Maclaren’s father had been a Baptist lay preacher as well as a merchant. Interestingly his father left the family in Edinburgh while he went to Manage a South Autralian company there. It was during this time that the young Maclaren found Christ as Saviour only being between 11 and 13 years of age. He did his schooling in Glasgow and went to Glasgow university. They all went to London when his father returned home. His Bachelor’s degree was gained at London University, where he was known as a brilliant Hebrew and Greek scholar. His first 12 years of ministry was at Portland Chapel Southampton, before being called to the Union Chapel in Oxford Street, Manchester where his powerful preaching reached crowds. He also ministered in Australia and New Zealand in 1889 speaking to large audiences.
Alexander McClaren was known and is still revered for his Biblical preaching. His precise, clear expositions impacted many during his lifetime. The Bible was his authority in its entirety, He was famous as a Biblical expositor and revered for his powerful ministry. He was a student that spent hours in his study, alone with the Word of God. The first 12 years of ministry, he was unknown, and he said that these had been essential to prepare him for later ministry. Interesting to note is that he went into the pulpit with just a bare skeleton of words written down on a piece of paper and preached sermons that were so well prepared and thought out as to have been written out in full. We are privileged to have his addresses in written text taken up as he spoke, to bless us today.