THE COURIER, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1908
COWDENBEATH MINISTER FOR GATESHEAD – A VIGOROUS CLERICAL CAREER
The Rev James Gilmour, Cowdenbeath, who has decided to accept a unanimous call from the Brighton Avenue Church congregation, Gateshead, Newcastle-on-Tyne, has been pastor of the Cairns UF Church for nearly a quarter of a century.
He was born at Cairneyhill, near Dunfermline, and after a successful course at Edinburgh University he entered the Divinity Hall of the United Presbyterian Church, leaving with the degree of BD. After being licensed he became assistant to the late Professor Hyslop in Helensburgh. Here he remained for two years. In 1885 the UP Presbytery of Dunfermline placed him in charge of the mission in Cowdenbeath, which had been newly commenced as a preaching station. Shortly afterwards, it was formed into a Church, and Mr Gilmour was chosen as pastor. His labours in the busy mining centre have been very fruitful. During his stay a Church and a manse at a total cost of £3000 have been built, and these are now entirely free of debt. There are over 350 members in the congregation.
In the neighbouring village of Kelty Mr Gilmour’s work is apparent, and an extension charge there is fully equipped and a hall secured at a cost of £800. Mr Gilmour has been for three years clerk to the Dunfermline and Kinross presbytery. In Christian endeavour and in temperance he is an outstanding personage, and is also an active worker on the Cowdenbeath Vigilance Committee. An uncompromising opponent of the new Gothenburg system of public-houses, he has on many occasions, in various parts of the country, denounced the principle, as he terms it, of ‘bolstering up the drink traffic and making it look respectable’.
Cairneyhill People and History 