The James Begg Society |
JBS Larger Works OnlineHere are some larger resources (e.g., e-books, MP3s) which the James Begg Society is pleased to make available for free online.Memoirs of James Begg, D.D.by Prof. Thomas SmithRev. Dr. James Begg (1808-1883) was minister of Newington Free Church, Edinburgh. He was a leading figure in the Church of Scotland in the early 19th Century, and from the foundation of the Free Church of Scotland in 1843. Begg was a strong opponent of Roman Catholicism, Liberal Theology and innovations that polluted the purity of Christian worship. As such, he was the inspiration for the formation of the James Begg Society in 1995. The first four chapters of the Memoirs were written by Dr. Begg himself. [More...] The Government of the Kingdom of Christ, Part IIIby Rev. James Moir PorteousIn 1869 the Free Church of Scotland presented a prize for the best essay on the fundamental principles of presbyterian order and government. The judges unanimously awarded the prize to James Moir Porteous for his essay, which was revised and enlarged for publication. Parts One and Two of this book were re-published in 1999 by the James Begg Society as "Jesus Christ King of the Church." Part Three is a historical survey of presbyterianism from the first century A.D. until 1888. [More...] In Spirit and in Truth: an Anthology of Christian WorshipCompiled by Michael Marzan-EsherWe are pleased to host on our website this interesting an valuable book by Michael Marzan-Esher: In Spirit and in Truth: an Anthology of Christian Worship. The material gathered together in this anthology was written between 1652 and 1878, by Protestant Christian ministers of a number of different Denominations. [More...] Free
Church Presbyterianism
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The Relevance of James Begg's Convictions for Today by
Rev. Angus Smith.
|
Mr. Smith speaks on several important issues that faced Rev. James Begg, D.D., in his day, such as attacks on the Bible and the introduction of hymns and other man-made impositions upon the worship of God. He then makes incisive comment on today's churches, with particular reference to his beloved Free Church. Rev. Angus Smith was minister of Cross Free Church, Isle of Lewis. He is now a retired minister in the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland. |
From
the 1996 Annual Meeting. |
The Antichrist:
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Rev. Silversides gives concise and compelling reasons why we should consider the pope of Rome to be this "man of sin" that we are so warned against in Holy Scripture. Rev. David Silversides is minister of Loughbrickland Reformed Presbyterian Church, Co. Down, Northern Ireland. |
From the 1997 Annual |
The Westminster Confession of Faith: Milestone, Millstone or Manifesto?by Rev. Hugh M. Cartwright |
Proffessor Rev. Cartwright shows clearly and concisely why full subscription to the Westminster Confession of Faith is so vital. The Confession is not, as is popularly believed today, merely an historical document, nor is it a millstone to tie us down in bondage, but rather it is a manifesto of the truths of Scripture, and should be adhered to by all ministers and elders, particularly when all around are trying to bring new ideas into the church. Prof. Hugh Cartwright was minister of the Free Church of Scotland, Ferintosh, from 1969, Professor of Church History and Church Principles in the Free Church College from 1990, admitted as a minister of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland at the May 1998 Synod, and became minister of the Edinburgh Free Presbyterian Congregation in October 1998. |
From the 1998 Annual Meeting. |
Christian Piety and Spiritual Warfareby Rev. Murdo A. Macleod |
Rev. Macleod shows how Christian piety is not incompatible with spiritual warfare as we are in a battle as long as we are in this life against the world, the flesh and the devil. Rev. Murdo Macleod was minister of the Free Church, Leverburgh, South Harris, and is now minister of Crow Road Free Church (Continuing), Glasgow. |
From our meeting held in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, in 1999. |
The Ecumenical Movement in the Light of the Word of Godby Rev. Malcolm Watts |
Rev. Watts traces the history of the modern day ecumanical movement and shows clearly where it departs from the Word of God. Rev. Malcolm Watts is minister of Emmanuel (Reformed Baptist) Church in Salisbury, England. |
From the 1999 Annual Meeting. |
The Marks of an Apostatising Churchby Rev. David Silversides |
Identifying three principal marks of the drift into apostasy, Mr. Silversides warned, firstly, of a diminishing esteem of the Word of God, in doctrine and practice, whereby "Biblical orthodoxy can continue to be professed, but not loved." Secondly, we should be watchful for a dissatisfaction and general weariness with Biblical worship. "The cry for creative and new ideas is a sign of spiritual death." Finally, there is the danger of the neglect or abuse of Church discipline: "if a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump, discipline matters." Rev. Silversides then gave some prudent applications, including the warning that, "good history does not guarantee a good future." |
From our meeting in Stornoway, held in 2000. |
Church and Stateby Roy Mohon |
An excellent summary of why Jesus Christ is not only King of the church but King over all, including the civil magistrate. Many today believe in a total separation of Church and State, but this paper gives clear reasons why this position cannot be tenable. Mr. Mohon is minister of the Presbyterian Reformed Church, Stockton-on-Tees, England. |
From the 2000 Annual Meeting.
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Christian Libertyby Rev. Harry Woods |
A summary of the freedom we have in Christ to keep God's commandments. Most people think this as slavery, by Mr. Woods clearly shows how this is the greatest freedom of all. Rev. Harry Woods was minister of Thornwood Free Church (Continuing), and is now minister of Beauly Free Church (Continuing). |
From our meeting in Stornoway, held in 2001. |
The Authority of Scriptureby Rev. John P. Thackway |
Rev. John Thackway shows clearly that our sole authority for knowing what is right and true should come from Scripture alone, and not from the vain philosophies of this modern world. Rev. Thackway is the minister of Holywell Evangelical (Reformed Baptist) Church, North Wales, and is the editor of the Bible League Quarterly. |
From the 2001 Annual Meeting. |
Worship True and Falseby Roy Mohon |
Mr. Roy Mohon shows how worship in many of today's churches is so far removed from the worship that God requires of us. We need to realise that we cannot worship God any way we choose, but only in the way that He has ordained. Mr. Mohon clearly shows how worship of men's own devising soon leads to apostasy. Mr. Mohon is minister of the Presbyterian Reformed Church, Stockton-on-Tees, England. |
From our meeting held in Stornoway, 2002. |
The Christian Hope of Immortalityby Rev. Donald N. Macleod |
Mr. Macleod shows us the truth about death and the life hereafter. This is not "pie in the sky" to the Christian, but a living reality. So many people think that death is the end and the life we have here and now is all there is to live for. Mr. Macleod shows clearly and biblically that this is not so, and that this life is only a preparation for the next. Rev. Donald Macleod is a retired minister of the Free Church (Continuing). |
From the 2002 Annual Meeting. |
Returning to the Reformationby Rev. James Gracie |
Rev. Gracie gives a very clear message pointing out that the Reformation was primarily a spiritual work of God, and that rather than the Reformers producing something new, they were in fact returning to certain fundamental biblical truths. He goes on to mention four of the most important of these truths, which are all still as relevant to us today as they were to the Reformers, namely: Returning to God, Returning to the Authority of Scripture, Returning to Justification by Faith through Christ alone, and returning to the Lord Jesus Christ as the only Head of the Church. Rev. James Gracie is the president of The James Begg Society: Larger Works Online, and he is minister of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) congregation in Edinburgh. |
This is the address given at The James Begg Society's first public meeting outside of Scotland, in Belfast, Northern Ireland in March 2003. |
Christ Alone: Battle Cry for a New Reformationby Rev. Robert McCurley |
Mr. McCurley shows us the importance of the
Reformation doctrine of
Solus Christus: Christ Alone, and how it is indeed the most important
of the doctrines recovered in the Reformation. He then goes on to talk
about the centrality of the doctrine, the contemporary need for the
doctrine and the recovery of the doctrine in today’s modern
age. |
From the 2003 Annual Meeting. |
In Spirit and in Truthby Brian Bradley |
Mr. Brian Bradley shows that the worship of God is conditioned on both (1) our acceptance of God and (2) the acceptability of the content of our worship to God. Throughout Holy Scripture, the true worshippers of God are said to fear and obey Him precisely in the substance of their worship – they offer him nothing of their own devising, but only what is in accord with what is God's revealed will. Mr Bradley proceeded to show how the Book of Psalms is a suitable and sufficient manual of praise for the Christian Church. Mr. Brian Bradley is the minister of Bryn Seion Reformed Congregational Church, Cynheidre, Llanelli, South Wales. |
From the May 2004 Annual Meeting. |
The Westminster Assembly and the Debate over the Atonementby Chad van Dixhoorn |
After describing the setting of the Assembly of Divines in Westminster Abbey (1643-1652), Mr. Chad van Dixhoorn discusses the longest running debate the early period of the Assembly – concerning the meaning of the phrase "He [the Lord Jesus Christ] descended into Hell" found in the Apostle's Creed. He shows that the English reformers followed John Calvin in denying that Christ visited some imagined temporary abode for the souls of the Old Testament saints ( limbus partum ), but rather that on the cross, He suffered the full poured-out wrath of God for the sins of His people (see Westminster Confession of Faith chp.8, sec.3). Mr. Chad van Dixhoorn is a licensate (i.e., probationer) for the ministry Orthodox Presbyterian Church (USA/Canada). He is currently at the University of Cambridge, UK, studying the Minutes and Papers of the Westminster Assembly. |
From the May 2005 Annual Meeting. |
The Arminian Controversy and the Synod of Dordtby Jan Freeke |
Mr. Freeke gives us an insight into the history of the Synod of Dordt, which took place in 1617-1618. He then gives us an overview of the theology of the Canons of Dordt, which were the main fruit of the Synod. Mr. Jan Freeke is a member of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland congregation in Glasgow. |
This is the address from the 2006 Annual Meeting of The James Begg Society: Larger Works Online. |
Creation and the Reformed Faithby Simon Padbury |
In this lecture, Mr. Padbury discusses how rationalism, uniformitarianism and evolutionism influenced the presbyterian churches in Scotland in the 18th and 19th Centuries, and who were the main opponents of these errors at that time. Mr. Simon Padbury is a member of the Presbyterian Reformed Church congregation in Stockton-on-Tees, England. |
From the May 2007 Annual Meeting. |
English Hypothetical Universalism and its Influence on Scottish Marrow Theologyby Dr Jonathan Moore |
In this lecture, Dr Moore gives an overview of the "Marrow Controversy" in the Church of Scotland in the early 1700s, and shows that the influence of English Hypothetical Universalism affected the theology of those who supported the "Marrow", and how indeed later the Secession church succumbed to the "double reference" theory of the atonement. Dr Moore is a member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Loughbrickland, Northern Ireland. |
This is the address from the 2008 Annual Meeting of the James Begg Society. |
Email NewsletterThe James Begg Society: Larger Works Online produces an Email Newsletter every two months. It is free for anyone who wishes to recieve it. Our Email Newsletter contains news of the Society, information about forthcoming publications and events, and an edifying article. Articles will be drawn either from our own books, or from other Reformers, Puritans, Presbyterians, etc. If you wish to receive our Email Newsletter, please contact us. |