In preparing a talk for the Ellon Historical Society on a former Rector of Saint James’s, Dr John Pratt, I discovered that he had been a pioneer – and ahead of his time – in ecumenical thinking.

Among the many books that he wrote was one called – Letters on the Scandinavian Churches: their doctrine, worship and polity, which was published in 1863.

It sparked a resolution in the Diocesan Synod of the time to see whether there could be inter-communion with the Lutheran Churches across the North Sea. It didn’t happen – not then but it came about 135 years later with the signing of the Poovoo Agreement between the Episcopalian Churches and the Scandinavian Churches. The Scottish Episcopal Church signed the agreement on December 9th 1994.

Among his other books were The Old Paths, which was used as teaching resource across the world; the story of Jamie Fleeman, the laird of Udny’s fool and a Jacobite courier; and Buchan, the definitive work about the north-east of Scotland.

Dr Pratt was Rector of Saint James’s for 44 years and a newspaper obituary a few days after his death in March 1869 said of him –

All who knew the man will learn with unfeigned regret the announcement of the death of one so long endeared to the district. Few men have been more universally respected and more justly regretted by those who knew him.