Reflections from the Pew 83

As it’s St Fillan’s 900th anniversary I’m looking at Rev. Rutherford’s children’s address, where he talks about the history of the church, this one is from 26th Feb ’67. Here he is talks about a gravestone near the entrance to the church.

As you approach the entrance of the church you pass an other gravestone, unlike the one from last week this one you can read but it is in Latin, so here is the translation.

Here lies the mortal remains of Robert Blair – a most faithful preacher of the Gospel at St Andrew, who died 27th August 1666, aged 72.

Robert Blair was one of the greatest men of his time. He was born in Irvine in 1593 and was frightfully clever, he became a professor in the University of Glasgow aged 23. He then became a minister and went to Ireland to be one of the founding members of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. He had very strong principles and said what he thought and had many differences with the Episcopal church over their style of worship and leadership, so had to leave and tried to go to America but the winds blew him back.

He settled back in Scotland as the minister of Holy Trinity Church in St Andrews. He was there for 20 years and had a tremendous influence on students and staff alike. In 1646 he was Moderator of the Church of Scotland. At one time he became chaplain to King Charles II. He criticised Archbishop Sharp of St Andrews who obtained his position by bribery. Robert Blair was then banished from St Andrews. He went to live with friends in Couston Castle by Otterston Loch and it was there that he died.

Read more about Robert Blair – Gazetteer of Scotland &  The Reformation & Wikipedia.

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