By far the most serious accusation levelled by Mr Malcomson against Christians in the RAP is that their membership of the Institution somehow dilutes or weakens their walk with the Lord. Indeed, it is apparent from the language used by Malcomson that he seeks to call into doubt the reality of their salvation.

He alleges 'The true child of God can have nothing to do with such profane behaviour'. He accuses Christian RAP men (and in particular Christian ministers who are RAP men) of being 'responsible before God for placing curses on many individual lives'. This is, of course, an extremely serious allegation.

And yet, upon a closer examination, it becomes abundantly clear that Malcomson contradicts himself in regard to this matter. He says that RAP members cannot be true children of God - yet, a little later he states: 'Brother in the Lord, within the Arch Purple, how can you defend such blasphemy?' If an RAP man cannot retain his membership of the Order and be a 'true child of God', why then does Malcomson refer to Christians 'within the Arch Purple' as 'brother in the Lord'? By his own stated argument, he considers it wrong to refer to non-Christians as 'brothers'. Why does he contradict his own position by appealing to someone who is not a 'true child of God' as 'brother in the Lord'? If such a person is not a 'true child of God', then whose child is he? And how can Malcomson, a professing Christian, refer to him as 'brother' while at the same time reprimanding others for doing exactly that?

Similarly, Malcomson makes rash and unsubstantiated claims regarding the spiritual condition of RAP members. At one point, he alleges that ninety-five per cent of RAP men are 'unregenerate'. This is indeed a solemn statement. Ultimately, only the Lord God can know beyond doubt whose names will be found in the Lamb's book of Life. Believers can, of course, have the blessed assurance of sins forgiven through faith in Christ; it is dangerous, however, to suggest that any man can identify with absolute certainty who are God's elect. CH Spurgeon once alluded to this when he made the point that if God had put a stripe on the backs of His elect, then all a preacher would need to do would be to go around lifting shirt tails!

Although Malcomson stands by his assertion that ninety-five per cent of Arch Purple men are 'unregenerate', he once again contradicts this claim with his own words. He alludes to 'the amount of evangelicals involved in this order running into thousands'. If that is so, how does he rationalise his amazing figure of ninety-five per cent, given that he states that estimates of the Order's membership range from 40,000 to 100,000?

Aside from the glaring inconsistencies in Malcomson's writings on this matter, the claims he makes regarding the RAP's attitude to salvation are staggering. He states that 'in proclaiming a self righteous gospel, as the royal arch purple clearly does, Christians who belong to the royal arch purple order are countenancing by their continued membership a false hope of salvation for the unsaved'. He goes even further: 'Those men who are responsible for administering these wicked curses, whether wantonly or not, are clearly acting on the Devil's business�Christians who subject themselves to the evil influence of these secret bodies serve only to under mine the precious redeeming work that Christ has accomplished for them at that place called Calvary'.

Malcomson's position here is twofold:
1. The RAP degree teaches an alternative means of salvation outside of Christ.
2. Those Christians who participate in the degree are, by so doing, denying the gospel of salvation through Christ alone.

Let us therefore deal with each of these issues in turn:

1. The RAP degree teaches an alternative means of salvation outside of Christ
Malcomson accuses the RAP degree travel of being a false mystical resurrection rite. This is untrue. At no point is it ever suggested to any RAP candidate that the relevant part of the travel represents a spiritual new birth. The only message conveyed is that through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ - and Him alone - we can experience resurrection to eternal life. This fact is borne out when we read what the RAP says about itself in the published History of the Royal Arch Purple Order: 'Many of the things which happen during this travel remind us of the sufferings of God's people and the likelihood that we may fall from grace but that with His help we can conquer even death. The "advancement" which takes place after the candidate has proved himself worthy�should encourage the candidate to reach a higher plane in his daily living through faith in God, hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord and love or charity towards his fellow men'. It continues, referring to the scriptures read during the RAP degree, 'These scriptures...illustrate the fact that just as the children of Israel, though brought from slavery in Egypt, provoked God with their disobedience and were punished for it, nevertheless, when they repented He forgave them many times and brought them safely to the promised land. This is the lesson that should be learned from these portions of scripture: though retribution would be merited for our sins, repentance can lead to redemption and the redirection of our lives to that true light revealed in our Lord Jesus Christ.' It is made clear to the candidate that the actions that take place during the 'travel' are in fact a dramatic and solemn reminder of how the Israelites suffered during their wanderings in the wilderness. One can see this quite clearly when one studies the passages of scripture that are read during this part of the ceremony. There is no inference that the candidate is participating in a 'mock resurrection rite'. To suggest this is to entirely misinterpret the meaning of the travel.

In regard to that emblem most commonly associated with this aspect of the 'travel', the 'History' says: 'On display we sometimes find the emblem of the coffin�it brings to us the basic theme which we propagate and defend, that is the belief that this life is but a forerunner of a resurrection to eternal life and that the faith we hold gives us a lively hope as to where we shall spend that eternity'.

Perhaps the most pertinent reference to the message which underpins the RAP degree comes towards the end of the 'History': 'The portions of scripture which are read at the conferring of the Royal Arch Purple degree in Ireland and indeed throughout the world, quite clearly show the message that is meant to be conveyed. That is one of faith in God, hope of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ and charity or love through the help of the Holy Spirit. The Royal Arch Purple remains, as it has always been, purposefully and unashamedly Christian.'

Succinctly put, the Royal Arch Purple degree teaches no means of salvation other than sincere faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. To attach any other significance to the content of the degree is to attribute hidden meanings where none exist.

2. Those Christians who participate in the degree are, by so doing, denying the gospel of salvation through Christ alone Following on from Malcomson's attempt to attribute an alternative gospel to the RAP is his assertion that Christians who take part in the degree are somehow compromising or denying their salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Central to this argument is the contention that part of the RAP degree implies that candidates for the RAP can expect to be saved through good works or leading a good life. He says 'Then, as if to mimic scripture, they conclude, "Finally my brethren, by the careful regulation of our lives, pondering well our words, and the cultivation of brotherly love and loyalty, we may obtain our Great Grand Master's approbation. Then, when the embers of mortality are faintly glimmering in the sockets of existence, and death does come, and we are ushered into the Grand Lodge above, there shall be revealed to us the real secrets of the Ark Of God; and we shall realise, for all eternity that the Great Jehovah has been our guide"'. He goes on to say, 'Here, at the conclusion of this offensive ceremony we see an abhorrent, counterfeit gospel expounded'.

This is far from the truth. Malcomson's argument is based on two unsound premises.

(a)
That the above statement is intended to mean that salvation can be achieved by good works and an upright character. The address does not actually say this at all. The first part of the passage reproduced above does not in fact refer to salvation at all; it refers to 'approbation', which Malcomson himself defines as 'authorisation and approval'. He produces no scriptural evidence to equate 'salvation' with 'approbation'. Indeed, there is no scriptural evidence that the two terms or ideas are interchangeable. When God's word speaks of salvation, it is absolutely specific and abundantly clear. Malcomson quite rightly points out that 'by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast' (Eph. 2:8-9). In pointing out this fact, Malcomson actually negates his own argument. For the argument to be valid, it would be necessary for the above passage from the address to state that 'we may obtain our Great Grand Master's salvation'. It does not. It is wrong to infer something from a statement that the statement was never intended to mean, and it requires a very imaginative reading of the statement above to conclude that it constitutes an exhortation to salvation through works or self-righteousness.

(b)
That this part of the address means that by joining the RAP, a candidate is ensuring himself a place in heaven. The reference to 'the Grand Lodge above' (i.e. heaven) must be read with the principles and qualifications of the Institution fully in mind. All prospective candidates for the Loyal Orange Institution, from whose ranks all RAP men are drawn, and therefore all new candidates for the RAP itself, are subject to the Qualifications of an Orangeman. These rules include requiring a candidate to profess his sincere faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is thus implicit in all actions that follow that an Orangeman and an Arch Purpleman has a sincere belief in the lord Jesus Christ as saviour. It is not the place of lecturers or other officers to question that faith - like all professions of faith, it must be taken as genuine until such time as the person concerned renounces it. Therefore, when references are made in the ceremonies and proceedings of the RAP to salvation, it is inherent in those references that the candidate has stated that he has faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This point must be borne in mind when one reads the reproduced passage from the address given to RAP candidates. Furthermore, Malcomson totally ignores the preceding part of the address, which tells the candidate that salvation is by faith alone, although he does include this passage in the appendix to the book where he reproduces the degree in full. It is clear that this reference to salvation by faith alone completely negates Malcomson's argument that the RAP teaches another gospel.

It is clear from these conclusions that the RAP degree nowhere teaches that eternal life can be found outside of Christ, nor is it the case that in participating in the Institution's activities, Christians are bearing a false witness to the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.