Article – Page 152 – The Burning Bush

Slowing up a little

In February 2007, the following article was published.

“The Burning Bush” bows out

‘This edition of “The Burning Bush” will be the last. It has been in print since March 1970, becoming a regular monthly read since 1988. The founding editor, Rev Ivan Foster, retires next year. It is for this reason alone that the publication is coming to an end.

Burning Bush website banner from 18 October 2000

However, “The Burning Bush” website (www.ivanfoster.org) will continue for some time and it is hoped that pertinent articles will still continue to be made available by this means. The Editor appreciates very much the encouraging comments that have been made by readers regarding the ending of “The Burning Bush”. I would like to thank all those who have faithfully supported this witness, some from the earliest days of its publication.

I must also thank my wife, Ann, who has carefully scrutinised each issue for spelling mistakes etc; since 1970. No one was more pleased at the arrival of a computer in our home than she was, since she had the task of typing out the earliest editions on a typewriter for me then to physically “cut and paste” in order to prepare it for duplicating. The computer meant that she had only the scrutiny to take care of. . . . . . . .

To you one and all, I say a sincere thank you. Ivan Foster.’

That was 17 years ago. Now that 54 years have passed since “The Burning Bush” began its witness and I recently passed my 80th birthday and my wife Ann marked her 77th birthday a few days earlier, our energy levels are not what they used to be!

Consequently, I will be reducing the ‘output’ of articles and comment. While I am able I will continue to offer the occasional comment on public events and the deepening apostasy, but it will not be of the same volume as in past years.

The “The Burning Bush” website will remain available for any wishing to explore its many articles and we have a large number of sermon recordings which we can continue to ‘feature’.

In recent years I owe much to the help given me in the maintaining the site to Mr John Pittman Hey whom I have never met since he resides in Mississippi in the USA. He came forward and offered to help ‘gratis’, in maintaining the site, having visited it and found himself in sympathy with our stand on many issues facing God’s people today. He has ‘rescued’ the site on a number of occasions from cyber attacks etc, and patiently put up with my requests for my last minute ‘corrections’, discovered after publication!

It is most likely we will never meet in time but I look forward to the fellowship of heaven with my brother.

I must also thank my son Andrew, resident in Canada, for his original setting up of the present site and caring for it for many years on top of his pastoral duties in Penticton Free Presbyterian Church and his many other labours.

Of course, I must offer my thanks to the many readers who have accumulated over 1,107.000 visits to the site since it went digital in the late 1990s. Their encouraging emails and letters have been most encouraging amidst oftentimes hostile comments from those who reject the ‘the old paths’ of Free Presbyterianism.

I have not yet ‘finished my course’ but I trust by God’s grace I will be able to echo Paul’s words, brought before me by Dr Ian Paisley when he preached my ordination sermon back in April 1968, at least faintly at the end of my days.

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith,” 2 Timothy 4:7.

Sincerely in Christ’s name,

Ivan Foster

Patrick, a misrepresented man of God

The scenes around the world on March 17th, in which the memory of Patrick was supposedly being honoured, have not honoured the work and testimony of this much maligned man of God.

Indeed, virtually every function that was organised to commemorate the day on which it is believed he died in 465, was of such a character that were Patrick still amongst us, he would have denounced the activities.

Stained glass portrayal located at Carlow Cathedral of Patrick preaching to Irish kings. Franz Borgias Mayer (1848–1926)

Rome has created a mythical figure and called him “Patrick” but he is no more like the historical Patrick than is heaven like to hell.

By the providence of God, there is preserved for us a “Confession” or testimony from the pen of Patrick. Its authenticity is accepted by all, even those whose account of Patrick is proved false by its record — the Roman Catholic church.

This corrupting of the history of Patrick is in no way unique!

The Gospel outlawed by the British government!

The man with a very long title but very short on the knowledge of God, ‘The Right Honourable Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations’, has announced in Parliament a new definition of ‘Extremism’!

Gove names groups as he outlines new extremism definition in Commons

The new definition reads:

Extremism is the promotion or advancement of an ideology based on violence, hatred or intolerance, that aims to

1: negate or destroy the fundamental rights and freedoms of others; or

2: undermine, overturn or replace the UK’s system of liberal parliamentary democracy and democratic rights; or

3: intentionally create a permissive environment for others to achieve the results in (1) or (2).

It has already come under criticism as being ‘too broad’. “Right-wing MP Miriam Cates told the Commons on Thursday the new definition ‘risks criminalising, or at the very least chilling the speech of, people who have very legitimate, harmless views’.

She used the example of the views of some gender critical feminists, who she said could be ‘labelled as extremist’ under the new definition.”

It certainly is broad indeed so that it is seen to be threatening the freedom to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This new definition of ‘extremism’ rest upon the opinion of any who feel that what someone or an organisation believes and propagates generates hatred or intolerance toward them. (more…)