First Derry service ‘Ecumenical extravaganza’

The service which disturbed Rev Ian Brown included among the congregation senior members of the Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic clergy.

Rev Brown described the service as “an ecumenical extravaganza” in an address to members of his own flock on Sunday.

“In contrast to Siege times, its gates were opened wide to our spiritual enemy. The re-opening service took the form of an ecumenical extravaganza. The Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, Rev. Ken Good, took part; his Roman Catholic counterpart, Bishop Seamus Hegarty, read a lesson – the first time a Roman Catholic Bishop has participated in a Presbyterian church service,” he said, adding that the trio known as ‘The Priests’ were performing on the Sunday night at a concert.

He said he would be happy to visit the Interpretive Centre that is being created at First Derry, and stressed he had “absolutely no problem with Roman Catholics being in attendance at a Protestant service. Nor have I any difficulty in reaching out the hand of friendship to my neighbours.”

However, Rev Brown challenged The Minister of First Derry, Rev Dr David Latimer’s contention that Protestants were welcome in the Cityside.

“Over the past 35 years the modern counterparts of those Protestants have fled outside the city walls, over to the Waterside - and beyond - in fear of their lives and in search of protection. In 1969 the west bank of the Foyle was home to some 18,000 Protestants. Today less than 500 remain (not enough to elect a single council representative). I see no signs of them being welcomed back,” he said.

Rev Brown told his congregation his main bone of contention was ‘joint worship’, saying: “Where I do take issue with what occurred is in the joint worship that took place; the fact that this event was turned into an ecumenical extravaganza.”

Looking back, he said the history of First Derry Presbyterian Church he singled out Rev James Cargin who ministered there in the later years of the 19th Century.

“In my library I have a book that contains a series of sermons preached from the pulpit of First Derry in 1890 – ‘Ritualism, Romanism and the New Testament. He dedicated the book, “To the office-bearers of the congregation, which I have the honour ‘to serve in the Gospel,’ this volume is dedicated, as a small token of respect and gratitude by the author.”

“In his foreword, written in Londonderry in April 1890, James Cargin says of the system of Ritualism (and, by extension, Romanism): ‘It is more than likely, however, the errors arising from this system of religion shall require to be met by friends of Evangelical truth in this land for years to come and if this little volume shall serve in any way to counteract such a Romanising force, and establish ‘the truth once delivered to the saints,’ I shall be, indeed, devoutly thankful’.

Quoting from Rev Cargin’s sermons Rev Brown said “the plain teaching of the Word of God” with which he agreed, were “completely at odds with what Roman Catholicism teaches”.

“These same statements should have guaranteed that no Roman Catholic priest, never mind bishop, should have played any part in the re-opening service yesterday. Our belief concerning Scripture precludes any ecumenical service. The great cry of the Reformation, when the truth of the Bible was rediscovered, was ‘Sola Scriptura’, ‘The Scriptures alone’,” he said.