Robert Haining (minister)

Robert Haining (14 August 1802 – 26 April 1874) was the first Church of Scotland minister in South Australia.

Haining was born in Maxton, Roxburghshire, Scotland, to the Rev. John Haining and his wife Wilhelmina Haining, née Wilson. He was educated either at John Watson's Institution or George Watson's Hospital and Edinburgh University, but was not ordained until 1841 after being selected by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland for missionary service in South Australia. That same year he married and left on the Orissa arriving in November 1841.

European settlement was in its very early days and the Scottish settlers widely scattered, but he was able to conduct his first service at the (Anglican) Trinity Church on North Terrace on 28 November 1841, just seven days after arrival in the new colony with a sizable congregation. A reception was held on St. Andrew's Day (30 November) at which some 50 gentlemen attended. and a "Friends of the Church of Scotland" was formed to support their new minister:William Smillie (chairman), George Tinline (treasurer) and committee John Calder, A. L. Elder, D. MacFarlane, Angus Maclaine, George Stevenson, Andrew Murray, and George Young.

The spirit of cooperation from the other Christian denominations continued over the following months, with Haining conducting services at the Friends Meeting House, Adelaide and the Congregational Church in Freeman Street (now Gawler Place) and the Wesleyan Meeting House in Hindley Street. A start was made on St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church on Grenfell Street and on 6 February 1844 the foundation stone was laid and the first service taken by Haining on the morning of 14 July 1844, with Congregationalist pastor T. Q. Stow taking the evening service.

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