The Scottish Unitarian Fellowship

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FREE TO BELIEVE

THE LINK

WINTER 2000

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SCOTTISH UNITARIAN
FELLOWSHIP

Minister & Correspondent
Rev Dr Colin Wicker
8 Bonnybank Road
DUNDEE DD1 2PJ
E-mail: colin.wicker@virgin.net

 

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REV.THOMAS FYSHE PALMER
SCOTTISH UNITARIAN MINISTER
A SCOTTISH MARTYR FOR POLITICAL FREEDOM


In May,1785, Rev.Thomas Fyshe Palmer moved from the Unitarian Church in Montrose to take over the Unitarian Church in Dundee. He tried hard to persuade the Rev.James Purves, Minister of the Universalist Church in Edinburgh, (which was much later to become the Edinburgh Unitarian Church) to adopt Unitarian principles - without success. At a time when real legal disabilities were still enforced against 'heretical' beliefs such as Unitarianism, Dundee Unitarians were proud to be known as the Dundee Unitarian Society, thus becoming the third avowedly Unitarian Society in the English-speaking world!

However, the 'Friends of Liberty' who sought political emancipation were active in Dundee, and Fyshe Palmer was soon to be drawn into their circle. He corrected a tract prepared by them, took it to Edinburgh for printing and left one copy with the printer for his information. As a result of this fatal act, he was charged with sedition and brought to trial at Perth in September 1793. Found 'Guilty, he was transported to Botany Bay and was never to return to Britain.

He is recognised as one of the 'Scottish Martyrs, and his name is carried on the Memorial to the Martyrs which now stands on Calton Hill in Edinburgh. He belongs to that large band of historical Unitarians who were prepared to speak out 'For Civil & Religious Liberty, the World Over".

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DUNDEE   CHRISTMAS 2000

Dear Friends and Fellow Members, 

Here we are at Christmas yet once more - the shops are full of Christmas goodies encouraging shoppers to spend, spend, spend! Ah well,  "At Christmas play and make good cheer, for Christmas comes but once a year." (Thomas Tusser,1524-1580) One thing you could do to make a break in the Christmas Festivities is to write a short piece for the 'LINK'! I have received a complaint from the Unitarian H.Q. in London that there is not enough in the 'LINK' from our Members!! What shall I be doing for Christmas is a question I'm often asked. I still don't know! I have a christening down in Ayr before Christmas and a wedding in Peebles between Christmas and the New Year. So perhaps I shall need a quiet Christmas!! What about you? Soon we shall be in 2001. Is this the Millenium Year? Or was it 2000. I prefer the logical answer - 2000! The new century starts on Jan.1st.2000, doesn't it?

Anyway, the New Year starts on Jan.1st.2001 - I don't think anyone can dispute THAT! Let's hope there are no more of these disastrous floods; farcical yet disastrous events concerned with the railway system; expensive and unnecessary 'Domes'; cash-strapped NHS facilities; and, and, and. 

So, have a VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS
and a truly WONDERFUL NEW YEAR

Colin

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CHRISTMAS

Inexpressible joy fills our hearts as we enter upon the festivities of this glad season.

 A season of expectancy and wonder.

 A season of giving and forgiving. 

A season of thoughtfulness and tenderness. 

A season for friendliness and fellowship.

Let it be with music that we sing of Christmas. 

Let it be in harmony that we dwell at Christmas.

May love enter our hearts and rule our lives as we seek to serve one another and thus reveal our kinship with Thee. 

 Malcolm Sutherland

* * * * *

THE NEW YEAR

What will the New Year bring?
Ah, who can tell?
Trust in His love and in the end
All will be well.

What will tomorrow bring?
Ah, who can say?
But we can place ourselves in His clear hand
And trust Him, day by day.

What will the next hour bring?
We cannot know.
But we can simply put our faith in Him
Who loves us so.

Jamie A. Smith 

* * * * *

Be with us, Lord, as we pass through the birthday celebration of Jesus, that son of Yours and brother of us. Make quiet our minds and hearts that no busy clamour may dull our ears to the message of peace, love and hope for all the world. may we have the wisdom and the courage to make this message a reality in our day and in our days.

PEACE       PEACE       PEACE

PAUSE FOR THOUGHT - CHRISTMAS 2000

What does Christmas mean to us now? Truly it is very different now from when I was a boy! In these days, we really looked forward with eager anticipation to the coming of Father Christmas (or Santa Clause) with all the associated goodies! The stocking we hung up would be filled with a book; perhaps, if we were lucky, a silver sixpence; an apple and if we were very, very lucky we might even get an orange (or more likely a dried banana!); and a small bag of sweets. There were no such things as electronic games, mobile phones, fancy clothes, or presents of £20 or more! And of course, we might even have an actual chicken for our Christmas Dinner! Phew! What a thrill!

Nowadays, Christmas has not only lost much of its meaning, it has also lost virtually all of its excitement. It's just another holiday weekend, and if chicken, or even turkey, is served then a comment might well be heard 'Oh no, not again!'

It is in our practised cynicism and pessimism that we have become less than enthusiastic about our Christmas Festival. We 'know' that the stars don't lead us onward and upward. We 'know' that the teachers, preachers, pastors, ministers and ministers are humans just as we all are, and just as we are, they are subject to the same errors, temptations and gluttony. The power of money seems to underlie every act, and every commercial is concerned with the aggrandisment of business moguls, rather than the true dissemination of information. Words of peace are used to defend aggression.

And it is in this world, that we have lost the real meaning of Christmas. MAY A NEW SPIRIT BE BORN IN OUR HEARTS THIS CHRISTMAS DAY THAT TRUTH MAY DIRECT US, AND LOVE POSSESS US. MAY THE LIGHT, THAT KINDLES A LIGHT IN EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD, SHINE BRIGHT IN ALL THE WORLD THIS AND EVERY CHRISTMAS. FOR TRULY, ALL THE DARKNESS TO BE FOUND IN THIS WORLD HAS NEVER YET COMPLETELY PUT OUT THE LIGHT OF PEACE AND LOVE. MAY CHRISTMAS BRING US PEACE, PEACE DEEP DOWN IN THE HEART OF US, PEACE IN THE MIDST OF US, AS WE GATHER WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

 YULE E'en

Leafless the trees staun white an' still
The cranreuch deeks ilk winter gon;
Pleeps robin redbreist on the' sill,
Wi' speugs and starlins fli-chterin roon.
Yule-lads are by the yairdin yett,
Though yowden drifts haphill an' howe;
The yule log on the greesoch's set,
An, sune we'll have hae a rowsan lowe.
Yule kebbock on the dresser laid,
Yule brose is plopperin' i' the pat;
Wee stockens hing attour the bed,
(Auls Santy's shair t'see tae that!)
The flachans aye keep bleddin on.
White is this Yule like that lang syne;
When the bricht stern owre Bethlehem shone,
That men micht ken o'love divine.
Richt happy be each humble hame,
In ilka hert may love aye rule;
Gos bless the fowk wha bide their lane,
or hae nae place ava at Yule.

Jamie A. Smith

(This poem won a place in the International Library of Poetry) Congratulations to our 'resident poet' - Jamie!

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JOSEPH PRIESTLEY

 UNITARIAN MINISTER

&  SCIENTIST

 

Born, Leeds, 1733

Died, Pennsylvania,,U.S.,1804

 

Joseph Priestley is claimed to have been one of the most influential figures in the early history of Unitarianism in England. As a scientist he is credited with the discovery of oxygen in the air that we breathe. As a Unitarian Minister he was outspoken in his defence of liberal thought in religion, and he supported the toast: "To civil and religious liberty the world over." Unfortunately, the church in Birmingham was particularly bigoted in its approach to religious truth, and a mob, inspired by the English Church, ravaged his house and put him and his family in mortal danger. He fled to America where he was responsible for the establishment of the first Unitarian church in the U.S. On his death, The Rev. William Christie (who had been chased from Scotland by similar 'Church' bigotry) gave the funeral oration.

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A REMINDER

The Scottish Unitarian Association (S.U.A.) hold their Annual Meeting at the Scottish Churches Centre in Dunblane. The 2001 Meeting will take place during the weekend of 9th/l0th June, and for the first time a slot is to be given to the S.U.F. to enable our own members to meet each other. It would be good if YOU could manage to attend during this weekend - either for the whole weekend or just for part of the weekend. I shall be giving you more information in the next LINK, but Miss M.Mackay of Edinburgh (0131 664 6675) is the Organiser for the Weekend and would be glad to give you more information as it develops 

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THE UNITARIAN PEACE FELLOWSHIP

The U.P.F. is a national group of Unitarians who seek a peaceful answer to all our problems, national and international, personal or, impersonal. Sheila and I have been members for many years, and I held the post of Chairman for some time. Individual membership is £5.00 p.a., but there is also a Group Membership. Most Unitarian churches are supporting members. The question has arisen as to whether we as the S.U.F. should affiliate to the U.P.F. as an indication of our support for a more peaceful world. The fee for our group membership would be just £10.00.

This is your decision, and, by the rules of the S.U.F., any opinion, contra or otherwise, should be sent to me. But no response is taken to be a positive response! So it's up to you. If you need further information, then you know my address etc. 

Colin

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In the lonely midnight
On the wintry hill,
Shepherds heard the angels
Singing, "Peace, Goodwill".
Listen,O ye weary,
To the angels' song,
Unto you the tidings
Of great joy belong.

 Though in David's city
Angels sing no more,
Love Takes angel. music
On earth's darkest shore;
Though no heavenly glory
Meet your wondering eyes,
Love can make your dwelling
Bright as Paradise.

Though the child of Mary,
Heralded on high, 
In his manger cradle
May no longer lie.
Love is king for ever
Though the proud world scorn;
If ye truly seek love,
Love for you is born. 

(from T.C. Williams)

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