James Ingram of Unst, the north-most island of Shetland, and the most northerly point of Her Majesty's dominions, was for many years the father of the Free Church.

He entered upon his Arts curriculum in King's College there, when fifteen years of age, and was a distinguished student, carrying off the highest competition bursary of his entrance session.

He commended himself by his diligence and talent to the whole professorial body, and particularly to Dr Jack, then the Principal of the college, and during life the warm friend of his promising pupil.

[4] The manse was in Fetlar, but having charge of the congregation of Yell also, Mr Ingram had to cross and re-cross almost weekly, the channel, six miles broad, which separates the two islands.

Previous to the time of the Haldanes and others, who in the beginning of this century, preached the Gospel in these far-off islands of the North Sea, this Ultima Thule of the Romans was as dreary in its spiritual as in its physical condition.

The island of Unst in particular, so far as the ministry was concerned, had known nothing of religion except in the form of Moderatism, and the virtuous life which was the theme of the pulpit ministrations was rarely exemplified in the habits of the people.

[1] In 1838, Mr Ingram's son was associated with his father in the pastorate by his steady friend, Lord Zetland, moved, as in the case of the senior minister, by the free voice of the people as well as by his own inclination.

And this, although he held strong views in favour of church establishments founded on a Scriptural basis, and, although the difficulties of erecting new church buildings and organising a new congregation were peculiarly formidable in a place where poverty is extreme, most of the people being in a chronic state of debt to the landowners and merchants, seldom fingering money, but bartering their labour for articles of necessity, and sometimes — against their will — for articles of superfluity.

For several months the ministers, father and son, had to conduct Divine worship in the open air, and, afterwards, the congregation and Sabbath school had to content themselves with the precarious shelter of a tent.

Chalmers, on hearing of the circumstances, used his influence with the Countess of Effingham (Charlotte Primrose - c. 1776 – 17 September 1864) to such good purpose that her ladyship provided funds for the erection of two churches, one on the east and the other at the south end of the island.

The tent under cover of which the congregation had worshipped, during summer and autumn, was carried away by a furious tempest on the very day when for the first time the people entered their new church.

Thomas Guthrie and his son, the minister of Liberton Free Church, paid a visit to Dr Ingram in 1871, and greatly cheered the heart of their venerable friend by their genial company and conversation.

He succeeded in producing a characteristic likeness, life size, and the portrait having been presented to the Free Church, once adorned the walls of the Common Hall of the New College, Edinburgh.

A smaller replica of this canvas was taken by the artist, and, along with a silver tea service, was presented to Dr Ingram, to be preserved as an heir-loom in the family.

[11] With all his active labours as a pastor, he had found time to keep up his early studies in theology and classics, and to store his mind with general information.

To his hundredth year he could repeat long passages from favourite Latin authors, and regale himself with texts from the Hebrew as well as the Greek Scriptures.

They who have lived long amongst the people, and are intimately acquainted with their ways and means, and have seen the comforts they enjoy, can bear the most ample testimony to the fact, that there are but few of Her Majesty's subjects, of the same class, who are treated in a more kindly and indulgent manner by their superiors ; who enjoy so much liberty; who pass through life with so little labour or care; or who have more reason to be contented with the situation and circumstances a kind Providence has assigned them.

They do not live in affluence ; but they seldom want the necessaries, and they have many of the luxuries of life, with one-half of the toil that people of their class are doomed to undergo, in more genial climes.