The most applauded Tenets of our modern Anabaptists, are the self-same with what the old Anabaptists did invent The errors of the Anabaptists and their divisions amongst themselves are so many, that to set them down distinctly in any good order, is . . . Continue reading →
Presbyterian History
Baillie Versus Tombes (4): How The Particular Baptists Appeared To Early Presbyterians
For all this so strong was the delusion, the blinded people did not open their eyes. Becold and Knipperdolling did daily preach new visions, Becold lying in a trance three days. When he awakened he appeared to be mute, but by writing . . . Continue reading →
Baillie Versus Tombes (3): How The Particular Baptists Appeared To Early Presbyterians
This great execution upon them together with the diligence of Luther and other Divines to inform their minds did for some time much compesce [to restrain] that evil spirit and so much fright him out of all the bounds of upper Germany, . . . Continue reading →
Baillie Versus Tombes (2): How The Particular Baptists Appeared To Early Presbyterians
When the light of the Gospel from the Lamp of Luther did begin to shine in all the corners of Germany high and low, the aforementioned unhappy men Stock and Müntzer, did begin also to breath out a pestiferous vapor for to . . . Continue reading →
Baillie Versus Tombes (1): How The Particular Baptists Appeared To Early Presbyterians
The late patrons of Anabaptism among us would make the world believe that this Sect had for its Author the famous Berengarius, and for its fomenters four hundred years ago, the old predecessors of Protestants, commonly called Albigenses: but who will be . . . Continue reading →
Peace And Purity Provided By Authority: John Thomson’s Defense Of Presbyterian Church Polity (Part 8): Authority In Principle And Practice
As a gathered body of ministers united to govern, Synod’s ability to make decisions for the better governing of the church was fundamental to the characteristics and nature of this authority. The discrepancy between the two groups was the difference between how . . . Continue reading →
Peace And Purity Provided By Authority: John Thomson’s Defense Of Presbyterian Church Polity (Part 6): The Beginning Of Conflict
In 1739, the Presbytery of New Brunswick, which consisted of Gilbert Tennent, Eleazer Wales, William Tennent and Samuel Blair, submitted a document titled The Apology. It consisted of objections to the previous two acts of the Synod of 1738 and a polemical . . . Continue reading →
Peace And Purity Provided By Authority: John Thomson’s Defense Of Presbyterian Church Polity (Part 5): Problems With Itinerants And Education
In addition to the previous decade of controversy surrounding the Adopting Act, during the Synod of 1738, Thomson submitted a proposal to Synod, which was approved with a great majority, that students who had a private education, meaning not having studied at . . . Continue reading →
Peace And Purity Provided By Authority: John Thomson’s Defense Of Presbyterian Church Polity (Part 4): American Presbyterian History
Francis Makemie (1657–1707) has been considered to be the Father of American Presbyterianism. Originally from Northern Ireland, he was ordained in Scotland in 1681 and was commission by his Presbytery to plant churches in the Chesapeake Bay area. Makemie, however, came in . . . Continue reading →
Peace And Purity Provided By Authority: John Thomson’s Defense Of Presbyterian Church Polity (Part 3): Historical Background
The American Presbyterian Church was formed on the soil of the New World and the conflicts it experienced were the growing pains of a young church. At the time of the first presbytery, the three main branches of Scottish Presbyterianism in the . . . Continue reading →
New In Print: Samuel Miller On Presbyterianism
Samuel Miller (1769–1850) is significant figure in American Presbyterian Church history. He is a figure that anyone who is interested in Reformed theology, piety, and practice should know. He belonged to the Old School of American Presbyterianism. He was professor of Church . . . Continue reading →
Where Machen Last Preached
The photo comes from GhostsofNorthDakoka.com. Thanks to Wayne Sparkman for pointing us to this photo of the Presbyterian Church of America congregation, in Leith, ND, as it was known then, where J. Gresham Machen preached his final sermon before becoming ill on . . . Continue reading →
Deconstructing Puritanism
In “Beware the Puritan Paralysis” Trevin Wax cautions us about a tendency to introspection. He makes a very important point: Too many times, we dress up our introspection with flowery terms like “accountability” and “mortification” and “gospel-centered change.” Even if all these . . . Continue reading →
Iain Campbell on the Relevance of "The Disruption of 1843"
At Creidamh (pron. “kray-jif”—Gaelic for “faith”—I’m glad that if Iain is going to speak in tongues he also has the gift of interpretation!)