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 8th October 1967, here he is talking about another name on the brass memorial – this is the man no one wanted – John Liston 1723.
Actually only one person wanted him – Robert the seventh Earl of Morton who live din the castle. He had the power of appointing the minister. The people of Aberdour wanted someone else, but the Earl appointed John Liston.
He lived in the manse which was on Murrel Terrace opposite the paper shop. He was a decent man but no one wanted him. On Sunday when he was crossing the road to go to church he would see most of the people of Aberdour making their way to church in Burntisland or Inverkeithing.
Also one day one of his sons was playing in the ruins of the castle when some stones fell on him and he was killed. You would have thought he would have packed up and moved somewhere else. But no, he stayed for his whole life, his son came and helped him and eventually succeeded him.
He didn’t give in, he wasn’t daunted or discouraged, he stayed on, in the villagers accepted his son as their minister and later the window was dedicated to them. He also had his Patron, the Earl of Morton, when times got difficult, he would say to him, don’t give up, I put you there. There are times in our life then we feel like packing in, especially when people don’t seem kind. Keep at it, remember someone put you there.