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In April 1793 at the Burgher Synod, a petition was presented, signed by 95 members of the Stow congregation, requesting that supply of sermon be provided within the town of Lauder. The request was granted and service commenced, initially within a barn until the following year when a church was opened to house the congregation. The first minister of Lauder Antiburgher Church, George Henderson, was ordained on the 9th November 1796, however in 1824 Mr Henderson retired on the grounds of ill health. It was additionally during this year that the first congregation of Lauder fell vacant, and as a consequence of the two charges simultaneous requiring a replacement minister, it was agreed that if equal terms could be drawn up that the two charges should be united. After some negotiating the congregations were formally joined on the 1st March 1825 to form the session of Lauder Associate Congregation. A new church was later erected in 1841 and in 1900, upon the union of the Free Church and the United Presbyterians, Lauder United Presbyterian became Lauder West United Free Church. In 1908 a union was established between Lauder East United Free and Lauder West United Free, under the name of Lauder United Free, and following this local union the former United Presbyterian church continued in use as the place of worship. The congregation of Lauder United Presbyterian and United Free sat within the Presbytery of Melrose and later of Galashiels. |