Old Gallows Road near Southton. Spring lambs.

Short Video near Old Gallows Road  Perth.

What is the connection with Oswald Chambers and Perth Baptist Church?

"My utmost to his highest" is the phrase most quoted from Oswald Chambers  or his linked information on his writing, who died, in 1917 in Cairo. (15 November 1917.)

He had been ministering to soldiers during the War and took appendicitis. Not wanting to take up a bed he delayed treatment but then was forced to have surgery and died within weeks. Having spent several years in America he had previously been a student of Royal Academy of Art and Dunoon Theological College. Prior to this he had studied at The university of Edinburgh. it was at that point he had his second spiritual challenge between a vocation in Art and training for ministry.

In his post studies life he promoted Holiness and the League of Prayer and while he never specifically published he had several writings with some taken in shorthand by his wife "Biddy". She Gertrude Hobbs, shortened to Biddy, would later have these writings published.

It was as a teenager in London that he was awakened in his spiritual life after hearing a famous preacher. His father praying with him on the road home from a preaching time. He was at Ryeland Baptist Church London. Oswald was a man who promoted the life of holiness.

Oswald's mother was Hannah, and his father Clarence Chambers a "stern" Baptist minister.
Oswald was born in Aberdeen in 1874 and spent some of his youth in Perth as his father was the Baptist minister in Perth from 1881 to 1888.

Perth Baptist Church took over the Opera house in 1891 so by that time the Chambers were in London so did not spent time in this Scots baronial style building on the corner of Tay Street and Canal Street when it was a Church.

Opera House then PBC Church 1984 ablaze,

The link from Church to Building seems to be Sir Robert Pullar who was a member of the public hall company, Perth Ltd the entity building the opera house. It opened as an opera house in 1881.

PBC Centre

So there you have it Oswald Chambers was in Perth Baptist Church and his father was the Pastor.!

 

“We tend to use prayer as a last resort, but God wants it to be our first line of defence. We pray when there's nothing else we can do, but God wants us to pray before we do anything at all.

Most of us would prefer, however, to spend our time doing something that will get immediate results. We don't want to wait for God to resolve matters in His good time because His idea of 'good time' is seldom in sync with ours.”  ― Oswald Chambers 

Oswald Chambers 

Perth Baptist Church 

 

Balchristies... were mentioned who are they?

I recently mentioned the Balchristies in a post and wanted to start a search on the roots and attributes of them as a church/group. They seem to have a link to the Culdees an Irish group from many years ago,- long before the reformation, who have their roots in Druidism. It would seem that at some point the Catholic Church tried to influence them and make them more mainstream. Culdees had a site in, or near Colinsburgh at Newburn their Chapel is a ruin all underground or indeed flattened. The Culdees had a estate called balchristies and I am assuming that a group was formed in the area and took their name from the estate. " something like those who worship at Balchristie....which becomes Balchristies for short.


So now doing a search on my machine I discover this little bit from a document in 2006.

"

Balchristie, which is close to the eastern side of the parish, and only a mile to the south-west of Colinsburgh, cannot be called a village now. Malcolm Canmore and St Margaret gave the village of Balchristie to the Culdees of Loch-Leven eight hundred years ago. Last century the proprietor "dug up the foundation-stones of an old edifice near the western wall of his garden, and in the very place where, according to the best accounts, the church of the Culdees stood." Mr Laurie was told that "this was the first Christian church in Scotland," and he appears to have thought that the tradition was not baseless; but the more matter-of-fact people of the present day will soon set aside its claims to such antiquity. Ecclesiastical associations of a more recent date are also connected with this place. James Smith—"a well-favoured person, of good manners, unquestionable piety, and good report; of a tender holy walk, and sweet natural temper; zealous and prudent, with a good stock of learning "—having adopted Independent views of church-government, resigned his charge of the parish, after thirty-three years’ faithful service, and, with Robert Ferrier of Largo, started a meeting-house at Balchristie. In 1795, Laurie says:- "It has been often remarked, that Newburn, for many years past, has been a nursery of Seceders; and remarked with surprise, that a small arm of the sea should be the boundary between moderation and fanaticism. Cameronians, Independents, persons belonging to the Burgher Congregation, and also to what is called the Relief Congregation, are to be found here. The number of Independents is about 20. They are the only sect who have a place of meeting for public worship in the parish." In spite of their dissenting propensities the parishioners were sober, regular, industrious, and humane, and their diversity of sentiments did not prevent social intercourse nor mutual good offices. The Seceders had not increased of late, and one of the Relief elders had returned to the Established Church; and so, to Mr Laurie, "rational religion" seemed to be gaining ground, and he fondly hoped that "the small remainder of enthusiasm" would most probably die with those who cherished it. His hopes were so far realised, in 1836, that the Independent Congregation had removed their place of meeting to Earlsferry, their church at Balchristie being turned into a granary, and there were only three dissenting families in the whole parish."

So now what is the connection to Perth and a group in the town. Now it all comes back to me ....Perth Baptist Church The History the People and or  an extract from a possible new book yet to be published about the Scottish Church..

Perth Baptist Church fire, The old Opera House Tay Street.July 1984

Brian Robertson says,

"David Dale set up a Chapel of ease^* which in 1769 became an independent Church with Dale as one of the elders. Both Dale and the Balchristies historically known as Old Scots Independents- small, and sharing Glasite ideas of Church life and practise....  Berean Church- John Barclay 1734 1798 John Barclay of  Muthill was from the Church of Scotland and leader of a small connection, Congregational in principle in 1772. It was not great in the national context but, it is worthy to mention that in Perth the gathering, Berean Church based on Acts 17 -  "Mortgaged their meeting place to supply the want of the poor". Churches were also present in Crieff, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Arbroath, Montrose and Brechin."

Further research required!

*Chapels of Ease were set up and funded by the Church of Scotland and the local Christians. In 1827 there were 55 set apart ministers of Chapels of ease in the Highland Presbyteries.(36 missionaries at the same time) They were set up for the poor and needy and were used for accommodation as well as worship.

Who are the Culdees (wiki) general background

Culdees Castle , Methill Perthshire, a "Listed" castle and house for sale on Galbraiths Summer 2018.

Culdees Eco village   Group near Aberfeldy roots unknown but using the name.