The Scots Kirk Lausanne A Short History 2 3 THE SCOTS KIRK LAUSANNE — A SHORT HISTORY 1838 Erskine of Linlathen befriends Alexandre Vinet. 1845 Lord Aberdeen protests the lack of liberty prevalent in the area. 1866 First attempt to form a Scottish Presbyterian congregation, fails to find a permanent minister. 1876 Mrs. Williamina Davidson invites the Reverend A.F. Buscarlet over to Lausanne. 1877 The Reverend Dr. Nixon of Montrose formally dedicates the church to the glory of God. 1907 The Continental Committee appoints the Reverend A.M. Sutherland as joint minister. 1914 Foundation of the Foyer, a social centre for the British servicemen in Switzerland. 1919 The Reverend Hector Adam, now minister of the Scots Kirk in Lausanne also revives the Church of Scotland services in Geneva. 1921 Meeting of the General Presbyterian Alliance in Lausanne. 1923 Start of the Reverend Norman Nicholson’s ministry to the younger generation. 1927 The First Council of Faith and Order held in Lausanne. 1928 Appointment of the Reverend John E. Oldham following his predecessor’s sudden death. 1930s The economic crisis of the early thirties considerably decreases the number of the English-speaking residents. 1937 The Reverend Donald Campbell succeeds to the ministry of the Scots Kirk Lausanne. 1939 Formation of The Committee for Mutual Help in the event of War. 1947 A slowly reviving post-war congregation welcomes the Reverend Kenneth Tyson as its new Minister. 1952 The Swiss Authorities agree to the Scottish Department of Health’s plan to transfer long-term tuberculosis patients to Leysin. 1959 The Reverend Andrew Wylie accepts the call to the Scots Kirk Lausanne. 1962 Inauguration of a permanent Manse in the newly completed St. Andrew’s House. 1968 The Reverend Dr. Ian W. Malcolm begins his Ministry. Formation of the Women’s Fellowship, initially known as The Young Wives. 1974 The Reverend W. Maurice Isherwood arrives from Cyprus, to take over the Lausanne Ministry. April, 1977 Centenary of the Church celebrations. 1979 100th anniversary of the death of Viollet-le-Duc, commemoration plaque presented to the church by the City of Lausanne. 1980 Arrival of the Reverend Hugh F. Kerr. 1980 First woman elder: Mrs B. Henchoz. 4 April, 1982 Thanksgiving and Rededication Weekend. April, 1985 Reverend Hugh Kerr leaves. 1985 Reverend Murray Stewart arrives to take over the Lausanne Ministry. 1986 First edition of Cornerstone. 1992 The Right Reverend William MacMillan presents certificate for his loyalty and work to M. Marcel Mueller, the church’s architect since 1954. 1989 The Reverend Gordon Manson arrives as locum during Reverend Murray Stewart’s illness. 1993 Reverend Murray Stewart retires and returns to Edinburgh. 1994 Reverend Douglas Murray takes over the Lausanne Ministry. 2000 Fribourg congregation disbanded due to changing circumstances. 1998 Establishment of Fund by Mr. Ian Reddihough for the repair and maintenance of the church buildings. 2003 Employment of youth worker and arrival of the first student. 2004 Retirement of Reverend Douglas Murray and arrival of Reverend Melvyn Wood. 2008 Resignation of Reverend Melvyn Wood and appointment of Reverend Jim Sharp as Interim Moderator. 2009 Appointment of Reverend John Christie as Interim Minister and adoption of Unitary Constitution. 2010 Reverend Jim Sharp appointed Interim Moderator again until the arrival of Reverend Ian McDonald. 2011 Creation of larger Kirk Session, eight Teams and the end of the Congregational Board. 5 6 THE SCOTS KIRK LAUSANNE — A SHORT HISTORY “...Maggie, this is an awfy bad years the services were discontinued. place” However, the number of residents and “Maggie, this is an awfy bad place”, visitors to whom such services would wrote the Rev. Professor Edie of the have been welcome continued to grow. Secession Church of Scotland when The decisive move was made in 1876 describing to his daughter some of the when Mrs. Williamina Davidson unhappy experiences which befell him invited the Rev. A.F. Buscarlet of the in Lausanne when sent out to Scots Kirk in Naples to come over investigate the fortunes of the Free from Montreux, where he was acting Church of the Canton of Vaud. Indeed as seasonal chaplain, to hold some such was the situation that in 1845 week-day services. This Mr. Buscarlet Lord Aberdeen had to instruct the gladly agreed to do. The services were British Envoy in Switzerland to so encouragingly supported that a pro- protest against «the abandonment of posal for the establishment of a civil and religious liberty whose permanent Scottish Church in maintenance distinguishes Christian Lausanne was made to the Continental civilization». But happily these Committee of the Free Church of troublous times were in no way Scotland. indicative of the general esteem in which Lausanne has been held for many years by English-speaking people. Gibbon finished writing “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” in the garden where the Central Post Office now stands and the popularity of the town with English-speaking people has never diminished. Its delightful situation and healthy climate have made it a place of perennial attraction. In 1838 Erskine of Linlathen, a well known Scottish theologian from Dundee, The suggestion was strongly began an influential friendship with supported and the Committee decided Alexandre Vinet — the architect of the to go ahead. A permanent charge was Eglise Libre in the Canton of Vaud — established and Mr. Buscarlet was but it was not until 1866 that an “translated” — to use the Scottish attempt was made to form a Scottish ecclesiastical term — from Naples to Presbyterian congregation. This was be the first minister. not a success because there was no permanent minister and after two 7 8 Services were held in the Musée true Celt. His Bible Class reached Industriel, rue Chaucrau, but before unprecedented proportions and for long Mr. Buscarlet began to raise several sessions numbered over two funds to build a church. The eminent hundred young people. French architect, Viollet-le-Duc, was convalescing in Lausanne after a serious illness and became interested in the project. He drew up the plans, the only ones he ever compiled for a church outside France, and supervised the construction. The church was speedily erected and on 12th April 1877 it was formally dedicated to the glory of God by the Rev. Dr. Nixon of Montrose. From the start the church became the centre of vigorous Christian life. One of the outstanding features of Mr. During the winter his lantern Buscarlet’s ministry, and a sign of lectures were one of the features of the things to come, was the extensive social life of the English-speaking work with young people. The pattern community and the schoolgirl teas on of ministry that was to remain un- Sundays were a byword for hospitality. changed through the years could be During this time the pensionnats were seen in the endless stream of visitors at the height of their popularity. who came to church on one or more However there was not undue Sundays and frequently would call at affluence within the congregation: the Manse. indeed there were many people living By 1907 the work of the church in the Lausanne area who found it had developed considerably and Dr. possible to live there more cheaply Buscarlet was in urgent need of a than in the United Kingdom. The younger and stronger man as pound sterling was worth CHF 25 and Colleague and Successor. The a reasonable pension charged CHF 6 Continental Committee appointed the or 7 per day. The work amongst Rev. A.M. Sutherland from Leith and students was given great importance for three years there was a joint min- and the Association of Anglican and istry until Dr. Buscarlet’s retirement Presbyterian Ministers in Switzerland after a fruitful ministry of thirty-six maintained a full-time worker in this years. field. “...the fire and mysticism of “1914-1918” the true Celt” The outbreak of war in 1914 Alexander Sutherland was a completely transformed the situation. particularly attractive personality with The congregation in Lausanne much of the fire and mysticism of the dwindled but yet another opportunity 9 for service presented itself. There had good. But the schools gradually been an exchange of prisoners of war recovered, students arrived, hotels through the Red Cross and many began to fill, and the pulse of British servicemen who had been congregational life began to beat more wounded or were in bad health were strongly. sent to Château-d’Oex. Under Mr. Sutherland’s auspices a social centre “...food for the Hungry” was started for the men, known as the With the formation of the League of “Foyer”. It was completely dependent Nations Mr. Adam revived the Church on voluntary aid, yet an immense of Scotland services in Geneva which amount was done for the comfort and have continued unbroken ever since. rehabilitation of the sick, whenever The World Council of Churches had possible arrangements being made for not yet been formed and it is in- wives to come out from the United teresting to note that the Lausanne Kingdom. There were services, congregation was made responsible entertainments and everything for the distribution of £2,000 worth of possible was done for the former food supplies to starving people prisoners. The work was eventually belonging to the Protestant Churches taken over by the Red Cross but many in Hungary. In 1921 the eastern a soldier treasured memories of the section of the General Presbyterian “Foyer” and all it had done. Alliance met in Lausanne and all local In 1919, Mr. Sutherland returned arrangements were made by Mr. Adam to Scotland and he was succeeded by — the days of centralized the Rev. Hector Adam who had been administration in Church affairs were chaplain of the Scots Kirk in still to come.