WHERE MORTAL AND IMMORTAL MEET

Essays in Celebration of the Eighty-Fifth Anniversary of the Society of Friends of Glasgow Cathedral

Edited by: Dr Andrew G Ralston

Published by: WIPF & Stock Price: £30 or £15 direct from the Friends of Glasgow Cathedral (plus post and packaging) at publications@glasgowcathedral.org

A milestone anniversary inevitably requires to be marked in some significant way.

To mark the 85th anniversary of the Friends of Glasgow Cathedral, a new book has been prepared, bringing together a number of essays centring around the history of the organisation which does so much to support and underpin one of Scotland’s most significant religious sites.

The work not only traces the history of the Society of Friends, but offers a little insight into the history of the landmark at the heart of Glasgow.

The title of the book is drawn from a 1941 address by the Scottish artist Sir David Young Cameron who was a key figure in the establishment of the Society of Friends, which was the brainchild of the Very Rev Nevile Davidson (who served as Moderator of the General Assembly in 1962/63) who secured the support of a number of prominent public figures to support the ‘improvement and adornment’ of the medieval Cathedral shortly after his arrival as minister in the 1930s.

But the book is not only a celebration of the work of the Friends of the Cathedral over the last 85 years, but also brings together dedicated essays from historians past and present tracing the history of the Cathedral from its earliest days, with their expert eyes offering insights not simply into the history and connection with the city, but valuable and fascinating overviews of some of the key fabric in the Cathedral, including architecture and its stained glass.

It ably shows how the Cathedral has remained a constant at the heart of life in Scotland’s biggest city – surviving even the ravages of the Reformation which led to the destruction and loss of much of pre-Reformation architecture.

Ralston, who is also author of a work on the life of Nevile Davidson, is a retired teacher and has woven together a work which offers a one-stop shop for those seeking to learn more about the life and history of Glasgow Cathedral and the roots of its support group.

Commending the book in a foreword, the minister of Glasgow Cathedral, the Rev Mark E Johnstone writes: “Throughout the centuries the cathedral has been central to hospitality, education and industry in the city, evolving to meet the needs of each era. But its fundamental purpose remains unchanged: its lofty spire directs the eye of the viewer beyond the everyday to higher things of the spirit.”

All proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the Society of Friends of Glasgow Cathedral to enable their support for the work and mission of the only Scottish Cathedral to remain intact after the ravages of the Reformation.