Free Church Presbyterianism, by Rev. James Begg, D.D.
Third Address:
PRESBYTERIANISM IN ENGLAND.
Address to the Deputation from the Presbyterian Church in England.
THE MODERATOR said: —
"Beloved
Brethren, — In the name of this venerable Assembly, I have much
pleasure in thanking you cordially for your visit to us on this
occasion, and for the interesting addresses which you have delivered.
Although the Presbyterian Church has comparatively little hold on
England at present, that great country presents a noble field for
Presbyterian enterprise and usefulness, and must always be connected
with some of our dearest associations with the past. We cannot see
Westminster Abbey or St Margaret's Church without being reminded of
much that is profoundly interesting in our own ecclesiastical history,
including the production of our admirable Standards. The social
position and importance of England in the world can hardly be over
estimated.
In speaking of the importance of Glasgow, it has been said
that in miniature it is like Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool
combined; in other words, it may be said to have union the iron trade
of Birmingham, the cotton manufacture of Manchester, and the commercial
power of Liverpool. The same thing is true of England, as compared even
with the most prosperous of the ancient nations and places. England may
be said to have combined now in one, the splendour of Assyria, the
commerce of Tyre, the power of Rome, and the religious privileges
ancient Palestine. Taken in connection with Scotland, it may be truly
said, "God hath not dealt so with any nation." The spiritual state of
England, therefore, must ever be deeply interesting to the friends of
truth on both sides of the Tweed, and especially to the ministers and
members of the Presbyterian Church, whose future is now inseparably
bound up with that of this rich and mighty kingdom.
By far the largest
religious body in England is the Established Church, with its powerful
hierarchy, its 14,000 or 15,000 clergy, and its places of worship
scattered through all the towns and villages, from the borders of
Scotland to Cornwall. That Church presents very singular features to an
attentive observer.
Of a certain speech it was once said, that it was
the best speech on both sides of the question. [Laughter.] To a certain
extent, a similar statement may be made of the Church of England viewed
historically. Dr Warburton compared it to the ark, which contained
alike clean and unclean beasts, things rational and irrational. Members
of the Church of England, in past and more recent times, have conferred
great services on Scriptural learning, powerfully defending the Word of
God against the attacks of infidelity, and Protestant truth against
Romish error.
Nevertheless, a system is mainly to be judged of by the
essential principles of its constitution. If these be faulty and
incapable of defence, we may rest assured that bad principles will
always manifest themselves in erroneous practice, and that, instead of
dwindling and dying, error, left to itself, will constantly seek to
grow and assert its supremacy. Thus it has been with the Church of
England in various periods of its history, but perhaps never more than
at the present time.
In addition to its prelatic system, there were two
features in that Church against which our ancestors especially
objected, viz., the Romish element left in its liturgy, and formally
developed in the days of Laud, and its Erastian constitution. It is
painful to observe that these two features are at present more
offensively brought out than ever. All the worst peculiarities of Rome
are now openly manifested with impunity in the Church of England, — the
conventual and monastic systems, the odious confessional, and an
idolatry as gross as in the days of Ahab. At the same time, the evils
of the Erastian constitution of that Church have come out with the most
offensive prominence, not only, as formerly, completely paralysing all
discipline in regard to the members of the Church, but judicially
declaring to be venial on the part of the clergy even the most flagrant
infidelity. Its good men at present certainly deserve our sympathy and
prayers.
On the other hand, Dissent has done immense service in
England, especially in past times. It has been the pioneer and the
pillar of evangelical religion in the leading towns, and in many of the
sequestered villages. The movement of Whitefield and Wesley did much,
by the Divine blessing, to revive the cause of vital religion when it
was nearly dead. Some of the most eminent names in theological
literature have adorned its ranks; and, but for its efforts, Wales, now
one of the most Christian portions of the United Kingdom, would have
been given over to heathenism.
In a struggle, however, against banded
and systematic opposition, the essential weakness of the Independent
form of Church government is seen, and a number of the Nonconformists
of England, apart from the Wesleyans, have, unfortunately, of late,
abandoned the public ground of the old Puritans, and no longer fight
against the errors of the Established Church so much because they are
errors, but mainly because they are established. The great public
struggle recently maintained by this class has been almost entirely a
political one, — a struggle against church-rates and religious
endowments; and yet even this has not been maintained with consistency;
for very little formal objection has been made to the endowment of
Popish priests. What is called the Liberation Society actually resolved
to of offer no opposition to the "Prison Ministers' Bill."
This
implies, on the part of many Dissenters, an entire giving up of the old
ground of the English Puritans, who, like the Marquis of Argyll, had "a
heart-hatred of Popery and of all superstition." It is plain from the
Life of Sir John Elliot lately published, that this was the animating
principle of the whole struggle of the Puritans in the days Charles I;
and it is equally manifest that, if the Dissenters of England are to
give up this high ground, and simply to measure their political
strength against the Church of England, they will be sure to fail. [Hear, hear.]
The Church of Christ must not be political, and the power
of English Nonconformity was never the mere power of wealth or
political influence, but the power of conscience and the Word of God.
Remove these, and Samson is shorn of his locks, and becomes weak as
other men. [Applause.] Accordingly, we see the result which we have
indicated actually taking place at the present moment. Political
Dissent has been helping Romanism, and thus neglecting duty and
conniving at falsehood; and the Church of England, although growing in
corruption, has been also increasing in power, to the danger of all our
Churches.
There are still many men of might and the soundest views
amongst the Dissenters of England; many first-class men and truly
Christian people still adorn its ranks; but the predominant power in
its public counsels is unfortunately neither that of the Owens and
Goodwins of former times, nor of the Robert Halls, John Fosters, or
Andrew Fullers of more recent date.
The chief public testimony against
Romanism and the corruptions of the Church of England in either House
of Parliament is, indeed, borne now, not by Dissenters, but by members
of the English Establishment; and I know a person who has had many
opportunities of late years of being present at various kinds of
Dissenting worship in England, but, so far as he remembers, he has
heard none of the old prayers for the downfall of Rome, the only
references to the subject being made by one solitary Wesleyan minister.
When the enemy is coming in like a flood, this is surely a
judgement-like sign, and a sad defection from better times.
In these
circumstances, the Presbyterian Church has undoubtedly a noble
opportunity of usefulness in England; for its principles and power of
combination, if fairly maintained, are manifestly fitted to meet the
emergency which has arisen, or, indeed, any emergency. She holds
substantially the views of the old Puritans. With a highly educated
ministry, and an unlimited power of combination, she is strongly
Protestant, and decidedly anti-Erastian; whilst her full statement of
the glorious gospel, and her simple and Scriptural worship, afford a
refreshing contrast to that spirit of ritualism which, as guided by
some in England at present, threatens to extinguish all gospel truth
vital religion, and spiritual worship together.
Besides being able to
boast of a noble British ancestry, and bearing a testimony for truth
and great principles as of old, before the three kingdoms, there is now
a vast influx of Scotchmen into England, which, in those days of rapid
communication, is likely to increase, — men of energy and intelligence
who fight their way by superior vigour, education, and character, to
situations of the highest trust, and many of whom are warmly and
intelligently attached to the simple worship of their native land, if
they can only secure the administration of Presbyterian ordinances in
purity, and by zealous and faithful ministers. Here, apart from
anything else, is a wide field for Presbyterian Church extension, which
may well tax the energies of all our Churches; and I am glad to see
that the Irish Church is acting there with you, as well as our own, and
that the United Presbyterian Church is even more alive to the great
importance of this field than any other of the Presbyterian Churches.
Perhaps at no previous period of its history had the Presbyterian
church in England a more noble opportunity of usefulness. I rejoice in
your Church extension efforts, in which I have personally taken a small
part; and if I allude to difficulties which I think, exist to some
extent in your way, it is only because of the heartfelt interest which
I feel, and have always felt, in your successful progress.
From
considerable intercourse with England, by correspondence and otherwise,
I am aware that many excellent Episcopalians would welcome and rejoice
in a bold protest from you against all the errors to which I have
referred.
The idea has no doubt gone abroad of late in certain
quarters, that a policy very different from one of strong Presbyterian
principle and zealous protest ought to be pursued by the English
Presbyterian Church. In particular, it has been suggested in certain
quarters that, instead of maintaining the simple forms of worship of
our own land, some policy of what is called adaptation to modern
English taste is necessary to Presbyterian success in that country.
I
am not aware to what extent this idea has gained a footing. As a
church, your public testimony as yet remains unchanged, and I trust it
ever will. It is substantially the same testimony as ours, and this
constitutes the strong bond of union between us. The times in which we
live are, however, unstable, and it is always pleasant to imagine that
we are wiser than our ancestors. [Laughter.] I earnestly pray that you
may be wisely guided, now that your opportunities are so great. Even as
in our own Church, you will soon discover that it is not new forms that
are necessary to success, but more spiritual life, more earnest and
powerful preaching more entire devotion to ministerial work, and a
greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit of God. [Cheers.]
I am not aware
that any success has as yet attended any new scheme of policy in the
few cases in which it has been attempted. Scotchmen are apt to be
offended by it, whilst Englishmen will not be conciliated. It is said
that on one occasion a regiment of Scotch soldiers was marched
inadvertently to the Episcopalian Church in Dublin, but as soon as they
saw the place they refused to enter; and as they retired, the band,
with some humour, struck up the tune, "This is no mine ain house, I ken
by the biggin' o't." [Laughter.]
A Scotchman away from his native land,
if he really cares for religion at all, is an Hebrew of the Hebrews,
more zealous for the simple worship of his forefathers than ever. [Cheers.] He is disturbed in his devotions when he finds himself
surrounded by novelties. If this feeling does not exist, or if any one
can contrive to destroy it, ten to one you will soon discover that the
Scotchman will find in England something more in keeping with his
newly-acquired taste, if it is to be a mere matter of taste, than you
can supply, — a more splendid building than yours, better music,
ritualism, and posture making in far greater perfection. [Laughter and
applause.]
And as to the Englishmen who may join you, they will be
chiefly those who have fled from ritualism, and who are earnestly
longing after simple spiritual worship, and the sincere milk of the
Word. [Applause.] But the matter is far more serious than this. We
believe the simple worship of our Church to be in accordance with
divine appointment adapted to men's highest spiritual nature, fitted
for all ages and all lands. Let only earnest praise and prayer, with
powerful and faithful preaching, form the service, and all, by the
Divine blessing, will be well. Human nature is the same in every age.
When our noble ancestors were in England at the time of the Westminster
Assembly, the eloquent sermons of Henderson, Gillespie, and Rutherford
were listened to by crowded audiences.
Before any of his recent
eccentricities were adopted by Edward Irving, his noble eloquence drew
crowds of the most highly-educated classes in England to his then
humble place of worship, although he conducted that worship with the
utmost simplicity, according to the most rigid pattern of his native
land, and even read the least musical verses of our noble Psalm-book,
but with a grandeur of intonation to which perfect strangers found it a
delight to listen. We all know, moreover, that even in our own day Mr
Spurgeon has stripped the worship of his church of all extraneous
accompaniments, turning the organ out of doors, and conducting, his
whole service, in the headquarters of England, according, to the rigid
simplicity of Puritan rule; and yet never in any age was there a
minister with a larger congregation, or who found it so easy to draw
crowds around him. [Cheers.]
We may rest assured that our strength as
Presbyterians lies not in any outward changes, but only in the truth of
God and the God of truth. If we have a faithful and powerful gospel to
deliver to the people, we need have no cause to fear; and if we have
not, we have no special call to go to England at all, for of everything
else they have abundance already, and we never shall be able to compete
there successfully with the formality and ritualism which, in truth,
are already the very bane of the land. We have no cause to be ashamed
of our simple Presbyterian system; and it is an evidence of the
strength of spiritual life, that we are true to our principles even in
circumstances of difficulty and discouragement. We may rest assured
that all the forces of Presbyterianism in the three kingdoms will be
bound by the cords of unity and truth, if we only stand together, and
that in due season we shall reap if we faint not.
I beg again to say,
that it is only the deep interest which I feel, and have long felt, in
the prosperity of your Church which has induced me to venture upon
these observations. Praying that you may be graciously guided unto all
truth, that your way may be made plain before you, and that your Church
may not only be greatly extended, but that you may be steadfast,
immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, I beg again, in
name of this Assembly, to convey to you, and through you to the Church
which you represent, our cordial thanks.4 [Much applause.]
[Footnote 4: It was
striking to observe the tone of Dr Cumming's speech in the Established
Assembly. It was mainly in favour of the old ways of worship; and he
intimated that the only organ which had found admission into their
Church in England had nearly emptied it, and had been taken out. Dr
Cumming will profit by any mistakes which our friends may make if he
can.]