Reflections from the Pew 119

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. He has finished his series on names on the brass memorial – but there are a few others of note.

William Bryce (1770 – 1841) minister from 1796-1836. He wrote a letter to Lord Elgin stating
“The manse which is situated ‘in the heart of a dirty village’ is damp ‘especially during winter’ and is therefore unsuitable to accommodate anyone…”. A new manse was built in 1803 in Manse Street.

He was also on of His Majesties Chaplains. His eldest son Alexander Bryce (1828?-1884) was a Civil Engineer and died in Queensland. His second son Lt. William Bryce (1830-1852) was in the 1st Madras Fusiliers and was buried in the Scottish cemetery, Calcutta. One of his daughters married Rev. William Ross minister of the Free Church, Aberdour and author of ‘Aberdour and Inchcolm’.

Rev. Hugh Ralph minister 1842-1844. He cared for and wrote a report about the poor of the parish. “The paupers living in cellars in Liverpool had better means of subsistence than the paupers living in Aberdour…”

Rev. George Roddick minister 1857-95. On his induction he was presented with a table and chair by the congregation – the table is still in use today at the back of the church. Later he was involved at the court of Session in the case of Heritors of Aberdour v. Roddick. They argued that he should not have let out the manse during the summer months to Edinburgh residents. The court found that as long as he perfumed his ecclesiastical duties and kept the manse in repair the Heritor’s had no right to interfere – the case was rejected. He is commemorated in a plaque as you enter the church

These are just snapshots of these three ministers, I’m sure there is much more to them. If someone, or even God, were to look into your life what would they find?

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