Arminianism—Another Gospel, by Ergatees.
Westminster Standard. Price 1/6d
This useful booklet is an attempt to state in brief compass that defection from the pure truth of God which goes under the name of Arminianism. The first part of the booklet contains a statement of the nature and spirit of Arminianism, while the second part is devoted to a refutation of the Arminian errors.
James Arminius was the name of the Dutch Theologian from which this system of error received its name. He was born in 1560 and died in 1609. He became pastor in Amsterdam in 1588 and, when lecturing on Romans Chapter 7, he propounded the view that Paul here describes the case of an unregenerate man. This roused considerable opposition and, when he was appointed
to the Professorship at Leiden, there was controversy over his being given a chair at the University there. His position as Professor gave him an undoubted influence which led to the spread of his pernicious errors. By devious methods with which no honest mind can agree, he managed to retain his chair and his profession of orthodoxy until the time of his death. It has been well said that Arminianism fought none of the battles of the Reformation and when it did appear, it came as a disturber of the peace of the Reformed Church.
The booklet brings out how the Arminianism of Archbishop Laud and John Wesley evinced a bitter spirit of persecution against those who hold the truth in sincerity. The activities and doctrines of D. L. Moody are likewise exposed and warnings issued against their delusive influence.
The second part of the booklet deals with those doctrines which Arminians wrest to their own destruction. These are (i) The Sovereignty of God. (ii) Total Depravity. (iii) Effectual Calling. (iv) The Atonement. (v) The Perseverance of the Saints. These doctrines are clearly stated and the departures from the Word of God exposed. The method adopted by the writer has been to give a list of quotations from well-known authors on the principal points and thus not only to inform the reader, but also to furnish him with armour to meet Arminian apologists. May the booklet be accompanied by the blessing of God so that it may be instrumental in opening the eyes of many to the dangers inherent in Arminianism.
The booklet is published by the Westminster Standard, 183 Rutene Road, Gisborne, New Zealand and may be obtained in this country from Mr John Grant, 4 Millburn Road, Inverness.
—Donald MacLean.
GLEIDHEADH A CHRIDHE
Leis an Urr. Iain Flavel
(Air a leantuinn bho t.d. 154)
Anns a cheathramh: aite. Ni ml co-chur dhe’n iomlan gu iomadh feum.
I. Feum Eolais. Chuala sibh gur e gleidheadh a chridhe obair mhór a Chriosduidh, anns am bheil dearbh anam agus beatha diadhachd a co-sheasamh, agus as eugmhais am bheil a h-uile dleasdanas eile gu’n luach air bith maille ri Dia: bho’m bheil mi, uime sin, a tuigsinn uamhas nan cealgairean agus luchd-aideachaidh foirmeil.
‘S iomadh seirbhís mhòr a bh’air a deanamh, is iomadh obair ghloirmhor a bh’air a deanamh le daoine, gidheadh a thà gu tric air an diultadh le Dia, agus nach cumair gu bràth air chuimhne, a chùm gu’m biodh iad gu siorruidh air gabhail riutha, do bhrigh nach do ghabh a mhuinntir a rinn iad suim air bith gu bhi gleidheadh an cridhe a thaobh Dhé anns na dleasdanais so. Is e so a chreag mharbhtach air an do bhris milltean iad fein gu siorruidh: thà iad cùramach a thaobh nithean bho’n leth a muigh ann an diadhachd, aoh mi-chùramach a thaobh an cridheachan. O cia lion uair a chaith cuid de luchd-aideachaidh ann a bhi’g eisdeachd, ag ùrnuigh, a leughadh, a cumail comhladar. agus gidheadh, oho fad ‘s a thà crioch àraidh diadhachd air a ghabhail a stigh, but cho math dhoibh suidh gu sàmhach, agus gun ni a dheanamh; oir cha’n eil so uile a ciallachadh ni air bith, air bhi do’n obair mhòr, thà mi ciallachadh obair cridhe, fad na h-ùine air a dearmad. Innis dhomh, thusa fhir-aideachaidh diomhain, cuin a shill thù deur air son do mhairbhe, do chruas, t-eas-creidimh, na talamhaidheachd do chridhe? Am bheil thù smuainteachadh gu’n dean diadhachd cho furasda do thearnadh? Ma ni, faodaidh sinn briathran Chriosd a chur bun-os-ceann, agus a ràdh, “is farsuinn an dorus, agus is leathainn an t-slighe, a tha treorachadh chùm beatha, agus is iomadh iad a tha’g imeachd oirre.” Eisd rium, a chealgaire a thà ga d’ fhein-mhealladh, thusa a tha cur Dhé dheth le dleasdanasan anns nach eil do chridhe, thusa a thà ga d’ chleachdadh fein ann an diadhachd mar gu’m beannaicheadh tì iodhal, nach b’urrain thù do chridhe a rannsachadh agus a rùsgadh; thusa nach d’thug suas do Dhia ach craicionn na h-iobairt, agus cha’n e an smior, an t-saill, agus a’ mionach: cia mar a ghiulaineas tì teachd an Tighearna? Cia mar is urrain thù do cheann a chumail suas ‘n a làthair, O dhuine chealgaich, mheall-chridheach. cia mar a b’urrain thù diadhachd aideachadh? Ciod a bhathais leis am b’urrain dhuit cho tric innse dhomh gu’n robh gràdh agad dhomh, am feadh a bhà fhios agad ann a d’choguis fein, nach robh do chridhe ceart maillle rium? O criothnaich a bhi smuainteachadh ciod e’m breitheanas uamhasach a th’ann, neach a bhl air a thoirt seachad do chridhe mi-chùramach; agus an sin dleasdanas diadhachd a bhi agad, an àite glagan, gu bhi ciunachadh agus a clos na coguis.
- Bho’n a so tuig mar an ceudna, air son ioraslaichadh cridheachan treibhidheireach, mar a caith sluagh Dhé barrachd ùine agus saothair mu’n cridheachan na thà iad ‘s a chumantas agus gù h-abhaisteach a deanamh, chà bhl e coltach gu’n dean
iad gu bràth mòran seirbhis do Dhia, na gu’m bi iad ‘n an sealbhadairean air mòran de chomhfurtachdan anns an t-saoghal.
Faodaidh mi ràdh mu’n Chriosduidh sin a thà dearmadach agus mi-chùramach ann an gleidheadh a chridhe mar a thuirt Iacob mu Reuben, “Neo-sheasmhach mar uisge, cha tòir thù barrachd.” Thà e cur bròn orm a bhi faicinn cia lion Chriosduidh a th’ann, a thà dol suas agus sios fodh dhiobhail misnich agus a gearain, agus a thà beo ann an suidheachadh cho ional, araon ann an seirbhis agus ann an comhfurtachd; agus cia mar is urrain iad sùil a bhi aca ris a chaochladh, am feadh ‘s a thà iad beo ann an suidheachadh cho mi-chùramach? O cia cho beag de’n ùine a thà air a chaitheamh ‘s a chlòsaid ann an rannsachadh, ag ioraslachadh, agus a beothachadh an cridheachaibh.
(1) Comhstraghean gun toradh air an tòiseachadh le Satan, cha’n eil teagamh agam, air son an dearbh aobhair so, a bhi ga’r toirt air falbh bho dhiadhachd chleachdail, gu bhi cur breislich ‘n ar cinn, ‘n uair a bu chòr dhuinn a bhi rannsachadh ar cridheachan. O cia cho beag ‘s a ghabh sinn suim de’n a nì tha’n t-Abstol ag ràdh, “Oir is maith an nì an cridhe bhi air a dhàingneachadh le gràs, cha’n ann le biadhan,” ‘s e sin, le ceisdean agus connsachadh mu bhiadhan, “nithean nach d’thug tairbhe do’n dream a ghnàthaich iad.” Eabh. xiii: 9. O cia cho mòr is fearr a bhi faicinn dhaoine a bhi beo gu h-eagnuidh, na bhi ga’n cluinntean a connsachadh gu h-innleachdach. Na ceisdean mi-tharbhach so, cia mar a reub iad na h-eaglaisean, a chlaoidh iad ùine agus spioradan, agus a ghairm iad Chriosduidhean air falbh bho’n gnòthuch sònraichte, ‘s e sin a bhi coimhead am fion-lios fein. Ciod a thà sibh a smuainteachadh fhearainn? Nach biodh e nì b’fhearr na’m b’e na ceisdean a bhiadh air an gluasad
(R’a leantuinn)