dropping down to 50 again.

Early in 1924 the boiler in the Church which had been installed in 1899

needed replacing. The total cost was £42.12.6 and the church asked for six

months credit to pay the bill. They had great difficulty in raising the money.

Members of the congregation were asked to contribute as much as possible

and they were told ‘to ask any kind friends who may be willing to assist’.

The Ladies were also asked to have another sale of work. In 1925 the Deacons

Court officials wished to sell the manse but the congregation refused to give

their approval.

In 1926 Mr. Whyte the first minister of the joint charge of Strathkinness

and Ceres left to go to Falkirk and the Rev. Ian Simpson who came in his

place, spoke to the congregation ‘about the very serious situation in the

Church’, and he asked ‘for the names of any people who might have Free

Church sympathies’ to see if they could give any help.

In 1929 the Quinquennial (five year) Visitation of the Presbytery to

Strathkinness had observed ‘there were difficulties in ministering two congre-

gations five miles distant’. That same year when the majority of the United

Free Churches were uniting with the Established Church the Ceres United

Free Church decided to join with the Established Church in Ceres.

The United Free Church in Strathkinness elected not to unite with the

Established Church in Strathkinness, although they were warned of ‘the dire

consequences of remaining a non-concurring church’. When a committee of

the Presbytery visited Strathkinness and asked how many of the congregation

were prepared to unite with the other congregation in Strathkinness ‘a show

of hands being taken it was found that the meeting was almost unanimously

against the proposal’. When the proposal, ‘Subject with (sic) the approval of

the Presbytery, That the Congregation be regarded as a preaching station

under the jurisdiction of the St. Andrews Presbytery on the definite under-

standing that whenever a vacancy occurs in the other Church at Strathkinness

the two Congregations should unite and proceed jointly to call a Minister’

was put, it was accepted unanimously by the congregation. The last com-

munion service of the United Free Church in Strathkinness was held on 18

May 1930. when 21 members communicated.

The reasons for Strathkinness United Free Church not uniting with the

Established Church in 1929, when other churches throughout the country were

uniting, were probably more personal than doctrinal as they were willing to

join when a new minister came. Mr. Alex Russell had left the Free Church in

1891 and joined the Established Church in Strathkinness where he became an

Elder. After he had had a disagreement with the Rev. Walter McLeod in 1901

35