A Sermon Preached on a National Observance
by Rev. David T. Myers

The Congress of the nation had appointed this day in 1783 as a Day of Thanksgiving, because Peace has been restored, Independence had been established, with rights and Privileges Enjoyed. One of the ministers who took the opportunity to preach a sermon was George Duffield, the pastor of the Third Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia.

Pastor Duffield was quite a minister. Graduating from the College of New Jersey, later Princeton, Rev. Duffield began his ministry in Big Spring, Carlisle, and Monaghan, Pennsylvania. During those years, he had cause to lead his members against the local Indian tribes who were causing disturbance among his members and their families. Moving his ministry to Philadelphia and the Third Presbyterian congregation of that denomination, his pastorate there began in great controversy. A decided member of New Light Presbyterians, discussed elsewhere on these posts, a portion of the congregation locked the doors on his first Sunday. He crawled in through a window and held worship anyhow. When a British magistrate appeared and ordered the congregation dispersal, the magistrate was physically ejected for disturbing worship. Rev Duffield and some of his supporters were then jailed for causing a riot! Talk about a first day in the pulpit!

When the American Revolution began, Duffield joined the fight for independence both in word and deed. He was a chaplain of the Congress. He was also marked by the British with a price put on him. So it must have been a sweet worship time when on December 11, 1783, he celebrated the restoration of peace and a new country.

The sermon, which is too long to include here, is filled with the mention of the Great Author of Liberty as the One who brought about this new country named America. Consider one of his paragraphs at the close of his sermon. He said,

“Who can recollect the critical night of retreat from Long Island; the scene of retiring from New York; the day of Brandy-wine; or the endangered situation of the arms of America, on Trenton’s ever memorable night; and not be constrained to say, ‘if it had not been the Lord, who was on our side, our enemy would have swallowed us up.’ But blessed be His name, our help was found in Him, who made the heavens and the earth. It was God, who blasted the secret design of enemies and traitors against us. And by an admirable interposition, brought forth into light, the dark and deep-stained villainy of an (Benedict) Arnold, cursed and detested of God and men. And converted our repeated misfortunes and even mistakes, into singular mercies, and peculiar advantage, that, not more manifest was his voice on Sinai; or his hand, in his affairs of his Israel of old; than we have seen the wisdom, the power, and the goodness of our God; than we have seen the wisdom, the power, and the goodness of our God, displayed through the whole of our arduous contest, from its earliest period down: And may, with emphatic propriety, say, it is he the Almighty God, has accomplished the whole, in every part; and by his kind care, and omnipotent arm, has wrought out our deliverance; cast forth our enemy, bestowed upon us a wide extended, fruitful country; and blessed us with a safe and honorable peace.” (p. 15)

Words to Live By:
The Presbyterian pastor was not afraid to bestow upon the God of the Bible the singular description of the Author of Liberty. He does bring national liberty, for which we praise His name. But our gratitude is more specifically given in providing spiritual liberty from sin and Satan. Far better to possess that, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ Jesus alone.

Worship and War Described our Featured Presbyterian Today
by Rev. David T. Myers

Patriotism and Presbyterianism went together in the early days of our country. Mix in Scottish stock and Irish heritage, the stage was set for liberty and justice for all. And so, George Davidson, like so many others around the early to mid seventeen hundreds, left Scotland and Ulster to travel via ship to the new shores of America, and specifically Pennsylvania, around Lancaster County. In this new land, William Davidson, George’s son and the focus of this post, was born in 1746. The family, after a while, was urged to migrate to the frontier so as to provide a buffer against the French and Indian tribes. Traveling down the Great Wagon Road, they arrived in North Carolina, and set up a tavern, near this colonial “highway.” Along with others of the same faith, Centre Presbyterian Church was established for their worship. For young William Davidson, the Bible and Calvinism was his home religion.

School for the young boy likely took place by classical education located at Sagaw Creek Presbyterian Church. The pastor of that historic church was none other than Alexander Craighead, whose earlier ministry has been dealt with in these pages.

Young Willliam at age 13 lost his father in death in 1759 or 1760, to be reared by a forty year old friend John Brevard, among others. This author mentions his name, due to future references of his place in William’s life.

In his late teens, William escorted the governor of North Carolina into Cherokee country to settle a land dispute. They were successful in doing so, and William returned a veteran to his home.

On December 10, 1767, twenty-one year old William was given permission to marry Mary Brevard, daughter of John Brevard, his former guardian. Coming from French Huguenot stock, she proved to be the perfect bride for this young future American General in the Continental Army. Later. Despite his growing family, William joined the Revolutionary forces in North Carolina. He would serve there and up north, fighting in Germantown, Pennsylvania and later experiencing the hardships of Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. A full list of his battles are not possible in this short post, but they were many, and his rise in rank, until he became a General.

It was at Cowan’s Ford in North Carolina that he was killed in battle on February 1, 1781. His wife was left alone to care of their six children. She remarried after a time and settled in Tennessee. William is remembered by a town and a county and a Presbyterian college, namely Davidson College which is named after this American hero.

Words to Live By:
Scripture reminds us that it is appointed for each of us to die. Certainly, it was in God’s wise and holy providence to take away this Christian Presbyterian Revolutionary officer to Himself at a young age of 35. Let us Christian Presbyterians alive now serve Him with all of our strength in whatever calling He has led us into this life, and leave the time of our departure from this earth to Him. Our God doesn’t make mistakes.

We continue to “catch up” on some of the posts by Dr. Van Horn which were missed over the last many months. Appreciative of these contributions by the late Dr. Van Horn, nonetheless in the new year we will be moving on to other material for our Sunday catechism lessons. More about that in a future post. 

STUDIES IN THE WESTMINSTER SHORTER CATECHISM
by Rev. Leonard T. Van Horn

Q. 96 What is the Lord’s Supper?
A. The Lord’s supper is a sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to Christ’s appointment, his death is showed forth; and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal or carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nourishment, and growth in grace.

Scripture References: Matthew 26:26-27; Luke 22: 19-20; I Corinthians 11:26; I Corinthians 10:16; Ephesians 5:25-27.

Questions: 
1. When did our Lord institute this sacrament?
A. He instituted it in the same night in which He was betrayed. (I Cor. 11:23).

2. What are the outward elements of the Lord’s supper and what do they signify?
A. The outward elements are the bread which signifies the body of Christ, and wine which signifies the blood of Christ.

3. Who should administer this sacrament?
A. Even as Christ first administered it, so should it be administered now by ministers who have been called to that holy office.

4. When Christ said, “This is my body” in the institution of this sacrament, did He mean his real body?
A. No. He did not mean for us to take His words literally any more than we take the words “That rock was Christ” literally. In addition, note that Paul states it is the bread we eat (I Cor. 11:26), not the body of Christ.

5. How do the bread and wine represent the body and blood of Christ?
A. There is a representation in that even as the food itself would nourish and strengthen the body so spiritually speaking we have our souls nourished and strengthened by partaking in obedience.

6. What are the three main views regarding the Lord’s supper?
A. The Roman Catholic view (transubstantiation) states that there is a change of the bread and wine into the real body and blood of Christ. The Lutheran view (consubstantiation) conceives of the presence of Christ in a physical sense though the elements continue to look and taste like bread and wine. The Reformed view is the spiritual presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper. It is a seal and pledge of what God does for believers.

A CHILD OF THE COVENANT

The term used in our title is a neglected heritage. Today, in Presbyterian churches, one hardly hears the term. The very fact that it is not emphasized surely is indicative of the terrible charge to be laid at the feet of believing parents, that of being unfaithful to their promises to God!

In days gone by there was an emphasis on the doctrine of the covenant and especially as it referred to children of believers. The Bible teaches that God promises to believing parents His grace will be active on the part of their children. However, this grace is dependent on the parents faithfully performing their baptismal vows. The Bible teaches the child of the covenant has an inheritance to receive. What a wonderful and glorious prospect!

It is true that there is a grave danger in the misuse of this doctrine. In the past there have been those who wrongly taught that the inheritance involved was that of salvation. Such a teaching is contrary to the Word of God for one never inherits salvation. The children of the covenant simply inherit the promises of God. It is not an automatic but a conditional promise. God will keep His promises if the believing parent (or parents) will keep his (or their) promises.

The child of the covenant inherits the assurance that God’s favor is directed toward him because he is a child of a believing parent (or parents). The child of the covenant inherits the privilege of the church and is a recipient of the means of grace. The child of the covenant is a privileged child and is surely a child God desires to save.

The difficulty in this area is that so many children of the covenant are motivated by unfaithful parents to desire the privileges without fulfilling the responsibilities. The true child of the covenant is one who is brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, who comes to saving faith and who gives proof of that saving faith with fruits of the Spirit in his life.

Are you a child of the covenant? If so, may God help you to seek Him with all your heart and soul and mind!

Published by The Shield and Sword, Inc.
Vol. 6, No. 12 (December 1967)
Rev. Leonard T. Van Horn, editor.

New Church Sends Communication to All Christian Churches

It was at the close of the First General Assembly of what was originally named the National Presbyterian Church (a year later, renamed the Presbyterian Church in America) that a message was sent to all churches of Jesus Christ throughout the world from this new denomination.  Adopted and then sent on December 7, 1973, the elders of this new Presbyterian Church wished everyone to know of their principles and convictions which occasioned this new Church.

Chief among them was the sole basis of the Bible being the Word of God written by inspired authors and carrying the authority of the divine Author.  They desired that all branches of the visible church would recognize their conviction that “the Bible is the very Word of God, so inspired in the whole and in all its parts, as in the original autographs, the inerrant Word of God.”  Further, it is the only infallible and all-sufficient rule of faith and practice.”  (Message to all Churches, p. 1)

They also declared that they believed the system of doctrine found in God’s Word to be the system known as the Reformed Faith, as set forth in the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms. They wanted everyone to know that this Reformed Faith is an authentic and valid expression of Biblical Christianity.

A third conviction was expressed to renew and reaffirm their understanding of the nature and mission of the Church. To them, Christ is King and the only Law-giver, having established the Church as a spiritual reality.  It is composed of all the elect from all ages, manifested visibly upon the earth.

The chief end of man’s existence—our very reason for living—is to glorify God. That truth, reflected in the first answer of the Westminster Shorter Catechism aim, also implies that we give top priority to the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ which speaks to going into all the world, preaching the gospel, and disciplining all nations, bringing them into the church.

Last, they sought a return to the historic Presbyterian view of Church government from the Session of the local church to the Assembly of all the local church representatives.

With a closing invitation to ecclesiastical fellowship with all who maintain their principles of faith and order, the address came to a close.

Words to live by:  Even though the name was changed from National Presbyterian Church to Presbyterian Church in America in the next year after the publication of this Address, the principles and convictions have remained the same in this now forty year old church.  If you are not in a Bible-believing, Gospel-preaching Presbyterian and Reformed church, prayerfully consider the testimony and witness of the Presbyterian Church in America.

To read the entire “Message to All Churches of Jesus Christ throughout the World,” click here.

The First General Assembly of the National Presbyterian Church (i.e., the PCA)
by Rev. David T. Myers

As the newly formed denomination met that December in 1973, there was much to do and little time in which to accomplish it. The opening of the General Assembly had begun on the previous day, December 4th, at 7:30 PM with a time of worship and an opening address delivered by ruling elder W. Jack Williamson. That address was titled “To God Be the Glory”.

The first full day of work for the Assembly began the next day, on December 5th. Committees for the various church agencies began meeting at 8:30 AM and following lunch, another time of worship was set aside. The Rev. C. Darby Fulton preached from Philippians 3:7-14, on “The Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ”. [his message begins on page 31 of the linked PDF.]

It was in the afternoon session of this second day of meeting that the new denomination selected their name, choosing “National Presbyterian Church.” (A year later, that name would be changed to “Presbyterian Church in America.”) The rest of that afternoon was spent in discussion and adoption of constitutional documents [the Westminster Standards and the Book of Church Order]. After dinner, the Assembly met yet again for worship, with the service under the direction of the Rev. Kennedy Smartt, then pastor of the Presbyterian church in Hopewell, Virginia. The Rev. Tim Fortner, of Hazlehurst, Mississippi, led in prayer. The Rev. Sidney Anderson of Swannanoa, North Carolina, read the Scripture, and Dr. O. Palmer Robertson, professor at Westminster Theological Seminary, preached a sermon entitled “The National Presbyterian Church and the Faith Once Delivered,” taking Jude 3 as his text.

After the time of worship and before recessing for the evening, the Assembly continued its work on constitutional documents by adopting the first ten chapters of the Book of Church Order. The Assembly then recessed with prayer by the Rev. Todd Allen, pastor of the Eastern Heights Presbyterian church of Savannah, Georgia.

Words to live by:
That second day of business was full and busy for the Assembly, but note how not just once but twice they met for times of worship during the day. I am reminded of Martin Luther’s statement, “I have so much to do today that I must spend the first three hours in prayer.” There is more truth in that statement than most of us are willing to admit, and certainly more than most of us are willing to live up to. But that first General Assembly of the PCA recognized their priorities and their need to completely and utterly rely upon the Lord in all their deliberations.

If you haven’t been living according to this pattern, then I urge you, test the Lord—try Him and see—put Him first each morning with a time of prayer and devotional Scripture reading. It doesn’t have to be long, perhaps just five or ten minutes if you can’t spare a half-hour. But I have every confidence that you will begin to see a marked improvement, first in your relationship with the Lord, and then in your relationships with family, friends, and  work.