St, Giles’ Cathedral

ST. GILES’, — the Great Kirk, — the Cathedral of Edinburgh—the High Kirk, as it has at different periods of its history been called, is well known to all who are familiar with the Scottish capital It stands in the very heart of the old city, in the centre of its High Street, and the “Royal crown of stane” which surmounts its tower is seen above all other buildings. No church in Scotland is more associated with the history of our country. Its story is the story of our country’s progress from barbarism and superstition to the religion, culture, and civilisation of the nineteenth century. As far back as we know anything of Edinburgh, there was a church of St. Giles. In the early part of the twelfth century it was served by a vicar, who had for his farm that part of the city still called “The Grange.” In 1385 this church was burnt down by the English. It was re-erected by the citizens, who regarded it as their Parish Church; and the various trades added to it chapels, dedicated to the saints who presided over their special industries. The most notable addition made to the building was the beautiful part known as the Preston Aisle. This was built in 1454 by the town, to the memory of one Preston of Gorton, who enriched the church by bringing from France an arm-bone of its patron saint. This was deemed a most valuable relic, and was enshrined in a richly-jewelled case. The kings of Scotland seem to have been equally interested in St. Giles’ with the citizens, and the pages of the royal treasurer’s account-book show how munificent were their donations. King James II. added largely to the church: and an ornamental pillar in it, bearing the royal arms, is still called the King’s Pillar. About 1466 it was erected into a collegiate church, and was served by a Provost and other clergy, who had their manses in the neighbourhood, instead of by a single priest. Up to the Reformation it presented the appearance of a spacious church, such as may be seen in any large Continental city, with many altars, and many priests, and rich furniture. In the storm of the Reformation and succeeding years, its architectural beauty suffered dreadfully. Its altars were pulled down, sailors being brought from Leith to do this work with ropes; its great relic, the arm-bone of St. Giles, was cast out into the adjoining churchyard, and its jewels and vessels sold. In 1596 it was, by order of the General Assembly, partitioned off into more than one place of worship, “there being many people and few kirks.” From that time to 1829 it underwent constant changes: sometimes the partitions were pulled down entirely, and at others shifted to suit congregational requirements. In that year the town-council resolved to restore St. Giles’, and almost improved it off the face of the earth. The beautiful chapels were swept away, grand pillars hacked and hewn, and broken in twain, groined roofs covered with plaster, and the church divided into three places of worship. Last year a patriotic and generous citizen of Edinburgh, Dr. William Chambers, commenced anew the restoration of the fine old building; he is now at vast outlay endeavouring to restore it to something like its former grandeur, and to replace those beautiful architectural features which were in former years so ruthlessly destroyed.

The historic associations of St. Giles’ are almost innumerable. We can but note a very few. Gavin Douglass, the famous translator of Virgil, was Provost of the Church previous to the Reformation. Chepman, the first Scottish printer, was closely connected with it, and built the chapel called the Chepman Aisle. On the day after Flodden the Church was crowded by the citizens “praying for the national weal.” On the 1st September 1558 the annual procession, carrying the arm-bone of St. Giles, issued for the last time from the doors of the Church. A tumult, ludicrously described by John Knox, ensued: “ Down go the crosses, off goes the surplice, round caps corner with the crowns. The gray friars gaped, the black friars blew, the Preastis panted and fled.” This was the precursor of change, and on 29 th June 1559 a figure well known afterwards entered the pulpit of St. Giles’, and John Knox preached his first sermon in Edinburgh. The chief scenes of the Reformation, so far as this city is concerned, are connected with St. Giles’. It was here the Communion, according to Protestant rite, was first administered, in the morning, with candle-light. On 19th August 1565, Darnley, the husband of Queen Mary, came to the Church to profess publicly his Protestantism. On 14th February 1570 a solemn procession came, bearing on a bier the body of the murdered Regent Murray. It was laid before the pulpit, and John Knox preached the funeral sermon to a congregation of three thousand people from the text, “Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord.” Kirkaldy of Grange took possession of the Church in the name of Queen Mary, and fortified it with cannon in the steeple. On Sunday, November 1572, John Knox preached here his last sermon, and as he went down the street was attended by the whole congregation. James VI. was veiy fond of St. Giles’, constantly attended service there, and occasionally harangued the people. Durie, one of the ministers whom he banished, was on his return escorted to the Church by an immense multitude who, on arriving at St. Giles’, took off their bonnets and sang the 124th Psalm. On the King’s marriage he brought his Queen to St. Giles’ for sermon, and she sat “in the loft, under a fair canabie of velvet.” On 3d April 1601 he came again, and in a pompous oration took leave of the people previously to ascending the English throne. On 23d June 1633 Charles L came to St. Giles’, dispossessed the reader, and had service performed by two English chaplains, who “acted their English service.” This was the beginning of a new order. On the 29th September 1633 St. Giles’, by royal mandate, was made a Cathedral On the 23d July 1637 “The Book of Common Order,” the liturgy, according to which service had hitherto been conducted, was read for the last time by Mr. Henderson, the reader, and Dean Hanna attempted to read the new service-book. The scene which ensued when he began the Collect for the Seventh Sunday after Trinity, and in which Jenny Geddes played so conspicuous a part, is known to every reader of Scottish history. Very weird and strange are the figures that haunt the Church during the succeeding tempestuous times; thousands thronging thither to sign the Covenant; Henderson, the great covenanting preacher, thundering against Prelacy ; stormy assemblies meeting in solemn conclave. Then comes Cromwell with his troopers: musketeers dissolve the assembly met in one of the aisles; captains and common soldiers enter the pulpit and preach, “albeit they were not orderly callit;” the crown above the King’s seat is “dang doun,” and hung upon the gallows; the “stool of repentance” is cast out as a relic of the Popish sacrament of penance; Quakers make their appearance within the venerable walls, some of them almost naked, and “opposed the preachers in their sermons.” On 11th May 1661 a grand procession comes up the High Street from Holyrood with the mangled remains of Montrose, which were buried with much pomp in the Chepman Aisle. This is almost the last gleam of romance which lights up the old building, though there were sad enough scenes connected with it in the days of Bloody Mackenzie. The head of Argyle was placed on a spike at the east end of the Church, and a poor madwoman who interrupted the service, saying she “thought the minister was breaking the Sabbath,” was hanged in the Grassmarket. Dutch William brought back Presbytery to St. Giles’, and since then its annals have been comparatively uneventful, though Dr. Hugh Blair, Principal Carstairs, and many other eminent men, have been its ministers. Its present shape is cruciform, and service is held in the choir. It is visited annually by vast numbers of people, among whom are many Americans, who are wonderfully familiar with its traditions.