The Church of Scotland Assembly
The new Moderator of the Church of Scotland Assembly was Rev. James Weatherhead, the Assembly Principal Clerk. Lord MacFarlane was the Lord High Commissioner appointed by the Queen. In her message to the Assembly, the Queen referred to the 150th Anniversary of the Disruption which, she said, was the action of men of principle and courage who surrendered their churches, manses and stipends for a matter of conscience. The courage of such a sacrifice, she declared, is something the world still needs from men and women with a steadfast vision in the power of Almighty God.
A special service to mark the 150th anniversary of the Disruption was held in St. Giles during the Assembly week when Rev. Alex Cheyne, Professor Emeritus of Church History at Edinburgh University, preached. He outlined the events and circumstances that led to the Disruption, the formation of the Free Church and the eventual coming together of the churches in 1929 when the Church of Scotland and United Free Church joined together. He thought that Thomas Chalmers and his associates would be very gratified with what the foundation document of the 1929 union had to say on the subject that had caused them such heart-searching — the freedom of the Church from external control. The Professor, however, overlooked the fact that it was a radically different Church from the Disruption Free Church which united with the Church of Scotland in 1929.
The Board of Social Responsibility warned against New Age and occult ideas, as well as the spread of violent and pornographic material. The study group, which examined the effect of such material on the young, concluded that children are at risk and the law should be changed to prevent the sale of pornographic magazines to children. On New Age material, the study group said it is a pagan movement and is positively antipathetic to Christianity and every Christian should be made aware of the poten-
tial danger from it. Rev. John Drane, of the department of Religious Studies at Stirling University, after warning that we dismiss the New Age proponents at our peril, went on to say that “we may have less time than we think to develop a Gospel that can address the hearts and souls — as well as the minds — of our nation.” However, it is not a new Gospel that is needed but the proclamation in all its glory of the old, but ever new, Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, that Gospel which in large measure the Church of Scotland has ceased to proclaim. If the proclamation of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ will not save a nation, then nothing else can.
The Board of Social Responsibility also revealed that the Church of Scotland has spent £1.5 million from its own reserves towards the upkeep of its eventide homes. Losses of more than £5 million have been incurred over 3 years to subsidise elderly care. It costs £230 to keep a resident per week but the Government is prepared to pay only £175 per week. The Board asked Church members to bring pressure to bear on politicians to ensure adequate finance is available for elderly people.
In the debate on religious observance in schools, the Convener of the Board of Education said that there was concern that there should be continued representation of the Churches on local authority education committees and maintained that it was essential that there be representation of religious interests on all school boards. He pointed out the anomaly that the Roman Catholic Church is represented on every denominational board while the same right is not enjoyed by the Church of Scotland. The Convener is right to expose the subtle influence of the RC Church in relation to education in Scotland. It is well known, that when the blueprint for the setting up of Education Committees, at the time of regionalisation, came out first, only the R.C. Church was given the statutory right to a place on the Education Committee of every Regional Authority. What behind the scenes activity there must have been by the R.C. Church to achieve this and what blatant effrontery to propose it. Would that the Church of Scotland were more alive to the nefarious influence of the Church of Rome in so many departments of national life! If this were so, the last thing the Church of Scotland would be doing would be preparing for union with that anti-christian body.
A report on relationships with people of other faiths advises that such relationships must be based on respect for their beliefs, and a willingness to listen and understand. It suggests that congregations should try to make contact with the nearest place of worship of another faith, such as a mosque, synagogue or Sikh gurdwara, to try and establish friendly rela-
tions and claims that this in no way denies Christian commitment. The excuse in our day for giving place to false religions is that we are living in a multi-faith society. Establishing close relations with such bodies leads, as is seen in practice, to multi-faith acts of worship, which are most dishonouring to the living and true God and to His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Men must learn that there is only one Mediator between God and man, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Board of World Mission is of the view that European Churches must lend their support to building a just and peaceful Europe. If Bosnia is anything to go by, the Romanists, Orthodox or Moslems are more likely to bring about a divided Europe than a united one. It will need the Gospel in its saving power to visit Europe ere Europe will know anything of true peace. Would that the pulpits of the Church of Scotland in Europe proclaimed the Evangel of peace!
A report on Mission and Evangelism in a Multi-faith Society and in a Multi-faith World, though approved by the Assembly, was opposed by 70 commissioners who recorded their dissent. According to “The Gist”, which gives a summary of the Assembly’s proceedings, Rev. Ian Hamilton, Ayrshire, felt the report blasphemously implied that Christ was merely one of many religious figures and Christianity equal with other religions. He wanted a statement emphasising that Jesus Christ was the only Saviour of men and women but his proposal was rejected by the Assembly. This gives us an indication of the way a multi-cultural society is affecting the Church of Scotland when she is unwilling to state unequivocally in the face of all other religions that “there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved”.
The Church of Scotland has sold its bookshops to an organisation “Send the Light”. The Convener of the Board of Communication regretted that this had become necessary but without the necessary funds some radical decisions had to be taken to preserve some other parts of the Board’s activities.
The former Moderator, Rev. Dr. Hugh Wyllie, in his review of the year called unemployment a “blasphemy . . . a destroyer of the individual’s self-esteem.” Dr Wyllie does no service either to Christianity or to the English language by his misuse of the word “blasphemy”. Another word similarly abused in our day is the word “obscene”, being applied to matters to which it is quite inappropriate. These words have serious connotations and should not be demeaned in this way. Unemployment cannot but be viewed as something to be deplored when the Word of God makes it clear that man was intended for work. Yet if the real causes of unemployment
were closely looked into, it may well be found that for us, as a nation, it is more closely linked to our departure from God than men would be ready to admit. The true prosperity of a nation depends on the blessing of God, but it is this blessing that we, as a nation, are not careful to seek.
A move to ban the blessing of gay and lesbian relationships by Church of Scotland ministers was rejected by 534 votes to 338. The Rev. Howard Taylor of Knightswood, supporting the ban, said: “There are many causes for the breakdown of Christian family life, with the enormous misery that goes with it, in society today. But we must not do anything that in the long term will further undermine Christian family life. The Word of God teaches against these practices which clearly contradict the doctrine of marriage.” It is sad to think that the Church of Scotland Assembly did not heed his warning. It may not be altogether irrelevant that it was a woman “minister” who had performed the blessing which aroused the opposition of a section of the Assembly.
Proposals were sent down to Presbyteries which could lead to fewer members of Assembly, and an age of retirement from Presbytery and Assembly of 75 years.
It cannot but sadden the hearts of the true people of God to think of the low spiritual state of the National Church. May the day speedily come, in the mercy and love of God, when the glorious Gospel of the blessed God will be proclaimed from every pulpit of the land.
The Free Church of Scotland Assembly
At the Free Church Assembly Principal Emeritus Clement Graham was appointed Moderator for the second time. Mr Graham retires as Principal Clerk of the Assembly at the end of November and his place is to be taken by Professor John L. MacKay with Professor Hugh M. Cartwright appointed as Assistant Clerk.
On this occasion the Free Church celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Disruption. Professor Cartwright gave one address and Rev. Fergus A.J. MacDonald of the National Bible Society another. Three men gave addresses on the subject: Why I belong to the Free Church. Other speakers included Rev. J. Campbell Andrews from Eastern Australia, Dr George Ball of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland and J.J. Peterson of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church who brought greetings from their respective Churches. The Assembly acknowledged the debt owed to those who at such great cost maintained the spiritual integrity and freedom of the Church on that occasion. It recalled how the Church of 1843 continued in undiminished loyalty to the creed of the Reformation Church as
articulated in the Westminster Confession of Faith. It reiterated the adherence of the Church to the doctrines of the Confession, being persuaded that the Confession fairly and clearly summarises the faith once for all delivered to the saints. The Assembly committed the Church to the propagation of this faith hoping for a new Spirit-inspired Reformation. These, indeed, are fine words and how good it would be for those parts where the Free Church witness is established if she lived up to them. Were she fully committed to the Confession in the way professed, then much within her practice would be radically altered, and her antipathy to the witness of the Free Presbyterian Church would be greatly altered as well. She would discover that the true heirship of the Disruption Church witness is to be found within that body so despised and often maligned by her. However, the day is coming when the Lord will bring these things to the light. Men will then see that the testimony of the Reformation Church was during the latter part of the Twentieth Century in the hands of very few and these a despised remnant of the Church of God.
In connection with the Welfare of Youth Committee, which is now to be called “The Youth Committee”, there was disappointment expressed at a 15 per cent drop in completion of Work Sheets by children in the congregations. On Youth Camps it was said that the past year had been very encouraging, a total of 660 campers participating in 22 camps in 1992 and more are planned for 1993. It is expected that almost one third will come from other church backgrounds and some from no church background. There is little doubt that these camps can become hothouses for spurious conversions which must be disastrous spiritually for those who are in this way ensnared.
Warning was given of the danger of the exposure of young people to television and videos in their own or other people’s homes. The Committee appealed for more parental responsibility in the religious education of their children. Parents, it was said cannot leave everything to their “Sunday” School teachers. The word “Sabbath” seems to have departed from the vocabulary of many in the Free Church. David Miller from South Africa expressed disappointment at the apparent lack of missionary interest among the young.
In dealing with Ecumenical Relations, the Convener reminded the Assembly of their long-standing cordial relationships with the Reformed Presbyterian Churches of Scotland and Ireland and with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ireland. He also indicated contacts they had with other Christian groups. It was left to Pro. Cartwright to reveal what progress had been made in talks with the Associated Presbyterian Churches.
He revealed that at a meeting held on 23rd March there had been discussion over the constitutional and confessional position of the A.P.C., the significance of their name, their ecclesiastical structure, the reasons for their separate existence, their view of the integrity of the Free Church constitution and their intention for the future. His personal impression was that the A.P.C. were not sufficiently clear as to their own identity and future, to contemplate movement towards union with any other body in the immediate future.
The Assembly had before it an application from Rev. Hamish I. MacKinnon, an A.P.C. minister, and once Free Presbyterian minister at Broadford and Oban. The application was received unanimously. In explaining why he wished to leave his present church he said it was simply the objective reality created by the emergence of what is, in many communities, effectively a fourth denomination. He maintained that that reality was unpleasant to his brethren as well as to himself. He had given as his reason for leaving the A.P.C. (1) the fragmented state of the Church in Scotland; (2) the absence of any constitutional impediment to union of the A.P.C. with the Free Church; (3) the better stewardship of both at home and in the foreign mission. The two reasons Mr MacKinnon gave for wanting to be received into the Free Church were: (1) his conviction of the identical nature of its (the A.P.C.’s) constitutional position with that of the Free Church and (2) his view that the Free Church holds out the most realistic hope of the reunion of the Reformed cause in Scotland. It is clear from this, that Mr MacKinnon has moved far away from the position he took up when he came under solemn ordination vows in the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland. He has shown, however, at the same time the falseness of the view maintained by the A.P.C.’s that they are the true Free Presbyterian Church.
On Psalmody, the Assembly were informed that people are getting further and further away from Elizabethan English, as language is continually changing. Consequently there was need to have the Psalms in current speech. Not that these are intended to replace the present version but simply intended to be available to be used at the discretion of Kirk Sessions, so it was said. How reminiscent of the language used in connection with the introduction of hymns in the old Free Church! One minister paid tribute to lady precentors!
An attempt was made to raise the level that congregations are required to contribute to the Sustentation Fund before a congregation can be given the services of a minister. This was sent back to Presbyteries for further consideration. One speaker pointed out that in viewing the givings of three
particular congregations it turned out that the large sized congregation gave £179 per person to Central Funds, a medium sized one gave £338 per person and a small congregation gave £650 per person. No doubt this would be established in many cases and ought to be recognised.
In connection with Church Extension it was said that the suggestion that ten congregations be started up within the next ten years is unattainable in the current spiritual and economic climate. Presbyteries were being asked to respond with positive plans for church planting. The Lennoxtown Church Extension charge, which had run out of time and was to be closed, was given a reprieve for another year. The idea of a Home Mission Board was not accepted. In our view, so far as the planting of churches is concerned, it is not enough to gather together a group of people from varying church backgrounds or of none. It is also necessary to appoint over these charges men of God who will break the bread of life to them. Otherwise it is vain to hope that any true Church extension can be accomplished.