Desperately Wicked
During the debate which took place in the case concerning the Rev Maurice Roberts many were moved by a speech delivered by one of our missionaries, the Rev David Fraser of South Africa. In speaking as the seconder of the motion by the Rev John Harding to dismiss the case he pointed us to our own hearts and lives and to the need we all have of a godly sorrow for our sins. He spoke along the following lines.
Mr Moderator, it is with much fear that I come up to speak today. This is the Church into which I was born, and the Church of my fathers, and I think we have reached a very, very solemn cross-roads in our Church....What I want to say is that we are dealing here with what seems like a technical issue, an issue that has arisen in the Assembly, but I think when we look at the content of what was said by Mr Roberts, we are looking at something, some tremendously massive issue which concerns our heart of hearts. And when I look at my own ministry, I look at it with shame, and when I think of that Scripture which says, "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked", I see my own heart. Now, I don't see so much difference between that truth, which I accept, and what was said in this court by Mr Roberts. I think I would be rejoicing today if, after Mr Roberts' statement, we had all got down on our knees and confessed that our barrenness and weakness in the Church is because of the sinfulness of our own hearts, and the lack of power in our ministry is because of our own sad, spiritually wretched condition before God. I was rebuked by Mr Roberts, and I hoped that everybody here was overwhelmed with a sense of guilt and sin. If only the Holy Spirit had come down upon us at that stage, we would be rejoicing today, because we had been able to confess how true in large measure it really is that we are wretched sinners. These words are imperfect; I'm not saying that I would agree with him technically. But when I look at my own ministry over about thirty years, when I look at my own life (I believe I came to the Lord when I was six years old), I'm utterly ashamed of what I am before Christ my Lord. In a way I can thank Mr Roberts for giving me this opportunity to confront, and the Assembly to hear. Perhaps it was a word from the Lord. In any case I think that what Mr Harding said is so important; that we might all stand condemned at a later stage if we do anything rashly.
I appeal to the young men of this Church, who have not been in the ministry as long as I have, to be very, very guarded in interfering with what Murray M'Cheyne said: "A holy ministry is a mighty weapon in the hand of a holy God". I believe Mr Roberts has a ministry like that; I don't know of any man of such prayer in the Church today, and now we dare to interfere with what I believe is an anointed ministry in Christ. Are we going to reject this minister because he has made a statement that is contumacious? Are we going to make ourselves accountable among men for such a thing? Do you regard your own ministry in such a light that you can afford to see this kind of ministry, not only in Inverness, but it's a worldwide ministry, it's acknowledged, and God is to be thanked throughout the earth for the ministry of Mr Roberts: and now we here in the Free Church think we can cancel it just by a simple act of Assembly. How are we going to stand, my friends, before the world, and before the Judge of all the earth? And so I have to support the motion of Mr Harding, because I feel so guilty myself as a minister, and I feel so rebuked that such a thing should have to be said by a man in conscience before the Assembly. Brothers, be very, very careful what you do to a holy ministry.
Any comments or questions please E-Mail me or Rev William Macleod the editor.
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