"Rainy wi'oot the Principal". XXX.

In 1904 the House of Lords had found that the Free Church majority had acted incompetently in entering into the 1900 Union with the United Presbyterian Church. Both the name and the property of the Free Church of Scotland (for the two were linked inseperably) belonged to the minority of mostly Highland ministers who had refused to enter the union. It had for three years seemed that those ministers were going to lose manses and Churches, but in an astounding reverse it had been the United Free Church that had lost its property. The idea of giving the property of a huge nationwide Church to about twenty-seven minsters and about a hundred congregations seemed absurd, but in his speech Lord Robertson, the Lord Chancellor, declared that, "Since the days of Cyrus it has been held that justice is done by giving people not what fits them, but what belongs to them." The whole property of the Free Church was given to the minority.
Rainy returned to Edinburgh to find a Church that was in danger of adopting a bunker mentality. The United Presbyterian members of the UF Church did all they could to help the former Free Church members. Fortunately the old United Presbyterian Synod Hall, which had been put up for sale, had not yet been sold, and that could be used. While the Free Church (the minority will henceforth be called by that title) had 'occupied' the New College complex, the United Free Church Colleges in Glasgow and Aberdeen were left alone (despite James Denney's fears).
The Principal kept up fighting talk. He called for the setting up of an emergency fund to help the United Free Church through the crisis, and the members of the Church gave enthusiastically. Out in the country there were ugly scenes as United Free Church zealots and Free Church zealots clashed over Church buildings in incidents that were deplored by both sides.
Rainy wrote letters to leaders in Church and State in all of Britain, canvassing support. The Archbishop of Canterbury, himself a Scot, offered to mediate between the two Churches, but Rainy declined his offer, pointing out that the Free Church was unlikely to accept such a mediator, but thanking the Archbishop cordially. Writing to a politician, Rainy revealed: "The Archbishop of Canterbury, speaking to me before judgement was delivered but when its character was foreseen, said to me, 'But what will you do?' I told him we would take joyfully the spoiling of our goods."
Rainy foresaw that many who had wavered in 1900 might very well go back to the Free Church following the House of Lords Judgement. He instantly organised a United Free Church aggression in the Highlands to counter such a tendency. He himself addressed as many meetings as he could, rallying the United Free Church support.
There were no mass defections from the United Free Church among the ministers, and most of the members in the Free Church section of the United Free Church stayed put. Some congregations were split, most notably in the Highlands.
Rainy had to leave New College, unsure if he would ever go back. It seemed that the United Free Church was in an impossible situation. How she got out of that situation we shall, God willing, see next time.