THE ETERNAL SONSHIP OF THE LORD JESUS.
by J. C. Philpot, M.A. London: C. J. Farncombe and Sons, Ltd., 30 Imperial Buildings, Ludgate Circus, E.C. 4. Cloth, 2s net; Boards, 1s 6d net.
This is a reprint of an excellent booklet by Mr J. C. Philpot on the important doctrine of the Eternal Sonship of the Lord Jesus. We in Scotland have not been so much troubled with the denial of this doctrine as some of the churches in England. True it is that the old Scots Independents who are now almost extinct, and Mr Archibald Maclean, an outstanding Baptist preacher in Edinburgh, and Dr Wardlaw, denied it, but their views never gained much currency in Scotland. In America the well-known commentator, Moses Stuart, denied the doctrine, as in England did also Dr Adam Clarke, the Wesleyan Methodist commentator. Dr Clarke’s views gave rise to a serious controversy in the Methodist Church. This called forth the Rev. Richard Treffry’s classic work on the subject: “An Inquiry into the Doctrine of the Eternal Sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ.” The controversy also broke out among the Strict Baptists in England, and Mr Philpot wrote this booklet in defence of the Scriptural doctrine of the Eternal Sonship. Those who deny the Eternal Sonship—at least those mentioned above—do not deny the Deity of the Son of God, but they hold the relationship of Sonship was not eternal, but had a beginning either at the Incarnation or the Resurrection. Among the Strict Baptists those who deny the Eternal Sonship are represented by the “Earthen Vessel,” and in a recent issue of the “Gospel Standard.” Mr Popham, in a powerful defence of the doctrine and exposure of the error of those who denied it, gave quotations to prove the daring length the impugners of this important doctrine went, and we most heartily sympathise with his call to his own denomination to have no part with the “Earthen Vessel” people until they make it clear that they regret the attitude they took up in the past in this matter, and give unmistakable evidence that they are heartily receiving the doctrine of the Eternal Sonship. Dr Kidd, Aberdeen, in his “Dissertation on the Eternal Sonship of Christ” (the latest edition of which was published in 1872, with an introduction by Dr Candlish), produced a very able defence of the doctrine, but perhaps laid too much stress on a class of arguments independent of Scripture. This cannot be said about Mr Philpot’s defence; it draws all its arguments from Scripture, and presents the Scriptural testimony in a very convincing way.
ALEXANDER DUFF: PIONEER OF MISSIONARY EDUCATION.
by William Paton. London: Student Christian Movement, 32 Russell Square, W.C. 1. Price 5s net.
This is another of the series of biographies of famous missionaries, to which reference has been made in the foregoing notice. Scotland has no reason to hang her head with shame for what she has done in the mission field, for though late in beginning, she sent forth some of her noblest sons to proclaim the gospel to the heathen. One has only to mention such names as Dr Duff, Dr Moffat, Dr Livingstone, Dr Paton, to name no others in confirmation of the above statement. In the biography before us Mr Paton has given us an excellent account of the great missionary to India. His presentation of Dr Duff’s idea of Christian education as applied to India is excellent. Dr Duff was a broad-minded man, but that did not keep him from taking a very decided stand against Prof. Robertson Smith, and in this matter we are thoroughly with Dr Duff and not with his biographer, who singles this out as one of Duff’s mistakes.