James Crystal

James Crystal (c.1810–c.1890) was a Scottish minister who served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland for the period 1879 to 1880.
Life.
Born 1807, second son of William Chrystal, LL.D., rector of the Grammar School, Glasgow; educated at University of Glasgow (M.A., 1825); licensed by the Presbytery of Glasgow, 1829; presented to Auchinleck Parish, Ayrshire by Sir James Boswell of Auchinleck 25 April 1833 and ordained there 19 September 1833; married, 1834, Sophia Playfair and had issue; sometime Clerk of Presbytery; D.D. (Glasgow, 1861); Moderator of the General Assembly, 22 May 1879; LL.D. (St Andrews, 1893); died Father of the Church, 6 February 1901
He is mentioned in 1835 as donating £3 3s 6d from Auchinleck to general church funds of the Church of Scotland under the remit of Thomas Chalmers.
In 1838 he is listed as a formal dinner guest in Cumnock.
He is still in Auchinleck in 1861.
In 1879 he succeeded The Very Reverend John Tulloch as Moderator of the General Assembly the highest position within the Church of Scotland.
Recorded as minister of Auchinleck in 1886.