ON Sunday, May 16, local Presbyterians celebrated their annual Thanksgiving Sunday with a special celebration of the Scottish heritage of the district.
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The service in St Andrew's Church, Bombala, was led by the Moderator, the Revd. Arnold Bartholomew, and the address was given by the Revd. Robert Willson from Canberra.
The Session Clerk, Mr Keith Rumph, welcomed visitors for the occasion.
Luncheon in the Parish Hall followed the service.
For his address Robert Willson took as his text the words from Isaiah, Chapter 51, "Look to the rock from which you were hewn." He quoted the old adage that the past should be a springboard, not a sofa. Our heritage can be a source of inspiration for the years ahead.
Mr Willson gave a profile of three Scot's who have a place in the history of Australia and of the Monaro.
The first was a Presbyterian Elder named Thomas Muir. Muir was born near Glasgow in 1765 and had planned to study for the Ordained Ministry, but eventually became a lawyer.
From an early age he identified with the cause of parliamentary and constitutional reform and democratic ideals in Britain.
The French Revolution caused the government of William Pitt to fear such reformers and Muir and four others, known as the "Scottish Martyrs" were transported to NSW in 1795.
Muir remained a deeply devout Presbyterian and ministered to his fellow convicts on the ship to Australia and in 18th century Sydney.
It is said that he led the first Presbyterian services of worship in the Colony.
In 1796 he managed to escape on an American ship and after many adventures he died in Paris in 1799.
Today the democratic ideals of this Scottish Presbyterian lawyer are taken for granted. Presbyterians honour him for being the first to hold regular Presbyterian worship in Australia. It was said that even Governor John Hunter (a fellow Scot) attended his services in Sydney.
Mr Willson then went on to speak of the famous Revd. Dr. JD Lang, who was the first ordained Presbyterian Minister in NSW and also a pioneer of parliamentary democracy in Australia.
Lang arrived in the Colony in 1823 and founded the Scots Church in Sydney as well as being in Parliament for many years.
As well as his work for the Gospel Lang was deeply involved in such issues as self-government for the Colony, education, anthropology, and a better deal for oppressed minority groups such as aboriginal and Chinese. At various times he founded four newspapers.
His most lasting contribution to Australia was his support for immigration and many Scottish families came here because of Lang's efforts.
He travelled to every part of Australia and encouraged democratic ideals. He pushed for an Australian Republic.
Finally, Mr Willson described the adventures of Jackson Clarke. Mr Clarke was a member of the Scottish Episcopal Church. As a young man he went to America about 1860, and was caught up in the Civil War.
In close combat he had two fingers of one hand shot off. After the war he met and recognised the man who had fired at him. Jackson Clarke returned to Scotland and eventually came to the Monaro where he settled on a property near Berridale and lived to be almost 100.
Old timers could remember that, as an old soldier, Mr Clarke followed the battles of World War 1 with great interest and used to ride into Berridale every day to get the papers and keep up with the news.
Mr Clarke was a devout Christian and worshipped regularly in St Mary the Virgin Church in Gegedzerick.
He carefully carried with him a letter of reference from his minister in Scotland.
He is buried in Gegedzerick Church yard, one of a number of American Civil War soldiers buried in Australia.
Mr Willson concluded his address by referring to his own Gaelic-speaking Highlander ancestors who came to Australia under the influence of Dr Lang.
Over lunch some records of the early Presbyterian pioneers of the Delegate and Bombala district were circulated and Mr Willson was delighted to discover that Donald Campbell, often called the Grand Old Man of the Presbyterian Church in the district, came from Inverness and travelled on the same ship, the Boyne, as Mr Willson's ancestors.
Mr Willson brought from his personal library a number of books about Scottish history and family research and these were examined and discussed over lunch.