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 for 28th August 1967, here he is talking about the brass memorial to past ministers.
For some months I have been pointing out some of the interesting things to be found in the church. This morning I want you to draw your attention to the brass memorial on the north wall of the chancel. You can’t see it from where you are sitting, but after the service come up and have a look. It has a long list of all the priests and ministers who led worship at St Fillan’s. This morning I want to tell you about the small red designs in the four corners.
One is a man with wings and a book, one with a lion and wings, one an ox with wings, and one an eagle with wings. These are symbols from the earliest of times.
The Man is there to remind us of Mathew how he portrayed Jesus like us, he was tested and tempted, tried and suffered.
The Lion is there to remind us how Mark painted his picture of Jesus – as a King coming to found his kingdom of love.
The Ox, which is a symbol of sacrifice, it reminds us of Luke who spent more than a third of his Gospel telling about Jesus death.
The Eagle stands for John, with the spirit soaring to the throne of grace.
There remind us not of Mathew’s Gospel, or Mark’s Gospel … but of the Gospel according to Mathew, the Gospel according to Mark…. There is just one Gospel told in four different ways – the Good News of God’s love for us.