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Here is an extract from a sermon preached on 19th June 1859, during the 1859 revival, by Rev. Hugh Hanna of Berry Street Presbyterian Church in Belfast, some 162 years ago.  It is read by Free Presbyterian minister, Rev. Paul Hanna.

A report of the run up to, the protest at the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland back on 6th June 1966, the court case and imprisonment that followed and the blessed aftermath of it all.

A feature article commemorating the 50th anniversary of the events that led up to and which followed after the 1966 imprisonment of Rev Ian Paisley, Rev John Wylie and Rev Ivan Foster for a term of 3 months in Crumlin Road Jail, Belfast.This account is compiled from reports in the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster’s magazine, “The Revivalist” and some reports from the “Belfast Newsletter” and the “Belfast Telegraph”.

I have put together this collection of articles which appeared in the Revivalist in 1966 and 1967, and one from 1968, as well as some newspaper accounts of the June 6th protest, led by the late Dr. Paisley. The parade consisted of some 200 Free Presbyterian men, woman and children. It processed from Ravenhill Church to the building where the annual General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church was taking place. The aim of the event was to honour God, contend for the faith and highlight the ecumenical apostasy of that denomination.

Such were the consequences of that night’s protest that the small Free Presbyterian church, hardly known outside of the six counties of Northern Ireland, became the subject of discussion, mostly derogatory, throughout Christendom! But much more important was the moving of the Spirit of God that became evident within the ranks of the Free Presbyterian church from that time.

God was pleased to work mightily amongst us, adding to our numbers many new congregations and hundreds of new converts.

Read the free booklet here!

A recent news report about the shooting of an IRA man, Joe McCann, brought back to my mind an article I wrote some five years ago about being imprisoned with Mr. McCann.

Read the full article here: Joe McCann, IRA gunman, and his three months under the gospel

The following statement was issued by the Free Presbyterian Church today.

Government and Morals Committee

Rev Gordon Dane: Convenor
Rev David McLaughlin: Secretary

STATEMENT ON HOMOSEXUALITY

The Free Presbyterian Church as a Church that believes and preaches what the Bible has to say without fear or favour wishes to reiterate the Bible’s teaching that homosexuality is sin (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13, Romans 1:18, 26-27,1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Jude: 6-7). We do not do that out of any spite or hatred for anyone. We do it out of love so that people will know the standard by which they will be judged when they stand before God. We do this for all sin and proclaim the Biblical message that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.’ (Romans 3:23) and we all need to be warned to “flee from wrath to come.’ (Luke3:7)

The contention of many in the LGBT community that they are “born this way” is one that has recently been highlighted in interviews with politicians. If those who claim this are saying that they are born sinners and that they are born with a sinful nature we would agree with them. We are all “born that way”. The claim that is being made however is that homosexuality is in the DNA. That contention is one that does not have any firm scientific basis. The latest scientific literature, does not strongly support the conclusion that there is any genetic causation. The official language from the leading psychiatric or psychological associations will say that we don’t yet know of a definitive causation. So, the reports of a so-called “gay gene” are greatly exaggerated.

The Bible’s emphasis is that because there is something wrong with how we are all born we need to be born again. The Lord Jesus said, “Ye must be born again.” (John3:7). He said that because we all have a nature that is defective and sinful, we need to be converted. We call on people to recognise that we can have a new identity in Christ. We can become new creatures or new creations in Christ by His grace. We would call on all to seek the radical transformation that is found in the Lord Jesus Christ.

“…for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 1 verse 9.