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• In 1843, the largest secession of all occurred. 451 ministers of the Established Church (over a
third of the total) and most of their congregations, with others, seceded and formed the Free
Presbyterian Church.
• In 1846, the United Secession Church and Relief Church merged to form the United Presbyterian
Church.
• In 1852, most Original Secession Church congregations united with the Free Church.
• By 1855, nearly two-thirds of population no longer belonged to the Established Church.
• In 1876, most Reformed Presbyterian Church congregations united with the Free Church.
• In 1900, the UP Church and the Free Church joined to form United Free Presbyterian.
• In 1929, most United Free Church congregations rejoined the Established Church.
• All of these groups are historically referred to as seceders.
SO WHY ALL THE SECESSIONS?
The major reason was the issue of patronage, which was the right of a layman to appoint a minister
even against the wishes of the Kirk session or congregation. (Finally abolished for good in 1874.)
OTHER NONCONFORMIST CHURCH GROUPS
Several other nonconformist church groups have had a historical presence in Scotland. Being non-
Presbyterian in form, they are referred to as dissenting churches or dissenters. They include:
• Independents – including Glasites, Daleites, Congregationalists and the Evangelical Union –
not known for their record keeping.
• Baptists – don’t believe in infant baptism; never large in number.
• Episcopalians – strongest in Angus, Kincardine, Aberdeen, Moray, and the Western Highlands.
• Roman Catholics – strongest in the Highlands and the Islands.
• Wesleyan Methodists – never large in number.
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
• Society of Friends (Quakers).
• Unitarians (illegal until 1813).
• Jews.
• Various other Protestant denominations.
HOW COMMON WAS NONCONFORMITY?
In 1851 there were 1183 Established Church congregations and 2202 nonconformist congregations.
CONTENT OF NONCONFORMIST RECORDS
Secession and Dissenter churches may or may not have kept their own registers of baptisms,
marriages, and burials. Records may also include minutes of meetings; lists of members; accounts
of the poor; etc.