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Editorial The Free Church Defence Association has now gone into abeyance. Its last act was to produce this magazine. For two and a half years we tried to save the old Free Church. Sadly those who opposed us did not care what the cost would be so long as they were free to carry out their agenda. We believe they have seriously undermined the Constitution of the Free Church particularly in the area of Church discipline. It appears that in a desire for numerical success and worldly popularity they are prepared to tolerate sins which the Bible explicitly forbids. Intimidation The majority party tried hard to intimidate us. They not only threatened to take our salaries from us but also to evict us from our homes. They have used The Monthly Record, Moderatorial letters, statements from lawyers and of course their many and influential friends in the media in an attempt to destroy us. Yet we stood firm for truth and justice. Realising that the Commission of Assembly did not have the power to stop our salaries and that they had made a botch of the disciplinary proceedings against us, they decided to suspend us until May with the intention that the General Assembly would complete our ejection and give the discipline at least a semblance of justice. God’s Plan Right from the beginning of this controversy things have never worked
out as we expected. We made our plans but God had His. We have at each
stage discovered that God’s plan is the best. When we see how He takes
us by surprise working out all things for good we are tremendously encouraged.
They spoke to the media of allowing time between now and May for conference
and reconciliation but this was a cover up for their mistakes in procedure.
Their hypocrisy was revealed when the Rev Hugh Ferrier, the most senior
minister present in the Commission, asked for the suspension to be lifted
to allow the reconciliation to take place but there was no will to do
so. It was obvious that their intention was to bribe us with four months’
salary and meanwhile to silence us from preaching the Gospel and doing
the work to which God has called us. By May they would have taken over
our churches and so would be free to throw us out. A Great Moment I will never forget stepping out of the Assembly Hall at nine o’ clock that Thursday night and hearing the huge crowd of the Lord’s people who had gathered, breaking spontaneously into singing: “God is our refuge and our strength”. As so often happens on these occasions it was women who took the initiative. Two of them called to Ian Mackay of Inverness to begin singing Psalm 46. Few, if any, in the procession of ousted ministers could sing. The tears flowed down our cheeks. Not since I went forward to the Lord’s table did I feel so moved. Windows in the houses round about opened, the traffic stopped, people watched in wonder as the waves of Spirit-filled praise rose up to heaven. The whole crowd then marched in order to the historic Magdalen Chapel where 440 years ago the Reformation began. It was the place where the bodies of the Covenanting martyrs of the Seventeenth Century were dressed for burial. Packed full, the atmosphere electric, joy filled every heart as we elected the Rev John Angus Gillies, who was the most senior Commissioner, to take the Chair and continue the session. Here the Deed of Reconstitution was signed before many witnesses by the ministers and elders present. The initial singing of Psalm 43 to the tune Martyrs stirred us to the depths of our souls and the final praise from Psalm 122 to the tune Free Church, not only lifted the rafters but sent us home remembering our true identity as the real Free Church of Scotland.
The First Lord’s Day We tried to regard it just like any other Lord’s Day. Yet there was a tension. Would there be trouble? For most of us it was a blessed day of Gospel liberty. Alas in a couple of places ungodly hooligans appeared disturbing and desecrating the Sabbath Day, prepared to smash church doors, threatening old elders with violence, while so called Free Church ministers looked on approvingly at such criminal and unchristian behaviour. It just shows the true spirit of some in the residual body. These are the men who claim to be preaching the “good news” and the gospel of love and peace. The Way Ahead The Presbyteries and Commission are continuing the work. We put the past behind us and move on. Delivered from those who see no importance in maintaining high Christian standards in the ministry and membership, who wish to modernise and jazz up our worship, and who wish to water down our theology, we look forward to fulfilling the mandate Christ has given us. It is now “full steam ahead” preaching the gospel, calling sinners to repentance and commending Christ to them, feeding the flock of God and building them up in their most holy faith. We have work to do, evangelising, witnessing, teaching and worshipping. We have a great heritage. We are the Free Church. God has called us and Scotland needs us.
Personal Religion We must guard against a proud or self-righteous spirit. God has humbled the Free Church. Beware lest, having separated from the residual body, we should incur God’s wrath by judging others in a way that we are not judging ourselves. God hates Pharisaism, hypocrisy and arrogance. While believing firmly in the rightness of what we have done, let us not forget our own sins and failings. If we walk humbly with our God we can look for His blessing. Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation.
Small yet...? Although we are not a large denomination, God is able to bless us. One minister described what has happened as a mere sneeze in the Free Church’s history. Principal Macleod commented that no one with talent or ability has associated with us. That may be true but God can use the nothings of this world to bring to nothing those who think of themselves as immensely talented. Often God uses the “offscouring of all things” in the salvation of sinners and in the advancing of His kingdom on earth. In the eyes of the world we are despised. A media spokesman for the majority party claimed that only 5% of Free Church members associate with us. They love to belittle us. Time will tell whether the contempt with which they regard us is justifiable. However, we can be sure that it is not great numbers or great gifts that God promises to bless. It is “Not by might, nor by power but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts” (Zech.4:6).
Can you survive? This is a question that the media keep asking. I have no doubt that we can survive. With only about thirty ministers including retired men it will be a struggle to care for all those who are looking to us to pastor them. We are thankful for gifted lay preachers who associate with us and also for some young men who are indicating a desire to study for the ministry with us. The givings of our people already show that they will enthusiastically support the work. Exciting possibilities for evangelism at home and missions overseas open up before us. Speaking with one voice in our presentation of the Reformed Faith and in our testimony to truth and righteousness, we have a role from God in a confused world. We have been greatly encouraged by messages of support from many churches and individual Christians all over the world. We look forward to developing closer contacts with all others who share our love for the doctrines of grace.
Will you go to Law? Many are asking this question. I, myself, am one of those who was particularly keen to avoid involving lawyers and the courts. But after seeing letters from Edinburgh threatening to sue our treasurers and local trustees and after hearing of the criminal behaviour at some of our churches, it appears that we may have no alternative but to seek the protection of the civil magistrate. Further, it is not pleasant to be accused of squatting in someone else’s property, and to have to endure their spiteful threats, so even as regards our claim to retain our properties and to obtain the title deeds to them, we may well have to raise an action in the courts against the residual body. We believe that God has appointed the civil magistrate giving him the sword to maintain law and order. Also we have the example of our forefathers of 1900 who appealed to the House of Lords against the oppression of the majority party. Of course we could just walk away from our churches and manses for the sake of peace. But to do this would be to fail the trust placed in us by our fathers who gave sacrificially to build these churches and manses for the maintenance of the true Free Church gospel heritage.
The Future In our Declaration of Reconstitution we have made plain that we view with sorrow our enforced parting from brethren with whom we have had fellowship in the Lord, and if the residual body is prepared to return to the Constitution and standards of the historic Free Church and to practise and adhere faithfully to them, we will gladly seek reconciliation with them. Meanwhile we will continue to use the name Free Church of Scotland and to stand for the great truths and practices for which our Church has been famous in the past. We are conscious of our weakness and limitations but at the same time excited at the challenge that God has given us. Our hope is not in ourselves but in God who is “our refuge and our strength” (Ps.46:1). “The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice” (Ps.97:1). If this work is of God, and we believe that it is, it cannot but prosper. Lord send revival!
Any
comments or questions please E-Mail
me or Rev William Macleod
the Editor. |