The Free Church of Scotland (post 1900) is that part of the original Free Church of Scotland that remained outside of the union with the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland in 1900. It remains a distict Presbyterian denomination in Scotland to this day. This article concerns the Free Church of Scotland 1843-1900, for the Free Church of Scotland existing from 1900 to the present day see Free Church of Scotland (post 1900). ... The United Presbyterian Church of Scotland (1847-1900) was a Scottish Presbyterian denomination. ... Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ... Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (Latin: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the UK Languages with Official Status1 English Scottish Gaelic Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ...

Aftermath of the union of 1900

In 1900 the Free Church of Scotland united with the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland to form the United Free Church of Scotland. However, a minority of the original Free Church remained outside of this new union. This article concerns the Free Church of Scotland 1843-1900, for the Free Church of Scotland existing from 1900 to the present day see Free Church of Scotland (post 1900). ... The United Presbyterian Church of Scotland (1847-1900) was a Scottish Presbyterian denomination. ... The United Free Church of Scotland was formed in 1900 by the unification of the United Presbyterian Church and the Free Church of Scotland (except for a dissident section who separated off and retained the name of Free Church). ...

The protesting and dissenting minority at once claimed to be the legitimate Free Church. They met outside the Free Assembly Hall on October 31, and, failing to gain admission to it, withdrew to another hall, where they elected John Bannatyne as moderator and held the remaining sittings of their Assembly. October 31 is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 61 days remaining, as the final day of October. ...

It was reported that between 16,000 and 17,000 names had been received of persons adhering to the anti-unionist principle. At the Assembly of 1901 it was stated that the Free Church had twenty-five ministers and at least sixty-three congregations. However, her congregations were mostly in the Gaelic-speaking districts of Scotland. 1901 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Goidelic is one of two major divisions of modern-day Celtic languages (the other being Brythonic). ...

The initial problems were obvious, her congregations soon grew in number, but were far apart and there were not nearly enough ministers. The church received little sympathy or assistance from the United Free Church, and her work was conducted under considerable hardship. Nor could she appeal to the general popular sentiment of Scotland. However, the revenue of the church gradually increased, her sustentation fund was in 1901 only able to support 75 ministers, but from 1903 onwards 167.

The Free Church Case

(see Free Church case)

After the union of 1900, the United Presbyterian Church and the continuing Free Church, not only contested the legacy of the Free Church of 1843-1900, they perhaps more importantly also contested its assets. After attempts at agreement failed, the whole matter ended in the Scottish courts. The litigation was initially decided in favour of the continuing Free Church, but in the end the matter was settled by Parliamentary intervention.

The Life of the Church

By 1906, a Free Church College had been re-established in Edinburgh. By 1925, there were 91 ministers and 170 congregations, in 12 Presbyteries (including two in Canada). Its magazine, the Evangelical Quarterly was inaugurated in 1929.

Post 1945, the FC engaged with the wider evangelical cause. But after its growth in the early decades, it began a statistical decline that, except for a short period in the 1980's, has continued to this day.

The church today maintains its strong commitment to the Westminster Confession and Reformed Theology. It continues in the traditional style of Scottish Presbyterian worship, chiefly the sole use of the Psalms in their metrical form, sung unaccompanied. Its offices remain on The Mound, Edinburgh. The Westminster Confession of Faith is the chief doctrinal product of the Protestant Westminster Assembly. ... Reformed theology is a branch of Protestant Christian theology based primarily on the theology of Jesus. ...

The Free Church of Scotland belongs to the International Conference of Reformed Churches. gereja busuk The International Conference of Reformed Churches is a federation of calvinist churches in several continents. ...

References

Cameron, N. et al (eds) Dictionary of Scottish Church History and Theology, Edinburgh T&T Clark 1993

External links

• The Free Church of Scotland official site.

In January 2000, there was a division in the Free Church of Scotland, which resulted in the formation of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing). This article concerns the Free Church of Scotland 1843-1900, for the Free Church of Scotland existing from 1900 to the present day see Free Church of Scotland (post 1900). ...

• The Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) official site.