Playing “Fantastic tricks”

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He said the welcoming of Father Plourde and Methodist minister the Rev Donald Lee on Saturday last week was part of a move to bring the churches together.

Mr Clarke of Aylesbury Road, Bierton Buckinghamshire, who sometimes preaches in the Luton Area, said he was saved from a life of crime and drug taking through Jesus Christ spoke to him when experiencing a bad LSD Trip.

I had some opposition and response via The Bucks Herald, our local paper and these are: Thursday 20th October 1983

An Evil Wind Is Blowing

Sir, - It was a feeling of sick despair, all to often felt in these times, that I read in this weeks issue of your paper the account of David Clarke’s conduct in St Albans Abbey.

In his position as a preacher at his local church he has maybe raised doubt in the minds of many and laid his own church open to criticism and most unfairly There is and evil wind blowing through the world and the despairing cries of victims caught in the midst of sectarian wars. Above their cries are heard louder voices declaiming “We do this for God” and each names God in different tongues.

Men and women of good faith striving for peace and brotherhood brought about the delicate and vulnerable progress towards unification of the various denominations slowly and arduously. Such a balance could be disturbed and for what purpose? Search the bible that you are so prominently featured holding, Mr. Clarke and there you find that Jesus preached love, compassion and tolerance. Not the condemning of hatred against those of us, of every faith and creed, who are still striving towards further enlightenment.

Christ’s teachings are simple and clear cut. Are you certain you are following the true leader?

Mrs.. Cecilia Brooks 30 York Place, Aylesbury.

NEWS/GAZETTE, October 20, 1983 Teachers Protest

Another upset person also wrote the following in the same paper:

Playing “Fantastic tricks”

Sir, - Like myself, many of your readers must have been filled with dismay to see your recent headlines “Anti - Pope rumpus in Abbey”.

They must also have regretted that, when the two great Christian leaders, the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury, are striving to promote peace and understanding between religious denominations, well- meaning but fanatics should seek to destroy their endeavours.

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Half the cold-blooded murders in Ireland wear the cloak of religion as else where in the world, whilst the Russians persecute Baptists and the Mujahedeen. And in Iran the unfortunate Baha’is - men, women and children - are martyred for their faith.

Do we want the days of the Tudors to come back and flames rekindled at Amersham or Oxford?

No- one should suppose that tolerance and indifference are one and the same.

The tolerance, in which I believe, means respect to others and for all God’s creation- man and beast and plant.

It also means love for one’s neighbour but, as Shakespeare wrote; Man proud man, dressed in a little brief authority, plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven as makes the angels weep”.

K.M.D. Dunbar Firethorn London Road Aston Clinton Buckinghamshire.

The Lord, through Malcolm Kirkham, encouraged me. I was move to write my reply to the newspaper and it appeared on the 27th October 1983, which was as follows:

Cannot Remain Silent

Sir, - I did not wish to provoke hatred, violence or anger when making my protest over a popish person now conducting the mass at the Anglican Church at St. Albans.

Can it not be seen my actions were of those of a loving and faithful Christian? All Christians believe, “faithful are the wounds of a friend “.

My protest was based on the fact that the Roman Catholic Mass has no place in the Christian Church since it is a blasphemy against the Lord Jesus Christ. (Article 31 Church of England).

The Roman Catholic Church proclaims a person cannot be saved unless he partakes of the sacrifice of the mass, nor experience the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

My concern was for those newly seeking the Lord Jesus Christ and to indicate to them the devices of those who should know better.

I have a wife and family and twins on the way. I have a responsible lecturing post and teach people of all ages. I am experienced in danger and believe I should point out such dangers to the innocent.

I am currently teaching the gospel to a now reformed drug pusher, criminal and convict. Directing him and his wife unto the Lord Jesus Christ the saviour and not the Mass or any other device of men.

To Cecilia Brooks and K.M. Dunbar, who believe many were horrified and dismayed, may I say I think not but be consoled with the words of a wise

183 man (Acts 5.38) “Refrain from these fears and anxieties for if my actions be merely of myself it will come to naught: but if it be of God, ye cannot over throw it, lest happily, ye be found even to speak evil of the evil wind, that is said to be blowing, when in fact it is the Spirit of God.

As a preacher of Christ’s love to men, I cannot remain silent but must oppose those kisses, though ever so sweet are deceitful.

My home is open to all that are genuinely seeking the truth as in the Lord Jesus Christ.

You may come to see the church at Bierton as well to hear the Word of God spoken.

DAVID CLARKE (Minister of the Gospel) 27/10/83

26 Waddesdon Strict Baptist Chapel

In 1984 a Mr. Rose of Luton, a former trustee of the Waddesdon Hill Strict Baptist Chapel wrote to me whilst I was living at Bierton. Asking if we at Bierton Strict and Particular Baptist Church would wish to hold evangelistic meetings at the Waddesdon Strict Baptist Chapel during the time when Billy Graham was preaching in England and Mission England was going on. He suggested I wrote to the new Trustees who were now the Metropolitan Association of Strict Baptist Churches.

Our church at Bierton would not be interested in Billy Graham or want anything to do with Mission England because of their Arminian ways, so I wrote to the Trustees explaining what had happened and asked if few others and I could use the chapel during this period to preach the gospel. I explained this was Mr. Roses request and I was very willing to be involved. I explained we had a few Christian friends who would wish to be involved including the church at Eaton Bray.

The Waddesdon Hill chapel was a very quaint chapel out on its own along the village road in Waddesdon. It had closed down due to too few people attending. Each year since 1976 I had attended an anniversary service there conducted by a Mr. Collier, minister of Linslade Strict Baptist church then Mr. Hill of the Luton Strict Baptist church.