THE STORY OF ABBEY CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, NORTH BERWICK
A REVISED VERSION OF A BOOKLET PUBLISHED
BY
E.S.P. HEAVENOR, M.A., B.D., Ph.D.
First published in 1963 and revised and up-dated in 1993
Page Four
Four visitors then came forward with the generous proposition that they would pay two-thirds of the debt, if the congregation would raise the other third. On the crest of this wave of enthusiasm the congregation subscribed £400 in less than a fortnight. What an advance in the name of Christ! In fourteen years (1858-1872) the congregation had raised £8,300, an average of £600 a year. Fourteen years before Abbey Church property had been worth £800. Now it was worth more than £4,000. Of the £3,300 required to cover the cost of the Church and to wipe out a pressing debt of £200 on the Manse, £2,000 had been received from outsiders and £1,300 had been raised locally. One can almost hear the pride in Mr Calvert’s voice in his words: ‘I do not know any congregation of the same numbers and the same means that has done more than you in the fourteen years I have been among you.’ But even in the elation of the moment Mr Calvert did not forget there was a danger of wanting to squat down beside the milestone at the top of the steep hill. Therefore he threw down the warning: I think I hear some of you saying ‘We will surely get a breather now’.... The thought of resting is not to be entertained for a moment.... there are far greater things to do than those we have yet accomplished. Not find anything else for you to do? Do you see nothing else that you need to do? Not more in the cause of missions? Not more in every path of Christian activity and benevolence? Not more in bringing forth the fruit which is unto holiness.... While we are deeply grateful for the tokens of material prosperity bestowed upon us, let us prize the spiritual more.... and so to bear ourselves to our Father in Heaven, so to bear ourselves to one another and so to bear ourselves to the world, that our deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God.’ Mr Calvert’s memorial stands in our vestibule. It bears the fine words: Si monumentum quaeris circumspice. ‘If you seek his monument, look about you.’
The United Presbyterian Church as early as 1896 had declared its readiness to join with the Free Church and our Church was involved in the denominational union which followed in 1900. This strengthened the cordial relationship which the Church, now the Abbey United Free Church, had already enjoyed with the Free Church in North Berwick, which from 1900 was known as Blackadder Church. In 1929 there was a fourth denominational union in which Abbey has been involved - between the United Free and the Established Church to form the present Church of Scotland. From 1929 there were thus three parish churches in North Berwick: Abbey, Blackadder and St. Andrew’s.
Visitors often ask questions about the memorial windows in the Church. The Managers’ Minutes for 13th January 1868, supply the necessary details for the three windows behind the pulpit. The central window is in memory of Mr James Dall who was connected with the congregation for 60 years. The Preses, Mr John Fraser agreed to fill in one of the circular windows with stained glass and Mr John Whitecross to fill in the other, in memory of his father. The initials ‘I.F.’ refer to the Miss Fraser who was responsible for the building of the Fisherman’s Hall. Mr Small’s notable ministry was commemorated by the dedication of Memorial Windows, on 11th June 1954. The sermon on the words which appear on the windows. ‘A servant ... and an apostle of Jesus Christ.’ (Titus 1.1), was preached by Mr Small’s son, Rev. Dr. R Leonard Small. Dr Small referred helpfully to the beautiful symbolism of the windows; ‘we have the ears of wheat and the bunch of grapes ... What they stand for is in a deep sense central. Here is the greatest privilege of all the service a minister is called on the perform, to break for his people the bread of life, and pour for them the wine of Communion. Next we have the Ship of the Church set in an Anchor of Hope. Let that illustrate the minister’s task of bringing men and women and little children to true safety and security. How appropriate that in this seaside town ... we should have a ship and an anchor! Then there is the Lamb of God, holding the pennant, the symbol of victory. In the centre are set the Cross-and the Crown of the Covenant. The Cross is central, everything starts from it and comes back to it.’ The small window over the main door, with its symbol of the Burning Bush, was installed at the same time as the Memorial Windows to Rev. R Small. In 1973 the Memorial Window in the west wall of the Church to the Rev. Dr. John Robertson and his niece, Ada Jean Bremner Jackson, was installed. Dr Robertson was, of course, Minister in Abbey from 1886-1903.
In the early days praise, as was the custom of the time, was led by a Precentor. In 1889, an organ which was of American design and cost £81 was installed. However, it was agreed ‘not to begin the use of the organ in the services of the Church until a sufficient number of Ladies or Gentlemen is secured to play it continuously.’ The search for a team of players does not appear to have been successful because in March 1890 it was decided to appoint an organist and choirmaster. In 1912 a Scovell pipe organ was installed in accordance with a decision to secure an organ at a probably cost of £500. This necessitated considerable alterations including a new pulpit, wall panelling and a choir balustrade, the work being supervised by Dr James S Richardson. At this time the organ console was directly in front of the pulpit, approximately where the Communion Table now stands. It was at this organ that Miss Ella P Cowley played for more than 50 years. She is still remembered by some for her many eccentricities which included playing the’Dambusters’ March on the pipe organ on Battle of Britain Sunday and other appropriate occasions. The pipe organ served the Church well but inevitably it required to be replaced or rebuilt largely because wooden components were warping due to the improved heating standards required by congregations in modern times. After much discussion and some opposition, it was decided that the most economical course would be to install an electronic organ in place of the pipe organ. A Livingston electronic organ was installed on the east side of the Church on 27th February 1977 as a gift from Lt. Col. Aitchison, M.C., I.M.S., in memory of his father who had been an elder of the Church and of his mother. At this time the Communion Table which had been located at the pipe organ casing, was moved to the west side of the Church and, bearing as it does the names of those who died in the second world war, it is styled the Memorial Table. The present free standing Communion Table was acquired from Lothian Road Church in Edinburgh on its closure. In due time the Livingston organ needed to be replaced and this task was undertaken as part of the celebration to commemorate the one hundred and twenty fifth anniversary of the opening of the first Church building. The chosen instrument was an MDS 15 Allen Organ. The cost, approximately, £16,000 was met in equal share from reserves and from a Special Gift Day Appeal to the congregation.