Background
Murdoch was born in Aberdeenshire, and studied at the University of Aberdeen and New College, Edinburgh before being ordained as a minister of the Free Church of Scotland.
Murdoch was born in Aberdeenshire, and studied at the University of Aberdeen and New College, Edinburgh before being ordained as a minister of the Free Church of Scotland.
Murdoch was also Clerk of the Presbytery of Melbourne South in from 1896 to 1920. During the Ronald v. Harper slander and libel case in 1909, he refused to produce a letter which was in the presbytery"s possession, and spent a night in gaol for contempt of court.