THE COVENANTER
Revolution Settlement for both Church
and State, without any external threat from D.O. Christie
Jacobitism.
EDITORS NOTE: See separate supplement
The Cameronian clergy then became published with this, the 2008 Covenanter
reconciled with the Kirk in 1690, and
brought two-thirds of the United Societies
The 1st Lanarkshire Volunteers
with them, thus ending their period of
isolation, and once more presenting a
(5th Scottish Rifle)
(virtually) united Presbyterian front to the
world. Rev Alexander Shields was critical
In The Bravest of the Brave , the article
to both the formation of the regiment and
about Cameronian winners of the Victoria
reconciliation with the Kirk.
Cross Philip Grant mentions the 5th
Scottish Rifles (5th SR) and its predecessor
The thesis (see seperate supplement)
volunteer battalion , the 1st Lanarkshire
demonstrates that the Cameronians made
Rifle Volunteers (1st LRV). The change of
four significant contributions to freedom of
name took place in 1908 when volunteer
religion in Scotland.
units were incorporated into the newly
formed Territorial Army.
- Firstly, they made a significant contribution
to freedom of religion by their struggle to
The 1st LRV was formed in 1859. According
protect the right to retain their own freedom
to the Post Office Directory of Glasgow
of doctrine, worship, discipline and church
1867-68 its orderly room was at 73 Renfield
government, resisting every effort to remove
Street in what was or became the business
these by force. In 1690 they secured these
area of the city. Thereafter (perhaps in
freedoms.
the 1870’s the battalion moved to a new
drill hall at 261 West Princes Street, near
- Secondly by their new-found military
St Georges Cross and convenient for the
effectiveness, they secured a climate of
burgeoning West End of Glasgow. According
comparative peace and stability in the latter
to the introduction to the history of the 5th
half of 1689 and 1690, during which both
SR in the first World War, it and before it
Parliament and General Assembly were able
the 1st LRV, was the corps d’elite of the city
to carry through vital legislation for Church
of Glasgow and surrounding districts. On
and State, without any external threat.
formation it was composed of a number of
companies recruited from the professions ,
- Thirdly, through the reconciliation of their
industries and trades carried on in the areas.
clergy with the Kirk, the Cameronians were
Before the days of the officers Training
catalytic in the establishment of a [virtually]
Corps, it acted as the training school for
united Presbyterian front in Scotland,’
those who wished to obtain commissions
thereby ensuring that the Kirk was strong
in other West of Scotland volunteer units.
enough to accept the existence of other
Indeed, anybody who wanted to become an
denominations without feeling unduly
officer in the 1st LRV had first served in its
threatened.
ranks.
- Fourthly, Rev Alexander Shields stands
The standards expected of all ranks were
out as catalytic in the achievement of the
high and the battalion won many trophies
Second and Third significant contributions.
in marching and shooting competitions .
It can be argued that his behaviour, in itself,
The 1st LRV , and following it the 5th SR
was a significant contribution to Freedom of
was a swish outfit ; so much so that many
Religion.
citizens of Glasgow considered their social
education incomplete until they had served
The Kirk’s future problems came rather from
in it.
within, with the First and Second Secessions
of 1733 and 1761, which lie outside the
According to JJ Bell , best known as the author
scope of this dissertation. Most of the RPC
of the “wee Macgreegor“ in “I remember“,
joined the Free Church in 1876, and there
an account of life in the West End of
was general re-unification in 1929, when
Glasgow in the 1870’s and 1880’s, one of the
most of the United Free Church joined the
events of that time was the Annual March
Kirk, (after Budeigh 1960).
Out of the 1st LRV each Spring. A lengthy
column of men in grey , helmets included,
6
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