The Southern Presbytery of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, meeting at Glasgow on the 12th day of November, 1957, decided to protest most emphatically against the first recommendation of the (Wolfenden) “Report of the Committee on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution,” lately published.
Deploring the lack of any appeal to holy Scripture on the part of the Wolfenden Committee for guidance in their deliberations, the Presbytery protest strongly against the adoption of the first recommendation, “That homosexual behaviour between consenting adults in private be no longer a criminal offence.”
Homosexual behaviour is a flagrant breach of the moral law of God, particularly of the Seventh Commandment, and “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.” The adoption of this recommendation will weaken the moral and deterrent force of the law, being contrary to the moral interests of the community. It was for the sin of sodomy in particular that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah by brimstone and fire (Genesis 19, 24). The overthrow therein described is “an example unto those that after should live ungodly” (II Peter 2, 6), and is surely a solemn warning to our magistrates and people.
As we see from Romans, chapter 14, the civil magistrate has serious duties to perform in the proper discharge of his office. “For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid: for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.”
Thus we find in the account given of the reformation under good King Josiah of Judah that “he brake down the houses of the Sodomites” (II Kings 23, 7). Similarly, in I Kings 15, 12, we find it recorded of King Asa that “he took away the Sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.”
The Presbytery are assured that the adoption of the recommendation referred to will greatly weaken the hands of the civil magistrate and make further way for the Lord’s judgments upon us as a nation.
(Sgd.) DONALD CAMPBELL,
JAMES P. MACKAY,
MALCOLM MACSWEEN.
Members of Committee appointed by
the Southern Presbytery.
This protest was forwarded to the Right Hon. R. A. Butler, Home Secretary, on 18th December, 1957, and has been acknowledged.