Presbytery Meetings (D.V.)
Northern: At Dingwall on 2nd February at 2 p.m.
Southern: At Glasgow on 9th February at 6 p.m.
Zimbabwe: At Bulawayo on 9th March at 2 p.m.
Western: At Laide on 9th March at 6 p.m.
Commemoration Meeting in Edinburgh, 25th May, 1993
In the notice on this event written in the December issue of the F.P. Magazine, reference was made to friends outwith the Free Presbyterian Church who might wish to attend this meeting. As entry to the Assembly Hall will be by ticket only, any such interested friends can apply for tickets to:- Mr Alastair MacRae, 4 Laxford Lane, Broughty Ferry, Dundee DD5 3HF.
D. McL.
Greenock Congregation
At a meeting of the Kirk Session of the Greenock Congregation on 23rd December 1992 it was decided that the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper be dispensed in the congregation once yearly on the 1st Sabbath of October (D.V.), the March Communion to be discontinued.
A. MacLennan, Kirk Session Clerk.
Outer Isles Presbytery — Letter to Prime Minister
The Rt Hon John Major PC MP,
Prime Minister,
10 Downing Street,
London SW1A 2AA.
Dear Prime Minister,
Maastricht Treaty
When our Presbytery met recently I was instructed to write and appeal to you not to proceed with the ratification of the Maastricht Treaty. Our great fear is that ratification will lead, in due course, to the total loss of our national sovereignty, our absorption into a European federal state and, above all, to the loss of our dearly-bought religious and civil liberties.
The fact that the great majority of the nations in the European community are predominantly Roman Catholic seems to be either overlooked or regarded as of no significance. It should, in our view, be regarded as of momentous importance. Chancellor Kohl, President Mitterand, M. Delors, etc., are all faithful Roman Catholics and, consistent with their beliefs, their first allegiance is to the Roman Pontif. The Vatican, we believe, is the major power behind the movement towards a federal Europe and, as ever, it has its own interests principally in view. The Presbytery urges you not to dismiss as far-fetched and fanciful the view that the aim is to establish another holy Roman Empire with the Pope as its head.
Official figures, available in the House of Commons, indicate that there are within the European Community as presently constituted 187 million Roman Catholics and only 51 million Protestants. Any European State would thus be a Roman Catholic state and what that would mean for other churches is clearly stated in the June, 1948, issue of the Civiltà Cattolica (the official organ of the Jesuit Order): “the Roman Catholic Church, convinced through her divine prerogatives of being the only true church, must demand the right of freedom for herself alone, because such a right can only be possessed by truth, never by error. . . . Consequently, in a state where the majority of people are Catholic, the Church will require
that legal existence be denied to error, and that if religious minorities actually exist, they shall have only a de facto existence without opportunity to spread their beliefs.”
When, in the past, the church of Rome wielded power in this land she, as you will know, persecuted to the death all who dared to differ with her. As she still boasts her semper eadem we cannot be other than apprehensive when our Government appears to be quite determined to press on with the ratification of this Treaty.
On behalf of the Presbytery,
Yours faithfully,
Rev. John MacLeod, Clerk.
Gospel Tracts
The Church’s Outreach Committee wish to draw the attention of our congregations to the fact that it has produced a number of gospel tracts. These are available from the Bookroom in Glasgow, free of charge, to any members in our congregations who can make profitable use of them.
A few kept in your car or in your pocket or handbag could in providence be helpful to some soul or souls.
(Rev.) G. G. Hutton, Convener.
Ingwenya Mission Appeal
WANTED URGENTLY
Teachers for John Tallach Secondary School
Qualifications: University degree with teaching subjects suitable for school level, and/or Teacher Training Diploma.
Contract: 2 years.
Mission teachers from overseas may be asked to (1) take Bible and/or English as well as their own subjects. (2) Assist with extra-mural activities, e.g. Sabbath School, dispensary.
Reasonable accommodation with water and electricity is provided.
Applicants should apply as soon as possible. It takes 3-6 months to get a work permit.
Matron and Nursing Staff Appeal
A Matron and Nursing Staff are required for Sengera Hospital, Kenya. The Foreign Mission Committee would be pleased to hear from suitably qualified staff for the above posts. It is our hope that the Hospital will open, the Lord willing, in March 1993.
(Rev.) James R. Tallach