This
church was erected in 1844 on a site surrounded by trees, about a mile
to the south of the parish church. The ground, along with a sufficient
space for a graveyard, was given off, gratuitously, from the estate of
Banchory, by the proprietor, Mr. Alexander Thomson, who also contributed
handsomely to the funds of the church.
The
first minister was David Findlay Arthur, who is a native of the parish
of New Cumnock in Ayrshire, where his forefathers had been farmers for
many generations, and had taken an active part in the struggles of the
Covenanters. He was educated at Glasgow University, in which he was for
some time class assistant to Dr. Buchanan, subsequently acting as tutor
in the family of Captain McLeod, who, with his wife, family, and
shepherds formed at the time the sole inhabitants of the island of Rum.
Duly licensed by the Church of Scotland, Mr. Arthur acted for some time
as assistant to Dr. Main of Kilmarnock, after which he removed to
Manchester, to take charge of the Church of Scotland mission station
there. At this time the Disruption controversy was agitating the
country, and, as a crisis in church matters was imminent, Mr. Arthur
refused the presentation to his native parish, which had been offered to
him by its patron and proprietor, the Marquis of Bute. When the actual
separation came he was still at Manchester, but at once resigned and
threw in his lot with the dissenting body. Being ordained at
Banchory-Devenick in 1844, he found hard and very trying work before him
in his new charge. Dr. Morison and his assistant, Dr. Paul, were both
popular in the parish, and as they remained in the Establishment, there
were not over fifteen available worshippers from whom to make up a
congregation. By faithful attention and kindly acts, however, Mr. Arthur
soon succeeded in gathering around him an active and earnest
congregation, which he had the pleasure to see yearly increasing. The
labour and responsibility devolving upon him at Banchory were great;
for, not only had he to discharge the whole ministerial duties of his
own congregation, but he had also to attend to the duties of moderator
of the session at Cults and Bourtriebush, till regularly ordained
ministers were appointed there. He married Miss Brown, daughter of Mr.
Brown of Cardens Haugh, by whom he had four sons and one daughter. In
1883, owing to failing health, he was reluctantly obliged to apply to
the Presbytery of the bounds for an assistant and successor. The request
was at once complied with, the members of the Presbytery embracing the
opportunity for expressing the high respect and esteem in which they
held their venerable brother. His congregation and private friends,
anxious to show their favour in a more tangible form, presented him with
an illuminated address and purse of sovereigns. He retired to Cults
House, where he lives with two of his sons, who are physicians, enjoying
a deservedly large practice there.
James
Ironside Still, who had been educated at the University of Aberdeen, and
afterwards at the Free Church College there, succeeded as assistant and
successor. He is an active and energetic clergyman, and a member of the
School Board of the parish. He had the manse repaired, and the church
repainted at an expense of some ^500, which he succeeded in raising by
means of two bazaars held in the grounds of Banchory House in 188788.
The congregation now numbers upwards of two hundred and thirty
communicants, and is steadily increasing. |