Gleanings of Highland Harvest: by Rev. Murdoch Campbell, M.A.
— same print as in Free Presbyterian Magazine — over 100 pages with hard covers — price 8/6, 10/- post free. Copies to be had from Religious Book Room, Inchvannie Court, Dingwall, Ross-shire; and Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland Book Room, 160 Pitt Street, Glasgow, C.3. The author has gleaned from varied sources available, information regarding eminent ministers of the Gospel, outstanding and godly laymen and pious women of past generations. Few parts of the West and North of Scotland were without outstanding witnesses for Christ before and at the time of the Disruption of 1843. The author recalls, for example, Rev. Duncan MacBeath, the minister of Ness, Lewis, and other ministers and men and women who were shining lights in that Island. He gleans from Harris, from the Isle of Skye, from Wester and Easter Ross, Sutherland and Caithness. The Bard of Harris; Finlay Munro the lay preacher; John Grant and Sandy Gair, the separatist; Rev. Alex. MacColl, Dr J. MacDonald of Ferintosh and Rev. Roderick MacLeod of Snizort, Skye, are just a brief sample of the godly worthies we read of in this book. There is a chapter on “Elect Ladies”. One anecdote as a sample: One day Rev. Rod. MacLeod, Snizort, saw a gracious woman coming toward his manse with gifts for his table. He remarked regarding her that she was “coming bearing three burdens: one, a burden of sin; another, a burden of grace; and another, a burden of the good things of this life for ourselves.” There have been three issues of this book since 1953. Rev. M. Campbell, the author is not publishing this edition. This is being done from the Book Room, Dingwall; and John G. Eccles, Inverness, are the printers. By the time this notice appears the book should be ready for sale. It should appeal especially to young and old from the West and North of Scotland, who have a heart interest in the Gospel of Christ and the work of grace in the soul and the character.
The History of Christian Doctrine: by Louis Berkhof
The Banner of Truth Trust; Price 25/-.
This volume is a companion volume to the author’s Systematic Theology. It contains the historical material to be used with that work, dealing with the history of Christian thought in the Church. This is done in a systematic way, and the author has dealt with his subjects in a clear and interesting manner. While it is an excellent text book for students in Divinity it is by no means uninteresting to the generality of the Christian public. One of the author’s aims is to counteract the widespread doctrinal indifference of the present day and the resulting confusion in the minds of a great number of professing Christians. Professor Berkhof died in 1957 at the advanced age of 83 years. For the long period of 38 years he was a Professor at Calvin Seminary, Grand Rapids, where he showed a real loyalty to the Reformed Faith. His name was a household word throughout the English-speaking world, and was always ready to counteract, by voice and pen, the insidious errors which, in all ages, are so ready to creep into the professing church. Having, over the years, acquired a vast store of knowledge, he was always ready to use that knowledge in the defence of Biblical Theology, both by his writings and the training of young men for the work of the ministry. Among other subjects, he deals in this book with the doctrine of the Trinity, the doctrine of Christ, of sin and grace, the Atonement, the Sacraments, and Eschatology or the doctrine of the last things. He begins by showing each doctrine that he deals with as that is stated by the Apostolic Fathers as it is brought before us in what is extant of their writings, and shows its development down through the ages as heresies crept in, and later theologians had to counteract these heresies until the time of the Reformation. In some cases he deals with heresies which have appeared since that period, and shows them to have been old heresies which have been cast out of the Church long before the time they appeared as new views.
At the end of each section he adds ‘Questions for further Study’, which open up wide fields for investigation, and also a copious list of books dealing with these subjects. This makes the book valuable in itself as the painstaking student can, at a glance, see a wide range of literature dealing with each subject. The book is well got up, and is well worth a prominent place on the book-shelves of ministers and divinity students, and all who would wish to be well informed on the history of the development of Christian doctrine. The book can be got by applying to the Free Presbyterian Bookroom, 106 Pitt Street, Glasgow.
J. COLQUHOUN.
The Christian’s Great Interest. Price 5/-.
This excellent book was first published in 1658, and is now published in paperback form by the Banner of Truth Trust in conjunction with the Publications Committee of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland. It has gone through many editions and was well known in the latter part of last century in the Highlands of Scotland through being translated into Gaelic. The author, William Guthrie of Fenwick, was a bright and shining light in the West of Scotland in his day, and suffered much through his firm adherence to the Cause of Christ in Covenanting times. It was during his ministry in Fenwick that the book, under review, was first published, and affords us an excellent example of the doctrines he preached to his flock. The cause of his appearing in print was that some without his knowledge had published imperfect notes of a few of his sermons, as he tells us, “most confusedly cast together, prefixing withal this vain title, as displeasing to myself as the publishing of the thing, ‘A Clear Attractive Warning Beam,’.” Though the printing of these Notes was wrong, yet the Lord, Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in deed, has brought much good out of it, for, by it, our author was constrained to publish this volume to the encouraging of His own and the awakening of the spiritually dead. The publishers deserve the thanks of the Christian public for putting into their hands this excellent book which has been enjoyed by past generations of the Lord’s people, and has been the means of their instruction, guidance, and encouragement amidst their toils and sorrows during their pilgrimage journey. It reflects great credit on the publishers and printers that they have issued this Christian classic in such a handsome format. The book may be had in the Free Presbyterian Bookroom, 106 Pitt Street, Glasgow.
J. COLQUHOUN.
Sermons: by J. K. Popham. Vol. I.
Published by the Gospel Standard Baptist Trust Ltd. Obtainable from: — Mr O. G. Pearce, 15a Park Avenue South. Harpenden, Herts. Price 15/6, hard cover, 272 pp.
This book, which is well produced in large clear type and good binding, contains 25 hitherto unpublished sermons of Mr J. K. Popham, Brighton. It also has a brief biographical note on Mr Popham by Mr S. F. Paul.
Mr Popham belonged to the Gospel Standard Strict Baptists and was pastor of Galeed Strict Baptist Chapel, Brighton, for over fifty years. He passed away in 1937 in his 90th year. He was well known to a number of our ministers and they entertained a high respect for this worthy servant of the Lord. He himself had a warm attachment to our own Church.
The sermons in this volume, which judiciously combine doctrine and experience, show Mr Popham to have been an “able minister of the New Testament.” The main doctrines of the truth, such as man’s total depravity, man’s inability, regeneration, redemption, the perseverance of the saints, etc., are set forth with great clarity in these discourses. The experimental side of religion, of which Mr Popham was a capable exponent, is distinctly emphasised. The sermons are Christ-exalting and man-debasing and are worthy of the careful perusal of all who desire something more solid than the superficial discourses so commonplace today. We would mention that in common with other ministers of the Gospel Standard Strict Baptist denomination, Mr Popham’s sermons lack the open call of the Gospel to sinners.
The Gospel Standard Baptist Trust state that they intend to publish further volumes if this present volume meets with an encouraging response. We heartily recommend this first volume of Mr Popham’s sermons to our readers and endorse the prayer of the Trust that the Lord may bless them to those who read them.
D.B.M.