Sermons, 1961-1983, of Very Rev. Dr John R. Gray, minister of Dunblane Cathedral. The sermons and preparatory notes were created by Gray during his ministry at St Stephen`s Blythswood Parish Church, Glasgow, and later at Dunblane Cathedral.

John Rodger Gray (1913-1984) was born and educated in Coatbridge. He was a pupil of the High School, Glasgow, before attending Glasgow University, from which he graduated with an honours degree in economics in 1934. After a three-year divinity course, Gray was licenced by the Presbytery of Hamilton. He then went on to scholarships at Yale and Princeton, graduating Master of Theology.

Gray was commissioned as a naval chaplain in 1941, and served at home and overseas before taking up the ministry of St Stephen’s Buccleuch, Glasgow, which was to become a united charge with St Matthew’s Blythswood in 1960. Gray’s tenure lasted 20 years until 1966, when he was called to Dunblane Cathedral. He announced his retirement from the ministry due to terminal illness in April 1984, and died later that year.

Gray was the chaplain for many schools and organisations, some of which are represented in the papers, and wrote widely on religious matters. He was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1977-1978. His papers consist almost exclusively of sermons and associated notes, though a small amount of correspondence and other material is included.

The sermons cover his last few years at St Stephen’s Blythswood, and most of his ministry at Dunblane Cathedral, though a few years are missing, namely 1962, 1969-1972, and January-June 1982.