United Presbyterian Church of Scotland
Encyclopedia
The United Presbyterian Church of Scotland (1847-1900) was a Scottish
Presbyterian denomination. It was formed in 1847 by the union of the United Secession Church
and the Relief Church, and in 1900 merged with the Free Church of Scotland
to form the United Free Church of Scotland
, which in turn united with the Church of Scotland
in 1929. For most of its existence the United Presbyterian Church was the third largest Presbyterian Church in Scotland, and stood on the liberal wing of Scots Presbyterianism. The Church's name was often abbreviated to the initials U.P.
.
The First Secession
had been in 1732, and the resultant "Associate Presbytery" grew to include 45 congregations.
A series of disputes, in 1747 over the burgesses oath, and in the late 18th century over the Westminster confession
, led to further splits, but in 1820 two of the groups united to form the "United Associate Synod of the Secession Church", also known as the United Seccession Church.
and 118 out of 136 of the Relief Churches, in what now became the United Presbyterian Church. It was the first Presbyterian body to relax the stringency of subscription, the Church Synod passing a declaratory act on the subject in 1879. On such points as that of the six days' creation, it was made clear that freedom was allowed; but when Mr David Macrae of Gourock
claimed that it should also be allowed on the question of eternal punishment, he was at once declared to be no longer a minister of the church. He left behind him many who sympathized with his position, and in the remaining part of the 19th century the United Presbyterian Church came fully to share the forward movement of thought of the other Scottish churches. Doctrinally there was little difference between the United Presbyterian Church and the Free Church of Scotland
, and between 1863 and 1873 negotiations were carried on for a union, which however were fruitless. But in 1896 the United Presbyterian Church again made advances, which were promptly met, and on October 31, 1900 the United Free Church of Scotland
came into existence.
design with a portico. A particularly fine example is Wellington Church
, near the University of Glasgow
, which was built in 1883-4 by the architect Thomas Lennox Watson. This preference for neoclassical architecture
contrasts strongly with the prevailing mid-Victorian taste for Gothic Revival in most of the other Scottish churches. Most U.P. churches were, however, far more modestly built than Wellington.
The famous architect Alexander "Greek" Thomson
(1817-1875) designed three striking U.P. church buildings in Glasgow at Caledonia Road (1865), St Vincent Street Church (1859), and Queen's Park (1867). Of the three only St. Vincent Street survives intact, Caledonia Road being an empty shell and Queen's Park destroyed by World War II
bombing.
Alexander Thomson was a devout Christian and a member of the United Presbyterian Church. His architectural style was often eclectic; it cannot be described as truly neoclassical
(he never managed to visit Greece
), but he frequently used Egyptian and other Middle Eastern motifs. His interior designs and colour schemes for churches were strongly influenced by Biblical descriptions of King Solomon's Temple, for example the reference to pomegranate
s in 2 Chronicles 4:13 and the furnishings mentioned in 1 Kings 6:15-36.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Presbyterian denomination. It was formed in 1847 by the union of the United Secession Church
United Secession Church
The United Secession Church was a Scottish Presbyterian denomination. It was founded in 1820 by a union of various churches which had seceded from the established Church of Scotland and existed until 1847....
and the Relief Church, and in 1900 merged with the 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"...
to form 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...
, which in turn united 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....
in 1929. For most of its existence the United Presbyterian Church was the third largest Presbyterian Church in Scotland, and stood on the liberal wing of Scots Presbyterianism. The Church's name was often abbreviated to the initials U.P.
United Secession Church
It was founded in 1820 by a union of various churches which had seceded from the established Church of ScotlandChurch 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 First Secession
First Secession
The First Secession was an exodus of ministers and members from the Church of Scotland in 1733. Those who took part formed the Associate Presbytery and later the United Secession Church....
had been in 1732, and the resultant "Associate Presbytery" grew to include 45 congregations.
A series of disputes, in 1747 over the burgesses oath, and in the late 18th century over the Westminster confession
Westminster Confession of Faith
The Westminster Confession of Faith is a Reformed confession of faith, in the Calvinist theological tradition. Although drawn up by the 1646 Westminster Assembly, largely of the Church of England, it became and remains the 'subordinate standard' of doctrine in the Church of Scotland, and has been...
, led to further splits, but in 1820 two of the groups united to form the "United Associate Synod of the Secession Church", also known as the United Seccession Church.
The Relief Church
The Presbytery of Relief was constituted in 1761 by three ministers of the Church of Scotland, one of whom was Thomas Gillespie, who had been deposed by the assembly in 1752 for refusing to take part in the intrusion of unacceptable ministers. The number of congregations under its charge increased with considerable rapidity, and a Relief Synod was formed in 1773, which in 1847 had under its jurisdiction 136 congregations. The Relief Church issued no distinctive testimonies, and a certain breadth of view was shown in the formal declaration of their terms of communion, first made in 1773, which allowed occasional communion with those of the Episcopal and Independent persuasion. A Relief theological hall was instituted in 1824.The union
In 1847 a union was formed between all the congregations of the United Secession ChurchUnited Secession Church
The United Secession Church was a Scottish Presbyterian denomination. It was founded in 1820 by a union of various churches which had seceded from the established Church of Scotland and existed until 1847....
and 118 out of 136 of the Relief Churches, in what now became the United Presbyterian Church. It was the first Presbyterian body to relax the stringency of subscription, the Church Synod passing a declaratory act on the subject in 1879. On such points as that of the six days' creation, it was made clear that freedom was allowed; but when Mr David Macrae of Gourock
Gourock
Gourock is a town falling within the Inverclyde council area and formerly forming a burgh of the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It has in the past functioned as a seaside resort on the Firth of Clyde...
claimed that it should also be allowed on the question of eternal punishment, he was at once declared to be no longer a minister of the church. He left behind him many who sympathized with his position, and in the remaining part of the 19th century the United Presbyterian Church came fully to share the forward movement of thought of the other Scottish churches. Doctrinally there was little difference between the United Presbyterian Church and the 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"...
, and between 1863 and 1873 negotiations were carried on for a union, which however were fruitless. But in 1896 the United Presbyterian Church again made advances, which were promptly met, and on October 31, 1900 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...
came into existence.
Church buildings
The United Presbyterian Church constructed a number of notable buildings, the largest of which often used a neoclassicalNeoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
design with a portico. A particularly fine example is Wellington Church
Wellington Church
Wellington Church is a congregation and parish church of the Church of Scotland, serving part of the Hillhead area of Glasgow, Scotland. The building is located on University Avenue, Glasgow, opposite the University of Glasgow.-Building:...
, near the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
, which was built in 1883-4 by the architect Thomas Lennox Watson. This preference for neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
contrasts strongly with the prevailing mid-Victorian taste for Gothic Revival in most of the other Scottish churches. Most U.P. churches were, however, far more modestly built than Wellington.
The famous architect Alexander "Greek" Thomson
Alexander Thomson
Alexander "Greek" Thomson was an eminent Scottish architect and architectural theorist who was a pioneer in sustainable building. Although his work was published in the architectural press of his day, it was little appreciated outwith Glasgow during his lifetime...
(1817-1875) designed three striking U.P. church buildings in Glasgow at Caledonia Road (1865), St Vincent Street Church (1859), and Queen's Park (1867). Of the three only St. Vincent Street survives intact, Caledonia Road being an empty shell and Queen's Park destroyed by World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
bombing.
Alexander Thomson was a devout Christian and a member of the United Presbyterian Church. His architectural style was often eclectic; it cannot be described as truly neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
(he never managed to visit Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
), but he frequently used Egyptian and other Middle Eastern motifs. His interior designs and colour schemes for churches were strongly influenced by Biblical descriptions of King Solomon's Temple, for example the reference to pomegranate
Pomegranate
The pomegranate , Punica granatum, is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing between five and eight meters tall.Native to the area of modern day Iran, the pomegranate has been cultivated in the Caucasus since ancient times. From there it spread to Asian areas such as the Caucasus as...
s in 2 Chronicles 4:13 and the furnishings mentioned in 1 Kings 6:15-36.
See also
- Ebenezer ErskineEbenezer ErskineEbenezer Erskine was a Scottish minister whose actions led to the establishment of the Secession Church ....
- Religion in the United KingdomReligion in the United KingdomReligion in the United Kingdom and the states that pre-dated the UK, was dominated by forms of Christianity for over 1,400 years. Although a majority of citizens still identify with Christianity in many surveys, regular church attendance has fallen dramatically since the middle of the 20th century,...
- Scottish United Presbyterian MissionScottish United Presbyterian MissionScottish United Presbyterian Mission was a Scottish Presbyterian missionary society that was involved in sending workers to countries such as China during the late Qing Dynasty.-Scottish United Presbyterian Mission work in China:...