“Living the Christian Life;” papers read at the 1974 Westminster Conference. Hon. Sec. Rev. David Bugden, 75 High Street, Huntingdon, Cambs., England. Pp. 99, 50 pence plus postage.
The Westminster Conference met in the Westminster Chapel, London in December 1974 to discuss in a series of 6 papers the theme, “Living the Christian Life,” and these papers are now gathered together just as they were delivered and printed in this well produced and attractive booklet. The first paper by Rev. D. MacLeod shows the place of Law in the Christian Life in the light of the Works of Luther and Calvin; this is followed by a paper on the Christian Life as exemplified in the English Reformers by Iain Murray; Isaac Watts, Father of English Hymnody by Paul E. G. Cook; The Teaching of William Perkins and His Followers by R. T. Kendall; The Antinomian Controversies of the 17th Century by K. M. Campbell; finally, New Developments in the 18th and 19th century Teaching by Dr Martin Lloyd Jones which takes the subject down to more modern times. As might be expected in these studies, embracing such a large field and covered by such a vast literature, these aspects of Christian Living can only be considered in a cursory fashion. Of these papers there are perhaps two which because of their importance or interest call for particular comment.
The paper on Isaac Watts by Paul E. G. Cook is a piece of special pleading, justifying the use of uninspired hymns in public worship, and is oddly out of place at a Conference which goes by the honoured name of Westminster. Westminster in the eyes of true Calvinists stands for the Westminster Confession of Faith. In this noble document special emphasis is laid upon the full verbal inspiration of God’s Word and the scriptural character of the public worship of God’s House. The practice of psalm singing in public worship in Protestant Churches dates back to Calvin at Geneva and though strong in non-conformist churches and especially in Scotland until comparatively recent times, never made much headway in the Church of England. Isaac Watts, himself from a non-conformist background, on the plea of “Christianising” the praise of God’s House, deliberately set himself to break the hold which the Psalter had upon the Churches by introducing hymns of his own composition into public worship. Watts’ poetical gifts and beauty of expression made his hymns at once popular throughout the non-conformist churches and earned for him the title of “Father of English Hymnody.” These hymns, however, for all their popular appeal and poetic merit suffer from the same defects which apply to all hymns of human composition — they divert the attention of the worshipper from the grand object of worship and are the fertile source of erroneous teaching. A comparison, for example, of Watts’ version of Psalm 72 with David’s inspired original speaks for itself — it is the chaff to the wheat. The poetic license which Watts allowed himself in the treatment of sacred themes exposed him after his death to the charge of Unitarianism. The fashion set by Isaac Watts has in modern times been carried to dangerous extremes. It is a common thing, nowadays, in religious campaigns to get across to the people hymns of every shade of doctrine or belief by setting them to catchy tunes, accompanied by appealing music. This practice has, I believe, played a large part in spreading confusion in belief throughout the religious world and in deepening the spiritual death which has descended upon the Churches. If the public praise of God’s House is considered a suitable subject for a paper on Christian Living, there is here a grave error on the part of the organisers of the Westminster Conference in according Isaac Watts this fulsome and uncritical treatment.
The final paper by Dr Martin Lloyd Jones gives a rapid survey of the new development of Perfectionism of John Wesley which is traced through Methodism to the present day movements such as the Salvation Army, Faith Mission and the Keswick Convention. It is true to say, however, that none of these movements today maintains the peculiar brand of Perfectionism taught by John Wesley. The Keswick Convention is given a close and fair examination. It is interesting to learn that although what is known as Keswick arose within the Church of England, neither Bishop Ryle nor C. H. Spurgeon favoured the movement and even Dr Campbell Morgan, the predecessor of Dr Martin Lloyd Jones at Westminster Chapel, though he often appeared as a speaker at Keswick Conventions, had no love for the Keswick Message. Another reputed evangelical, Dr Graham Scroggie, was also a frequent speaker at Keswick and imbibed the optimistic doctrine of Happiness and Victory which Keswick lecturers loved to proclaim as opposed to the Reformed teaching on Romans, chapters 6 and 7 which they chose to ignore as calculated to produce ‘miserable Christians’. He once denounced Newton’s well known hymn, “T’is a point I long to know, etc.,” as the most miserable sentiment that ever found its way within the covers of a hymn book. It is Dr Martin Lloyd Jones’ view that the Keswick Message has virtually disappeared and today a more evangelical outlook is becoming evident at Keswick Conventions. This paper by Dr Martin Lloyd Jones is perhaps the most valuable in the booklet. All these Conference papers give evidence of the wide reading that went into their preparation and will repay careful study.
A.F.M.