Robert Reid Kalley

Rev Dr Robert Reid Kall September 1809 – 17 January 1888) was a Scottish physician and Presbyterian missionary notable for his efforts to spread Presbyterian views in Portuguese-speaking territories and as the introducer of Protestantism in Portugal at a time when the only religion allowed to the Portuguese citizens was Roman Catholicism.

He was born on 8 September 1809 at 13 Trongate in Glasgow, the son of Robert Kalley, a tea merchant. His father died when he was young. His mother remarried but then died herself, so he was raised by his stepfather. He attended Glasgow Grammar School. From 1823 he studied Arts at Glasgow University. From 1826 to 1829 he then studied Medicine, graduating MB ChB in Pharmacy and Surgery. He then worked as a ship's doctor in the Bombay area and as a GP in the Kilmarnock area before gaining his doctorate (MD) in 1838.

Kalley first went to Madeira Island in 1838 with his wife Margaret Crawford, whom he had just married. She was ill with tuberculosis and the move was intended to improve her health. They stayed eight years. Impressed with the poverty, illiteracy and ignorance of the Madeirans, Kalley exercised Medicine gratituously and decided to teach people to read and to write. He also started to preach, importing translated versions of the Bible in Portuguese from England. He founded a small hospital and several elementary schools. The Catholic Church started to look with worry on these initiatives, since proselytism was forbidden by the Portuguese Constitutional Chart of 1826 and the Bishop of Funchal forbade Kalley's religious lectures in 1841. In 1843, the Bibles he had distributed in Madeira were forbidden, like the meetings at his home. On 8 May 1845 he founded the first Presbyterian Church of Portugal, in Funchal, ordaining presbyters and deacons, and celebrating the Supper of the Lord for 61 Madeiran converts. Since Protestantism wasn't allowed for Portuguese citizens, he faced charges of blasphemy and heresy and all the schools he had founded were closed in 1846. Some converts had to face charges of heresy, then still punished by the death penalty. Kalley sought refuge at the house of the British Counsul and had to leave the island in 1846 in disguise, heading for the United States. His followers were also obliged to leave the island and they took the only offer which was to become labourers in Trinidad.

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