Spirit of peace and pioneers

Twin bladed fans made of wood slowly stir the sultry air of a Sunday morning. The lamps hanging under the whirring blades throw dim shafts of light on the few people seated in the teak and rattan pews below. Sunday morning service at the Scots Kirk is underway, keeping to a tradition begun in Colombo 157 years ago.

It was on February 24, 1841 that Governor McKenzie laid the corner stone of St. Andrew's Church in what is now Sir Baron Jayatilake Mawatha. Because of the development of Fort, the church was rebuilt in Kollupitiya 60 years later. Now it stands overshadowed by the glass towers of modern buildings and the Hotel Lanka Oberoi, as development closes in again.

The site where the original church stood was prized by commercial enterprises and the retail business of Whiteaway, Laidlow & Co. managed to buy the property. The building erected in place of the church in Sir Baron Jayatilaka Mawatha houses a branch of Sathosa today. Governor Blake laid the cornerstone of the replacement church in August 1906 and a postcard of that time shows it in an idyllic, almost rural setting.

The tranquility of those days is still to be found within the building itself. It is more than the hallowed atmosphere of a place of religious worship. It reflects the spirit of pioneers, many of whom hailed from Scotland, who contributed their talents and, in some cases, their lives to the development of Ceylon.

A tablet on the church's wall records the death of George Ingram "and 35 Cingalese killed near Ragama 14 January 1865 while engaged in the construction of the Colombo - Kandy Railway." Below the magnificent stained glass windows behind the altar is a plaque in memory of James Bisset of Haputale, who died in 1899 aged 58. Bisset was one of the pioneers of the tea industry, born in the same Scottish village as the industry's founding father, James Taylor.

Donald Ferguson, the co-editor of the Ceylon Observer, who died in Scotland in 1911, is remembered by a tablet erected by the journalists of Colombo who knew him and loved him for his many qualities of heart and mind." From another tablet, we learn that the supervisor of the construction of the church was James Curties "of Colombo and Bedford" who died in 1911 "while on his way home, buried at sea off the coast of Portugal."

The west window was erected as a tribute to the Reverend Alexander Dunn who was admired because of "his initiative and persevering zeal" in getting the church built. He was Chaplain from 1893 to 1912, but it was the Reverend Andrew Baillie who served the church the longest, retiring in 1984 after 28 years.

Actually there are only a few memorial plaques. The stained glass windows in the South Transept are dedicated to "the men of Ceylon who gave their lives for the Empire in the Great War 1914-1918."

They add a dash of colour to the grey and black diamonds of the granite floor. The church's exterior is traditional, dominated by twin towers topped by battlements.

A frivolous touch, in contrast to the practicality of the cast iron drainpipes, is the occasional floret motif they sport.

Thanks to restoration work in 1977, the magnificent ceiling of Burma teak and the rows of sturdy teak pews with just a trace of carved ornamentation in their arms and legs, remain in good condition. In many places, however, the cream colour wash of the thick brick walls is turning green where the roof leaks. "We collect five buckets of water a day from the leaks when it rains," said the present incumbent, Reverend John Yoo.

The upkeep of an old building is very high. Panes of glass are still missing after nearby bomb blasts, and the huge pipe organ installed in 1930 is silent and needs repair. Reverend Yoo knows he could replace the dozens of antique wooden fans with efficient, new ones but that would change the character of the church. A drive to raise four million rupees for urgent repairs to the roof is underway.

With property values soaring, the land around the church is valuable. Some has been sold in the past but the sale of the manse, the residence of the Chaplain, is not considered an option for fund raising. That is fortunate for the manse is distinguished by a rare, tiered wooden staircase. It was crafted with wood from the gallery of the original church.

St. Andrew's Church has a special place in Sri Lanka not just for its ecclesiastical architecture in the Gothic, perpendicular style, but also because it happens to be unique. It is the only overseas congregation of the Church of Scotland east of Suez.

Reverend Yoo's card describes the church as "International and Interdenominational," and it serves what he describes as "the Ecumenical Christian community."

The majority of those who attend services at the church are foreigners working on contract in Sri Lanka. A couple living in Japan flew over to get married because they wanted their wedding in the only Scot's Kirk in Asia. Sri Lankans themselves rarely visit the church, perhaps seeing it as "the expats' church" and somewhat intimidating.

Yet the atmosphere of simplicity, peace and solace that reigns within its strong walls is even more relevant to everyone today than it was in the past.

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