By Rev. Donald MacLean, Glasgow
The August number of the Banner of Truth Magazine has been issued as a Memorial to the late Professor John Murray of Badbea, and Westminster Seminary, Philadelphia, who passed away on 8th May of this year. The memorial is composed of a short account of his life together with tributes from his friends both to himself as a person and to his abilities as a teacher of theology.
As John Murray was originally a Free Presbyterian and indeed completed his theological course in our Church, an explanation is offered as to how he came to leave it and to pursue his ministry in another Church and on another continent. This explanation appears to justify the step then taken by Mr Murray and to infer that the later course of his life and ministry were proofs of this fact. While the present writer has no wish to open old sores, he feels that in fairness to the Church’s witness on the side of the Sabbath as well as to the memory of the godly ministers and elders who composed the Synod at that time, some comment is called for. Many readers of the Free Presbyterian Magazine also read the Banner of Truth Magazine and they should understand that there is another side to the question.
Every well-informed and intelligent Christian will agree that matters of Christian doctrine and practice should be decided by the Word of God and not by spiritual experiences through which any particular Christian may pass. At the same time, genuine spiritual experiences do have the effect of sealing upon the conscience the truth of God’s Word.
The matter which John Murray could not accept in order to his being licensed and ordained in the Free Presbyterian Church was the Synod Resolution which regarded the use of vehicles run in systematic disregard of the Lord’s Day as Sabbath-breaking and consequently refused to grant the privileges of the Church, such as Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, to those who continued in this sin. A very full statement of the Church’s position on this matter is to be found in the Church History on page 359. Consequently, it is not necessary to reproduce it here. It is well worth being read again to refresh our minds. It is a clear statement on the subject and should satisfy any who would wish to be like the Psalmist when he said, “Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect to all thy commandments.”
Rev. W. Matheson of Chesley issued a book entitled May Sabbath-
keeping Prevent Church Going?, in 1936. This book was an attack on the Synod’s position as well as an attempted defence of his own. In this book he tells how John Murray came to hold the view, in which he continued, through an “experience which he was never likely to forget”. This took place apparently in connection with a time in Glasgow when he felt specially stirred by the sight of the Sabbath-breaking going on while on his way to preach — an experience by no means uncommon to preachers and others who love the Lord’s Day. The substance of this experience was as follows: he was on the verge of making a vow that when he would have the responsibility of presiding over a Kirk Session, he would insist that all who used street cars on Sabbath would be excluded from the Lord’s Table. When in the act of formulating this vow, he was arrested by a series of questions which seemed to be addressed to him by the Lord. He felt when he came to the conclusion that he was to exclude such persons from the Lord’s Table for Sabbath-breaking that the Lord demanded, “What authority had you from Me that the use of a street car on Sabbath for Church going is a breach of the Fourth Commandment?” When he searched the Scripture for an answer to this question, he came to the conclusion that until such time as he could find authority for this rule of discipline, he would not administer it. As, therefore, he felt that he could not uphold the Synod ruling at the price of disobedience to his conscience, he came to the conclusion that his hopes of usefulness in the Free Presbyterian Church could not be realised and eventually departed in the way told in the Memorial. It should be noted that John Murray, himself, would not take vehicles run in systematic disregard of God’s Day.
When the present writer was reading this account, he was reminded of an experience through which he, himself, passed with regard to this matter. It is also one that he is not likely to forget but it led him to exactly the opposite conclusion. Since it also took place in Glasgow, it seems appropriate to tell it here.
His home was one hour’s walk from St Jude’s Church. On this particular Sabbath afternoon, shortly after he had read the above-mentioned book by Rev. W. Matheson, he felt an unusual longing and desire to go to the evening service. He looked forward to it with something of the frame of the Psalmist when he said, “My thirsty soul longs vehemently, yea faints Thy courts to see.” When the time came to leave for Church, however, the weather had changed and heavy rain had begun to fall. Yet as this desire was so powerful in his soul, he set out for Church. The weather became worse. The rain changed to sleet and the
sleet to snow with the result that he had to take shelter in a close which faced out to one of the public thoroughfares of Glasgow. As he stood looking at the snow and the tramcars passing by, he thought of the arguments of Matheson’s book. With such a desire in his soul, which he could not deny came from the Lord, Matheson would have maintained that it was in accordance with the mind of the Lord for him to step on a tramcar, make the journey to St Jude’s and so have his desire fulfilled. Since he did not believe this was right, it occurred very strongly to his mind that he had a warrant to plead with the Lord to cause the weather to clear so that he could proceed. He retired to the back of the close and poured out his plea to the One Who accomplishes the desire of those that fear Him. He felt encouraged and went on his way. Soon, the snow ceased and the weather cleared. As he ascended the steps of St Jude’s Church, a flake of snow fell on his face and, when he took his usual place in the gallery and looked out the window, the snow was falling heavily. The text that night was on Ruth at the feet of Boaz, “I am Ruth, thine handmaid: spread, therefore, thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.” It was a feast of fat things, of wines on the leas, well-refined. The New Testament Kinsman-Redeemer seemed very near and it was certainly felt that in the keeping of His commandments there was great reward.
When Professor Murray left the Free Presbyterian Church, he joined the Orthodox Presbyterian Church of America. From the Memorial itself one can see that the standard of Sabbath observance in that body was far from high. We are told (page 330) of Professors of the Westminster Seminary being at the home of one of their number for dinner on Sabbath. The conversation turned to baseball and the Professors expressed their ideas about various players and baseball games which they had seen. When asked his opinion, Mr Murray replied, “I never discuss baseball on the Sabbath.” The writer of the Memorial describes this as an “amusing” situation but we think it indescribably sad that such loose views of the Lord’s Day could be held by the teachers of the rising ministry of this Church. This Church also uses hymns and organs in its public worship and denies that the Pope is the Anti-Christ. The only comment needed here is that it seems difficult to understand the spiritual advantage of leaving a Church which holds firmly to real Reformation Theology and principles for a denomination which does not hold these in the same firm way, especially in view of the statement made with respect to Mr Murray: “He took a high view of a Christian’s duty to be a member of the most faithful Church that is to be found and to
support that Church with sacrificial vigour.” (page 5)*
Never was the testimony of our Church on the side of the Sabbath more necessary than at the present time. Laudable as the work of the Lord’s Day Observance Society is in certain directions, its witness is no substitute for the witness of the Church, both by preaching and the exercise of a firm and gracious discipline, to the sanctity of God’s Day. The advent of Tourism has introduced an element of Sabbath-breaking which has exceeded all fears, while oil developments have brought in a population out of sympathy with every element of vital godliness. Let our people appreciate the efforts made by the Church, in the strength of divine grace, through both its pulpits and courts, to conserve this blessed day for them, and let them seek the blessing of the Lord upon this and other precious privileges He has been pleased to bestow upon us.
*An inaccurate reference is made on page 54 when it is said that in 1953 in London, “where the Westminster Confession was drawn up, there was only one figure who was commonly recognised as believing and preaching the doctrines which it contained.” This lone figure is stated to be Dr Martyn-Lloyd-Jones! We remember, with gratitude to the Head of the Church, the faithful and uncompromising ministry of our beloved brother, Rev. J. P. MacQueen, who laboured in the capital City from 1936 to 1961. The difference between Mr MacQueen’s ministry and that of Dr Lloyd-Jones was that the former held the Confession in its entirety embracing doctrine, worship and practice while the latter did not do so. Dr Lloyd-Jones views on Baptism and Sabbath Observance were not at one with the Westminster Standards, while his antipathy to Presbyterianism is notorious. His form of worship, which included hymns and organs, was also at variance with the Confession’s teaching. We are fully aware of the efforts made in so-called Reformed circles to denigrate the witness of the Free Presbyterian Church and its ministers. We would remind these people that the Word of God declares that “The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.” (Job 17:9).