"Rainy wi'oot the Principal". XXXII.
Perhaps because of his leadership during the Free Church crisis of 1904, Rainy was now the best known Churchman in all of Scotland, and the supreme leader of the Free Church - much to his own annoyance. The way things were going, he complained, people would think that the United Free Church was "a one-horse affair." He was the principal of a theological college, not archbishop!
Though Rainy led well, he was now in his eightieth year, and he knew that he might not live to see the conclusion of the crisis. He saw two things as needful during his third moderatorship; the first was to re-affirm the fundemental tenets of the Free Church of Scotland, the second to secure as much of the Free Church property as possible for United Free Church congregations.
The great danger of the crisis, in Rainy's view, was that the United Free Church would put too much trust in the state. There were many in the state who were sympathetic with the United Free Church's more 'open' attitude on matters of doctrine, and who would do all they could to secure an advantageous settlement for the United Free Church which, in mistaken gratitude, might bind herself too closely to the state and act as if the recovered Free Church property was a sort of state endowment. This would be directly contrary to every Free Church principle (and to every United Free Church Principal, if the pun may be allowed). Whatever form the final settlement took, it could not be in such a shape that the United Free Church could be seen as being 'endowed' by the state.
When the Commission began its sittings, the Free Church of Scotland, as was expected, put in a large claim. They claimed three hundred Church buildings, a similar number of manses, and of course the Edinburgh 'Citadel'. Schemes for joint occupation of buildings they dismissed as 'impractical', an assessment that was quite right, since there was a level of animosity on both sides.
The Free Church probably never expected to get everything that they asked for; they started with a high bid so that they stood a chance of getting all that they wanted. The leaders on both sides knew that they would have to compromise. Free and United Free minorities both held tenaciously to their right to buildings hallowed by the association of years, but the Commission did its best to divide the property according to the ability of the two parties to use it.
on the occasion of his first Moderatorship, Rainy had sat in the great Moderator's Chair of the Free Assembly Hall. Although he sat as Moderator three times, he never sat in that chair again; his second Moderatorship had been of the Union Assembly, held not in the Free Assembly Hall, but in Waverly Market; and this, his third Moderatorship, occurred when the post-union Free Church of Scotland had possession of the Free Assembly Hall, so that Rainy sat in the Moderator's chair of the old United Presbyterian Synod Hall. He addressed the Assembly as a man who knew that he had not many more years left to him, and he knew that it was entirely possible that he would never again be allowed into the New College buildings. Still, he spoke as a fighter, a leader of a great body under Christ.
Under Rainy's moderatorship the United Free Church pledged itself again to the Spiritual independence that has always been the pride of the Scottish Presbyterians. But now there were some in the Assembly who were far more radical, who wanted to tear down the Church of Scotland, divide its property, and set up the United Free Church on the ruins. Needless to say Rainy was not among them - he was far too sober-minded.
The United Free Church had declared its liberty. What Rainy waited for now was the restitution of justice.
And that, God willing, shall be our subject next time.
Though Rainy led well, he was now in his eightieth year, and he knew that he might not live to see the conclusion of the crisis. He saw two things as needful during his third moderatorship; the first was to re-affirm the fundemental tenets of the Free Church of Scotland, the second to secure as much of the Free Church property as possible for United Free Church congregations.
The great danger of the crisis, in Rainy's view, was that the United Free Church would put too much trust in the state. There were many in the state who were sympathetic with the United Free Church's more 'open' attitude on matters of doctrine, and who would do all they could to secure an advantageous settlement for the United Free Church which, in mistaken gratitude, might bind herself too closely to the state and act as if the recovered Free Church property was a sort of state endowment. This would be directly contrary to every Free Church principle (and to every United Free Church Principal, if the pun may be allowed). Whatever form the final settlement took, it could not be in such a shape that the United Free Church could be seen as being 'endowed' by the state.
When the Commission began its sittings, the Free Church of Scotland, as was expected, put in a large claim. They claimed three hundred Church buildings, a similar number of manses, and of course the Edinburgh 'Citadel'. Schemes for joint occupation of buildings they dismissed as 'impractical', an assessment that was quite right, since there was a level of animosity on both sides.
The Free Church probably never expected to get everything that they asked for; they started with a high bid so that they stood a chance of getting all that they wanted. The leaders on both sides knew that they would have to compromise. Free and United Free minorities both held tenaciously to their right to buildings hallowed by the association of years, but the Commission did its best to divide the property according to the ability of the two parties to use it.
on the occasion of his first Moderatorship, Rainy had sat in the great Moderator's Chair of the Free Assembly Hall. Although he sat as Moderator three times, he never sat in that chair again; his second Moderatorship had been of the Union Assembly, held not in the Free Assembly Hall, but in Waverly Market; and this, his third Moderatorship, occurred when the post-union Free Church of Scotland had possession of the Free Assembly Hall, so that Rainy sat in the Moderator's chair of the old United Presbyterian Synod Hall. He addressed the Assembly as a man who knew that he had not many more years left to him, and he knew that it was entirely possible that he would never again be allowed into the New College buildings. Still, he spoke as a fighter, a leader of a great body under Christ.
Under Rainy's moderatorship the United Free Church pledged itself again to the Spiritual independence that has always been the pride of the Scottish Presbyterians. But now there were some in the Assembly who were far more radical, who wanted to tear down the Church of Scotland, divide its property, and set up the United Free Church on the ruins. Needless to say Rainy was not among them - he was far too sober-minded.
The United Free Church had declared its liberty. What Rainy waited for now was the restitution of justice.
And that, God willing, shall be our subject next time.
Labels: Principal Rainy
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