“For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil,” Ecclesiastes 12:14.
News reporters notoriously seek out the most lurid headlines in order to intrigue the reader and encourage further reading or viewing. Selling their product is of the utmost importance and all other considerations, such as concern for the person or persons being featured in the article, the impact of the article upon friends and family or even truth itself, take second place.
There is an important place for the news media in society. There is a need for information on a whole range of matters which impact our lives and about which we need to be informed in order to make appropriate decisions, whether they be moral, political or financial.
Governments desire to control the ‘news’! Even in the freest of societies that takes place. There are many means used to accomplish this ‘control’. The issuing of false reports — ‘kite-flying’, simply ‘buying’ a reporter to set forth what the government wants the people to hear or conceal what they do not want the electorate to know.
Here is Ulster, there has been much of that over the last 50+ years! Elements within the government, the civil service and the various media outlets have been most keen to hide from the public the truth with respect to the long-term objectives of government, regarding the activities of Irish Republican terrorism.
Ever since William Gladstone introduced the ‘First Home Rule Bill’ in 1886, Ulster Protestants have been deeply suspicious of London’s intentions. The Home Rule Bill, and the successive attempts that followed would have placed Ulster’s Protestant majority under a Roman Catholic, Dublin based regime! Our forefathers back then adopted the slogan, ‘Home Rule is Rome Rule’ and they would have none of it. Indeed, when it appeared that London was prepared to use the British Army to force Protestants under Rome rule, our forefathers formed the Ulster Defence Force and prepared to resist such treachery by our own British government.
This map satirizes the Irish Home Rule crisis of 1886 and appeared two years later in the Conservative St. Stephen’s Review.
Members of the British Army prepared to Defy Orders
Providentially, there took place what was termed, ‘The Curragh Mutiny’. Wikipedia comments on the incident as follows.
“The Curragh incident of 20 March 1914, sometimes known as the Curragh mutiny, occurred in the Curragh, County Kildare, Ireland. The Curragh Camp was then the main base for the British Army in Ireland, which at the time still formed part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Ireland was scheduled to receive a measure of devolved government, which included Ulster, later in the year. The incident is important in 20th-century Irish history, and is notable for being one of the few occasions since the English Civil War in which elements of the British military openly intervened in politics. It is widely thought of as a mutiny, though no orders actually given were disobeyed.
With Irish Home Rule due to become law in 1914, the British Cabinet contemplated some kind of military action against the unionist Ulster Volunteers who threatened to rebel against it. Many officers, especially those with Irish Protestant connections, of whom the most prominent was Hubert Gough, threatened to resign or accept dismissal rather than obey orders to conduct military operations against the unionists, and were privately encouraged from London by senior officers including Henry Wilson.
Although the Cabinet issued a document claiming that the issue had been a misunderstanding, Secretary of State for War J. E. B. Seely and Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS) Field Marshal Sir John French were forced to resign after amending it to promise that the British Army would not be used against the Ulster loyalists.”
‘The Curragh Mutiny’
Abiding Animosity!
It is a long time ago that in a press conference in December 1971, the then British Home Secretary, Reginald Maudling, made reference to an ‘acceptable level’ of violence in Northern Ireland. It was deemed a ‘political gaffe’ on his part but I have no doubt it revealed the animosity that abides still within the hearts of many mainland politicians toward the Protestants of Ulster and the sympathy those politicians have for Irish republicanism.
Evil Landlord
I have often said from the pulpit that London was using IRA terrorism as a weapon to weary the Ulster Protestant and break his resolve to remain British and resist a United Ireland.
I used to liken the process unto an unscrupulous landlord who wished to be rid of a tenant but found that difficult because of the tenant’s legal and binding tenancy agreement. To simply throw the tenant out would mean a court case and compensation having to be paid!
So what would such a rogue do?
I suggested that he would be slow to carry out repairs to a leaking roof or fix broken locks etc etc, all of which was intended to weary and exasperate the tenant and hopefully force him to leave and seek accommodation elsewhere!
That London wished to be rid of Northern Ireland was made clear by the Tory Prime Minister, Edward Heath, who allegedly said: ‘I would like to tow Northern Ireland out into the Atlantic Ocean and sink it!’
British Cabinet papers released in London back in 2001 indicated that the Tory government under Heath gave active consideration to pulling out of Ulster, leaving the region ‘to sink or swim as best it could’. This was reported in the ‘Belfast Telegraph’ under the headline: Heath considered pulling out of Northern Ireland
That desire by London was concealed and never really commented on by the press in the times of IRA terror but it could be detected by the observant in the restraint that was placed upon the security forces and the limited actions they were allowed to take against the IRA. London desired that the IRA be allowed to continue in order to weary the Ulster Protestant and make him more agreeable to a settlement with Irish Republicans, something which was entirely opposed to the view of our Protestant forefathers.
Traitors
Of course, the ‘Ecumenical Traitors’ in the mainline churches, who hated Bible Protestantism and who long had sought reunion with Romanism, as was stated by the World Council of Churches from its beginnings, did their bit in aiding the treachery of London. That was seen in the recent revelations in the press of what the former Irish Methodist President, Harold Good, had done to bring about an agreement and cooperation between Dr Paisley’s DUP and Sinn Fein/IRA, which was led by IRA murderer Martin McGuinness. Harold Good was but one of the long list of those of the spirit of ‘Judas Iscariot’, the betrayer of the Saviour, who long had operated under a cloak of deceit and lies!
Secret Talks!
But what of the recent sad, alarming and revealing press reports of the ‘behind the scene’ negotiations between the DUP and Sinn Fein/IRA, accommodated and arranged by ecumenist, Harold Good?
Without doubt they will have come as a shock to many who have supported the DUP and who have believed explicitly the many denials by the leaders of the DUP that any such secret talks had taken place. Because of the profession of faith and obedience to Christ that many of the DUP leaders made, it was unthinkable for many supporters to doubt their word, even though there was ample evidence for the ‘observant and discerning’ to see that there had been a deceitful arrangement made!
Now these unchallengeable press revelations have been placed in the open and they show what fools have been those who believed the DUP denials in the past!
What may we say of God’s purpose in this all?
I. IRRESPECTIVE OF THE MOTIVES OF THE REPORTERS WHO HAVE EXPOSED THE DECEIT OF THE DUP LEADERS AND THAT OF HAROLD GOOD IN WRITING UP HIS PART IN IT ALL, GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD!
Joseph said to his bothers, at the time of his making of himself known to them: “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive,” Genesis 50:20.
What Jospeh’s brothers had planned was meant to harm Joseph, but the Lord turn their schemes to good.
Newspaper reporters will not have the welfare of Christians in mind when these matters were dealt within in their columns BUT I have no doubt that the good of the people of God is what the Lord intends by these matters being published.
Somersault!
The period referred to in the articles, mid-2000 —2007, was a time when former political sentiments and opinions were set aside, indeed turned on their head! Unionists were suddenly told that a uniting with Sinn Fein/IRA was the right thing, the best thing for them.
This came after some 100 years of Unionism detesting all that Irish republicanism wished to see accomplished in Ireland by way of murder, the bomb and the bullet!
The objectives of Sinn Fein/IRA had not changed and that they repeatedly made very plain. However, as a result of a desire for personal political advancement, the DUP, after condemning the Ulster Unionists for entering a power-sharing arrangement with the milder form of Irish nationalism represented by the Social Democratic and Labour Party, and in effect bringing down that arrangement, the DUP entered a monstrous arrangement with the party indissolubly linked to the terrorism and murder of the previous 40+ years.
Indeed, the joint leadership of the new arrangement was to be shared with Martin McGuinness, a well known and self-confessed member of the murderous IRA!
Dr Ian Paisley
Sadly, because the arrangement had the sanction of Dr Ian Paisley, a much loved leader of Bible protestantism up unto that point, many Christians accepted his assurance and that of other ministers of the gospel, that it was good for the land and in agreement with God’s Word.
However, within a year of entering that arrangement with Sinn Fein/IRA, Dr Paisley was removed as Moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church, was removed from his position as First Minister in the Stormont Assembly and then removed from the leadership of the Democratic Unionist Party and shortly thereafter, ended his pastorate at Martyrs Memorial Free Presbyterian Church!
Such developments DID NOT indicate divine approval of the much vaunted arrangements. They did have the approval of the ecumenical and popish leaders. They were loud in their praise of Dr Paisley, he who before had been the target of their unrelenting bitter condemnation for his faithful stand against their Satanic plans for Northern Ireland!
Built on Lies
These recent newspaper revelations have served to show that the whole power-sharing deal with Sinn Fein/IRA was born of lies and supported by deceit of the worst kind.
Furthermore, the reports served to vindicate those, who amidst much vilification, had protested against the power-sharing deal and especially against the chicanery of the DUP leadership from the beginning of the sell-out!
Sammy Wilson MP
One of the leading participants in the ‘political shenanigans’ back then was Mr Sammy Wilson MP.
He is reported on BBC Northern Ireland news site replying to the press revelations’.
Sammy Wilson admits meetings with Sinn Féin
The BBC report states: “A Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP has said he attended secret meetings with Sinn Féin at a time when negotiations with the party were against DUP policy. Sammy Wilson said he was “never ever asked whether I took part in those meetings or not so I never involved myself in any denial”.
That may well be so Sammy, but in the midst of the welter of accusations and replies, you never thought of stating what you now disclose!
Withholding evidence of a political ‘scam’ is quite a serious matter, I understand!
Mr Wilson is further quoted: “He said that while his party’s position was that the negotiations should not be attended with Sinn Féin at the time, that the meetings did not constitute negotiations.”
That is case of mere semantics, something that seems to be sufficient to quell any troubling of a politician’s conscience – provided they have one!!
Negotiations consists of meetings and talking and that is what happened in Harold Good’s house! If nothing else they were ‘negotiating’ the basis upon which ‘negotiations’ could take place!
Was there not a lot about ‘talks about talks’ just prior to the ‘power-sharing deal’??
Eyes finally opened!
There are many Christians who now, as a result of these newspaper articles, see that they were misled and deceived. They recognise too, the great harm that this betrayal of truth has wrought within the ranks of believers. Many used the sudden abandoning of old principles as an excuse further their own sinful ambitions. They had a desire to likewise set aside the practices and standards of the ‘old paths’ of God’s truth, wherein ‘is the good way’, and head off down the paths of more liberal forms of worship and behaviour. That has injured the stand of the Free Presbyterian Church.
Sadly, many in position of authority and influence, for one reason or another, seemed unable or unwilling to speak out against both the political betrayal and the spiritual departures that such chicanery spawned! Indeed, those who did seek to oppose the direction that was being taken by some, found themselves opposed and frustrated whenever attempts were made to condemn the departures from the ‘old paths’ that were beginning to manifest themselves!
If anything, these press reports underscore that the God of Heaven will not allow the secret and deceitful actions of men to succeed or remain secret for the Lord will set His face against such and bring ‘every secret thing’ into judgment.
Let all take note of what happened in the case of the DUP’s duplicity and recognise that “the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God,” 1 Peter 4:17.
God will yet set His house in order, irrespective of the secret manoeuvring of those who think they can outwit the Lord!
II. LET US REMEMBER THAT THE BIBLE HAS REPEATEDLY EXPOSED THE SECRET WORKINGS OF FOOLISH BELIEVERS AND OF WICKED MEN.
Long before reporters from the ‘Belfast Newsletter’ or the ‘Belfast Telegraph’ or ecumenical clerics like Harold Good, took on themselves to seek to write that which would embarrass those, who in former times they totally disagreed with, but whose betrayal and abandoning of their former ways gave them opportunity to gloat and to embarrass the perpetrators of the political somersaults, God had exposed by writing up in the Bible such antics since the time of the fall of man.
Of course, He did it for the most holy and beneficial reasons. God’s purpose for His people is simply put in Romans 8:28. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
The Psalmist said: “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. . . . . It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.” Psalm 119:67, 71.
Affliction is the rod by which the Lord turns His wandering sheep back to the right path. That affliction has often entailed a public exposure of the believer’s folly. Ask Moses, David, Elijah, Jehoshaphat and a host of other wandering and errant believers, they will tell you! Their ‘going astray’ is recorded in the Bible for all to read and learn!
We are witnessing just such a dealing by the Lord with those who profess faith in Him and who acted very contrary to His will and purpose back in the days just prior to 2007.
The old saying remains true.
“Though the mills of GOD grind slowly.
Yet they grind exceedingly small;
Though with patience He stands waiting,
With exactness He grinds all.”
I dare to say that the issues related to the betrayals of nearly twenty years ago have not yet been fully ‘ground’ out!
Mercy
Of course, the Bible does set forth the merciful dealings of God with the most foolish. Nowhere declares that more than Psalm 51, where you have the confession of a man who most foolishly engaged in adultery, deceit, murder and the most terrible of hypocrisy. That man was David.
Yet we know that he obtained mercy and forgiveness and was restored to fellowship with His Lord. He became a useful servant of God again after his wickedness was exposed and recorded for us to read of and learn from.
“And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; and I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon,” 2 Samuel 12:7-9.
Paul tells us, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope,” Romans 15:4.
The world has mocked at the account of David’s sins and used it to blaspheme the Lord and to scoff at His people. But such disclosures are “written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope”.
Likewise, the recent press reports give us reason to patiently hope that the Lord will yet rectify the wrongs done amongst His people in those times which have caused so much heartache and pain amongst those who love God’s cause.
May it be so and that very soon.
Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)
1st November 2024