He was born in the
manse at
Ednam in the
Scottish Borders in 1894 the son of Rev Burleigh. He was educated at
Kelso High School and
George Watson's College in
Edinburgh. He studied classics at the
University of Edinburgh graduating in 1915. In
World War I he served in the
King's Own Scottish Borderers. Returning to the University of Edinburgh after the war he changed to divinity and graduated a Bachelor of Divinity (BD) in 1920. He then undertook postgraduate studies researching
Jan Huss in various European centres:
Paris,
Strasbourg,
Prague and
Oxford. From 1931 to 1964, he was Professor of Ecclesiastical History at the University of Edinburgh, also acting as Dean of the Faculty of Divinity from 1956. As Moderator he was succeeded in 1961 by
Archibald Campbell Craig. He retired in 1964 and died in
Peebles on 22 March 1985. ==Publications==