Josias Leslie Porter
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (February 2021) |
Josias Leslie Porter | |
---|---|
2nd President of Queen's College, Belfast | |
In office 1879–1889 | |
Preceded by | Pooley Shuldman Henry |
Succeeded by | Thomas Hamilton |
Personal details | |
Born | Josias Leslie Porter 4 October 1823 |
Died | 16 March 1889 Belfast, Ireland, United Kingdom | (aged 65)
Resting place | Balmoral Cemetery, Belfast |
Citizenship | British |
Nationality | Irish |
Spouse |
Margaret Rainey Cooke
(m. 1849) |
Children | 4 |
Parent(s) | William Porter Margaret Leslie |
Relatives | Henry Cooke (father-in-law) |
Alma mater | |
Occupation |
|
Josias Leslie Porter DD LLD (1823–1889) was an Irish
Early life
Born on 4 October 1823, he was youngest son of William Porter of Carrowan, parish of
Minister and missionary
Porter was licensed to preach by the presbytery of Derry on 20 November 1844. He was ordained on 25 February 1846, and until 1849 was minister of the presbyterian congregation of High Bridge,
Later life
In 1859, Porter returned home on furlough, and in July 1860 was appointed professor of biblical criticism in
In 1878, Porter was appointed by government one of the two assistant-commissioners of the newly established board of intermediate education for Ireland. He resigned his professorship, moved to Dublin, and helped to organise the new scheme. In 1879 he was nominated president of
Porter died at Belfast on 16 March 1889, and was buried in Balmoral Cemetery.[1]
Works
In 1855, Porter published his first book on the Middle East, Five Years in Damascus, in which he related his life there, and journeys to destinations including Palmyra, the Hauran, and Lebanon. The plans and woodcuts were engraved from his drawings. In 1858 he published his Handbook for Travellers in Syria and Palestine, in Murray's series. A second edition, largely rewritten, appeared in 1875, Porter having revisited the country and made further tours.[1]
Other works by Porter were:[1][2]
- The Pentateuch and the Gospels, which appeared in 1864 during the Colenso controversy.
- The Giant Cities of Bashan and Syria's Holy Places, 1865, several times republished. In this work he maintained that the massive buildings, the ruins of which are in Bashan, were the work of the aboriginal inhabitants of the country before its occupation by the Hebrews.
- The Life and Times of Dr. Cooke (his father-in-law), 1871; four editions.
- Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Bethany, 1887.
- Galilee and the Jordan, 1885.
Porter also published a Pew and Study Bible in 1876. He contributed extensively to the edition of John Kitto's Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature which was begun in 1862; nearly all the geographical articles on places in
Family
Porter married, in 1849, just before going to Damascus, Margaret Rainey Cooke, youngest daughter of Henry Cooke of Belfast. Two sons and two daughters of the marriage survived him.[1]
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Lee, Sidney, ed. (1896). . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 46. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
- ^ "A Handbook for Travellers in Syria and Palestine by Josias Leslie Porter , John Murray (Firm)". J. Murray. 10 February 1868.
- Attribution
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Lee, Sidney, ed. (1896). "Porter, Josias Leslie". Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 46. London: Smith, Elder & Co.