RESOLUTION.
THE Synod of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland would warn their own loyal people against the arrogant assumptions of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland in setting up Territorial Bishops in our land as if they had legal and national right to do so. Far from it! The Roman Church has no more right in Protestant Scotland to set up bishoprics than a foreign Government would have to claim the right to govern our British Parliament. The Pope, his priests, and all who are engaged in his service in this land are ecclesiastical foreigners. They might have been born in this country but their allegiance is to a foreign power, and not to Scotland or to His Majesty the King. They are, therefore, in the ecclesiastical sense, foreigners. How dare the Pope’s minions claim diocesan recognition within the bounds of the Kingdom of Scotland while they blindly and ignorantly serve the Pope of Rome!
Let the Protestants of Scotland learn ere it be too late that the Jesuits of Western Europe, and the Roman Catholics of North and South America classify Protestants as “Communists” whether in Edinburgh, London, Moscow, New York, Paris or far off New Zealand. The vast majority of Protestants are blind to this fact. The Roman Pontiff and his agents in Japan, China, India, Australia, South Africa, Britain, Ireland, France, Spain, Italy and Arabia are feverishly preparing war against “Communists,” which includes every institution under heaven not subject to the See of Rome. While the British were forced to leave India the Roman hierarchy remains with 5,500 priests and some 5,000 priests in China; Japan is virtually given over by General MacArthur to the Bishops and priests of Rome. In the opinion of American leaders the “Catholic Church” is the only bulwark which will stem the advance of Communists in Europe and Asia!
Romanism is the greatest menace that has ever tormented kings, nations, governments, families and the Lord’s people down from the 7th century of the Christian era. We hold that Communism is utterly false, Scripturally and morally. It is an unjust system. Human rights and individual freedom are denied by the advocates of Communism. The moral Government of our Lord Jesus Christ is rejected by the Communists. We abhor such unwarranted assumption on the part of man, as we abhor the arrogance of the Roman Pontiff who claims to be vice-regent of Jesus Christ on earth. Communism denies the Government of our Lord on earth; the Pope reduces His Government to utter impotency. The Pope, on the other hand, denies, on the pain of death, Roman Catholics, Protestants, Communists, heathen and pagans alike the right to possess, read or believe the Word of God, except as he gives permission. Communist Russia allows and even encourages her own nationals and others to possess, read and believe the Word of God without let or hindrance. Here we have a vast difference between Italian Romanism and Russian Communism! The Russian Government is actually in the process of printing Bibles in large numbers. The Pope denies the use of the Bible to the common man.
We appeal to our fellow countrymen to oppose the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by every Scriptural and reasonable means at their disposal in college, senate, school, pulpit and press to safeguard the well-being and future of our children. This is a duty which demands the attention of all parents, teachers, ministers and local governments of our land. We have been too docile, unnecessarily tolerant and unduly silent when we should have been educating our people as to the terrible menace of popery. If Spain is an example of Rome in power it is high time we were up and doing.