 In 1820 he became Professor of Moral Philosophy in King's College, Aberdeen, but his lectures there were mostly delivered by a deputy.He continued to lecture in St Andrews, intending to travel regularly between the two, however, he had a change of heart following a near-fatal accident when his stage-coach overturned en route to Aberdeen.Therefore, in 1821 Lee resigned both professorships and, aided by the granting of a Doctor of Divinity from St Andrews University, accepted a position as minister of the Canongate Church in Edinburgh.