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The Orange Institution's thinking on politics
in Northern Ireland is not now an echoing of that of the Ulster
Unionist Party. Time was when the Brethren voted solidly,
often totally, for the UUP, because it brought the party into
being. And membership or support of it was natural, for the
leaders were brother Orangemen and its politics agreeable
to them. Time is that with the splintering of unionist party
politics some Orangemen have found the personalities and policies
of other parties more to their taste. That has meant that
the Institution cannot be a single party supporter, even though
the relationship between the UUP and the Order remains, and
many brethren are devoted to it. The Institution has to be
affected by the thinking of brethren who have different political
emphasis and attitudes on current issues. The Order, always
a broad church, accommodating brethren, members of many churches
and denominations, has become politically all-embracing too,
with brethren of the various unionist parties. The voice of
the Orange Institution should be heard clearly enunciating
the thinking of Orangemen on the politics of the present.
The position, being as it is, with a number of party loyalties
present in the membership, there cannot be a single Orange
Order view on every specific of Northern Ireland politics.
What could be of great value anyway is the Order's insistence
that the politicians and parties, supported by Orangemen,
are responsive in their acceptance of the Christian imperative,
basic to Orangeism, "Civil and religious liberty for
all: special privileges for none". Implicit in that philosophy
is the willingness to co-exist, and to share with others whose
politics and religion are different. Ingrained in it is the
intention to help produce a society in which what is valued
by some is respected by all. It is a denial of that selfishness
and intolerance which appears to be endemic in this society.
We want to share in a society in which people respect one
another's heritage and culture and are sensitive to each others
beliefs and anxious for their welfare as fellow citizens.
Our desire is for a society at peace within itself because
its people are peaceably disposed to one another. We recognise
that peace is the happy natural state of mankind. The great
gift of our religion is peace of mind and contentment of soul.
It comes from our faith in God, our indebtedness to Christ
and our dependence on the Holy Spirit for guidance in our
lives. The great enemies of peace in us are avarice, ambition,
envy, anger and pride; and in our communities strife and conflict.
But any thought of peace has the inbuilt reminder that a man
should never be at peace to his shame, the violation of his
integrity or his allegiance to God. The Christ-like spirit
is what the Christian must constantly aspire to and the virtues
he showed in the days of his flesh are to be emulated. We
can be as practical as he who advised, "Let us attain
the grace of silence; to see fault finding which does no good
as wrong; to respect our neighbours; to practice the grace
and virtue of praise." They are the small things in life
and they remind us it is "the little foxes that spoil
the vines." It was Daniel Webster who said: "Whatever
makes men good Christians makes them good citizens."
St. Paul, writing of the life of the Christian and what was
required of him explained, " . . . . . the fruit of the
spirit is love, joy, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, meekness, temperance; against which there is no law.
But they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with affections
and lusts." (cp Galatians 5:16f). As a Christian organisation
our task is to so affect the politics of the Province as to
encourage politicians and people to say and do what will be
for the good of their country; to be co-operative with and
considerate of one another in the new political situation
which is evolving here. We intend to be positive in our thinking
for the way ahead. Positive, and practical, for we are well
aware of the reality that the travelling will be difficult
on a road with many obstacles, dangers and disappointments.
While we cannot know what lies ahead of us we are determined
to ensure that what has to be faced will be dealt with by
the strength needed to overcome our difficulties honestly,
honourably and charitably. We dream of the good society with
its peace and prosperity. We must strive to make that dream
a reality. The point was made in a recent article in a provincial
newspaper that the Orange Order is always under attack and
that it has ever been so since its inception in 1795. We may
not doubt the accuracy of that statement. It is true that
the Institution has been constantly under attack from those
who disagree with the Protestantism of Orangeism. They dislike
its strong advocacy of the Christian faith when it claims
a Biblicism less regarded as so important by other Christians.
That commitment to the authority and sufficiency of the Holy
Bible, and the devotion to the faith of Jesus Christ, the
first Christians and the Protestant Reformers, cause some
to see the Order as being antagonistic to others whose emphasis
in Christianity are different. And it is described as anti-Roman
Catholic Church and made to appear to be concerned only on
attacks on Roman Catholicism and without any other recognisable
programme. The reality of Orangeism is denied to it as an
organisation committed to the Protestant religion and the
beliefs, principles and ethics of that faith. While it has
to be admitted that there have been comparisons, Protestantism
and Roman Catholicism, by Orangemen, not always sensitively
and tactfully. Those acceptable to the Institution are factual,
doctrinal, evidential and couched in respectful terms. Verbal
abuse in criticisms of Romanism is alien to the spirit of
Orangeism which is respectful of people whoever they are and
whatever their beliefs. Its published attitudes to Roman Catholics
show a sensitivity to their feelings and condemns any uncharitable
words or deeds in the treatment of them. The questionings
of the beliefs, practices and influences of the Roman Catholic
Church is intended to point up the differences and disagreements
with those of the Protestant churches. These are profound,
far-reaching, theological, ethical and political in the context
of Northern Ireland.
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