Rev. Daniel Lamont

During its early years as the National Vigilance Association (Eastern Division) the organisation had a strong association with religion.  For example, the Ladies Committee Minute Book records that each of their meetings was opened in prayer (ACC 11191/2).  Having said this, while many involved with the NVA were religious, it does not seem that this was a requirement to work or volunteer at the NVA, and the organisation never described itself as a faith-based agency.   

Nevertheless, numerous individuals on the Committee, including Daniel Lamont who served as the Vice-President, held official positions in organised religion.  Interestingly, these individuals came from a wide range of faith groups, including the Church of Scotland, United Free Church, Free Church of Scotland, Scottish Episcopal Church and the Edinburgh Hebrew Community.  It seems that their similarities in working together to address vice and promote the moral protection of women and children outweighed differences in faith doctrines.   

Rev. Daniel Lamont (1870 – 1950) was the Vice-President of the NVA until 1950.  Originally from Port Bannatyne in Bute, he studied in Glasgow and attended Glasgow University.  He gained a First-Class Honours degree in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy and went on to work at the University for several years.  He then trained as a minister and served in a number of parishes in Scotland before being appointed as the Chair of Apologetics, Christian Ethics and Practical Training at New College, Edinburgh in 1927.  In 1936/7 he became the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland (Anon. 1935).  He was one of the Vice-Presidents of the NVA and then Guild of Service. 

References:

Anon., (1935) ‘The New Moderator’, Edinburgh Evening News, 19th October, page12.