Abbeygreen Church
Encyclopedia
Abbeygreen Church is a reformed, evangelical congregation of the Church of Scotland
in the town of Lesmahagow
, South Lanarkshire
. It lies opposite the Glebe Park on Abbeygreen. The neighbouring church, the Old Parish Church of Lesmahagow
was built, in its present form, in 1803 at the site of the medieval Lesmahagow Priory
.
Abbeygreen Church was born out of the Disruption of 1843
. The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
of May 1843 saw some four hundred and seventy four ministers leave the Church of Scotland to "come out to form the glorious Free Church of Scotland
". The minister of the Parish Church of Lesmahagow at the time was the Rev. Dr Andrew Borland Parker. The Sunday following the General Assembly of 1843 saw Dr Parker preach his last sermon in the Parish Church. Intending to begin an exposition in the Book of Exodus, Dr Parker declared "I can no longer continue in connection with an establishment which has virtually denied the Kingly office of Christ
". Dr Parker, five elders and eight hundred communicants left the Church of Scotland and the Parish Church at the formation of the Free Church of Scotland. A plot of land was obtained, opposite the Glebe fields, from the Duke of Hamilton
, and the foundation stone was laid in August 1843. On 15 February 1844 Abbeygreen Free Church was opened to the Glory of God, free of debt and without the aid of the Free Church central fund.
The ministry of Dr Parker continued until 1855. On 16 May 1856 a probationer minister, the Rev. James Laing, was ordained and inducted. Mr Laing continued as the minster in Abbeygreen until 25 February 1872. His successor, the Rev. James Arthur Gray was ordained on 22 November 1872. Abbeygreen became a branch of the United Free Church of Scotland
at the joining of the Free Church and the United Presbyterian Church
in 1900. Mr Gray continued as the minister until his retiral in 1927. On 27 October 1927, the Rev. John Walker MA was ordained as minister of Abbeygreen. At the start of his ministry, in 1929, the United Presbyterian Church
reunited with the Church of Scotland
. The Church of Scotland having been reconstituted to honour the principles of the Disruption, through the abolishment of patronage
, in 1874, and by further Acts of Parliament in 1921 and 1925. Mr Walker's ministry ended in May 1939.
Mr Walker was followed by the Rev. T.F. Neill. Mr Neill was ordained on 25 January 1940. Late in 1940, Mr Morton, the minister of the neighbouring Cordiner Church became seriously ill. The Cordiner Church was founded as the Lesmahagow Relief Church in 1837 and took its name from its second minister, the Rev. Robert Cordiner, who served it from 1846 until 1897. Abbeygreen and the Cordiner Church had long enjoyed a mutually supportive relationship and so the members of the Cordiner church were invited to temporarily join with Abbeygreen in worship. In June 1941 members of the Cordiner met with the congregation of Abbeygreen to discuss union of the two churches and in July 1941, the two churches united. The sessions united and a congregational board was formed, with the last meeting of the old Deacons Court of Abbeygreen taking place on the first of July 1941. This action represents the creation of the present day constitution of Abbeygreen, Church of Scotland, being led through elected members of the Congregational Board and ordained elder
s forming the Kirk Session. Mr Neill served the church intil 1953 when he was called to Cranhill
in Glasgow
. On 6 April 1954, the Rev. Robert B.W. Walker MB, ChB
was inducted as minister of Abbeygreen. Dr Walker continued in the ministry until ill health forced him to demit his charge at the end of October 1981. Following a long vacancy, a probationer minister, the Rev. David S. Carmichael, was ordained and inducted on 2 September 1982, and has since continued to faithfully serve the Lord and His people.
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
in the town of Lesmahagow
Lesmahagow
Lesmahagow is a small town on the edge of moorland, near Lanark in the central belt of Scotland. It is also known as Abbey Green.-Etymology:The name is possibly a corruption of "Church of St Machutus"...
, South Lanarkshire
South Lanarkshire
South Lanarkshire is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of the former county of Lanarkshire. It borders the south-east of the city of Glasgow and contains many of Glasgow's suburbs, commuter towns and smaller villages....
. It lies opposite the Glebe Park on Abbeygreen. The neighbouring church, the Old Parish Church of Lesmahagow
Lesmahagow Old Parish Church
Lesmahagow Old Parish Church is a congregation of the Church of Scotland within the Presbytery of Lanark. It is the largest church in the South Lanarkshire town of Lesmahagow....
was built, in its present form, in 1803 at the site of the medieval Lesmahagow Priory
Lesmahagow Priory
Lesmahagow Priory was a medieval Tironensian monastic community located in modern South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It was founded after John, Bishop of Glasgow and King David I of Scotland granted lands at Lesmahagow to Kelso Abbey with which to establish a new priory. It remained a dependency of Kelso...
.
Abbeygreen Church was born out of the Disruption of 1843
Disruption of 1843
The Disruption of 1843 was a schism within the established Church of Scotland, in which 450 ministers of the Church broke away, over the issue of the Church's relationship with the State, to form the Free Church of Scotland...
. The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the sovereign and highest court of the Church of Scotland, and is thus the Church's governing body[1] An Introduction to Practice and Procedure in the Church of Scotland, A Gordon McGillivray, 2nd Edition .-Church courts:As a Presbyterian church,...
of May 1843 saw some four hundred and seventy four ministers leave the Church of Scotland to "come out to form the glorious Free Church of Scotland
Free Church of Scotland (1843-1900)
The Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish denomination which was formed in 1843 by a large withdrawal from the established Church of Scotland in a schism known as the "Disruption of 1843"...
". The minister of the Parish Church of Lesmahagow at the time was the Rev. Dr Andrew Borland Parker. The Sunday following the General Assembly of 1843 saw Dr Parker preach his last sermon in the Parish Church. Intending to begin an exposition in the Book of Exodus, Dr Parker declared "I can no longer continue in connection with an establishment which has virtually denied the Kingly office of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
". Dr Parker, five elders and eight hundred communicants left the Church of Scotland and the Parish Church at the formation of the Free Church of Scotland. A plot of land was obtained, opposite the Glebe fields, from the Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that Peerage , and as such its holder is the Premier Peer of Scotland, as well as being head of both the House of Hamilton and the House of Douglas...
, and the foundation stone was laid in August 1843. On 15 February 1844 Abbeygreen Free Church was opened to the Glory of God, free of debt and without the aid of the Free Church central fund.
The ministry of Dr Parker continued until 1855. On 16 May 1856 a probationer minister, the Rev. James Laing, was ordained and inducted. Mr Laing continued as the minster in Abbeygreen until 25 February 1872. His successor, the Rev. James Arthur Gray was ordained on 22 November 1872. Abbeygreen became a branch of the United Free Church of Scotland
United Free Church of Scotland
The United Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish Presbyterian denomination formed in 1900 by the union of the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland and the Free Church of Scotland...
at the joining of the Free Church and the United Presbyterian Church
United Presbyterian Church
United Presbyterian Church was the name of multiple Christian denominations in the world, among which are the following:*The United Presbyterian Church of Scotland , a union of the United Secession Church and the Relief Church which joined the Free Church of Scotland to form the United Free Church...
in 1900. Mr Gray continued as the minister until his retiral in 1927. On 27 October 1927, the Rev. John Walker MA was ordained as minister of Abbeygreen. At the start of his ministry, in 1929, the United Presbyterian Church
United Presbyterian Church
United Presbyterian Church was the name of multiple Christian denominations in the world, among which are the following:*The United Presbyterian Church of Scotland , a union of the United Secession Church and the Relief Church which joined the Free Church of Scotland to form the United Free Church...
reunited with the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
. The Church of Scotland having been reconstituted to honour the principles of the Disruption, through the abolishment of patronage
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
, in 1874, and by further Acts of Parliament in 1921 and 1925. Mr Walker's ministry ended in May 1939.
Mr Walker was followed by the Rev. T.F. Neill. Mr Neill was ordained on 25 January 1940. Late in 1940, Mr Morton, the minister of the neighbouring Cordiner Church became seriously ill. The Cordiner Church was founded as the Lesmahagow Relief Church in 1837 and took its name from its second minister, the Rev. Robert Cordiner, who served it from 1846 until 1897. Abbeygreen and the Cordiner Church had long enjoyed a mutually supportive relationship and so the members of the Cordiner church were invited to temporarily join with Abbeygreen in worship. In June 1941 members of the Cordiner met with the congregation of Abbeygreen to discuss union of the two churches and in July 1941, the two churches united. The sessions united and a congregational board was formed, with the last meeting of the old Deacons Court of Abbeygreen taking place on the first of July 1941. This action represents the creation of the present day constitution of Abbeygreen, Church of Scotland, being led through elected members of the Congregational Board and ordained elder
Elder (Christianity)
An elder in Christianity is a person valued for his wisdom who accordingly holds a particular position of responsibility in a Christian group. In some Christian traditions an elder is a clergy person who usually serves a local church or churches and who has been ordained to a ministry of Word,...
s forming the Kirk Session. Mr Neill served the church intil 1953 when he was called to Cranhill
Cranhill
Cranhill is a housing estate in the east end of Glasgow.-History:Like many similar publicly-funded 'schemes', it was built in the early 1950s on the outskirts of the city to alleviate the post-war housing shortage...
in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. On 6 April 1954, the Rev. Robert B.W. Walker MB, ChB
CHB
CHB may refer to:*Centre for the history of the book University of Edinburgh*Centre half-back in Australian rules football*CHB Bank of South Korea*Champion Homes, NASDAQ symbol CHB*Chang Hwa Bank of Taiwan*Children's Hospital Boston*Chronic Hepatitis B...
was inducted as minister of Abbeygreen. Dr Walker continued in the ministry until ill health forced him to demit his charge at the end of October 1981. Following a long vacancy, a probationer minister, the Rev. David S. Carmichael, was ordained and inducted on 2 September 1982, and has since continued to faithfully serve the Lord and His people.