Princeton vs. The New Divinity

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Twenty years ago, a handy little volume was published by Banner of Truth titled Princeton Versus The New Divinity. It is a collection of a handful of articles written by 19th century Princeton divines in response to the movement known by various names, including New England Theology, Edwardsean, and The New Divinity, among other nomenclatures. In general, it was a movement that heavily emphasized evangelism and revival at the expense of Biblical theology on such matters as sin, total depravity, and grace.

Princeton divines were greatly concerned that this new movement needed to be countered by sound theology. A number of articles were written in The Biblical Repertory and Theological Review, The Biblical Repertory and Princeton Review and in other titles to respond to the movement by way of direct discussion and historical overview. Today we are thankful for the digitizing labors of those at the Library of the Princeton Theological Seminary who have made these articles, and others, so much more accessible.

As mentioned in the Banner of Truth volume, David Calhoun’s outline of the issues and authors involved, which appears in Princeton Seminary, Vol. 1, is highly recommended.

There were seven chapters/articles included in the 2001 Banner of Truth volume:

  • Charles Hodge, Review of Cox’s Sermon on Regeneration, and the Manner of Its Occurrence (1830) — titled “Regeneration” in the BoT volume;

  • Archibald Alexander, The Early History of Pelagianism (1830);

  • Archibald Alexander, The Doctrine of Original Sin as Held by the Church, Both Before and After the Reformation (1830) — titled “Original Sin” in the BoT volume;

  • Archibald Alexander, An Inquiry Into that Inability Under Which the Sinner Labours, and Whether it Furnishes Any Excuse for His Neglect of Duty (1831) — titled “The Inability of Sinners” in the BoT volume;

  • Charles Hodge, The New Divinity Tried (1832);

  • Albert Baldwin Dod, Finney’s Sermons (1835) and Finney’s Lectures (1835) — combined and titled “On Revivals of Religion” in the BoT volume — “William G. McLoughlin comments that Dod’s ‘review of the Lectures on Revivals can and should be properly considered the official and definitive counterattack upon the theological revolution that [Charles] Finney led,” David Calhoun, Princeton Seminary, Vol. 1, p. 467;

  • John Woodbridge, Review of The Scriptural Doctrine of Sanctification Stated and Defended Against the Error of Perfectionism (1842) — titled “Sanctification” in the BoT volume; and

  • Thomas Cleland, Bodily Affections Produced by Religious Excitement (1834) — an 1846 reprint was titled “Bodily Effects of Religious Excitement” and included the BoT volume.

All of these articles are available to read online at the links above. In addition, some others on this overall topic are also available to read and recommended for further study. Also, take note of our earlier post relating to the 1837-1838 split of the Presbyterian Church on the Old School-New School Explained.

  • Archibald Alexander, January 25, 1802 Letter to Nathan Strong (1802);

  • Lyman Hotchkiss Atwater, Dr. Woodbridge on Revivals: Influence of the New Divinity on Religion (1842);

  • Lyman Hotchkiss Atwater, Old Orthodoxy, New Divinity and Unitarianism (1857);

  • Lyman Hotchkiss Atwater, Jonathan Edwards and the Successive Forms of The New Divinity (1858);

  • Lyman Hotchkiss Atwater, Revivals of the Century (1876);

  • George Addison Baxter, January 1, 1802 Letter on the Kentucky Revival (1802);

  • Charles Hodge, Finney’s Lectures on Theology (1847);

  • William Buell Sprague, Lectures on Revivals of Religion (1832);

  • David Alexander Wallace, The Theology of New England (1856); and

There is even more to read at Log College Press on this topic. But this may serve for starters. If you have an interest in the theological innovations that disrupted in the Presbyterian Church in the early 19th century, and how Princeton divines responded, dive in to these materials prayerfully, and with a Bible at hand, to better understand what was at issue, and how God’s Word and the history of the church sheds light on these matters. The editor of the Banner of Truth volume had to say about the importance of the subject:

Why these articles should be reprinted at a date so far removed from the controversy which occasioned them warrants introductory comment. Some controversies represent no more than a passing disturbance in the church. It was not to be so with the New Divinity. Both contending parties in the controversy saw this clearly. Those who introduced the new ideas were insistent that they would have revolutionary and long-term benefits for the advance of the gospel. Especially would this be so, they claimed, with respect to effective evangelism and the promotion of revival. The Princeton men, and those who supported them, were equally convinced that, should the new teaching succeed, it would mean a change of direction exceedingly adverse to the spiritual interests of later generations. Where the ‘New School’ were certain of the practical benefits resulting from the changes for which they were working, the ‘Old’ saw disaster.

A Guide to Family Worship by Harold M. Robinson

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God is to be worshipped every where in spirit and in truth; as in private families daily, and in secret each one by himself (WCF 21.6; Mal. 1.11; Tim. 2.8, John 4.23-24; Matt. 6.11; Jer. 10.25; Deut. 6.6-7; Job 1.5; 2 Sam. 6.18, 20; 1 Pet. 3.7; Acts 10.2).

In 1923, Harold McAfee Robinson (1881-1939) published a helpful guide to family worship. It summarizes and give practical counsel regarding the three main features of worship in the family circle: the reading and study of the Holy Scriptures, prayer and song.

After providing reasons for the gathering of the family unit specifically to praise God, as well as summarizing leading principles that guide Biblical family worship — including such matters as focusing on the needs of the youngest children as well as older persons present, and what time of day to hold family worship — Robinson, in How to Conduct Family Worship, distinguishes the proper acts that constitute such a service.

The Cotter’s Saturday Night by William Kidd

The Cotter’s Saturday Night by William Kidd

What are the acts of family worship?

The acts of worship most appropriate to the family are the use of Scripture, prayer, and song. There are other acts of social worship, such as the sacraments and the bringing of offerings, which are not appropriate to the family. There are also other acts of worship which may be appropriate to the family, but these three acts are the most common and the most appropriate.

Regarding these three elements of family worship, Robinson devotes a chapter to each, which contains useful material to consider.

In the chapter on song, he encourages music in family worship, meaning hymns (he does not recommend the singing of psalms). Suggested material includes Louis F. Benson’s The Best Church Hymns.

Citing Robert M. M’Cheyne, who said, “You read your Bible regularly, of course; but do try to understand it, and still more to feel it. . . . Turn the Bible into prayer,” Robinson encourages families to read the Bible together in portions suitable to the abilities of the hearers, and to take what is read as seeds for prayer.

Finally, prayer is encouraged on the basis that the Word of God spoken to us should lead to a return of words spoken, sincerely, briefly and according to the needs and capacities of the family, back unto God. The matter of Scripture reading, the particular occasions which might call for particular prayers, and the general tenor of all family prayers are addressed.

There are several generally recognized elements in complete and orderly prayer. These are: adoration, confession, thanksgiving, petition, intercession, and submission.

There is much that is good in this handy little volume on family worship. Consider this manual as you and your family gather to praise God daily as we are commanded to do.

Herman Bavinck died a century ago - this was his eulogy

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Between 1920 and 1921, within the span of eight months, three great Calvinist luminaries with Princeton ties entered into glory: Abraham Kuyper, B.B. Warfield and Herman Bavinck. In Bavinck’s case, he ceased his mortal labors on this earth on July 29, 1921.

On the centennial anniversary of Bavinck’s passing, we take note of a eulogy written about Dr. Bavinck from the hand of a dear friend, Henry E. Dosker.

Dosker was born in the Netherlands and studied with Bavinck there before Dosker emigrated to the United States, eventually becoming a professor at the Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Dosker, writing in The Princeton Theological Review (July 1922), says:

Herman Bavinck was my lifelong friend and it was with the thought that this brief sketch may serve as a friend’s tribute to his memory, that it has been written. We studied together in the gymnasium of Zwolle and have been separated in 1873, but the tie of friendship remained unbroken; during all these well nigh fifty years, in fact almost to the time of his death, we corresponded and repeated visits, on either side of the Atlantic, deepened our friendship. Besides this I have been a constant reader of his writings and gladly admit that he was my preceptor as well as my friend. And as I set myself to the task of writing this sketch of the life of a truly great man it seems best to etch his life with a few strokes of the pen and then make an attempt at the analysis of his character as a theologian, his personality, methods of work and variety of interests.

In the following pages, Dosker does indeed sketch a remarkable life well-lived. We encourage our readers to scan those pages in tribute to one of the Netherlands’ greatest theologians. In closing, Dosker has this to say regarding his friend:

How he makes all doctrine to live! In reading his Dogmatics one can easily see how his students must have been carried away by his lectures. Theology was to Bavinck more than a science, more than a full concept of the teachings of the Scriptures, systematically arranged and philosophically expounded. The grace of God, a living faith in the Scriptures as principium, a hearty assent to their truth — all this was a prerequisite to its teaching and exploration. And every page of the Reformed Dogmatics indicates how true the great teacher was to his own principles. Of him as of Paul, it might well be said, he brought every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

J.F. Tuttle's search for the lost writings of Jacob and Ashbel Green

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There is a certain fascination with lost literary treasures. Thus the jubilation when such a manuscript or publication, seemingly lost to history, is re-discovered, is exhilarating. Such was the experience of the Joseph Farrand Tuttle — Presbyterian minister, President of Wabash College, and noted historian of Morris County, New Jersey — when he commenced a search for the lost writings of Jacob and Ashbel Green. Jacob Green was a colonial-era Presbyterian minister (who governed Princeton as Vice-President between the administrations of President Jonathan Edwards and President Samuel Davies) and his son, Ashbel Green, later served as President of Princeton. Tuttle first wrote about Jacob Green extensively in Rev. Jacob Green, of Hanover, N.J., as an Author, Statesman and Patriot (1893). A later account that Tuttle, an early biographer of Jacob Green, wrote about his search for the New Jersey Historical Society in 1896 is a fascinating read.

Known to Tuttle from his boyhood, “Parson (Jacob) Green” was an intriguing figure in history in part because of his role in the American War of Independence (a patriot who supported freedom, including that for American slaves).

Even in my boyhood I heard of “Parson Green , of Hanover.” My father's great-grandfather, “Timothy Tuttle, Esq.," as he is named in the “Morristown Bill of Mortality" and in Whitehead's “Combined Register of First Presbyterian Church of Morristown," was a resident with in the bounds of the Hanover Church. He owned a farm in Whippany, and, presumably from his title, was a Justice of the Peace. His brother Joseph, named as “Deacon Tuttle” and “Colonel Joseph Tuttle,” settled on land on Hanover Neck. He was a leading man in Parson Green's Church. He was distinguished as the man who had married five wives, “one at a time.” In this way it came to pass that I can scarcely remember the time when I had not heard the name of “Parson Green, of Hanover," occasionally mentioned as a remarkable one, a sort of universal genius, who could preach, or teach, or prescribe for a sick man, or write his will, or settle his estate, or perform any social function for his parishioners, in or out of the church, in this life or that which is to come. In after years it was my good fortune to secure as my wife the daughter of a lady whom Parson Green had baptized, and to find a home several years with a lady who was a native of Hanover, and who spent her life there previous to her marriage. In addition to these influences for several years it was my good fortune to be an associate pastor of the venerable Presbyterian Church of Rockaway, which antedated the Revolutionary War.

As time progressed, even after Rev. Tuttle moved west to Indiana, his passion for further knowledge of the life and work of Parson Green continued to motivate him. As he collected certain documents related to that history, he began to seek more. Some, known by reference, were no longer thought to be extant.

He spent time in libraries of private historical societies and public institutions, including the library of the Princeton Theological Seminary. He corresponded with many private holders of antiquities. He traveled up and down the East Coast, following clues, hints and leads. Over time, some of the particular works by Jacob Green which Tuttle acquired include:

The full account of his search is a fascinating read. Here he recounts the lessons learned:

And so I found "A Vision of Hell," which, whatever other good qualities it may have, was this — an encouragement to poor souls who have sought long and in vain for documents apparently lost hopelessly, not to be discouraged! “Hope on! Hope ever!" The “Vision of Hell” has taught me this, which, added to the finding of Parson Green's political tracts, as already related, is very encouraging to the despondent hunter after apparently lost literature!

Meanwhile, ironically, to us, those particular finds are not accessible on the Jacob Green page currently due to modern copyright restrictions.

Rev. Tuttle also made another exciting discovery. He located (and republished) the 1783 valedictory address delivered by Ashbel Green on the occasion of the thirty-sixth commencement at Princeton. It is mentioned in Ashbel Green’s autobiography that he never saved a copy of his oration but instead “carelessly” gave the original to another who published it in a local New Jersey newspaper in October 1783. But the text had seemingly been lost to history before Rev. Tuttle was able to locate it. It can be read (along with the details of Tuttle’s search) on the Ashbel Green page.

What a blessing to the church and to future generations when writings thought to be lost are re-discovered. We are thankful for Rev. Tuttle’s perseverance and passion for history. Read the full account of his remarkable search here.

William B. Sprague: An American Collector

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Do you have a hobby? Are you a pastor with a passion for something slightly outside your vocation? We have written previously about pastors who were collectors of antiquities. William Buell Sprague was such a pastor.

Early in life, Sprague was given by a widow a collection of manuscript sermons preached by her late husband. He was ten years old at the time. A decade later he served in Virginia as the private tutor of Major Lawrence Lewis, nephew of George Washington, from 1815 to 1816. In this capacity, he came into possession of some of Washington’s personal correspondence — a happy providence that strengthened what became a lifelong hobby of (in fact, a self-described “mania” for) collecting autographs and letters from the hands of famous contemporaries and luminaries of the past. He also acquired an extensive collection of books and pamphlets.

It was from Judge Bushrod Washington, another nephew of the first American President and keeper of his papers, that Sprague acquired a batch of 1,500 manuscript letters from George Washington’s personal papers, on the condition that he leave copies of each letter in replacement. From this seed, Sprague was able to develop a full set of autographs by each of the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence, and a full set of autographs by each of Washington’s generals. It is believed that, as a pioneer in the field, he was the first person ever to complete a full collection of the Signers, which he had acquired by 1834. By the time he died, he owned three complete such sets of the Signers’ autographs.

His collection included autographs of Augustine, John Calvin, Theodore Beza, Philip Melanchthon, John Wesley, John Bunyan, Oliver Cromwell, Richard Baxter, William Wordsworth, Presidents of the United States, cabinet officials, Moderators of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, college presidents (he wrote a series of 84 articles on American college presidents for the New York Observer), and many others.

One particular letter written by Sprague to President James Madison sheds light on his efforts to obtain certain notable autographs.

Albany, NY. December 12. 1831.

Dear Sir,

I fear you will think, and not without good reason, that I am presuming too much upon your kindness in troubling you with one more inquiry in connexion with my favorite pursuit of collecting autographs. I have at length succeeded, tho’ not without great difficulty in obtaining a letter or some other document in the hand writing of each of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, with the exception of Button Gwinnett, and I have the prospect of being able soon to procure something (at least a signature) of his. I am now attempting the same thing in respect to the Signers of the Federal Constitution, and have already succeeded to a considerable extent. Among those in which I am deficient is John Blair of Virginia. Will you, My dear Sir, if my requests on this unimportant subject are not already past endurance, be so good as to inform me to whom of his descendants or correspondents I may apply for a letter or note from him, with the prospect of success. I have a letter from a person of the same name who was Govr of Virginia several years before; and whom I at first identified with the Signer; but I have since discovered my mistake. I have only to say in apology for troubling you about this matter, that I could think of no other person who would be likely to have it in his power to give me the information; and I confess I have presumed a little upon my recollection of your past indulgence. With every sentiment of perfect veneration, I am, Dear Sir, Yr most obedt and obliged,

William B. Sprague

In the process of building his collection, which has been estimated to include somewhere between 40,000 to 100,000 autographs overall, Sprague corresponded with many other fellow-collectors, including Joseph Harrison Hedges of Philadelphia and Rev. Thomas Raffles of Liverpool, England. The correspondence of Sprague was a key feature in the development of a later biographical project, his magnum opus, the 9 vols. (one other left in manuscript) of the Annals of the American Pulpit. The letters he received constituted a great part of that work.

Ultimately, much of Sprague’s autograph collection was obtained by the Historical Society of Philadelphia. Around 20,000 of Sprague’s pamphlets were donated to the Princeton Theological Seminary Library; 8,000 were donated to the Andover Theological Seminary; 2,000 were donated to Union Theological Seminary in New York; and many were also donated to Yale, his alma mater. Other beneficiaries include the New York State Library, the Connecticut Historical Society Library; the Historical Society of Pennsylvania; the Wisconsin Historical Society, the New York Historical Society, and the American Antiquarian Society.

Some portions of Sprague’s autograph collection have been auctioned off, even in recent days. His own signatures on letters and sermons are not infrequently available for purchase on Ebay. He has been criticized for a willingness to expunge certain comments from letters by unorthodox persons of interest, such as Benjamin Franklin, but even though he was free with the scissors, and sometimes incurred the wrath of librarians who opposed his efforts to obtain all that he could for his personal collection, the greater part of his legacy is the found in the preservation of numerous historical documents and signatures, many of which he donated to institutions without any profit motive, or desire for fame, which otherwise might have been lost to history.

Sources consulted for this article include:

  • Draper, Lyman Copeland, An Essay on the Autographic Collections of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence and of the Constitution (1889);

  • Jenkins, Charles F., “The Completed Sets of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence,” The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 49, no. 3, 1925, pp. 231–249. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20086575;

  • Moore, Charles, A Biographical Sketch of the Rev. William Buell Sprague (1877)

  • Mulder, John M., and Stouffer, Isabelle, “William Buell Sprague: Patriarch of American Collectors.” American Presbyterians, vol. 64, no. 1, 1986, pp. 1–17. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23330916; and

  • O’Leary, Derek Kane, “William Buell Sprague and the Trouble With Antiquarianism in the Early U.S.” (2019).

Cleland B. McAfee: Where He Is

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Cleland Boyd McAfee (1866-1944) was a Presbyterian minister who served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, was known for his famous hymn “Near to the Heart of God,” and has left his mark on history as the originator of the acrostic “TULIP.”

In the biographical sketch of him, written by his daughter, Katherine McAfee Parker, Near to the Heart of God (1954), she made reference to the first book which he ever published, Where He Is (1899), a book about “immortality,” and its connection to her mother, Harriet, a Canadian-born fellow-graduate of Chicago’s Park College. They were married in 1892. It was a deep and abiding love that they shared, as evidenced by a poem that he wrote to her.

For more than sixty years since my mother took my father for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, she has held to the conviction that he was one of the best things the Lord ever made. He felt exactly the same way about her. He gave her the first copy of his first book and wrote on the flyleaf:

Harriet:

E’en heaven of Christ would lose
for me its joy,
Did I not know that “Where He Is”
there thou shalt be;
And this I know since where
thou art here in the earth
I catch the clearest vision
of the Christ of Galilee.

C.B.M.
5 Nov. 1899

They spent fifty-two years together on earth, companions of each other’s hearts and minds.

This poignant love poem is a reminder that a godly man’s greatest support, apart from Christ himself, is his wife. And that husband and wife ought to point each other to Christ, that they may both be where He is.

Some Pastors' Wives who were Prolific Writers

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The Child’s Story Bible [by Catherine Vos] was such a success that it sold more copies than all Geerhardus’s books combined. — Danny E. Olinger, Geerhardus Vos: Reformed Biblical Theologian, Confessional Presbyterian, p. 273

When we think of the most prolific or best-selling writers on Log College Press, names like B.B. Warfield, Archibald Alexander and Samuel Miller may come to mind. But some of the most prolific writers were often pastors’ wives, and, in some cases, as writers, out-sold their husbands. It is worth taking notes of some of their names and stories.

  • Isabella Macdonald Alden — The wife of Rev. Gustavus Rosenberg Alden, Mrs. Alden was the author of over 200 books, most written under the pen name “Pansy” (a childhood nickname), and contributed as a journalist and editor as well. Her literary fame was world-wide and she received much fan mail, responding to each letter individually. Rev. Francis E. Clark once said, “Probably no writer of stories for young people has been so popular or had so wide an audience as Mrs. G. R. Alden, whose pen-name, ‘Pansy,’ is known wherever English books are read.”

  • Charlotte Forten Grimké — Both before and after her 1878 marriage to Rev. Francis James Grimké, Charlotte was a poet, diarist and author of articles and essays. Her contribution to African-American literature is still greatly appreciated today.

  • Elizabeth Payson Prentiss — Mrs. Prentiss, author of Stepping Heavenward, was the wife of Rev. George Lewis Prentiss, author of her biography. Elizabeth wrote dozens of books, as well as poetry and hymns. Stepping Heavenward sold over 200,000 copies in the 19th century, and since a 1992 reprint was issued, at least another 100,000 copies have been sold.

  • Harriet Beecher Stowe — The wife of Rev. Calvin Ellis Stowe, Harriet is best known as the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. But she also wrote around 30 novels, plus articles and letters. She was a celebrity to many, infamous to others, but her writings were an important factor in the momentous events of 1861. Uncle Tom’s Cabin sold over 2 million copies worldwide by 1857 (5 years after its publication) and to date it has been translated into 70 languages.

  • Mary Virginia Hawes Terhune — Mrs. Terhune, wife of Rev. Edward Payson Terhune, was known by her pen name, Marion Harland. She was the author of many novels, short stories, cookbooks, books on etiquette and more. She gave birth to six children, three of whom survived into adulthood - all three became successful writers as well. Her autobiography contains many fascinating insights into the Presbyterian circles in which she participated in Virginia, such as her remarks on the anti-slavery convictions of Mrs. Anne Rice, wife of Rev. John Holt Rice.

Other prolific female Presbyterian writers, married (whose spouses were not ministers) or unmarried, include:

  • Pearl Sydenstricker Buck — Mrs. Buck, daughter of a missionary, Rev. Absalom Sydenstricker, and the wife of agricultural missionary John Lossing Buck (until they divorced) and Richard J. Walsh, is well-known for her liberal convictions and for her role in the upheaval that led to Rev. J. Gresham Machen’s departure from the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. Her 1931 novel The Good Earth won her a Pulitzer Prize, and in 1938 she won the Nobel Prize for Literature in recognition of her writings on China.

  • Martha Farquaharson Finley — The author of the Elsie Dinsmore series and many more novels, Ms. Finley was a descendant of Samuel Finley and of Scottish Covenanters. Of the Elsie Dinsmore series, it has been said that it was “‘The most popular and longest running girl’s series of the 19th century,’ with the first volume selling nearly 300,000 copies in its first decade, going on to ‘sell more than 5 million copies in the 20th century.’”

  • Grace Livingston Hill — Niece of Isabella M. Alden, and daughter of Rev. Charles Montgomery Livingston and Mrs. Marcia B. Macdonald Livingston, she was a popular writer of over 100 books on her own, but also compiled the Pansies for Thoughts of her aunt, and they collaborated on other works as well.

  • Julia Lake Skinner Kellersberger — The wife of medical missionary Eugene Roland Kellersberger, both served the Presbyterian mission to the Belgian Congo. Mrs. Kellersberger wrote many books based on her experience, including a noted biography of Althea Maria Brown Edmiston.

  • Margaret Junkin Preston — Known as the “Poet Laureate of the Confederacy,” Mrs. Preston was the wife of Major John Thomas Lewis Preston, a professor of Latin at the Virginia Military Institute; the daughter of Rev. George Junkin; and the brother-in-law of Stonewall Jackson. Her literary productions were many, and she was a beloved poet of the South.

  • Julia McNair Wright — A very popular writer of books for children, including historical novels and introductions to science, and more, Mrs. Wright (wife of mathematician William James Wright), was a remarkable author, whose works were translated into many languages. Her The Complete Home: An Encyclopedia of Domestic Life and Affairs, Embracing all the Interests of the Household sold over 100,000 copies.

These brief notices show that there are a number of popular women Presbyterian writers from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Their bibliographies are lengthy, their legacies in some cases enduring to the present day, and their impact has been culturally significant. The work of adding all of their published writings is ongoing and in some cases far from complete at the present. We hope to make much more progress with each of these writers. The corpus of their literary productions is a real treasure.

A Tribute to the Puritans by John H. Bocock

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Following up on a recent tribute to John Flavel’s influence upon American Presbyterians, today we highlight John Holmes Bocock’s poem The Old Non-Conformists. It is a reminder of how the 17th century Puritan divines of England left their mark on 19th century American Presbyterians.

Busy from house to house, with constant toil,
Those reverend shepherds of our mother isle
Are feeding hungry souls with bread of life,
And speaking words of peace in days of strife.

In England’s ancient ministers they are preaching
The gospel pure as pearly dew from heaven;
The law of love to men of hatred teaching,
Whose perfect pattern by the Lord was given.

Young [Joseph] ALLEINE, with his Master’s spirit warm,
In Taunton sounds his earnest, king “Alarm:”
St. Dunstan hears the silver-tongued “[William] BATES,”
While the great “Harmony” of heaven he states.

Bold [Richard] BAXTER lifts his voice in Cromwell’s host;
To men of England, although now distrest
By din of war, in civil tempest toss’d,
He shows in heaven an “Everlasting Rest.”

Lo! where, in Bedford jail, in lofty dream,
Genius on [John] BUNYAN pours her brightest beam;
And learned [Stephen] CHARNOCK, with a sage’s ken,
The “Attributes” of God displays to men.

Good [John] FLAVEL, with a spirit rich in “grace,”
Stands by the “fountain” of man’s “life” eterne;
While [John] HOWE, with thoughts magnificent, does trace
Splendors that in the “Living Temple” burn.

American Independence and Presbyterians

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Log College Press began officially on July 4, 2017. We identify this date not only with the origin of LCP, but of course also with the founding of the United States of America, when the Declaration of Independence was promulgated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 4, 1776.

In 2018, we wished our readers a Happy Independence Day; in 2019, we spoke of “Freedom’s Cost’; in 2020, the theme was “Presbyterians and the Revolution”; and today we highlight Fourth of July orations and sermons by some noted Presbyterians.

It was customary for many Presbyterians to commemorate American Independence with speeches and sermons. Here we bring to your attention a representative sample of some specimens of Presbyterian Independence oratory.

  • Samuel Clark Aiken (1827) - Speaking to the Sunday School Societies in Utica, New York, on the 51st anniversary of American Independence, Rev. Aiken of the need for nations who have been greatly blessed to maintain religion in its public and private spheres, and of the role that Sunday Schools play in this.

  • Diarca Howe Allen (1861) - Rev. Allen’s discourse, published in 1862, focused on the centennial of Lebanon, New Hampshire in the context of a celebration of national independence.

  • Nathan Sidney Smith Beman (1841) - Rev. Beman’s discourse was titled The Western Continent. Looking both the past and the future, he spoke of national blessings which should continue to expand westward.

  • Elias Boudinot IV (1793) - Speaking to the Society of the Cincinnati of the State of New Jersey on the 17th anniversary of American Independence, Rev. Boudinot called upon his hearers, with a direct preceding message to President George Washington, to strive to maintain the ideals for which American patriots had fought: “The obligations of mankind to these worthy characters increase in proportion to the importance of the blessings purchased by their labors.” He also advocated for increased rights for women.

  • Frederick Thomas Brown (1865) - Speaking on the first Fourth of July following the War Between the States, Rev. Brown argued that this was an important moment for the country in which he prayed that our nation would become stronger and more unified.

  • Hooper Cumming (1817, 1821, 1824) - Rev. Cumming, in his short life, delivered a number of Fourth of July orations, some of which are found on his page. In each, he stirs up his hearers to appreciate our national blessings, and to strive to maintain godly ideals.

  • Daniel Dana (1814) - Delivered in the midst of the War of 1812, Rev. Dana reminded his audience that God is concerned with national affairs. He highlighted God’s providence not only with respect to America but also with respect to the affairs of Europe.

  • Ezra Stiles Ely (1827) - Rev. Ely preached a Fourth of July sermon (published in 1828) — based on the concluding verses of Psalm 2 — on The Duty of Christian Freemen to Elect Christian Rulers. According to Ely, the Lord Jesus Christ is the rightful sovereign of all lands.

  • Timothy Flint (1815) - Speaking on the first Fourth of July after the War of 1812 ended, Rev. Flint called to mind the troubles that the nation had endured, but with thankfulness for the mercies of God in seeing the country through.

  • Ralph Randolph Gurley (1825) - Rev. Gurley spoke in Washington, D.C. of a religious celebration of national blessings; yet, he also addressed the fact that slavery continued to be a stain on our national honor, and of efforts to colonize Western Africa with freed slaves.

  • Symmes Cleves Henry (1824) - In this oration delivered before the Society of Cincinnati of the State of New Jersey, Rev. Henry spoke of the ideals represented by the historical events commemorated on the 48th anniversary of American Independence.

  • William Linn (1791) - Rev. Linn’s sermon, preached in New York, was based on Ps. 16:6: “The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.” He recounted many of the blessings that God’s favor had granted to a young nation.

  • John McKnight (1794) - Rev. McKnight’s Fourth of July sermon, preached in New York City, was titled God the Author of Promotion and based on Ps. 75:6-9. In the context of celebrating the birth of the American nation, he reminds his hearers that it is God who raises up and casts down.

  • Samuel Miller (1793, 1795) - Among the earliest published sermons of Rev. Miller were two Fourth of July messages preached in New York City. The first was titled Christianity the Grand Source and Surest Basis for Political Liberty.

  • Eliphalet Nott (1801) - On the 25th anniversary of American Independence, Rev. Nott spoke of The Providence of God towards American Israel.

  • George Potts (1826) - It was on the same day that both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died that Rev. Potts, speaking in Philadelphia, commemorated the 50th anniversary of American Independence.

  • Horace Southworth Pratt (1828) - Preaching in Fryeburg, Maine Rev. Pratt spoke of the nature of freedom and liberty Biblically understood.

  • Nathaniel Scudder Prime (1825) - Rev. Prime’s sermon highlighted a critical defect in our national freedom from tyranny: The Year of Jubilee; But Not to Africans: A Discourse, Delivered July 4th, 1825, Being the 49th Anniversary of American Independence.

  • David Ramsay (1778) - Speaking to an audience in Charleston, South Carolina on the 2nd anniversary of American Independence, Dr. Ramsay encouraged his hearers to consider the advantages of liberty in the midst of a war that was far from over. He would go on to record the history of the American War of Independence.

  • Henry Ruffner (1856) - Addressing his fellow Virginians in 1856 (before West Virginia seceded), Rev. Ruffner spoke of the necessity of maintaining the Federal Union: “United we stand, divided we fall.”

  • William McKendree Scott (1851) - In time-honored fashion, Rev. Scott spoke to his fellow citizens at a “barbacue” held in Danville, Kentucky to commemorate our national independence.

  • Isaac Nathan Shannon (1852) - Rev. Shannon, preaching in New Brunswick, New Jersey, highlighted the providence of God in the history of the American nation.

  • William Buell Sprague (1827, 1830) - Rev. Sprague preached on the 51st and 54th anniversaries of American Independence, calling for religious celebration of this momentous event in our history, and reminding his congregation that “Happy is the people whose God is the Lord” (Ps. 144:15).

  • Joseph Sweetman (1810) - Rev. Sweetman preached on religion as the foundation for national prosperity at Charlton, New York.

  • Joseph Farrand Tuttle (1876) - Speaking on the centennial of American Independence, Rev. Tuttle recalled the efforts and sacrifices of the revolutionary forefathers of Morris County, New Jersey.

  • William Spotswood White (1840) - Rev. White preached on 4th of July Reminiscences and Reflections: A Sermon in Charlottesville, Virginia, also on Ps. 144:15. Acknowledging the political agitations that were convulsing the land at the time, he spoke of the providential guidance and blessing that America has received and for which we should give thanks.

It is worth taking time to brush off the dust, so to speak, on these historical orations and sermons and consider what our American Presbyterian forefathers had to say about independence, liberty, national blessings, and the need for further reformation, and freedom for all.

Happy Independence Day to our readers from Log College Press!

The Impact of John Flavel on American Presbyterians

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Robert Murray M’Cheyne once recounted a memorable story about the lasting impact of a sermon by John Flavel, the 17th century English Puritan (Serm. XXXVI, “God Let None of His Words Fall to the Ground,” in The Works of Rev. Robert Murray McCheyne: Complete in One Volume, 1874 ed., pp. 221-222):

The excellent John Flavel was minister of Dartmouth, in England. One day he preached from these words: “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema maranatha.” The discourse was unusually solemn — particularly the explanation of the curse. At the conclusion, when Mr. Flavel rose to pronounce the blessing, he paused, and said: “How shall I bless this whole assembly, when every person in it who loves not the Lord Jesus is anathema maranatha?” The solemnity of this address deeply affected the audience. In the congregation was a lad named Luke Short, about fifteen years old, a native of Dartmouth. Shortly after he went to sea, and sailed to America, where he passed the rest of his life. His life was lengthened far beyond the usual term. When a hundred years old, he was able to work on his farm, and his mind was not at all impaired. He had lived all this time in carelessness and sin; he was a sinner a hundred years old, and ready to die accursed. One day, as he sat in his field, he busied himself in reflecting on his past life. He thought of the days of his youth. His memory fixed on Mr. Flavel’s sermon, a considerable part of which he remembered. The earnestness of the minister — the truths spoken — the effect on the people — all came fresh to his mind. He felt that he had not loved the Lord Jesus; he feared the dreadful anathema; he was deeply convinced of sin — was brought to the blood of sprinkling. He lived to his one hundred and sixteenth year, giving every evidence of being born again. Ah! how faithful God is to his word. He did let none of his words fall to the ground.

Besides this remarkable example, the legacy of John Flavel’s ministry has deeply affected many around the world — such as John Brown of Haddington and Charles Spurgeon — including American Presbyterians. On this side of the pond, a number of Flavel’s works were republished in the 19th century by the American Tract Society and the Presbyterian Board of Publication, and also noted Philadelphia publisher William S. Young.

  • Samuel Davies — When Davies wrote to Rev. Joseph Bellamy in 1751, a letter published as The State of Religion Among the Protestant Dissenters in Virginia, he listed the “experimental” divines whose methods of conversion he followed, and among them he included Flavel - who wrote The Method of Grace. See Joseph C. Harrod, Theology and Spirituality in the Works of Samuel Davies, pp. 88, 92-95 for more discussion of Flavel’s influence on Davies.

  • Archibald Alexander — In The Life of Archibald Alexander, we read autobiographical accounts by Archibald, and the remarks of his son and biographer, James W. Alexander. Archibald wrote of the time he served as a tutor in Virginia at the Posey Plantation. Books by Flavel were placed in his hand by a Baptist lady named Mrs. Tyler. She loved Flavel and this exposure to his writings would lead Archibald to explore his Presbyterian beliefs and views on conversion. Archibald went on to say, “My services as a reader were frequently in requisition, not only to save the eyes of old Mrs. Tyler, but on Sundays for the benefit of the whole family. On one of these Sabbath evenings, I was requested to read out of Flavel. The part on which I had been regularly engaged was the 'Method of Grace;' but now, by some means, I was led to select one of the sermons on Revelation iii. 20, "Behold I stand at the door and knock," &c. The discourse was upon the patience, forbearance and kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ to impenitent and obstinate sinners. As I proceeded to read aloud, the truth took effect on my feelings, and every word I read seemed applicable to my own case. Before I finished the discourse, these emotions became too strong for restraint, and my voice began to falter. I laid down the book, rose hastily, and went out with a full heart, and hastened to my place of retirement. No sooner had I reached the spot than I dropped upon my knees, and attempted to pour out my feelings in prayer; but I had not continued many minutes in this exercise before I was overwhelmed with a flood of joy. It was transport such as I had never known before, and seldom since. I have no recollection of any distinct views of Christ; but I was filled with a sense of the goodness and mercy of God ; and this joy was accompanied with a full assurance that my state was happy, and that if I was then to die, I should go to heaven. This ecstacy was too high to be lasting, but as it subsided, my feelings were calm and happy. It soon occurred to me that possibly I had experienced the change called the new birth.” Archibald further stated that “I began to love the truth, and to seek after it, as for hid treasure. To John Flavel I certainly owe more than to any uninspired writer.”

  • Samuel Miller — An 1847 letter to Chancellor James Kent, found in The Life of Samuel Miller, Vol. 2, p. 492 gives evidence of the high regard that Miller had for Flavel: “I take for granted that, in whatever degree your attention may have been heretofore directed to theological reading, that degree will be, hereafter, rather increased than diminished. Under this impression, permit me to say, that there are few writings that I have found more pleasant and edifying to myself, than the works of the late John Newton, of London, and of Thomas Scott, the commentator. I can also cordially recommend the two works by John Flavel, the old Puritan divine, of England, viz., his "Fountain of Life Opened," and his "Method of Grace;" both of which have been lately published, in an improved form, by the American Tract Society. Dr. Stone knows them all well, and will, I have no doubt, add his testimony to their value. True, you will not find in these volumes any thing new. They aim at exhibiting and recommending those great elementary truths of the Gospel with which you have been familiar from your earliest years; which your venerated parents and grandparents loved and rejoiced in; and which the truly pious of all Protestant denominations scarcely know how enough to value and circulate.”

  • James W. Alexander — In Alexander’s posthumously-published Thoughts on Preaching, we may see how highly James, like his father, valued Flavel. There are a number of references to Flavel, but we particularly take note of this: “How could I have postponed to this place [pp. 129-130] dear JOHN FLAVEL? No one needs to be told how pious, how faithful, how tender, how rich, how full of unction, are his works. In no writer have the highest truths of religion been more remarkably brought down to the lowest capacity; yet with no sinking of the doctrine, and with a perpetual sparkle and zest, belonging to the most generous liquor. It has always been a wonder to me, how Flavel could maintain such simplicity and naïveté, and such childlike and almost frolicksome grace, amidst the multiform studies which he pursued. I can account for it only by his having been constantly among the people, in actual duty as a pastor. Opening one of his volumes, at random, I find quotations, often in Greek and Latin, and in the order here annexed, from Cicero, Pope Adrian, Plato, Chrysostom, Horace, Ovid, Luther, Bernard, Claudian, Menander, and Petronius. His residence at Dartmouth would afford a multitude of pastoral instances, if this were our present subject.”

  • Jonathan Cross — In his autobiographical Five Years in the Alleghenies, the famous colporteur wrote that he read Flavel and Thomas Boston from the ages of ten to thirteen which brought him to a deep state of conviction over his sinfulness and his need for Christ.

  • Thomas Murphy — Among the best books recommended for a minister’s library by Murphy in Pastoral Theology includes, in the area of practical piety, “Flavel’s Keeping the Heart,” and, among the “Great Puritan Writers,” “Flavel’s works — highly recommended.”

  • Wayne Sparkman — The Director of the PCA Historical Center is a good friend to us at Log College Press. He, too, has been influenced by John Flavel. Barry Waugh quotes him in Westminster Lives: Eight Decades of Alumni in Ministry, 1929-2009, p. 56, regarding this influence: “Some years ago I read John Flavel’s work The Mystery of Providence. Flavel’s message has stuck with me and undergirds much of how I approach the work of the PCA Historical Center. Writing during a time of intense persecution, Flavel was eager to impress upon his congregation the realization that God is at work in the lives of His people, accomplishing His purposes and demonstrating His love. In that truth, that our lives have been truly changed by the reality of Christ our Savior, rests the basis of why the life of every Christian is important. Each life lived by faith is a testimony to the grace of God. Obviously, we cannot preserve the story of every saint, but it is important that we try to preserve something of the life-testimony of those who may have been used more strategically in the advance of God’s kingdom. Thus, the purpose of the PCA Historical Center is to preserve and promote the story of the Presbyterian Church in America and its predecessor denominations, as well as the people who make up those groups and related ministries. We preserve these things precisely because men and women were truly changed by a very real Savior. [We preserve these things because each in some way bears testimony to the reality of the gospel.]”

We take note of this great Puritan preacher because of the powerful impact he has had on so many. We prize Flavel for his heart for God, his remarkable ability to convey the Gospel in terms that all can understand, his tender compassion on both saints and sinners, and for his labors on behalf of the kingdom of God as well as the hardships he endured after being ejected from his pulpit for the gospel’s sake. The word that he preached gives powerful testimony to the fact that God’s Word goes forth to accomplish his will. It was Flavel who testified of the Word of God thus, “The Scriptures teach us the best way of living, the noblest way of suffering, and the most comfortable way of dying.” Consider these witnesses, and how a non-conformist English Puritan minister from the 17th century has left his mark on American Presbyterianism.

A Chat with the Author of the Elsie Dinsmore Books

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The May 5, 1894 issue of The Cecil Whig, a newspaper based in Elkton, Maryland, contains an interview with one of its most famous local residents: Martha Farquaharson Finley, author of the Elsie Dinsmore book series.

A descendant of both Samuel Finley, President of Princeton, and of the Scottish Covenanter martyr John Brown, she references both in this interview, which took place in her home at Elkton.

It was just after her 66th birthday, when Martha spoke of her ancestry, and how she came to settle in Elkton, Maryland, after being born in Chillicothe, Ohio, and living in South Bend, Indiana. She wrote about the persecutions of Covenanters and Waldenses, among other periods of history. She spoke about the process of writing and publishing her books, books; her anonymous publications and those published under the pen name of “Martha Farquaharson”; and many anecdotes of her experience as a writer.

One day I called to see the publishers and was accosted by the cashier who said — ‘This is Miss Martha Farquharson, I believe?” “Yes, sir,” I replied. “I believe I have a check for you,” and with these words he passed out into a back room. Presently he returned and regarding me with a puzzled expression remarked: No, I see it is made out to Miss Finley.” At this I laughed and explained that though Martha Farquharson wrote the books Miss Finley took the checks given in payment for them.

Her Presbyterian affiliation and heritage was a major influence in all of her writings. Her great purpose in writing was to reach and edify young people, though readers of all ages have benefited from her prolific publications.

We hope to keep adding works by Ms. Finley. This interview stands out as a window into her experience as a writer, and we are glad to add it to her page at Log College Press.

Closing the Closet Door: T.D. Witherspoon

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But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly (Matt. 6:6)

T.D. Witherspoon has a brief piece in The Homiletic Review for June 1898 about what it means to completely, rather than partially, close the door to the prayer closet.

Shutting the Closet Door

There is a class amongst us who may be denominated “Open-Closet Christians.” We can not doubt that they obey the first part of the Savior’s injunction as to prayer. They “enter into their closets.” The devoutness of spirit and consecration of life which they exhibit manifest the reality of their communion with God. But the trouble with these good brethren is that they do not close the door behind them. They not only leave it a little ajar, but in a great many instances they, unconsciously perhaps, throw it wide open and invite us to look in and see them at their devotions. A brother is called to account by his brethren for holding and teaching views which they consider inconsistent with his ordination vows, and immediately he begins to tell you how he has carried the whole matter into his closet to the Master, and what he said to the Master and what the Master said to him. He has swung the door wide open. A brother begins to write a book, and his first words are something like these: “On my knees, with the Word of God open before me, and invoking the aid of the Holy Spirit, I write these first lines, etc.” It was all right for him to take his proposed book into the closet. I honor him for doing so; but he should have closed the door behind him, if he would comply fully with the Master’s will.

What makes this the more unfortunate is that there is a class of so-called perfectionists whose stock in trade is largely a detailing for the public ear of the secrets of their closet life. They not only swing open the door, but they turn the closet inside out. The most inner and sacred experiences of the soul in communion with Christ are wantonly exposed to the gaze of men. And the worst of it all is that under the influence of a most suitable form of self-righteousness, of which they are scarcely conscious, but which their bearing toward others clearly reveals, they have persuaded themselves that the men who keep the closet door shut, as our Savior enjoined, have no closet life at all.

It may be well for these good brethren to be reminded in a very gentle way, and without intending any offense, of certain old adages, long current, such as: “Still waters run deep”; “He loves most who talks least of his love”; “It is the empty wagon that makes the most noise,” etc.

Log College Press Audio Resources

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It is well known that J.G. Machen delivered radio addresses, utilizing a medium that was new at the time, to advance the gospel. In recent years, much of this material has been reproduced as audiobooks or in print/digital format: The Person of Jesus: Radio Addresses on the Deity of the Savior (2017); Who Is Jesus?: Radio Addresses on the Deity of the Savior (2017); What Is Predestination?: Radio Addresses on the Election of God's People (2017); Is the Bible Inspired?: Radio Addresses on the Origin of Scripture (2017); and Things Unseen: A Systematic Introduction to the Christian Faith and Reformed Theology (2020).

There are others on Log College Press whose voices may be heard today. Below we have assembled a few links for those who enjoy hearing as well as reading voices from the past. Certainly, there are more, but the resources below will be of interest to some.

As mentioned, more such audio resources are certainly available out there, and we hope to keep expanding on this material to let our readers and hearers know where to find them. It is one thing to read, and another to hear, voices from the past. Take a listen to these recordings, and enjoy!

An unpublished religious novel by Archibald Alexander

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This post is about a work by Archibald Alexander that was never published. We aim to explore what is known about the manuscript. What is perhaps most interesting and intriguing about it is the genre: a religious novel.

As Michael J. Paulus, Jr. writes (“Archibald Alexander and the Use of Books: Theological Education and Print Culture in the Early Republic,” Journal of the Early Republic, Vol. 31, No. 4 (Winter 2011), p. 645):

Another interesting project that Alexander worked on in Virginia was a religious novel titled Eudocia. The project is interesting because American novels were rare — only twenty-five appeared in the first decade of the nineteenth century — and American Calvinists were often suspicious of the genre.

Archibald’s son, and biographer, James W. Alexander, introduces us to the project (The Life of Archibald Alexander, p. 290):

A literary project of Mr. Alexander, which he had entertained before leaving Virginia, was matter of much entertainment in his little circle of intimates. He had begun, and perhaps had completed, a work of fiction, answering exactly to what has since been called the religious novel. It was entitled "Eudocia," and purported to be the history of a young lady of wealth and beauty, who is led through various changes and degrees, from giddy ignorance to piety and peace. The plot was engaging; there was a thread of romantic but pure love, running through the whole; it abounded in graphic description and lively dialogue. Some of the scenes were eminently pathetic; and Mr. [Conrad] Speece was known to burst into tears, when it was read aloud. The whole was made subservient to the inculcation of evangelical truth. The author finally determined to suppress it. The manuscript was not destroyed, but the delay — beyond the nonum prematur in annum — resulted in the destruction of more than one half. What remains would fill a good duodecimo.

Rev. Speece had this to say in a letter dated August 15, 1808 to Alexander:

I am delighted with the prospect of seeing your sweet Eudocia presented to the public. Before I received your letter I had resolved to write to you soon, principally to entreat that the door which confined her might be opened, that she might walk forth for the entertainment and edification of the world. I hope the humorous and satirical parts of the work will be retained. They will be useful in themselves, and will render the book alluring to a larger number of readers. And though I should not like to differ in a point of taste from Mrs. Alexander, allow me to put in a word in behalf of the dream, or dreams, which you read to me from the manuscript. Dreaming is indeed a delicate subject, both in philosophy and religion. But we believe that God does sometimes speak to men, 'in dreams and visions of the night’ to fasten important instruction upon their hearts.

John Holt Rice, another friend and confidant of Alexander, wrote to him regarding the novel on January 28, 1810 (at which time Alexander was serving as pastor of the Old Pine Street Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia):

Three days ago I finished the perusal of ‘Coelebs’ [Coelebs in Search of a Wife (1809) by Hannah More]. Miss Lightfoot Carrington, who is now in Richmond, met with it there, and sent it to me. I had often laughed at her for spending so much time in reading novels. When she got Coelebs, 'Here,' says she, 'is a novel at last which I know that Mr. Rice will be pleased with;' and accordingly despatched it to Charlotte, I read it with more pleasure than any thing of the author's writing. It delighted me; I trust it improved me too. It put me much in mind of a certain Miss Eudocia, whom I have been longing to see for some time past. The rage for novels is so great that I have long wished to see that species of writing converted to a better purpose. Miss Hannah More has very completely answered my wishes, and has, by the way, obtained that credit with the religious world which I think in all reason belonged to you. If you differ with me on this point, we will discuss it after we shall have talked over this new-fashioned school affair and other matters; which I hope to do in May next. At that time Mr. Speece and I hope to be with you, and then — ! I give you notice that Mr. Speece will come with his pockets loaded with money, in the full spirit of trade. I know that he intends to make some grand speculation, for he has within the year past sold nearly two hundred dollars' worth of books, with a view of taking the money to Philadelphia.

Now the question may be asked, Who was Eudocia? It is possible that the protagonist was Aelia Eudocia (c. 401-460 AD), a young lady from a wealthy background who became a Byzantine Empress, and an accomplished Christian poet. It is not known to this writer whether the partial manuscript by Alexander survives. If so, it would be worthy of study. A work of historical fiction about her life and faith would certainly food for thought. One can wonder at the possibility of a religious novel published Archibald Alexander. His intimate circle of friends very much appreciated the work. As it is, we can only imagine.

W.S. Rentoul's "The Bible"

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Described as “an odd-looking character, a Scotchman by birth,” William Skinner Rentoul (1812-1898) was a Philadelphia bookseller, publisher, writer and poet of the old school Presbyterian variety. He is best known for publishing both the Keys Psalter and Rentoul’s Library of Standard Bible Expositions, which includes some notable commentaries: 1. Ralph Wardlaw, Lectures: Expository and Practical, on the Book of Ecclesiastes (1868); 2. Alexander Moody Stuart, The Song of Songs: An Exposition of the Song of Solomon (1869); and 3. George Lawson, Practical Expositions of the Whole Books of Ruth and Esther (1870). He was also the author of a metrical version of the Song of Solomon, appended to Stuart’s commentary on the same.

Today we highlight a poetic composition he published in 1862. It is a sweet meditation on the Word of Life, and a reminder of what a precious gift the Lord has given unto us.

The Bible

O, rarest gift to mortals given!
Blest book! thou point’st the path to heaven.
The sinner, lost in darkness drear,
Heart-sick thro’ sin, whose eye the tear
Of anguish scalds, thro’ griefs and woes
That fill the poisoned cup of those
On whose soul rests, with weighty load,
The wrath of an offended God,
That takes thy sweet and kindly light
For guide, shall still be led aright;
Shall find Jehovah’s angry face
To favour changed. His smiles shall grace
His earthly labours: and at last, —
Eternal life, eternal rest —
Purchased by Jesus for his own;
For all who love that Holy One,
And wait His glorious coming - his cup of bliss shall crown.

Zebulon Butler's charge to the new President of Oakland College

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In December 1851, following the tragic murder of President Jeremiah Chamberlain three months before, Oakland College in Lorman, Mississippi (now known as Alcorn State University) inaugurated a new President, Robert L. Stanton. On that occasion the charge to the new President was delivered by Zebulon Butler, who had helped to pioneer Presbyterianism in the area around Port Gibson, Mississippi.

Rev. Butler’s inspirational words that day are worthy of remembrance.

Let the Presidents in other Colleges strive for literary distinction, and be held to duty by the charm of wealth, or the world’s coveted otium cum dignitate; be it ever your aim, to please our Master and glorify his name.
…
This College is the child of Religion; and over its interests the Omnipotent Redeemer will ever keep a sleepless watch. To its members, you must exhibit, in doctrine, an unalloyed evangelism, with the mingling of sectarianism; and in practice, all the loveliness of Christian character, undimmed by worldliness, selfishness, intolerance, or ostentation.

I would then, most earnestly entreat you, as a co-worker in the cause of Letters and Religion, to enter upon this noble enterprize in the spirit of untainted benevolence, and unflinching fortitude; and resolved on continuance, despite of toil, disappointment, opposition, poverty, sickness, or “any of the ills which flesh is heir to,” and to which virtue is exposed. You have a bring example in the life and character of your martyred predecessor, whose noble deeds we this day commemorate. He found not “the primrose path of dalliance,” but the constant fight of faith: and by his toils, his tears, and his blood, we hope he has achieved the conquest. And yours may be a work of comparative repose, in building up this Institution, in the sylvan shades of Mississippi. Yes, I am certain, you have been moved by the impulse of holy benevolence, and a willingness “to spend, and be spent” in the cause of Truth, and for the interests of our race.

Such being our views and sentiments, in the name of the Board of Directors and Trustees, I promise you our sympathies, our prayers, and our faithful cooperation, in your work of faith and labor of love; and if we prove, reciprocally, “steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,” we are infallibly assured, that this Institution shall advance and improve, till it shall be the proudest monument and richest blessing of which Mississippi can boast.

With such words was the tenure of Rev. Stanton inaugurated as President of Oakland College. He went on to serve as Moderator of the PCUSA General Assembly in 1866. But as we recall the events of that day in December 1851, the charge of Rev. Butler may inspire others, even beyond the “sylvan shades of Mississippi,” to aspire, by the help of the Holy Spirit, to both virtuous Christian conduct as well as excellence in scholarship.

In defense of a learned ministry: George A. Baxter

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In his notable ordination sermon for William McPheeters, preached at Bethel Presbyterian Church in Augusta County, Virginia, in 1806, George Addison Baxter, besides noting the necessity of ordination and election, as well as the duties of the gospel ministry, in speaking of the qualifications for the office he also articulated a defense of what later became Samuel Miller’s 1812 clarion call at Princeton for “an able and learned ministry.”

The the text upon which Baxter preached was 1 Tim. 3:1: “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.” He says that “vital piety” is the chief qualification for such a man. And so it is. But then he goes on to add remarks that lay the groundwork for solid Biblical training for ministers. He joins the head with the heart in his description of the godly minister.

But I think it not only necessary that a minister should possess religion, and that in an eminent degree, he ought to be a man of the most upright, exemplary, and prudent conduct, patient, and forbearing, and able, on all occasions, to command his own temper. I mention this, because there are some professors of religion, of whom charity would teach us to hope well, who are, notwithstanding, subject to a fickleness and inconsistency of conduct, which would be very incompatible with the office of the gospel ministry. Together with the qualifications already mentioned, I think it very desirable, if not absolutely necessary, that a minister of Christ, should possess, in a good degree, the assurance of faith, and a warm zeal for glorifying God in the gospel of his Son.

It is undoubtedly of great importance, that the work of the ministry should not be committed to weak or ignorant men, who might be unable to teach others; competent gifts, as well as graces are indispensably requisite. I do not mean, that candidates ought to be rejected for the want of preeminent talents, but a gospel minister ought to possess a mind naturally sound, and well cultivated. A liberal education may not in all cases be indispensably necessary - uncommon natural talents combined with certain circumstances, may compensate in some degree for the want of improvement; but generally speaking, I think what is commonly called a liberal education ought to be required. A minister of Christ should certainly attend to all those branches of human learning, which might enable him to deliver his message with propriety; and in order to understand his message he ought to be acquainted with the sacred scriptures, in the original languages. There may be some dispute as to the course of study most proper to effect the first of the purposes, or to qualify a man for speaking, but it is certain that to accomplish both the purposes just mentioned, a considerable course of human learning, is absolutely requisite.

But there are some denominations in the world, who declare absolutely against the necessity of a learned ministry, and in support of their sentiments, allege the example of our Saviour, who chose fishermen and mechanics to be the first ministers of the new testament. Their error however, as happens in almost every case of bad reasoning, consists in comparing things which do not resemble. It is true that our Saviour in the first instance, chose mechanics and fishermen to publish the gospel: but to say nothing of the advantages which these men derived from his personal instructions and example, for upwards of three years; when he sent them in to the world, he endowed them with miraculous qualifications; he enabled them to perform miracles, to speak all languages that were necessary, and by a supernatural inspiration, instructed them what they ought to speak. ‘But when they shall deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in the same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not yet that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you’ [Matt. x.19-20]. Here now, were men, endowed with every qualification, that can be conceived of, or supposed necessary for the purpose. The gift of miracles which arrested the attention and carried conviction to the consciences of the world - the gift of tongues which contributed to the same end, and also furnished them with an opportunity of communicating the treasures of the gospel to all nations - and the spirit of inspiration, which enabled them to give the most appropriate and salutary instructions, on every occasion. I should think, if any thing can be inferred from our Saviour’s example in this case, taking the whole of it together, it would be that a minister of Christ, ought to possess all qualifications necessary for convincing and instructing the world.

But those with whom we contend, will suppose that by possessing real religion, and being taught in the school of Christ, they obtain all the knowledge and qualifications which are necessary. In reply to this, I will readily admit that religion is the best preparative, for understanding the word of God, and I have no doubt the divine Spirit, conspiring with the use of means, greatly assists a pious minister in his studies. But distinct from the qualifications which grace may confer, there are others absolutely necessary, and which may be acquired by a course of human means. It will, no doubt be admitted, as of the first importance, that a gospel minister should have a correct knowledge of the holy scriptures, for without this he is no better than the blind leading the blind. But to understand the holy scriptures, we should be acquainted with them, in the original languages, we should be acquainted with the history of those customs, and events, in the midst of which the inspired penman wrote, and to which they frequently allude; we should be versed in literary science, so as to understand the different modes of writing - the different phrases and figures with which all compositions abound, and the rules of interpretation, to which all writings human or divine, must be subjected, without some knowledge of this kind we shall not be qualified even to follow a good Commentator on the scriptures, or to form any opinion for ourselves. But how is this knowledge to be obtained? It may as already said be obtained by human means, or it might be conferred by the extraordinary inspiration of the divine Spirit. But those who neglect the natural means, and pretend that divine teaching gives them all necessary knowledge, are pretending to an inspiration which supersedes the use of means, and is therefore very distinct from the common operations of grace; for common grace does not supersede means, but encourages and assists in the use of them. But when any one makes pretensions of this kind, he ought to support them by miracles, or some supernatural evidences. The teaching of which he speaks is a secret miracle, and amounts to something like that inspiration which the apostles possessed, and if it be of this kind it needs a public miracle to make it credible. All pretending therefore that we are taught by the divine Spirit what things we ought to learn, as others learn them, should be rejected in the present day, as self-righteous presumption: and if any people give credit to such pretensions, they are manifestly in the high road of error and delusion: and what is worse, they put themselves under the influence of a delusion, which cannot be corrected or reasoned down because they do not profess to be led by reason, or evidence, or scripture, but by the unsupported assertions of a fellow creature. It perhaps would be well to recollect, that the plain line of distinction between impostures, and the real messengers of heaven, has been pretty much the same in every age. An impostor never proves his assertions. Mahomet had his secret miracles and inspirations, but he did not pretend to confirm them by any public miracles; and modern impostors, have their illumination and teachings for which they can give no evidence but their own assertion. On the other hand the real messengers of grace always deal with mankind as with reasonable creatures; when they introduced a divine revelation into the world at first they confirmed it by sufficient and undeniable miracles, and since the age of miracles has ceased they require the belief of nothing but what can be proved from a revelation sufficiently authenticated. These observations will, I trust, be sufficient to show that the improvement or knowledge necessary for the ministerial office are not to be expected in a supernatural way, and therefore that a course of scientific education is absolutely necessary.

But let it be remembered, that although all knowledge may be useful to a clergyman, his principal attention should be turned to the subject of divinity. His business is to understand and teach the doctrines of the word of God, and every man ought to be better acquainted with what belongs immediately to his own profession, than with any thing else. I have now taken a brief view of the principal things necessary to qualify a man for preaching the gospel. What I have mentioned are real and cordial religion, a prudent and upright moral deportment, a good degree of the assurance of faith, a fervent zeal for glorifying God in the gospel of his Son, and a mind sufficiently improved with useful knowledge. These things taken together and connected with a favorable train of providences, constitute what may be termed a divine call to the ministerial office. They are very much mistaken, who suppose a ministerial call to consist in blind impulses or impressions, of which a person can give no rational account, and which have no relation to his fitness for the work. A ministerial call comprehends all the necessary qualifications for the office, both human and divine. And a ministerial call without ministerial qualifications, in the greatest absurdity in the world.

In line with Presbyterians before and after him, Baxter here articulates an understanding of the qualifications for the gospel ministry that show the necessity for a well-rounded education, encompassing many branches of human learning, subordinate to the queen of sciences, that is, divinity. The faithful minister, in the age wherein apostolic miracles have ceased, must join human learning with divine knowledge, to best and most adequately deliver the message of reconciliation between God and man. An able and learned ministry is what God calls men to in accordance with his gracious declaration to mankind: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa. 1:18).

J.W. Rosebro on seeking the Lord

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From the Southern Presbyterian Pulpit (1896), today we highlight a sermon by J.W. Rosebro which is based on Isa. 55:6: “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near." As Rosebro notes, the text is both a invitation and a command, both a privilege and a duty, and incorporates both a promise and a warning.

Rosebro (1847-1912) was educated at Davidson College, North Carolina, Princeton University, and Union Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. He served pastorates at Mossy Creek Presbyterian Church in Augusta County, Virginia; Lewisburg, West Virginia; and at the Tabb Street Presbyterian Church in Petersburg, Virginia. 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.

Returning to our sermon, after an insightful introduction showing the connective tissues between the 53rd, 54th and 55th chapters of Isaiah, Roseboro shows the connection between God’s gracious invitation and firm command.

The command is, "Seek ye the Lord." It comes from one who has the right to command. Let not the fulness and freeness of the invitation lead you to think you have nothing to do. It is true Jesus says he came to seek as well as save the lost; yet he also declares we must seek if we would find. It is true, he stands at the door and knocks, yet must we knock if we would have it opened unto us. It is true, God opens wide the door of his grace and proclaims, “whosoever will may come”; yet must we "strive to enter in." He offers the water of life “without money”; yet must we “buy” it. God presses the gift of eternal life on us; yet is it true, “I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel." God forces himself on no soul. He offers himself, and then it is our privilege, our duty to "seek the Lord.” We cannot sit down and wait for salvation; we must seek the Lord, though he. is not far from us.

It is on the basis of Christ’s work as Redeemer, seen so vividly in Isa. 53, that the promises given to those who come at God’s gracious call do rest.

If God invites us to come and commands us to come, there is surely an implied promise of acceptance, when we obey the command and accept the invitation. He has filled his book with richest promises and holds up before us one illustration after another, that we may see how sinful souls came to accept his invitation and that none ever went away unblest. He assures us that the favor of God standeth sure, and that '''whosoever'' cometh to drink of this water shall receive it without money….It is a glorious, amazing truth, that since Jesus died God is graciously bound to receive every soul that comes trusting in Jesus who died.

Yet with the call, there is an admonition to the hearer.

The preacher would not be faithful to you did he not press on your thoughts the warning in this text. Do not the words, "while he may be found," "while he is near,” warn us that there is a time when he may not be found, when he is not near?

This is the full-orbed, whole gospel message which Rosebro conveys to his auditors and readers.

Oh! while the Spirit is whispering in your heart, "To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart," while Jesus once more invites, while God is near, come! come! Provoke not that state in which it will be impossible to renew you again to repentance. It were better for you, if you had never been born.

Begin now to seek the Lord. Stop and think. You cannot stop and think of your sin and ingratitude against such love and patience without coming to repentance. You cannot think of Jesus bearing your guilt, of his suffering and death for you, without learning to love him who thus first loved you. "My people will not consider" is the mournful charge God brings against us. Therefore does he entreat us to — "Come now let us reason together." "Harden not your heart,” but "seek ye the Lord while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near.”

Read the full sermon by Rosebro here. Oh, may the Spirit of God quicken us to draw near and not shrink back when God graciously calls us to himself. To God be the glory for his kindness and love towards undeserving, unworthy sinners for Christ’s sake.

A Preface to the Bible by John Witherspoon

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The first complete English Bible published in America was by Robert Aitken in 1782. The first family Bible published in America (Trenton, New Jersey) was by Isaac Collins in 1791. The 1791 Collins Bible featured a preface to the reader that was written by John Witherspoon. This preface was reprinted in many other succeeding editions of the Holy Scriptures, including an 1801 edition of the King James Version which is available to read at Log College Press.

This preface is a memorable history and defense of translating the Word of God from Hebrew and Greek into the vernacular languages. Witherspoon highlights “the providence of God” made “manifest in” the “preservation and purity” of the Holy Scriptures as he describes the historical process by which the English Bible was translated for American readers. It is a brief but well-stated introduction to a translation beloved by many. Read it in full here.

Postscript on Witherspoon:

Last month we published a blog post on “John Witherspoon’s Letter From a Blacksmith.” An alert reader reached out to us to let us know that the attribution of Witherspoon as the author of this anonymously-published 1759 letter is disputed and far from clear. As a result of our friend’s helpful information, and following further research, we have removed that letter from Witherspoon’s page. It is unknown for certain who wrote it. But in the meantime, we have also added many more works by Witherspoon, including the preface to the Bible noted above. Thank you to our friend for reaching out to help us clarify this point.

John Holt Rice: "I have more books than I can read"

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What and where my relish for books, which I may be hungry for? Lord, Because I shall see thee, or serve thee, the more for the reading of them. – Cotton Mather

Not long after Archibald Alexander’s inauguration as the first Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, he made a significant addition to his collection of books with the acquisition of a private library that belonged to a Dutch Reformed minister. Hughes Oliphant Old tells us that

At one point he was able to buy the private library of a learned Dutch theologian, the Reverend Mr. John van Harlingen. This provided him with many of the classics of Reformed theology from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries as well as editions of the Church Fathers (The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church, Vol. 6, p. 233).

After hearing of this acquisition, his friend John Holt Rice wrote to him on November 4, 1813 to commend his purchase.

I could not help exclaiming when I heard of the fine library you had purchased, "O fortunatum!" but I could hardly add, "equidem hand invideo" But why should I repine? I have more books than I can read.

This is recorded in J.W. Alexander’s Life of Archibald Alexander, p. 353, but the full letter by Rice is found here.

Rice describes what the Japanese refer to as Tsundoku, having more books than one can read. We have previously made mention of this concept. If one is to err, it may be best to err on the side of having more books than one can read, than on the other side. But nevertheless, it is fascinating to read about the libraries and book purchases of godly men who have gone before. And, of course, it is best to read all that we can to the glory of God!