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“And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison; and he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon; and changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life. And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life,” 2 Kings 25:27-30.

I read these verses on Wednesday November 12th, as apart of my daily readings. They brought back memories of my days in the Theological Hall of the Free Presbyterian Church. It was in my first year of study that Dr S B Cooke, who lectured in Homiletics, set these verses as a text for his class. That was in 1965.

I have preached on these verses a number of times in different places over the subsequent 60 years. However, I freely acknowledge that much of what I have said would have originated with what Dr Cooke set forth that day in the class, convened in the prayer room of Ravenhill Free Presbyterian Church.

I have visited Dr Cooke in the nursing home in Kilkeel where he and his dear wife, Agnes, reside at present. He has been to me a good and faithful tutor, mentor, counsellor and friend.

First Meeting

When I first met him I was a recent convert to Christ and a very commonplace theological student in need of much instruction! My acquaintance with Dr Cooke was therefore that of a student with a very experienced and honoured preacher of the Gospel.

However, that changed somewhat in 1966. On June 6th of that year there was a Free Presbyterian protest outside the annual General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, in Belfast. It was prompted chiefly by the Presbyterian Church’s very active involvement in the modernistic and ecumenical apostasy flourishing back then.

But the protest was also against the presence of the representative of Éamon de Valera, President of the Republic of Ireland being an invited guest at the Assembly.

De Valera was a commandant of the Irish Volunteers in the Easter Rebellion of 1916 and prominent leader of the later IRA terrorism campaign. In 1966 we of the Free Presbyterian Church believed that it was gravely improper and  unscriptural to honour such an unrepentant terrorist and a persecutor of the many Protestants in Ireland who had suffered under him and his terrorist allies, for the previous 50 years!

Court Case

That protest resulted in a court case and charges of ‘unlawful assembly’ being levelled against a number of protesters, including Dr Ian Paisley who led the protest, Rev John Wylie, a senior Free Presbyterian minister and myself, a second year theological student and licentiate minister.

We were found guilty and sentenced to being ‘bound over’ for a period of 2 years, which entailed us giving an undertaking to the court not to engage in any like behaviour during the two-year period. We were also fined, some £40, if I recall correctly.

Committed

Since we, as Free Presbyterian ministers, were quite committed by our ordination oath to continuing such protests against the modernism and ecumenism of the three mainline churches here in Northern Ireland, we refused to sign the ‘rule of bail’.

Consequently, we were committed to Crumlin Road Jail. Dr Paisley was arrested on his way to his Wednesday prayer meeting on July 20th. Rev John Wylie was arrested the next day, Thursday 21st, while on holiday with his wife in Newcastle, and lodged in jail. I was arrested outside Sandown Road Free Presbyterian Church, late on Thursday evening and because it was deemed too late for me to be committed to Crumlin Road jail, I spent the first night of my sentence in Musgrave Street RUC barracks, amidst the drunks arrested that evening! I joined the other two jail birds earlier the next day.

Blessed Stirring

As a result of the stirring that took place in Northern Ireland under God, I solemnly believe, there sprang up a tremendous interest in the message and witness of the Free Presbyterian Church. (more…)

The confused and sadly would appear to be ‘concealed’ events taking place with the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, has been reported by the BBC as being linked to ‘child abuse’.

“A series of ‘serious and significant failings’ in safeguarding in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland is a ‘watershed moment’ for the church, a child abuse expert has said.

On Thursday, the PSNI said there were ongoing discussions with the church to ensure mechanisms are in place to support anyone who wishes to report abuse.

Failings in safeguarding within the church between 2009 and 2022 were disclosed on Wednesday leading to its moderator stepping down.

Jim Gamble, who headed up the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) police command, said there should be a ‘root and branch’ independent inquiry to ‘ensure congregations are safe’.

The church carried out an internal report, which has not been published.”

(Safeguarding failings ‘watershed moment’ for church, child abuse expert says)

The whole sorry mess is something the Free Presbyterian Church should note and tremble at. Keeping wickedness at bay is no easy thing.

Apostolic

The apostolic churches were frequently infiltrated by those bent on corrupting the truth of the gospel and the morals of the saints. Events in the Corinthian church, as is evident from Paul’s stern disciplinary dealings with that church, by way of his first epistle to it, indicates the dangers faced. Jude’s epistle likewise reveals the activities of the enemy back then.

The events in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland are alarming and should serve as a warning to us. I am especially concerned for our church because of the very evident lowering of the need to maintain strict discipline within our congregations. (more…)