Dedication of Chiming Bells, 1912

Before a large congregation on Sunday, the three chiming bells presented to the church by Sir Mark and Lady McTaggart Stewart were dedicated by Rev. S. Marcus Dill, D.D., minister of Alloway and moderator-designate of the General Assembly. Following the dedicatory prayer, the bells were rung for a few minutes, the congregation meanwhile standing.

Dr Dill preached from the text There shall be no night there (Revelation xxii.-5). At the close of his sermon, he said:

“Before concluding the service of to-day, I wish in a few words to refer to the special circumstances of the occasion. There have been to-day solemnly dedicated to the glory of God and the use of the Christian people of this community the bells attached to this church. These bells are the gift of Sir Mark and Lady McTaggart Stewart, to whom this parish is already indebted for the beautiful church, and largely for the parochial endownment, and many other good things known to and appreciated by yourselves. The valuable gift is meant to mark the outstanding national event of last year, namely, the Coronation of His Majesty the King. It will therefore in future generations recall an occasion inspiring thankfulness to God for the Protestantism, freedom, security and peace flowing from our British institutions; and it will give expression to the prayer that with the Divine blessing a godly succession to the British Throne may be maintained.”

Sabbath Day

One Sabbath Day in 1912,
In autumn of that year.
I went to Ardwell Church mysel'
To worship God and speir.

About the great, delightful bell
That hangs upon the steeple;
The charm of it I'll try to tell
In verses at the Doople.

I saw the Beadle at the Church
When I got to the gate.
We exchanged greetings verymuch,
Then of the bell we spake.

It is full fifteen hundredweight,
Of metal 'tis the best
And is high-toned and up-to-date
It will wear long I trust.

How very pleasant is the sound
Of Ardwell chiming bell
It leads us on to holy ground
And makes us flee from hell.

We know 'tis time to go to Church
When we do hear it toll;
Then we do joyfully approach,
To hear the sweet Gospel.

For the good man, the minister,
As by the Spirit led
Will preach the Gospel faithfully
To those on manna fed.

It was Romans 8th and 14th
The text that Sabbath Day.
He preached just what the scriptures saith,
And for us he did pray,

I think we felt the Spirit's power
To lead us up on high-
To Christ our Saviour, in that hour,
Who for us all did die.

And we have heard God's many calls
By His Holy Spirit,
Within the Church - those sacred walls-
The Grace of Christ we merit.

Then will we each one look on high
To Christ, and with Him gather:
And, as God's sons we'll shout the cry-
O Abba, Abba, Father!

Jacob McCulloch - Author - 23rd October 1913