rach ill is ▁Bay ▁in ▁S uther land , ▁one ▁of ▁seven ▁children ▁to ▁C pt ▁Alexander ▁Mack ay ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁Helen . ▁He ▁studied ▁at ▁St ▁Andrew s ▁University ▁then ▁at ▁Div inity ▁Hall ▁in ▁Edinburgh . ▁He ▁was ▁ord ained ▁by ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁Scotland ▁at ▁Lag gan ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 5 ▁and ▁translated ▁to ▁the ▁far ▁larger ▁parish ▁of ▁Dun oon ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 2 . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁many ▁minister s ▁who ▁split ▁from ▁the ▁established ▁Church ▁of ▁Scotland ▁in ▁the ▁Dis ruption ▁of ▁ 1 8 4 3 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 9 , ▁he ▁succeeded ▁the ▁Very ▁Rev ▁Patrick ▁Cl ason ▁of ▁Bu cc le uch ▁Church ▁as ▁Mod er ator ▁of ▁the ▁General ▁Assembly . ▁The ▁Assembly ▁was ▁held ▁at ▁Tan field ▁Hall ▁in ▁Can on m ills . ▁He ▁was ▁succeeded ▁in ▁turn ▁by ▁Very ▁Rev ▁Nathan iel ▁Pat erson ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 0 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 8 5 0 s ▁he ▁travel led ▁to ▁Australia ▁to ▁spread ▁the ▁views ▁of ▁the ▁Free ▁Church . ▁From ▁ 1 8 5 4 ▁he ▁was ▁minister ▁of ▁the ▁G ael ic ▁Free ▁Church ▁in ▁Melbourne . ▁He ▁became ▁minister ▁of ▁St ▁George ' s ▁Church ▁in ▁Sydney ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 8 5 6 , ▁being ▁responsible ▁for ▁its ▁first ▁permanent ▁purpose - built ▁church ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 0 . ▁Return ing ▁to ▁Scotland ▁in ▁the ▁ 1