From the Huntly Express August 15 1915
GLASS PARISH CHURCH
DEDICATION OF MEMORIAL WINDOWS
A service of more than usual interest will be held in the beautiful Parish Church of Glass on Sunday afternoon. It is the dedication service of the two memorial windows to the memory of the late esteemed pastor, Rev. D.M. Ross and that to the late Mr John Walker of Edinglassie – a gentleman whose memory is still fragrant in the Deveron valley. The service will commence at 3.45 and is to be conducted by the Rev. Alexander Fiddes, B.D. minister of St Bernard’s Edinburgh and formerly of Cairnie Parish Church. The musical part of the service will be controlled by Sir Frederick Bridge, C.V.O. organist Westminster Abbey and presently in residence at Cairnborrow Lodge.
HISTORY OF THE MEMORIALS
It will be in recollection of many readers that in September, 1913 at a meeting of the parishioners of Glass – presided over by Mr Macpherson of Edinglassie – it was agreed unanimously to commemorate the life and work of Rev. Duncan Mearns Ross, the late minister of the parish by placing a stained glass window in the north end of the Parish Church, that portion of the building having been erected largely through the labours and personal generosity of Mr Ross.
A committee consisting of the moderator and three members of the Kirk Session, with several other parishioners and friends who had known Mr Ross intimately and had worked with him and under him during his ministry, was appointed to deal with the question.
As the church had already three windows by Mr Douglas Strachan, it was resolved to ask that eminent artist to submit an estimate for the memorial window to Mr Ross. Mr Strachan replied that the window would probably cost about £300 and it was towards the raising of that sum that the efforts of the committee were directed. The members of the committee were confident that their task would be an easy one, for in addition to his own parishioners by whom he was universally beloved, Mr Ross had a large and ever-growing circle of friends to whom he had endeared himself by the many charming qualities of his character and they felt sure that all who knew him would welcome an opportunity of helping to perpetuate his memory in the parish which he served so long and faithfully. That the confidence of the committee was not misplaced has been verified by the fact that so generous has been the response to their appeal that they found it possible to depart from their original intention and to commission Mr Douglas Strachan to design two windows. As Mr Strachan had prepared a design for the three lights in the gable of the church, one of the Heritors, Mr George Macpherson of Edinglassie, most generously gifted a third window in memory of his uncle, the late Mr John Walker of Edinglassie.
THE DESIGNS OF THE WINDOWS
The designs of the windows, mostly suggested by different members of the committee, have been most successfully combined by the artist. On the upper half of each of the windows is given a representation of the three Christian graces. Faith, Hope and Charity. In the lower half of the central window is a portrayal of “Christ’s blessing little children.” On the right hand window is “St Andrew casting a net into the sea.” And underneath is the St Andrew cross, encircled in a wreath of Scotch thistle. On the left window is a representation of St Wallach, who evangelised the upper reaches of the Deveron and whose name survives in Wallakirk Churchyard, which is now the principal place of burial for the parish. The sphere of St Wallach’s labours was formerly a separate parish called Dumeath, but it has been incorporated with Glass since 17th century. At the foot of the St Wallach panel there is a Celtic cross with mitre and crozier to correspond with the St Andrew’s cross on the right panel.