Centenarians at Log College Press

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Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come (Ps. 71:18).

The testimony of a long life lived to the glory of God is a powerful one. At Log College Press, there are at least three who lived beyond the century mark.

  • Arthur Judson Brown (1856-1963, 106) - This “missionary statesman,” a pioneer of the ecumenical and missionary movements, was ordained in 1883 and died 80 years later. He was born in the same year as Woodrow Wilson, was a friend of Herbert Hoover, and he died in the same year as John F. Kennedy. Brown left a profound mark on the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, and indeed, throughout the world.

  • William Rankin III (1810-1912, 102) - Rankin served as a ruling elder and (for 37 years) as treasurer of the PCUSA Board of Foreign Missions. At the time of his death, he was the oldest college graduate in the United States.

  • George Summey (1853-1954, 101) - A “Christian Statesman,” editor of The Presbyterian Quarterly, and church historian (whose research and labors led to A History of the Presbyterian Church in Louisiana [1961], to whom the work was dedicated by the author, Penrose St. Amant), Summey’s legacy was far-reaching in the Presbyterian world.

We may also take note of Robert Bluford, Jr., Presbyterian minister, “Virginian of the Year” for 2011, and author of Living on the Borders of Eternity: The Story of Samuel Davies and the Struggle for Religious Toleration in Colonial Virginia (2004) and The Battle of Totopotomoy Creek: Polegreen Church and the Prelude to Cold Harbor (2014), who has done so much to promote the heritage of the Historic Polegreen Church, where Davies ministered. He turned 103 years old a few days ago.

Another worthy of mention is Ralph Waldo McBurney (1902-2009), RPCNA ruling elder, beekeeper, award-winning track and field athlete and author of My First 100 Years!: A Look Back From the Finish Line (2004), who should not be forgotten. He lived to the age of 106. He wrote in his autobiography: “It is easy to earn gold medals when one has no competition in one's age group!” He, like Eric Liddell, would never race on the Lord’s Day.

Also worthy of note is Walter Alexander Soboleff (1908–2011), the first Native Alaskan to become a Presbyterian minster. He was a Tlingit scholar who did much to promote the rights of indigenous people in Alaska. He died at the age of 102.

Undoubtedly, there are many more who could be named here, but these names must suffice for the present.

Considering the length of days of such as who have lived beyond a full century of life on this mortal earth, a portion of Archibald Alexander’s Prayer For One Who Feels That He Is Approaching the Borders of Another World (see Aging in Grace: Letters to Those in the Autumn of Life, p. 35) comes to mind:

O most merciful God cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength declineth. Now, when I am old and grey-headed, forsake me not; but let thy grace be sufficient for me; and enable me to bring forth fruit, even in old age. May my hoary head be found in the ways of righteousness! Preserve my mind from dotage and imbecility, and my body from protracted disease and excruciating pain. Deliver me from despondency and discouragement, in my declining years, and enable me to bear affliction with patience, fortitude, and perfect submission to thy holy will. Lift upon me perpetually the light of thy reconciled countenance, and cause me to rejoice in thy salvation, and in the hope of thy glory. May the peace that passeth all understanding be constantly diffused through my soul, so that my mind may remain calm through all the storms and vicissitudes of life.

Log College Press and the Movies

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For those who enjoy the cinema, there are some interesting ties between American Presbyterians on Log College Press and the movies.

  • The 2003 film Gods and Generals, which tells the story of the War Between the States largely from the points of one military officer from the North and one from the South, features Stephen Lang who played Stonewall Jackson (Presbyterian deacon) and Martin Clark as Dr. George Junkin (Presbyterian minister, and Jackson’s father-in-law).

  • Francis J. Grimké and Matthew Anderson once had occasion to watch a film together - D.W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation (1915). The movie is famous for its positive portrayal of the Klu Klux Klan, which Grimké noted in his review. He vehemently critiqued the film for its apparent effort to excite racial prejudice against African-Americans.

  • J.G. Machen was a Charlie Chaplin fan, according to D.G. Hart, who commented, writing in Defending the Faith: J. Gresham Machen and the Crisis of Conservative Protestantism in Modern America, pp. 164, 207:

The final issue that split fundamentalist and traditionalist Presbyterians concerned personal morality. In [James Oliver] Buswell's estimation this was the proverbial straw that would break the camel's back. Those in the church who sided with him, Buswell wrote (in what turned out to be his last letter to Machen), were concerned about reports that Westminster students used liquor in their rooms "with the approval of some members of the faculty." The use of alcohol, even in the celebration of the sacrament, he added, was "far more likely" to divide the church than "any question of eschatology." Buswell and other fundamentalists in the church were also "shocked" by leaders of the new denomination who defended "the products of Hollywood," a "useless,...waste of energy." Machen never responded to Buswell but his opposition to Prohibition provides a clue to his views on alcohol. In addition to opposing the expanded powers of the federal government that the Eighteenth Amendment granted, Machen also thought the Bible allowed moderate use of alcohol. This was also the position of the majority of faculty at Westminster who came from ethnic churches were the idea of total abstinence with American evangelicalism was foreign. As for Buswell's reference to Hollywood, Machen did enjoy going to the movies and commented favorably on Charlie Chaplin but did not make any remarks about film in his published writings.10

10. Buswell to Machen, December 4, 1936, MA. On Machen's fondness for movies, see, for example, his letters to his mother, May 14, 1913, March 11 and August 23, 1914, MA.

These are a few of the curious and fascinating connections between Hollywood and American Presbyterianism to be found at Log College Press. As we say here, even in regards to culture:

THE PAST IS NOT DEAD. 
PRIMARY SOURCES ARE NOT INACCESSIBLE.
18TH-19TH CENTURY AMERICAN PRESBYTERIANS ARE NOT IRRELEVANT.

Four Centuries Since the First Traditional American Thanksgiving

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O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever (Ps. 107:1).

Apart from the French Huguenots who celebrated a thanksgiving at Fort Caroline, near modern-day Jacksonville, Florida on June 30, 1564, and the celebration at Jamestown, Virginia on December 4, 1619, what is traditionally referred to as the first American Thanksgiving, observed by the Pilgrims at Plymouth, Massachusetts, took place in the autumn of 1621, four hundred years ago.

George B. Cheever tells us briefly about this special occasion in The Pilgrim Fathers: or, The Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, New England, in 1620 (1849), pp. 231-232.

We find in this volume the very first instance of the New England thanksgiving. It is referred to by Mr. Winslow in his letter to a friend. It was after the gathering in of the harvest, and a fowling expedition was sent out for the occasion by the Governor, that for their Thanksgiving dinners and for the festivities of the week they might have more dainty and abundant materials than ordinary. That week they exercised in arms, and hospitably feasted King Massasoit and ninety men. The Governor is said by Mr. Winslow to have appointed the game-hunt after harvest, that so the Pilgrims "might after a more special manner rejoice together, after they had gathered the fruit of their labours." This admirable annual New England custom of Thanksgiving dates back therefore to the first year of our Forefathers' arrival.

W. Carlos Martyn also recounts the tale in The Pilgrim Fathers of New England: A History (1867), pp. 132-133, also drawing on Edward Winslow.

"There was great store of wild turkeys, of which they took many, besides venison." The fowlers had been sent out by the governor, "that so they might, after a special manner, rejoice together, since they had gathered the fruit of their labors;" this was the origin and the first celebration of the national festival of New England, the autumnal THANKSGIVING. On that occasion of hilarity they "exercised their arms," and for three days "entertained and feasted" Massasoit and some ninety of his people, who made a contribution of five deer to the festivity. Health was restored; household fires were blazing brightly; and in good heart and hope the lonely but thankful settlers disposed themselves to meet the rigor of another winter.

As we reflect on that moment in church history which illustrates the goodness of God to his people, and the tradition that is known as the American Thanksgiving, and as we count our blessings with gratitude to God, we thank you, dear friends, once again for all of your support for Log College Press. It means a great deal to us. We wish each of a very Happy Thanksgiving, and God’s richest blessings to you and yours.

Davidson College Ties

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Davidson College historical marker

As the son of a professor who graduated from and taught at Davidson College, in Davidson, North Carolina, and whose mother lives in Davidson, this writer may hopefully be excused for looking for connections to Davidson at Log College Press. There are many to be found.

Chambers Building, Davidson College

Davidson College, named for Brigadier General William Lee Davidson (1746-1781), who served and died in the American War of Independence, was founded in 1837 under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

It’s college seal was designed by Peter Stuart Ney, who is believed by some to have been Napoleon's Marshall Peter Ney. That is a story shrouded in mystery to this day.

Davidson College Seal

Presidents and Faculty

  • Robert Hall Morrison (1798-1889) - Morrison served as the first President of Davidson College. He was also a father-in-law of Stonewall Jackson.

  • Drury Lacy, Jr. (1802-1804) - Lacy was the third President of Davidson College.

  • John Lycan Kirkpatrick (1813-1885) - Kirkpatrick was the fourth President of Davidson College.

  • George Wilson McPhail (1815-1871) - McPhail was the fifth President of Davidson College. He is buried at the Davidson College Cemetery.

  • John Rennie Blake (1825-1900) - Prof. Blake served as faculty chairman of Davidson College who oversaw the college in the absence of a President from 1871 to 1877.

  • Andrew Dousa Hepburn (1830-1921) - Hepburn served as President of Miami University (Ohio) before becoming President of Davidson College.

  • William Joseph Martin, Sr. (1830-1896) - Col. Martin served as acting President of Davidson College from 1887 to 1888.

  • John Bunyan Shearer (1832-1919) - Shearer served as the eighth President of Davidson College.

  • Henry Louis Smith (1859-1951) - Smith served as the ninth President of Davidson College, although he was not an ordained minister, and later served as President of Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. A scientist, he is credited with pioneering the development of X-rays while at Davidson, as well as important efforts which hastened the end of World War I.

  • William Joseph Martin, Jr. (1868-1943) - The younger Martin served as the tenth President of Davidson College for 17 years.

  • Walter Lee Lingle (1868-1956) - A graduate of Davidson College, Lingle served as the college’s eleventh President.

  • John Rood Cunningham (1891-1980) - Cunningham served as the twelfth President of Davidson College.

  • Patrick Jones Sparrow (1802-1867) - Sparrow was a Presbyterian minister who served as Davidson’s first professor of ancient languages.

  • Daniel Harvey Hill (1821-1889) - Hill, a Confederate officer, served as Chair of the Mathematics Department at Davidson College. He is buried at the Davidson College Cemetery.

  • Cornelia Rebekah Shaw (1869-1937) - Shaw served as the first full-time librarian at Davidson College. This writer once worked at the E.H. Little Library at Davidson College under Mary D. Beaty, who was a respected historian, and author of Davidson: A History of the Town from 1835 until 1937 (1979); A History of the Davidson College Presbyterian Church (1987); A History of Davidson College (1988); and helped to translate Calvin’s Ecclesiastical Advice (1991).

Davidson College Presbyterian Church

Alumni and Other Connections

  • Calvin Knox Cumming (1854-1935) - Cumming was a Presbyterian missionary to Japan, who died in Davidson, North Carolina. His son, W.P. Cumming (1900-1989), was a famed professor of English, and expert on cartography, at Davidson College, who this writer interviewed in 1980.

  • Robert Lewis Dabney (1820-1898) - Dabney delivered the Davidson College Divinity Lectures for 1897, published as Christ Our Penal Substitute (1898).

  • George Howe (1802-1883) - Howe delivered an oration on The Value and Influence of Literary Pursuits at Davidson College in 1846.

  • Stonewall Jackson (1824-1863) - Stonewall Jackson, the famed Confederate general, served as a deacon in the Presbyterian Church in Lexington, Virginia. He was the son-in-law of Robert Hall Morrison, first President of Davidson College (see above).

  • Benjamin Rice Lacy, Jr. (1886-1981) - Lacy is the grandson of Drury Lacy, Jr., who served as President of Davidson College (see above). He studied at Davidson and was a star quarterback for the football team. He went on to become President of Union Seminary in Richmond, Virginia.

  • Alexander Jeffrey McKelway (1866-1918) - McKelway received an honorary D.D. degree from Davidson College in 1900. Three generations later, this writer studied piano in the McKelway household.

  • Julius W. Melton (1933-2017) - Melton, a family friend of the writer, worked at Davidson College, and wrote the valuable study on Presbyterian Worship in America: Changing Patterns Since 1787 (1967, 2001), which we have highlighted previously here.

  • Wilson Plumer Mills (1883-1959) - Mills graduated from Davidson College with a B.A. in 1903, and after long missionary service in the Far East, received an honorary D.D. degree from Davidson in 1951.

  • Walter William Moore (1857-1926) - Moore graduated from Davidson College with an A.B. in 1878. He went on to become the first President of Union Seminary in Richmond, Virginia.

  • LeRoy Tate Newland (1885-1969) - Newland graduated from Davidson College with a B.A. in 1908.

  • J.W. Rosebro (1847-1912) - Rosebro studied at both Davidson College and Princeton. He also served as President of Fredericksburg College (Virginia); director of Union Seminary, Richmond; and as a professor at Southwestern Presbyterian University in Clarksville, Tennessee. He was the son-in-law of B.M. Smith.

  • Jethro Rumple (1827-1906) - Rumple graduated from Davidson College in 1850 and “in 1887 he edited the First Semi-Centenary Celebration of Davidson College, Addresses, Historical and Commemorative, Delivered at the Annual Commencement, Wednesday, June 13, 1887, which includes a forty-six page address by Rumple on the history of the college” (Barry Waugh, Presbyterians of the Past).

  • Omar ibn Said (1770-1864) - Ibn Said’s Arabic translation of the Bible is currently held at the Davidson College Library Rare Book Room.

  • Charles Alphonso Smith (1864-1924) - Smith studied at Davidson College, earning his A.M. degree in 1887. He was a brother of Henry Louis Smith (see above) and Egbert Watson Smith (see below).

  • Egbert Watson Smith (1862-1944) - Smith graduated as valedictorian of Davidson’s class of 1882. He was a brother of Henry Louis Smith and Charles Alphonso Smith (see above).

  • Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924) - Wilson attended Davidson for the 1873-1874 school year before transferring to Princeton (he later served as President of Princeton). He was a a Presbyterian ruling elder, and later served as President of the United States.

  • B.B. Warfield (1851-1921) - Warfield received an LL.D. degree from Davidson College in 1892.

Davidson College Cemetery

There are likely many more ties to Davidson College at Log College Press. Davidson’s place in American Presbyterian church history should not go unnoticed. Many individuals have traveled through Davidson, and Davidson has left its mark on many. Its library alone is a treasure, and its cemetery honors many who have ended their mortal journey there. Small though the town and college is, Davidson is a waystation to take note of for students of history. May this brief introduction inspire further study and appreciation.

Nevin's Presbyterian Encyclopedia

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There are some wonderful modern dictionaries and encyclopedias of Presbyterianism (D.G. Hart & Mark Knoll’s Dictionary of the Presbyterian and Reformed Tradition in America [2005], and Donald K. McKim’s Encyclopedia of the Reformed Faith [1992] come to mind). But in this writer’s view, though somewhat limited in usefulness to the modern student of church history by its late 19th century date of publication, still nothing compares to the magnificent Encyclopedia of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, Including the Northern and Southern Assemblies (1884) by Alfred Nevin.

Alfred Nevin’s Presbyterian Encyclopedia.

It is a treasure that spans over 1,200 pages, and includes many illustrations, and also Henry C. McCook’s Historic Decorations at the Pan-Presbyterian Council: A Lithographic Souvenir, a collection of beautiful tributes to the people and places of the First and Second Reformations which were a highlight of the 1880 Pan-Presbyterian Council. The Encyclopedia itself is full of biographical sketches of noted Presbyterian ministers, and articles on different aspects of church history, in rich detail.

Noted contributors to Nevin’s Presbyterian Encyclopedia include B.B. Warfield, Charles A. Stillman, A.A. Hodge, James C. Moffat, W.A. Scott, Sheldon Jackson, Henry Van Dyke, Sr., J. Aspinwall Hodge and others.

Title page.

We at Log College Press often return to this volume as we work to expand our knowledge of American Presbyterianism and make accessible the men and women and their writings which are reflected therein to all. Take note of this remarkable resource for your own studies of church history and biography, which is available to read online at the Alfred Nevin page.

A Reformation Day Remembrance

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To commemorate what is arguably the greatest event in church history since Pentecost, Log College Press wishes to highlight select works by early American Presbyterians which relate to the 504th anniversary of the Reformation:

  • Archibald Alexander (1772-1851) — The Doctrine of Original Sin as Held by the Church, Both Before and After the Reformation (1830) and Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms (1836) — These articles speak to important issues and moments related to the Protestant Reformation.

  • James Waddel Alexander (1804-1859) — Martin Luther Incognito (1836) and The Reformation in Hungary and Transylvania (1837) — The second article covers an important but less well-known aspect of the Reformation; the first is a translation from Philip Konrad Marheineke’s History of the German Reformation dealing with the period between Luther’s appearance at the Diet of Worms and his return to the Castle Wartburg.

  • Henry Martyn Baird (1832-1906) — Theodore Beza: The Counsellor of the French Reformation, 1519-1605 (1899) – The classic biography of the French Reformer Theodore Beza, who became Geneva’s spiritual leader after the death of John Calvin.

  • William Maxwell Blackburn (1828-1898) — Aonio Paleario and His Friends, With a Revised Edition of "The Benefits of Christ's Death" (1866) — This is an interesting work which contains both a biography of the Italian Reformer, Paleario, and an edited version of the great Italian spiritual classic that was long attributed to him (modern scholarship now attributes authorship of “The Benefit of Christ” to Benedetto Fontanini, also known as Benedetto da Mantova (1495-1556)). — William Farel, and the Story of the Swiss Reform (1867) — A fascinating look at the life of the Swiss Reformer, William Farel, who with his friend John Calvin, so influenced Geneva and the world. —Ulrich Zwingli (1868) — The life of another great Swiss Reformer, Ulrich Zwingli.

  • Ezra Hall Gillett (1823-1875) —The Life and Times of John Huss (1864) — This is a good introduction to the Bohemian (Czech) proto-Reformer, John Huss.

  • Joel Tyler Headley (1813-1897) — Luther and Cromwell (1850) — Two famous Reformers and the parallels in their stories.

  • Thomas Cary Johnson (1859-1936) — John Calvin and the Genevan Reformation (1900) — An important biography of the great French Reformer and spiritual leader of Geneva, John Calvin. — Martin Luther: Who Was He, That the World Should Remember Him From Time to Time With Praise to God? (1909-1910) - A valuable sketch of the great Reformer.

  • Frederick William Loetscher, Sr. (1875-1966) — Luther and the Problem of Authority in Religion Parts 1-2 (1917) — Loetscher addresses (on the 400th anniversary of the Reformation) a fundamental issue with which the Reformers wrestled.

  • William Carlos Martyn (1841-1917) — The Life and Times of Martin Luther (1866) — A great 19th century biography of the German Reformer. —The Dutch Reformation (1868) – A good overview of the Reformation in the Netherlands.

  • John William Mears (1825-1881) — The Beggars of Holland and the Grandees of Spain: A History of the Reformation in the Netherlands, From A.D. 1200 to 1578 (1867) — This is another comprehensive look at the Dutch Reformation, and in particular, what lead up to it.

  • Samuel Miller (1769-1850) — Introductory Essay to Charles de Viller's An Essay on the Spirit and Influence of the Reformation (1833) — As Miller writes, “The Reformation from Popery is a theme which can never grow old.”

  • Thomas Ephraim Peck (1822-1893) — Martin Luther (1895) — This biographical lecture about the great Reformer was originally delivered in 1872, and is here found in Vol. 1 of Peck’s Miscellanies.

  • Richard Clark Reed (1851-1925) — Calvin’s Contribution to the Reformation (1909) — This was Reed’s part in the Southern Presbyterian Church’s celebration of the 400th anniversary of John Calvin’s birth.

  • William Childs Robinson (1897-1982) — The Reformation: A Rediscovery of Grace (1962) — Valuable alumni lectures delivered at Columbia Theological Seminary on various aspects of the Reformation.

  • Robert Fleming Sample (1829-1905) — Beacon-Lights of the Reformation; or, Romanism and the Reformers (1889) — The story of the long combat against Romanism.

  • David Schley Schaff (1852-1941) — Martin Luther and John Calvin, Church Reformers (1917) — Written for the 400th anniversary of the Reformation, the younger Schaff highlights the two great Reformers.

  • Philip Schaff (1819-1893) — Calvin’s Life and Labors (1875) — The elder Schaff looks at the life and legacy of the French Reformer. — History of the Christian Church, Vol. 6 (1888, 1904) and History of the Christian Church, Vol. 7 (1892) — These volumes cover the history of the German and Swiss Reformation.

  • Thomas Smyth (1808-1873) - Calvin and His Enemies: A Memoir of the Life, Character, and Principles of Calvin (1856) — An important memoir of one the greatest Reformers, which covers challenging aspects of his life and career, including the case of Servetus.

  • Joseph Ross Stevenson (1866-1939) — The Reformation: A Revival of Religion (1917) — A reminder of what reformation means.

  • Cornelius Van Til (1895-1987) — Review of Martin Luther, The Bondage of the Will (1931) — A fresh look at a classic of Christian literature.

  • B.B. Warfield (1851-1921) — John Calvin: The Man and His Work (1909) — Warfield’s homage to the French Reformer on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of Calvin’s birth. — The Ninety-Five Theses in Their Theological Significance  (1917) — Originally published in The Princeton Theological Review in honor of the 400th anniversary of the Reformation, this is a fascinating study of the document by Martin Luther that launched the Reformation on October 31, 1517. — The Theology of the Reformation (1917) — Warfield looks at the key doctrines that figured in the thinking of Martin Luther. — Review of four works by D. Hay Fleming: The Story of the Scottish Covenants (1905); The Scottish Reformation (1905); The Reformation in Scotland (1910); and The Last Days of John Knox (1914) — An appreciation of the writings of a great Reformation scholar.

  • Robert Alexander Webb (1856-1919) — The Reformation and the Lord’s Supper (1917) — Webb looks at a crucial aspect of worship that was important to the Reformation.

  • Julia McNair Wright (1840-1903) — Her series of biographies for young people published in 1870 includes sketches of George Wishart, John Knox, Martin Luther, Queen Margaret, John Calvin, Renée, William Tyndale, Richard Baxter, John Huss and Gaspard de Coligni.

We have much reason to be thankful for the men and women both of the 16th centuries and those more recent who all contributed to the cause of Reformation in their own ways. From Log College Press, we wish you a Happy Reformation Day, and happy reading!

Note: This blog post was originally published on October 31, 2017, and has been edited and expanded.

An American Presbyterian Missionary Who Was Knighted by an English King

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It is not every day that one finds an American Presbyterian minister who was knighted by a British monarch. Billy Graham comes to mind — he was awarded an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in 2001. But the subject of today’s post was knighted by King George V on January 1, 1923.

The reason for such an honor in the case of Sir James Caruthers Rhea Ewing (1854-1923) was to acknowledge Ewing’s 43 years of service as a missionary in what was then British-controlled India. King George at that time was not only king of the United Kingdom and British dominions, but also Emperor of India.

Ewing had previously been titled Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire in 1915, but in 1923, he gained the title of Honourary Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire and was henceforth known as “Sir James.”

A graduate of Washington & Jefferson College in Western Pennsylvania, Ewing went on to serve in the missionary field, but also as Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Punjab and as President of the Forman Christian College. An educator as well as a missionary, Ewing labored many decades for the cause of Christ to shine a bright light in a dark place.

Read more about his life story in the biography by Robert E. Speer: Sir James Ewing, For Forty-Three Years a Missionary in India: A Biography of Sir James C.R. Ewing, M.A., D.D., LL.D., Litt.D. C.I.E, K.C.I.E. (1928).

Psalm Tunes by J.K. Robb

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O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation (Ps. 95:1).

Some of the tunes in the 1929, 1950, 1973 and 2009 editions of the psalters authorized by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) were composed or arranged by Rev. John Knox Robb (1868-1960).

Dr. Paul D. McCracken paid the following tribute to Robb:

Dr. Robb was a man of many talents. He was an experienced carpenter, an able preacher, a wise counselor, a faithful shepherd, and a warm friend. He will long be remembered for his rare musical ability. With his mellow voice, his "absolute pitch," and his keen sense of harmony and beauty, he served the Church on Psalter Revision Committees in 1929 and again in 1950, and our present Psalter contains originals and 4 arrangements that bear his name.

The tune Syracuse by Robb is perhaps his most famous. In the two most recent psalters, Robb is credited thus:

  • The Book of Psalms For Singing (1973) - Psalm 4A (Wallace); 31G (Saints’ Praise); 46B (Hetherton); 86A (Conwell); 104B (Emsworth); 104D (Bradford); 115B (Scott); 126B (Rutherford); and 127A (Syracuse)

  • The Book of Psalms For Worship (2009) - 4A (Wallace); 86A (Conwell); 104B (Emsworth); 107H (Conwell); 112A (Hetherton); 115B (Scott); 118D (Hetherton); and 127A (Syracuse).

One may listen to these tunes here.

On This Day in History - October 22

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Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee (Deut. 32:7).

On this day in church history, several Log College Press men are noted:

  • Archibald Alexander (April 17, 1772 — October 22, 1851) — This date marks 170 years since Archibald Alexander entered into glory.

  • James W.C. Pennington (1809 — October 22, 1870) — It was just last year that we commemorated the 150th anniversary of his passing into glory.

  • William Swan Plumer (July 26, 1802 — October 22, 1880) — A memorial tribute, which speaks of Plumer’s last days, written by his daughters, was recently added to the Log College Press. His entering into glory has been highlighted here previously. Many of his writings remain in print today; meanwhile, take a moment to review his published writings at LCP here.

We also note that the College of New Jersey (Princeton) was granted a charter on October 22, 1746. Additionally, the Synod of Virginia met for the first time on October 22, 1788 at the New Providence Presbyterian Church in Raphine, Virginia.

Georgia Scholar C.C. Jones, Jr. on the Native American History of His State

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Charles Colcock Jones, Jr. (1831-1893) was the son of Presbyterian pastor C.C. Jones, Sr. (1804-1863). Although he was not a minister, but instead a Harvard-educated lawyer by profession, and a mayor of Savannah, Georgia for a time, his reputation rests largely on his prolific historical writings and as an respected antiquarian. He was nationally known for his collection of portraits, books, manuscripts and autographs, including those of every signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Perhaps best-known for his “magisterial” History of Georgia (2 vols., 1883), which was dedicated to his father, he developed early on a fascination for the early Native American tribes who inhabited his home state, and the mounds and artifacts they left behind. In this passion, he was joined by his brother, Dr. Joseph Jones (1833-1896), who pioneered archeological studies in Tennessee, as C.C. Jones, Jr. did in Georgia. Both men prepared reports for the Smithsonian Institute of their studies, and C.C. Jones, Jr. made donations from his extensive collection of antiquities — estimated at around 20,000 artifacts — to the American Museum of Natural History, while Joseph’s collection now resides at the National Museum of the American Indian.

At Log College Press, we have assembled some of C.C. Jones, Jr.’s antiquarian writings, which remain of great interest to anthropologists, archeologists, linguists and ethnologists today. Here are some of the titles which reflect his dedication to the study of Native Americans of the Southeast.

  • Indian Remains in Southern Georgia: Address Delivered Before the Georgia Historical Society, on Its Twentieth Anniversary, February 12th, 1859 (1859);

  • Monumental Remains of Georgia (1861);

  • Historical Sketch of Tomo-Chi-Chi, Mico of the Yamacraws (1868);

  • Antiquities of the Southern Indians, Particularly of the Georgia Tribes (1873);

  • Aboriginal Structures in Georgia (1877, 1878);

  • Primitive Manufacture of Spear and Arrow Points Along the Line of the Savannah River (1880); and

  • Silver Crosses From an Indian Grave-Mound at Coosawattee Old Town, Murray County, Georgia (1883).

To this list may be added his discussion of the sixteenth century Native Americans in The History of Georgia, Vol. 1 (1883), and similar discussions in History of Savannah, GA.: From Its Settlement to the Close of the Eighteenth Century (1890), Memorial History of Augusta, Georgia (1890), and other historical writings.

There is a rich amount of material to search through for those interested in not only the history of the indigenous peoples of the Southeast before the arrival of Europeans, but also with respect to the early interactions between Native Americans and Europeans in Georgia and the surrounding territory. The pioneer antiquarian studies of both C.C. Jones, Jr. and his brother Joseph did much in the nineteenth century to elevate an appreciation for that history.

James Bradley's Brief Account of an Emancipated Slave

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The story of James Bradley has many curiosities, unanswered questions and fascinating details. Born around 1810 in Guinea, Africa, he was enslaved at a very young age and transported to the United States via Charleston, South Carolina, before he was purchased by a Mr. Bradley of Kentucky (whose last name he assumed), before the family moved to the Arkansas Territory.

There the Mr. Bradley passed away, but James continued to toil in servitude. Although he had not been taught of God, he longed for liberty, and began the laborious effort — by working at night to make horse collars, and by means of growing tobacco and selling pigs — to purchase his own freedom, which after eight years, he accomplished in 1833 for the sum of just under $700. In his own words, he tells of where he went next as a free man.

As soon as I was free, I started for a free State. When I arrived in Cincinnati, I heard of Lane Seminary, about two miles out of the city. I had for years been praying to God that my dark mind might see the light of knowledge. I asked for admission into the Seminary. They pitied me, and granted my request, though I knew nothing of the studies which were required for admission. I am so ignorant, that I suppose it will take me two years to get up with the lowest class in the institution. But in all respects I am treated just as kindly, and as much like a brother by the students, as if my skin were as white, and my education as good as their own. Thanks to the Lord, prejudice against color does not exist in Lane Seminary! If my life is spared, I shall probably spend several years here, and prepare to preach the gospel.

Bradley’s Brief Account of an Emancipated Slave, published in 1834, reveals a man who, in the Lord’s providence, despite many obstacles, managed to learn how to read and write, became knowledgeable of his need for a Savior, and with a longing for liberty, achieved his personal goal of emancipation from slavery and sought rather to serve the Lord.

Bradley’s admission to a Presbyterian seminary in 1834, came just a few years after Theodore S. Wright, a free African-American, graduated from Princeton in 1828, and later was ordained as a Presbyterian minister. It was in 1837 that Titus Basfield graduated from the Canonsburg Theological Seminary of the Associate Presbyterian Church and went on to serve as a minister in that denomination. Sadly, events transpired at Lane which would derail Bradley’s aspirations to pursue the gospel ministry.

In 1834, a series of debates were held among students and faculty concerning the appropriateness of immediate abolition of slavery, and the question of the work of the American Colonization Society, which aimed to send free blacks to Africa, to build the new nation of Liberia. Although the general sentiment of opposition to slavery was held by many at Lane, these were controversial matters which raised tensions at the seminary and in the surrounding area, which were magnified by nationwide newspaper coverage. Many notable people were present, including Lyman Beecher, President of the seminary; Calvin Ellis Stowe, a professor, and his future wife, Harriet Beecher; John Rankin; and others. James Bradley spoke at these debates, and he was the only black person and only former slave to do so; although some slaves, owned by Southern students, were also present at the debates. He recounted the oppression he experienced, and answered objections to immediate abolition, such as the concern that slaves would be unable to care for themselves.

In a March 10, 1834 letter, fellow student Henry B. Stanton recount Bradley’s role at the Lane Debates:

James Bradley, the emancipated slave above alluded to, addressed us nearly two hours; and I wish his speech could have been heard by every opponent of immediate emancipation, to wit: first, that “it would be unsafe to the community;” second, that “the condition of the emancipated negroes would be worse than it now is; that they are incompetent to provide for themselves; that they would become paupers and vagrants, and would rather steal than work for wages.” This shrewd and intelligent black, cut up these white objections by the roots, and withered and scorched them under the sun of sarcastic argumentation, for nearly an hour, to which the assembly responded in repeated and spontaneous roars of laughter, which were heartily joined in by both Colonizationists and Abolitionists. Do not understand me as saying, that his speech was devoid of argument. No it contained sound logic, enforced by apt illustrations. I wish the slanderers of negro intellect could have witnessed this unpremeditated effort. I will give you a sketch of this man's history. He was stolen from Africa when an infant, and sold into slavery. His master, who resided in Arkansas, died, leaving him to his widow. He was then about eighteen years of age. For some years, he managed the plantation for his mistress. Finally, he purchased his time by the year, and began to earn money to buy his freedom. After five years of toil, having paid his owners $655, besides supporting himself during the time, he received his “free papers,” and emigrated to a free State with more than $200 in his pocket. Every cent of this money, $855, he earned by labour and trading. He is now a beloved and respected member of this institution. Now, Mr. Editor, can slaves take care of themselves if emancipated? I answer the question in the language employed by brother Bradley, on the above occasion. “They have to take care of, and support themselves now, and their master, and his family into the bargain; and this being so, it would be strange if they could not provide for themselves, when disencumbered from this load.”

Bradley acquitted himself admirably at the debates, but the seminary trustees were soon moved to ban further discussion of these controversial issues. Local threats of violence against abolitionists were a great concern. Unable to abide by these restrictions, the so-called “Lane Rebels” resigned from the school en masse in October 1834, publishing A Statement of the Reasons Which Induced the Students of Lane Seminary, to Dissolve their Connection with that Institution, signed by 51 persons, including James Bradley.

Bradley moved to Oberlin, Ohio, where he studied at the Sheffield Manual Labor Institute. But after 1837 nothing further is known of Bradley, except that he assisted in the liberation of other slaves possibly via the Underground Railroad. He never became a gospel minister. We do not even have a picture of the man or a physical description, although a statue was erected in his honor at Covington, Kentucky in 1988. Bradley was portrayed by Jaylen Marks in the 2019 docudrama Sons & Daughters of Thunder.

Although he was lost to history, in that the final chapters of his life are unknown, he is remembered still, as a passionate advocate of freedom for all, and the autobiographical account of his emancipation is a brief but stirring read. Read more about and by James Bradley here.

Forgotten Founding Fathers of the American Church and State

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There is a volume of biographical sketches that is well worth the read - William T. Hanzsche’s Forgotten Founding Fathers of the American Church and State (1954). It highlights some of the most significant colonial Presbyterians found on Log College Press. These include: Francis Makemie (“the Father of American Presbyterianism”); William Tennent, Sr. (founder of the Log College); Jonathan Dickinson (first President of the College of New Jersey in Princeton); David Brainerd (the “Apostle to the North American Indians”); Gilbert Tennent (“Son of Thunder”); Samuel Davies (the “Apostle to Virginia”); and John Witherspoon (the only clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation).

Hanzsche’s study is a great introduction to these men and their legacies. Their contributions to early American Presbyterianism, and indeed, to the history of the United States and the world, are worthy of notice and appreciation. This volume helps students of history to better understand the significance of each of these American Presbyterian worthies.

Alexander Blaikie on what it means to praise God

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Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD. — Ps. 150:6

The first chapter of Alexander Blaikie’s Catechism on Praise teaches us what is the fundamental nature of and reason for praise, that joyful duty to which we owe God.

I. What is the praise of God? 

It is the manifestation of his declarative glory by his creatures. Psa. 69:34; 150:6.

II. Do the Scriptures authorize or command that praise shall be given to God, as an act of worship? 

Yes, both. All creatures, but especially Christians, are required to render it. Psa. 86:12,13; 138:1; 65:1; 89:5.

III. Has God given to us any directions how we are to praise him? 

Yes, in his word. Psa. 9:1; 86:12; 109:30; Hos. 14:2; Heb. 13:15.

IV. For what are we to praise God? 

For his great and wonderful excellencies; for what he in himself, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Author of salvation to his saints; for what he has done, and what he has promised to do.

V. For what are we to give thanks? 

For all our comforts and hopes; especially for an interest in Christ, and the hope of eternal life. Eph. 5:20; Heb. 13:15.

VI. What, then, is the nature of praise? 

It is a tribute of affection and esteem, which we give to the true God, that thus we may increase his declarative glory. Psa. 50:23.

It is good not to lose sight of such a precious and fundamental precept as the duty to offer praise to our God. We always have occasion to praise the Lord even in all circumstances. He who praises his Maker and his Redeemer is blessed in rendering glory to God, which is our chief end and also our great delight.

William Maxwell's Virginia Historical Register

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It was largely attributable to the efforts of John Holt Rice that the Virginia Historical Society was founded, but after his death, it fell to William Maxwell, Rice’s biographer, to “resurrect” the institution. And so he did, as its librarian and as the editor of its journal. The journal which he edited began as The Virginia Historical Register, and Literary Advertiser, and later was known as The Virginia Historical Register, and Literary Note Book; and The Virginia Historical Register, and Literary Companion. All of these volumes, from 1848 to 1853, are now available to read on Log College Press.

The material contained within these volumes includes items relevant to the history of Virginia, poetical pieces and much more, including tributes to, and notices of, notable Virginians, such as Archibald Alexander, Rice’s dear friend; William Henry Foote, author of the Sketches of Virginia, in two volumes; Samuel Davies, the great pioneer missionary to Virginia; and Francis Makemie, “the father of the Presbyterian church in Virginia;” and others. The history of Governor Spotswood’s 1716 Knights of the Golden Horseshoe Expedition across the Blue Ridge Mountains; a notice of the French Huguenot family who emigrated from Ireland to Virginia [the Jacques Fontaine family, from which this writer is descended]; accounts of the Indian princess Pocahontas and Captain John Smith; and many other names of interest to the students of history are discussed in this journal. This a resource rich in historical treasures.

In Maxwell’s words, introducing the journal to the public, “We are…lovers of history.”

If you share this love, dear reader, be sure to check out these fascinating volumes edited by William Maxwell.

The Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia

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Philip Schaff, the Reformed scholar and historian, was a prolific writer who produced several sets of great interest to readers in his day, as well as ours.

In the past we have highlighted Schaff’s 8-volume History of the Christian Church and his 3-volume Creeds of Christendom. Today we take note of another addition to his page at Log College Press. Both the 3-volume A Religious Encyclopedia (1882-1884) and the 13-volume The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge (1908-1914) are now available to read. The latter is the expanded edition, published posthumously, of the former, all of which are based on the original work of Johann Jakob Herzog’s Real-Encyklopädie für protestantische Theologie und Kirche (1853–1868). Schaff edited an additional work titled Encyclopedia of Living Divines and Christian Workers of All Denominations in Europe and America, Being a Supplement to Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge (1887).

We have recently added his assistant editor, Samuel Macauley Jackson (1851-1912), to Log College Press, and are working to add more of his works, including those which he jointly produced with Philip Schaff.

Together the volumes produced by these men contain a wealth of information historical, biographical and theological. The student of church history will benefit from this valuable 19th and early 20th century scholarship. Peruse these resources on the Philip Schaff page, and avail yourself of this great treasure.

The Benediction: No Mere Form But a True Blessing - William H. Adams

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William Hooper Adams, Sr. argued in The Southern Presbyterian Review (Jan. 1874) that the benediction, which customarily concludes the public service of worship, is not a mere formality, but rather a crucial, and highly significant and meaningful, aspect of corporate worship.

After a study of the Biblical texts, and reference to many commentaries on the inspired Aaronic and New Testament blessings, Adams concludes that the benediction which customarily concludes a public worship service is not a mere dismissal of the congregation, not a mere prayer, and not a mere formality, but is instead rather a crucial affirmation of God’s blessing upon the worship that has just taken place.

Following Biblical precedent, it must be given by the pastor, who, invoking the sacred and holy name of the Most High, speaks peace to the people authoritatively and comfortingly, as the service concludes. In the words of Adams:

The Benediction is not so much our prayer as it is the Lord's "Amen" to his people's prayers and praises. Into it he collects all the desires and vows and holy meditations of the service now being terminated, and in this single sentence assures every true worshipper that every thing conformable with his will shall be accomplished; yea, that he will do exceeding abundantly, filling them with "all the fulness of God."

With this summary, Adams shows us how much the Lord gives to his children in the benediction, and what a high value we ought to place upon such a gift. Read his full essay on the matter here, and take note of what a rich blessing the benediction truly is at the conclusion of every public worship service.

John Murray on the Tercentenary of the Westminster Assembly

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On the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the commencement of the Westminster Assembly, which first convened on July 1, 1643, John Murray wrote a series of articles for The Presbyterian Guardian sketching the history of its calling, work and catechisms. Those articles are now available to read at Log College Press.

  • The Calling of the Westminster Assembly, Part 1 (1942)

  • The Work of the Westminster Assembly, Part 1 (1942)

  • A Notable Tercentenary (1943)

  • The Calling of the Westminster Assembly, Part 2 (1943)

  • The Work of the Westminster Assembly, Part 2 (1943)

  • The Catechisms of the Westminster Assembly (1943)

Murray wrote a great deal about the Westminster Assembly and Standards over his long career. His knowledge of the history and his conveyance of that knowledge to readers is extensive and edifying. In his article on the Catechisms, he makes a point that students of this history do well to bear in mind: the Confession and the Catechisms have overlapping but also distinct places in the work of the Assembly.

The Catechisms of the Westminster Assembly were, of course, intended to serve a different purpose from that of the Confession, and any comparison of the Catechisms with the Confession should bear this in mind. It should be said, however, that the formulations of the Catechism, especially of the Larger, are at certain points an improvement over the formulations of the Confession. It is altogether nature that the greater maturity of thought attained at the time of the Catechisms were prepared should have had this effect. For example, the formulation of the doctrine of the Covenant of Grace found in the Larger Catechism is more lucid and felicitous than that found in Chapter VII, Section III, of the Confession. A comparison of this section with Questions 30 to 32 in the Larger Catechism will readily show what is meant. Again, the definition of the sinfulness of the estate into which the fall brought mankind, given in both Catechisms, is in at least one respect more adequate than Chapter VI, Sections I to IV, of the Confession. This concerns the question of the imputation of the guilt of Adam’s first sin, a doctrine distinctly asserted in the Confession (Chapter VI, Section III) but not clearly grounded in the covenant relationship between Adam and posterity, as is done in the Larger Catechism, Question 22, and in the Shorter, Question 16. Well-grounded may be the surmise of William Cunningham that the discussions taking place in France in connection with Placaeus’ doctrine of mediate imputation and the decisions of the Synod of Charenton (1644-1645) had become better known and the implications better understood when the divines prepared the Catechisms. In any case, greater precision is manifest in both Catechisms than appears in the Confession. Examples like these show how necessary it is, in determining the position of the Westminster Assembly, to consult the Catechisms as well as the Confession, and in the matter of the subordinate standards in Presbyterian churches a great deal is to be gained by the inclusion of the Catechisms as well as the Confession.

With such insights as these, Murray guides his readers through the times and significance of the Westminster Assembly and its work. This series of articles by a remarkable scholar and teacher is a wonderful introduction to such an important chapter in church history.

J.A. Alexander: Be Still and Know That I am God

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Joseph Addison Alexander, the remarkable Biblical scholar who was skilled in 25 languages, was also a prolific poet. In 1833, while on travel in Europe, he wrote what his biographer, H.C. Alexander, called “one of his noblest productions.”

Be Still and Know That I am God

I.

When fortune smiles and friends abound;
When all thy fondest hopes are crowned;
When earth with her exhaustless store,
Seems still intent to give thee more:
When every wind and every tide
Contribute to exalt thy pride;
When all the elements conspire
To feed thy covetous desire;
When foes submit and envy stands
Pale and abashed with folded hands;
While fame’s unnumbered tongues prolong
The swell of thy triumphal song;
When crowds admire and worlds applaud
”Be still and know that I am God.”

II.

When crowns are sported with and thrones
Are rocked to their foundation stones;
When nations tremble and the earth
Seems big with some portentous birth;
When all the ties of social life
Are severed by intestine strife;
When human blood begins to drip
From tyranny’s accursed whip;
When peace and order find their graves
In anarchy’s tempestuous waves;
When every individual hand
Is steeped in crime, and every land
Is full of violence and fraud;
”Be still and know that I am God.”

III.

When to the havoc man has made
The elements afford their aid;
When nature sickens, and disease
Rides on the wing of every breeze;
When the tornado in its flight
Blows the alarm and calls to fight;
When raging Fever leads the van,
In the fierce onset upon man;
When livid Plague and pale Decline
And bloated Dropsy, form the line;
While hideous Madness, shivering Fear
And grim Despair, bring up the rear;
When these thy judgments are abroad:
”Be still and know that I am God.”

IV.

When messages of grace are sent,
And mercy calls thee to repent;
When through a cloud of doubts and fears
The Sun of Righteousness appears;
When thy reluctant heart delays
To leave it’s old accustomed ways;
When pride excites a storm within,
And pleads and fights for every sin;
Be still, and and let this tumult cease;
Say to thy raging passions, “Peace!”
By love subdued, by judgment awed:
”Be still and know that I am God.”

The Shepherd Prince

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It was in 1853 that the Lithuanian writer Abraham Mapu (1808-1867) published what is considered to be the first Hebrew language novel, Ahavat Ziyyon (The Love of Zion). It is an historical romance set in the days of the prophet Isaiah. Although Mapu struggled to make ends meet as an author, this publication was a landmark event and would inspire many who worked to establish the nation state of Israel.

There were English translations of this novel in 1887 under title Amnon, Prince and Peasant, tr. by F. Jaffe; in 1902 as In the Days of Isaiah, tr. by Benjamin Alexander Moses Schapiro; and as The Shepherd Prince in 1922 and 1930, also by Schapiro, a Jewish-Christian missionary to the Jewish people. The 1922 translation was published with an introduction by the great Princeton linguistic scholar, Robert Dick Wilson.

Wilson, Robert Dick, Introduction to The Shepherd Prince Title Page cropped.jpg

Wilson’s praise of the story and the translation by Schapiro is remarkable given his expertise as a Christian Orientalist.

THE perusal of “The Shepherd-Prince,” translated from the work of the famous Jewish writer of fiction, Abraham Mapu, by Mr. B.A.M. Schapiro, will show how possible it is for the spirit and “atmosphere” of a people, as well as the environment and setting of ages long past, to be brought out so vividly as to make them real to the consciousness of readers of today. To achieve this is a distinction, the height of literary art.

This work is to be warmly commended to Christian readers because it presents in graphic form the ideas of a modern Israelite with regard to the life and ideals, the emotions and aspirations, of the Ancient Chosen People.

The period of this intensely interesting love story is that of the time of Isaiah, the greatest in the long list of prophets from Moses to Christ. And the incidents of the love-idyl and love-tragedy throughout its course, which, as in all human experience, did not run smooth, but was ultimately triumphant, are admirably developed and in language so felicitous that one feels almost as if it were from the Bible-fount itself.

Love—the greatest thing in the world—found expression in ancient times just as it does today; although the setting differed, the essentials are the same, and the reader of modern fictional literature will find something refreshing in the pure and ardent affection of the hero and heroine, in their tribulations and joys. We believe that this book will be uplifting and that it will have a healthful influence on readers of the present time; for, as has been well said, “There is no time in life when books do not influence a man,” and the potency and sway of a good book are incalculable.

The love story—the leading motive of the book—illustrates the theme of the Song of Songs: that love is stronger than death. It is interesting to observe that love at first sight was, in the estimation of Mapu, as common a thing as it is in our own times, and that the course of love ran no more smoothly then than now. The manner in which the passion was manifested, especially of the heroine, may shock the sensibilities of some of the readers, because of the departure from certain conventionalities to which they are accustomed; but it is well to learn how other people express their affection and how a great Hebrew scholar imagines the passion and the practice of love among the Israelites 2,700 years ago.

Mr. Schapiro has put the reading public unfamiliar with Hebrew language and literature under a deep debt of gratitude for the excellent manner in which he has rendered into English this masterpiece of Abraham Mapu, whose fame is known to the uttermost ends of the earth as the “Father of Jewish Fiction.”

The translator is an acknowledged master of Hebrew, the Rabbinical exegesis of the Old Testament, and the Talmudical interpretation of the same. He has written much and well, being the author of many useful and learned pamphlets. He is therefore eminently well qualified to translate for readers of English the wonderfully poetic and figurative language of the original, which abounds in prose-poetry and song of the highest character. Indeed, the translation is so free from the usual ear-marks of translated works that, if there were not two names on the title-page, it might well be taken for an original work in English.
…
Within the limits of a Foreword it is impossible adequately to do justice to the scholarship and intrinsic worth of such a work as this; but, without flattery, it can safely be asserted that Mr. Schapiro has presented in a singularly fascinating way in its English dress, the greatest novel that has ever been produced in the Hebrew language. To say more would be like painting the lily or refining pure gold.

The Shepherd Prince is now available to read at Log College Press at R.D. Wilson’s page. If you are in search of a classic historical novel, this is a great one to add to your reading list.

Abraham Gosman on Biblical Theology

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In reviewing Abraham Gosman’s 1894 charge to the new professor of Biblical Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary, Geerhardus Vos, it is interesting to note that he credited Joseph Addison Alexander and Caspar Wistar Hodge, Sr. as early precursors of this theological discipline.

Here is a brief extract from that charge which summarizes the nature of Biblical Theology, as conceived by a Director of the Seminary, and its relation to other areas of study.

Biblical Theology stands in close relations both to Exegetical and Systematic Theology, and yet has its own well-defined bounds. It presupposes Exegetical Theology; it furnishes the material for Systematic Theology. If Systematic Theology is, as we may conceive it to be, the finished building, harmonious in its proportions, symmetrical and beautiful; then Exegetical Theology may be regarded as the quarry from which the material is taken; and Biblical Theology, as putting the granite blocks into form, not polished and graven, but shaped and fitted for the place they are to fill, as the structure grows in its vastness and beauty. It seeks the saving facts and truths as they lie in the Word, and are embedded, and to some extent expressed, in the history of the people of God. God's methods are always historical and genetic, and it conforms to His methods. It views these words and facts in their historical relations and their progressive development. It aims not merely to arrive at the ideas and facts as they appear in particular authors and in the books justly ascribed to them, and as they may be modified in their form by time, culture, influences friendly or hostile; but to set forth these facts and truths thus ascertained in their relation to the other books in which they may appear in clearer light, — to trace their progress and unfolding from the germ to the ripened fruit. As the stream of sacred history runs parallel with that of revelation, it borders closely upon Historical Theology. But the two conceptions are distinct.

Read more of Gosman’s charge as well as Vos’ inaugural address on The Idea of Biblical Theology as a Science and as a Theological Discipline, at their respective pages, as well as the Biblical Theology page.