St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh

Memorial Service

Dr Norman MacFarlane Irons CBE, DL

4th January 1941 – 26th November 2023

Thursday 22nd February 2024 at 11am

Entrance Music

Edward Elgar Nimrod

Pipe Major Hugh Scott The Rowan Tree

Welcome Rev Dr George Whyte OBE, KSG

Hymn

The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want.

He makes me down to lie

in pastures green: he leadeth me

the quiet waters by.

My soul he doth restore again,

and me to walk doth make

within the paths of righteousness,

e’en for his own name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk in death’s dark vale,

yet will I fear none ill,

for thou art with me; and thy rod

and staff me comfort still.

My table thou hast furnishèd

in presence of my foes;

my head thou dost with oil anoint,

and my cup overflows.

Goodness and mercy all my life

shall surely follow me;

and in God’s house forever more

my dwelling-place shall be.

Psalm 23 (Crimond)

Prayer

Tribute

John Swinney MSP

Hymn

God is our refuge and our strength,

in straits a present aid;

therefore, although the earth remove

we will not be afraid.

Though hills amidst the seas be cast,

though waters roaring make

and troubled be; yea, though the hills

by swelling seas do shake.

A river is, whose streams make glad

the city of our God;

the holy place, wherein the Lord

most high hath his abode;

God in the midst of her doth dwell;

nothing shall her remove;

the Lord to her an helper will,

and that right early prove.

Psalm 46 (Stroudwater)

Reading Psalm 56: 10-13

In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise,

in God I trust without a fear. What can man do to me?

My vows to thee I must perform, O God; I will render thank

offerings to thee.

For thou has delivered my soul from death, yea my feet from

falling,

that I may walk before God in the light of his life.

Tribute

Elizabeth Irons

Anthem

My soul, there is a country

My soul, there is a country Far beyond the stars, Where stands a winged sentry All skilful in the wars: There, above noise and danger Sweet Peace sits crowned with smiles And One, born in a manger Commands the beauteous files. He is thy gracious friend And, O my soul, awake! Did in pure love descend To die here for thy sake. If thou canst get but thither, There grows the flow'r of Peace,

The Rose that cannot wither, Thy fortress and thy ease.

Leave then thy foolish ranges, For none can thee secure But One who never changes, Thy God, thy life, thy cure.

Text: Henry Vaughan 1621-1695

Music: Charles Hubert H Parry 1848-1918

Reading Romans 8: 31, 35, 37-39

What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us?

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation,

or distress, or persecution, or famine or nakedness, or peril or

sword?

No, in all these things we are more conquerors through him who

loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor

principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,

nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be

able to separate us from the love of God Christ Jesus our Lord.

Reading

George Borthwick

Farewell my Friends

It was beautiful as long as it lasted

The journey of my life.

I have no regrets whatsoever

Save the pain I’ll leave behind.

Those dear hearts who love and care …

And the strings pulling at their heart and soul …

The strong arms that held me up

When my own strength let me down.

At every turning of my life

I came across good friends,

Friends who stood by me,

Even when the time raced me by.

Farewell, farewell my friends

I smile and bid you goodbye.

No, shed no tears for I need them not

All I need is your smile.

If you feel sad do think of me

For that’s what I’ll like

When you live in the hearts of those you love,

Remember then you never die.

Rabindranath Tagore 1861-1941

Tribute

Kenneth Irons

Prayers of Thanksgiving

Hymn

Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,

whose trust, ever childlike, no cares could destroy,

be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,

your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.

Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,

whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe,

be there at our labours and give us, we pray,

your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.

Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,

your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace,

be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,

Your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.

Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,

whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm,

be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,

Your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.

The Benediction

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Piper’s Lament

Flowers of the Forest Pipe Major Hugh Scott

Exit Music

Charles-Marie Widor Toccata (Symphony No. 5)