Andrew Murray was a prominent South African Christian minister and author. He was born in Cape Town, South Africa on 9 May 1828 and passed away on 18 January 1917.

Murray hailed from a deeply religious family; his father was a Scottish Presbyterian minister serving the Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa, and his mother had connections with both French Huguenots and German Lutherans. This diverse background contributed to his ecumenical spirit in his ministry.

He was educated at Aberdeen University in Scotland and at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. After his ordination in 1848, Murray served in various pastorates including Bloemfontein, Worcester, Cape Town, and Wellington.

His contributions extended beyond pastoral work; he was instrumental in founding the institutions that became known as the University College of the Orange Free State and the Stellenbosch Seminary.