The publication of Controversy Among Southern Presbyterians (Text flow Services, £12) took place on Tuesday last in the Castle Hotel, Dublin.
The author, the Rev Alexander Stuart Cromie, is a distinguished senior cleric in the Irish Presbyterian connection, whose varied service North and South as minister and administrator over 56 years has eminently prepared him, and provided him with the materials for this volume.
Mr Cromie has served in the North in such places as Gilford and Belfast, and in the South in Limerick and Ennis, and Trinity Church, Cork. With his special interests in home mission and church extension and his law qualification (LlB at TCD), he was admirably suited for chairing, acting as secretary and treasurer of important historic trusts and societies, North and South.
In part this is a work of summarising and collating with expertise and discrimination. An example is a summary of an article by the Rev Dr R. Buick Knox on the Westminster Assembly of Divines (1643) and the Confession of Faith.
But by reason of "two large boxes of papers" containing about 2,000 letters and documents (1848-1900) having been recently received by Mr Cromie, he has greatly extended our knowledge of Presbyterianism in the South and Munster in particular. Much of his primary source material is included in his text, but other important and interesting documents are presented in his appendices.
The story of George Matthews, alias Duncan Chisohm, clerk in Dublin Castle, an elder in Union Chapel, described as "deeply involved in the doctrinal controversies which created division in the Presbyterian family in the South and West at the beginning of the 19th century" is absorbingly told. The final chapter, on the Synod of Munster, is followed by the extremely important appendices. We venture this is the first time many of these have appeared in print.
Besides the text, the colour and black-and-white illustrations are of great historic importance. We specially commend the full-page colour plate of Eustace Street Meeting House (erected 1728).
Published by the author, Controversy Among Southern Presbyterians is a prodigious, most careful piece of research, beautifully presented. It is a "must" for Presbyterians and for the general historian. But the Presbyterian Historical Society must seriously consider being responsible for a reissue of this fine piece of research.
The Synod of Dublin (comprising the three presbyteries in the Republic, Dublin-Munster, Donegal and Monaghan) will begin its annual meetings on Monday next and continue into Tuesday. A Millennium Celebration Service in Lucan Church, at 7 p.m. will start the proceedings. The President, Mrs MacAleese, is expected to attend.
Synod will hear and discuss, and perhaps issue resolutions on, such matters as inter-church relations, church and state, social service and education primary and secondary.
The Rev James Brogan (Clontarf), having been duly elected, will preside.
Under the auspices of the Dublin Council of Church and the Roman Catholic Advisory Committee on Ecumenical Affairs, a service in celebration of the life and legacy of St Patrick will be held on Sunday, March 19th, at 7.30 p.m. in St Patrick's Cathedral.
This millennium service will focus on the Old Testament idea of jubilee as release from debt, and will explore the theme of St Patrick, stranger in Ireland, and how we relate today to strangers in our midst. All are welcome.