Langholm Old Church Parish Magazine

N0. 1. AUGUST, 1960.

Minister: Revd. TOM CALVERT, The Old Manse, Langholm. Tel. 256.

Session Clerk: Mr. JOHN TYMAN, National Bank Buildings

Treasurer: Mr. R. A. BLACK, 35 Eskdaill Street.

Organist: Mr. A. C. MALLINSON, A.R.C.O., L.R.A.M., 72 Henry Street.

Motto for August: "What kind of Church would my Church be, if every member was just like me?"

LETTER FROM THE MINISTER

My dear Friends,

I wish to commence this my first Letter to the Monthly Parish Magazine, by saying how happy and proud my wife and family and I are to come and live among you in this lovely town and district of Langholm.

A few lines about the Induction and Welcome Social.

The Induction Service, conducted by the Moderator of Hawick Presbytery, the Revd. Stephen Goodbrand, M.A., was a lovely Service. The Address to Minister and Congregation given by the Revd. J. B. Primrose, M.A., was marked by wisely chosen words and kindly understanding. The happy meeting in the hall after the Service with refreshments provided by the ladies of the congregation gave a delightful human touch to the occasion. I was of course very touched by seeing so many members of the Mouswald Parish Church present, and for the Minister of Mouswald, Revd. J. Keillor, successor to my late brother, Revd. George Calvert, addressing us with words of warm greeting and good wishes. The Welcome Social had been carefully ar- ranged by our wise and hard-working Session Clerk, Mr. John Tyman, and was presided over in a most genial way by my colleague Revd. Dr. Cameron Dinwoodie. I would like to say a word of admiration of the kindly and dignified way Miss Jeannie Graham performed the Robing Ceremony and presentation of gifts, and here to express the best thanks of my wife and I for your generous gifts. The addresses were all marked with humour and sincere greetings. and I was glad to share with you in expressing appreciation to Mr. David Herd for his faithful services in Langholm during the vacancy. I was filled with emotion at seeing so many members of my previous congregation present from Blackburn. It was really a unique occasion to have two elderly good friends among the visitors who had both close connections with the district. Dr. T. C. Borthwick with Mrs. Borthwick had travelled all the way from Clitheroe. I-le was born and educated in Langholm, and in I9ll went out to China as a Medical Missionary. continuing to serve in the Far East until the close of the last war. Also Mrs. Gardiner, the widow of a previous Minister of the Canonbie United Free Church. Mrs. Gardiner is now a member of the Blackburn Presbyterian Church. I counted it a great honour to have the Revd. Tom Fraser. M.A.. the Assistant Chaplain-General at Scottish Command. to introduce me on my first Sunday with you. Mr. Fraser was my colleague in the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department in Aldershot. and later in the Middle East. One other reference I would like to make to my Induction to Langholm Old. and that is to say how pleased I am to be successor to your previous minister, the Revd. J. L. Cotter, B.D., whom I have known as a good friend for several years. Previous to the last war we were both members of the Pres- bytery of Ayr, and had many common interests.

Appreciation of the Old Manse

We are very full of admiration of the Manse, and I feel sure that there is no more delightfully situated Manse in the whole of the Church of Scotland. We are tremendously encouraged by the help given by Mr_J. Young, Mr. R. Johnstone and Mr. J. Maxwell in cutting down the overgrown bushes in the entrance drive of the grounds, and for all the work that the Session has seen fit to have done in the premises.

Church Services and Visitation

During August we are continuing United Services with Erskine Church as in previous years. On Sundays, 7th and 14th August the Services will be in Erskine Church at ll-45 a.m. and 6 p.m., and will be conducted by the Revd. Dr. Cameron Dinwoodie. On Sundays, 2lst and 28th August the Services will be in the Old Church at ll-45 a.m. and 6 p.m. and will be conducted by me. I am grateful to Dr. Dinwoodie for undertaking both the Services on the holiday Sunday, July 3lst, in the Old Church at ll-45 a.m. and Erskine Church at 6 p.m. On this Sunday I am returning to Blackburn to baptise the infant of a couple who were rather special friends.

When the Langholm holidays are over, I hope to commence visitation of members and adherents of the Old Church, accompanied by the Elders around their respective districts. Later I hope to undertake a door to door visitation of the Old Church Parish. In the meantime I will be pleased to have information of people in sickness, and also to learn of addresses of aged people.

Youth Fellowship

I will be glad to meet all the young people interested in the Youth Fellowship in the Church Hall on Tuesday, 16th August at 7-30 p.m. One suggestion I have to make is organising a Mystery Tour early in September, when any of our people would have an opportunity of attending, and visit- ing some place of special interest on an evening. Then we will discuss the form meetings may take when we begin the Winter session in October.

Sunday School

It is a great encouragement to find such a well organised Sunday School, and the arrangement for family worship. We were all greatly impressed with the Flower Service and the part the young people played in the conduct of the Service. The Sunday School will commence the new session on Sunday, 4th September, when we hope to sec a full attendance. At the Evening Service on Harvest Thanksgiving Sunday, October 2nd, we hope to have the Sunday School children enacting "How God gives us our daily bread", and singing some of the harvest hymns.

Langholm Boys’ Brigade Company

The Boys’ Brigade is going to Camp at Spittal from 30th July to 6th August, and we all wish the boys good weather and a very happy week. I intend to visit them on Wednesday, 3rd August. I hope we will have a report of the Camp in the next issue of the Parish Magazine.

Flowers for the Communion Table

The list of donors of flowers for the Communion Table is to be found in the Church vestibule, and I wish to express very warm thanks to all who bring and arrange the flowers from week to week. The flowers do much to the enrichment of the atmosphere of worship, and help us to remember the sick and aged every Sunday evening. We are always glad of new offers to donate flowers, as there are a few vacant Sundays on the list.

Competition for Church Photo

It is intended to issue the Parish Magazine monthly as a cover to Life and Work. We would like a block made to enable us to have a picture of our Church on the front page of the Magazine. In order to produce this block I am inviting any of our people who are interested in photography to take a photo of the Church from whatever angle may be considered best, and to submit photos to me. The one selected will be used as the picture of the Church to appear each month on the Magazine. I would like the photos as soon as possible, as it would be nice to have the block ready for the September issue.

Langholm Common Riding

I am writing this news-letter the week previous to the Common Riding, and I must say that my wife and I are looking forward very much to the occasion. We hope to be present at the Con- cert and Investiture of Cornet Morgan by Mrs. J. \V, Hyslop, and to witness the event of the Common Riding on Friday, 29th July. It is refreshing to Gnd so many young people taking a pride in good riding and horsemanship. and we are glad to have some of them occupying the Manse stables.

Sympathy with the bereaved.

Since my induction I have had the sad duty of officiating at three funeral services, and in the name of 0ur Church I express sincere sympathy with the relatives of Thomas Grieve, who passed away at the age of 66, James Ellis, who passed away at the age of 72, and Mrs. Mary Jardine Scott Cairns, who passed away at the age of 68. May those in bereavement find strength and hope in the blessed promise of our Lord Jesus, "Because I live, ye shall live also", and remember that our dear departed ones are not lost to us, and that we are not lost to them. With warm greetings to all the people of Langholm who have given me and my family such a warm and friendly welcome to the town and parish.

Yours sincerely,

TOM CALVERT,

Minister of the Old Parish Church.

Church Calendar for August and lst Sunday in September
Old Church and Erskine Church holding United Services for August.

7th—11-45 a.m. and 6 p.m. in Erskine Church. Revd. Dr. Cameron Dinwoodie,

l4th—11-45 am. and 6 p.m. Erskine Church. Revd. Dr. Cameron Dinwoodie.

2lst—11-45 a.m. and 6 p.m. Old Church. Revd. Tom Calvert. F1owers Mrs. T. Calvert.

28th—11-45 a.m. and 6 p.m. Old Church. Revd. Tom Calvert. Flowers Mrs. Calvert.

September

4th—11-45 a.m. and 6 p.m. Old Church. Sunday School meets with Morning Service. Revd. Tom Calvert. Flowers Mrs. Beverley.

Baptisms

June

l9th—Ross Elliot, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Elliot, 31 Charles Street.

July

3rd—Clifford John Liddell, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Liddell, Upper Caulfield.

l0th—Thomas Colthard Waldie, son of Mr. and Mrs. F, J. H. Waldie, 20 Charlotte Street.

10th—Hugh Penman Sadler, son of Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Sadler, ll Eskdaill Street.

Marriage

July lst—In Langholm Old Church. Peter Laidlaw, Eskbank Cottage, Canonbie to Mary Whitheld Armstrong, ll Maxwell Place.

In Memoriam

June

10th—Thomas Grieve, Scotsholm, Rosevale Street, aged 66 years. 2lst—James Ellis, 29 Eskdaill Street, aged 72 years.

July

7th—Mary Jardine Scott Cairns, 1 Bridge End, Elizabeth Street, aged 68 years.

Parish Magazine

All organisations connected with the Church are invited to send in news and reports for the September issue. These should be in the hands of the Minister by Friday, 19th August.

Visit of the Moderator of the General Assembly Eskdalemuir.

On Thursday, 14th July, the Right Revd. J. J H. S. Burleigh, D.D., B.Litt., Moderator of the General Assembly, visited Eskdalemuir, and con- ducted a dedication of Elders Chairs in the Parish Church. Thereafter the congregation walked to a field at Craighaugh to the grave of Andrew Hislop, the Martyr of Covenanting days. The Revd. Hugh Drummond, Minister of Eskdalemuir, told the story of the martyrdom of Andrew Hislop, and the Moderator addressed the congregation which stood around the grave. There was a representation from Langholm present in Dr. and Mrs. Dinwoodie, Revd. T. Calvert and Mr. J. Maxwell.