I have just sent in to the Editor of the ‘Belfast Newsletter’, this response to a letter from a Mr Ferguson which appeared in yesterday’s edition.
I am replying because there are some matters in the letter that need correcting and also the issue dealt with needs a response from one involved in the controversy of Dr Paisley’s entering power-sharing arrangement with Sinn Fein/IRA from the very outset.
I think too that there is a need to highlight, for the present generation, details of events that were not made public at the time.
I trust that this will encourage those looking to the Lord for a restoration of the Free Presbyterian Church to its former stand for God, to continue praying for such.
Let us echo the prayer of the Psalmist.
“Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved,” Psalm 80:19.
Sincerely in Christ’s name,
Ivan Foster
Dear Editor,
In response to Mr Richard Ferguson’s letter of yesterday (22/4/25), I must first of all point out that the ‘headline’ — ‘Free Presbyterians accepted the abomination of sharing power with Sinn Fein/IRA, which has helped a minister to hold an Irish language event’ contains both a falsehood and a truth.
1. It is false to say Free Presbyterians accepted the abomination of sharing power with Sinn Fein/IRA. That implies a wholesale acceptance of the folly of Dr Paisley back in 2007.
I think the fact that Dr Paisley had to step down as Moderator in January 2008 indicates that a majority of the Presbytery were opposed to him holding the position of ‘First Minister’ in the power-sharing executive at Stormont and that of Moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church.
I believe the subsequent removal of him as First Minister and then as leader of the DUP, was an indication of heaven’s disapproval of the step he had taken.
I personally had told him, as a member of a Free Presbyterian Presbytery delegation, which met with the leaders of the DUP in November 2006, that his actions were akin to those of Jehoshaphat. The great king had acted foolishly and was rebuked by the Lord through his servant, Jehu, the prophet.
“Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD. Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God,” 2 Chronicles 19:2-3.
Dr Paisley’s actions broke the hearts of many, many Free Presbyterians.
Sadly, for reasons hard to be understood, the elected leadership of our Presbytery has failed to forthrightly condemn what Dr Paisley and those Free Presbyterians, who still support the DUP, did.
Those Free Presbyterians still supporting the DUP have compounded their sin because they have remained in a party that has come out as pro-sodomite with its related perversions.
Their present wrong-doing is greater than that of the error of 2007!
2. Sadly, it is true that the Antrim Free Presbyterian Church ‘Irish Language’ meeting was ‘in large measure due to the apathy and indifference shown by the church when the former moderator, Ian Paisley, supported by office bearers such as William McCrea, Mervyn Storey and Maurice Morrow entered into an unholy power sharing alliance with Martin McGuinness in 2007.’
It was for this reason I opposed Dr Paisley’s action in 2007 and would have had it condemned by our church, for I knew it would open the door to any who desired ‘a more liberal stance’ by the Free Presbyterian Church, to act as did those behind the Antrim ‘Irish Language’ meeting.
Sadly, it is also true that, ‘To this day the Free Presbyterian church has never officially and publicly condemned, nor censured those office bearers complicit in, that gross betrayal of Biblical Protestantism.’
Those who have opposed such a condemnation being issued by our Presbytery will have to answer to the Lord one day. But the absence of any ‘official’ condemnation does not mean that Free Presbyterians have not condemned what Dr Paisley did and which others have continued to engage in.
I think my own website, The Burning Bush, shows that to be so. Free Presbyterian pulpits sounded out opposition to the power-sharing deal Dr Paisley embraced. Some of those who signed the letter Mr Ferguson criticises, were very vocal and active in opposing the actions of Dr Paisley. Others were not in Ulster at that time or were not ordained as ministers back then.
I have repeatedly sought to highlight the sin of Free Presbyterian members continuing to support the DUP, though the leadership of the Free Presbyterian Church have so far not shared that position!
However, it should be remembered that on many occasions in the history of the people of God, wrong done by fathers was publicly condemned by the next generation and a full restoration of fellowship with the Lord was restored.
The actions of godly King Josiah is one example of that.
“And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king’s, saying, Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us,” 2 Kings 22:11-13.
The subsequent chapters tell of the restoration of God’s blessing to Judah.
It may be after I have gone but I have prayed that such will be future actions within the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster.
Respectfully,
Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)
23rd April 2025