Career
He was tutor to John, Duke of Argyll and Greenwich. About 1710, Anderson published ‘A Dialogue between a Curate and a Countryman,’ and in 1711 ‘The second Dialogue between the Curate and the Countryman respecting the English Service.’ He next published ‘The Countryman"s Letter to the Curate, wherein, besides an historical view of the English Liturgy, the assertions of Sage, the author of the “Fundamental Character of Presbytery,” concerning its universal usage in Scotland at the time of the Reformation, &c., are examined and proved to be false.’ A reply to this was published by an episcopalian clergyman, Robert Calder which drew forth a rejoinder from Anderson, Curate Calder whipt. About the beginning of 1717, steps were taken for translating Anderson to Glasgow.
The magistrates were favourable, and the ministers hostile.
But after an appeal to the general assembly, his translation took place in 1720, and he became minister of what was then called the Ramshorn church, now Saint David"son He afterwards published six letters upon the ‘Overtures concerning Kirk Sessions,’ a subject on which there was considerable discussion at that time.
‘In these letters,’ says M"Crie, ‘he does not appear to great advantage. They were answered in better temper and with much ability by Professor Dunlop of Edinburgh.’ Wodrow, who speaks of him as ‘a kind, frank, comradly man when not grated,’ owns that he could be passionate and bitter, and tells how, in answer to his remonstrance with him for the Billingsgate style of his letters to Calder, he said that ‘it was the only way to silence Calder.’ After his removal to Glasgow, he seems to have fallen both in ability and character.
He died in 1721, at the age of 53.