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Pastoral Statement read in Downvale Free Church, Glasgow by Rev Kenneth Stewart
"As most of you know, all minsters in the Free Church took vows when they became ministers.
Some of these vows have to do with the way in which we worship. Before taking these vows, ministers were made aware that the practice of the Free Church, based on scriptural understanding, was to avoid hymns and instrumental music in public worship.
In the light of this, ministers promised that to the utmost of their power they would assert, maintain and defend the worship as presently practiced in the Church.
These ministers also stated that they 'owned' this form of worship and promised to conform to it without trying either directly or indirectly to prejudice and subvert it and promised to follow no divisive course from it.
All Free Church elders also received office on the basis that they owned the purity
of worship presently authorised and practiced in the church and that they would conform
to it without trying either directly or indirectly to prejudice and subvert it and
promised to follow no divisive course from it.
Last Friday evening, the General Assembly
of the Free Church of Scotland voted to change the church's form of worship so as
to permit the singing of hymns and the use of musical instruments. (It does not help
matter that the manner in which the decision was arrived at was not, in my opinion,
in accordance with the law of the church and against the advice of the Assembly Clerks.)
While
it appears obvious to me that all ministers and elders who voted for this change
have not honoured their vows, I hope you will appreciate that even for those like
me who dissented from the decision, the consequences are serious: as I see matters,
I am now in a church which requires me to own the new position on worship, to declare
that it is founded on the word of God and to assert, maintain and defend it.
I must also not attempt in any way to prejudice or subvert it and must follow no divisive course from it. I cannot do any of this. And the church ought not to have required me to do it. Even the church has no right to alter the meaning of my vows without my consent.
I seems clear to me, therefore, that in spite of a lifelong adherence to the Free Church and a lifelong commitment to it, I can no longer continue in it, at least not in office.
However, I am well aware that such decisions ought not to be arrived at in haste and, having expected a different outcome on the Friday night, I had not prepared for this in any way.
As for the congregation in Dowanvale, of course I am biased but it is to me the finest congregation in the church and as it would be my greatest delight to continue in it so it would be my greatest grief to leave it.
However, I have to acknowledge that it is a congregation of the Free Church of Scotland and that the ultimate oversight of ti as well as its property, as far as I am aware, belongs there too.
For these reasons, I asked the Presbytery last night (Sat) for a leave of absence from my duties for one month.
This request has been granted and Rev Alistair Macdonald, Dunblane, has been appointed as Interim Moderator and will take my place until the situation becomes plainer.
If I do decide that I am bound to leave, I hope you will understand that Ii will not be appearing again in the pulpit and will endeavour to meet you privately to give personal thanks for all your help, support and affection which you have shown over the last ten years.
This support has been exceptional and made these years the most pleasant of our lives.
I would only urge you all to commit the matter in prayer to God.
With Prayer and much
affection in the Lord,
Rev K Stewart