In January 1843, there were only two churches
in Liberton Parish, Liberton Kirk that had been under the ministry of Rev.
James Begg since 1835, and Gilmerton
Church, which was built
as an extension of Liberton Kirk, opened on 20th April 1837, and
under the ministry of Rev. Walter Fairlie since August 1838. This became a Parish Church
on 18th July 1860.
Rev.
James Begg chaired his last Liberton Kirk Session meeting on 2nd May
1843, and both he and Rev. Fairlie joined the newly formed Free Church on 18th
May, and signed the Act of Separation and Deed of Demission, on 23rd
May 1843.
Rev.
Begg became minister of the Newington Free Church that had been built from
scratch from May 1843, and opened for worship in November of that year, seating
over 1,000 of a congregation! He later
went on to become Moderator of the Free Church in 1865. The Church still stands in Newington and is known today as The King’s
Hall.
Rev.
Fairlie formed the Free Church of Gilmerton, and chaired his first Session
meeting in the “Large Hall” at Gilmerton on 11th September 1843.
There
is some evidence to suggest that meetings held before the first Sessions
Meeting, were held in Gilmerton
Church, until Liberton
Kirk Sessions who were responsible for the church at Gilmerton, asked for the
return of the Church keys on 14th July. The following meeting on 16th July
was held out of doors, before making use of the “Large Hall” for later
meetings.
Most
of the Gilmerton congregation followed Rev. Fairlie to the Free Church, leaving
only a few in the Church of Scotland, as a result, between 1843 and 1860
Gilmerton was served by a succession of students and licentiate ministers until
the appointment of Rev. Thomas Fleming on 27th December 1860. A further complication was that the manse,
had originally been purchased by Rev. Fairlie, so that it could not be offered
to a new minister. A new manse was
eventually purchased in Ravenscroft
Street in 1861.
There
are many reasons why a significant number of Church of Scotland members decided
to leave and form the Free Church of Scotland.
Perhaps the main reasons were the total lack of democracy within the
ruling body of the Church, coupled with the Patronage Act that had been
introduced by Queen Anne around 1712.
The appointment of elders who made up the Kirk Session, were in almost
all cases selected from the upper classes, and therefore were not a cross
section of the membership. The Patronage
Act by which ministers were appointed by the Sovereign, or a local landowner acting
on their behalf, meant that the congregations took no part in the selection
process. This act was only erased from
the statute book in 1874.
During
1882, the church was considerably enlarged by erecting transepts, a porch, and
vestry, and at this time the interior was given a major renovation. The population of Gilmerton has increased
rapidly over the years 1841-1970; from about 1,000 at the 1841 census, to 1,500
at the 1891 census, and to about 12,000 by 1970.
In
1915 the old school was given to the church, to be used as the church hall,
During the 1960s, this building was demolished and a new hall built. At this time a new pipe organ was installed,
and the chancel redesigned to accommodate it.
By
1929, the church was in need of repair, and it was redecorated, furnishings
rearranged, and alterations made to the hall.
The Session room was added, the manse sold, and a new manse purchased in
Main Street. The parish boundaries were adjusted in 1952,
to allow for the new parish of Tron Moredun.
The ministers
associated with this story are as follows:-
Rev.
Walter Fairlie
was the second son of
Walter Fairlie, and was born in Dumbarton; educated at the University of Glasgow,
where he matriculated in 1808. He was
ordained by the Presbytery of Glasgow to Whitehaven on 1st December
1819 and was appointed to Gilmerton
Church on 16th
August 1838. He joined the Free Church
at Liberton in May 1843 as their first minister, and died on 25th
November 1856.
Rev
Thomas Fleming was born in Avondale, the fourth son of John Fleming; educated at the University of Glasgow; took charge of the church in 1853, and was ordained minister of the new parish on 27th December 1860. He died unmarried at Liberton Manse 16th March 1862.
Rev.
Peter Stewart was
born at Dollar on 24th May 1828, son of Alexander Stewart and Susan
Cameron and was educated at St.
Andrews University. He was ordained on 21st August
1862, and died at Dollar on 4th September 1873.
Rev.
David Thomas Walker was born at
Musselburgh on 30th September 1839, second son of Andrew Walker and
Jean Telfer. He was educated at High
School and University of Edinburgh, and licensed by the presbytery of Dunbar. He was
appointed assistant at Trinity
Parish Church,
and ordained 18th June 1874.
He died on 27th April 1881.
Rev.
James Christie was
born at Foulis Wester, son of Robert Christie and Jane Wilson, and was educated
at University of St. Andrews. He was licensed by the Presbytery of St
Andrews on 30th January 1861, and ordained on the same day, to the
Jewish Mission station at Alexandria. He was a missionary at Constantinople
from 1861 to 1879. He was appointed to
Gilmerton on 31st October 1881, and gained a D.D. at St. Andrews in 1882. He
was librarian to the General Assembly from 1885 until his death on 9th
June 1913.
He
translated the Old Testament into Judaeo-Spanish for the American Bible
Society, and also the New Testament for the British and Foreign Bible
Society. He also edited the General
Assembly Commission Records of 1646-96 in two volumes.
Rev.
Joseph Moffett was born at Letterkenny on 23rd
August 1885, son of Joseph Moffett and Lizzie Beck. He was educated privately and at Royal
University of Ireland, was licensed by Edinburgh Presbytery in May 1909. He was assistant at Trinity Parish Edinburgh,
and at St. Columba’s London.
And ordained at Gilmerton on 16th September 1913. He demitted on 31st October 1917,
and admitted to the Crown Court,
London 3rd November
1917.
Rev.
Andrew Mitchell Snadden formerly
of Johannesburg, South Africa, became minister at
Gilmerton on 3rd May 1919, and translated to Blackhall 18th
May 1921.
Rev.
Peter Milne formerly chaplain
at Duars, India, became minister at Gilmerton
on 18th September 1921, and translated to Guthrie on 7th
August 1929.
Rev.
Frank Wood was ordained at
Gilmerton on 6th December 1929, and was translated to Kilbarchan
West on 20th September 1934.
Rev.
Donald Macrae born 16th September 1888, and
educated at Breadalbane
Academy, and George
Watson’s College. He was assistant at
Morningside U.F.C. and translated from Millport East to Gilmerton on 17th
January 1935. He demitted on 11th
April 1948, and died on 4th July 1951.
Rev.
Patrick Johnston Moffett Ordained at
Gilmerton on 29th September 1948, and demitted when appointed
chaplain to the Royal Navy on 4th June 1953.
Rev.
Alexander White Ramsay Keith born 14th January 1918
at Carnoustie, son of James Samson Keith and Annie Forbes. He was educated at Airdrie
Academy, Arbroath High, and University of St. Andrews. After war service 1940-45, he attended Glasgow Trinity College
1946-48, student assistant Glasgow St. Mark’s-Lancefield 1947-8. Licensed by Presbytery of Dundee 17th
April 1948, and ordained at Stromness North 10th September 1948,
translated to Gilmerton on 5th April 1954. He translated to Glasgow St. James’ Pollock
on 5th April 1962.
Rev.
Donald McLean Skinner born 28th
March 1930 at Alexandria,
Dunbartonshire, son of Walter Skinner and Janet. He was educated at Vale of Leven Academy, Paisley Technical
College, Glasgow
Tech. College,
Glasgow University
and Trinity College 1957-62. Assistant at
Orkney Shapinsay and Longriggend
1955-62. He was licensed by Presbytery
of Bathgate 18th April 1962.
Ordained at Gilmerton on 27th September 1962.
In
preparing this short history, I acknowledge the assistance of Mr William
Anderson who is an authority on the Free Church of Scotland, the session
minutes of Liberton Kirk, “Historic Liberton” by Rev. Donald Skinner, and the
“Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae”.
John
Rennie
February
2008
