Jonathan Ranken Anderson, the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland and the Gospel Standard Strict Baptists, by Roy Middleton, published by the James Bourne Society, hardback, 125 pages, £13.50, obtainable from the F P Bookroom.
Jonathan Ranken Anderson was a noted minister, first in the Church of Scotland and, following the Disruption of 1843, in the Free Church. He began his ministry in 1834, in Kirkfield church, in the Gorbals district of Glasgow. God visited the congregation with revival in 1839, in common with many other districts in Scotland. Mr Middleton states, “It was manifest that Anderson’s sermons preached during the revival were composed with a special unction from above, given by the Lord for the awakening of poor sinners. There was a copious outpouring of the Holy Spirit, multitudes were pricked to the heart and some were constrained to cry out under soul trouble with an audible voice. There was good evidence that many were brought under a work of conviction which issued in their salvation.”2
Within five years of the Disruption, Anderson had become deeply disillusioned with the Free Church, believing that it was in “grave spiritual decline”, though he clearly went too far in this. His attacks on fellow ministers led to a case of discipline against him, which resulted in him being declared to be “no longer a minister or member of this church”. Anderson, however, continued to hold services for his supporters until his death in early 1859, and they went on meeting after his death.
What was the connection between Anderson and the Free Presbyterian
2The second in a series of addresses given in Glasgow by Scottish ministers in 1840 was by Anderson. In the opinion of this reviewer, his lecture is possibly the best of them all. The book was reprinted by the Banner of Truth Trust in 1984, with the title, The Revival of Religion, but is no longer in print.
Church? It lay in Anderson’s congregation being received into the Free Presbyterian Church in 1895. However, less than three years later, the majority of the congregation resumed their independent position. This led to an excellent letter from Rev Donald Macfarlane to one of Anderson’s sons, who was a leading figure in the congregation; it is reproduced in this book as Appendix 2. (There are several other appendices, including one which reproduces one of Anderson’s “John Knox Tracts”, on the words, “Be clothed with humility” (1 Pet 5:5).)
And what was the connection between Anderson and the Gospel Standard Strict Baptists? It is to be traced back to a review, by J C Philpot, editor of The Gospel Standard magazine, of some of Anderson’s publications. This was largely favourable, except for a few points such as Anderson’s use of the free offer of the gospel. This review led, decades later, to H B Pitt, a Strict Baptist deacon, publishing some books of Anderson’s material, particularly his sermons. Pitt edited them to a greater or lesser extent, and Appendix 6 gives information on the extent to which editing took place.
The book under review has led on from a lecture on the subject. It is thorough and is written in an interesting way.
Protestant View
Who Is Antichrist?1
What is Antichrist, and who is Antichrist? The Apostle John tells you: “Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God; and this is that spirit of Antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come” (1 Jn 4:3). But shall Antichrist deny Christ to have come in the flesh in so many terms? No. He shall not deny the incarnation of Christ, for he shall sit in the temple of God.
How then shall Antichrist deny Christ to have come in the flesh? He shall set up such a worship as was in place before Christ came in the flesh.
As in the time of the Old Testament, before Christ came in the flesh, there was an outward, glorious and pompous worship; so shall Antichrist have.
As in the time of the Old Testament, before Christ came in the flesh, there was a temple, a great cathedral; so shall Antichrist have.
As in the time of the Old Testament, before Christ came in the flesh, there was a high priest and priests and Levites; so shall Antichrist have.
1This is an extract, with editing, from The Works of William Bridge, vol 3. Though Bridge does not explicitly say so, he is clearly pointing to Rome for the answer to the question posed in the sub-title of this piece.
As in the time of the Old Testament, before Christ came in the flesh, there were copes and ephods and linen coats; so shall Antichrist have.
As in the time of the Old Testament, before Christ came in the flesh, there were candles and tapers and music in the temple; so shall Antichrist have.
As in the time of the Old Testament, before Christ came in the flesh, there were altars; so shall Antichrist have.
And as in the time of the Old Testament, before Christ came in the flesh, there were sacrifices; so shall Antichrist have his unbloody sacrifices.
As then they turned to a covenant of works, so shall antichrist also do.
Thus, the more legal, and of an Old Testament stamp, your worship is, the more antichristian it is. Now is it not a dangerous thing to have antichristian worship for our worship in these gospel days? William Bridge