Julian's account of W.P. Mackay:
William Paton Mackay, M.D., was born at Montrose, May 13th. 1839, and educated at the University of Edinburgh. After following his medical profession for a time, he became minister of Prospect Presbyterian Church, Hull, in 1868, and died from an accident at Portree, Aug. 22nd, 1885. Seventeen of his hymns are in W. Reid's Praise Book, 1872. Of these the best known is "We praise Thee, O God, for the Son of Thy love" (Praise to God) written 1863, recast 1867.
Mackay's hymn in 'Spiritual Songs' is no 483, "The Lord is risen: the Red Sea's judgment flood". This hymn is in all the editions of the Little Flock Hymn Book except 1856.