11. George Garden

Dates of Rectorship: 1793 – 1834
Dates of Life: 1765 – 1834

Before –
Before 1787: Studied and practiced medicine
1787: Ordained Deacon
1788: Ordained Priest
Before 1793: Curacy at St. Ternan’s, Muchalls

Death –
Date: 13th November 1834

Additional Information –
Present at the Synod of Laurencekirk in 1804, at which the Scottish bishops voted to accept the 39 Articles of Faith of the Church of England, thus formally ending the persecution of the S.E.C.
This said, elements of the persecution continued into the 1860s (such as Scots priests being forbidden from officiating at services in England), but in terms of serious persecution within Scotland, this was the end of the process which had begun with the repeal of the anti-Episcopalian acts in 1792 (after a very long period of lobbying by clergy from the Aberdeen diocese).
Incidentally, and contrary to the vast majority of provinces of the Anglican Communion, the 39 Articles are no longer a required belief in the S.E.C.. This was dropped in the 1970s.

A year before this change in doctrine and laws, the Jacobite Scottish chapel, and the Qualified English chapel merged. However, they remained effectively separate congregations; the schism having been in place so long as to affect differences in services and style of worship, not just political sensibilities. So, the two congregations now worshipped in the same building, but on Sundays when the Eucharist was celebrated (which ought to have been the apex of unity), there were two services. One was celebrated using the 1764 Scottish Liturgy, favoured by the non-jurors, and the other was using the 1662 English Book of Common Prayer, favoured by the qualified chapel.
They are actually very similar liturgies, but the difference is strong enough to warrant many books on the subject.

The former qualified chapel had even brought their own priest – Robert Memess. He had been the incumbent of the English chapel since 1755, and at the reunion stayed on as a co-rector to George Garden.
As mentioned above, George Garden was also a medical doctor, as was Memess, and it is recorded that they used their medical training to great effect over the course of their ministry, as well as a form of making extra income and performing acts of charity.
This was not uncommon of Episcopalian clergy of the 18th century – many, if not most, worked a trade as well as their ministry. Farmers and doctors are the most common we find recorded.

Garden is remembered as a thoroughly good priest, his memory perhaps slightly overshadowed by his predecessor, Alexander Greig. We have on display as part of the exhibition in the church, a prayer book which belonged to him. It has been heavily used and annotated.

He is believed to have lived at Cowie, in a cottage which was once named after him. At some point in the 19th century, the cottage was inhabited by someone with the name of “Gardiner”. The corruption of these two names together has led to its modern name – “Gardener’s Cottage”.