History. At its meeting on 27.3.84 the Committee had before it a letter from Mr Neil Macdougall (Elder in the Stornoway Congregation, but now living in Malawi), with a request that work be undertaken in that country. It was agreed to have Rev. A. B. Ndebele visit these parts, and at its meeting of 2.10.84 the Committee had his report to the effect that prospects for missionary work there were good. Rev. Ndebele was asked to make a second visit which came about in company with Mr J van Woerden whose report of it is before the Synod.
Rev. Justin B. Gonakumoto, as a result of Mr Van Woerden’s visit, wrote to him asking that the Free Presbyterian Church become established in Malawi. This letter was considered by Committee in conjunction with Mr van Woerden’s report on 1.10.85. It was agreed that, subject to recommendation from Mr Macdougall, and Rev. Ndebele, Rev Gonakumoto be invited to visit the Mission in Zimbabwe. This visit took place for two weeks during the Bulawayo Communion last December. Following upon a favourable report of this visit having been received from Rev. Ndebele, the Committee agreed that Rev. Gonakumoto come to the U.K. and attend the theological class in Glasgow. He so arrived on 20th March. On 6th May the Committee after considering a report from Rev. D. Maclean, interviewed Rev. Gonakumoto at length both as to his theological etc. position and with regard to the situation that presently obtains in Malawi. It was ascertained that there are six ministers, including Rev. Gonakumoto, in the Blantyre district of Malawi and with a combined Church membership of 2,200 who have separated from the main Presbyterian Church. This Church is the offspring of missionary work from Scotland related to David Livingstone from last century. It is the wish of these ministers with whom Rev. Gonakumoto is associated that they be received into the Free Presbyterian Church in due course.
Next Step. Accordingly, the Committee have asked two of its number, Revs. D. A. Ross and A. Murray to visit Malawi for some weeks, and report to the Committee as to what may be done.
The Synod are asked to adopt this report.
N.B. Rev. J. B. Gonakumoto will be present to answer questions from Synod Members if desired.
Alex Murray, Clerk to the Jewish and Foreign Missions’ Committee.
Mr Murray also brought before the Synod notice of a contact with Kenya. This contact was made through the Church Bookroom. It had been agreed by the Foreign Mission Committee that a deputation from Zimbabwe would go to Kenya. Mr Ndebele and Mr Dube have now returned from that trip and have given in a promising report on the situation there. Mr Murray sought the Synod’s permission to register as a religious body in that country if that was deemed advantageous. At a later meeting of Synod Rev. James Tallach warned that there should be caution in respect of this last suggestion as it might entail expense. Mr Murray informed the Synod that the Deputies proceeding shortly to Malawi would also visit Kenya.
Rev. John MacLeod brought forward the suggestion that the Moderator of Synod should, during his Moderatorial year, visit the Church’s Overseas Stations in Africa.
Rev. R. R. Sinclair replied saying that the Moderator had a congregation to look after and this was his first duty. Mr Sinclair thought it “not proper for ministers who had their own charges at home to look after, to be away abnormally from these their own congregations.”
Rev. John MacLeod withdrew the suggestion.
The Foreign Mission business being now completed the attention of the Synod was drawn to the situation among the Dominions and Overseas Congregations.
Rev. Donald B. MacLeod presented the Dominions and Overseas Committee’s Report: Mr MacLeod expressed the hope that Rev. Neil Ross would visit the Congregations in North America and in Australasia later in the year.
Rev. Angus Morrison gave in his report as the Deputy to Australia and New Zealand, expressing his gratitude to all who made it possible for him to undertake this duty.
Rev. Alex. McPherson, another Deputy, gave in his Report and explained that he had felt it his duty to remain most of his time at
Auckland. The Report of the Deputy, Rev. L. Roberts, was presented by Rev. D. B. MacLeod.
Mr James McPherson presented the New Zealand and the Australian Reports, and made reference to the hard task that the late Rev. W. MacLean had when he found himself alone in that area of the Church.
The Rev. M. MacInnes presented a Canadian Report, which Report, he explained was not a Presbytery Report. He conveyed to the Synod the greetings of the Canadian Presbytery.
Rev. Angus Morrison gave in a report of his visit to Italy as Church Deputy and he hoped that people would be encouraged to pray for the friends in Italy. He answered a query from Rev. A. F. MacKay as to where these people went in the long time that they had no minister visiting them, stating that they had nowhere to go. Rev. John Tallach thought it a remarkable sign of the Lord’s help that Rev. Angus Morrison was able to defend the Faith against the attacks of the Jehovah Witnesses encountered in Italy — Mr Morrison speaking in Italian. Mr W. Taylor asked if these visits all over the world were justified when the Church at home was so needy and so many vacant congregations left for long without a minister’s visit.
Rev. S. F. Tallach had a motion re Church Extension Charges in the Home Country and Rev. J. W. Ross had a motion re a Church Extension Committee but the Clerk of Synod requested that they would combine these issues and prepare a motion for the next Synod. This was agreed upon.
As the business of this year’s Synod was now completed the Moderator thanked the Glasgow congregation for their continued kindness to Synod members during the Synod period. He also expressed thanks to the Glasgow minister and Deacon’s Court for the use of the Church. He then added — “Fathers and Brethren, this Synod is now drawing to a close and you are about to return to your homes and congregations, whether here in Scotland, or in England, Canada, New Zealand or Zimbabwe.
“In taking our leave of this Synod in which much was done which, we trust, will be for the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom in our midst at home and abroad, it would be well for us to remember the great responsibility which rests upon every one of us to maintain and defend the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and the witness for truth committed to us as a Church. We are called on to do all in our power to extend the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ in those parts in which our lot is cast, looking to the Lord for the grace and strength needed for such a task. The day is dark and evidently becoming darker. What lies before
us we do not know. But this we do know, that the Lord is the same, yesterday, today and forever. He will never leave nor forsake His people. We may take comfort in this also, that often the darkest hour is before the dawn. Who knows but that better days may not be so far away as we may be ready to think. But, however that may be, we can take comfort from the promises of Scripture concerning those glorious days, and the ingathering of the Jews as a people into the fold of the Christian Church, when they shall look to their glorious but so much despised Messiah and Saviour.
“In what spirit then are you to return to your congregations? Let it be in the spirit of humility and thankfulness that the Lord has not left us as a Church and has manifested Himself graciously to us during our days of meeting in Synod. Let my Fathers and Brethren in the ministry — and myself along with them — return to our congregations determining anew ‘to know nothing among them save Christ and Him crucified.’
“Faced with so many discouragements and so much opposition in our day, let each one of us be minded to say with the apostle, ‘But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.’
“Let the elders present in our Synod return home fully determined in the strength of divine grace to carry out the duties which belong to their office with renewed vigour and faithfulness, declaring by their life and walk whose they are and whom they serve.
“We would bid farewell to our friends from the Mission and from Overseas as they return to their own countries where some of them labour in much isolation from their brethren and others in the face of increasing difficulties. We hope that they may yet be spared to return on another occasion. If not, and should we never meet any more on earth, may we meet at last in that place where there shall be no parting.
“May we all so live, so run and so fight that when we come to the end of the day we shall be able to say — ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.’”
“I would conclude this Synod with the same Scriptural exhortation with which I closed the last Synod over which I presided. The Apostle in 1st Corinthians chapter 15, after proving the resurrection of Christ and the resurrection of believers as flowing from it, said, ‘Thanks be to God,
which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
Church Standing Collections
| Jewish and Foreign Mission Fund | March and August |
|———————————|——————|
| General Building Fund | April |
| Home Mission Fund | May and October |
| Organisation Fund | June |
| Dominions and Overseas Fund | September |
| Publications Fund | November |
| College and Library Fund | December |
Note from Private Meeting of Synod
STANDING COMMITTEES
Finance: Mr W. D. Fraser, Convener; Revs. R. R. Sinclair, D. Nicolson, J. MacLeod, and A. MacDonald; with Messrs W. G. MacLeod, R. Middleton, W. Taylor, W. Byers and D. MacKenzie.
Church Interests: Moderator of Synod with Clerks of Synod and five Clerks of Home Presbyteries and Rev. R. R. Sinclair.
Religion and Morals: Revs. D. Ross, Convener; D. M. Boyd, H. I. MacKinnon, A. F. MacKay, and Messrs W. Byers, J. MacAskill and D. R. McSween.
Dominions and Overseas: Revs. D. B. MacLeod, Convener; A. Murray, J. MacLeod, Angus MacKay, L. MacLeod, S. F. Tallach with Messrs W. D. Fraser and D. McCuish.
Jewish and Foreign Missions: Revs. R. R. Sinclair, Convener; A. F. MacKay, A. Murray, Clerk; A. McPherson, J. MacLeod and D. A. Ross with Messrs I. MacLeod, W. Taylor and J. van Woerden.
Training of the Ministry: Revs. D. J. MacDonald, Convener; F. MacDonald, A. MacDonald, J. MacLeod, D. B. MacLeod; with Messrs A. McPherson, J. MacAskill, D. R. McSween, and A. Gillies.
Sabbath Observance: Revs. Neil Ross, Convener; D. Ross, Clerk; G. I. MacAskill; with Messrs A. Gillies, D. MacRae and E. I. Fraser.
Church Magazines: Revs. R. R. Sinclair, Convener; Clerks of Synod, D. B. MacLeod, N. M. Ross with the Clerks of the five Home Presbyteries.
Publications: Revs. A. McPherson, Convener; A. F. MacKay, N. Ross, D. B. MacLeod, J. W. Ross and Angus Morrison and Donald MacAskill with Mr. W. Taylor.
Welfare of Youth: Revs. A. McPherson, Convener; D. Ross, N. Ross, Clerk; D. M. Boyd and Messrs D. MacRae and J. MacAskill.
Home of Rest Committee: Revs. A. Murray, Convener; James Tallach, Clerk; D. B. MacLeod, D. M. Boyd, Angus Morrison, John Ross with Messrs R. K. MacCuish, D. MacRae, W. Taylor and E. Sutherland.
Bookroom: Revs. D. J. MacDonald, Convener; and L. MacLeod with Messrs. D. R. McSween, A. Gillies and W. D. Fraser.
Special Committees
Committee for preparing for Church Centenary. Revs. D. B. MacLeod, Convener; F. MacDonald, and Angus Morrison with Messrs. A. Gillies, R. Middleton and D. R. McSween.
Committee for enquiring into structure of Church Finance. Clerk of Synod, Convener of Finance Committee, Church Auditor, Church Treasurers.
A Note from Calvin
“The Spirit of God shews to us hidden things, the knowledge of which cannot reach our senses. Promised to us is eternal life, but it is promised to the dead; we are assured of a happy resurrection, but we are as yet involved in corruption; we are pronounced just, as yet sin dwells in us; we hear that we are happy, but we are yet in the midst of many miseries; an abundance of all good things is promised to us, but still we often hunger and thirst; God proclaims that He will come quickly, but He seems deaf when we cry to Him. What would become of us were we not supported by hope, and did not our minds emerge out of the midst of darkness above the world through the light of God’s Word and of His Spirit?”
How Donald Cargill Preached and Prayed
“Ever since I bowed a knee in good earnest to pray,” said Donald Cargill, “I never durst pray and preach with my gifts; and where my heart is not affected, and comes not up with my mouth, I always thought it time for me to quit it. What comes not from my heart, I have little hope that it will go to the heart of others.” Patrick Walker’s Life and Death of Mr Daniel Cargill.
Synod Sermon
Substance of sermon preached by the Retiring Moderator, the Rev. John MacLeod, Stornoway.
“We preach Christ crucified.” 1 Cor. 1: 23
The account given in Scripture of the founding of the church in Corinth is well known. Paul remembers the occasion well. “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.” Paul apparently would have very soon shaken the very dust of that city from his feet had not the Lord appeared to him in a vision by night saying, “Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.” This city, which of all the cities of the ancient world was the most notorious for licentiousness. The sins prevalent in Corinth are catalogued in chapter six. Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, the effeminate, the abusers of themselves with mankind were numerous within its walls. We might expect that the same judgement would overtake it as overtook the cities of the plain and that fire and brimstone would come from the Lord out of heaven to consume it. But no! It was to be an outpouring of the Spirit of God so that we have saints in Corinth and a famous Church of God established there. Satanic opposition was to be expected. The policy adopted was that of “divide and conquer.” Contentions had arisen and at the root of these contentions was pride. “Only by pride,” we read “cometh contention.”
The sin of pride is what brought about the condemnation of the devil and it is deeply rooted in the human heart. Among other things, it was Paul’s aim to restore unity. “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; But that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement.” Their allegiance was to be supremely to Christ; that Christ Whom Paul, Apollos and Cephas had preached to them and to Whose fellowship they had been called. As to nationality and kindred the Church in Corinth was composed of Jews and Greeks and they were required to live in brotherly harmony presenting a united front to the powers of the kingdom of darkness around them in the world. Around them were Jews still requiring a sign and Greeks still seeking after wisdom. When brought into contact with the
Gospel the Jews demanded “external supernatural evidence” as the ground of faith and the Greeks “rational evidence,” nothing was to be received as true which they could not understand and see the rational grounds of. But Paul, Apollos and Cephas came preaching Christ not as a “sign shower” or as a “philosopher” but condemned and crucified. “We preach Christ crucified,” summed up the very substance of their Gospel and they were not deflected from holding fast that profession because it was a stumbling-block to the Jews still labouring under the delusion that Christ was to come as a conquering Messiah to establish a world empire and foolishness to the Greeks who poured scorn on the doctrine that such preaching was to convert the world. The same Gospel has been committed to us and having been entrusted with it we are, in the same hostile world, to show the same determination as we endeavour to hold aloft that banner given to us and to be displayed because of the Truth. If we are in the true Apostolic Succession, called to the Christian ministry and found with love to Christ and to souls in our hearts then this will be our aim and profession. “We preach Christ crucified.” It is this statement that we desire to draw attention to and examine more closely.
I. First, we shall identify those embraced by the personal pronoun here, “We“. We find Paul, Apollos and Cephas mentioned in the context and we may take them to be representative of all in the Christian ministry.
II. Secondly, we shall consider their function: we preach, that is, we make public proclamation as men called to do so; heralds in the service of the King of Sion; servants, who preach not themselves but Christ Jesus their Lord.
III. Thirdly, we shall consider their proclamation: we preach Christ crucified. This is the central doctrine of the Gospel. Everything else converges to or radiates from it. Here is the provision made for the salvation of Jew and Greek: it was the preaching of it that attracted them in Corinth and nothing else will attract sinners now. To them that are called, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
I. The Gospel heralds identified in the first instance and from the context are Paul, Apollos and Cephas. They are all Jews but with differing backgrounds. Paul, born at Tarsus, a Roman citizen, a polished scholar, the product of Rabbinical schools having sat at the feet of
Gamaliel: Cephas or Peter, a humble Galilean fisherman, unlearned and ignorant, uninitiated, that is, in the learning of the Jewish schools: Apollos, born at Alexandria which was a renowned seat of learning, eloquent and mighty in the Scriptures. We find them brought together here as Gospel ministers, servants of the one Master and of one mind in regard to what they proclaimed, “We preach Christ crucified.” They were of differing backgrounds but this and most importantly they had in common — they were converted men. Paul was converted on the Damascus road and a most remarkable conversion it was. God revealed His Son in him. In his own words: “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen . . .” God, Who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, had shined in his heart, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Christ being thus revealed in him, he was qualified to reveal Him to others. Cephas was brought to Jesus by his own brother Andrew. He was to be later commended at Caesarea Philippi after his confession of Jesus being “the Christ, the Son of the living God,” “Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” Peter was thus qualified. The circumstances or time of the conversion of Apollos we have no record of, but it is recorded that he was instructed in the “way of the Lord,” that is, the Gospel, and that he was “fervent in spirit” and with a heart boiling over taught diligently the things of the Lord. That he was taught and instructed of the Holy Spirit and thus qualified to speak to others is beyond question. Paul, Cephas and Apollos had this then in common; Christ was revealed in them and they were qualified to reveal Him to others. How could they sincerely preach Christ to others if they themselves were strangers to Him? How can such as are ignorant of their own lost perishing condition persuade others with any real urgency to flee from the wrath to come and how can such as have not learned by blessed experience what it means to find mercy speak to others with any measure of sincerity of the riches and fullness of that mercy and direct them to where it is obtainable? Unconverted men posing as ministers of Christ have done irreparable harm to the Cause of Christ down through the ages and have a fearful account to render at the Judgement Seat. They were there in Paul’s day and they are by no means extinct. “False apostles,” he called them, “deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his
ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.” The Vatican, the seat of Antichrist, the son of perdition, “even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,” is full of them. The World Council of Churches is made up of them and they are, we believe, in pulpits up and down the land. What have Runcie and Jenkins and their kind with their vestments, crooks and mitres in common with Paul, Cephas and Apollos. Their conduct and utterances proclaim them to be no ministers of Christ, no heralds of the Gospel but men still in the kingdom of darkness and led captive by the devil at his will. “There will be streets in hell paved with the heads of graceless ministers,” the Rev. Lachlan MacKenzie, Lochcarron, once said in his own inimitable way and when a brother minister remonstrated with him for using such language his reply was, “Take you good care that your own big head will not be there.” Paul, Cephas and Apollos were not of such but true-hearted ambassadors and heralds who, having believed, could therefore speak. He whom Christ commissions says Witherow, comes with the truth in his heart as well as on his lips. Like Isaiah, but in different circumstances, their eyes had seen the King and when the call came for heralds, “Whom shall I send and who shall go for us?”, they could answer, “Here am I, send me,” however conscious they were of having unclean hearts by nature and unclean lips.
II. The function of such is to preach or make public proclamation, set apart and sent forth on the King’s business, to preach, as Jonah, the preaching which He bids them — no more, no less.
A divine commission is an absolute necessity. “How can they preach except they be sent?” No man takes this honour to himself, this awesome responsibility upon himself except as called and authorised to speak in His name. “Horrible is the guilt of that man,” says the great Dr Love, “who presses into God’s vineyard without his leave, — who is not called into it by the great Master. Especially horrible is the guilt of him — who, being given over of God to his own reprobate mind, leaves or lulls asleep the souls of men in that deadly sleep in which he himself lies, or who deceives with damnable heresies unstable souls, and leads them to perdition. The blood of souls cries from the bottom of hell for vengeance upon such a man. And the cry will be heard. God’s hand will find out his enemies. ‘Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger.’ Divine mercy is unlimited. ‘All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men.’ But surely no more extraordinary objects of Divine mercy can be conceived of, than those — who now, at the
threshold of eternity, break into God’s fold for purposes base and grovelling, to the scattering of the true sheep, and the eternal destruction of immortal creatures through millions of ages.”
The Apostles and all who have succeeded them in the Christian ministry have had their commission from heaven. “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature,” or as we have it in Matthew, “go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you alway (all the days) even unto the end of the world.” One such day dawned in Corinth when within its walls were the messengers of the Churches, heralds of Christ commissioned to speak and to teach in His name. Paul is there and necessity is laid upon him. We hear him saying, “woe is unto me, if I preach not the Gospel,” and, “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” Cephas is known as a “fisher of men” one who could say elsewhere of Jesus of Nazareth, Whom the Jews had slain and hanged on a tree but Whom God had raised up. “He commanded us to preach unto the people.” We have again no record of Apollos‘s call to the ministry. Paul however accepts him as his fellow-labourer and we know that he was eloquent, fervent and zealous. The seal of heaven was granted on his ministry when we find souls converted as a result of his labours. These are the ministers we need and urgently. Ministers given by Christ from His exalted glory for such gifts He has to give “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” Paul was given in answer to prayer. The Master had taught His disciples, “the harvest truly is great and the labourers are few: pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest that He would send forth labourers into His harvest.” They would not have been remiss in the performance of this duty as they lifted their eyes and saw the greatness of the harvest and the extent of the field — “all the world.” They gave themselves to the word of God and prayer. The answer given was the conversion and call of Saul of Tarsus the persecutor. He who verily thought with himself that he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth was to be revealed as His chosen vessel to bear His name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. Apollos also we could regard as given in answer to prayer. Let the Lord’s people among us pray that young men in our congregations would be raised up and sent forth by the Lord of the harvest to be zealous and faithful labourers in His service.
And as men are not to go forth as heralds of the Gospel without a divine call, so they are not, once called and set apart, to introduce into or remove from the proclamation anything whatever. Their commission is clear; they are to teach all things whatsoever He has commanded them. “Preach the word,” Paul exhorted Timothy. That word was that with which he had been familiar from infancy and by means of which he had come to be wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus — the word of God inspired, infallible, inerrant “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” Thus would Timothy be well equipped for his work. The word of reconciliation is committed to or placed in the hands of Christ’s ambassadors. What they proclaim is to be found there. In this they have the example of the Master. When He would teach and open the understanding He began at “Moses and all the prophets” expounding unto them in “all the Scriptures” the things concerning Himself. Paul in bidding farewell to the Elders of the Ephesian Church could draw attention to the fact that while among them he had not shunned to declare unto them “all the counsel of God.” He delivered to the Corinthians first of all that which he also received, “how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. And that He was buried, and that He rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures.” To the Galatians he could say, “But I certify you brethren that the Gospel which was preached of me is not after man, for I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Perversers of the Gospel are denounced in no uncertain manner. “If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” “Having obtained help of God,” he could declare before Agrippa, “I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: that Christ should suffer . . .” With regard to Cephas or Peter it will be sufficient to recall what was true of his preaching on the day of Pentecost. His sermon was in substance an exposition of Scripture passages, attention being especially drawn to the fact that they were being fulfilled. Apollos mightily convinced the Jews and that publicly showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ. It would have been accounted high, inexcusable presumption for any herald to have gone out to make public proclamation of what the king had not clearly commanded. “The nature of the preacher’s work,” Robert L. Dabney points out, “is determined by the word employed to describe it by the Holy Ghost. The preacher is a
herald; his work is heralding the King’s message. Once, the apostles call themselves Christ’s ambassadors; but of old, ambassadors were no other than heralds. Now the herald does not invent his message; he merely transmits and explains it. It is not his to criticise its wisdom or fitness; this belongs to his sovereign alone. On the one hand, he does not carry it as a mere implement of sound, a trumpet or a drum; he is an intelligent medium of communication with the king’s enemies; he has brains as well as a tongue; and he is expected so to deliver and explain his master’s mind, that the other party shall receive not only the mechanical sounds, but the true meaning of the message. On the other hand, it wholly transcends his office to presume to correct the tenor of the propositions he conveys, by either additions or change. These are the words of God’s commission to an ancient preacher: ‘Arise; go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.’
That there have been men ready to criticise the wisdom and fitness of the message and change the doctrines and propositions to make them more acceptable to the carnal mind is evident from the Church’s history. Arianism, Pelagianism, and Arminianism are heresies which may be traced back to men pronouncing themselves wise and setting aside the wisdom of God revealed; sitting in judgement on the word of God; calling in question its integrity, veracity and Divine origin as a supernatural revelation committed to writing. It led to the introduction of the Higher Critical views into the Free Church and the movement to remove “difficulties and scruples” which were felt by some “in reference to the declaration of belief required. This, as is well known, led up to the passing of the Declaratory Act of 1892 and the subsequent separation of the Rev. Donald MacFarlane taking with him the creed and constitution of the Disruption Free Church of Scotland and that was, of course, that of the Reformation Church of Scotland. The Bible remains our supreme standard; the Westminster Confession of Faith our subordinate standard. “The Confession of Faith,” wrote the late Rev. J. S. Sinclair, “is a document of almost unparalleled merit for lucidity and fulness of doctrinal statement, and there is not the slightest doubt that the difficulties and scruples referred to have arisen, not from any ambiguity or obscurity in the Confession, but from the natural opposition of the human heart to the Gospel truths contained therein.” Our founding fathers were men who were fully persuaded and assured of the infallible truth and divine authority of the Word of God from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the word in their hearts. True heralds and faithful that they were, they left all that the Truth might be proclaimed.
Great is our responsibility. We have to jealously guard that which they committed to us and if we with love in our hearts to Christ and men proclaim the same Gospel then we may cherish the hope that we are worthy of a place among those who profess, “we preach Christ crucified.”
III. The doctrine of Christ crucified is, of course, the centre and substance of all true preaching. It provides the foundation upon which a poor perishing sinner facing death and eternity may rest. “All else,” wrote J. W. Alexander, “converges towards Him or radiates from Him. It tends to lead us to Him, or flows from our union with Him. All unfoldings of God in His perfections and glories; all exhibitions of character, condition, and duties of man, all inculcations of doctrine and practice, if true and scriptural, leads the soul directly to the Lord Jesus Christ for wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption.” The Christ that was preached in Corinth was divine, none other than the eternal Son of God, manifest in the flesh. The doctrine of Christ’s person is summed up for us admirably in the Shorter Catechism: “The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, Who, being the Eternal Son of God, became man, and so was, and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, forever.” That is the Christ that Paul preached in the synagogues of Damascus: “And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues that He is the Son of God.” Such was Cephas’s recognition of the Son of Man at Caesarea Philippi, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Apollos in Achaia eloquently and mightily “convinced the Jews and that publicly that Jesus was Christ.” This knowledge and recognition of Him is eternal life. But it is not just Christ in His person, anointed with the Spirit above measure that was preached but a crucified Christ or Messiah. This was the great theme of prophecy. The Messiah was to be cut off, but not for Himself: He was to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in an everlasting righteousness and to seal up the vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy. (Daniel chapter 9). He was and came to be in reality the surety substitute of sinners and this is what gives meaning to Calvary. We have satisfaction rendered to the claims of divine justice and a righteousness fully adequate to meet the sinner’s need provided. He who knew no sin, is made sin for His people that they might be made the righteousness of God in Him. This is what makes the Cross of Christ glorious to the eye of faith and makes the doctrine of Christ crucified so precious. Would that the Holy Spirit would come and that this doctrine would be preached after Paul’s example among the Churches of Galatia — Jesus Christ vividly, evidently, set forth as crucified among us. This is
what Scotland needs, and England, Wales and Ireland and Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the nations of the world. Some may say that they have not many souls to preach to in their congregations. It is recorded of John Brown of Haddington that to a former pupil who was complaining of his congregation, he said, “Young man, when you appear at Christ’s bar, it will be the least or your anxieties that you have so few souls to give account of.” The same good man said, “Now, after 40 years preaching of Christ and His great and sweet salvation, I think I would rather beg my bread all the labouring days of the week, for an opportunity of publishing the Gospel on the Sabbath, to an assembly of sinful men, than, without such a privilege, enjoy the richest possessions on earth. By the Gospel do men live, and in it is the life of my soul.” And in conclusion I quote from a sermon preached by that eminent and faithful herald of the Gospel and minister of Christ, the Rev. Donald MacFarlane: “Many in this degenerate age despise the ministry of the Gospel. But if I were to come back to the world after I am away, I would prefer to serve Christ as a minister to being crowned king over the whole world. But, I shall not come back. O for grace to redeem the time — to be up and doing for Christ while it is day, for the night cometh when no man can work in this world. The night cometh but the morning of the day of glory shall shine on those that are in Christ, never, never to be succeeded by night. Amen, so let it be.”
When Christ was born, all the idols that were set up in the world, as historians write, fell down. When Jesus Christ comes to be lifted up in a nation, in a city, in a town, in a family, yea, in any heart, then all idols without and within will fall before the power, presence, and glory of Jesus. Since Luther began to lift up Christ in the Gospel, what a deal of ground has antichrist lost! and he does and will lose more and more, as Christ comes to be more and more manifested and lifted up in the chariot of His word. Many in these days that speak much against antichrist, have much of antichrist within them. And certainly there is no such way to cast him out of men’s hearts, and out of the world, as the preaching and making known of Christ, as the exalting or lifting up of Christ in the Gospel of grace. — Brooks.
Book Reviews
Aaron’s Rod Blossoming by George Gillespie. 276pp. £11.95.
This book by the noted Scottish divine, George Gillespie, one of the Scottish Commissioners to the Westminster Assembly has recently been reprinted by Sprinkle Publications, U.S.A. The volume deals with the proper nature and relationship of civil and ecclesiastical power. It sought to expose the erroneous views and practices on this subject which were then current, but especially erastianism. The first part of the book is taken up with Jewish Church Government, also showing it to be distinct from the Jewish state. The second part of the book deals with Christian Church Government showing the agreement and the differences between the nature of the civil and ecclesiastical powers. The third part of the book defends the Church’s right to excommunicate offenders and to suspend them from the Lord’s Table.
W. M. Hetherington in his Memoir of Gillespie in the Presbyterian’s Armoury refers to this work which vindicates the divine ordinance of Church Government. He states: “In this remarkably able and elaborate production, Gillespie took up the Erastian controversy as stated and defended by its ablest advocates, fairly encountering their strongest arguments, and assailing their most formidable positions, in the frank and fearless manner of a man thoroughly sincere, and thoroughly convinced of the truth and goodness of his cause.” He goes on to show that though in “Aaron’s Rod” Gillespie answers the arguments of Selden, Coleman, Hussey and Prynne, and the writings of these men have sunk into oblivion, yet this does not make it an ephemeral production. Erastianism, he reminds us, never had abler advocates than the above-named men. “If, therefore,” he states, “Gillespie’s Aaron’s Rod completely defeated the acute and able men of that day, we may well recommend it to the perusal of those whose duty it may be to engage in a similar controversy in the present age.”
On that note we can safely end this review and recommend the volume to all who desire to be fully informed on this particular controversy.
D. B. M.
Westminster Confession of Faith Booklet. Free Presbyterian Publications. 24pp.
This booklet, containing the text of the Westminster Confession of Faith has been once more reprinted by the Free Presbyterian Publications Committee. It makes the Confession available in an easily acces-
sible form and would be especially useful to those who do not possess the large volume Confession which includes Scripture proofs, etc.
D. B. M.
The History of the Gospel Standard Magazine 1835-1985. Edited by B. A. Ramsbottom. Gospel Standard Trust. 228pp. £4.50.
This well-bound volume consists of two parts, the earlier part giving the history of the Gospel Standard Magazine and the later part giving the lives of the Editors down to 1970. The book is edited by the present editor of the Magazine. The first part contains an interesting and varied account of the Magazine’s history, while the second part contains edifying accounts of the lives of the Editors. These include such men as Joseph Charles Philpot, James Kidwell Popham, John Hervey Gosden and Sydney Frank Paul, the last three of which were well known to Free Presbyterians who visited the South of England. Philpot, of course, is well known through his sermons and other writings.
While the history of the Gospel Standard Magazine will be of especial interest to Gospel Standard Strict Baptists, yet the lives of the editors will be of interest to others as well. Although there are those matters on which we differ with our friends in the Strict Baptists, yet there is a common bond in their emphasis on experimental acquaintance with the truth.
D. B. M.
Commentary on Hosea by John Calvin. Banner of Truth Trust. 530pp. £6.95.
Commentary on Joel, Amos and Obadiah by John Calvin. Banner of Truth Trust. 513pp. £6.95
These books are Volumes I and II of Calvin’s Commentaries on the Minor Prophets. Spurgeon’s recommendation of Calvin’s Commentaries echoes what has been repeated over and over again by eminent men in many different parts. He says: “Everything that Calvin wrote by way of exposition is priceless. His expositions are more equal in excellence than those of other men; other men rise and fall, but he is almost uniformly good.” The very fact that Calvin’s Commentaries are still being published in the late 20th Century is a tribute itself to the excellence of these productions. This is the first Banner of Truth reprint of these works.
Commentary on Daniel by John Calvin. Banner of Truth Trust. 409pp. £9.95.
This is a second reprint by the Banner of Truth Trust of this volume, having been reprinted by the Trust 20 years ago. The remarks above on Calvin’s Commentaries equally apply to this volume.
William Tyndale — His Life and Times by S. M. Houghton. Focus Christian Ministries Trust, 6 Orchard Road, Lewes, E. Sussex BN7 2HB. 55p (or 70p by post).
This interesting 16-page booklet on William Tyndale is divided into two parts, the first dealing with his life and times and the second part with his life and work. In the first section Mr Houghton shows the low state to which religion had sunk before the Reformation and in the second section deals with the part which Tyndale played in helping to bring about the Reformation through the translation of the Scriptures into English before he suffered a martyr’s death at the stake on 6th October, 1536. Mr Houghton states: “Concerning the merits of Tyndale’s work as a mere translation, I scarcely need to say anything beyond the fact that the present Authorised Version of the New Testament . . . is in substance the unchanged language of Tyndale’s translation.” It is interesting to note that through the efforts of the Trinitarian Bible Society a monument was erected in 1913 in Belgium near the scene of his martyrdom.
D. B. M.
Friends and Acquaintances of Henry Cooke by Terry Jackson. Mourne Missionary Trust. 63pp. £2.00.
This booklet, which is very thoroughly researched, has a foreword by Rev. Ian Paisley. In it he speaks of Henry Cooke as Irish Presbyterianism’s greatest son. Cooke’s particular work was to zealously oppose the Arianism that had crept into the Church and recall the Church back to the faith of the founding fathers of Ulster Presbyterianism. Brief accounts are given in the booklet of Cooke’s friends in the Irish Presbyterian Ministry in last century such as Rev. James Morgan D.D., Fisherwick, known for his Commentary on 1st John, Rev. James Seaton Reid D.D., the great historian of 19th Century Irish Presbyterianism, and Rev. T. Witherow D.D. LL.D., author of The Form of the Christian Temple and the Apostolic Church. To this a few short accounts are appended of lay friends in the Ulster Protestant Churches. A section on Free Church Friends in Scottish Presbyterianism includes accounts of Chalmers and McCheyne, while a section on friends in England and overseas includes Spurgeon and D’Aubigne. The con-
cluding part outlines the lessons for Protestants in Ulster today to be learned from the battles for Bible Protestantism in the 19th Century.
D. B. M.
Expository Thoughts on Matthew by J. C. Ryle. Banner of Truth Trust. 414pp. £2.95.
This paperback, recently issued by the Banner of Truth Trust, can be highly recommended. The more one reads the writings of Bishop Ryle the more one admires not only the plainness of his writing but the clarity and richness of his exposition of the Word of God. On the whole, he is sound as an expositor so that those who wish a greater acquaintance with the teaching of the Word of God would find in him a safe guide. If Ryle’s Expositions of the Gospels were used by the many house Bible Study groups which have been springing up in evangelical circles in recent times, the fruit of such study would soon become evident in a greater attachment to orthodox Calvinistic belief. The book also contains much practical instruction. On the Second Coming of Christ there are occasional references that appear to be pre-millennial in outlook. “Sunday” is here and there used for the Sabbath. Otherwise the volume is full of good instruction and wise counsel. For daily readings it is ideal.
D. B. M.
Notes and Comments
Nuclear Danger
The Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster was a loud warning to the nations of the world, and especially to nations possessing nuclear reactors, of the great danger to life when a disaster of this kind occurs. It also highlighted the awfulness of nuclear war should that ever occur. It is good for the nations of the world to realise the danger to which they are exposed. In this way they may be alerted to the need of taking every possible protection against similar outbreaks in the future. It may also make nations rely less on nuclear weapons and rely more on conventional weapons of defence.
There is little doubt that in the recent nuclear disaster, God was speaking loudly to the leaders of atheistic Russia showing them their impotence so far as protecting themselves from nuclear fall-out was concerned. May it be a salutary lesson to them and bring them to see what frail and poor creatures they are. Let them lay to heart that this is only a whisper
of God’s power in judgment. May our own nation and other nations as well also hear the voice of God in it — God warning men in a small way of what the ultimate consequences of sin shall be.
Amazing Appeal Court Decision
Three Appeal Court judges reduced a life sentence to that of five years on a father who had killed his new-born son. The father had pleaded provocation by the child’s crying and this plea was allowed by the Appeal Court. The decision has aroused widespread condemnation lest it allow those who batter babies to escape the just sentence they deserve. It appears that in a number of cases before the Courts in recent times the element of provocation has been given a place beyond what seems warranted. It is to be hoped that this particular case is an isolated one and that steps will be taken to prevent a similar verdict in the future. We can hardly believe that Parliament, as the law making body, ever intended that a case of this nature should end in this way.
Jehovah Witnesses
Jehovah Witnesses with their blasphemous doctrines have spread their tentacles over many parts of the Highlands and in some places get followers for their God-dishonouring cult. Recently a large number of them descended on Forres in order to erect what they call a “Kingdom Hall” there for their followers. Starting at 7 a.m. on Saturday they worked through the next night to complete it by 1.30 p.m. the next day. The rest of the Sabbath does not matter to those who are advancing the kingdom of darkness. Setting this aside, the diligence they showed in serving their master ought to make true Christians more diligent in serving the Master whom they are privileged to serve.
Dismissal of Welsh Presbyterian Minister
In a recent “Note and Comment” in the Magazine we referred to a House of Lords decision in the case of a Welsh Presbyterian Minister. It has since been brought to our attention that it was the minister’s opposition to Freemasonry which occasioned his dismissal from his charge. It is reported that Rev. Colin Davies is now the pastor of an independent church, consisting largely of elements of his former congregation, and that this new congregation has since grown under a biblical ministry. It should be stressed that the House of Lord’s decision did not take to do with the reasons for his dismissal but only the competency of an Industrial Tribunal to deal with his case.
The Reformation Translation Fellowship
Report from Dr. Chao
First of all I wish to give thanks to God for his marvellous grace to help us carry on the work through the past year. I appreciate the help of all those who donate to the work either as congregations or as individuals. I also want to thank the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, through its Foreign Missions Board, for supporting us to work overseas and to represent the Church in the foreign field.
Our deep appreciation goes to the British RTF Board for its financial help toward the printing of the Chinese magazine, The Reformed Faith and Life, and other titles. We also wish to express our indebtedness to the Boards in Japan and in New Zealand for their donations.
We have published a number of titles during 1985. Other titles are in process. The Chinese translation of Dr. E. J. Young’s In the Beginning will soon be off the press. We have been very busy with the proof reading of the Chinese translation of Dr. Loraine Boettner’s The Millennium. This edition will have 350 pages and should be published in the Spring of 1986. It will be the only publication available in the Chinese language on this subject. It is our sincere prayer that the forthcoming volume will be of great help to the Chinese reading public, for it offers Christians materials to make a deeper research into “the things that are to come”.
We have been continuing to issue our theological journal Reformed Faith and Life quarterly. Many letters have been received from churches and individual believers in Taiwan to indicate their appreciation of the magazine. One pastor from Burma wrote recently to thank us for what we publish in the magazine. Letters also come from various Chinese seminaries to ask for back issues of the Reformed Faith and Life.
Quite a number of our titles are going out of stock. Among titles needing to be reprinted are Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J. I. Packer, The Way of Life by Charles Hodge, Christianity Rightly So Called by Samuel G. Craig and The Atonement by Loraine Boettner.
Logos Book House in Hong Kong has been the agent handling our publications. We praise God for their efforts in promoting, distributing and marketing RTF literature. With our agreement they have published an overseas edition of Isaac C. Jen’s Systematic Theology.
Thirty seven years have elapsed since the initiation of the work of RTF. The organization is small and the working force is feeble yet God has used it to accomplish the impossible. It is encouraging to remember
that RTF was a faith venture from the beginning. It started with a cheque of \$50.00 given by Mr Philip Robb, brother of Mrs Grace Boyle, to the Boyle family in 1948. The work has continued by God’s help. It is our deep conviction that God will provide a suitable person to carry on this important work in the Far East.
Charles Chao
Dr Luke Pei Yuan Lu
The need of a suitable assistant translator, and possible successor to Dr. Chao, has been a matter of prayer for some years now. We are pleased to be able to say that a promising candidate has come forward. He is Dr. Luke Lu. After hearing a talk by Dr. Chao he became interested in RTF publications and convinced of the Reformed doctrines. In the meantime he trained as a dentist and was in a practice for three years before deciding to go in for a theological course. After a year at China Evangelical Seminary he went to Westminster Theological Seminary in the U.S.A. where he hopes to complete a degree.
The American Board of the RTF interviewed Dr. Luke Lu at their meeting in the Summer of 1985. Persuaded of his suitability for the work the Board encouraged him to begin translation work and put him on a part-time salary while he completed his studies. His first project is the translation of The Defence of the Faith by Cornelius van Til. Let us pray that God will guide the steps of this young man and that the work of RTF will be able to go on unhindered.
(The Synod gives support to the work of the Reformation Translation Fellowship which is engaged primarily in the translation of Reformed literature into the Chinese language. Dr. Cameron Tallach, Hong Kong is associated with this Fellowship and receives support from it, as well as from our own China Mission Fund).
Church Notes
Presbytery Meetings (D.V.)
Skye: At Portree on 1st July at 11 a.m.
Western: At Laide on 2nd September at 11 a.m.
Outer Isles: At Stornoway on 2nd September at 12 noon.
Zimbabwe: At Bulawayo on 14th October at 2 p.m.
Appeal for Nkulumane Church
The Deacon’s Court of the Bulawayo Congregation at Lobengula is planning (D.V.) to build a Church at Nkulumane township at a site that has been offered by the city council after application. The cost of the
Church is estimated at Z\$20,000 The average attendance at the site is 50 people weekly. The worship is conducted in one of the classrooms at Mavene Government Primary School. There are two services weekly, one of which is usually taken by either the local pastor, Rev. A. Mpofu, or one of his elders at one o’clock and three o’clock respectively.
Our main need is for friends who would be willing to donate funds to build this Church. We are therefore sincerely asking for donors either individually or in groups who would be willing to help us financially to erect this Church as soon as possible. We request that donations for this be sent to the Congregational Treasurer, c/o Rev. A. Mpofu, or to the Mission Treasurer or to the General Treasurer in Glasgow.
We again further hope that those who choose to become involved in this project will also pray for us and also for the work here in general.
(Rev.) A. Mpofu, Moderator, E. B. Zikhah, Clerk pro. tem.
This appeal has the approval of the Zimbabwe Presbytery.
Greenock Communion
The Kirk Session decided that for this year the Autumn Greenock Communion would be held on the 4th Sabbath of October (D.V.).