Religion - Eccles. Account
Ecclesiastical Account of Parish
Although
Stonehouse’s
ecclesiastical
history can be traced to around the 9th
century, the sessional records can only be recorded to the days of Rev.
Archibald Foyer around 1696. Documentation prior to this period may
have been lost during the covenanting conflicts, or the early days of
the Jacobite uprisings. What remains, provides valuable and
enlightening information on the discipline, organisation and
educational influence of the church in Stonehouse.
The records depict the strict authority of the church by ensuring
parishioners compliance with the teachings and principles of such. The
ecclesiastical leaders of the day held considerable influence in civil
disputes, whereby the church was able to exact punishments, or fines,
on persons for minor offences, or acts against the church. Although
there are no records of such punishment being carried out by the parish
church in Stonehouse, in some parishes an iron collar was affixed near
the door of the kirk to reprimand parishioners, not complying with
fines imposed.
Drinking was frowned upon and closely monitored by the congregation.
This led to the establishment of local organisations such as the Total
Abstinence Society (1858), which publicly rebuked those who dabbled in
the demon drink. In more serious crimes, such as incest, the
perpetrator had to stand at the Kirk door, bare footed and legged, from
the ringing of the second bell to the last, at every church in the
presbytery.
Prior to 1752 the minister and his session were predominantly
responsible for providing education within the parish. An Act of
Parliament in this year ensured that the parish kirk provided a
building, until such times as a school
house could be found. This
provision also ensured healthy numbers of congregations, that would be
the envy of every minister today. Early extracts indicate several
schoolmasters appointed by the church including; John Watson (1697),
Alexander Cochrane of Avondale (1698), Richard Steil (1701), William
Walker (1702), Gavin Hamilton of Vicars (1707), Walter Weir (1718) and
Thomas Clark (1722). A school house was procured in 1708, provided by
Thomas Cure.
Other indications of the authority of the church include a document in
September 1696 stating, “the session
unanimously appoint that no
persons within the congregation be married out of the church unless a
fourteen pence levy be given to the poor”. Complying with such
principles and in particular the day of the Sabbath was to be strictly
adhered to in every respect. In November of the same year a complaint
was made with regards to, “servants
wandering up and down among their
friends on the Lord’s day, to the dishonour of God and offence of
people”, further intimating “that
both masters and servants be warned
against such an evil publicly, with certification of censure to be
inflicted upon the disobedient”.
The power and influence of the church was all too apparent in January
1698, when the parish records stated, “John
Fleming and Robert Wilson
being called, acknowledged their playing cards, for which they
professed their sorrow. The session rebuked them both. Both of them
promised amendment, and Robert Wilson engaged himself to burn the cards
when they went home”.
The church, however, not only provided for the educational and
spiritual needs of the parish, but in times of hardship; charity and
understanding. In June 1697, “Thomas
Robertson, the kirk treasurer,
declared that he had got a sentence against some who had not paid their
fines for their fornication, but the session, in regard of their
extreme poverty, delayed to exact anything for the time”. This
reflected the generous nature of local dignitories of the period, for
in 1790 Rev. Morehead stated, “The produce of the year 1782 fell short
of what was necessary, for the consumption of the parish. The
deficiency was made up, by some of the more wealthy inhabitants, who
purchased foreign grain, and sold it without profit”. He further
observed, “none of the parishioners
are allowed to beg, though we are
troubled much with beggars from other parishes”.
Prior to the turn of the 20th century, it was uncommon not to be a
member of a kirk. In 1836 Rev.
Hugh Dewar wrote, “The due
observance of
the Sabbath is likewise a characteristic mark of the inhabitants of
Stonehouse. The hallowing of the Sabbath day is here most scrupulously
attended to, by all ranks of persons, both in town and parish; except
in going to and from church, you will hardly see a person on the
street. All public houses are shut on the Sabbath, unless to the
traveller for refreshment”. In Robert Naismith’s publication of
‘Memoir
of Rev. James Hamilton’ (1896), Rev. Hamilton around the end of the
18th century is said to have stated, “In
my youth the Sabbath was
observed with great respect. Family worship was generally observed. In
the whole parish of Stonehouse, containing about 300 families, only
three were without the daily worship of God”. He further stated “The
use of ardent spirits was almost unknown. There were not above three
tipplers in the whole parish of Stonehouse; and in the five parishes of
Stonehouse, Lesmahagow, Avondale, Glassford and Dalserf, there was only
one drunkard amongst the farmers”.
In Scotland today, only 12% of the population
are members of a church,
a figure that has halved over the past 50 years and is still declining.
In 1891, over 33% of the population of Stonehouse attended a church
regularly on the Sabbath. Stonehouse still retains three churches and
the chapel hall in Wellbrae, serving the community. These churches
still play an integral part in the rural life and affairs of the
village, promoting community participation and the welfare of the
people of Stonehouse. In writing ‘Wha’s like us?’ I provided a brief
history of the churches origins and the influence of Ninian in the
parish. The following timelines of the local churches, past and
present, provide an easy to understand account of the ministry of the
church and important events in the history of the various congregations.
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