Marshall, James Scott The Church in the Midst, South Leith Parish Church Through Five Centuries , Edinburgh: Edina Press, 1983

First edition. Grey cloth, gilt, index Pagination: xiv, 219. South Leith Church stands in God's acre in the heart of Leith, a site occupied since 1483. The immediate surroundings, apart from Trinity House, are modern; and many have lamented the passing of the old Kirkgate and Tolbooth Wynd. But the Church was there before the Kirkgate and Tolbooth Wynd existed, and this is the story of how, through the terrors of war and plague, through the agonies of famine and the excitement of the long struggle to win freedom from the overlordship of Edinburgh, the church has stood in the midst of Leith, at the heart of its social and spiritual life. Through the centuries the congregation has consistently remained a cross-section of a caring community, where each one carrying his own burden has also learned to carry the burdens of others.<P>From a village of less than 4000 inhabitants, Leith grew to a thriving town of 80,000, and the congregation in the 1920s and 1930s became the largest in Scotland. Since then the town has dwindled and the congregation has reduced. But the ardent spirit of commitment and devotion is still there in large measure. Contents: The birth of a parish church (The ancient burgh of Leith and its incorporations; How the church came to be built; The ruin of the old church); The first ministry (David Lindsay and his parish; The new form of worship; Politics and the Kirk of Leith; Lindsay and the King's business); The first episcopate (Congregational affairs; The King in the Kirk and the bailies in the Session; Differences in the parish: Episcopalian and Presbyterian: Leith and Restalrig; The Kirk Session at work; The National Covenant); The years of trouble and suffering (The new ministers; The Solemn League and Covenant; Plague in Leith); The church in occupied Leith (The Covenanting laird; How the ironsides came to Leith; The struggle to get back to the church; Improving relationships); The second episcopate; The Episcopalian system at work; Uneasy times in the congregation; The Episcopalian attempt to keep the church); Presbyterianism triumphant (The congregation in the meeting-house; Towards a caring and disciplined society; The problem of irregular marriage; John Shaw's later ministry); The establishment defined, challenged and tested (The breakaway; Hard times, the '45 and its effects in Leith; Problems of a growing community; Irregular marriage again and a Leither in the pulpit; The coming of John Logan; The subsequent career of the Rev John Logan); The reshaping of work and witness (The Sunday School comes to Leith; Congregational life during the French Wars; Developments in Kirk and town; Church and community: changes and challenges); Cuckoo in the nest (Rebuilding the church; The case of the interlict; Mr Duff fighting on several fronts; James Mitchell's advent; Henry Duff's last fling); Up from the depths (Mr Mitchell's daunting task; Innovations in worship and service; The church refurbished and refurnished); The old order changing (John White arrives; The St Mungo story; New halls and tercentenary; The ministry of William Swan; The congregation under Donald Davidson); Today and tomorrow. Book: edges of boards faded, extremities a little bumped, prelims a little dusty, VG, Jacket: unclipped, few tears to edges but only minimal loss, partly faded, dusty, VG- (Book ref. 3102 )  £ 14.00

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