Dingwall and Strathpeffer Free Church of Scotland

The building of the Free Church of Scotland Dingwall is a fine building sitting proudly at the end of the High Street across from the railway station. I am convinced that Dingwall, geographically, has a strategic importance to the Highland church of the future. Interestingly the Theological College moved to Dingwall from Elgin some years ago.

Sandeman Letters Theron and Aspasio

Some one looking for the text of Sandeman's letters to Harvey in Northampton 1755 ish.
Can any one help?


PDF from makidon


Some quotes here.
Not available - Amazon

Harvey

Glassite

What a relief...

Relief Church

Despite the first secession of 1733 from the Church of Scotland a short time after the passing of the Act of Patronage, the further split created the Presbytery of Relief. The founding members being Thomas Boston(2), Thomas Collier and Thomas Gillespie ministers of charges at Oxnam, Ravenstondale and Carnock. The basis of the split was regarding admitting ministers to charges that they were called.

More specifically;

Boston felt led to Jedburgh so much so in the congregation they also agreed to build a church to accommodate his ministry after the split.
Collier wished to take up the ministry at Colinsburgh from Ravenstondale.
Gillespie unable to settle Andrew Richardson in the church at Inverkeithing contrary to the will of the congregation and against his own vow taken at his induction at Carnock fife.
Thomas Gillespie (1708-1774) was a man of weak constitution in life and also of a shy disposition. He went to Carnock after training at the Protestant Dissenting Academy in Northampton. (Could not find a suitable college in Scotland.)
It doesn't appear that the formation of the relief presbytery had any influence in the progression of the two arms of the secession church. Having no theological college, most going to the established churches' halls of education, may well have had some bearing, so also could the churches stance on a more open table at communion and its alignment with baptists and independents with their view on universal redemption. The church of the Relief soon had over 100 churches. The first Moderator being Thomas Boston in 7/12/1761.
In 1847 the Relief Church joined with the two “New Light” bodies from the burgh and anti-burgh churches to form the United Presbyterian Church. This was a sign that many were prepared to reconsider the nature of the church in light of the New Testament first and college Calvinism second. At this time there was a new awakening regarding foreign mission.

Secede or succeed?

Seceeders

Most historians look at the republication of "The Marrow of Modern Divinity" as a trigger for the splits in the 18th century. The marrow was originally written around 1644 by Edward Fisher. With each republication excitement grew, in particular in the Church of Scotland, Synod of Fife. James Hog of Carnock was "highly pleased" with its contents. Of course there was also opposition. Principal Haddow of St Andrews being but one, who responded with "The record of God, and duty of faith therein required" (1719). By 1720 a committee was set up to report on the Marrow. Extracts from the Marrow were highlighted by the committee:

A believer is not under the law (but delivered from it)
A believer does not commit sin.
The Lord can not see sin in a believer
The lord is not angry with a believer who sins
The lord does not Chasten a believer for his sin.
A believer hath no cause to either confess his sins or to crave pardon at the hand of God for them...
These and others were put beside the scriptures and the articles of the confession of faith and the catechisms, so that matters could be considered. An act was passed "all ministers of the church were strictly prohibited from writing printing or preaching in favour "The Marrow".

The "marrow -men" as they were called were agitated by this stance and steps were taken to have the act repealed.
In Edinburgh William Wardrop met with Ebenezer Erskine and his brother Ralph Erskine, James Wardlaw, William Wilson (Perth), and Thomas Boston(1) to name a few. At the 1721 assembly, a defence was made of the marrow by twelve ministers led by Ebenezer Erskine. This "Evangelical " Minister made a defence of the situation, highlighted a need for the right of a congregation to choose its own minister.
His case which was good went back to the claim of the medieval church for independence in spiritual matters.

After some time and several meetings including Erskine being called to the Bar of the Assembly to receive a rebuke from the Moderator, he refused to accept this rebuke in silence and produced a written protest which he wished to be added to the Minutes.

Erskine and three other supporting ministers were suspended. The next step was a document claiming succeeding, not from the Church as such, "but the establishment within" who were not following reformed and covenanting principles! To this end the Associated Presbytery was born.

The Assembly had not anticipated this split and in the days that followed tried to have the suspended ministers back within its authority - but to no avail.

The Original Secession 1733 saw responsibility for prayer and upkeep of Church and minister, however saw no responsibility for surrounding area. -except to gather adherents. These churches grew out of "praying societies".

Barrier Act 1697
Passed to "Constructively insure against hasty action by extremists... that any innovations should be sent down to presbyteries and only enacted with their assent had been secured."

Clan Gathering 2006 St Andrews

Anybody had feedback from Clan Gathering in St Andrews or New Wine down south?

Spiritual Formation Bible

In this major new Bible, the foremost names in Christian spirituality and biblical scholarship, including RICHARD FOSTER, EUGENE PETERSON, DALLAS WILLARD and WALTER BRUEGGEMANN, have combined to produce a unique Bible that rediscovers Scripture as living text.
The book includes:
* The full text of the NRSV Bible
* Introductions and notes for each book of the Bible
* Spiritual exercises incorporated throughout the text

Example Leviticus 5 v 5
Note at bottom of page

Responding
5.5 Confession

In 1-4 the Israelites were commanded to confess their sins when they were guilty of refusing to testify when they could have, touching unclean things, touching an uclean human or uttering a rash oath even if they were unaware of doing wrong.

Recall a time when you did something and only later became aware that it was wrong. Take a momment now to confess it to God. See also Spiritual Disciplines Index

* Profiles of key biblical characters
* 15 essays on living `The With-God Life`
* Spiritual Disciplines Index - a glossary and complete Bible references for all the spiritual disciplines.

HODDER & STOUGHTON, ISBN 0340909013 Price: £29.99

Can be bought from

Scottish Bible Society


I have mine -most pleased.



Look at pages dip in for your self....Here you are

Glas some say Glass

!"Never heard of Glas"


John Glas (1696-1773) of Auchtermuchty was a person who sought the scriptures and at the time concluded that Christ's kingdom is one that is completely spiritual, and therefore as such should be independent of both state control or support. He was a minister from the age of 24 and was the fifth son of the manse. Although he did not want to leave the Church of Scotland he took up a new cause from the parish at Tealing near Dundee and started a new church known as the Glasite Church. Churches sprung up in Dundee, Perth and with the textile industry flourishing at the time further churches were set up in Paisley and Dunkeld. They as a Church were never large in number but their influence was great both national and international by the strong promoter John Glas's son in law Robert Sandeman.
The church was known for its "foot washing" and "holy kissing" and for its love feasts or communion celebrations that resembled banquets. The local name for the church was the "Kail Kirk". This communion was only administered by elders. As a Church they preferred "unlearned preachers".
Sandemanianism
The basis of the Sandemanian Church lies with John Glas the minister of the Church of Scotland devoted to the Church but because of differing opinions at the time forced to leave and set up a church based on his new found principles.
Robert Sandeman who's family business based in Perth was bleachers of fabrics, (1718-1771) took up the leadership of the movement in the 1750s. He had business contacts in London which gave him the opportunities to write and speak in England. He married John Glas' Daughter Catherine.
The result was the son in law of Glas became the strongest and most wide spread promoter of Glas theology. The most famous Glasite from the past is Michael Faraday. The Sandemanian church through its elders demanded total obedience to their decisions from any or all of their congregation. This in the long term caused several splits and was the downfall of the Scotch Baptist Church who followed some of the principles.
The Sandemanian service was one of love and hope with singing of hymns yet unaccompanied at each meeting a roll call was taken and as well as the prayers and study of the word the preaching was taken by the elders. These services would take no account of the Christian calender in respect to Lent, Easter and Christmas.

Old Scots Independents
John Smith, Newburn and Robert Ferrier, Largo having read the papers of Sandeman meet at Balchrstie mid point to their parishes to discuss the content. David Dale did likewise and set up a chapel of ease which in 1769 became an independent church with dale as one of the elders. Both these connections became known as Old Scots Independents- small, and sharing Glasite ideas of Church life and practice.

Touring photos

Bethnal Green East London this week.

Just back from the city and missed the trouble with the delayed flights due to heightened security alerts.
It would be easy to think of life purely in the Highland state ! As I walked along Bethnal Green this week, I was trying to consider how does the Church meet the varied culture of Bethnal Green?

It has an history of Christian witness over many years to an area recognised as having needs.

Where does one start to gossip the gospel to several societies in the one location?

3

3 How should a church call its workers?

from within?
or from where the skills gifts are found?

(workers being more than the minister etc.)


Emergent Church

2

2 Is the Scottish Baptist principle of consensus in the business meeting a drop out for poor leadership?



Emergent church

The emergent and associated church

No this is not a new church it relates to previous blog messages, which need to be broken down.

Emergent church

This blog I think splits in to Three question for further discussion.

1- What has the "emerging Church got for Highland Scotland." (bearing in mind definitions might vary. )

and ....

Story ...continues

Richard Cameron was born in Falkland, Fife. After a formal education Cameron took up the post as School Master at his birth village. He moved to the borders for a change in church life as he was having difficulty in speaking out against the system. He was taking on a covenanting conviction and at that time the borders were more sympathetic. John Welch of Irongay got to know Cameron and impressed upon him that he should take up the licence to preach. Despite Cameron's concerns as to becoming a root of bitterness in the camp he was indeed licensed. He never lacked for a crowd to which to preach, and his best sermons were open air communions, the first of which was at Maybole, Ayrshire. He became troubled with the difficulty in what, he wished to preach, and what was acceptable and for a time, moved to Holland.
In Holland the Scots Kirk would have been a little haven for him. As he preached to the folk gathered there, giving him recognition and to this end McWard gave him an additional charge of sorting out the decline in the standard of gospel presentation in Scotland.
After Donald Cargill wrote the Queensferry paper, a new covenant based and similar to the Rutherglen declaration Cameron compiled the Sanquhar declaration. While his father was in jail in Fife for a godly cause Cameron found himself at loggerheads with the King's army. 21st June 1769 was the Battle of Bothwell Bridge and in June 1680 he prophesied that actions to follow would shake the throne of Britain. Eight years later as he stood fearless in battle, it was fulfilled. He stood for a Godly nation, Protestant and Presbyterian. At Ayrsmoss on the bleak moors Cameron and his followers stood against the King's army as predicted 8 years earlier.
After the Battle the Armed Forces took his severed hands and head to Edinburgh. An observer in Edinburgh noted "these are the hands and head of one that lived praying and preaching and died praying and fighting." Cameron had renewed the determination for those in the struggle of open faith.