THE EARLY YEARS OF THE REFORMED CHURCH IN MONTROSE
ALTHOUGH we are celebrating the bicentenary of the present church building in 1991, the church has a much longer history. The site has been used for Christian worship for over 800 years. The earliest surviving Kirk Session records for Montrose Old Church date from February 1633 but the church was already well established as a prominent centre of the reformed faith as early as 1559.
The medieval church in Scotland had declined both morally and spiritually to such an extent that concerned Churchmen made strenuous efforts in the 16th century to bring about a reformation within the existing framework, but the top-heaviness of the church's financial structure made it very difficult to restore the balance in favour of the parishes. Because of this, the poverty of the parish priest made it impossible to achieve the ideal of an educated priesthood who would minister to the local community. As the church proved unable to reform itself, support for Protestantism grew.
People in Montrose were among the first to give strong support to the Reformation. Erskine of Dun, a leading Protestant Reformer, had great influence in his home area and John Knox spent a month as his guest at Dun in 1555. Montrose merchants who had strong trading links with the Continent obtained and circulated copies of the Bible brought in from abroad. Three Protestant martyrs burned at the stake in the 16th century had strong Montrose connections - David Straton of Nether Woodstone, George Wishart a former teacher and preacher in Montrose who was executed in 1546, and the 82year-old Walter Mill, one time priest at Lunan, who died in 1558. Andrew Melville of Baldovie, who was educated at the Grammar School of Montrose, became one of the most influential ministers of the reformed church in the late sixteenth century.
The pre-reformation church dedicated to St Peter stood on the site of the present one and after 1560, when the reformed church received the recognition of Parliament, continued to be used as the parish church. One of the early ministers of the new church was John Durie, a former brother in Dunfermline
The medieval church in Scotland had declined both morally and spiritually to such an extent that concerned Churchmen made strenuous efforts in the 16th century to bring about a reformation within the existing framework, but the top-heaviness of the church's financial structure made it very difficult to restore the balance in favour of the parishes. Because of this, the poverty of the parish priest made it impossible to achieve the ideal of an educated priesthood who would minister to the local community. As the church proved unable to reform itself, support for Protestantism grew.
People in Montrose were among the first to give strong support to the Reformation. Erskine of Dun, a leading Protestant Reformer, had great influence in his home area and John Knox spent a month as his guest at Dun in 1555. Montrose merchants who had strong trading links with the Continent obtained and circulated copies of the Bible brought in from abroad. Three Protestant martyrs burned at the stake in the 16th century had strong Montrose connections - David Straton of Nether Woodstone, George Wishart a former teacher and preacher in Montrose who was executed in 1546, and the 82year-old Walter Mill, one time priest at Lunan, who died in 1558. Andrew Melville of Baldovie, who was educated at the Grammar School of Montrose, became one of the most influential ministers of the reformed church in the late sixteenth century.
The pre-reformation church dedicated to St Peter stood on the site of the present one and after 1560, when the reformed church received the recognition of Parliament, continued to be used as the parish church. One of the early ministers of the new church was John Durie, a former brother in Dunfermline
Abbey and a follower of John Knox. His enthusiastic preaching brought him into serious conflict with the king and the court whom he felt obliged to reprove from the pulpit for "corruption, vices and open sins". Not surprisingly, he was banished from Edinburgh for a period. The fact that he settled in Montrose until his death in 1600 suggests that his fiery oratory was popular in the town. The 124th Psalm, known as Durie's Psalm, became a traditional favourite in the church.
The General Assembly of the Kirk was held in Montrose in 1595 and again in 1600. The issue of bishops in the church was an ongoing concern in the 16th century. Andrew Melville's Presbyterian view with its concept of division of church and state clashed with that of King James VI who favoured royally appointed bishops. The king attended all sessions of the 1600 Assembly in Montrose and forbade the presence of Melville. However Melville settled in the town and greatly influenced debate. As a result the king's wishes were not fully met.
WISHART PREACHING IN MONTROSE 1543 "He returned to Scotland in July,1543 and immediately thereafter commenced to preach publicly 'in Montrois within a private house next unto the church except one'. "
Andrew Jervise, Memorials of Angus and the Mearns, Edinburgh, 1861, p53.
AN ESTABLISHED MINISTRY BY 1559 "Christ Jesus is preached even in Edinburgh and his blessed sacraments rightlie ministred in all congregations where the ministrie is established; and they be these:- Edinburgh, Sanct Andrewes, Dundie, Sanct Johnstoun, Brechin, Montrose, Stirline, Aire. "
Works of John Knox, vi,i,78.
JOHN DURIE'S PSALM
As he approached Edinburgh in 1582 after a period of banishment, he was met by an excited crowd.
The General Assembly of the Kirk was held in Montrose in 1595 and again in 1600. The issue of bishops in the church was an ongoing concern in the 16th century. Andrew Melville's Presbyterian view with its concept of division of church and state clashed with that of King James VI who favoured royally appointed bishops. The king attended all sessions of the 1600 Assembly in Montrose and forbade the presence of Melville. However Melville settled in the town and greatly influenced debate. As a result the king's wishes were not fully met.
WISHART PREACHING IN MONTROSE 1543 "He returned to Scotland in July,1543 and immediately thereafter commenced to preach publicly 'in Montrois within a private house next unto the church except one'. "
Andrew Jervise, Memorials of Angus and the Mearns, Edinburgh, 1861, p53.
AN ESTABLISHED MINISTRY BY 1559 "Christ Jesus is preached even in Edinburgh and his blessed sacraments rightlie ministred in all congregations where the ministrie is established; and they be these:- Edinburgh, Sanct Andrewes, Dundie, Sanct Johnstoun, Brechin, Montrose, Stirline, Aire. "
Works of John Knox, vi,i,78.
JOHN DURIE'S PSALM
As he approached Edinburgh in 1582 after a period of banishment, he was met by an excited crowd.