The History of St. George’s Church The early years St. George’s Church was born out of the Disruption of 1843, a period in church history when 474 ministers (out of a total of 1,203) from the established Church of Scotland seceded to form the Free Church of Scotland. It came at the end of a bitter conflict within the established Church, known as the Ten Years Conflict. In leaving the Church, ministers forfeited their livings and manses, with an uncertain future ahead of them. The Reverend Thomas Chalmers became the first Moderator of the Free Church. One of the first acts of the founders was the signing of the Act of Separation and Deed of Demission on May 23rd 1843. The 37th signatory was the Reverend John Robertson Mackenzie of St. Mary’s, Dumfries who had been ordained in 1841. When he seceded from St. Mary’s, he was followed by the majority of his Kirk Session, plus many of his congregation and sympathisers from St. Michael’s and Greyfriars. Immediately after the Disruption, there was a need for money to build churches, manses and schools, pay the salaries of ministers, teachers and missionaries and support the poor. It was Mr. Mackenzie and his followers who worked tirelessly to raise money and support for the building of a Free Church in Dumfries. The Church’s work also depended on the generosity and goodwill of independent benefactors. Mrs. Susan Henderson (nee Milligan), purchased a piece of land in George Street for £185 and the foundation stone of the Free Church was laid on Saturday August 26th 1843, on the same site as our present church. An original poster advertising the laying of the foundation stone was presented to our church in 1960 by the family of the late Mr. and Mrs. James Robertson and is on display for all to see. The first Kirk Session met on August 21st 1843 and the first meeting of the Deacons’ Court took place on June 24th 1844. The new church building was opened on Sunday, April 14th 1844. Designed by William McGowan, architect, Irving Street, the church accommodated 1,160 people and cost £1,217 to build. It was described as ‘plain, elegant and commodious.’ No illustration of the original building can be traced, but working from an 1859 plan of the church, local architect Mr. Wolffe prepared sketches in 1993, of the church as it may have looked in 1844. The Kirk Session records of the time show a flurry of activity by the Free Church of Dumfries. By 1845, there were 14 elders and 12 deacons. Mission work was carried out, districts entrusted into the care of an elder and deacon, Sabbath Schools were set up, seat rents established and communion celebrated four times a year with members using communion tokens. Led by an enthusiastic minister and hard working office bearers, the church was regarded in Scotland as the centre of evangelism with a congregation eager to spread the Word to as many people as possible. It is a pity therefore that Mr. Mackenzie’s ministry was to end on a sour note. There appears to have been discontent within the church concerning the cost of building a manse, which was eventually completed in 1848. Built between the church and the neighbouring Assembly Rooms, sharing the same gable end and extending over Meuse Lane, it was built at a cost of £742. Despite the support of the majority of his Kirk Session and congregation, Mr. Mackenzie decided to leave in March 1847, translating to an English Presbyterian Church in Birmingham and remaining there until 1873. Our second minister, the Reverend Dr. James Julius Wood, cut quite a figure as he went about his pastoral duties in Dumfries. He was described as ‘a worthy divine who wore black silk stockings and buckled shoes, knee breeches and a swallow-tailed coat, his hair as white as snow flowing over his shoulders.’ He was inducted to the Free Church on June 8th 1848 and shortly after, Dr. Wood found himself ministering to the townsfolk as cholera struck Dumfries, killing over three hundred people. Dr. Wood thoroughly identified himself with the Revival Movement of 1861 which was a time of great religious awakening. Our church witnessed remarkable scenes as immense crowds of people from all walks of life jostled with each other to find a space in church, all thirsting for the Word of God, all seeking their Lord and Saviour. How Dr. Wood must have rejoiced! After the Revival, there was an even greater zeal amongst men and women to serve Christ and following a meeting with Maxwelltown Free Church, it was decided to work up a mission in the south part of town. A site at the bottom of the High Street was purchased and in January 1864, the foundation stone of the Territorial Mission Church was laid. Dr. Wood deposited a glass jar containing newspapers, coins and documents of that time in a small cavity. It was decided in the mid 1990s to knock down the church and this very glass jar was found all in one piece! It can be viewed in St. Michael’s Church today. The TerritorialMissionChurch was opened for public worship on February 10th 1865 and was described by Dr. Wood as ‘a fruit of the Revival Movement and a new centre of spiritual influence.’ In April 1870, a photograph was taken of Dr. Wood, aged 70 years, surrounded by his elders and deacons. Each person can be identified by name and in most cases, his occupation. This remarkable photograph hangs in St. George’s today and as solemn, whiskered faces stare out at you, it somehow brings the history of our church more to life. Dr. Wood died on March 23rd 1877 and is the only minister of our church to be buried in Dumfries. An inscription can be found on his memorial stone in St. Mary’s churchyard, taken from an address he delivered as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free Church in 1857. Born in Peebles on Christmas Day 1830, the Reverend James Freer was inducted as colleague and successor to Dr. Wood on May 13th he was known from an early age as ‘the child of many prayers’ and became a Sabbath School teacher at only 14 years of age, a remarkable achievement. Missing church records have made it difficult to obtain information about events during Mr. Freer’s ministry. He wrote a book called ‘The Grace of Charity and Other Sermons’ and was described as ‘a thoroughly able, well- equipped, devout and consistent minister, a kind hearted and true friend.’ Mr. Freer suffered much ill health during his life and resigned his charge in 1881. He died in Edinburgh in 1887, nursed by his devoted wife. 1875. The Reverend Charles McNeil was inducted to George Street Free Church on June 1st 1882. Mr. McNeil’s ministry began at a time when there was a great spiritual movement over the country, in connection with the American evangelist D. L. Moody, who preached in our church in August 1882. Mission work began immediately, leading to the opening of Greenbrae Mission Hall in 1883. Sadly, this building no longer exists today. The church magazines of that time display a hive of activity with regard to the establishment of Sabbath Schools, Bands of Hope, Penny Savings Banks and numerous other organisations. With so much going on, Free St. George’s needed a church hall and quickly! A suitable position for halls was purchased in Buccleuch Street on the site of the old prison and adjoining the Sheriff Court House. The building, designed by James Halliday, architect, in the style known as Scottish Domestic, opened on June 3rd 1889 at a cost of £3,709. A walk down Buccleuch Street today reveals the burning bush emblem and the words ‘nec tamen consumebatur’ still visible over the doorway of a building where the halls once stood. It certainly seemed to be a time of prosperity for the congregation as thoughts soon turned to the building of a new church. It was eventually decided to remodel the church in George Street, extending the building by including part of the manse and the complete alteration of the church interior. Plans were drawn up by James Halliday in Italian Renaissance style and work began in June 1892. Our church re-opened on December 10th 1893 at a cost of £4,157 inclusive of an organ which was installed five years later. The new church drew gasps of admiration and its interior decor and colours merited a detailed description in the Journal of Decorative Art, April 1894. Mention must be made of the formation of The Woman’s Guild in 1896, women working together, organising events, building up the Church, using their gifts to God’s glory….and still going strong today! A major event took place in 1900, when the majority of Free Church members joined with the United Presbyterian Church to form the United Free Church and henceforth our church became known as St. George’s United Free Church. Mr. McNeil retired from the church in 1909 due to ill health and moved to the south of England. A plaque in remembrance of Mr. McNeil is in our church today, describing him as ‘a faithful and devoted minister, greatly loved by his people.’ Part 2:- The Early 20th Century The early 20th Century The Reverend Duncan Ross was inducted on September 10th 1909 with a ‘fruit soiree’ held in the halls. He was to have a long and fruitful ministry spanning 32 years.