NOTE: This account of the Deer Presbytery’s rejection of Episcopacy is taken from the Fraserburgh Herald of 27th October 1967; sent to us by Mr H. Barclay, Session Clerk of Fraserburgh Old Parish Church. Mr Barclay’s minister, Rev. A. A. S. Mitchell, B.D., is to be commended for his clear and outspoken stand against Episcopacy and the influences in the Church of Scotland against Reformation principles. Rev. A. A. Mitchell had a charge near Wick, Caithness, 22 years ago — Editor.
No truck with the Scottish Episcopalians — that is the message of Deer Presbytery in reply to the feeler sent down with the General Assembly’s reports on Anglican Presbyterian unity, made at a special meeting in Peterhead on 23rd October 1967. Presbytery’s Business Committee, through its convener, the Rev. A. J. Grubb, Deer, reported favourably with recommendations but — he failed to find a seconder.
The attitude of the Business Committee was that the Joint Panels had done their work well and their report conveyed the impression of a sincere effort to understand each other: and, apart from the stumbling block of Historic Episcopate, there had been a useful discovery of many things held in common and agreed upon.
The Committee felt that these conversations were essential to Christian man, both for better understanding of each other’s Church and inheritance, and because of the need to unite their resources in every possible way to meet the tasks of the Church today.
Mr Grubb’s motion was that “Presbytery records its satisfaction with the progress made in mutual understanding and the wide area of agreement which has been reached.”
Mr Mitchell, Fraserburgh Old, congratulated the convener on the accuracy of his resume, but expressed surprise at the acquiescence of the committee. He said that almost every paragraph in the document had aroused reaction.
There was nothing new in the report, said Mr Mitchell, and, since the attitude of Anglicans and Episcopalians remained unchanged, he moved that the talks with the Scottish Episcopalians should be stopped for the following four reasons:
ONE: unwillingness of the Episcopalians to recognise the validity of the Presbyterian Ministry or membership.
TWO: their unwillingness to have inter-communion. At this point Mr Mitchell said: “Even supposing they did agree to this, there would still be insuperable obstacles to union.
THREE: We cannot accept the Episcopal theory of the Apostolic Historic Succession.
FOUR: The Episcopacy has been found in history to be a menace to the spiritual freedom of the Church.
The revolt against Episcopacy, said Mr Mitchell, was one of the reasons for the Reformation, when the Reformed faith was promulgated and a return made to simplicity and Scriptural warrant.
Episcopacy, he declared, was an irrelevant anachronism, and Anglican Episcopacy a survival of a discredited caste system. It was the religious expression of English Imperialism and Nationalism which had always been rejected by the Scottish people.
Scottish Presbyterianism, Mr Mitchell continued, was in the main stream of world-wide Reformed Christianity. Though not perfect it had functioned better than any other system and had suited the genius of the Scottish people.
Mr Mitchell then quoted from St. John: “That they all may be one . . . that the world may believe that thou hast sent me . . .” adding: “To suppose that Jesus envisaged a worldly organisation with all the pomp and paraphernalia of caste system, Bishops, Archbishops, etc., is just blasphemy. Yet that is the text used by the Ecumenical party as their authority. The preacher of the spiritual kingdom not of this world would not recognise that as anything he had founded. The words of Jesus, of course, refer to that essential unity of spirit in love of all those who believe in the Lord Jesus and who know His Salvation. That is the only true basis of unity. Let the Ecumenicals stop disrupting the Kirk, for we all know that even if the Presbyteries of the Kirk ever agreed to accept the Episcopacy the congregations most certainly would not.”
Mr Mitchell was ably supported by the Rev. W. G. Allan, Fraserburgh South, and by Mr J. Smith, Elder, Peterhead St. Andrew’s. After further discussion the Presbytery unanimously agreed to Mr Mitchell’s motion, with the last point slightly amended to read: “The Episcopacy has been found at times in history to be a menace to spiritual freedom.”