ilfrid
Dallas, fourth earl (b. 1865).

AUTHORITIES.--See _The Times_, 3rd and 14th of April 1885; _Law Journal,
Law Times, Solicitors' Journal_, 11th of April 1885; the _Law Magazine_,
vol. xi. p. 133; the _Law Quarterly_, vol. i. p. 365; _Earl Russell's
Recollections; Memoirs of Lord Malmesbury_; Sir Theodore Martin, _The Life
of the Prince Consort_; E. Manson, _Builders of our Law_; J.B. Atlay,
_Victorian Chancellors_, vol. ii.

[1] See _History of the family of Cairnes or Cairns_, by H.C. Lawlor
(1907).

CAIRNS, JOHN (1818-1892), Scottish Presbyterian divine, was born at Ayton
Hill, Berwickshire, on the 23rd of August 1818, the son of a shepherd. He
went to school at Ayton and Oldcambus, Berwickshire, and was then for three
years a herd boy, but kept up his education. In 1834 he entered Edinburgh
University, but during 1836 and 1837, owing to financial straits, taught in
a school at Ayton. In November 1837 he returned to Edinburgh, where he
became the most distinguished student of his time, graduating M.A. in 1841,
first in classics and philosophy and bracketed first in mathematics. While
at Edinburgh he organized the Metaphysical Society along with A. Campbell
Fraser and David Masson. He entered the Presbyterian Secession Hall in
1840, and in 1843 wrote an article in the _Secession Magazine_ on the Free
Church movement, which aroused the interest of Thomas Chalmers. The years
1843-1844 he spent at Berlin studying German philosophy and theology. He
was licensed as preacher on the 3rd of February 1845, and on the 6th of
August ordained as minister of Golden Square Church, Berwick-on-Tweed.
There his preaching was distinguished by its impressiveness and by a broad
and unaffected humanity. He had many "calls" to other churches, but chose
to remain at Berwick. In 1857 he was one of the representatives at the
meeting of the Evangelical Alliance in Berlin, and in 1858 Edinburgh
University conferred on him an honorary D.D. In the following year he
declined an invitation to become principal of Edinburgh University. In 1872
he was elected moderator of the United Presbyterian Synod and represented
his church in Paris at the first meeting of the Reformed Synod of France.
In May 1876, he was appointed joint professor of systematic theology and
apologetics with James Harper, principal of the United Presbyterian
Theological College, whom he succeeded as principal in 1879. He was an
indefatigable worker and speaker, and in order