The Scottish churches and the organ in the nineteenth century
~The use of organs in the public worship of God is contrary to the law of the land, and to the law and constitution of our Established Church~. This was the opinion of the Presbytery of Glasgow when it condemned the use of an organ in St. Andrew's Church, Glasgow, in 1807, the first use of a musical instrument in public worship by any presbyterian congregation in Scotland. So began the controversy in Scotland about what came to be known as ~the organ question~, a controversy which continued through the nineteenth century and into the twentieth. A presbyterian congregation attempted to use an organ in 1829, but in 1850 church organs in Scotland were still confined to episcopal and Roman catholic places of worship and to a few chapels of small minority sects. By then organs were widely used among nonconformists in the north of England. During the fifties, some Scottish independent congregations and two English presbyterian congregations followed their example, and two Scottish presbyterian congregations attempted to do so but were prevented by their Church courts. From 1863 onwards, instruments began to appear in churches of the establishment. By 1866 the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland had made it
Inglis, James
Philosophy
The Scottish churches and the organ in the nineteenth century. ~The use of organs in the public worship of God is contrary to the law of the land, and to the law and constitution of our Established Church~. This was the opinion of the Presbytery of Glasgow when it condemned the use of an organ in St. Andrew's Church, Glasgow, in 1807, the first use of a musical instrument in public worship by any presbyterian congregation in Scotland. So began the controversy in Scotland about what came to be known as ~the organ question~, a controversy which continued through the nineteenth century and into the twentieth. A presbyterian congregation attempted to use an organ in 1829, but in 1850 church organs in Scotland were still confined to episcopal and Roman catholic places of worship and to a few chapels of small minority sects. By then organs were widely used among nonconformists in the north of England. During the fifties, some Scottish independent congregations and two English presbyterian congregations followed their example, and two Scottish presbyterian congregations attempted to do so but were prevented by their Church courts. From 1863 onwards, instruments began to appear in churches of the establishment. By 1866 the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland had made it
scottish_church organ the use public worship god contrary law land law constitution established_church opinion presbytery glasgow condemn use organ church glasgow first use musical_instrument public worship presbyterian congregation scotland begin controversy scotland come_know the organ question controversy continue twentieth presbyterian congregation attempt use organ church organ scotland still confine episcopal roman_catholic place worship chapel small_minority sect organ widely_use among nonconformist north_england fifty scottish independent congregation english presbyterian congregation follow example scottish presbyterian congregation attempt church_court onwards instrument begin appear church establishment general assembly church scotland make