Career
He served as Moderator of the General Assembly from 1966 to 1967. From 1931 to 1935, he was minister of Street John"s Church, Bathgate, West Lothian. He then translated to West High Church, Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, where he was a minister from 1935 to 1944.The latter part of this ministry coincided with World World War World War II In 1940, he was serving as a chaplain in France when the British Expeditionary Force was evacuated from Dunkirk.
He left the country via Saint-Nazaire and narrowly avoided travelling on the doomed Rated Maximum Sinusoidal Lancastria.
From 1944 to 1956, he was minister of Cramond Church, Edinburgh. He maintained a link with his war work as Convener of the Committee on Huts and Canteens for Her Majesty Forces from 1946 to 1958.
He then translated to Street Cuthbert"s Church, Edinburgh, a much larger church. During this period of ministry he continued to be involved in management of the Kirk: he was Convener of the Committee on Temperance and Morals from 1958 to 1963, Convener of the Social and Moral Welfare Board 1963 to 1964, and Convener of the Stewardship and Budget Committee from 1964 to 1969.
He rose to be head of the Kirk as Moderator of the General Assembly from 1966 to 1967.
After his term as Moderator, he was appointed Chaplain to the Queen in Scotland and continued as minister of Street Cuthbert"s Church, Edinburgh. He retired from full-time ministry in 1975 and was appointed Extra Chaplain to the Queen. He was made Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1975 New Year Honours.
Small was captain of the football team while studying at Edinburgh University and joined Scottish Second Division side Saint Bernard"s after he graduated.
He was capped at amateur level by Scotland in 1929.