The ‘Irish News’ has reported that an “Alliance MP has hit out at “nods and winks” to past gunrunning, after a senior Orangeman invoked the 1914 UVF at an anti-protocol rally.”
“Stephen Farry criticised the reference by Grand Secretary of the Orange Order, Rev Mervyn Gibson. Rev Gibson warned at a rally in east Belfast that “apathy” was not an option for unionists in the fight against the protocol – a post-Brexit customs measure which has effectively created a border in the Irish Sea.”
“If left in place the protocol makes you and I subject to the laws and regulations of a foreign power and in time their influence will spread like a cancer,” he told protesters at Bloomfield Roundabout on Friday.
“Apathy was not an option when in 1912 people signed the (Ulster) Covenant. Apathy was not an option when guns were landed at Larne and Donaghadee. Apathy was not an option in 1921 when Northern Ireland was founded. Apathy was not an option during the dark days of the Troubles.”
The report from the ‘Irish News’, went on: “The Larne gunrunning, organised in April 1914, saw almost 25,000 rifles and between three and five million rounds of ammunition from the German Empire – just months before the beginning of the First World War. The operation aimed to equip the UVF.
Mr Farry, the MP for North Down, criticised Rev Gibson’s gunrunning reference. “There is no place for guns and gunrunning in NI politics and society,” he said. “Nods and winks to past examples are not acceptable. The election candidates and parties sharing platforms should make clear their sole commitment to peaceful and democratic means.”
On Saturday, Unionists were urged to “vote in strength” in the elections to send a message of opposition to the protocol.
Stephen Farry is the deputy leader of the Alliance party, a mixed bunch of all things ecumenical, void of any true moral or credal basis except a common opposition to all things Protestant and Unionist! It has been to the front in the campaign to stop the flying of the Union Jack in Ulster. He started his maiden speech in the House of Commons in Irish in order to “reflect the shared traditions of Northern Ireland”. In truth, he was merely showing his true political pedigree, the soil from which his political roots spring and was giving ‘voice’ to his nationalistic allegiances.
He is quick to condemn any reference to Unionist history and our forefathers’ resistance to past attempts to destroy our Protestant heritage. Such references to him are anathema, especially since they referred to the success our progenitors enjoyed against Popish schemers to destroy the truth of the gospel in the northern counties of Ireland. Such words are offensive and odious to this charlatan who delights to masquerade as a liberal-minded pillar of tolerance.
In truth, he is like the great enemy of all righteousness, the devil, who delights to transform himself “into an angel of light,” (2 Corinthians 11:14) in order to mislead and deceive!
Farry never opened his mouth to protest against the many occasions when the Dublin Government celebrates the wicked and treacherous ‘1916 rebellion’ which eventually gave rise to the present ‘Republic of Ireland’ though in truth it is a republic which occupies only 26 of the 32 counties of Ireland! Even in its name it is arrogantly deceitful!
Nor has Farry been to the fore in condemning the numerous occasions when the murder and terror of the IRA have been celebrated, brazenly and unapologetically, by his fellow-Stormont Executive members of the Sinn Fein party!
The Bible refers to those of his ilk.
“They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?” Psalm 12:2-4.
It is a testimony to the corrupted witness and detrimental influence of the ecumenical denominations here in Ulster, the Church of Ireland, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and the Methodist Church in Ireland, that so many of their misguided members support and vote for such nationalists in disguise as Farry.
Ulster is a political ‘Babel’ where ungodly political notions are shouted aloud from every quarter. The whole confused, utterly offensive and exasperating state of affairs must make the true Christian long for that day, which surely draws near, when Christ shall return in power and glory and “in righteousness he doth judge and make war” (Revelation 19:11) against the chicanery and duplicity of the plethora of men and women calling for all that is contrary to God and His truth!
“Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard. My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee,” Psalms 22:23-27.
Praise the Lord for such a hope and glorious prospect to uphold and sustain the believer in these dark times!
Rev Ivan Foster. (Rtd)
25th April 2022