Torrance, Rev. Dr.

DEATH OF REV. DR. TORRANCE.
One of the Best Known Among
Presbyterian Minisisters in Canada.
Death claimed very suddenly last Friday one of the foremost Presbyterian ministers of Canada in the person of Rev. Robert Torrance, D.D., Guelph, at the age of 86 years. Dr. Torrance was born in Armagh County, Ireland, in 1822, and graduated in arts and theology from the universities of Belfast and Edinburgh. He was licensed to preach when 22 years of age and upon arriving in Canada he declined a call to a Toronto congregation, and entered actively into missionary work among the early settlers, travelling through Western Ontario from Toronto to Goderich on horseback, holding services in the log cabins of the settlers.
Dr. Torrance was a county school inspector in the fifties, and was inspector of public schools in Guelph, and secretary of the school board for over thirty-years. At his death he was honorary chaplain of the board of education. For many years he was connected with Knox College. He was appointed examiner in Latin and Greek for the bachelor of divinity degree. In appreciation of the great work that he had done, the college conferred on him in 1885 the degree of doctor of divinity.
Mrs. Torrance, his aged partner, survives him. The members of the family are: Mrs. Nicol, Guelph, and Mrs. John D. Higinbotham, Lethbridge, daughters; Messrs. W. B. Torrance, assistant general manager of the Royal Bank, Montreal; R. L. Torrance, manager of the J. B. Armstrong Manufacturing Company, Guelph. The funeral took place on Monday afternoon.
In 1898 Dr. Torrance was moderator of the general assembly. He was well known in Acton, having frequently occupied the pulpit and attended public services in Knox Church. He was moderator here during the vacancy between the retirement of Rev. D. B. Cameron and the call to Rev. J. W. Rae.