Glenbuchat Heritage

36 Free Church Annals

Free Church Ministers
John Rainnie M.A. born Belhelvie 1841. Ed. Abdn Univ. & Abdn F.C.C.
Ordained Alford, 1867. To Strathdon 1871; to Knox's Church, Perth
1876. Married 1878 Isabella F. Edie.

Alexander Cook Fullarton. Born Brodick, Arran, 1820. Glasgow Univ.
& F.C.C. Ordained Strathdon 1866; to Grantown 1870; to Buchanan
Memorial, Glasgow, 1875. Married 1871, Anna Douglas; and
married 1898 Catherine McKay.

J H Allan 1876-1881;

James Smith 1882-85;

Wm. Profeit 1885 –

The original site was secured at Belnacraig in 1861 but a church was not
erected until 1890.

The openings of the Free Churches at Strathdon and Glenbuchat were grand affairs and reported in the Aberdeen Press and Journal:


Aberdeen Press and Journal - Wednesday 12 July 1865

Opening of the Glenbucket Free Church—Strathdon and Glenbucket.

Meetings for special religious services, in connection with the opening of the new Free Church in Glenbucket for public worship, were held here Sabbath and Monday, the 2d and current. The interesting event made quite a stir, not only in the district, but all around, and many from a distance attended the meeting

Among those present, observed the Right Hon. the Earl of Kintore ; Mr Stewart, Factor for the Earl of Fife • Major Ross of Tillycorthy; Colonel Ramsay of Banchory Lodge; Captain Davidson, Windermere; Rev. H. M. Williamson, Huntly; Rev. H. Nicoll, Auchindoir; Rev. A. C. Fullarton, Strathdon ; Dr Robb and Dr Frofeit, Towie ; Dr Watson, late of the Confederate States ; James j Douglass, Esq., Culsh ; Mr Grant, Drumdelgie; Mr K. M. Stuart, Edinburgh. &c. the opening services on Sabbath forenoon the church was densely crowded, lobbies, passages, and the adjoining school-room quite filled, and many had to remain outside.

The services were conducted by the Rev. A. C. Fullarton, and were throughout very able and appropriate. He preached a sermon of great power and excellence from John xvi., 7, 8, to which the large congregation listened with earnest attention.

In the afternoon, a meeting for evangelistic services was held in the Free; Church, Strathdon, which was crowded every part, and many remained outside the doors and windows, unable to find admission. The Earl of Kintore presided in a very able and happy manner. In the opening devotional services, his Lordship made very kind and feeling reference to the chief proprietor of the district, Sir Charles Forbes, Bart, of Newe. He delivered a very earnest and impressive address, high in spiritual tone, and rich in evangelical truth, from Numbers xxi., 7, 9. Addresses, very earnest, instructive, and faithful, were delivered by Major Boss, Colonel Ramsay, and Captain Davidson, after which Mr Nicoll closed the meeting with prayer. Many continuing to linger near the church, as if unwilling to depart, interesting outside meeting, conducted by Colonel Ramsay and Captain Davidson, was held with them for religious conference and prayer.

On Monday evening, a similar meeting was held in the New Church at Glenbucket, which was again filled with an earnest and attentive audience. The Earl of Kintore again presided, and took a leading part in the services. In some introductory remarks, his Lordship referred in terms of high commendation to the Kind and liberal manner in which a site here had been granted by the Earl of Fife, and requested Mr Stuart, in name of the congregation, to convey their cordial thanks to his Lordship for the favour thus conferred. Mr Stuart expressed the great pleasure he would have in fulfilling this request. In course of the evening, Rev. H. M. Williamson, Rev. H. Nicoll. Rev. A. C. Fullarton, Major Ross. Colonel Ramsay, Captain Davidson, Mr Anderson, &c., took part in the services, and various addresses, full of unction, truth, and power, were delivered.

The whole services were earnest, faithful, impressive. All present seemed deeply interested, and many, we trust, were greatly profited, and felt that it was indeed good for them to be there.

The church is a very elegant and substantial building, in the modern Gothic style. The walls outside are of dressed granite, and there is a handsome belfry, with a fine-toned bell, the Church and School are built uniform, under one roof, but separated a moveable wooden partition within, so that the whole area can easily be thrown open for public worship when necessary. All the parts are finely proportioned, and the whole is finished in the best style- A very commodious and handsome Teacher’s House has been built beside the Church- The buildings are quite an ornament to the district, and reflect high credit the architect- -Mr Henderson, of Aberdeen—and all the workmen employed. We are happy to add that, through the liberality of the people, and of many generous friends at a distance, and the indefatigable exertions of Mr Fullarton, the whole buildings have been completed free from the incumbrance of any debt.



Meetings at the Free Church are recorded in the Newspapers:
GLENBUCKET MEETINGS.
On the Wednesday evening, evangelistic meetings were held in Glenbucket similar to those held in Strathdon Free Church on the previous evening. In Glen bucket evidently thaw ' Free Kirk lath' have attained to more external comfort than their brethren at Strathdon. They have raised a very beautiful church and school and teacher's house at a cost of between seven and eight hundred pounds, entirely free of debt, and forming at once the most prominent and the most beautiful object in all the lower Glen. They have completely surrounded the site with a stone and lime wall, except in front of the buildings, where they have fenced it with a beautiful iron railing painted green. Altogether these buildings here greatly added to the beauty of the Glen.

The day was exceedingly uncomfortable, with wind and sleet, and there being no moonlight, the night was very dark. But these people arc so full of religious energy and enthusiasm that out they came through wind and sleet, and completely crammed the commodious school-house adjoining the church. The Rev. A. C. Fullarton presided. After singing four verses of a psalm, Mr Fullarton called on three of the converts to engage in prayer in succession. and they did so with such propriety of thought and language, and such devout simple earnestness, that some among us could not but marvel to hear such appropriate prayers from the lips of unlearned men, who but a short while ago could not pray either in public or private. Evidently a happy change has passed over many of the people in the preaching of the Free Church minister in this district. After these prayers, the Rev. Mr Bain addressed the meeting on the privileges of adoption, being made the sons of God, and led by the Spirit of God. He was followed by the Rev. J. Collie, from Aberdeen, who addressed the meeting, constraining the Lord Jesus Christ to tarry with us, founding his remarks on the Lord's being constrained by the two disciples at Emmaus.

Then followed a most stirring address from Mr Anderson, missionary, Aberdeen, who gave an account of God's work of revival at present in progress in Aberdeen. Then followed an address from Mr Donald Ross, superintendent of the North East Coast Missions, on the necessity of real conversion. Next followed the Rev. Mr Cobban of Braemar in an address on the three classes of Saint Paul's hearers at Athens. These addresses were interspersed with prayers and psalms between one another, and at the close they were followed by a psalm and three prayers in succession—one led by the Rev. Donald Stewart, Cromer. another by Rev. Mr Bain, and the last by the Rev Mr Cobban. In these prayers, as soon as one minister ended, another began. without any movement between. At the close of the last prayer the benediction was pronounced, and the meeting separated. These meetings, front first to last, were exceedingly interesting and impressive, and we have no doubt that many will remember them all their lives perhaps throughout eternity.

Huntly Express - Saturday 03 November 1866