William Taylor (Scottish minister)

William Taylor (1744 – 29 March 1823) was a Scottish minister, Principal of Glasgow University and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in both 1798.

He received his early education in the parochial school in the neighbouring Parish of Fowlis (or Foullis) Wester and proceeded to Edinburgh University, where he graduated M.A.

[9] On 17 February 1783, the university awarded him the degree of Doctor of Divinity,[2] often a preliminary to an academic appointment, though formally in honour of his position as Minister of the High Kirk.

"... an immense influx of low Irish and Scotch Highlanders"[12] On 17 May 1798, he was elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

In the troubled times of the war with France, and civil unrest at home, the King, in his letter to them, was anxious the Ministers should continue their efforts at properly instructing their parishioners.

[17] There was also the problem that Dr Taylor, as Minister of the High Kirk, was "visitor" to the university – a role that involved inspecting its Accounts.

[20] In 1805, he was asked to chair a two-day, heated debate in the General Assembly on a complaint against the Professor of Natural Philosophy at Edinburgh University.

Professor John Leslie had written an Essay on Heat, which was thought to echo too closely some sceptical philosophic views of David Hume, and were therefore "destructive of religion".

[21] In 1806 we Dr Taylor is Moderator of Glasgow Presbytery where we find him remitting £888 1s 6 to London for the British and Foreign Bible Society.

[22] The next year, October 1807, Dr Taylor objected to a decision of the Presbytery, which banned all organ music in worship, as being contrary to the law of the land and of the Church.