Blind Leaders of the Blind
The New Zealand Herald newspaper of Saturday, April 6th 1991 tells the story of two bishops, one an Anglican, the other a Roman Catholic, who were to compete against each other in a golf tournament the next day (Sabbath) to raise money for the Auckland Cathedral. Dean Rymer had just retired after 20 years as Anglican Dean of Auckland and Bishop Browne is leader of the Auckland Roman Catholics. The Cathedral project is expected to cost $18 million and the Dean hopes that the Cathedral will be used by many denominations. If this is the example set by the leaders of the Churches what must the people be like?
Archbishop’s Enthronement
The Archbishop of Canterbury’s enthronement took place amidst great pageantry and ceremony, far removed from that simplicity of worship set forth in the Scriptures of truth. The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Hume was given the task of reading the portion of Scripture taken from the New Testament during the service. Representatives of many Churches were present. The service was also attended by the Princess of Wales, Princess Margaret, the Lord Chancellor, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Prime Minister and other Government and opposition leaders. How different will the worship of the Church of England become in better days when it is purged of all the remnants of popery still attaching to it. There will be no need then for an Archbishop of Canterbury or any other bishop of an episcopal sort. So, too, will Christ then be exhalted as Head of the Church, and titular headship of the Church be given to no Queen, King or Prince.
National Shrine to St. Andrew
Suddenly, as Roman Catholicism seeks to get a hold of the minds of the people, we are transported back to the Middle ages with the suggestion from the Roman Catholic Church of a national shrine to St Andrew. The idea would be to make it a major centre of pilgrimage. It is thought that St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh might be a suitable centre as it has two supposed relics of St Andrew. The administrator of the Cathedral said it could have a valuable ecumenical function and could play an important part in the revival of national devotion to St Andrew. The relics are what purports to be a large portion of the shoulder blade of St Andrew received by the Cathedral in 1879, and part of the saint’s skull given by Pope Paul VI to Cardinal Gordon Gray in 1969. Who can now say that the Romish Church ever changes when place is given to such tomfoolery and these last vestiges of the Dark Ages? Thankfully, even one of the leaders in the Church of Scotland is not enamoured with the proposal.
APC and Billy Graham
Our people may remember the strain caused by some APC ministers, when they were Free Presbyterians in the 1970s, by their opposition to a Synod Resolution calling upon our people not to bypass their own services to attend services organised by other churches. Those who opposed this sensible measure were operating on an unstated principle which has now come to fruition in the APC support of the Billy Graham campaign. It also explains the opposition to a Synod Resolution against interdenominational Campaigns in the 1980s.
The APC Prayer Meeting in Aberdeen on Wednesday, 16th January, 1991, clashed with a Prayer Rally in the Music Hall to pray for Billy Graham’s visit to Scotland in 1991. So the APC prayer meeting was moved to Tuesday, 15th January, to make it possible for APCs to attend. The advert for this event reads, “Prayer Rally featuring Billy Graham team member Rev. Cliff Barrows. Music, Message, Inspiration, Prayer. Tickets £1 each.” It seems to have escaped the notice of the APC that some evangelical magazines are now alerting their readership to the ecumenical dangers of the Billy Graham campaigns which send Roman Catholic enquirers back to their local Roman Catholic church for follow-up. Our own Church has warned of the unscriptural methods employed, and of the Arminian doctrine used (it is anybody’s guess what theology is now used). However, after sacrificing the internal unity of the Free Presbyterian Church upon such an altar, the APCs involved probably feel that they must now act consistently with their conduct.
Accordingly, a newspaper report now indicates that Alford Place Free Presbyterian Church is to be used in support of the Billy Graham campaign in Aberdeen (the APC recently changed the locks to exclude us from our property which we were using). The Press and Journal (16.4.91) reports: “Rallies and seminars are being held throughout Scotland this month as momentum gathers for Billy Graham’s visit in May and June. In Aberdeen, praise and prayer meetings are set to take place at the New Marcliffe Hotel and Alford Place Church on April 17 and 18, with Dons player Brian Irvine hosting a youth celebration concert in the Grammar School on April 19.”
In the light of these events, it is not out of line that the March 1991 APC Update should carry an Arminian-worded article. Under the heading “Jesus died for you”, the article begins: “Children, do you know that Jesus died for you? I’m sure you believe that! But do you love Him for what He did for you?”
It may be the same conflict of loyalty in fellowship which led the Aberdeen APC to have a joint New Year’s Day service with the Aberdeen Free Church congregation in Bon Accord Free Church, with the hope of a reciprocal visit next New Year. Not to be outdone by his Aberdeen colleague, the Edinburgh APC minister invited Prof Donald Macleod of the Free Church College to preach in Gilmore Place, Edinburgh, on 13th January.
The APC concept of fellowship is worthy of deeper examination. They appear willing to sacrifice internal fellowship for a larger external unspecified fellowship. This schizophrenic regard for others, to the neglect of one’s own, manifested itself while they were Free Presbyterians and seems to continue to the present. Much agitation was made while we were one body about the duty of the communion of saints, which was interpreted in the loose APC manner. However their orchestrated schism demonstrated that the APC, when they were still Free Presbyterians, had too little regard for the maintenance of the communion of saints among us. This could be documented at length. They offered no solution to the strain upon the internal fellowship of the Church by this apparent pre-eminent claim upon one’s fellowship from unspecified people outwith the Church, until they came up with their own solution in May 1989. The APC have made their choice of fellowship now, although the Free Presbyterian Church was castigated from within for many years for exercising the same choice in a scriptural manner.
Most treaties on schism point to the importance of maintaining unity through the grace of the Spirit, while the Holy Spirit creates it (Eph. 4: 2-3). The Bible does not speak about halfway fellowship, such as is envisaged in congregationalism and independency, but only full fellowship in the Lord. (The only half-way fellowship is when the church is exercising discipline, 2 Thess. 3: 14-15). As biblical Presbyterians, we recognise fellowship as meaning mutual submission at the personal and ecclesiastical level, under the Presbyterian system, and common fellowship in prayer, the preaching of the Word, the administration of the sacraments (including the fellowship around the Lord’s Table, regulated by Presbyterian order). The half-way fellowship mentality has been fostered by the ecumenical movement; it is an interim measure, however, because Rome intends to bring all the Churches under her own jurisdiction.
D.M.B.
Mission News
Miss Marion Graham expects to leave for Zimbabwe on 1st May for another strenuous period in the John Tallach School. She has not travelled far afield owing to the illness of her sister, Jane, and her desire to be with her Mother in the Home in Inverness. The Rev. John MacLeod and Mr and Mrs Neil Murray went to Holland to attend the Mbuma Zending Meeting and to thank the generous friends there for their much appreciated support of the Mission.
Mr David Ndlovu was hoping to visit Binga ten days ago where the people are always pleased and grateful to see our people. We have heard of the deaths of two faithful members of the Ingwenya congregation, MaDlamini, a sister-in-law of the Rev. P. Mzamo, who despite many difficulties was rarely absent from church, and MaMaseko, a gentle little widow who had many sorrows in her life, but was constantly in church until she went to live with a married daughter in Bulawayo, and had become very frail.
Sibusiso Mpofu, widow of Zenzo Mpofu, driver of the Mbuma ambulance, who so sadly lost his life, has returned to Mbuma with her baby, to work in the hospital.
Dr. Stamps, Medical Officer, paid a visit recently to Mbuma. He was welcomed by Lia, the young Dutch nurse. Dr. Hak was visiting Sikhobokhobo Clinic and Miss Margaret MacAskill was at a Workshop at Simbo. Miss Jessie Coote was off duty. Dr. Stamps said he wished to see for himself the condition of the Fighting Road, so called because it was constructed by the Army during the War, but became a corrugated nightmare. It is the road used by those travelling to Mbuma. “The hospital is going on as before, never hectic but with a steady flow of patients. We were at Sivalo yesterday. We were very busy, I really enjoy it now, having got to know the people.” This is a quotation from a letter of Miss Margaret MacAskill’s.
The Rev. P. Mzamo has the added care of Zenka congregation sadly left pastorless since the death of the Rev. B. B. Dube.
J.N.
Church Notes
Presbytery Meetings (D.V.)
Zimbabwe: At Bulawayo on 11th June at 2 p.m.
Western: At Laide on 11th June at 6 p.m.
Southern: At Edinburgh on 14th June at 6.30 p.m.
Skye: At Portree on 18th June at 11 a.m.
Outer Isles: At Stornoway on 18th June at 12 noon.
Northern: At Dingwall on 25th June at 2 p.m.
Australia and New Zealand: At Gisborne on 25th October at 2.30 p.m.
Dornoch Communion
The Kirk Session decided that there would be no Communion held at Dornoch on the third Sabbath of June.
Edinburgh Induction
At its meeting in Glasgow on Tuesday, 30th April, the Southern Presbytery resolved to meet (D.V.) in Morningside Baptist Church, Morningside Road (near junction of Morningside Road with Colinton Road), Edinburgh on Friday, 14th June, 1991 at 6.30 p.m. Divine Worship will commence at 7 p.m. for the Induction of Rev. D. B. Macleod M.A., as minister of the congregation.
(Rev.) Alex. MacPherson
Clerk of Presbytery
Editor’s Address
As from 14th June, 1991 (D.V.), the Editor’s address will be: Napier House, 8 Colinton Road, Edinburgh, EH10 5DS.