WARNINGS TO THE CHURCHES by J. C. Ryle. Banner of Truth Trust, 171 pp, £1.95.
This selection of Ryle’s writings was first published by the Banner of
Truth Trust in 1967 and is now reprinted. Like all Ryle’s writings they are plain and edifying. Although they were addressed to men in his own day, yet much of what Ryle had to say has relevance for our own day. In dealing with the subject of the fallibility of ministers he had to say: “Your minister may be a man of God indeed, and worthy of all honour for his preaching and practice; but do not make a pope of him. Do not place his word side by side with the Word of God. Do not spoil him by flattery. Do not let him suppose that he can make no mistakes. Do not lean your whole weight on his opinion, or you may find to your cost that he can err.” In assessing the situation in Britain he warned that the tide of events seemed to be running strongly against Protestantism and in favour of Rome. He goes on: “I am no prophet. I know not where we are drifting. But at the rate we are going, I think it quite within the verge of possibility that in a few years the Church of England may be re-united to the Church of Rome. The Crown of England may be once more on the head of a Papist. Protestantism may be formally repudiated. A Romish Archbishop may once more preside at Lambeth Palace. Mass may be once more said at Westminster Abbey and St Pauls.”
We are glad to commend this paperback.
D.B.M.
THE GODLY MAN’S PICTURE by Thomas Watson. Banner of Truth Trust, 252 pp, £3.50.
Thomas Watson’s writings are well known and highly appreciated by exercised Christians. The Banner of Truth Trust has already published several of his works including A Body of Divinity, The Ten Commandments and The Lord’s Prayer. In this paperback we find Watson showing the characteristics of a godly man on the basis of the text in Psalm 32: 6 “For this shall every one that is godly pray unto Thee.” He gives the following twenty four marks of a godly man: He is (1) a man of knowledge; (2) a man moved by faith; (3) a man fired by love; (4) a man like God; (5) a man careful about the worship of God; (6) a man who serves God, not men; (7) a man who prizes Christ; (8) a man who weeps; (9) a man who loves the Word; (10) a man who has the Spirit of God residing in him; (11) a man of humility; (12) a man of prayer; (13) a man of sincerity; (14) a heavenly man; (15) a zealous man; (16) a patient man; (17) a thankful man; (18) a man who loves the saints; (19) a man who does not indulge himself in any sin; (20) a man who is good in his relationships; (21) a man who does spiritual things in a spiritual manner; (22) a man thoroughly trained in religion; (23) a man who walks with God; and
(24) a man who strives to be an instrument for making others godly.
Here is a treatise well suited for self-examination. Let every professed Christian buy it and test himself or herself by it.
D.B.M.
CALVIN’S WISDOM by Graham Miller. Banner of Truth Trust, 392 pp, £14.95.
This well-bound Banner of Truth Trust hardback is an anthology arranged alphabetically. It is drawn from the writings of John Calvin. The source reference is given with each quotation so it can act as a reference book to Calvin’s views on all the subjects with which he dealt. The Rev. J. Graham Miller, who drew up the anthology, states: “The aim is to let Calvin speak for himself, and for the reader to find for himself what I have found, ‘good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over’. It is expected that the serious reader will gain most benefit by taking one theme or sub-theme a day, giving time for assimilation and reflection. In this way the Anthology may prove an ideal primer in Reformed doctrine and practice, worship and churchmanship, personal and social life. And it will serve the reader for the best part of a year if read in this way.” Here is a volume then full to overflowing with Calvin’s views on Scriptural themes. It should prove especially beneficial to ministers and divinity students so that they may learn from one who was truly a master in Israel, but should prove edifying also to other readers.
D.B.M.
THE WORKS OF GEORGE SWINNOCK. Banner of Truth Trust. Set of 5 Volumes, £49.95 (set), £10.95 per volume.
The volume sent for review is Volume 5 of this set of the Works of George Swinnock. The works of Swinnock have been long out of print and the Banner of Truth Trust is to be congratulated on making them available to readers once more. Swinnock lived in the seventeenth century — a time celebrated for the noted Puritan Divines which it produced. Like many of his godly contemporaries, he suffered in the Great Ejection of 1662.
The fifth volume of this set is taken up with two treatises, one on Regeneration, the other on the condemnation of the Wicked. The first treatise is entitled, The Door of Salvation opened by the Key of Regeneration, and is based on John 3: 3. The second treatise is entitled, The Sinner’s Last Sentence and is based on Matthew 25: 41, 42. As was common with the Puritans, Swinnock not only opens up the doctrine of regeneration
so that none need be in any doubt of its true nature, but also applies the doctrine to the heart of his readers lest they should fall short of obtaining this great change wrought in them by God, the Holy Ghost. It abounds with solemn warnings to the ungodly.
The second treatise, as one would expect, is a most solemn one dealing as it does with the pronouncement of the sentence: “Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” In it he brings out the heinous nature of sin as meriting such a punishment. He seeks to show what banishment from Christ’s presence will mean for the condemned soul, that is, the awfulness of a lost eternity. As well as showing how dreadful will be the condition of such as live in sins of commission, he also points out the danger of sins of omission and that such sins are damnable. He enters very fully into these matters in order that sinners might be warned and that they might flee from the wrath to come. How much good might the men of the present generation obtain if only they were addicted to reading the noted works of the puritan divines.
D.B.M.
PREACHERS WITH POWER by Douglas Kelly. Banner of Truth Trust, 175 pp, £9.95.
This recently published Banner of Truth hardback seeks to assess the preaching of four noted preachers of the 19th Century in the Southern States of America. These men were Daniel Baker, James Henley Thornwell, Benjamin Morgan Palmer and John L. Girardeau. Brief accounts of their lives are given but it is with the character of their preaching that Douglas Kelly principally deals. All of these preachers were greatly used of the Lord in the ingathering of souls to His Kingdom and in the building up of believers in the faith of the gospel. The places where they laboured were greatly favoured in having the gospel so powerfully preached in their midst.
The lives of Thornwell and Palmer have already been reprinted by the Banner of Truth and some readers will be acquainted with them. However, this volume sets out the strengths and also the weaknesses — of which there appear to be very few — of these four noted servants of Christ. The aim of the author seems to be that of preaching which was displayed by these men would once again manifest itself in the preaching of the ministers of this generation. We warmly commend the book to ministers and divinity students.
D.B.M.
Eastern Europe Mission
by Rev. D. A. Ross
The mission journey to Eastern Europe by myself and Mr A. Macrae, Dundee, last October, was accomplished without too much difficulty. At one border there was a heated dispute between border guards and a church charity group from Switzerland; but at the same time we ourselves were not without our troubles with another difficult border guard who, if he had had his way, would have retained our customs papers, so essential for border crossings. However, in the Lord’s kind providence, we retrieved our papers after much silent prayer to the Most High and protracted, determined pleadings with the guard, who seemed to us to be a very mischievous person. We had arrived at this border at 5.30 pm, after having been on the road from early morning, but it was 4.30 am before we finally got to bed in a hotel a few miles beyond the border. While it may seem to some that we were hard done by, our experience was nothing in comparison to what others have to put up with. A local young man told us that he was three days at a border, which seems to be a common experience for heavy vehicle drivers. Thankfully, for us, other borders were easily crossed and border officials generally were very helpful.
Having travelled the usual 5000 miles and more, from the time we left Scotland to our return, we are thankful to the Most High for granting safe travel.
As well as having had the opportunity to preach the gospel, we delivered our load of goods at various places, on a journey that took us through Hungary, Ukraine, Moldavia, Romania and Czechoslovakia. There is, we believe, genuine appreciation for the goods we delivered which included the usual Bibles, religious literature, medicines, food and clothing.
At Kishinev, the capital of Moldavia we gave a quantity of clothing, food, medicines and literature to an orphanage which has a christian teacher involved in running it. The staff were deeply appreciative and pleaded with us to return with more help if possible. Particular reference was made to the Mother’s Catechism in Russian as that which would be useful among the Russian speaking children in this and other orphanages. It is hoped, God willing, that Alisdair Macrae, Dundee, and Edward Ross from Lochcarron, will go to Moldavia in March with a load of aid and religious literature for the orphanages. While the van for transporting the load to Moldavia will be donated, it is evident that there are numerous other expenses in connection with such a mercy mission.
There is undoubtedly much need for the Church to be involved, we
believe, in the distribution of material help, but our principal aim is to spread the Word of God. Indeed, one Romanian pastor said to me, “The important matter is that sound religious literature be sent to Romania. We managed, prior to the revolution, to obtain adequate provision for our bodies and continue to do so. Please send us Bibles especially.”
A Pastor in Hungary writes, “Thank you very much for the gift of Bibles you gave us. Out of the hundred, I have given 80 to the Hungarian Reformed Church in the Ukraine, and reserved 20 here for distribution . . . your gift is welcome. Before the revolution our problem was lack of Bibles, now in these days of inflation it is lack of money. You might be interested to know that the monthly income of an old age pensioner would buy only about nine Family Bibles (though active church members have a fifty per cent discount), and the amount of money which church members undertake to pay annually to the church would only buy half a Bible. So you can see how much we appreciate your gift. — I would like as many as you can send.”
Another pastor writes, “At the present time here in Hungary there is a great need for Bibles free of charge. We can evangelize freely anywhere and everywhere we want, and we have brothers and sisters in Christ who evangelize in schools and orphanages. For this work we need tracts and Bibles free of charge. But here we do not have a possibility to give financial support for the work.” The Free Presbyterian Church is deeply indebted to the Trinitarian Bible Society for the help it gave for our last visit, providing a large grant of 2000 Hungarian Bibles. We hope that they will be in a position to continue such valuable work. A Bible in Hungary costs about £1.50, which gives some idea of the amount of money received by the old age pensioners mentioned above.
One pastor in Kiev, writing to the Free Presbyterian Church in connection with our last visit to the Ukraine, says, “We are very happy to pass on to you, via your servants the brother Donald Ross and the brother Alexander Macrae, our sincere thanks for the humanitarian help which you sent to our church. We also thank the Lord Jesus Christ, that in this difficult time for our country, He has disposed your hearts to generous sacrifice. Your help is a big support to us at this time.”
The Mother’s Catechism which was translated into Russian and which we took to the Ukraine had a good reception and we hope it will be much used to increase Bible knowledge. We hope, God willing, to proceed early this year with the printing of the Shorter Catechism with proof texts in Russian. The translation was done by the Russian Reformation Foundation.
We trust that all who have so liberally contributed in various ways to our mission work in Eastern Europe, will feel that the work is well worth their continued support, and we hope that others will join them in helping to help others. Above everything pray that the Lord would graciously bless His Word which we distributed, and also the preaching as opportunity arises. Even if we were to do everything possible in our seeking to comply with the commission, “In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand,” Ecc. 11: 6, that would not of itself bring one sinner to Christ. Not until God by His Holy Spirit breathes on the dry bones can we expect to see any fruit from the sowing of the good seed of the kingdom. The promise is that we shall reap sooner or later. “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalm 126: 6.
Notes and Comments
Royal Marriage Separation
The marriage separation of the Prince and Princes of Wales has brought to the fore questions about the Acts of Parliament affecting Royal Marriages. The Royal Marriages Act of 1772 requires the Sovereign’s consent in all Royal Marriages. According to Press reports, the Queen favours the repeal of this Act. The Act of Settlement of 1701 establishing our Protestant throne requires that any member of the Royal Family who marries a Roman Catholic forfeits their claim in line of succession to the throne. A newspaper report said that the Queen and the Prime Minister agree that this Act is objectionable in this day and age. It is also reported that legislation is being drafted to alter or repeal these laws. If this is so, it is a serious matter for Great Britain, as the Act of Settlement ensures the continuance of the Protestant constitution and succession. It is to be hoped that any attempt to remove these safeguards will be defeated in Parliament. While it would please the Roman Catholic hierarchy, it would be detrimental to Britain’s best interests.
Sabbath Trading
The European Court has ruled that Britain’s ‘Sunday’ trading laws do not contravene the Treaty of Rome. Notwithstanding this, most of the large supermarkets have continued to defy the law of the land and open for trade on the Lord’s Day. The law breakers will not cease agitating until they get a law framed to suit themselves and the Government, sadly,
is only too willing to accommodate their wishes and introduce appropriate legislation. There is, however, a God in heaven whose law it is that is being violated and he will yet deal with the Sabbath-breakers.
Euthanasia
An attempt is being made by the parents of a young man injured in the Hillsborough Stadium disaster in 1989 to get permission from the Courts to withdraw medical care, including the removal of artificial food from him. The young man is in what is called, a persistent vegetative state. The Court of Appeal granted permission and if the appeal to the House of Lords against the decision is not successful, the patient will be allowed to die. Should it be so, the law of the land will have moved a step nearer legalising euthanasia, as this is a test case. On the other hand, if the House of Lords goes against the Court of Appeal’s decision, then it will be a set-back for the pro-euthanasia lobby.
Romanist Nun Resigns Professorship
An American nun recently resigned as Professor of Nursing at Edinburgh University over a false Ph.D. claim. She had been Professor since 1983. She is thought to have returned to her convent in the U.S.A. A perversity to Rome she became a Franciscan Nun and followed a nursing and teaching career. This experience ought to make Edinburgh University more careful when making appointments and should make the University doubly careful over claims from Romanist sources.