Free Church Defence Association Needed
The first public meeting of the Western Isles Free Church Defence Association, held in Stornoway on 20th June, was very encouraging. Despite the negative motion of the Lewis Presbytery, and some predictable opposition from the press, 220 people from all over the Island attended, including a large number of elders and Christian leaders. Many spoke of their sense of the Lord's presence at the meeting. Subsequently, 300 tapes of the meeting and 1000 copies of the local Defence Association News-sheet, The Defender, were requested and distributed. Obviously, many felt the decline in the Free Church had gone too far, and it was now time to stand up and fight for their heritage. Since then, almost 4000 copies of the first issue of Free Church Foundations, the national FCDA magazine, have been distributed. We have received much encouragement, but also a few criticisms, some of which we will now consider to see if they are valid.
Unpresbyterian
Some claim the FCDA undermines presbyterianism, because it operates outside presbytery. However, nobody loved presbyterianism more than James Begg, Andrew Bonar, Hugh Martin, John Kennedy, etc., who set up the first FCDA last century. Also, if the FCDA had not been revived at the end of last century would there be a Free Church today? The FCDA seeks to strengthen presbyterianism by teaching our people what we believe and why, and by warning against words and actions that are unpresbyterian and unscriptural. The FCDA should therefore be encouraged, not condemned. To forbid freedom of speech, and to stifle all writing about the challenges and dangers that face our Church today, is more reminiscent of the secrecy and despotism of the papacy than of presbyterianism.
Disobedience
Some accuse us of having defied the Lewis Presbytery which appealed to the Western Isles Defence Association to disband. The Lewis Presbytery may have some jurisdiction over the Western Isles Branch, but it has none over the National Association. Also, this was an appeal to disband rather than an order, and the strength of the appeal is qualified by the fact that it was decided on a majority of one vote. We assure the Lewis Presbytery that the FCDA seeks to maintain, defend and strengthen the Church and therefore cannot be compared with the now disbanded group 'Free Concern' which sought to change the Church.
Divisive
Some say we are dividing the Free Church. However, the Church is already sadly divided. We long to truly unite the Free Church again. "Peace at any price" papers over the cracks but will not lead to lasting harmony. Some are tempted to bury their heads in the sand and hope that the problems will go away. All it takes for evil to prosper is for good men to do nothing. The way to unite our Church is by encouraging consistency with our Scriptural and Confessional standards.
Ultra-orthodox Strait-jacket
Some have said that we are ultra-orthodox traditionalists who wish to strait-jacket the Church and change it into a much more conservative denomination. This is not true. Most of us are mainstream Free Church people. We recognise that Scotland today is very different from the Scotland of 150 years ago and we are deeply concerned about the drift away from the Church. We must adapt to face the challenges of a new Millennium. We are required to be a reforming Church, constantly re-examining our beliefs, practices and traditions in the light of Scripture. Certain things, however, do not change. God has not changed; neither essentially has man. The Bible is still infallible and our only sure guide. God's moral law remains binding on us. The gospel is still the same. Man, by nature, is "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph.2:1), and needs the work of the Holy Spirit to be saved (Jn.3:5). The only way of salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ. A judgment day is before all of us. These essential truths must be conserved.
An Important Role
Friends say that we must leave God to look after His own cause. But that would be fatalism. God will build His Church and defend it, but we must "war a good warfare; holding faith, and a good conscience" (1Tim.1:18-19). In a day of declining standards and increasing liberalism in the churches the FCDA has an important role. It must educate our people to appreciate what is truly precious in our Christian heritage, and act as a watchman on the walls of Zion to blow the trumpet against sin and false doctrine.
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