A SHORT HISTORY of BAINSFORD CHURCH

1878-1978 A SHORT HISTORY OF BAINSFORD CHURCH

1878- 1978

Compiled By:

REV. DAVID J. B. ANDERSON AND GEORGE GLADSTONE' PREFACE

The compilersof this short history wish to put on record their indebtednessto all who haveprovided information about thesefirst 100 yearsin BainsfordChurch. In particular, we would like to thank our SeniorElder, Mr David Rennie,our Treasurer,Mr John Tait, and our former DeaconessMiss Buchan for a variety of rnaterial which has provedinvaluable for the taskin hand. The Church Records for the period have also been a mine of informationas have two biographies:one by G. F. Barbour. "The Life of Alexander Whyte"; the other by Andrew Woolsey; "Duncan Campbell"; both publishedby Hodder and Stoughton. In addition, various Church Histories.local and national have been consultedfor statisticaland factualdata. Our aim throughout this brief history has been to selectfrom this welterof materialthe salientfacts and featuresfor eachperiod. For any omissionsor errors that may have been made we must apologisein advance. In this our CentenaryYear, it is our hopeand prayerthat thesepages may help in some small way to rekindle old memories,revive fresh interest. and call Bainsford Church back to her livins roots in the Gospeland in Christ.

DAVID J. B. ANDERSON GEORGE GLADSTONE

February, 1978 A SHORT HISTORY OF BAINSFORD CHURCH

1878- 197E

UP TO THE FIRST WORLD WAR. IE43.I9I7

The origin of BainsfordChurch may be tracedas far back as 1843. In that year DR THOMAS CHALMERS, an earnestand inspiring preacher,and the leaderof the EvangelicalWing of the Church,led more than 400ministers out of the GeneralAssembly to form the FreeChurch. The principlefor which Dr Chalmersand many othersstood was that of the spiritual independenceof the Church from the State. In particular, he was concernedto uphold the right, which we take for granted nowadays,of the congregationto call its own minister. Within four yearsof this epochmakingevent the FreeChurch had raisedfl,254,W and built 654new Churches. One of thesenew Churches,Falkirk Free Church was established in 1844at GarrisonPlace. Then, becauseof limited space,part of the Old ParishManse garden was purchased and beforelong a new Church facing New Market Streetwas built, the presentSt. Andrews Church. Believingthat the churchis not an end in itself but primarily concerned to promotethe Christiangood of the wholepopulation, the congregation of St. Andrewssoon started to evangelisethe outlyingparts of Falkirk. The foundationsof BainsfordChurch were laid around 1860by the REV. E. M. RATE when meetingswere held in a small house in Granary Square(behind the presenthome bakery). Attendancessoon increasedand thereafter it was necessaryto move, first to the old BainsfordSchool (in what is now Union Street),and thento an old barn in the Main Streetor Inglislandas it was then known. By his untiring efforts-for he sparedneither himself or his money-Mr Rategathered the people round him in such numbersthat in 1871the North End Mission Hall had to be built. Meantime,with the parish of Bainsford continuingto expandrapidly to the North and to the East (i.e. Carron Road and Banksideareas) the North End Mission was grantedthe full statusof a Churchin 1878.Thus Bainsford Free Church was formed and the REV. ALEX. PATERSON, M.A., was calledto be its first minister in April, 1878. All true spiritualmovements are born in prayerand from all accounts therewas a strongemphasis in theseearly days on corporateprayer. In fact, a CongregationalPrayer Meeting was held eachWednesday evening and this factor, allied to the faithful preachingof the Gospeland the rapidly expanding population, led to a significant increasein the membership.Beginning with 30 membersin the Old Schoolroom,there wasin 1889(when he died) a congregationof about 300members, with a large Church and evenat that time, a small but usefui Church Hall free of debt. 'firsts' Three werealso to take placeduring this ministry, Mr Robert Stewartwas made Clerk to the Deacon'sCourt; Elder, Mr Robert Sneddonwas appointed the Church'sfirst official Treasurer;and at the samemeeting in May, 1880a Mr JamesGrant was appointedChurch Officer for the princely sum of f.5 per annum. The most significantevent of theseyears was, however,the building of the present Bainsford Church. Under Mr Paterson'sinspiring leadershipthe Churchwas erected and on July lst, 1880the doorswere openedfor the first time. The foundationstone had beenlaid by the late SIR THOMAS BRODIE, of Powfoulis, who along with Lady Brodie and Miss Dawsontook much practicalinterest in the new congregation. When Mr Patersonpassed away on December28th, 1889,one thing is certain, as the text of the memorial tablet in our vestibuletestifies so fittingly: "He beingdead yet speaketh." The REV. C. J. T. MERRYLEES, M.A. was calledto succeedhim and was ordained in May, 1890. From this point, under his gifted leadershipand inspiringexample, the influenceof the Churchexpanded rapidly, the membershipincreasing from year to year. In addition, the building of the presentManse was startedin 1894. It is interestingto note that, contrary to popular belief, Bainsford Church sufferedmore from teenagevandalism in these early days than at the present time. Also, despiteincreasing membership, there were still from all accounts vast multitudeswithout Church commitment. Perhapsthen we should be more cautiousthan we are in speakingof the 'Good Old Days' when nearlyeverybody went to Church! In the springof 1901,Mr Merrylees was translatedto Paisleyleaving behind him many tokens of a useful and blessedrninistry. The REV. D. M. MUNRO wasinducted in October, 1901. By this time the name of the Church was Bainsford United Free Church, the Free Church and the United PresbyterianChurch having united to form the UnitedFree Church in October,1900. Although Mr Munro occupied the pastorate for only six years, he sustainedthe same record of steadyprogress. In particular, by his sound pulpit ministration and his devotionto the dutiesof his high office, he endearedhimself to his congregationand a wide circleof friendsin the district. At the closeof 1906 hewas called to a nervcharge in theGranite City, the High Church,Aberdeen. The next ministerof Bainsfordwas a nativeof Inverness,the REV. H. M. ROSS,M.A. and on April l6th, 1907,this soft spokenHighlander wasinducted to the pastorate. In variousways Mr Rossproved to be a tower of strengthas he gavehimself with unreserveddedication to his task. During his ministry the P.S.A. (PleasantSunday Afternoon) was started. The presentChurch Hall was also built at this time. Then in July, 1912,a MissionaryMr ThomasMalcolm commencedhis dutiesin the North End Hall, andmeetings were well attended.Moreover, a door to door visitation was successfullyundlsllaken, while an additional SundaySchool was opened in the North End Hall. ln 1914,when war broke out, the Hall was commandeeredby the Army, and soldiersoccupied it for a period. In August, 1915,Mr Ross left to servewith the Y.M.C.A. in Franceand in his absencethe pulpit wasoccupied with greatacceptance by Mr HerbertLockyer, at that time missionaryto the CameroniansInstitute in Falkirk. The well known Christianpreacher and author, the Rev. Dr AlexanderWhyte, D.D. (St. George'sand Fountainbridge,Edinburgh) also preached several times in Bainsford for his close friend and former associateMr Ross: one particular Communion Sunday being describedas "a rich spiritual feast." ("The Life of AlexanderWhyte"-G. T. Barbour p.481). Towards the end of 1916, however, Mr Ross was called to Bon Accord Church,Aberdeen, leaving behind many friends,some of whom still rememberhim todayas "Happy Harry." :': 'ii .:j-*,. \ $;

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picture Our shows back row, l. to r.-Rev. David Anderson, Rev. Dr. Donald McAllister, Rev. Dr. Heron and the R.ev.Maudeen MacDougall. Front row, l. to r.-J,ames Paterson, John Tait, Miss Margaret Buchan, Edward Penman, David i?.ennieand William Carey. JohnLairdwasunabletobepreseni because of illness' photo by courter/of the "The Falkirk Heratd" BETWEEN THE WARS 191E.1945

On the first day of March 1917, the REV. THOMAS B. ROBERTSON, M.A. from Newhills United Free Church Aberdeen, becamethe new minister of Bainsford Church. By this time the membershipof the Churchhad more than doubledfrom 300in 1890to 688 in 1917. Facedwith the difficult task of maintainingthis steady progress,Mr Robertsonsoon proved to be a worthy successorto his predecessors.Early in l9l8 a congregationalmeeting was specially convenedto considerthe buildingof a wall round the Church. The work wasauthorised for a mereL142. Despitesome traumatic encounters with heavyvehicles, the Church and its precinctsstill retain their present-day aspect. At this juncturethe War Memorial situatedat the south sideof the Churchwas erected. The Boys' Brigadealso cameinto beingat the closeof 1920. After a vigorousand enthusiasticministry Mr Robertson receiveda call to the WestChurch, Auchterarder. Once again Bainsford waslooking for a newMinister. In June, 1922,REV. WILLIAM HERON, a former Home Mission- ary, wascalled to BainsfordChurch. His ministrylasted almost a decade duringwhich time therewas a steadygrowth interms of both membership and finance. Severalnew featuresalso characterise this period. ln 1923 the Young WorshippersLeague was formed to encouragechildren to attend Church and still continuesto this day. Then, in 1925, the congregationdisposed of the Common Cup and changed over to Individual Cups for Communion Services. Mr John Fyfe, a well respectedand godly man, was appointed SessionClerk in 1927 and continuedin that office until October,1940. The formation of a branch of the Girls' Guildry took placein the autumnof 1928. Perhapsthe most significantof all changes,however, took placein 1929. In that year negotiationsfor union betweenthe Church of Scotlandand the United FreeChurch came to a head. Bainsfordagreed to the Union and thus remainsto this day BainsfordParish Church of Scotland. There were a minority who dissented,however, and these formedthe BainsfordUnited Free(Continuing) Church based in Carron Road. It is interestingto notethat whenDR TOM FITCH (a muchloved namein theseparts) came to BainsfordChurch for a specialmission, he wasstruck by the warmheartedsupport given by the youngincumbent of BainsfordUnited FreeChurch. His namewas DuncanCampbell, now well known in the history of the Scottish Church, as a key figure in the great Lewis Revival of 1952. Meantime, Bainsford Church had again fallen vacant, as in September,1931, Mr Heron had been calledto SighthillChurch, Glasgow. The spiritual momentum of Mr Heron's ministry was soon to be consolidatedand sustainedby his successor,REV. J. M. McALISTER. A man of sound Christianprinciple and holy zeal,Mr McAlister was, from the momentof his inductionin January,1932, deeply concerned to bring the "Good News" to everyarea of the parish. For this important task ministerialassistance was urgently required. In the first place,Mr Cameron, our full time assistantfor three years was soon to leave, Secondly,a Presbyterydeputation had concludedthat BainsfordParish was "largely in excessof the average" and, not for the first time, seriouslyconsidered the possibilityof building another Church in the area. This matterwas satisfactorily resolved in December,1933, when Miss M. J. Buchanwas warmly welcomed as a Deaconessto assistthe minister. Her work provedto be both invaluableand fruitful and still continuesto this day about 45 yearslater althoughofficially sheis supposedto have retiredin 1966! Apart from door to door visitation,and SundaySchool work,'undertakenin theseearly days againsta backgroundof rising unemploymentand severeeconomic depression, Miss Buchanbegan a Womans' Meetingin the North End Hall which still providesspiritual comfort to this veryday. The years precedingthe outbreak of war in 1939were, from all accounts,marked by changeand challenge. The challengecame to membersand non-membersalike through an increasingemphasis on prayer and Bible Study within the church and a seriesof evangelistic campaignsto reachthe uncommittedoutside. Typical of the Session minutes during this period was the decision, unanimously carried in December,1935 that what was neededabove all was "a spiritual quickeningin Bainsford." Changestook placeto meet this challenge with "At Home" meetings,and SabbathSchools held in the North End Hall, Merchiston Avenue, and later, during war-time at Cobblebrae Farm. It wasalso at this time, in 1938to be exact,that we receivedthe gift of our presentCommunion Table from a Churchin Strone. During the War the Church continuedto play an important part in the community. "What concerned one, concerned all" and with regular Servicesdaily in addition to "Fire watching," Civil Devenceduties, and other pressingresponsibilities, a new senseof comradeshipand mutualsharing was born.

l0 THE POST-WAR PERIOD 1945-I97E

Whenthe war ended,a newera came to Bainsford. In previousyears therehad been,it is true, controversialmatters raised such as proposals to appoint Woman Elders and use the Church Hall for Whist and Dancing. Both of theseproposals were, however, firmly rejectedby the congregation. In the light of a further expansionof the Parish of Bainsford,first at Cobblebrae,later at Langlees,matters such as these appearedless important than the primary and pressingneed of the Churchto visit thesenew housing areas on our doorstep.For thisreason, severalParish visitations took placein thesedistricts with varyingsuccess. Severalnoteworthy events took placearound the sametime. In 1955, the Sessionagreed that a Youth Fellowshipbe started. In the sameyear, we receivedfrom Mr GabrielBlane, the gift of the presentOrgan which was much appreciatedby all, not least our esteemedOrganist, Miss Nan Cowan,who had cometo our Churchin 1952,Then in 1957,it was decidedto alter our Communion Servicefrom the afternoon to the evening,a move which resultedimmediately in increasedattendances. It wasin 1958,however, that Mr McAlister, doggedfor many years by ill health,intimated his retiral. Alas, beforethe yearhad ended,this godly and faithful man had passedaway-away from the people he had lovedso deeplybut not from the Masterhe had servedso well. The vacancyended on March l7th, 1959with the inductionof the REV. JOFIN MacDOUGALL, M.A. a noted Gaelicexponent, from Plockton and Kyle. Thus begana ministry which lasted fifteen yearsuntil his deathin May,1974. At varioustimes he wasModerator of the local Presbytery,Chaplain to the old folks in Falkirk, and also to the Bainsford Schools. Many eventstook placeduring his ministryamong which werea GaelicService broadcastby the B.B.C. in November,1964, and a gardenfete held in the grounds of Dawson Park School in June, 1966 and opened by Dr Caskie,the "Tartan Pimpernel." Then on October6th, 1971,Mr MacDougall celebratedhis semi-jubileeas a minister-this was com- memorated by the office-bearerspresenting him with an inscribed wristwatch. In addition, a successfulventure was held from October 27th - 29th, 1973,when a ChurchExhibition washeld. All the Church organisationstook part. On Sunday,October 5th, 1975a MemorialService was held in which a Hanging Lantern, New Pulpit Falls, and a Plaquewere dedicatedto the late minister. Bv his friendlinessand senseof humour Mr

ll MacDougall had endearedhimself to many people in Falkirk and in Bainsford. Meantime,almost a yearpreviously, a new ministerhad beencalled to BainsfordChurch. On November20th, 1974,REV. DAVID J. B. ANDERSON, M.A., B.D. was inductedand ordained,his ministry continuingto the presenttime. Thus it is that on the threshholdof our Centenarywe in Bainsford Churchcan look back with thankfulnessto God and look forward with faith to the future. We arethankful not only for a successionof faithful and devoted ministersof the gospel but also for the multitudes of ordinary men and women,whose names cannot be mentionedhere, but whose contribution to the causeof Christ in Bainsford has told for God, in time, and for eternity. With regardto the future, whilethere are certainlyno groundsfor complacency,may we not take heart from the fact that the God who hasled us thus far is the sameGod who promised to Jeremiahin a dayof darknessand spiritual declension. "I know the plans I have for you, saysthe Lord, plans for welfare andnot for evil,to giveyou a futureand a hope." The futurebelongs to God. Our faith is in Him and our hoperests on the Rock of His promiseto all who arefaithful. "I will buildmy Churchand the gatesof Hell shallnot prevail againstit. ' '

t2 Printedby InglisPaul Ltd., Middlefield Road, Falkirk.