Archibald McLean (Baptist)


Archibald McLean was a Scotch Baptist minister.

Life

Born 1 May 1733, at East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, McLean was the son of a Highlander. As a child he spent time on Mull, where he learned Scottish Gaelic. Sent to school at Cathcart, and then at Cucaddins, he was apprenticed to a printer in Glasgow in 1746.
Marriage allowed McLean to set up as a bookseller and printer in Glasgow; on a matter of conscience he gave up the business seven years later. After a short time in London he acted from 1767 to 1786 as overseer of the printing establishment of Messrs. Donaldson & Co. in Edinburgh.
Brought up a Presbyterian, McLean in 1762 joined the Glasites. In 1765 he left them for the Baptists, and in June 1768 he was chosen for pastoral office as Robert. Carmichael's colleague at Edinburgh. He then toured Scotland and England, set up Scotch Baptist associations, and helped run them. A standard annual journey into England took him to London, Hull, Beverley, Chester, Nottingham, and Liverpool.
McLean died at Edinburgh on 21 December 1812.

Works

McLean's works included:
A collected edition of McLean's works, with a biographical memoir by William Jones, appeared in six volumes, London, 1823. The tenth edition of his Miscellaneous Works was published in seven volumes, Elgin, 1847-8.

Family

In 1759 McLean married Isabella, youngest daughter of William More, a merchant, with whom he obtained a small property.