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CHURCH OF SCOTLAND
The North ChurchSkelmorlie and Wemyss BayOne Hundred Years 1871-1971
by Alex. W. Stevens, M.B.E.
Minister: The Rev. W. Russell Kennedy, B.A.
Wemyss Bay and Skelmorlie United Presbyterian Church, 1874
1972
Printed by Thomas Rae Ltd., Greenock -Photographs by courtesy of Simpson Photographers, GreenockThis short history is dedicated to the Rev. Robert Sutherlandas a small token of gratitude for his many years of devotedministry in the North Church Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay.
 
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The cost of printing and publishing this Centenary Book has beendefrayed by the sons of the late Mrs. Margaret Maclaurinin her memory.
The Minister and Office-bearers of the North Church Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay place this Centenary Book in yourhands with their compliments and good wishes. It comes to you free of charge, but should you feel that you would liketo recognise its publication by making a donation towards the general funds of the North Church this would begratefully received either through the plate or paid direct to Mr Hugh Fraser, Congregational Treasurer, Ingleside,Wemyss Bay. It is also hoped to send copies of the Centenary Book to as many ex-members as possible and it isrequested that names and addresses of such ex-members be handed to Mr A. W. Stevens, Woodsley Cottage, ShoreRoad, Skelmorlie, or to any of the Office-bearers.
Foreword by the Rev. W. Russell Kennedy, B.A.
It is indeed a great privilege to write a brief foreword to this Centenary Book of the history of the North Church Skel-morlie and Wemyss Bay.The story told in the pages that follow is really a story of faith, initiative and perseverance. A hundred years ago a fewmen of vision saw the need for a place of worship in our village and in a remarkably short time a handsome andcommodious building had been erected. Here were men fired with the Spirit of God meeting and overcoming manydifficulties and hindrances yet pushing forward to build, furnish and equip a worthy sanctuary to the glory of HisName and for the nurture of His people.All that happened a hundred years ago. Times have changed - the Church of which we are a congregation has changed- Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay have changed since the doors of the North Church were first opened in far-off VictorianScotland. But some things have not changed - The Gospel we preach nor its relevance to the abiding experiences ofmen. Unchanged also is the challenge to the Church to display in this confused age the vision, the faith and theinitiative that so characterised our forbears of a hundred years ago.Looking back is of little value unless it inspires us to look forward with faith and fortitude.
Ministers in Chronological Order
John Boyd, M.A.1871-1899David W. Forrest, D.D.1899-1903G. M. Fairweather, M.A.1903-1908John S. Macdonald, M.A.1909-1915J. H. Chambers Macaulay, M.A.1916-1933JohnBegg, B.D.1953-1958Robert Sutherland1938-1960Donald C. Caskie, O.B.E., M.A.,D.D. 1961-1968W. Russell Kennedy, B.A.1970-1972
ISkelmorlie Union Church
On the evening of Wednesday, July 12, 1869, seven men met in Wemyss Bay to discuss the future of their church.Their names were T. 0. Hunter and J. W. Galloway of Wemyss Bay and Hugh Walker, Adam Dickson, William Gallie,John McKellar and John Mclntyre of Skelmorlie and their immediate concern was that their church should remain openall the year round instead of only during the the months of Summer as had been the practice.Skelmorlie Union Church, as it was called, had only within recent years begun as a preaching station under thesuperintendence of a joint committee of the Free Church and the United Presbyterian Church. The building in whichthe seven men met was a timber structure that had been transported from Kilcreggan and, although the record iscryptic, erected somewhere in the vicinity of where Pearson's Garage now stands. It must, however, have been a fairlysubstantial building for an early minute indicates that it had seating capacity for 250 persons in some twenty pews. Theprobability is that it was the first Union Church in the country.Arising out of the meeting of the seven men, enquiry was made as to the number who would be likely to attend during
 
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the winter months and it was ascertained that upwards of one hundred persons had signified their intention ofattending public worship if the church were kept open.At a meeting of seatholders held in October, 1870, the general opinion was that the congregation were then incircumstances to unite under one or other of the ministers or preachers whom they had recently heard and thechairman (Mr. Hugh Walker) was directed to communicate this decision to the united committee of the twoPresbyteries with the view of being advised by them as to the regular steps to be taken in order to achieve thesettlement of a minister. The question of the difference in denomination seems to have presented little difficulty for itwas readily agreed that the united congregation would come together in the denomination of the minister who waschosen.At the end of the day, the choice lay between the Rev. Benjamin Bell of the Free Church, Edinburgh, and the Rev. JohnBoyd, a probationer of the United Presbyterian Church, Largs. At a meeting held on Tuesday, January 10, 1871, sixty-one persons voted for Mr. Boyd and fifty for Mr. Bell. Later in the same month, a further meeting was held for thepurpose of taking the necessary steps before the United Presbyterian Presbytery of Paisley and Greenock for pro-ceeding with a call for a fixed pastor and the following Petition was presented -'Unto the Rev. the Moderator and Reverent Members of the Paisley and Greenock Presbytery of the UnitedPresbyterian Church : 'The Petition of the undersigned members of the United Presbyterian Church, living at WemyssBay and Skelmorlie, Feeling the want of ordinances being dispensed among us, and having for some time along withour Free Church brethren worshipped in Union Church Wemyss Bay under the superintendence of a Joint Com-mittee appointed by the Presbyteries of the Free and U.P. Churches, We are desirous settled among us and thereforerequest the Reverend Court to take the necessary steps to grant the Prayer of this Petition.'At that time the attendance of members in the summer approximated two hundred, with about half that numberattending during the winter months.
IIWemyss Bay and Skelmorlie United Presbyterian Church
The Rev. John Boyd, M.A., was ordained at 12 noon on Tuesday, May 30, 1871, and it was decided to call the newcongregation 'The Wemyss Bay and Skelmorlie United Presbyterian Church'. Mr. Boyd was introduced to thecongregation by the Rev. Mr. Steven of Largs, the sermon being preached by the Rev. Mr. Fleming of Paisley and theRev. Mr. Dunlop addressing the congregation. Following the ordination, a fruit soiree was held in the church formembers of the congregation and a dinner for the principals was arranged in Dunloe House, Wemyss Bay, the home ofMr. Ninian Stewart.In September, 1871, the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was dispensed in the church for the first time when the Rev.John Boyd officiated and was assisted by the Rev. David Young of Torpichan. Some fifty-six persons sat down to theTable. On Wednesday, December 13, 1871 Mr. Charles P. Hunter of Greenock presented the congregation with acommunion service, while his sister. Miss Hunter, donated communion napery. Mr. John Graham of Skelmorlie Castlegifted communion wine. The first Kirk Session was constituted on Sunday, February 4, 1872, the Rev. John Boydhaving four elders about him. The Board of Management was appointed later that year. The membership of the congre-gation then numbered fifty-seven.On Saturday, March 16, 1872, a delegation from the Managers - David Dunn, John Love, Adam Dickson and MarkMorrison - were deputed to petition Mr. James Young of Kelly with a view to securing a site for a new church,constructed on a sufficient scale to hold about five hundred persons and at a cost of £2,500 or thereby. Originally, ithad been hoped to erect the new building on the same site as the wooden church, the plot of ground offered by Mr.Young at the Kelly Bridge being declined owing to the nature of the ground making the cost of erection expensive. Inthe meantime a house, newly-built by a Mr. Watson in Montgomerie Terrace, had been purchased as a manse for thesum of £1,190.By the time October, 1872 had come round the site at the Kelly Bridge was being actively considered and the plansapproved by Mr. Young. The Rev. R. Stewart of the Established Church was approached for permission to use thatchurch during the winter months while the new church was in course of construction and this was readily granted.On Monday, August 11, 1873, the Kelly Bridge site was finally accepted and an offer from Mr. Innes, builder,confirmed to construct the stonework of the new church in white stone for the sum £1,155 as against £1,087 in redstone.
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