October 2012

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October 6: Rev. Robert Baird

6 October, 2012 in October 2012 by davidtmyers | No comments

This Day in Presbyterian History:

A Para-church Presbyterian Evangelist

There can be no doubt that Robert Baird has both the gift of administration as well as the gift of  teaching.

Born on October 6, 1798 near Uniontown, Pennsylvania, in Fayette County, Robert went first to nearby Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania.  Graduating from that undergraduate college with high honors, he then studied theology at Princeton Theological  Seminary.  His senior year at the seminary also saw him at the College of New Jersey, serving as a tutor. After graduation from the seminary, he stayed in the area, serving at the pre-college school known as Princeton Academy, for six years.

Licensed and ordained by the Presbyterian of New Brunswick in 1822 and 1828 respectively, he took the first of a series of mission agencies engaged in ministry to the masses. For seven years, he served at a General Agent of the New Jersey Missionary Society. Following that, he became the General Agent of the American Sunday School Union for six years, seeking to organize Sunday Schools in destitute areas of our country.  This ministry continues to exist today under another name.

In 1835, Rev. Baird traveled all through Europe to promote evangelical religion on the Continent of Europe. He turned the latter into speaking engagements in America, as well as the authoring of  six books on religion in the old country. At that time, those who had emigrated to America before the American Revolution were only one or two generations removed from the old countries from which they had come. And since many of them had come to America because of persecution of their faith, they had a great interest of what had become of their old lands and people.

Robert Baird died in the middle of the Civil War, on March 15, 1863.

Words to live by:  In a number of our Presbyterian circles today, we would say that Rev. Robert Baird was laboring “out-of-bounds.”  That is, his ministries did not fit the usual rule of laboring in ministries organized and overseen directly by the Presbyterian assembly, synods, or presbyteries. But that doesn’t mean these ministries were not effective instruments for the gospel in their own right.  They were similar to the “para-church” ministries of our day and age.  Both then and now, such ministries can be effective works for the Lord in areas where the Church either has not yet been organized, or, in some cases, where the Church, as the Church, cannot minister. As long as there is a priority of financial and prayer support to denominational approved agencies, it can be legitimate to also support a well-selected para-church ministry. Just make sure that they have a doctrinal statement which is biblical, and  an outreach ministry which does what it claims to do, with no more than ten or fifteen per cent reserved for operating expenses. It must be transparent, with nothing to hide from Christian inspection. That need of accountability is one of core reasons the Presbyterian system works as well as it does.

Through the Scriptures:  Zechariah 7 – 10

Through the Standards:  The definition and purpose of marriage

WCF 24: 1, 2
“Marriage is to be between one man and one woman; neither is it lawful for any man to have more than one wife, nor for any woman to have more than one husband, at the same time.  Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife, for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue, and of the Church with an holy seed; and for preventing of uncleanness.”

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October 5: Rev. Robert Davidson

5 October, 2012 in October 2012 by davidtmyers | No comments

The first serious resistance against the new United States government took place in western Pennsylvania, specifically, a rebellion against a federal excise tax being placed upon distilled spirits. Known as the Whiskey Rebellion, government officials were being attacked and run off by rebellious citizens.  What was to be done?

President George Washington responded by calling up twelve thousand federal militia from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland.  Marching to Carlisle, Pennsylvania on the weekend of October 5, 1794, they settled down for the night.

Preaching in his pulpit that Lord’s Day at the First Presbyterian Church of Carlisle, was the pastor, Rev. Dr. Robert Davidson.  Davidson was forty-nine years of age at this time, and a national figure in the Presbyterian Church. He had served as moderator of the General Assembly just three years before this. He was also the Vice-President of Dickinson College, a Presbyterian school.

Seated among his congregation that morning were George Washington and the Secretaries of War and the Treasury of the new federal government. Dr. Davidson preached “A Sermon on the Freedom and Happiness of the United States of America.” His text was Second Samuel 7:23, which reads in part, “And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel?”

In his introduction, Rev. Davidson assured his audience that the message of the gospel and the public concerns which concerned them now in this time of crisis, cannot be separated. His first point spoke about the fact that Israel is proof that events are driven by Divine providence  rather than by chance.  Further, the Jews were God’s chosen people.

The force of the sermon came with his exposition of the second outline point.  He soundly stated that God, in His great goodness, has bestowed upon the United States of America a high privilege as well. Indeed, the text was quickly changed to “what nation in the earth is like thy people, even like the United States.”

He went on to praise the militia, including their commanders and the commander-in-chief, President Washington, who had gathered in Carlisle, to teach the rebellious citizens and their  army that they should be obedient to lawful authorities. No wonder that the officers of the American forces requested this sermon to be printed  and given to the masses.

When the militia began to march, led by the only President who ever led a sitting army on a military mission, the mob—including their army in the western parts of the state—fled and were disbanded. About 150 of the more prominent dissenters were taken back as prisoners, and about a year later, were pardoned by George Washington. Following the presidency of John Adams, it was only under the third President, Thomas Jefferson, that the Excise Tax on distilled spirits was finally repealed.

Words to live by:  Present day Presbyterian pastors need to think long and hard about preaching political sermons from the pulpit.  While there can be many spiritual points which can be gleaned for America from the chosen people of Israel, we are not the new Israel! We must—and we should—point out the courage of serving the Lord in all kinds of national distresses. We do believe that the God of the ages has caused us to be raised up for such a time as this.  We are a people with all sorts of privileges, and that puts a great obligation upon us to obey God’s will. But we are not the lost ten tribes of Israel. That much is sure.

Through the Scriptures:  Zechariah 3 – 6

Through the Standards: Proof texts for the civil magistrate

Romans 13:1 – 4
“Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.  Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God, and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.  For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil.  Do you want to have no fear of authority?  Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good.  But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.” (NASB)

1 Peter 2:13 – 15
“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.  For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.” (NASB)

1 Timothy 2:1, 2
“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” (NASB)

Image source : Centennial Memorial of the Presbytery of Carlisle (1898), vol. 1, facing page 355.

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October 4: WLC Q. 157

4 October, 2012 in October 2012 by davidtmyers | No comments

This Day in Presbyterian History:

Handling the Word of God Aright

Finding  historical sites on American Presbyterianism scarce, we turn to the Catechisms of the Westminster Standards, and for a change, to the Larger Catechism. Question No. 157 asks “How is the word of God to be read? and gives this answer, “The holy Scriptures are to be read with an high and reverence esteem of them; with a firm persuasion that they are the very word of God, and that he only can enable us to understand them; with desire to know, believe, and obey the will of God revealed in them; with diligence, and attention to the matter and scope of them; with meditation, application, self-denial, and prayer.”

We are assuming, dear reader, that you are a reader of Holy Scripture, indeed, that you have made it a habit to read the daily portions of Scripture noted each day in our blog, which will take you through the Bible in one year. But it is not enough to simply read, but we must read God’s Word, as the Catechism says, “with an high and reverent esteem of it.” The Bible is God’s Word to us and to our generation, to say nothing of the last or the future generations.  We must be firmly persuaded that it is the very word of God. Yes, human authors were inspired by the Holy Spirit, but what they wrote and indeed the very words they wrote were by God.  Our Reformed and Presbyterian churches believe in plenary and verbal inspiration.

As a result of the Bible being the Holy Word of God, only the Lord can enable us to fully understand it. This being the case, we should always approach the Word with prayer, asking the Author of it to illuminate our hearts to read and understand it.

Now, what is the motive in reading the Word of God? In one phrase, it is to “know, believe, and obey the will of God revealed” in it. Every once in a while, there is a newspaper article about the average American’s knowledge of the Bible.  It is appalling to realize the ignorance of the Bible, even among church folks. This is why this one year reading schedule and doing it chronologically is so important. Many Christians have never read the Bible through once in their spiritual lives.

Then our motive in reading it is to believe and obey the will of God revealed in it. It is God’s Word and will for our lives yesterday, today, and always. Paul spoke of it in 2 Timothy 3:16 as being for “teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness.” (NAS)  We need the solid doctrine of theology as our teaching. The reproof in the Bible tells us the wrong paths we have strayed  in faith and life.  The correction tells us the right path of life and doctrine. And the training in righteousness is a gradual process of holiness which all believers need until we get to heaven.

The manner of reading the Bible is summed up in a series of descriptive words, like “diligence, meditation, application, self-denial, and prayer.”  Diligence is needed, dear Christian.  We must not be content to be spiritual babes forever, but mature thinking Christians.  Meditation, or thinking carefully and seriously, is needed when we read the Bible.  In other words, take time to read the Word.  Too many believers spend more time reading the newspaper than they do reading the Word of God. Application is most needed.  What does the Word I have read today mean, and most important, mean to me, to where I am in my walk with Christ.  Self-denial and prayer tells us to humble ourselves under the Word of God and depend upon Him to reveal what our souls  need this day from God.

Words to live by:  It is estimated that countless Christians have more than one Bible in their homes today.  Sometimes they represent various stages of their spiritual life, like a new Christian, a growing Christian, or a mature Christian.  Sometimes they are various versions and translations, bought according to the recommendation of the church or this Bible teacher.  But this writer is not so much interested in how many Bibles you own, but rather in whether you read daily from one of them.  The Through the Bible section of this guide is designed to help you do that at least once a year, and hopefully every year for all of your lives.  Handling the Word of God correctly is a habit which you want to keep in your lives.

Through the Scriptures:  Haggai 1, 2; Zechariah 1, 2

Through the Standards:  The duties of Christians to the government

W.C.F. 23:4 

“It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates, to honor their persons, to pay them tribute or other dues, to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority, for conscience sake.  Infidelity, or difference in religion, does not make void the magistrates’ just and legal authority, nor free the people from their due obedience to them: from which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted, much less has the Pope any power and jurisdiction over them in their dominions, or over any of their people; and, least of all, to deprive them of their  dominions, or lives, if he shall judge them to be heretics, or upon any other pretence whatsoever.”

 

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October 3: Hanover Presbytery

3 October, 2012 in October 2012 by davidtmyers | No comments

This Day in Presbyterian History:

A Waystation for the Progress of the Gospel

Up to the middle of the eighteenth century, what presbyteries existed were all in the northern part of the American colonies.  But after the division of the New Side – Old Side Presbyterians in 1741 (see May 17, 1741), the New Side evangelists set their spiritual eyes on advancing the gospel both south and west of Philadelphia.   Especially was there an encouragement due to the expansion of the Scot-Irish Presbyterians in those  directions who still worshiped in the manner of their Scotch forefathers.

An important waystation for  the progress of the gospel was the establishment of Hanover Presbytery in Virginia on October 3, 1775.  Constituting this regional church governing unit were the following: Samuel Davies, of Hanover Presbyterian Church, of Hanover County; Robert Henry, pastor of Cub Creek Church in Charlotte County and Briery Church in Prince Edward County ; John Brown, of Timber Ridge and New Providence Presbyterian churches in Rockbridge County;  and John Todd, assistant to Samuel Davies and pastor of Louisa County.  Various ruling elders also attended, such as Samuel Morris, Alexander Joice, and John Molley.  Also part of the presbytery but unable to attend were Alexander Craighead, pastor of Windy Cove Church in Augusta County, and John Wright, pastor of the church in Cumberland County, near Farmville, Virginia.

At the first meeting of the Presbytery, after the sermon by John Todd, the first action taken was to appoint a day of fasting and prayer on January 1, 1777.   The last act was to repeat the fasting and prayer on June of the same year.  In both cases, the purpose was to ask God for His help against the physical dangers occasioned by the war in their land as well as to ask God to bless the preaching of the Word of God in the area.

Words to live by:  Lest we respond with a yawn about the topic of today’s devotional, let us remember that to attend church in these early days was to put your life and that of your family in danger.  First, there was the distance travelled to the meeting-house, usually a log building, or sometimes outside  under a huge tree.  Transportation there was by horseback, or in buggies pulled by horses.  The worshiping family carried their Bibles, hymns, and rifles with power horns, for protection.  The services themselves lasted for two hours.  And at the end, there would be communal meals, with another worship hour before they left for their homes.  Colonial worship was not for the lukewarm, but for the God-fearing, Bible-believing men and women of the Presbyterian faith.

Through the Scriptures:  Ezra 1 – 4

Through the Standards: The duties of government to the church

WCF 23:3
“Civil magistrates may not assume to themselves the administration of the Word and sacraments, or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven; or, in the least, interfere in the matter of faith.  Yet, as nursing fathers, it is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the Church of our common Lord, without giving the preference to any denomination of Christians above the rest, in such a manner that all ecclesiastical persons whatever shall enjoy the full, free, and unquestioned liberty of discharging every part of their sacred functions, without violence or danger.  And, as Jesus Christ has appointed a regular government and discipline in his Church, no law of any commonwealth should interfere with, let, or hinder, the due exercise thereof, among the voluntary members of any denomination of Christians, according to their own profession and belief.  It is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the person and good name of all their people, in such an effectual manner as that no person be suffered, either upon pretence of religion or infidelity, to offer any indignity, violence, abuse, or injury to any other person whatsoever: and to take order, that all religious and ecclesiastical assemblies be held without molestation or disturbance.”

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October 2: Rev. John Hess McComb

2 October, 2012 in October 2012 by davidtmyers | No comments

This Day in Presbyterian History:

Contending Earnestly 

The  number “seven” has always been associated with perfection.  But while that is the belief, there would be no one who would suggest that the seventh opening exercises of Westminster Theological Seminary on October 2, 1935,  have this word “perfection” stamped upon it.  Yet there was a sure reminder of both their existence in the church world at that moment in history as well as an old challenge to the professors and student body that they were to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints.”  That very familiar text from Jude 3 was the title of the sermon and article in the Presbyterian Guardian of October 21 and November 4 in 1935.

Proclaiming the Word that evening was Rev. John Hess McComb, pastor of the Broadway Presbyterian Church in New York City.  What you will read in this devotional history today will be a portion of that address which is still as up-to-date now as it was then applicable to the people of God.  He said,

“Then too, if we would contend for the faith, we must seize every opportunity to let people know were we stand. When the Word of God is under fire, every silent Christian  is counted with the enemy.  Psalm 107:2 says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.”  God honors such testimony is surprising ways.  It bears more fruit than we have any idea it will.  Too often the people in the pew take the attitude that the minister is paid to do the testifying and there is no need for them to exert themselves in that direction.  It is a great privilege to speak a word for Christ, and we must avail ourselves of the privilege in the home, in the circle of friends, in the office, in the church — wherever God gives an opportunity.  If the Redeemed of the Lord would testify a little more frequently, perhaps it would be found that the true Church of Christ is far larger than it seems, and that Modernism has not gained the ground it supposes it has gained.  When a child is born into this world and utters no sounds, we fear that it is dead.  When a professing Christian never speaks a word regarding his redemption through Christ, we  have reason to suspect that he never has been born again. Of course the Christian must see to it that his personal life in no wise belies his testimony.  He that seizes every opportunity to testify for his Lord must so live that there is no question in the minds of those about him who his Lord is.”

There were some sobering statements in this quotation.  There is no doubt that the New York City pastor wanted to impress on the minds and hearts of the seminary students that their studies must produce some effects in the lives of those to whom they would be sent as servants of Christ.

Words to live by:  Standing out in the above quotation is the illustration and application of the child.  Dr. McComb said, “when a child is born into this world and  utters no sound, we fear that it is dead.  When a professing Christian never speaks a word regarding his Redemption through Christ, we have reason to suspect that he never has been born again.”  These are strong words, and may solicit objections by our readers.  Yet there are placed here to think upon them and more importantly to act upon them.  Pray for a divine opportunity this day or week.  Pray that the Spirit will remind you to recognize the divine opportunity.  Then simply relate your Christian testimony to the individual, and see what the Lord will bring forth.

Through the Scriptures:    Esther 8 – 10

Through the Standards: The rights of Christians in relation to governments

WCF 23:2
“It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate, when called thereunto: in the managing whereof, as they ought especially to maintain piety, justice, and peace, according to the wholesome laws of each commonwealth; so, for that end, they may lawfully, now under the new testament, wage war, upon just and necessary occasion.

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