Dr S B Cooke - The Early Years of The Free Presbyterian Church

Former Deputy-moderator of the Presbytery of the Free Presbyterian Church, Dr S B Cooke, speaks about the early years of the denomination and its stand against apostasy.

This account is particularly important as it explains the need for the Free Presbyterian Church to continue to be true to its founding creed and to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints.

Quotable Quote

In September 1840 Robert Murray M’Cheyne, wrote a letter to William Chalmers Burns. It contained the following sentiments:

I am deepened in my conviction, that if we are to be instruments in a true revival we must be purified from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit.

Oh, cry for personal holiness, constant nearness to God by the blood of the Lamb!

Bask in His beams, lie back in the arms of love, be filled with the Spirit, or all success in the ministry will only be to your own everlasting confusion.

The complete letter, including others written to William Chalmers Burns by Robert Murray M’Cheyne, can be found in The Memoir & Remains of Robert Murray M’Cheyne.

Stats for June

 

The Consequences of Sabbath Desecration

A sermon preached in Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church upon the Consequences of Sabbath Desecration. It is based upon Jeremiah 17:27: But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.

This sermon was preached in the light of Mrs Arlene Foster MLA and Mr Christopher Stalford MLA attending a GAA football match on the Lord's day and also Belfast City Council announcing this past week that from 2019 onwards the city marathon will take place on the Lord's day.

Letter sent to Belfast Newsletter & Belfast Telegraph on Sabbath Desecration by Clerk of Presbytery

These commenced with the attendance of high level politicians at a GAA final on Sunday and ended with the announcement that plans were being followed to switch the hugely successful Belfast Marathon from the usual public holiday to God’s holy day

Both developments cause incredible angst and offence to Christians who treasure the special nature of God’s Day. The second will certainly exclude a considerable number of Christians from participation in a race through which finances have been raised for many charitable causes and will radically inconvenience others in their attempts to proceed to their places of worship. Of course in an age when the flagships of respect, tolerance and equality are supposed to be sailing the seas, it must again be noted that such vessels are characteristically lop-sided and capable of travelling in only one direction.

When framing the famous Westminster Confession of Faith, our spiritual forebears felt it necessary to include a chapter on ‘Religious Worship, And The Sabbath Day’ – one that contained guidelines and outlined benefits not merely for professing Christians but for all of society:

“As it is the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in His Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment binding all men in all ages, He has particularly appointed one day in seven, for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto Him (Exodus 20:8,10,11; Isaiah 56:2,4,6,7).”

If it is the genuine desire of politicians in our country to secure the brightest of futures for the citizens of our beautiful country, then showing appropriate respect for God’s Day instead of targeting it for relentless selfish assault would be a good place to begin.

Rev. Ian Brown
Clerk, Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster


Belfast Newsletter - Angst is caused to Christians who treasure the special nature of God’s Day

Special Sermon Subject

Feeding the Crocodile & Offending God

This week DUP leader Arlene Foster has notched up an unwanted double achievement. In the same week she has managed to feed the crocodile she vowed never to do, prior to the most recent Assembly election; but much more seriously, she has offended God.

Following on from attending requiem mass for Martin McGuiness when he died, Arlene Foster attended the Ulster GAA final in Clones on the Lord's day.

She has trampled once more over more of our Protestant, Reformed, gospel heritage and treated it as if it were a worthless blessing. If media reports are correct, before this week is out, she will act contrary to the truths of the Gospel, and offend God even more, by attending a sodomite function at Stormont.

Her conduct is objectionable on a number of fronts:

Firstly, Desecration of the Lord's day. The fourth commandment requires us to remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. The Lord's day is not a day for unnecessary employment or for recreation. It is a day to be set aside for worship. We have six other days to engage in these other activities. To desecrate the sabbath day is to steal this day from God and use it for ourselves.

There is a blessing upon sabbath observance, Isaiah 58:13,14: If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

The opposite of this Scriptural principle is also true. It was sabbath desecration that finally took the nation of Israel into captivity. You don't need to be a prophet or the son of a prophet to know that it will not go well with any individual, society or nation when they desecrate the Lord's day.

Secondly, Attendance at a GAA football match. This the same GAA which has a notorious history of naming its stadia and competitions after dead terrorists.

Silence gives consent

Letter from Mr Jim Allister, Q.C. MLA in Belfast Newsletter:

Jim Allister: DUP silence is to condone SF-placating tactics

When Arlene Foster spent her Lord’s Day afternoon on a Sinn Fein-placating mission to embrace the GAA, she was representing every single DUP MP, MLA, councillor and, indeed, member. Likewise when she gathers with LGBT activists to celebrate their achievements. Any DUP representative dissenting from the fair inference that it was done in their name needs to be heard. So far I hear no dissent! Silence gives consent.

Sad.

Jim Allister, MLA, North Antrim

DUP councillor berates Arlene Foster for ‘publicly flouting Lord’s Day’

DUP councillor Alderman John Finlay has spoken of his “deep sorrow and indignation” at his party leader’s decision to attend a GAA match on a Sunday. In a strongly worded letter to Arlene Foster, Alderman John Finlay accused her of “publicly flouting the Lord’s Day”.

Read full article here

Pope definitely not coming to Northern Ireland

After a considerable effort by Politicians, Romanists & Ecumenists, and much to their annoyance and disappointment, it has been confirmed that the Pope will not be coming to Northern Ireland in August.

The Catholic Communications Office has today released the itinerary for the upcoming papal visit to the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland, thankfully, is not on that itinerary.

See reports in:
Belfast Newsletter -  Pope Francis will not be coming to Northern Ireland.
Belfast Telegraph - Archbishop Martin disappointed Pope will not visit N Ireland on visit to Republic

The Pope will fly into Dublin on 25th August and will return back to Rome on 26th August.

During his visit he will meet homeless families before arriving at Croke Park Stadium for the 'Feast of Families'. On Sunday he will travel to the Marian shrine at Knock. 

This is an answer to prayer.

See below for reasons why a papal visit is to be opposed by all right thinking Protestants:

#1 The Pope's Blasphemous Claims
#2 The Act of Settlement
#3 The Memory of the Martyrs
#4 The Cost to Taxpayers

A Slap Down for the Pro-Abortionist Lobby

The Pro-Abortionist Lobby have a received a set back in their quest for abortion on demand in Northern Ireland. Aided and abetted by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) they took a case to the Supreme Court over the legality of Northern Ireland's abortion law.

The Pro-Abortionist Lobby lost their Supreme Court appeal. The court dismissed the appeal.

BBC News - Supreme Court rejects NI abortion law case

Abortion is a Holocaust - What else would you call the Slaughter of over 9 million unborn children?

Jim Wells MLA has been criticised for comparing the number of abortions since laws were relaxed in England, Scotland and Wales to the number of people murdered by the Nazis in concentration camps during World War Two. He made the remarks on the BBC's Radio Ulster's Nolan Show on Wednesday.

The Stormont Assembly member stated that Nine-point-two million people have had their lives terminated through abortion in Britain since 1967 … That is actually more than the number of lives murdered in the gas and concentration camps of Auschwitz and Buchenwald.

Mr Wells went on to describe it as a ghastly situation and clarified that he was only made the comparison due to the numbers involved.

Mr Wells has been criticised in response to these comments. That criticism has come from, among others, his party leader, Arlene Foster, who told UTV: I think it's the wrong use of language and again it brings us back to the fact that this is a very emotive issue and people need to be aware of that when they are discussing it.

What else would you call the killing of over 9 million unborn children but a Holocaust? 

Christian baker, in the US, who refused to bake a wedding cake for sodomites, wins his case 7-2 at the Supreme Court

The Christian baker from Colorado who refused to bake a wedding cake to celebrate a sodomite marriage has won his case at the United States Supreme Court. 

The chief justices voted 7-2 in support of Jack Phillips. This overturns the previous ruling by Colorado Civil Rights Commission which had ruled that Phillips had violated the state's anti-discrimination law, which bars businesses from discriminating against customers based on their race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.

It was decided by the chief justices that the Commission had violated Phillips' First Amendment right to exercise his religion. Justice Anthony Kennedy, who wrote the majority opinion, saying Phillips' Free Exercise rights were violated because the Commission showed hostility to his religious beliefs when they were making the decision. 

Read more:
Christian Institute - Victory for US Christian baker at Supreme Court

BBC News - US Supreme Court backs Colorado baker's gay wedding cake snub

CNN - Supreme Court rules for Colorado baker in same-sex wedding cake case

Reuters -  U.S. Supreme Court backs Christian baker who rebuffed gay couple

Stats for May

Presbytery Statement on Abortion Referendum in the Republic of Ireland

Much of Ireland imagines they have joined the ranks of the liberated as a result of the demolition of its constitutional protection for the unborn. It does not seem to care that by the same action it has effectively delivered a death sentence on a significant percentage of its potential population. 

Actions of this nature are the inevitable consequence of secularisation. As belief in God and awareness of His Word declines, so does resistance to abortion laws. It’s a matter of anthropology: when man believes himself to be a random event instead of a purposeful creation, he will inevitably draw the same conclusion about those both within him and around him. This will then enable him to weigh lives on utilitarian scales and so make distinctions about their respective value.

The Bible makes it plain that God considers even the deliberate abandonment of one’s child as an extreme example of heartlessness (Isaiah 49:15); and does not distinguish between the value of the child in the womb and the child who has made it into the world, using exactly the same word to describe both (Luke 1:41&44; Luke 18:15).

Open Air / Protest at Sunday Rugby Match

On the Lord's day afternoon 20th May an Open Air / Protest was held at the Ulster Rugby match held at the Kingspan Stadium. The stadium entry is only a matter of a few hundred metres from Mount Merrion Free Presbyterian Church. 

The Open Air / Protest was led by Rev Paul Hanna, minister of the Mount Merrion congregation. Other Free Presbyterian ministers taking part were Rev David McLaughlin [Carryduff], Rev Paul Foster [Tyndale] & Rev Brian McClung [Newtownabbey].

The Open Air / Protest took place on a area just opposite the main gates of the Kingspan Stadium.

Stats for April

Rome's Counter-Reformation Tactics #5 Insurgence Part 3

Over the centuries, since 1517, Rome has employed many different tactics and strategies. Sometimes  has been like a ravenous wild beast devouring all before her. At other times she has been as subtle as the devil himself in administering the wine of her fornication to deceive gullible Protestants. All with the aim of destroying and reversing the Protestant Reformation.

Strategy Five - Insurgence - cont'd

Part Three - The Catholic Conspiracies Against Queen Elizabeth I

Queen Elizabeth I was possibly England’s greatest monarch. She came to the throne of a country deeply divided, economically bankrupt and devastated by the persecutions and oppression of her half sister, Bloody Mary Tudor.

Nature Confounding Evolution - World War II planes buried under layers of ice which are supposed to be ten of thousands of years old.

Nature often has a way of confounding those who set themselves against God and His truth. We are reminded in the Book of Psalms that God in heaven will laugh at the foolishness of those who reject Him, Psalm 2:1-4: Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

One example of nature confounding those who set themselves against God and His truth is observed in the account of the World War II planes that were buried under layers of ice which were supposed to be ten of thousands of years old.

The incident is detailed by Creation Ministries International (CMI) in one of their Creation magazine articles. The article in question is entitled The Lost Squadron and is to be found in Creation 19(3) June 1997.

C H Spurgeon - The First Resurrection

C. H. Spurgeon preached on the First Resurrection on the Lord's day morning 5th May 1861 at the famous Metropolitan Tabernacle, London.

This is what he said towards the commencement of his sermon on how the reference to the first resurrection in Revelation 20:4-6 should be understood:

Before I proceed to enter into these privileges, I must remark that two  modes of understanding this verse have been proposed, both of which I think are untenable. 

I have been reading carefully through Albert Barnes. He gives it, as his opinion, that the first resurrection here spoken of is a resurrection of principles, — a resurrection of the patience, the undaunted courage, the holy boldness and constancy of the ancient martyrs. He says  these great principles have been forgotten, and, as it were, buried and that during the spiritual reign of Christ which is to come, these great principles  will have a resurrection. 

Stats for March

Abortion Referendum in the Republic of Ireland

The government of the Republic of Ireland has confirmed that the national referendum on changing abortion law will be held on Friday, 25th May 2018.

The referendum will centre around the Eighth Amendment of the Irish constitution. Voters will decide if they want to make changes to Republic's strict abortion laws.

Below is a link to a sermon preached in 2007 to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1967 Abortion Act being introduced in mainland United Kingdom. Thankfully that iniquitous Abortion Act has never been extended to Northern Ireland. 

Also included is a link to an earlier post on this Blog which contains some Scriptural Observations on the issue of Abortion. These form the basis of the sermon.

Mary Magdalene

A film entitled Mary Magdalene has recently been released in the United Kingdom. This film claims to be a biblical drama about the woman of the same name who is referenced a number of times in the Word of God in connection with the life, ministry and death of Jesus Christ.

This film portrays Mary as a fiercely intelligent, resourceful woman who rejected the norms of being married and having children and instead insisted on following Jesus of Nazareth. This was what caused her to be, at least initially, condemned as being possessed with seven devils.

Which is more important - a film depiction of Mary Magdalene or a Scriptural portrait of this woman?

This sermon considers what the Word of God has to say about Mary Magdalene. 

Sinn Fein/IRA don't like being questioned about their terrorist past

A RTE* presenter Miriam O'Callaghan is under attack from Sinn Fein/IRA for putting tough questions to the late Martin McGuinness about his links to IRA killings.

The Prime Time broadcaster's work has been described as "utterly repulsive" by the new party leader of Sinn Fein, Mary Lou McDonald.

The attack on the "southern media" comes amid allegations in Northern Ireland that Sinn Fein is trying to censor the media. The party denies orchestrating a campaign to boycott the Stephen Nolan Show on BBC NI, and criticised U105 presenter Frank Mitchell after he indicated his support for the Northern Ireland football team.

Read more here: Belfast Telegraph - RTE star's questions to Martin McGuinness were repulsive, says Sinn Fein's McDonald

* RTE is the national broadcaster in the Republic of Ireland.

The Eulogising of an Unrepentant Terrorist Continues

A portrait of the unrepentant terrorist Martin McGuinness has been unveiled at Stormont, one day after the anniversary of the former deputy first minister's death. It will hang in the same corridors as a painting of former Northern Ireland first minister Ian Paisley.

McGuinness's family attended the unveiling along with unionist leaders such as Peter Robinson and Arlene Foster. 

Read here: BBC News - Martin McGuinness portrait unveiled at Stormont

It is utterly sickening to see the continued eulogising of an unrepentant terrorist. As someone commented about McGuinness "The gravestones are monument enough". 

It is even more grieving when unionist leaders join in with this eulogising of an unrepentant terrorist and defend their attendance. It is little wonder unionism is in such a sorry state when it is led by those so lacking in principle.

Stephen Gault, who was injured himself in the Enniskillen bombing which also killed his father has said he is “sickened by the glorification” of former IRA commander Martin McGuinness.

Read here: Belfast Newsletter - Enniskillen bomb victim ‘sickened by glorification of Martin McGuinness’

Another example of Rome's sordid past

Click on the graphic above to read the Belfast Telegraph article

Rev McIlveen says the Pope is not welcome in Northern Ireland

Rev David McIlveen, retired Free Presbyterian minister, has spoken out against any proposed papal visit to Northern Ireland. Rev McIlveen said that Pope Francis is “not welcome” in Northern Ireland until he condemns clerical child abuse in the Province. 

Rev McIlveen felt a visit by the Pope to Northern Ireland would not be appropriate in light of the recent revelations regarding paedophile priest Malachy Finnegan, who was accused of abusing 12 boys at St Colman’s College in Newry.

Rev McIlveen told BBC’s The Nolan Show this morning: “It is important at this particular juncture in the Roman Catholic Church, with so much clerical abuse, that the church gets its own house in order.

Read the whole article here:

Belfast Newsletter - Pope Francis ‘not welcome’ in NI, says Rev David McIlveen

Free Presbyterian Church statement in light of the Pope's Visit to the Republic of Ireland

“At a meeting of its General Presbytery in March 2018 the Free Presbytery Church of Ulster unanimously approved the following statement should the Pope’s itinerary in Ireland incorporate a visit to Northern Ireland:

‘As reformed evangelical Protestants we totally reject the arrogant and, more importantly, unscriptural titles, claims and teachings of the pope. While, in obedience to Scripture and out of love for the souls of men, we cannot welcome this proposed visit, it will present us with a challenge to highlight the contrast between the teaching of scripture and the false doctrines of the papacy. Our supreme aim and overriding concern is to exalt the only King and Head of the church, the Lord Jesus Christ. To this end we continue to call all people, of all denominations and none, to a personal faith in Christ the Saviour as the only mediator between God and men’.”
Rev. Ian Brown
Clerk, Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster

Good News - No Pope Here!!

It has been reported yesterday that the Pope will not be visiting Northern Ireland this summer as part of his visit to the Republic of Ireland. A Vatican spokesman confirmed to ITV that the papal antichrist  will not be travelling north of the border during his visit. The Pope is scheduled to visit Dublin on 25th & 26th August to coincide with the city's hosting of the World Meeting of Families, an international Catholic event staged every three years.

For further details see here:
Belfast Telegraph - Pope Francis confirms trip to Ireland in August 2018 - first papal visit in 40 years

Belfast Telegraph - Pope Francis will not be visiting Northern Ireland this summer

See here for reasons why a Papal visit should be opposed:
#1 His Blasphemous Claims
#2 The Act of Settlement
#3 The Memory of the Martyrs
#4 The cost to Taxpayers

What did Patrick really Believe?

Today is St Patrick's Day. St Patrick has been a very misunderstood and misrepresented individual. Here is a Sermon preached in Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church entitled: The Gospel of St Patrick



There are also a number of other articles already posted on this Blog about St Patrick.
To view these altogether click on this link

What Kind of Atheist are You?

There are at least three types of atheist mentioned in the Word of God. This sermon preached in Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church explores the question: what type of atheist are you?

It is based upon the words of Psalm 14:1: The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

Interesting Corroboration for the Existence of Jesus Christ in the Annals of Imperial Rome

The 'spade of archaeology' often digs up corroborating evidence for the existence of Jesus Christ and reality of Christianity. The Daily Express is currently reporting details that have been unearthed in the annals of the Roman historian Tacitus.

Tacitus who was born around AD54 is regarded as one of the best historians of the Roman era. He mentions Jesus Christ in his Annals which cover the years 14 - 66 AD. These annals record the efforts of Nero to lay the blame for the Great Fire of Rome, which took place in 64 AD, on those called ‘Christians’.

Tacitus then proceeds to give some background history on Jesus Christ, who is called Christus, the Christians and even Pontius Pilate, who had sentenced Jesus Christ to death.

Compromise of Billy Graham

More than 2,000 mourners, including President Donald Trump,  attended the funeral of Dr Billy Graham in North Carolina on Saturday past.

Following his death just over a week ago, at the age of 99, Billy Graham became only the fourth private American citizen, and the first religious leader, in the history of the United States, to lie in repose in the Capitol building in Washington DC.

Below is a link to a sermon preached in Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church on Lord's day evening 4th March on the Compromise of Billy Graham, highlighting the truths he no longer wanted to emphasis in his ministry.

Barnardos Ireland rebuked for teaming up with Gerry Adams on ‘lost childhood campaign’

Barnardos Ireland are facing criticism, and rightly so, after teaming up with Sinn Fein’s Gerry Adams to promote its “Lost Childhood Campaign”.

Critics are accusing the charity of gross insensitivity due to the number of children murdered and traumatised by the party’s military wing, the IRA.

See here for further details - 

Belfast Newsletter: Barnardos lashed for teaming up with Adams on ‘lost childhood campaign’

World Book Day - Books which push a sinful lifestyle.

During World Book Day, was the 1st March this year, children and young people have the opportunity to obtain and use book tokens to develop their literacy skills.

Sadly this year the organisers have used two authors who are homosexual. One of these authors, Clare Balding, uses the opportunity to condition children to accepting this sinful agenda by including reference to a homosexual couple in the storyline in one of these books available to young children. The book in question is The Girl Who Thought She Was A Dog.

Books that Encouraged Children to Question their Gender

World Book Day was Thursday 1st March. No opportunity is ever to be missed by those who desire to push a sinful lifestyle to influence the young and the vulnerable. 

Books made available for young people in nurseries and primary schools across the United Kingdom in recent weeks and months have encouraged children to question their gender.

Nursery school children as young as three are being exposed to characters who are unsure about their gender by a Government-funded Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender charity.

Stats for February