Protestant View

Priests, Nuns and Death

A recent article in the Daily Mail (27 January 2015) by a medical doctor sheds light on the horrors of conscience which many Roman Catholic priests and nuns experience on their deathbeds. Dr Martin Scurr, a GP of 40 years’ experience, with no religious affiliation of his own, was entrusted with caring for a convent in central London, for the priests associated with Westminster Cathedral and for the Jesuits at their headquarters in Mayfair – as well as looking after Pope John Paul II while in London in 1982.

His account is sobering, recalling that “priests are the most anxious, most hysterical and hardest to control”. Again he states, “I found that the nuns could be very spiteful, competitive and hysterical. When I started looking after them I found that they were all on Valium, which the previous GP had used to keep them under control. . . . In my experience only the nuns with dementia died well.”

These words clearly demonstrate how false and empty is the comfort which the rituals of the Roman Church afford on the brink of eternity, even to the souls of its most devoted members. The awful prediction of 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 seems very applicable to the final experiences of these poor and pitiable men and women: “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

AWM

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Notes and Comments

Biblical Separation not Narrow and Sectarian

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor 6:14-18).

These precious words are of wide application to the people of God, but it is clear that, among other things, they are teaching Christians not to engage in public worship on an equal footing with unbelievers. Unbelievers are welcome to attend Christian public worship in a private capacity but they are not invited to take a leading part in it, nor to introduce into it their own elements of worship. “Unbelievers” are people who do not put their trust in Christ alone for salvation. They may call themselves Christians, but if they make up some false gospel – for example, mixing their own righteousness with that of Christ – and then put their trust in the idol that they have created, they are not “believers” in the biblical sense.

The teaching of Christ shows that the professing Christian Church may contain a considerable number of people who appear to be believers but in fact are not, and will be exposed as unbelievers at the Day of Judgement. The Christian Church takes people as they appear to be, but if it becomes evident that they are unbelievers, then their Christian privileges should be removed. Where the Church is unfaithful in doing this, it creates a difficulty for the people of God because they find themselves unequally yoked with those who manifestly do not share their faith in Christ. If this situation continues and worsens, then believers eventually have to separate from that corrupt branch of the Church, according to the words of Scripture that we have quoted above.

The stage at which this separation becomes necessary is a matter of judgement, and can be a point of disagreement among Christians. When believers are obliged to separate, they do so, not out of a “sectarian” spirit, but out of love and obedience to Christ; for the safety of their own souls; and also for the well-being of the souls of unbelievers, because the best thing for unbelievers is that there should be a sharp boundary between the Church and the world so that they can less easily deceive themselves with vain hopes.

In the history of Scotland, the Reformers separated from the Church of Rome in the sixteenth century because it was obvious that the Church of Rome was entirely dominated by unbelievers. In the same way, the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland separated from the old Free Church in 1893 because that body was plainly on a fatal course of apostasy from the gospel. More recently, however, we have heard of a congregation in the Free Church of Scotland which is moving in the opposite direction and which participates in an annual “shared worship” scheme with various local congregations, including the Roman Catholics. The Free Church “provides the worship” for one service, with the Roman Catholics attending, and then the Roman Catholics provide a mass at which the Free Church people are invited to attend.

The website of the Free Church congregation condemns as “narrow” and

“sectarian” those who do not share their “ecumenical spirit”. We think that those involved in this step should be asking themselves why they are disobeying that part of the Bible that we quoted above, why they are abusing Christians with the unpleasant name of “sectarian”, and whether they really believe that salvation is by faith alone and that those who teach any other gospel are “accursed” (Gal 1:8-9). DWBS

Assisted Suicide

In September last year we commented on Lord Falconer’s Assisted Dying Bill which is currently being scrutinised by a House of Lords committee. Providentially, time constraints will make it impossible for the Bill to pass through all the legislative procedures before the May General Election; so there is a merciful delay in the process.

However, in Scotland the spectre of assisted suicide once again raises its head in the Holyrood Parliament. The Assisted Suicide (Scotland) Bill was introduced in November 2013 by the late Margo Macdonald MSP. Now it is being carried forward by the Green MSP, Patrick Harvie. The Scottish Parliament’s Health Committee spent several days in January and February this year gathering evidence from professionals on both sides of the debate, and it will report back to Parliament shortly. In 2010 a similar Bill by Margo Macdonald was substantially defeated but supporters are determined to have this Bill enacted. They are giving the clear impression that the majority of the Scottish public support them and this cannot but influence MSPs.

The current position in Scotland is that it is not illegal to attempt suicide, but to aid someone to do so could lead to prosecution. In England and Wales, in the wake of the Debbie Purdy case, the Director of Public Prosecutions issued guidance (although crucially the law has not changed) that those who assist a family member or friend to end their lives at the notorious Dignitas suicide clinic in Switzerland will not face prosecution. No such guidance or guarantee was given by the Scottish Crown Office. The new Scottish Bill seeks to change this by making “it lawful, in certain circumstances, to assist another to commit suicide”. The “circumstances” focus on those whose lives are considered intolerable because of an incurable degenerative disease or terminal illness. It is argued that adequate safeguards will be set in place, but tragically there is no reference to God’s holy law and His rights over all His creatures, especially in His commandment, “Thou shalt not kill” (Ex 20:13).

Strong representations have been made to the Health Committee by the hospice and palliative-care sector. Recently-retired palliative-care consultant Dr Stephen Hutchison, from the Highland Hospice, argued that “incremental extension, known colloquially as the slippery slope,” would inevitably be

replicated in Scotland, as it has been in other countries where there are supposed safeguards. He told the Committee that countries such as Belgium, Switzerland, Holland, and the state of Oregon have safeguards in place in their assisted-dying legislation, but they do not prevent abuse, as the rules are relaxed or disregarded. He added there should be “no doubt whatsoever” that, if assisted suicide is legalised, it “would lead inevitably to euthanasia in future”. He said, “To argue otherwise is dangerously naïve”. He continued: “In my professional life I can testify to thousands of people who, when given time, attention and high-quality professional palliative care, were deeply grateful for that care because it made all the difference”.

Dr Hutchison is also concerned about the abuse of the elderly. He told the Committee: “In the UK, elder abuse affects over half a million people, with the perpetrators commonly being friends or family. In the face of chronic illness and dependence, and the prospect of expensive care eroding the family’s inheritance, the availability of assisted suicide could create further risk to the frail and elderly and expose them to unhealthy societal and internal pressures.” Representing the other end of the age spectrum, at the Committee, was Dr Pat Carragher of the Children’s Hospice Association Scotland. He has “profound concerns” that parents may apply for legal attorney, and use this power to end their child’s life. He adds, “They could decide that what was in the best interests of their child would be assisted suicide”.

The pro-life organisation, Care Not Killing, said that, from their investigations, it would appear that the majority of the medical profession continue to be against assisted suicide, believing that a doctor’s role is to “focus on good, compassionate care and not to open their profession up to the deliberate ending of patients’ lives”. Yet 11 medical experts wrote last year to The Herald newspaper, supporting the Bill. One signatory, an Edinburgh professor, argued, “I think it is part of one’s doctoring responsibility to help someone at the end of life”. Comments such as these are sinister; so there is much need to pray that the Lord would overrule, in these deliberations, to stop Scotland legalising this murderous practice.

A palliative care nurse, quoted in Evangelical Times, reminds us of the solemn spiritual realities at death. She praises dedicated care facilities: “Palliative care . . . makes an immense difference to people and their families at a time of great suffering, but . . . these things do not remove the sting of dying . . . neither of course does a massive overdose of barbiturates”. She continued, “Death is the consequence of a sinful, fallen world . . . there is only one way to truly salve the agony of death and dying . . . not the empty promise of avoiding the pain and sorrows of dying by taking matters into one’s own hands”. She went on: “Christians believe that the gospel is the

surest cure for the fear of death and of dying. It is the best palliative care that there is and, if we are to treat people with the compassion and dignity that they long for, we must make the most of every opportunity to communicate it to them before they find themselves at life’s end.”

The Apostle states, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement” (Heb 9:27). Death cannot be avoided, and then, solemnly, there is eternal death for those who die without Christ. How good for those whose trust is in the Saviour of sinners! For them Paul says, “O death where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory?” (1 Cor 15:55). KHM

PS. Since the above was written, the Canadian Supreme Court has ruled, unanimously, that the law against assisted suicide infringes Canadians’ rights. The decision will permit doctors to help patients kill themselves who have severe and incurable medical conditions, not necessarily terminal. The Government has been allowed a year to change the present law, which makes it illegal to counsel, aid or abet a suicide, with a penalty of up to 14 years imprisonment. Failure to make a change will mean that the current law will be struck down. This is one in a series of dangerous changes to Canadian law. KDM

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Church Information

Jewish and Foreign Missions Fund

By appointment of Synod, the first of the year’s two special collections for the Jewish and Foreign Missions Fund is due to be taken in congregations during March.

W Campbell, General Treasurer

Cancellation of Ordination and Induction of Rev Dymtro Levitskyi

The Western Presbytery have received information from Mr Levitskyi that the circumstances prevailing in Ukraine prevent him leaving that country at present; hence this notice of cancellation. The Presbytery will meet as arranged at 11 am on Tuesday, 3 March 2015, at Lochcarron, DV.

(Rev) A E W MacDonald, Clerk of Western Presbytery

Acknowledgement of Donations

The General Treasurer acknowledges with sincere thanks the following donations:

College & Library Fund: Anon, £50.

Jewish & Foreign Missions Fund: N Pearce, Cymru, £140.

Ballifarry Home acknowledges with sincere thanks: Estate of late Mr C MacKinnon, £103,301.55.

Congregational Treasurers acknowledge with sincere thanks the following donations:

Dingwall/Beauly: Anon, £10, £20 per Rev NMR.

Edinburgh: Sustentation Fund: MM, £300; JM, £20 per Rev DC.

Glasgow: Bus Fund: Anon, £40, £20, £20. Eastern Europe Fund: Anon, £60, £60, £60, £60, £10, £60, £60, £50, £60, £60. TBS: Anon, £20.

Greenock: Where Most Needed: Anon, £10, £10, £10, £10, £45, £10, £20.

Inverness: Anon, £50; N Pearce, Cymru, £140. Bus Fund: Anon, £30, £15.

FREE PRESBYTERIAN PLACES OF WORSHIP

Scotland

• Aberdeen:** 2 Alford Place, AB10 1YD, Sabbath 11 am, 6 pm; Tuesday, 7.15 pm. Rev D W B Somerset BSc DPhil, 18 Carlton Place, Aberdeen, AB15 4BQ; tel: 01224 645250.
• Bracadale: Struan:** Sabbath 12 noon; Wednesday 7 pm (fortnightly). Contact Rev J B Jardine; tel: 01859 502253.
• Dingwall: Church, Hill Street: Sabbath 11 am, 6.30 pm; Wednesday 7.30 pm. Beauly** (Balblair): Sabbath 6.30 pm, Thursday 7.30 pm. Rev Neil M Ross BA, 10 Achany Rd, Dingwall, IV15 9JB; tel/fax: 01349 864351, e-mail: nmross2001@yahoo.co.uk.
• Dornoch: Sabbath 11.30 am. Manse tel: 01862 810615. Bonar: Sabbath 6 pm. Wednesday 7.30 pm (alternately in Dornoch and Bonar). Laig: Church and Manse; Rogart:** Church; no F P services. Contact Rev N M Ross; tel: 01349 864351.
• Dundee:** Manse. No F P Church services.
• Edinburgh:** 63 Gilmore Place, Sabbath 11 am, 6.30 pm; Thursday 7.30 pm. Rev D Campbell, 35B Barron Avenue West, Edinburgh EH4 6DF; tel: 0131 312 8227.
• Farr (by Daviot): Sabbath 12 noon. Tomatin: Sabbath 12 noon. Stratherrick: Sabbath 12 noon. (Each of these services is held once in three weeks as intimated). Farr: Thursday 7.30 pm (as intimated). Contact Mr M J Schouten; tel: 01463 221776.
• Fort William:** Monzie Square, Sabbath 11 am, 6.30 pm as intimated. Manse: 15 Perth Place, PH33 6UL; tel: 01397 708553. Contact Mr D A McKinnon. Tel: 01397 702597.
• Gairloch (Ross-shire): Sabbath 11 am, 6.30 pm. Prayer meeting in Strath**, Thursday 7.30 pm. Rev A E W MacDonald MA, F P Manse, Gairloch, Ross-shire, IV21 2BS; tel: 01445 712247.
• Glasgow:** St Jude’s Church, 137 Woodlands Road, G3 6LE. Sabbath 11 am and 6.30 pm; Wednesday 7.30 pm. Rev Roderick MacLeod BA, 4 Laurel Park Close, Glasgow, G13 1RD; tel: 0141 954 3759.
• Greenock:** 40 East Hamilton Street, Sabbath 2.30 pm.
• Halkirk: Sabbath 11.30 am; Thursday 7.30 pm. Manse tel: 01847 831758. Thurso: Sabbath 5 pm; Wick: Church; Strathy:** Church; no F P Church services.
• Harris (North): Tarbert: Sabbath 12 noon, 6 pm; Thursday 7 pm. Stockinsh:** Tuesday 7 pm. Rev J B Jardine BD, F P Manse, Tarbert, Isle of Harris, HS3 3DF; tel: 01859 502253, e-mail: northharris.fpc@btopenworld.com.
• Harris (South): Leverburgh: Sabbath 12 noon, 6 pm. Sheilelbost: Sabbath 12 noon (as intimated). Prayer meetings in Leverburgh, Sheilelbost and Strond** as intimated. Rev K D Macleod BSc, F P Manse, Leverburgh, HS5 3UA; tel: 01859 520271.
• Inverness:** Chapel Street, Sabbath 11 am, 6.30 pm; Wednesday 7.30 pm. Contact Mr A MacRae; tel: 01463 790521.
• Kinlochbervie: Sabbath 11.30 am; Tuesday 7.30 pm. Manse tel: 01971 521268. Scourie:** Sabbath 6 pm.
• Kyle of Lochalsh:** Sabbath 6 pm. Manse tel: 01599 534933. Contact Rev D A Ross; tel: 01445 731340.
• Laide** (Ross-shire): Sabbath 12 noon, 6 pm; Wednesday 7 pm. Rev D A Ross, F P Manse, Laide, IV22 2NB; tel: 01445 731340.
• Lochcarron:** Sabbath 11 am, 6 pm; Wednesday 7 pm. Manse.
• Lochinver:** Church. No F P services at present. Manse tel: 01571 844484.
• Ness:** Sabbath 12 noon, 6 pm; Wednesday 7 pm. Rev A W MacColl MA PhD, F P Manse, Swainbost, HS2 0TA; tel: 01851 810228.
• North Tolsta:** Sabbath 12 noon, 6 pm; Thursday 7 pm; 1st Monday of month 7 pm. Manse tel: 01851 890325. Contact Rev J R Tallach; tel: 01851 702501.
• North Uist: Bayhead: Sabbath 12 noon, 6 pm; Wednesday 7.30 pm (fortnightly). Sollas:** Wednesday 7.30 pm (fortnightly). Rev D Macdonald BA, F P Manse, Bayhead, North Uist, HS6 5DS; tel: 01876 510233.
• Oban:** Church and Manse. No F P services at present.
• Perth:** Pomerium, off Leonard Street. Sabbath 11 am, 6 pm; Wednesday 7.30 pm. Contact Rev D Campbell; tel: 0131 312 8227.
• Portree:** Sabbath 12 noon, 6.30 pm; Wednesday 7 pm. Rev I D MacDonald, F P Manse, Achacork, Portree, IV51 9HT; tel: 01478 612110.
• Raasay:** Sabbath 12 noon, 6 pm; Saturday 7 pm. Contact Rev W A Weale; tel: 01470 562243.
• Shieldaig: Sabbath 11 am; Applecross:** Sabbath 6pm. Tuesday 7 pm (alternately in Shieldaig and Applecross). Shieldaig manse tel: 01520 755259, Applecross manse tel: 01520 744411. Contact Rev D A Ross; tel: 01445 731340.
• Staffin:** Sabbath 12 noon, 5 pm; Wednesday 7 pm. Rev W A Weale, F P Manse, Staffin, IV51 9HY; tel: 01470 562243.
• Stornoway: Matheson Road, Sabbath 11 am, 6.30 pm; Thursday 7.30 pm. Achmore:** Sabbath 12 noon; Tuesday 7 pm. Rev J R Tallach MB ChB, 2 Fleming Place, Stornoway, HS1 2NH; tel: 01851 702501.
• Tain: Church and Manse. Fearn:** Church. No F P services. See Dornoch and Bonar.
• Ullapool:** Sabbath 11 am, 6 pm; Wednesday 7.30 pm. Manse: Quay Street, IV26 2UE; tel: 01854 612449.
• Vatten: Sabbath 6 pm; Wednesday 7 pm (fortnightly). Glendale, Waternish:** As intimated. Contact Rev J B Jardine; tel: 01859 502253.

England

• Barnoldswick: Kelbrook Road, Sabbath 11 am, 6 pm; Friday 7.30 pm; Wednesday 8 pm, alternately in Sandbach and Gatley.
  South Manchester:** Sabbath 6.00 pm, in Trinity Church, Massie Street, Cheadle (entry at rear of building). Rev K M Watkins, 1 North Street, Barnoldswick, BB18 5PE; tel: 01282 850296.
• Broadstairs:** Sabbath 11 am, 5 pm at Portland Centre, Hopeville Ave, St Peter’s; Tuesday 7 pm at Friends’ Meeting House, St Peter’s Park Rd. Contact Dr T Martin; tel: 01843 866369.
• London:** Zoar Chapel, Varden St, E1. Sabbath 11 am, 6.30 pm; Wednesday 7 pm. Rev J MacLeod MA, 6 Church Ave, Sidcup, Kent, DA14 6BU; tel: 0208 309 1623.

Northern Ireland

• Larne:** Station Road. Sabbath 11.30 am, 6.30 pm; Monday 11.00 am. Contact Rev K M Watkins; tel: 01282 850296.

Canada

Chesley, Ontario: Church and Manse, 40 Fourth Street SW. Sabbath 10.30 am, 7 pm; Wednesday 8 pm. Contact: Mr David Kuiper; tel: 519 363 0367. Manse tel: 519 363 2502.

Toronto, Ontario: Church and Manse. No F P Church services at present.

Vancouver, British Columbia: Contact: Mr John MacLeod, 202-815 4th Avenue, New Westminster, V3M 1S8; tel: 604-516-8648.

USA

Santa Fe, Texas: Church and Manse, 4031 Jackson St 77517. Sabbath 10.30 am, 6.30 pm; Wednesday 7.30 pm. Contact Mr Joseph Smith, 5222 Kendal Glen Court, Rosharon, Texas 77583; tel: 409 927 1564.

Australia

Grafton, NSW: 172 Fitzroy Street. Sabbath 11 am, 6.30 pm; Wednesday 7.30 pm. Rev G G Hutton BA PhD, 174 Fitzroy Street, Grafton, NSW 2460; tel: (02) 6643 5692.

Sydney, NSW: Corner of Oxford and Regent Streets, Riverstone. Sabbath 10.30 am, 6.30 pm; Wednesday 7.30 pm. Rev G B Macdonald BSc, 60 Hamilton St, Riverstone, NSW 2765; tel: (02) 9627 3408; e-mail: sydneyfpcchurch@aapt.net.au.

New Zealand

Auckland: 45 Church Street, Otahuhu. Sabbath 11 am, 6 pm; Wednesday 7.30 pm. Rev J D Smith, 9 Pedlar Place, Conifer Grove, Auckland; tel: 09 282 4195.

Gisborne: 463a Childers Road. Sabbath 11 am, 6 pm; Wednesday 7.30 pm. Contact: Dr G Cramp; tel: 02 7454 2722.

Tauranga: Girl Guide Hall, 17th Avenue, Sabbath 11 am, 7 pm; Thursday 7 pm. Contact: Mr Dick Vermeulen; tel: 075443677.

Wellington (Carterton): Senior Citizens’ Hall, 150 High Street North. Sabbath 11 am, 4 pm; 3rd Wednesday of the month (not secondary school holidays) 7.30 pm. Contact: Mr Hank Opland, P O Box 150, Carterton, 5743; tel: 02 7432 5625.

Singapore

Singapore: Sabbath: 9.30am and 5.30 pm; Beacon International College, 70 Martaban Road, Singapore 328667 (entrance is opposite 37/39 Mandalay Road); Wednesday: 7.45 pm, Lion Building B, #02-11, 12 Arumugam Road, Singapore 409958. Contact: Mr Bernard Yong, 4 Chuan Place, Singapore 558422; tel: (65) 6383 4466, fax: 6383 4477, e-mail: byong1@singnet.com.sg.

Ukraine

Odessa: F P Mission Station, 3 Pestelya Street, 65031. Contact Mr I Zadorozhnyi, P O Box 100, Odessa-91, 65091; e-mail: antipa@eurocom.od.ua; or Mr D Levitskyi; tel:00 38 048 785 19 24; e-mail: dlevitskyi@gmail.com.

Zimbabwe

Bulawayo: Lobengula Township, PO Magwegwe, Bulawayo. Rev S Khumalo, F P Manse, Stand No 56004, Mazwi Road, Lobengula, PO Magwegwe, Bulawayo; tel: 00263 9407131, e-mail: skhumalo.byo@gmail.com.

Ingwenya: Church and Secondary School. Rev A B MacLean. Postal Address: Ingwenya Mission, Private Bag T5445, Bulawayo.

Mbuma: Church and Hospital. Rev N Sibanda. Postal Address: Mbuma Mission Hospital, Private Bag T5406, Bulawayo.

New Canaan: Church.

Zenka: Church. Rev M Mloyi. Postal Address: Private Bag T5398, Bulawayo; cell phone: 0026311 765032.