James MacKnight

James MacKnight (1721-1800) was a Scottish minister and theological author, serving at the Old Kirk of Edinburgh (St Giles Cathedral).

He is remembered for his book Harmony of the Gospels and as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1769.

He was born on 17 September 1721 in the manse in Irvine in Ayrshire the son of Elizabeth Gemmill of Dalraith (d.1753) and her husband, Rev William Mackneight (sic) (d. 1750), the parish minister.

Around 1745, having been licensed to preach as a minister of the Church of scotland by the Presbytery of Irvine, he became an assistant at the Chapel of Ease in the Gorbals in south Glasgow.

In 1778 he made his final move, to the Old Kirk of Edinburgh, one of the four parishes contained in St Giles Cathedral.

The church building on Infirmary Street.
St Giles in the 18th century
The grave of Very Rev James MacKnight, St Cuthberts Churchyard, Edinburgh