In the primitive church, Catechising was very much their work. They had many ministers set apart for it, called Catechists; and sundry of their most eminent lights were so called, for their excelling in this good work. Before persons were admitted to the full communion of the church, they were from time to time to be catechised, and kept under trial; and till such time as they were judged fit to partake of the sacrament, they were called Catechumeni.
We find our Lord’s apostles took care to feed the babes with milk before they were able to receive stronger meat, 1 Cor. 3:1, 2; Heb. 5:12. As we have our catechisms, so they had forms of instruction, in which the young and weak were catechised, called a “form of knowledge”, Rom. 2:20; “a form of doctrine”, Rom. 6:17; “the form of sound words”, 2 Tim. 1:13; “the first principles of the oracles of God”, Heb. 5:12; and “the principles of the doctrine of Christ”, Heb. 6:1. In these were both Theophilus and Apollos catechised, Luke 1:4; Acts 18:25; in both which texts the word in the Greek is catechised, which we have here rendered instructed. The apostle Paul requires the people of Galatia to give all encouragement and support to those who laboured in the work of catechising among them, Gal. 6:6, “Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things”. In the original it is, Let him that is catechised communicate to him that catechiseth. This office is not below the most learned divines, seeing Christ sets himself a pattern to us in it, by catechising his disciples, Matt. 16:15, 16.
We in this national church, through the Lord’s mercy, are provided with excellent Catechisms, both Larger and Shorter, for our help in catechising. The Assembly’s Shorter Catechism is judged the most excellent summary we ever had, in so small a compass, of the great principles of the Christian religion, extracted from the Word of God. It hath been greatly esteemed in foreign parts also, and upon that account hath been translated into Latin and Greek. In the hand of divine providence, it proves a noble fence against error, wherever it is received; and therefore the adversaries of truth are not a little displeased with it.
The more I view it, I am the better pleased with it, and desire to bless God for raising up such noble instruments in the last age to frame it for us. This Shorter Catechism being evidently founded upon the Word of God, and a part of our standards to which we stand solemnly engaged; it becomes the lovers of truth to adhere firmly to it, and contend for it as a most valuable attainment in our Reformation, and always to wish and pray that it may be preserved entire to us and our posterity, and that generations to come may be trained up in the use of it to the latest ages.
Let me humbly entreat young persons, diligently to improve all such helps and means of instruction in the season of youth, and hearken with delight to parents, masters, or ministers, who would teach them the things which concern their everlasting peace. O consider how many young people are hurried into eternity before they know and lay these things to heart. Believe it, dear sirs, there is no heaven without Christ, no interest in Christ without faith, and no faith without knowledge. May therefore “the earth be filled with the knowledge of Christ, as the waters cover the sea”.
From “The Practical Works of Rev. John Willison”, Dundee.