Samuel Miller on how the Christian should think about suicide

Suicide is a deep misery, impacting family and friends of the loved one who takes his/her life. But it is also a sin, a breaking of the 6th commandment. We may think of suicide as a modern/post-modern problem. But in 1805, Samuel Miller was confronted with a rash of suicides (nine in 3 months). He approached the crisis head-on, preaching and then publishing addresses inscribed to the young people of his congregation: The Guilt, Folly and Sources of Suicide (1805). To the one who thinks he would never be tempted to commit suicide, Miller speaks these words:

Brethren, be not deceived! Every individual who hears me has an interest in this subject. Who can foresee the situations in which he may hereafter be placed, or the temptations by which he may hereafter be assailed? Or who can tell how soon the conduct of a near relative, or of a valued friend, may bring the subject home, with the deepest interest, to his bosom? It is probable, that the most of those who have fallen into this deplorable sin, were once as ready as any of my present hearers can now be, to think and to say, What, is thy servant a dog that he should do this thing? In truth, it becomes depraved creatures with regard to every sin, to be humble and watchful; for there is no sin into which they may not fall, if forsaken by restraining grace. That we may, therefore, be armed against the hour of temptation ourselves, and that we may be able to convince and warn others, let me request you seriously to attend, while I endeavour, First, To lay before you the Guilt and Folly of the sin in question; and, Secondly, By tracing the evil to its Sources, to put you on your guard against such principles and habits as may lead to danger.

Have you been touched by suicide? Are you being tempted to take your own life? Read Miller.

Buy The Five Points of Presbyterianism and A Forty-Three Year Pastorate in a Country Church now!

The first two publications of Log College Press are now available! The Five Points of Presbyterianism: The Distinctives of Presbyterian Church Government, by Thomas Dwight Witherspoon, and A Forty-Three Year Pastorate in a Country Church, by Cornelius Washington Grafton, are now available here. These booklets are $3.99 each, and shipping is 99 cents no matter how many copies you order. Witherspoon's work is a succinct explanation of Presbyterianism, perfect for officer training and anyone who wants to understand one of the main things that distinguishes Presbyterian churches from other gospel churches. Grafton's booklet is an autobiographical narrative of his incredibly long pastorate in Union Church, Mississippi. Both are great reads. Buy them today!

Have you seen all the works by B. B. Warfield on the Log College Press website?

Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield was born on this day in 1851. He was a prolific author, and we've posted a lot of his works on the Log College Press website here. One of his most famous books is The Plan of Salvation (1915), which nicely lays out the competing claims of autosoterism (self-salvation), sacerdotalism, universalism, and Calvinism. It is a must read by any serious student of theology. If you don't have a copy of it, download it from Warfield's author page.

The works of Samuel Davies are increasing on Log College Press...

Samuel Davies was born on this day in 1723, and so we highlight him today. On our website you will find not only his four volumes of Sermons, but his Letters Shewing the State of Religion in Virginia (1757) and an installation sermon he preached in 1754 entitled "The Duties, Difficulties and Rewards of the Faithful Minister." 

A new biography of Samuel Davies has been published by Dewey Roberts. If you're interested in learning more about this Presbyterian father in the faith, don't miss it. 

The dictionary definition of "prolific" is a picture of William Swan Plumer

It's "No Shave November," so here you go, men - aspire to the beardliness of William Swan Plumer. It will take likely you as long to read all his writings as it will take your beard to grow to the size of his. For we haven't even posted half of all the things William Swan Plumer wrote, and yet there are twenty-one books/pamphlets on the Log College Press site. He was an amazingly practical, pious, and pointed author, and working through his corpus will reward your soul. Start today! 

Archibald Alexander Hodge on the Westminster Shorter Catechism

If you are teaching through the Westminster Shorter Catechism, make sure to check out this commentary by A. A. Hodge and J. Aspinwall Hodge - The System of Theology Contained in the Westminster Shorter Catechism: Opened and Explained (1888). A. A. Hodge had written the first part of the book, and upon his death J. Aspinwall Hodge (his cousin) finished it. This relatively unknown volume is a great companion to Hodge's Commentary on the Westminster Confession.

B. B. Warfield on Luther's 95 Theses

If you're looking for some insight into the theology of Luther's 95 Theses, don't miss B.B. Warfield (1851-1921), 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 Protestant Reformation in the Writings of the 19th Century American Presbyterians

To commemorate what is arguably the great event in church history since Pentecost, Log College Press wishes to highlight select works by early American Presbyterians which relate to the 500th anniversary of the Reformation:

William Swan Plumer on Solus Christus

“In proportion as men are truly pious, they make Jesus Christ the foundation and top-stone, the sum and substance and center of all their hopes and rejoicings. He is believed on in the world, not merely because there is no other way of salvation, but because this way is so admirably adapted to all the necessities of sinners, and because it brings glory to God in the highest. The true believer not only trusts in Christ; he glories in him. He not only makes mention of him; he admits none into comparison with him. To all the ends, parts and purposes of salvation Christ stands alone. There is none like him, there is none with him, there is none before him, there is none after him, there is none beside him.” (From "Christ All in All" - Plumer's Inaugural Discourse at Western Theological Seminary)

Benjamin Morgan Palmer's sermon on Philippians 4:6

On July 29, 1855, Benjamin Morgan Palmer preached a sermon to his congregation at First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC, on Philippians 4:6 entitled "The Antidote of Care." It had such an impact on the people of God that they asked him to publish it. The antidote of care is prayer. Palmer tells us why:

1. In prayer we are brought to a habitual and practical sense of the supreme will of a personal God.

2. Prayer leads to the contemplation of God in his Covenant relations to us, which will soften the lot otherwise rugged and difficult.

3. Prayer compels us to take an inventory of our mercies, and to balance, these against our trials. 

4. Prayer imparts a tone to the spirit, girding it for the hour of trial.

5. Prayer brings us to a distinct issue with ourselves in relation to our cares.

6. In prayer we apprehend the nearness of Heaven, which is a motive to submission and patience.

Calling all BCO nerds - do you have Ramsay in your library?

Francis Ramsay's Exposition of the Form of Government and the Rules of Discipline (1898) is just that - an exposition, or explanation, or what the Southern Presbyterian Church's Book of Church Order stated at the current time. Yet Ramsay's book remains relevant in 2017 to the ecclesiastical descendants of the PCUS, because many portions of current Books of Church Order are found in the book Ramsey expounded. 

Why understand the BCO better? Ramsay explains:

"But the writer has concluded his exposition with a deep conviction that the more our standards are studied the less disposition there will be to criticize them. For it may be conceded that our system of government is one that works with much friction and confusion, and, it must be admitted, with considerable inefficiency, if those who work it do not understand it and intelligently approve it; for there are other systems that work more easily and satisfactorily in the hands of adherents not generally intelligent and capable. All we can claim is that the members and officers of any church need to know its system of government well enough, and to love it well enough, to work it efficiently, and that for those thus qualified ours is the best system, even among the different systems that are scriptural in their main principles. To promote the study of our standards of order, and thereby a devotion to them and a working knowledge of them, is the end of this effort."

The next time you have a question about your BCO, open up Ramsay.

Even presuppositionalists need to be familiar with Alexander's "Evidences"

Sticking with the Princeton theme of this week, we've recently posted Archibald Alexander's Evidences of the Christian Religion (1832). Not every modern Presbyterian will agree with his approach (although check out Paul Helseth's "Right Reason" and the Princeton Mind for an "unorthodox proposal" regarding the Princetonian apologetic), but every stripe of apologist needs to be familiar with the external and internal evidences for Christianity. Alexander's book, though written for a different era, still has much to teach Christians (and non-Christians!) today.

Have you seen Samuel Miller's introductory essay on the Articles of the Synod of Dort?

Samuel Miller was a J. I. Packer of the 19th century, supplying introductory essays for several works. We've already posted his essay on the Sabbath (1833), but here's another one: his 1841 introductory essay to the Articles of the Synod of Dort. In this 74-page essay, Miller discusses the circumstances leading up to the Synod, as well as the writing of the Articles and the theology found in them. Anyone interested in the history of Calvinism will appreciate Miller's assessment of this document and its history. 

Why does formal training for gospel ministry matter? Samuel Miller answers.

Samuel Miller, the Professor of Ecclesiastical History and Church Government at Princeton Theological Seminary in the first half of the 19th century, gave six answers to this question in his book, The Importance of a Thorough and Adequate Course of Preparatory Study for the Holy Ministry (1832):

1. The great importance of careful and mature preparatory study in candidates for the Ministry, appears from the nature and importance of that public service which the sacred office demands. 

2. A further and very important argument in favour of mature preparatory study is, that very few who do not lay a good foundation in the beginning, ever supply the deficiency afterwards.

3. The great importance of regular and mature training for the holy Ministry is manifest from the peculiar state and wants of our country.

4. The great importance of mature study, and thorough training for the holy Ministry, is manifest from the predominant influence which, the Press exerts, and seems destined in a still higher degree, to exert, in every part of our country.

5. Ample and mature preparatory study is of exceeding great importance to a candidate for the holy ministry, as a substitute for that experience which cannot be possessed in the outset of an ecclesiastical course; and for the general formation of the character.

6. The importance of mature study and thorough training for the sacred office, is powerfully and uniformly attested by the history of the Church.

What did an aged Archibald Alexander want to say to the young people in his life?

Log College Press exists to bring back to the church's memory books like this: Archibald Alexander's Counsels of the Aged to the Young (1852). Far too often, younger generations could care less what older generations have to say. But the wise man or woman takes the experience and advice of the aged to heart. Alexander's book was highly regarded in his own day, and it should be remembered in our day.

Here is Alexander's introduction:

It is a matter of serious regret, that young persons are commonly so little disposed to listen to the advice of the aged. This prejudice seems to have its origin in an apprehension, that austerity and rigour naturally belong to advanced years; and that the loss of all susceptibility of pleasure from those scenes and objects which afford delight to the young produces something of an ill-natured or envious feeling towards them. Now, it cannot be denied, that some of the aged are chargeable with the fault of being too rigid in exacting from youth the same steady gravity, which is becoming in those who have lived long, and have had much experience in the world; not remembering that the constitutional temperament of these two periods of human life is very different. In youth, the spirits are buoyant, the susceptibilities lively, the affections ardent, and the hopes sanguine. To the young, every thing in the world wears the garb of freshness; and the novelty and variety of the scenes presented keep up a constant excitement. These traits of youthful character, as long as irregularity and excess are avoided, are not only allowable, but amiable; and would in that age be badly exchanged for the more sedate and grave emotions which are the natural effects of increasing years, and of long and painful experience. But it is greatly to be desired, that the lessons of wisdom taught by the experience of one set of men should be made available to the instruction of those who come after them. We have, therefore, determined to address a few short hints of advice to the rising generation, on subjects of deep and acknowledged importance to all ; but previously to commencing, we would assure them, that it is no part of our object to interfere with their innocent enjoyments, or to deprive them of one pleasure which cannot be shown to be injurious to their best interests. We wish to approach you, dear youth, in the character of affectionate friends, rather than in that of dogmatical teachers or stern reprovers. We would therefore, solicit your patient, candid and impartial attention to the following counsels...

Tolle lege - take and read! 

What is the nature and limits of church power? Few questions are more important.

John Bailey Adger (1810-1899) gives a wonderfully full answer to this question in his article from the October 1874 number of the Southern Presbyterian Review, entitled, aptly, "Church Power." 

Christians need to take heed to Adger's counsels, so that we might learn to obey lawful authority, and resist tyranny. Read this article, and you will better understand what Presbyterian church government is all about. 

Before there was Packer's Concise Theology, there was Plumer's Truths for the People

William Swan Plumer loved to write theology for the common man. Many of his books were aimed at the church at large, not merely pastors or scholars. Toward the end of his life, Plumer published Truths for the People: Or, Several Points in Theology Plainly Stated, for Beginners (1875). If you or someone you know is looking for a book that hits the highlights of systematic theology, but in an accessible style, in short chunks and even shorter sentences, then this is the book to read. 

What did Robert J. Breckinridge, a border state Presbyterian pastor, think of the state of the country in 1862?

Robert Jefferson Breckinridge's 24-page pamphlet entitled Two Speeches on the State of Our Country (1862) opens a window into the way that Northern Presbyterians viewed the Civil War, the South, and Southern Presbyterians. Breckinridge had been close to many Southerners throughout the early days of Old School Presbyterianism (1837ff.), but he could not tolerate the views they held on slavery and secession. Read these speeches and you will discover the reasons why.