Holmes Rolston, III, an American, was a Ph.D. candidate at New College, University of Edinburgh, from October 1956 through December 1958, when he was awarded the Ph.D. degree.  His advisors were Thomas F. Torrance and John McIntyre; his thesis was later published as John Calvin versus the Westminster Confession (1972).  He and his wife, Jane, lived at 17 Abercromby Place, a basement flat in the then Dutch consulate, where she worked.

Jane wrote letters home to her mother and father almost daily, the six-pence air letters of that period, where one wrote on both sides of a single lightweight sheet, which folded to become an envelope. Those letters are reproduced on DVD disk in digital (.jpg) scan, each letter with a side A and side B, over 275 letters, in numbered sequence, sometimes with brief descriptors. There are also some photos and diary materials.  She recounts their impressions of life in Edinburgh, life at New College, Scottish and American friends, and her husband’s interactions with Tom Torrance, John McIntyre, James Stewart, John Baillie, and other faculty.  Holmes was a regular pulpit supply in diverse Scottish churches.  In March 1957, they took a trip to the Holy Land, Jordan and Israel.  Summer 1957, they toured England and Scotland, Summer 1958, they toured Europe.  There is an introductory summary and overview of the letters, below

Rolston gave the Gifford Lectures at Edinburgh in 1997-1998, published as Genes, Genesis and God (Cambridge University Press,1999). He was Templeton Prize Laureate in 2003.  This is the only case of a mentor (Torrance) and his student (Rolston) both winning this prize.   Rolston became University Distinguished Professor and Professor of Philosophy at Colorado State University. 

Copies of the letters, on disk, have been placed at New College Library, University of Edinburgh.  There are also disk copies of the contents of the separate letters (in .jpg format) in both DVD format and on a flash drive in Colorado State University paper archives.  There are similarly disk copies in both DVD format and on a flash drive in the Rolston library in the Eddy Library, first floor of  Eddy Hall at CSU.

Jane and Holmes Rolston - Letters from Edinburgh 1956-1958

Contents of Letters

Fall 1956:

Inaugural address as principal, J. H. S. Burleigh (Letter 6)

Jamie Stewart missing class to go to Balmoral to preach to the queen (Letter 7) 

New College welcome party (Letter 15)

Tom Torrance returns to class from Denmark (Letter 16)

85 graduate students 65 American, Holmes' classes (Letter 18)

Holmes meets Torrance, his advisor (Letter 21)

Divinity Dames first meeting (Letter 23)

James Stewart's home, “Jamie” Stewart, after Americans hear what his wife calls him;        Suez crisis protest (Letter 29)

Penicuik church women, talk on American church women (Letter 32)

Glasgow-Debate on bishops in Scottish church (Letter 34)

Holmes’ thesis topic approved, 7 out of 40 (Letter 36)  

Last Tram, mob (Letter 40)

Gas rationing cards (Letter 43)

Holmes mad reading Calvin, meets Torrance (Letter 59)

Gala New College lunch after exams, though bad food (Letter 60)

Holmes mountain climbing, the Cobbler (Letter 64)

Stone of Remembrance (Jane's diary, Nov. 11)

Spring 1957:

Presbytery of Edinburgh reception (Letter 74)

Holmes hates clerical collar (Letter 76)

Jamie Stewart baptizes Walker baby, an American child born there (Letter 80)

Scots-Welsh rugby game, rambunctious fans (Letters 80 and following)

Penicuik high tea (Letter 85)

New College choir (Letter 86)

Scottish Sunday School, poorly done (Letter 87)

Many Americans deciding to terminate their studies (Letter 90)

Holmes preaching at Arbroath, better and worse treatment (Letters 75, 92, 107, 109,           172)

Exam week (Letter 101)

Holmes opposes socialism in British government (Letter 105)

Trip to Ayr, Burn's cottage (Letter 111)

Holmes hiking up Ben Lomond (Letter 113)

Holmes preaches Kircaldy, Botanical Gardens (Letter 116)

Holmes preaches Carnoustie (Letter 120)

Holmes records conference with Tom Torrance, otherwise too complicated to  understand  (Letter 125)

Holmes, preaching, has meal with Duke and Duchess of Hamilton (Letter 127)

Tom Torrance lectures in unheated, cold hall (Letter 130)

Holmes preaches Langholm, wee town (Letter 134)

Holmes preaches Oban (Letter 136)

Floral clock - 100 years (Letter 141)

Bought car (Letter 142, Jane’s Diary May 31, 1957)

Torrance says Holmes is doing o.k. on thesis (Letter 144)

Holmes preaching in Mallaig, Loch, Nevis, Inverie (Letter 156)

Summer 1957

Ten day trip through England (Letters 159-164; Jane's diary June 28-July 14)

Saw Churchill at Oxford close up, after funeral (Letter 162, Jane's Diary, July 8, 1957)

Holmes preaches in Dunfermline, inconvenienced by bus strike (Letter 166)

Holmes preaches in  Lochgelly (Letter 169)

Holmes preaches in Arbroath-problems (Letter 172)

Holmes preaches in Edinburgh (Letter 173)

Visit to Lord and Lady Tweedale estate (Letter 174)

Highland Games (Letter 176)

Holmes preaches Dunfermline (Letter 177)

Edinburgh festival, bagpipers (Letter 178)

Fall 1957

Holmes preaches in Hawick (Letter 181)

Drive up Devil's Elbow (Letter 182)

John O=Groats (Letter 183)

Visit to Pathhead, little village, conservation area (Letter 185)

Holmes preaches in Kelso (Letter 186)

New College becomes more strict, turns down more applicants (Letter 187)

Holmes preaches in Innerwick. a wee church by the sea; U.S. racial strife in Little

        Rock, Arkansas (Letters 189-190)

Helping Mrs. Jamie Stewart make sandwiches; Communion with dignity St.  Georges  West (Letter 191)

Flu epidemic (Letters 193, 195)

Crammond and visit to kilt manufacturer (Letter 196)

New College faculty wives give a tea (Letter 197)

Tom Torrance's timid wife (Letter 198)

Helping Mrs. Stewart; Holmes preaching Berwick-on-Tweed (Letter 199)

New College Reception for overseas students (Letter 200)

Visit to Murdo Macdonald=s home, pastor St.  Georges West; Divinity Dames Thanksgiving service (Letter 202)

Holmes turns in 250 pages draft to Tom Torrance, been working past midnight (Letter 203, 205)

Murdo Macdonald to speak at New College Thanksgiving service Holmes and Jane have arranged  (Letter 205)

Holmes to preach at Oban (Letter 206, 212, 213)

Heavy, choking fog in Edinburgh (Letter 208)

Holmes preaches at Campbeltown (Letter 209)

Visit to St. Andrews (Letter 212)

Swiss, Hungarian students (Letter 220)

Spring 1958

Holmes preaches at Reston: Divinity Dames, snow (Letter 221)

Torrance hasn't found time to read Holmes draft, despite his intentions (Letter 222)

Blizzard, worst in ten years (Letter 224)

Holmes preaches at Dunfermline, with troubles (Letter 227)

Three Calder girls (teenagers) from Kircaldy Church, daughters of a coal miner (with  whom the Rolstons later maintained a lifetime friendship; they came to London when he was Templeton laureate)  (Letters 228, 229)

Bible study among graduate student's wives (Letter 229)

Telegram, Holmes' grandmother dies (Letter 230)

Campaign to get all Scots x-rayed (Letter 232)

Holmes gets positive report from Tom Torrance, after waiting three months; student's night at “Jamie” Stewart's home (Letter 233)

Holmes preaches at Coldstream, Scottish borders, and troubles; beautiful snow in Edinburgh  (Letters  235, 236)

Holmes looking to find a typist for thesis, finds them expensive (Letter 237)

Holmes preaches at Berwick-on-Tweed (Letter 238)

Scottish ministers' salaries (Letter 239)

Roslyn Chapel, England-Scotland rugby (Letter 240)

Holmes impressed with John Baillie, teaching class on concept of progress, photo

Holmes preaches at Kirkaldy (Letters 245, 246)

Holmes correcting typist's errors on his thesis (Letter 246)

New College closed a month for spring holidays (Letter 247)

Bill Shaw, New College student, preaches at St.  Georges West, typist's husband in R.A.F. killed in WW II (Letter 248)

Trip to Loch Lomond and Trossachs on a drab day (Letter 250)

Holmes climbs Ben Nevis with Dick Baker, another graduate student (Letter 251)

Holmes preaches in Wooler, England, with Jane, staying in farm there (Letter 255)

Holmes and Jane sick from cholera shots, required for Palestine trip (Letter 256)

Torrance reading Holmes thesis; Holmes helping David Chan, Chinese student.  New  College closed for General Assembly, Church of Scotland (Letter 257)

Holmes set back on thesis, has to revise it, mostly McIntyre wants revisions (Letter 259)

Driving through villages “Wide Open” and Pity Me,” amusing names, enroute to London and Palestine  (Letter 259)

Trip to Palestine, Jordan-Israel, May, June, still in high tension after 1956 war (Letters  260-263)

Jamie Stewart baptizes Goodpasture-baby.  Jane’s diary - July-20-21-57

Summer 1958

Trip to Skye, staying at Youth hostel Fort William, steamer to Skye (Letters 266-267)

Driving trip to Europe, camping,  six weeks, June-July (Letters 270-275)

Selling camping gear (Letter 278) 

Fall 1958

Holmes tired of re-writing his thesis, preaches in Greenock (Letter 279, 280)

Holmes staying with Bob and Nancy Miller, until he finishes his thesis (Letter 281)

Holmes preaches in Arbroath (Letter 282)

Selling the car (Letter 283)

Tattoo, Jane sails to U.S (Letter 284, last letter)

Thesis accepted and graduation, December 1958, see separate folder containing advisors' and external examiner's reports, photos, telegrams.