Introduction

Biography

William was the son of Da­vid Ro­bert­son of Brun­ton, in Fife, and Mar­ga­ret Mit­chell, and hus­band of Elea­nor Pit­cairn (mar­ried Oc­to­ber 1720).

He at­tend­ed the uni­vers­ity, was li­censed to preach as a Church of Scot­land min­is­ter by the pres­by­te­ry of Kirk­cal­dy in 1711, and be­gan serv­ing in the Scots Church in Lon­don in the same year.

He is said to have been an as­sist­ant to the min­is­ter of the Pres­by­ter­ian Church of Lon­don Wall, Lon­don, be­fore be­com­ing, in 1714, par­ish min­is­ter of Borth­wick, Mid­lo­thi­an.

In 1733, he be­came min­is­ter of La­dy Yes­ters, Ed­in­burgh, and in 1736 of Old Grey­fri­ars.

In 1742, he joined the Com­mit­tee of the Ge­ne­ral As­sem­bly of the Church of Scot­land which com­piled the Trans­la­tions and Pa­ra­phras­es of 1745.

Works

• Ministers Ought to Please God Ra­ther Than Men, 1737