Reflections from the Pew 44

This is the forth of a series on the St Fillan’s stained glass windows, this week is the Liston Window. More information is available here.

Stained Glass Window 7
This has always been one of my favourite windows, it is unique to Aberdour as it shows the view from the church towards Inchcolm with Arthur’s Seat and Salisbury Crags in the background.

In the bottom corner there is an inscription, it reads, To the Glory of God and in loving memory of the Rev. John & Robert Liston ministers of this parish from 1723 to 1796 and their descendants the Rev. William Liston minister of Cardonald Parish and Thomas Liston, merchant, London.

Rev John Liston was born in 1687, in Kirkliston, was minister at Aberdour from 1723-64 and died in Aberdour in 1764. His brother Rev Patrick Liston was a minister in Ayr. John’s son, Robert Liston, was born in 1730 at the Aberdour manse, was minister at Aberdour 1764-96, was Moderator of the Church of Scotland 1787/8 and died in 1796. Robert’s son, William Liston (1781-1864), was also a minister and he turned down the offer to succeed his father as minister at Aberdour. Roberts son in law, Hugh Meikeljohn also became a Moderator of the Church of Scotland. Williams son, William Alexander Liston (1840-1915) was the minister of Cardonald. It was probably his son Thomas Liston, Merchant, London who erected the window.

It is interesting to note that a minister from Aberdour became the Moderator of the Church of Scotland.
You can see the importance of the family, and how the Christian faith was passed down for five generations.

As was common at the time, the Liston’s were appointed to St Fillan’s by the Earl of Morton rather than by the congregation. Maybe this is why they agreed to move to what is now the church hall – or maybe it was seen as a move from an old building to a modern one.