Free Church Presbyterianism, by Rev. James Begg, D.D.

Closing Address: SPECIAL DUTIES AND DANGERS OF THE FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.

Part 9: (Duties)
NECESSITY FOR MAINTAINING PRACTICAL REIGION.

BUT whilst it is thus of high importance to understand and maintain all our Scriptural principles of doctrine, it is of equal importance to urge upon all our people a high tone of practical religion. The absolute necessity of conversion and of a new heart — [applause] — of personal prayer, of the maintenance of prayer-meetings, and of family worship, should be strongly urged; the sacredness of God's holy day as a day alike of privilege and duty, and on no lower ground than part of perpetual morality, binding on all men, because coeval with creation, and made the very central precept of the holy law of God, whilst endeared also to all Christians in connection with a risen saviour the duty of diffusing Scriptural education, and of extending the Gospel to the uttermost ends of the earth; in a word, the paramount obligation of promoting all that is "just, true, honest, lovely and of good report," and resisting all sin — ought to engage our strenuous efforts, in humble dependence upon the Divine blessing. A low tone of doctrine naturally leads to a low course of practice.

There is accordingly, in certain quarters around us, a lamentable mixing up of the Church and the world, — a vain attempt at once to serve God and Mammon, — highly commended by the ungodly, but a system of compromise, where the Church makes all the concessions, and Satan gets all the advantage — [hear, hear] — which makes one sometimes wonder if some professing Christians have misread their Bibles, and imagine that Christ had said, "Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth unto life, and many there be that go in thereat. Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth to destruction, and few there be that find it." [Laughter and applause.]  

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CLOSING ADDRESS: Special duties and dangers of the Free Church of Scotland.
Part 8: (Duties:) Other matters of Public Testimony.

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CLOSING ADDRESS: Special duties and dangers of the Free Church of Scotland.
Part 10: (Dangers:) New struggle for purity of Worship — Instrumental Music.