Brown; Cycl. N.Z., iv (p)

Chisholm, op. cit.; Rev J. Chisholm, Rev James Chisholm, 1917 (p).

Reference: Volume 1, page 95

🌳 Further sources