The Council Secretary prior to Ewan Aitken was the Rev Dr David Sinclair, who left in May 2008 to become minister at Wellington Church, Glasgow.
Under the leadership of the Rev John White in 1923, the Committee published a highly-controversial (and since-repudiated) report entitled "The Menace of the Irish Race to our Scottish Nationality."
The report accused Roman Catholics of Irish birth or descent of being part of a conspiracy to subvert Presbyterian values and of being the principal cause of drunkenness, crime and financial imprudence.
In 2002, however, the General Assembly passed a resolution that "regrets any part played in sectarianism by our church in the past and affirm our support for future moves towards a more tolerant society".
The Assembly also received a report from the Church and Nation Committee entitled "The Demon in our Society: Sectarianism in Scotland."