Here is a very telling word from Richard Cameron, spoken during a sermon preached at Carluke, Scotland on 8th of July 1680. This was just days before he was murdered by the forces of Charles II.
I suggest that he refers to a spirit amongst the general members of the Church of Scotland that mirrors the spirit that is very evident today within the Free Presbyterian Church.
Richard Cameron published protests at Rutherglen and Sanquhar but many true believers rejected what he said as being unnecessary and provoking of trouble for them in their determination not to become involved!
I have just been served with four charges by the Judicial Commission, the fruit of a scheme which began in the May Presbytery of this year.
If I am found guilty of these charges, it will likely result in my expulsion from the Free Presbyterian Church, since I reject the accusations and stand by every word I have written in the ‘Burning Bush’.
There are many within Presbytery who do not support the ongoing attempt to silence my protests against the ignoring of sin within our camp and these charges, which are but the final stage of the attempt to silence me, but they stay at home and avoid involvement, sit on their hand and abstain or simply go along with the misleading counsel of given to the Presbytery.
They thus remain silent in the face of the decline and departure led by the Presbytery office bearers and other ministers when they ought to speak out loudly.
Is this not the same as the attitudes of many back some 350 years ago?
Nothing much changes in the affairs of the Church of Christ and the failure of Christians to do what they should!
Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)