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The
death of the Rev John Bonar in 1747, was not only a great loss to the
Parish but was the beginning of a great number of problems which lasted
almost 4 years. Mr Bonar’s death brought about what was to be known
as The Torphichen Case.
In its early legislation, the English
dominated Union Parliament, restored the ‘Ancient Patronages’,
whereby a particular landlord in each parish had the right to present a
minister for induction in the event of a parish vacancy. At the General Assembly there was a
great deal of opposition to the return of this Act, but Parliament chose to
ignore the views of the Kirk and the seeds of dissention were sown. This engendered strife that lasted
the next hundred years, and resulted in the Disruption in 1843. The Parish of Torphichen, then in
the Presbytery of Linlithgow, having become vacant, the Patron, Lord
Torphichen, named a leet of five and asked the parishioners to choose one
of them. Some of the
parishioners, however, had their attention drawn favourably towards Mr.
James Turnbull, a probationer, and they petitioned the Presbytery to add
his name to the patron’s leet.
The Presbytery, however, by a majority, declined to do this. When the call was
‘moderated’, twenty-four heritors, (heritors were local land
and property owners), voted for Mr James Watson, one of the gentlemen named
on the leet; two of the heritors voted for Mr Gilmour, another of those
named. The remainder of the
heritors did not vote at all, and very few of the other members were in
favour of any of those named on the leet. The Presbytery was staggered at what
had happened and how few communicants had signed Mr Watson’s call and
referred the case to Synod. The
Synod, on finding that there was no positive opposition, and that the more
‘intelligent’ portion of the Parish had called Mr Watson, (and
probably also having become aware that the silence of the remainder arose from
Mr Turbull’s name not being placed on the leet), ordered the
Presbytery to proceed with the trials.
An appeal was taken to the General Assembly, which sustained the
findings of Synod. Mr Watson was accordingly taken on trial. Thus began a very long conflict.
Space will not permit the whole picture of the
following events but it is sufficient to note that the Parish objected
strongly to having Mr Watson imposed on them. In their petition they stated that
"He could not be heard in the Church, and that they could never submit
to his Ministry”; he had accepted of a presentation without the
consent and concurrence of almost the whole Parish. It should be remembered that, at
that time, the Kirk was still the old Preceptory nave and the pulpit would
then be sited at the north wall. The former nave was very much longer than
the present Kirk and it would have been more difficult for a voice to carry
from the pulpit. The case
continued through the courts of Presbytery, Synod and the General Assembly
for a further three years. When
Presbytery sent one of its number to Conduct Public Worship and read the
edict for Mr Watson’s induction, no more than five or six members
were present to worship with him.
At the 1751 Assembly, it was proposed that the
Linlithgow Presbytery be rebuked at the bar and they should be enjoined to
proceed with the settlement of Mr Watson, along with a committee of the
Assembly, who would be empowered to act by themselves in case Presbytery did
not appear. When the proposal
for censure had been made and seconded, the Minister for Athelstaneford, East Lothian rose, (he was John Hume,
who is well known as the author of the tragedy, "Douglas"), he
pointed out that censure was not enough. He moved suspension of Presbytery.
Hume was seconded by his friend William Robertson, minister of Gladmuir, East Lothian, who was also a writer, later
Moderator of the General Assembly, founder of the Royal Society of
Edinburgh and Principal of Edinburgh University, amongst many other things.
The motion was lost but Home and Robertson, together with a Hugh Blair,
formed the "Riding Committees" which were employed to finalise
the settlement. It is
interesting to note that this was the last of the "Riding Committees."
On 30th May (1751?), the Committee met in Torphichen Kirk with
the purpose of ordaining and inducting Mr James Watson as minister of the
Parish. Presbytery was not
present, neither was the Kirk Session nor the congregation.
Mr. Watson was received in Presbytery with
great reluctance. Thus ended an unfortunate chapter in the history of
Torphichen Kirk. In the autumn of 1759, Lord Torphichen offered Watson a
charge at Mid Calder, to which he translated.
The Rebuilding of the Kirk
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