"Rainy wi'oot the Principal". XXIII.
The arrangements for the union between the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland and the Free Church of Scotland had been finalised. The date had been set for the Union Assembly, the hall booked, processions arranged. Invitations had been issued to prominent men from English Dissenting denominations; Alexander Maclaren of Manchester representing the Baptist Union, Principal Fairbairn of Oxford and Joseph Parker of London representing the Congregational Union (Both Maclaren and Fairbain were Scotsmen). But there was one problem. Rev. Murdo Mackenzie of the Free North Church, Inverness. Mr. Mackenzie was the minister of one of the most important congregations in the Highlands, and he was undecided. Only the Day would show which way Mackenzie - and the Highlands - would go.
The day of the Union came, a cold, wet October day. On the previous day the two churches had met in their own halls to adopt the Uniting Act. The vote in the United Presbyterian Synod Hall was unanimous, without even a whisper of dissent. Rainy knew that such unanimity was extremely unlikely in the Free Assembly Hall, and he was right. An attempt was made to further delay the Union, or even to prevent it at the eleventh hour, by bring forward a petition that would have required a vote to be taken on the matter in every Free Church congregation. Rainy saw this as a wrecking motion, and he resolutely opposed it. The petition was rejected, and Rainy rose to propose the formal adoption of the Uniting Act by the Assembly. He tried to say nothing controversial, nothing to sour what he saw as a deeply important moment in Scottish Church history.
Mackenzie of Inverness rose. All eyes were fixed on him. Rainy and others hoped that Mackenzie would second the Union motion, but it was not to be. Mackenzie declared that he could not accept the union. Rainy felt keen disappointment. If only Mackenzie had gone into the Union, then he would only have to deal with a few disorganised members of the 'awkward squad'. But Mackenzie had one of the largest congregations in the Highlands, and he was a man who would fight to the end to maintain the Constitutionalist claim to be the Free Church of Scotland.
There was no further debate. Neither side had anything left to say; the Assembly dispersed, never again to meet as the undivided General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland. The small party of the Constitutionalists adjourned to a small room in the New College complex where they proceeded to elect a Moderator and declare themselves the Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland.
On the morning of the 31st October two processions made their way towards the Waverly Market, Edinburgh, the only space large enough to contain their combined strength. At the foot of the Mound they two processions met and merged into one. Despite the drizzle crowds lined the Edinburgh streets to watch them.
Rainy arrived late at the Assembly, only just in time to get into the Waverly Market through the crowds. Within was a carnival atmosphere, the huge space hung with banners. Seven thousand persons met together, including representatives of many evangelical denominations. Rainy waited in a side room to be called in as the first Moderator of the United Free Church of Scotland.
Up on the Mound a few forlorn figures stood in the drizzle outside the locked gates of New College, declaring themselves to be the Free Church of Scotland. There was no-one to cheer them. They were destined to prove Rainy's last problem, and his final conflict.
But that, God willing, we shall look at next time.
The day of the Union came, a cold, wet October day. On the previous day the two churches had met in their own halls to adopt the Uniting Act. The vote in the United Presbyterian Synod Hall was unanimous, without even a whisper of dissent. Rainy knew that such unanimity was extremely unlikely in the Free Assembly Hall, and he was right. An attempt was made to further delay the Union, or even to prevent it at the eleventh hour, by bring forward a petition that would have required a vote to be taken on the matter in every Free Church congregation. Rainy saw this as a wrecking motion, and he resolutely opposed it. The petition was rejected, and Rainy rose to propose the formal adoption of the Uniting Act by the Assembly. He tried to say nothing controversial, nothing to sour what he saw as a deeply important moment in Scottish Church history.
Mackenzie of Inverness rose. All eyes were fixed on him. Rainy and others hoped that Mackenzie would second the Union motion, but it was not to be. Mackenzie declared that he could not accept the union. Rainy felt keen disappointment. If only Mackenzie had gone into the Union, then he would only have to deal with a few disorganised members of the 'awkward squad'. But Mackenzie had one of the largest congregations in the Highlands, and he was a man who would fight to the end to maintain the Constitutionalist claim to be the Free Church of Scotland.
There was no further debate. Neither side had anything left to say; the Assembly dispersed, never again to meet as the undivided General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland. The small party of the Constitutionalists adjourned to a small room in the New College complex where they proceeded to elect a Moderator and declare themselves the Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland.
On the morning of the 31st October two processions made their way towards the Waverly Market, Edinburgh, the only space large enough to contain their combined strength. At the foot of the Mound they two processions met and merged into one. Despite the drizzle crowds lined the Edinburgh streets to watch them.
Rainy arrived late at the Assembly, only just in time to get into the Waverly Market through the crowds. Within was a carnival atmosphere, the huge space hung with banners. Seven thousand persons met together, including representatives of many evangelical denominations. Rainy waited in a side room to be called in as the first Moderator of the United Free Church of Scotland.
Up on the Mound a few forlorn figures stood in the drizzle outside the locked gates of New College, declaring themselves to be the Free Church of Scotland. There was no-one to cheer them. They were destined to prove Rainy's last problem, and his final conflict.
But that, God willing, we shall look at next time.
Labels: Principal Rainy
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