Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland

Reformed in Doctrine, Worship, and Practice

“Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth.” Psalm 60:4

  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • What We Contend For
    • What We Believe
    • How We Worship
    • How We Are Organised
    • Important Documents
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Articles
  • Publications
    • Free Presbyterian Magazine
    • Young People’s Magazine
    • Gaelic Supplement – An Earrann Ghàidhlig
    • Synod Reports
    • Religion and Morals Committee Reports
  • Audio
    • Sermons
    • Theological Conferences
    • Youth Conferences
    • Zimbabwe Ndebele sermons
  • Congregations
    • Places of Worship
    • Current Ministers
    • Galleries of FP Churches
  • International
    • Zimbabwe Mission
    • Other International Congregations
    • Translation Work
    • Metrical Psalms in Various Languages
  • History
    • History of the FP Church
    • Congregational Histories
    • Deceased Ministers and Probationers
    • Obituaries
    • Moderators of Synod etc.
  • Spiritual Help
    • How to Find Spiritual Help
    • How may a sinner be saved?
    • How may someone know if they are truly saved?
    • Spiritual Mindedness
    • Scripture and Catechism Exercises 2019-20
  • Bookshop
Home / About Us / Who We Are / The Declaratory Act Controversy

The Declaratory Act Controversy

The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland began in 1893, out of the controversy over the Declaratory Act passed by the Free Church of Scotland in 1892. These articles, written soon after, explain the issues involved.

  • Reasons for Separation. This first article from the first issue of the Free Presbyterian Magazine shows that although the general declension in the Free Church of Scotland had raised many questions of duty among the godly, the passing of the Declaratory Act was the formal reason for the Free Presbyterian separation.
  • How the Declaratory Act changed the constitution of the Free Church. This article shows: (1) That the Declaratory Act changed the constitution of the Free Church of Scotland; and (2) No one holding the principles of the 1843 Free Church could consistently remain in the body calling itself the Free Church after 1893.
  • Explanatory Criticism of the Declaratory Act. This lengthy article explains the meaning of the Declaratory Act section by section, to show its truly pernicious nature.
  • The Consequences of the Declaratory Act. This article summarises 10 adverse consequences flowing from the Declaratory Act.
  • The Declaratory Act and Admission into Office in the Free Church. This article shows the implications of the Declaratory Act for all those becoming office-bearers in the Free Church after its passing.

When these documents are sufficiently weighed, it cannot be wondered at that the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland values creed subscription, and makes a decided point of requiring all its office-bearers to make an unqualified profession of adherence to the whole Westminster Confession of Faith.

Other articles and papers were written later:

  • Rev Donald Beaton wrote an article in the Free Presbyterian Magazine in 1927 (vol. 32, p. 41 ) on the Constitutional Aspect of the Declaratory Act.
  • At the 1943 Synod, 50 years after the formation of the Free Presbyterian Church, Rev Neil MacIntyre delivered a paper, A Brief History of the Free Presbyterian Church, in which he gave a concise explanation of the Declaratory Act controversy.

Next

About Us

  • Who We Are
    • The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland – Why It Exists Today
    • The Free Presbyterian Church Catechism
      • A Catechism of the History and Principles of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland – PDF
      • 1. Origins of the Free Presbyterian Church (1-13)
      • 2. The Westminster Confession of Faith (14–22)
      • 3. The Declaratory Act and the Free Church (23–53)
      • 4. The Infallibility of Scripture (54-67)
      • 5. Erroneous Doctrines (68-77)
      • 6. Innovations in Worship (78-93)
      • 7. Church and State (94-104)
      • 8. Church office-bearers (105-130)
      • 9. Church Courts (131-140)
      • 10. Church Unity (141-149)
      • 11. Modern Religious Cults (150-159)
      • 12. Modern Errors (160-170)
      • 13. Evolution (171-175)
      • 14. Christ’s Second Coming (176-179)
      • Appendix 1. Deed of Separation 1893
      • Appendix 2. Free Church of Scotland Declaratory Act 1892
      • Appendix 3. FP Synod Resolutions
      • Appendix 4. Questions put to Office-bearers and Formula to be signed by them
      • Appendix 5. Memorandum on the Church of Scotland Enabling Bill 1920
    • The Declaratory Act Controversy
      • Declaratory Act – Reasons for Separation
      • How the Declaratory Act changed the Constitution of the Free Church
      • Explanatory Criticism of the Declaratory Act
      • The Consequences of the Declaratory Act
      • The Declaratory Act and Admission into Office in the Free Church
      • The Constitutional Aspects of the Declaratory Act
      • A Brief History of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland
  • What We Contend For
    • Our Free Presbyterian Heritage
    • The Authorised Version
      • The Importance of the Authorised Version for the Church in Britain
    • Evangelical or Reformed
    • A Protestant Witness
      • The Pope and the Constitution of the United Kingdom
      • The Pope as the Head of a False Religion
      • Papal Infallibility
      • The Pope in Scripture
    • The Five Points of Calvinism
      • The Canons of Dort
    • The Free Offer of the Gospel
    • Resolution on Creed Subscription
    • Church Discipline
      • The Purposes of Church Discipline
      • The Church’s responsibility to administer Biblical discipline faithfully
      • The benefits of exercising Church discipline
      • Accusations Levelled against a Church Exercising Discipline
    • Baptism
      • Subjects of Baptism – by Rev. William MacIntyre
      • Mode of Baptism – by Rev. William Macintyre
      • Should Infants be Baptised?
    • The Lord’s Supper
      • Why do the minister and elders interview intending communicants?
      • Restricted Communion
      • Fencing the Table
    • Our Separate Stance
    • The Sabbath
      • Why the Sabbath should Still be Kept
      • How the Sabbath should be Kept
      • Sabbath or Lord’s Day – not “Sunday”
      • What about using Public Transport on the Sabbath?
    • Family worship
      • Family worship – a recent overview
      • Family worship – a recent address to young people
      • Family worship – a convicting appeal from C H Spurgeon
      • Family worship – a wartime appeal from more than a century ago
      • Family worship – a review
      • Family worship – another wartime appeal
      • Family worship – an illustration of its power
    • Distinctions between Male and Female
      • Men and Women Equal in Value
      • The Distinct Roles of Men and Women
      • Can women lead in public prayer?
      • Distinct Clothing for Men and Women
      • Long hair for women and short hair for men
  • What We Believe
  • How We Worship
    • Order of Service
    • The Right Way to Worship
      • Standing for Prayer
      • The Charismatic Movement – The Gifts have Ceased
    • The Regulative Principle of Worship
      • Does the Bible tell us how we are to Worship?
      • The Importance of the Regulative Principle for Today
      • The Regulative Principle as defined by the Scottish Reformers and others
    • Exclusive Psalmody
      • Does the Bible tell us What to Sing?
      • Why Psalms Only
    • No Musical Instruments
      • Musical Instruments in Worship
    • No Christian “Festivals”
      • Should Christians Celebrate Christmas?
  • How We Are Organised
    • Church Courts
    • Scripture does teach the right form of Church Government
    • The Apostolic Church – Which Is It?
      • Statement of the Question
      • Meaning of the word Church
      • Government of the Church
      • Apostolic Principles
      • The First Principle
      • The Second Principle
      • The Third Principle
      • The Fourth Principle
      • The Fifth Principle
      • The Sixth Principle
      • Application of the Test
      • Application of the Test to Prelacy
      • Application of the Test to Independency
      • Application of the Test to Presbytery
      • Application of the Test – Result
  • Important Documents
    • The Scots Confession
    • The First Book of Discipline
    • The Second Book of Discipline
    • The National Covenant
    • The Solemn League and Covenant
    • The Westminster Confession of Faith
    • The Larger Catechism
    • The Shorter Catechism
    • The Directory for Public Worship
    • The Form of Presbyterial Church Government
    • The Sum of Saving Knowledge
    • The Directory for Family Worship
    • The Claim Declaration and Protest
    • The Protest
    • The Deed of Separation 1893
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Calendar

  1. 12 Dec - 16 Dec - Communions: Bulawayo, Santa Fe
  2. 2 Jan 2020 - 6 Jan 2020 - Communion: Nkayi
  3. 7 Jan 2020 - 9 Jan 2020 - Youth Conference in Australia

View All Events

Latest Articles

  • November 2019 Magazines available online
  • Youth Conference in Australia
  • Special Offers on New Books for December

Recently Added Audio

  • At Christ’s feet 1 Dec 2019
  • The new creature 1 Dec 2019
  • A practical reason for remembering divine promises 27 Nov 2019
  • The good tidings of the Lord’s resurrection (2) 24 Nov 2019
  • The good tidings of the Lord’s resurrection (1) 17 Nov 2019
  • Remembering God’s goodness 13 Nov 2019
  • Building for eternity 17 Nov 2019
  • Reconciled to God? 24 Nov 2019
  • God provides 21 Nov 2019
  • The greatness of God’s judgements 20 Nov 2019

View All Sermons

Download Latest Issues:
The Free Presbyterian Magazine
Young People’s Magazine

Free Presbyterian Places of Worship

Browse the Church Bookshop

Bookshop Special Offers

The Pastor of Kilsyth: The Life and Times of W H Burns by Islay Burns, hbk,  £10.00
Christ Victorious: Selected Writings of Hugh Martin eds, Matthew and Catherine Dickie, hbk,  £12.99
Follow Me: Bible Stories for Young Children by Liesbeth van Binsbergen, hbk, £18.99
The Believer’s Joy by Robert Murray McCheyne, hbk, £7.19
Advice to a Young Christian by Jared Bell Waterbury, pbk, £4.99

Back to top

Website Contact

Rev Keith M Watkins
[email protected]

Moderator of Synod

Rev Roderick MacLeod
4 Laurel Park Close,
Glasgow, G13 1RD, UK.

Clerk of Synod

Rev Keith M Watkins
Free Presbyterian Manse, Ferry Road, Leverburgh, Isle of Harris, HS5 3UA, UK.
[email protected]

General Treasurer

Mr William Campbell
133 Woodlands Road, Glasgow,
G3 6LE, UK.
[email protected]

Copyright © 2019 Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland · Log in · Subscribe via RSS · Privacy Notice

This site uses cookies to improve your experience. Read more.