Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Taylor, Walter Ross
TAYLOR, WALTER ROSS (1838–1907), Scottish ecclesiastic, born 11 April 1838 in the manse of Thurso, was only son in a family of five children of Walter Ross Taylor, D.D,, minister of the parish. who at the disruption of the Church of Scotland in 1843 joined the Free Church, and became moderator of its general assembly in 1884. Taylor's mother was Isabella, daughter of William Murray of Geannes, Ross-shire. Educated at the Free Church school at Thurso, he in 1853 entered Edinburgh University, where he won prizes in Greek and natural philosophy, the medal in moral philosophy, and the Stratton scholarship. Leaving without a degree, he entered the ministry of the Free Church, studying theology at New College, Edinburgh. In 1861 he was licensed to preach by the presbytery of Caithness. In the following year he became minister of the Free Church at East Kilbride, and in 1868 was translated to Kelvinside Free Church, Glasgow, where he ministered until his death.
Taylo played a leading part in denominational affairs. As convener of the sustentation fund (1890-1900) and joint-convener of the sustentation and augment tation funds (1900-7), he sought to raise ministerial stipends within his church to a minimum of 200l. A powerful advocate and practical organiser of the union of the Free and United Presbyterian Churches of 1900, he was elected. May 1900, moderator of the last general assembly of the Free Church, and in October he constituted the first general assembly of the United Free Church. Taylor steadily favoured a conciliatory attitude towards those who were opposed to the union, and with Robert Rainy [q. v. Suppl. II] he shared the burden of the work connected with the crisis of 1904, when a judgment of the House of Lords handed over the whole property of the undivided Free Church to a small minority who resisted the union. At meetings throughout the country he eloquently defended the 'amalgamation, and was largely responsible for the passing of the Act of Parliament of 1905, which aimed at an equitable division of the property of the Free Church between the majority and the dissentient minority.
Taylor was made hon. D.D. of Glasgow University in 1891. He died, after a protracted illness, at his residence in Glasgow, on 6 Dec. 1907, and was buried in Glasgow necropolis three days later. In 1876 he married Margaret, daughter of Dr. Joshua Paterson, Glasgow, who survived him with three sons and two daughters. A full-length portrait of Taylor hangs in the United Free Church assembly buildings in Edinburgh. He published a volume of addresses, 'Religious Thought and Scottish Church Life in the Nineteenth Century' (Edinburgh, 1900).
[Glasgow Herald, 7 Dec. 1907; Scottish Review, 12 Dec. 1907; British Monthly, July 1904; Life of Principal Rainy, by P. C. Simpson, M.A., 1909, vol. ii.; private information.]