CHURCHES – Presbyterian Church of England – Redcar

Accreditation The Redcar and Saltburn-by-the-Sea Gazette 21/12/1877

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ENGLAND – REDCAR

            A meeting of members of this congregation was held in the Church on Monday evening last (17/12), for the purpose of electing a minister as successor to the Rev. John Clark, cool was translated to Kirkaldy a few months ago. The Rev. Hugh Rose, M.A.(of Stockton), preached and presided. At the outset, Mr. Rose, after explaining the object of the meeting, impressed upon the members present the absolute necessity of harmony and unanimity. No man, he said – certainly no man of ability and spirit – would undertake the charge of, or accept a call from a divided congregation. On the other hand, if the congregation, small though it might be in number, was hearty and unanimous in the choice of a pastor, the likelihood would be the acceptance of the call by the party chosen. A resolution was therefore passed that, in the event of there being a diversity of opinion as to the minister to be elected, the minority should at once give in and accept the choice of the majority. Whatever may have been the individual options or preferences of a selection of the congregation for one candidate over another – if such existed – the result was a hearty and unanimous call to the Rev. Alex. S. MacPhee, M.A., B.D.(Gold Medallist and Fellow of Glasgow University), to become their pastor, and the Chairman declared him duly elected. The most perfect harmony and good feeling existed throughout at the entire proceedings and the call was signed by upwards of seventy members and adherents before they left the Church stop Mr. MacPhee, who is a very distinguished scholar as well as an able preacher, is at present assistant in one of the largest and most influential Churches in the City of Aberdeen, and if few weeks will be yet elapsed before he can be settled in Redcar, in the event of his accepting the call, of which the members entertain very little doubt.