Believing Bible Study — Edward S. Hill
Dr Hill is the author of the book “The King James Version Defended” which was recently reviewed and commended in this magazine. This further publication of his includes much of the matter contained in the book already mentioned but sets it in the context of a much wider approach to Bible study in general.
Dr Hill contends that the proper approach to the defence of God’s revelation of Himself must be that of the believer. This applies to defending the reality of this revelation both in the physical universe and in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.
Dr Hill commences with a most readable account of the authority, preservation and canon of the Old Testament Scriptures and shows how Christ set His seal to these as the authoritative Word of God. He meets the naturalistic critics of the Old Testament by showing the untenable nature of their views. He then
proceeds to do the same for the New Testament Scriptures with his usual ability, drawing largely upon material already used in his former book “The King James Version Defended.”
The author writes well against adopting a neutral attitude to the Scriptures, i.e. approaching the Bible as some other book. To do this for the sake of winning over unbelievers is to acquiesce in the unbeliever’s own position and to do so is sinful. He shows how this leads to a denial of the inspiration of the Bible and the Deity of Christ. Dr Hill deals with several of the errors issuing from an unbelieving world view, e.g. materialism and evolution. He also has a most interesting chapter on the question of believing and unbelieving scientists. Here he handles the subject of astronomy, geology, and attempts made to eradicate the knowledge that there is a God, from the human mind.
The reviewer has read on former occasions books by Dr Hill on “The King James Version Defended,” “Evolution in the Space Age,” and “Space Age and Science.” These books, however, give no real inkling of the writer’s doctrinal views. It was a pleasure, therefore, in reading the chapter in this book “A Believing View of the Bible” to discover from it that Dr Hill holds Calvinistic views of a most emphatic kind.
The book will make interesting and informative reading for young people faced with unbelieving theories, proclaimed as indisputable facts, in class rooms and lecture rooms in the various institutions of learning in this country. We recommend it to them.
The book can be procured through the Bookroom, price 15/- post free.
— D. Maclean.
The Apostolic Church, Which is it ? by Thomas Witherow.
This book has again been reprinted and is now available at the Free Presbyterian Bookroom, 160 Pitt Street, Glasgow C.2, at 3/- per copy, postage free.
The reprint has been issued with the expectation that it will prove, under divine blessing, instructive and helpful to many in giving a clearer understanding of the scripture order of Church Government.
“I Saw the Light,” by H. J. Hegger
This book gives a most interesting account of the author’s conversion from the Kingdom of Darkness to the Kingdom of God’s Dear Son. His delight in Philosophy and Psychology into which he plunged with such relish only to discover their inability to satisfy the cravings of man’s soul enables him to exercise such a degree of care in his interpretative weighing up of his thoughts
and motives that one cannot but be impressed with the reality of the experiences.
He was born in Lomm near Cenlo, in Holland, on 19th December 1916, the fifth of a family of 12 children. His father was a bit of a despot but his mother the epitome of gentleness and love. The family were devout Roman Catholics and Herman had a strong religious disposition and was deeply affected by the ritual of that Church. Gradually the idea of becoming a priest took possession of his mind and in 1928 he entered the Seminary at Haastrecht, being required before entry to decide never to marry. His remarks “This is a terrific decision for a twelve-year-old child to make.” The account he gives of his time at this place and the account of the characteristics of his instructors give a clear indication of the conflict which arises in the Roman Catholic mind and especially the prevailing influence of the worship of Mary. In his last year he left that Seminary but eventually went back to the Order of the Redemptorists and in 1934 entered the Centre at Den Rosch as a novice. These novices were to be subjected to many kinds of tests to see if they were suitable to Monastic life. The sheer monotony and boredom of this form of existence comes through very clearly to the reader. Failure to attain to the ideal of sinlessness and to rise to new heights of mysticism through prayer make sad reading. “One day in 1940 the idea occurred to me: “Why do you not take the Bible? In the Bible you will not find the thoughts of men but of God Himself.” He asked for permission to use the Bible in his meditations and permission was granted. The Bible was not, of course, a Protestant one but he now began to meditate with pleasure at the very thought that he now had the infallible Word of God. His study of the Bible, however, made him vaguely uneasy. “I was often up against texts that seemed clearly to contradict the doctrines of our Church.” Small wonder!
Eventually he was ordained Priest and was the only one within living memory who had attained to this office from his particular village. “I felt that day as if I were seated on a high mountain of fame and glorification.” The account of his inward struggles over the observance of Mass and the administration of Confession are soberly given and on both functions he had the most serious misgivings.
On the advice of psychiatrists he had to rest for a year and a half due to nervous fatigue. When this rest failed as a cure, he was told that self-analysis was the only way open to him and this self-analysis became a major cause of his breach with Rome. “It was a terrible moment when in all sincerity I felt obliged to refuse to submit my mind to the doctrinal pronouncements of Rome.” Mr Hegger’s remarks on psychiatry and philosophy are most in-
formative from one who had experimentally learned that peace of conscience cannot be found in the wisdom of men. “There is a definition of the concept ‘philosopher’ that says ‘The philosopher is a man who is looking for a black cat in a pitch dark room in which there is no cat at all!'”
Eventually the author left the Roman Church and turned to Protestantism amongst the Methodists in Brazil. He gives a full account of how he was brought to the light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ. Of the Methodists he says — “I asked myself how it was possible for them to be so certain of their eternal salvation apart from some kind of predestination.” He began to study this subject and came to adopt the Calvinistic view. Later he returned to Europe and joined the Reformed Church of Brussels. He was eventually installed a Pastor of the Denderleeuw Reformed Church.
Rev. Hegger is now active in the work of helping priests who leave the Roman Catholic Church for conscience’ sake. Up to May 1967 his organisation has helped 63 priests, monks and nuns to whom were given clothes, shelter and subsistence, etc. This, however, is a small fraction of the great many priests in the world who have left their Church: 10,000 in Italy alone: the number of ex-priests in the whole world is estimated to be 60,000. A monthly magazine called “The Road to Damascus,” of which Rev. Hegger is Editor, gives a great deal of information about his organisation and the general position of Roman Catholics in Europe as well.
The book called “I Saw the Light” is in a paper back edition and can be ordered through the Free Presbyterian Bookroom. Unfortunately the price is not on the copy sent for review.
— Donald Maclean.
The Inner Sanctuary by Charles Ross. Paperback, price 6/-. The Banner of Truth Trust. 247 pages.
This volume consists of a series of expositions on the Gospel According to John, chapters 13 to 17, and were for years the subjects of the author’s private meditations which he afterwards delivered from his own pulpit to his congregation. Some judicious hearers expressed their earnest desire to see them published, and in an endeavour to accede to their oft-repeated requests the first edition of this volume appeared in 1888. The author, who belonged to the same school as the older Free Church ministers, enters deeply into the experience of the Lord’s people and shows the gracious dealings of their Lord and Saviour with them in instructing, leading, and rebuking, and also in comforting them, and makes it abundantly clear that these dealings with them are
aspects of that love with which He loved His own. The portion on which these lectures are based is that part of Holy Writ which is a narrative of the Lord’s gracious and intimate association with His disciples before He set His face towards Calvary. It is refreshing to read our author’s comment on the place which the Holy Spirit has in the lives of true Christians. He says, “But behold here also a great test of a Christian. I am not speaking to you here about a trifling matter. Our Lord draws here a broad line of demarcation between His disciples and all other men. And what is it? It is simply this: His disciples know the Holy Spirit; they know Him from their own experience of His gracious work; others do not. His disciples have received the Holy Spirit; others have not. Are you a Christian indeed? Then the Holy Spirit is within your heart — working and dwelling there. Are you ignorant of the Holy Spirit — unacquainted with His life-giving power? Then read this Scripture, and draw from it your own conclusion. You are still of the world, and what you need is to have your false peace disturbed, and to be converted to God.” p. 93.
When there is so much religious literature published, which professes to set forth a gospel which it not the Gospel we owe a great debt of gratitude to the Banner of Truth Trust for publishing the book under review, and heartily recommend it to all who may read this notice. It is written plainly, in a beautiful English style, while the printing and the general get-up of the book is all that could be desired.
— John Colquhoun.