|
 Mostly
because it's an exciting, colorful worship experience.
But also because it's part of our heritage as Presbyterians.
For almost 200 years, the history of Scotland was the history
of the Scottish-born Presbyterian Church. The Kirk taught
that individuals should be able to read the Bible for themselves
so it led the campaign to teach the everyone to read. By
1720 Scotland had the highest literacy rate in Western
Europe and was the home of three major universities. Many
of the most influential economists (Adam Smith, for example),
political philosophers, and literary figures of the eighteenth
and nineteenth centuries (such as Sir Walter Scott, James
Boswell) were native-born Scots---despite the fact that
when you studied their works you were told that they were
British.
The effect of the huge migrations of Scots under British
rule, driven by poverty and displaced by the Highland Clearances,
to North America was strongly felt in the shaping of our
government and our early history.
This is only one small example of the numerous political,
educational, scientific, and social changes that took place
in the rest of the world that were partly (or entirely)
caused by the Presbyterian Church's influence on Scottish
history and culture.
Take a look at the impact that Scots have had on modern
life.
This is a great opportunity for all of us, Scots and non-Scots
alike, to celebrate the accomplishments of native-born
Scots and Scottish-heritage Americans. |
