Free
Issue No6

October 1998


The Free Church Defence Association believe that the times call for a strong re-affirmation of the principles of the Disruption Free Church as these were carried forward by the Constitutionalists in the years prior to 1900, at a time of similar difficulty and trial for the Church.

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...and the bush was not consumed "Our Father in Heaven, give us the long view of our work and our world. Help us to see that it is better to fail in a cause that will ultimately succeed than to succeed in a cause that will ultimately fail....Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."



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Where Now?



Over the summer we have enjoyed an uneasy peace. Thankfully the press have found little to interest them. Yet we are aware of the huge problems that remain to be sorted out. The FCDA has exercised restraint in the hope that the machinery set in motion by last Assembly will succeed in bringing our Church back to unity on the Scriptures. We have held no public meetings and have tried to be non-confrontational in our magazine and public utterances. We note that others have paid less respect to the Assembly’s call for restraint.

What is happening?
The Peace Commission is composed of the 11 Presbytery clerks and the two Assembly clerks, with the 1998 Assembly Moderator as chairman. Those who have grievances or who feel that certain things in the Church must be sorted out have been free to write to this Commission. Several meetings have been held. A report will be given to the Commission of Assembly (7th October) on whether it is thought a “Plenary” Assembly would be helpful, and if so what its agenda should be. If the Presbyteries support the idea, it is up to the Commission of Assembly to decide whether such an Assembly should be held. There is something to be said for every Assembly being a plenary one. This would reduce the ability of a bureaucracy to rule the Church.

‘What are you looking for?’
The question is often asked, What would be required for the FCDA voluntarily to disband? The following are the main points on which we need to feel reassured.
  1. There are several ministers, elders and members who have been publicly accused of lying or perverting the course of justice. The Church has a responsibility either to discipline these individuals or to state clearly that it has no evidence against them. If anyone has such evidence they should come forward and present it to the relevant Court of the Church. The Church has a duty to protect its own good name and that of its members.
  2. The Church should reaffirm its commitment to the Westminster Confession of Faith as its Subordinate Standard. It should make plain its rejection of liberalism, Arminianism and neo-orthodoxy.
  3. The Church has reaffirmed its commitment to purity of worship. But this must be backed up by sanctions so that those who have vowed “to assert, maintain and defend” our Church’s worship cease to undermine it. If they are no longer committed to it they should not be permitted to continue in office in our Church.
  4. The Church should reaffirm its commitment to Biblical church discipline. Discipline must take place by means of libel and not as simple administrative decisions taken by majority vote of the General Assembly.
  5. Delay the link up with Edinburgh University till more assurances can be obtained that it will not adversely affect the orthodoxy of our College in the longer term.
  6. Make a greater effort to ensure that our Church is not run by “Edinburgh” but that our whole Church is fairly represented on its committees, boards and trustees.

    [Why do so many Fall Away?][Church Discipline][The Beginning of Work]
    [The Alpha Course][The Danger of Compromise in Preaching][Real Joy][Hungry Christians]
    [United we Stand, Divided we Fall][Evangelism - The Message]

    Any comments or questions please E-Mail me or Rev William Macleod the Editor.