1. A.IC.H,Boyds ”®he Hew MtWgics- of the Scottish Kirk”
in St. Andrews and Bleewhere« p.218*
liturgist and eoelesloXogist, with his friend
George W« Bprott^ was a founder-member of the Scottish Church Society, to which he devoted much time and
interest.
Leishman deplored net only the evil effects of
secession on the Church life of Scotland, hut also the
growth of a materialistic attitude to life which had led many to doubt the validity of the Christian faith*
over Christendom*’* he declared, "there we great and increasing numbers who believed that science had made it impossible to believe in a living Ood, in moral responsibility> in right and wrong, la prayer and in
Providence and in a life to come">^ As Bprott remarked at Leishman* s funeral service in Xiinton ChurchI "Suring his ministry he hod seen a great wave of unbelief
sweep ewer the land* rising higher and higher till well** known minietex'S began to explain away the cardinal
doctriaxec of the faith, such as the supernatural birth and bodily resurrection of Our herd, doctrines to which
the Church has ever owed all its vitality, power, and
progress in this world. Br. Irishman* s attitude to those questions was.that of one who held fast to the
p ancient creeds of the universal Church".*
1. d.f.Beishmans op.cit., $»!??*
2. G<W«Bprott: Whe Character and Work of the late Very
Sev* .Whomas,..Irishman, BJ><* p«lM#
151-
Bence to heiohman and Sprott the contemporary situation in the. Church ms sees to resolve itself into a need for instruction of both laity and clergy
in sound- doctrine * ia the fundamental beliefs of
ehriotianity and the With of the
Bely
Catholic Church*If was thia conviction that prompted them to form the Scottish Church Society in 1892*
Ifeny of I?eishmanes publications were written in support of this Society’s eim@t notably his various papers contributed at its Conferences* In Story1©
fhe....Qhtwch of .Scotland..,Past..and Present». Volume 5. the
chapter entitled •!’®ho Ritual of the Church of Scotland”
is the woi’k
of Dx-«
Iiciahmon.•n
paring the sessions • 1895*9? he we P&etoral Giheology lecturer at.the four Scottish universities*
At first leiahman was reluctant to associate him
self with the older Church Service Society, believing
that the Church1 s primary duty was the formulation of
a proper doctrinal basis before the ritual aspect of
the services could be improved* nIn Xeiehman1 a eyes all through life the Catholic faith was the principal thing, while ritual 9 however useful as a handmaid was, unless allied with sound doctrine, a comparatively
1
end platter”» H© did not, therefore, feel obliged
•bo give fall support bo Dr. Robert Lee of Greyfrisrs in his struggle for reform, for he considered ’’Lee’s ritual conceptions rested map© on an aesthetic rathex1 than a ere&al basis*’.fc I» Lelshman’e mind the
litur
gical revival was secondary always to the doctrinal. He was, later persuaded, however, to give the Church
Service Society his influential aesnbfi&ship.
(Co Leishmen the Society gave the task of inter-
px*etiug In a Catholic sense the Scetmi&stoff, Mrefctofry *
while to Swott fell the duty of editing John.Knox is, •X‘
hit» Bxis work appear ed in 1068 as fhe ;Book. ,of
ffomoxv OnAer gM ..West.minster ..Sirectony,,a Joint? ..Oowhb
}*m
tratfaa -ngfo»a by Georae W. .Sttpfttt 4SUB.«...had ...ghomas
MfteoE Mf&aa*
In Linton Church (where, os his retiral hie son, James flaming Iteistean became his colleague and
stwss03?)t heiehman* s services were of the simplest a
"He used, to warn younger raoxx not to be x»a$h or hasty in making changes in ritual”© His son confesses that his father M&i& not perhaps excel in the pulpitt being, to
X* Jwlhheishiaani op^cit*, p*l>5* 2© <©>#l#eishinani op»eitM p*13§« 5© J«f ©Beiohmans op*eifM p#l??«
quote one of Sprott’s bon meta ’fax’ too rational
a
X man ever to become a popular preacher*1*/
Thomas ieiahman1 a Churchmanship was moulded by
the eontemporary situation in which he lived, and. made
Mm construct for himself a doctrinal and liturgical answer to the problems which faced the Church - schism followed by unbelief and heresy♦ His early training
ih
<ovaa Maase-'set his sails in the direct ion in whichhe was ever afterwards to move* IFrora his father he
-.. - >
derived, a noble ideal of the ministerial office and
of the history, work» and Divine nature of the Church* JProm his mother*, who had been x’eared as an Anglican, may have- sprung bin Interest in ‘liturgical matters*
her prayer-book the child probably imbibed some of Ms earliest religious impressions and that love of
Xitm?gical study which never forsook him**/’'" Shua was his- maturity shaped by Ms beginning•
heistean was a fine type of Scottish Churchman
** he was fond of describing himself as a ’Reformed
Catholic?1 - whose friend gprott could rightly claim for
him that ^though he had spent most of his life in a
secluded parish, he was highly esteemed throughout the
length and breadth of the land, and the influence of his
1. J*l\lieishaian8 op.oit*, p«I77* 2* S<W*Sprotts op*cit.s p*6.
of the clex’gy of owe? Church?1 •' Xn a tribute
Professor Jarno® 'Cooper recalled **hia soundness in the faith, his rare pastoral fidelity, Ms exquisite
" ** 2
courtesy and, above all, his holy and humble life •
John fciacleod (100-1898).
“John Mauleod*', said Di1. Andrew Wallace Williamson,
a life-long friend and disciple, ^inherited the trad.it**
ion. of a great xiame© Me grew up in an element of
strong and simple piety, and in the scenery of mountain
and sea which enswathed Ms home at Mortem there,
were
subtle and ineffable influences on which a nature ouch
as bis would unconsciously food",/
a© had a long anoostry fx'om ministers of the Church
of Scotland« "S'ifty years ago", wrote Wotharspoon in 1920, "the church of Scotland was rich in families
whose sons had been from, generation to generation
in her
service ... of one of these families John Mteeleod came. Mis father and. grandfather, cadets of the ancient
Soman-Gelt 1c line of Kaeleods of Beraera, had in 1.
2.
5.
S »W»8prottt op.cit,, p .3.
S.G.Ei; Annual Kenogt, 1897-98 A«W.ffilliaasom1 "John Mahleod
p
»s •
, P* 15 *
succession held for over a century the incumbency of Morvern* Mis father, hr* John, Moderator in 1051, was from his gigantic stature and for other reasons known se the *High Rriest of Morvern* * $he family type is strong, physically and intellectually* It
is perhaps a Morse rather than a Celtic type* John ■ laoleod himself might have stood to any artist as the
V
ideal of a Viking chiefs hut in the fibre of his mind he was essentially a highlander, with all the mysticism, gravity9 spiritual sexvtomness, poetry, dignity, and love of sport which characterise at their best that very noble race**.
At the age of 1>
John
Made cd 'matriculated atGlasgow University, **a lighthaired and lighthearted
student1** G* W* Sprott speaks of his fix*st acquaintance with him there* ’*He entered Glasgow College a little before X left it, and I remember looking with interest and with historic eyes upon the boy from kpihary* kor natural gifts and charm of disposition he had few equals* In his generation he was one of God1 a beat and greatest gifts to the Church of Scotland’*/*