IN view of recent events of a serious nature, involving three ministers, several elders and a number of members and adherents, who until recently belonged to the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, the Church Interests Committee having met, deemed it advisable to issue the following Statement, in the meantime, as due to our loyal people at home and abroad, for their immediate information. This Statement cannot, and is not intended to, encroach in any way upon the Synod’s right to review the matters concerned.
SOME FACTS RE PARTIES INVOLVED.
(1) Rev. A. D. MacLeod, late of Shieldaig.
—Mr. MacLeod sent to the Western Presbytery a document dated 15th November, 1945, containing serious adverse criticisms of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland’s position and declarations anent protesting and recent procedure re Rev. R. Mackenzie; and in which he further declares himself as having separated from the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and as being no longer subject to her Courts. The Western Presbytery, on 18th December, 1945, carefully examined the aforesaid document and strongly repudiated the charges contained in it; at the same time declaring Rev. A. D. MacLeod to be no longer a minister of the Church, as from 15th November, 1945.
(2) Rev. W. B. Nicolson, late of North Uist.
—The Outer Isles Presbytery, on 4th December, 1945, had before them two letters. (a) From the North Uist Presbytery elder, stating that Rev. W. B. Nicolson had preached his farewell sermon on 25th November, 1945. (b) From the General Treasurer, in which he quotes from a letter, from Rev. W. B. Nicolson, as follows: “I wish to inform you that I am demitting my Charge and leaving the Church on the 30th November, so that you will see to it that my salary ceases from that date.” At the same meeting, a letter was received from Mr. Nicolson, asking the Presbytery to grant him a Presbyterian and Disjunction Certificate. These were not granted. On the strength of the information conveyed in these letters, the Presbytery resolved to regard him as no longer a Minister of this Church. We think it proper, however, to observe that a registered letter dated 26th November, 1945, was not received by the Clerk until after the meeting on 4th December. In this letter Rev. W. B. Nicolson states: “That the situation arising out of the Macqueen-Mackenzie case has made it difficult for me to remain any longer in the Free Presbyterian Church. I am demitting my Charge and leaving the Church on November 30th . . . the date proposed by the Synod for the exclusion of Rev. R. Mackenzie from the Free Presbyterian Church, if he did not fulfill certain conditions.” We understand he has applied for admission into the Free Church.
(3) Rev. R. Mackenzie, late of St. Jude’s, Glasgow.
—On the 29th November, 1945, the Clerk of Synod received from Rev. R. Mackenzie, two documents; (a) Anent Resolution of Synod of May, 1945, affecting himself. In this, he reviews its terms and contents adversely, and sharply criticises the Synod’s whole procedure in the matter. Finally, he protests against the said Resolution. (b) Anent Synod’s printed Statement to our people in refutation of assertions, etc., re protesting by Rev. R. Mackenzie. In this second document, Mr. Mackenzie reviews critically and adversely, the assertions and arguments of the said Synod Statement, and finally protests against it also. The time limit set by the Synod having expired on the 30th day of November, 1945, without any other communication having been received by the Clerk of Synod from Rev. R. Mackenzie, except the aforesaid; accordingly, the terms of Synod Resolution of May, 1945, came into effect as follows: “He will not be considered after that date a minister of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland.”
(4) Elders previously under Southern Presbytery.
—The following elders of St. Jude’s Kirk Session, Glasgow—Messrs. D. Macdonald, N. MacSwan, M. MacPhee, F. MacPherson, presented to that Court a declaration to the effect that in view of Synod’s Resolution of May, 1945, affecting Rev. R. Mackenzie, their acting in the Kirk-Session was to be without prejudice to their rights and privileges as office-bearers. They craved that this declaration be engrossed in the Session Records. The Interim-Moderator dissented and complained to the Southern Presbytery, against a decision granting this crave. The Presbytery, on 20th November, 1945, upheld the dissent and complaint; and in course of examination, the four elders refused to concur with the Resolution of Synod, of May, 1945, re Rev. R. Mackenzie. It was pointed out to them that this Resolution arose as a direct consequence of the constitutional position of the Church. They were not prepared to admit this. The Presbytery thereafter resolved to suspend the four elders sine die (i.e., indefinitely). They appealed to the Synod; but having failed to supply Reasons within the required period, their appeal became null and void. At the same Presbytery meeting, in the course of dealing with a paper signed by Messrs. D. Macdonald and D. J. Walker, elders, Mr. Walker rose and declared: “You need not go further with this matter as I repudiate the jurisdiction of this Court because of the way you have dealt with these men.” The Presbytery thereupon declared Mr. Walker as no longer holding office in the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland. At a subsequent meeting of Presbytery, on 11th December, 1945, the Clerk read a document, signed by Messrs. N. MacSwan, M. MacPhee, F. MacPherson, D. Macdonald, D. J. Walker, C. Mackenzie, which contained the statement: “We hereby solemnly declare that henceforth we are not, and shall not be, subject in any respect to the ecclesiastical judicatories of the present subsisting Church, calling herself the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland.” The Synod proceeded to depose the aforementioned elders.
SEPARATE SERVICES HELD.
We understand that a public meeting was held in the Christian Institute, Bothwell Street, Glasgow, on 1st December, 1945, by all the elders above referred to; at which meeting arrangements were made to hold separate services. And these have been held, over which Rev. R. Mackenzie and Rev. A. D. MacLeod have on occasion presided.
OBSERVATIONS.
As far as the Constitutional position of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland is concerned, we aver that it is unchanged since May, 1893. As intimately known to us, much forbearance and patience have been exercised, in Courts and Committees for years, towards Rev. R. Mackenzie principally, and these office-bearers who supported him. There have been, on their part, definite manifestations of disregard for constituted authority, the general tendency being, we believe, towards schismatic* conduct. The responsibility for alienating a number of members and adherents from the Constitutional position of the Church, as set forth by the late Revs. D. Macfarlane, D. Macdonald, N. Cameron, J. S. Sinclair and others, must be borne by these ministers and office-bearers.
*Schism, i.e., unnecessary rending.
EXHORTATION TO OUR PEOPLE.
We most solemnly counsel our people, at home and abroad, not to be unduly perturbed by these events, but to maintain, by the grace of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, their unswerving loyalty to the testimony for Truth, distinctive principles, Church government and discipline, for which we as a Church have always contended. Let us remember the Scriptural exhortation which saith: “Pray one for another”; and may the Lord graciously enable us with purpose of heart to cleave unto Him (Acts xi. 23). “Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (I. Cor. xv. 58).