21. SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN WINDOW
The first window on the North Wall depicts Jesus with little children, and carries the text ‘Suffer the little children to come unto Me’ from Luke 18:16. The window is in memorium to Esther Crozier, for many years a faithful member of this church. Born Sept 4th 1849. Died July 13th 1923. INDEX
22. TABLETS
Next we come to two tablets erected by this congregation in loving memory of • Thomas Wilson Tassie, for many years an esteemed Elder of this Church and Preses [Chairman, Presiding Officer] of the Board of Management 1902–1908 Born 2nd June 1861 Died 14th July 1936. • George Davidson MA, DD, for thirty years the beloved Minister of Flinders Street Church. Born 7th January 1855. Died 15th July 1936.
23. LIGHT OF THE WORLD WINDOW
This is an adaptation of the famous painting ‘The Light of the World’ (1853–54) by William Holman Hunt representing the figure of Jesus preparing to knock on an overgrown and long-unopened door. It illustrates Revelation 3:20: ‘"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me’. The text at the bottom reads: ‘In memoriam Edward Henry Rennie MA DSc An Elder of this Church for 38 years. Born 19th August 1852. Died 8th January 1927.’
24. TWO MEMORIALS
Two more elaborate memorials ... . At left: ‘In affectionate remembrance of the Rev John Gardner who laid the foundation stone of this Church on September 3rd 1850. He was the first minister of the congregation, and occupied the position for eighteen years preaching the Gospel, and doing his duty faithfully. Born in Glasgow. April 17th 1808. Died at Toorak Victoria May 11th 1899. Also Catherine Forrest Gardner, wife of the above. Died at Malvern, Victoria March 28th 1832. At right: In loving memory of William Ferguson of Myrtle Bank, Glen Osmond, for 33 years an Elder of this Church. Born 1810. Died 1892. And of Rosina Forsyth, his wife, for 42 years a member of this Church Born 1812 Died 1893 ... They rest from their labours.
25. THE GOOD SHEPHERD WINDOW
The window depicts Jesus carrying a staff and a lamb. The panel below contains the letters ‘ihs’ – a Latinized form of the first three Greek letters of the name of Jesus. Below is the text: ‘I am the Good Shepherd’ from John 10:11. The window was given ‘In memory of William Ferguson of Myrtle Bank, Glen Osmond, a member of this Church for over 40 years, Nat 1810 Ob 1892’. This William Ferguson is also remembered in the plaque to the left of the window. Almost invisible along the bottom border are the words ‘Montgomery & Grimbley, Adelaide & Melbourne’, acknowledging the designers of the window.
26. TWO TABLETS
Continuing our walk along the North wall, we come to two more tables. The left one reads: ‘To the Glory of God and in memory of Ralph Drummond and his wife Elizabeth Murray, First Presbyterian minister in South Australia founded this congregation July 1839, continued as its Minister until November 1855. Born Stirling Scotland 4th June 1792, Died Adelaide South Australia 27th April 1872. Erected in Flinders Street Church by their grand and great grand children. ... ’ The tablet at right reads: ‘To the Glory of God. In memory of Julian Ralph Blanchard CBE, BA, DD A fine preacher and respected Minister of this congregation 1939 – 1958.
27. LO I AM WITH YOU ALWAY WINDOW
The next window shows the Risen Christ appearing to the disciples, with the underlying text ‘Lo I am with you alway’ from Matthew 28:20. In the panel below, the Elder Family Crest appears, with the motto ‘Virtute Duce (CF = Comite Fortuna)’ which translates to ‘Under the guidance of valour, accompanied by good fortune’. Sir Thomas Elder GCMG (5 August 1818 – 6 March 1897) was a Scottish-Australian pastoralist, highly successful businessman, philanthropist, politician, race-horse owner and breeder and public figure. Amongst many other things, he is notable for introducing camels to Australia.
28. TWO MEMORIALS
Two more memorials ... . At left: ’... Thomas Wilson Fleming by this congregation of which he was a member for almost fifty years and an Elder for forty-three years. Superintendent of the Sabbath School, and a Member of the Committee of Management. Also Law Agent of the Presbyterian Church in this State. ... Born in Glasgow Oct 26 1850, Died Nov 28 1919.’ At right: ‘ ... Mr David Murray by this congregation of which he was a member for fifty-three years, and who in discharging the many offices at various times held by him ... helped to build up the congregation (and) the Presbyterian Church in this State. ... Born 27th Decr 1829 Died 6th Jany 1907.
29. THE GOOD SAMARITAN WINDOW
The window on the North wall closest to the front illustrates the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25–37. Note the donkey in the top left corner. The text at the bottom reads: ‘To the memory of William Taylor. Died 2nd Sept 1913. Dedicated by his wife & family.’ Below this is some very small print ‘Thompson and Harvey’, acknowledging the designers of the window.
30. FRONT DESKS AND KNEELER
In the open space in front of the pews stands a kneeler with a desk on either side. The nearer desk is of particular interest, with a crown carved at the top, and a brass plaque: ‘ This desk commemorates the generous bequest by Mrs Queenie Joyner to this church in loving memory of her parents Amelia Hay and Matthew Kennedy, August 1994’. A place set aside for Royal representatives?
31. PULPIT
The pulpit was carved in 1912 from a piece of solid timber by John K Blogg of Melbourne. The motto around the Burning Bush – ‘Burning, yet not consumed’ represents the Presbyterian (and Uniting) belief that God’s ceaseless and indestructible love, as revealed through Jesus Christ, continues to be offered to people in every age and place. The pulpit fall at top is the work of a member of the Women’s Guild of Ecclesiastical Needlework of the Church of England in Sydney. It bears the design known as the Consecration Cross. The panels are formed by intersection of circles in an endless Celtic interfacing, symbolizing eternity. It was presented in 1940 by the Very Reverend J R and Mrs Blanchard.
32. SANCTUARY
From our present position we can now look closely at the items at the front of the church. Next to the pulpit at extreme left stands the white font. At right is a wooden lectern. At centre there is a communion table with chairs, and above, the cross as focus, with white organ pipes behind. The slender arch work with gold curtaining form a pleasing backdrop.
33. FONT
The white font was carved in Adelaide from Italian Carrera Marble. At top is a small plaque which reads: ‘To the glory of God In loving memory of Eliza Robina Gordon 1852 – 1939 Presented by her daughters Eliza Hughes Gordon & Jessie Taylor’. When the font is in use, it supports a silver bowl wrought of hallmarked silver (not shown). The rim of the bowl carries four panels, each with an engraved symbol. The first is an Iona Cross, symbolic of the Presbyterian Church’s origin in Scotland. Opposite is the Southern Cross to represent the Australian church. The third panel is a fish, the traditional symbol of early Christianity. The fourth is the badge of the World Council of Churches, symbolizing baptism into the universal church. Louis Somme was the craftsman.
34. COMMUNION TABLE
The massive oak communion table was dedicated in 1928 in memory of Professor E H Rennie, for his service as Session clerk for twenty years, and his devotion to the welfare of the church. Professor Rennie lived from 1852 to 1927. The table has the letters IHS embossed on the front face.
35. CROSS
The focus of worship in Scots Church is this Iona (Celtic) Cross. The Celtic cross combines a traditional Christian cross with a ring surrounding the intersection. It has often been claimed that the ring represents the sun. The thought then is that Saint Patrick combined the symbol of Christianity with the sun symbol – a combination of two life-giving symbols. But, who really knows?
36. CHAIR
The back of this chair on the front platform is carved with a miniature burning bush like the one on the pulpit. The plaque reads: ‘To the glory of God and in memory of Captain James Henry. Presented by Mrs J. Henry’.
37. LECTERN AND ORGAN PIPES
Turning now towards the South East corner of the church, we find the lectern with its carved message: ‘The Word of the Lord endureth for ever’. In the corner are two sets of small organ pipes, complementing those at the front of the church and the horizontal trumpet pipes in the back corner.
38. SOUTH WINDOW AND PLAQUE
Near the South East corner is set this attractive lattice work window of coloured glass. Nearby on the wall is a tablet ‘In memory of Norman Leslie Douglas Webster BA DD. An inspiring preacher & faithful pastor 1929 – 1939. The first minister of Scots Church which was formed from the Flinders Street & Chalmers congregations’.
39. ST ANDREW WINDOW
The windows on the South wall are interesting in that they were removed from the Flinders Street Church in 1957 and installed here. Unfortunately they are now ‘internal’ windows, and the uneven back lighting does not do them full justice. This first window depicts St Andrew. It was dedicated to the memory of Sir John James Duncan 1845 – 1913, by his wife and children. Duncan was a pastoralist and Member of Parliament who had been a devoted member of the Flinders Street Presbyterian Church.
40. ORGAN
This organ started life as the 1882 Fincham and Hobday organ installed in the Flinders Street Presbyterian Church. Following the sale of the Flinders Street Church, the organ was moved to Scots, rebuilt and installed in 1960 by J E Dodd at a cost of £3,700. In 1969 it was enlarged by J E Dodd & Sons Gunstar Organ Works. During 1989 – 1990, the organ underwent a major restoration and enlargement by Leith Jacob, organ builder of Adelaide. New pipework was added to the front and horizontal trumpets at the back of the church. A third keyboard was added to the console.