Ryland and Carey

 "YOUNG MAN! SIT DOWN! SIT DOWN! YOU ARE AN ENTHUSIAST! WHEN  GOD PLEASES TO CONVERT THE HEATHEN, HE'LL DO IT WITHOUT YOUR HELP OR MINE!"

The  words that adorn mar the beginning of this article are attributed to one John Ryland Senior when William Carey, William Fuller and others of like mind spoke at a Minister's Fraternal meeting about seeking to convert the heathen in India and other places to saving faith in Jesus Christ. I have seen this story disputed (I forget the source at the moment) on the basis that Ryland never referred to it at all. I note that even Laurence Vance (author of the lurid title: "The Dark Side of Calvinism") guardedly employed the word "supposedly" in relation to it. WA Jarrell, Baptist historian, claimed, "The statement that Rev. John Ryland said: “Young man, sit down; when God wishes to convert the heathen He will do it without your help or mine,” is utterly false." I have read of the speech being "perhaps with some embellishment" (Sketches of Church History by SM Houghton, BOT) while Peter Masters from the Metropolitan Tabernacle (Spurgeon's) in a public address indicated that, although basically true, the words are really a paraphrase of what was actually said.

If true (and I am not entertaining any real doubts on the matter) then these words display a horrible Hyper Calvinistic spirit, totally inconsistent with true Biblical Calvinism. True, authentic Calvinism believes that when it pleases God to convert the heathen, not only will He raise up missionaries to go forth an reach them with the gospel, but that He has already displayed that pleasure and has already been raising up missionaries to fulfil His divine will and will continue so to do until the end of the age. John Calvin himself was a strong believer in the conversion of the heathen through gospel preaching. He wrote: 

 "It is no small consolation to godly teachers that, although the larger part of the world does not listen to Christ, He has His sheep whom He knows and by whom He is also known. They must do their utmost to bring the whole world into Christ's fold, but when they do not succeed as they would wish, they must be satisfied with the single thought that those who are sheep will be collected together by their work." (Comment on John 10:27)

Many quotes from John Calvin here on the necessity of evangelism.

Understandably - but only to a certain point - Ryland's words have been greedily seized upon by those who oppose Calvinism and who argue that it destroys the burden of evangelism and the need of world missions etc., However the story of William Carey is much bigger than one quote, paraphrased or otherwise, by John Ryland Senior. If we are going to examine the role of the Calvinists in this incident, then please consider the following facts and then decide whether John Ryland Senior should be allowed to be the representative Calvinist as our opponents make him out to be. There is a certain shallowness and indeed injustice that seizes upon an individual quote and tries to effectively father it, or the thinking that lie behind it, on a whole school of thought. 

* William Carey himself was a Five Point Calvinist. This important point is usually overlooked by those who repeat this incident to discredit Calvinism. David Cloud never bothers telling it. Laurence Vance, mentioned above, did so, but doggedly, and in my opinion very foolishly, fought on maintaining that Carey was an inconsistent Calvinist. I do not know what Dave Hunt wrote on the matter and I will hold my counsel until I gain more information.

* Carey's missionary friends were likewise Five Point Calvinists. Andrew Fuller was perhaps the best known among them - see below.

* The interest of Carey and his friends in missionary work was stirred, at least in part, by a book written by Jonathan Edwards of Northhampton, New England. Jonathan Edwards was another Five Point Calvinist and one of America's greatest soul winners, witnessing real, true revival in his church. Edward's book was entitled: "A humble attempt to promote explicit agreement and visible union of God's people in extraordinary prayer for the revival of religion and the advancement of Christ's Kingdom on earth." There could hardly be a more practical outcome to this book than having men of Carey's zeal and calibre offering themselves for missionary service with the subsequent results.

* William Carey tells us that he drew inspiration from the soulwinning zeal of an earlier Calvinist missionary, David Brainerd. I quote:"I was much humbled today by reading Brainerd. Oh, what a disparity between me and him! He is alway constant, I am as inconstant as the wind! (Diary for April 19th, 1794)

* Twelve ministers from Ryland's denomination formed the "Particular (Calvinistic) Baptist (Missionary) Society, sacrificially contributing the initial sum of £13 2s. 6d which was all they could afford. These men were all Five Point Calvinists. This society is still operating today.

* Five Point Calvinist, William Carey, one of the above twelve, had already published a small pamphlet urging Christians to use all the means at their disposal in missionary effort. This booklet was entitled: "An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens in which the Religious State of the Different Nations of the World, the Success of Former Undertakings, and the Practicability of Further Undertakings, are Considered." The title is immediately followed by Paul's inspired missionary argument drawn from Romans 10: 10-15. 

* Five Point Calvinist Andrew Fuller published his book called "Gospel Worthy of all Exception." The Hyper Calvinists totally loathed it, but it was well received by those Calvinists of Calvin's own stamp. Later CH Spurgeon (another Five Point Calvinist) would refer to this book as a "classic of our faith" and mention it in the same breath as "Hodge's Outlines" and "Owen on the Spirit". Spurgeon also considered Fuller to be "the greatest theologian of his century" (cited Laws, Andrew Fuller, 127) and felt "so honoured" in the fact that he had been branded as a "Fullerite" (MTP: 12:68)  In the foreword of his book on the "Sovereignty of God" AW Pink referred to Fuller's name as "eminent and honoured."

* In all my reading of books on Calvinism or by Calvinist writers, I have never seen any Calvinist since defend John Ryland Senior's remarks. We have all been so quick to put as much ground as we can between us on him on this issue.

* The practical refusal of those who oppose Calvinism to hardly acknowledge the existence of Hyper Calvinism (as opposed to real, authentic Calvinism) displays either gross ignorance of the subject or a desire to blacken the names and stands of good men. Phil Johnstone's primer on Hyper Calvinism is a good place to start.

* Much opposition to Carey and friends came not only from the Hyper Calvinists but also from the Socinians whose presence and influence riddled many of the mainline denominations. However, all true Calvinists (and others) supported these men in their endeavours.

* It would be interesting to see a list of those who supported or encouraged these Five Point Calvinists in their soul winning work. We know that the Missionary Society in that hotbed of Five Point Calvinism in Princeton University wrote to encourage William Carey in 1821. John Calhoun in his History of Princeton records that the Princeton students wrote, "The different names by which we are known in the Christian church, and the different views we take of points not essential, will not be suffered to affect our feelings towards you, or to damp our joy at your success."

* Why is it that those who are so opposed to the Doctrines of Grace are prepared to ignore the many examples of Calvinistic missionaries in order to highlight this one example of Ryland senior? If the definition of a missionary is one who leaves his homeland to preach the gospel in another, then Calvin himself was a missionary. Furthermore, his church in Geneva sent forth young men as missionaries to Brazil. These young Calvinists perished on the mission field. To say that any Calvinist missionary is the EXCEPTION rather than the rule (David Cloud's strange emphasis) is surely a non starter of an argument. Surely that can be said of missionaries from any doctrinal position? How many members does your denomination have? What percentage of them are on the mission field? Anything less than 50% of the membership being actively involved is the exception rather than the rule.

* We see similar tactics used by the enemies of Calvinism in regards to Spurgeon. Again, David Cloud likes to remind us all that many Hyper Calvinists opposed Spurgeon in his indiscriminate gospel appeals - except Cloud seems to have a phobia about using this term "Hyper Calvinists" and somewhat mischievously brands them as "Calvinists". What he doesn't tell his readers is that many prominent Five Point Calvinists agreed with Spurgeon, including the eminent Presbyterian John Kennedy of Dingwall in the Scottish Highlands (who brought Spurgeon to open his new church building) and many other Scots Presbyterians. ("Dinnae forget Spurgeon" was the cry of one Scots wife to her husband going  into the nearest market town) and other men like the Bonar brothers etc., Spurgeon's sermons saw great circulation, among Calvinists and non Calvinists alike, including the Five Point Calvinists in the Southern Presbyterian Church in the USA. It was only when Spurgeon criticised slavery that the sales fell somewhat in those quarters, but his warm evangelistic Calvinism matched their own and he was popular on that account. Incidentally, the Calvinists of today still love Spurgeon and seek to see his sermons circulated.

This is a theme I would like to develop as more information becomes available. However, I believe I have done enough here to show that the Calvinists in the situation are best represented by Carey and his friends rather than by one man. 

THE END 

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Mullaghglass Evangelistic effort

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Gideon Ousley

The Ministry of Irish Evangelist Gideon Ousley

By Colin Maxwell

(Prepared for the FPC Vision Magazine) 

If Ireland is to live up to her reputation of being the “Land of Saints and Scholars” then we may expect some of her children to became evangelists. Monastic cells may have been useful in their day in producing beautifully decorated copies of Scripture, but Ireland needed more than that. TC Hammond, an Irish evangelist preaching in England, told his hearers: “Tonight for aught you and I know, men are groaning in their last agonies upon the hills of that land.” Ireland needed fearless preachers.

She found one such evangelist in Gideon Ousley. Born in Galway in 1762 to Deist parents, Ousley’s father had hoped his son would enter the Anglican ministry. His son, however, became most wayward, losing his eye to a gunshot in a pub brawl. Apparently this gave him a rather frightful look for the rest of his life, although it could well be that many of the non genteel population in Ireland sported their own war wounds.

When 29 years old, he came to Christ under the influence of some English soldiers stationed locally who hired an inn for Methodist meetings. Following their example, their new convert also desired to reach the lost. He came to prominence in his own area when he publicly challenged the local curate who had been rubbishing the evangelical doctrines of the Fall of Man etc. Ousley told him that such was the teaching of the Bible and the Liturgy.

Under the oversight of the Irish Methodist church, he became a travelling evangelist riding all over the country and preaching repentance towards God and faith in Christ at fairs and wherever people gathered. He preached in his native province of Connaught – “To Hell and Connaught” as Cromwell over 100 years earlier distained it – and in a few towns in Leinster and even up into Ulster. “Ah Fintona! Fintona!” he was heard to exclaim as he pleaded in the Tyrone village for the people to prepare to meet their God. He preached the great evangelical texts and themes and did not hesitate to preach in the barbaric prisons when able to do so. His preaching style fell in with the common Methodist style of interrogation where he employed direct questions to awaken the attention of often hostile listeners.

His preaching was fearless. Irish fairs were not for the fainthearted and he faced much opposition including stonings, but he kept on regardless onof the personal cost. One companion in labour was John Graham, who became known as the Apostle of Kerry. The two worked well together, being kindred spirits.

What is noticeable in Ousley’s minstry was his use of almost novel yet effective methods of evangelism. It was not every day a preacher on a white horse would turn up in people’s lives, and much less preach while still mounted. This latter tactic might well have been a health and safety mechanism for when it was best to withdraw quickly. Another use of the sanctified imagination was to go to regular services in the local Roman Catholic church. When the priest intoned the various parts of the Prayer Book in Latin to his illiterate hearers, Ousley would translate the non heretical parts into language which the parishioners could actually understand. He would then add enthusiastically “Listen to that” before further exhorting the people. He would go to Irish wakes where, even amidst the serious drinking and spirit of riotousness, people were expected to pray for the dead. There he would offer up what we might call horizontal prayers i.e. notsomuch for the ears of the Almighty (and certainly not for the dead) but for the evangelisation of the mourners. A reminder of the reality of death and the eternity that follows hard on its heels soon solemnized the death house. On another occasion, a Roman Catholic priest looked out his window to see why arrangements were running late for a wedding. He was surprised to see the bride and groom kneeling in prayer at the side of the road, alongside the Protestant evangelist.

On other occasions, people were coming out of Mass heard him proclaim that the Blessed Virgin had the best religion on the world. Having gained their attention, although not necessarily their sympathy, he went on to expound John 2:5 where Mary pointed people to the word of her son. In Ballina, his open air efforts lasted three hours – largely because the people gave him their undivided attention. Then, bathed in perspiration, he rode five miles up the road to another village and began preaching again.

Ousely would usually preach in the native Irish tongue. It has been pointed out how the Irish language, which is often more expressive than the English, is most suited for gospel preaching. For example, we English speakers bid people “welcome” to our homes and maybe even add the word “very” to the original greeting. However, the standard greeting in Irish at that time was “'Cead mille faltha roath' - an hundred thousand welcomes before you, or await you.” You can picture how a preacher with great effect could utilize that if relating the story of the Prodigal Son. The Father ran to his tearful son, threw his big arms of love and mercy round him and bade him “Cead mile failte etc.” Again, the English speaking mother might refer to her child as “my dear child” but what is that to 'a cushla mo chree' or 'the vein, the pulse, the beating voice of my heart.' – perhaps best used if speaking on the manner of love which the Father has bestowed upon us that we should called the sons of God. (1 John 3:1). The people who could not understand Latin, but who hated English – the failed 1798 United Irishmen uprising did little for Anglo Irish relations – could appreciate the language of their own fireside.

Under God, coupled with a genuine warmth and friendliness, he possessed and used both wit and logic in personal evangelism. A pilgrim visiting a so called holy mountain responded to the simple question, “Why are you here?” with the equally simple reply: “I want to find God.” Now that a conversation was at least started, his sanctified wit and logic took over. “What part of the mountain did you expect to find Him on?” The pilgrim confessed that he had never thought of this. Assuring the poor man that “God is everywhere” – then he had as much opportunity to find God at home in his cabin as to travel 80 miles and start climbing. The man returned home, at least well instructed in the gospel, and vowed that he would not go on another pilgrimage.

Gideon Ousley died in 1839 leaving behind many solid converts to Christ. His efforts were perhaps the inspiration of several English Baptist evangelists visiting Irish shores in the 1850’s. They did not stay long. CH Spurgeon was certainly not impressed, calling it “one of the greatest disgraces that ever was cast upon the church in these days.” This is because they withdrew rather quickly citing the fact that the “Irish hooted them.” The next year, the clearly rankled Spurgeon renewed his biting criticism of the “brave men,” although he upped the opposition reported to that of being stoned. Whatever we might think of the efforts made and Spurgeon’s contempt, it throws some light on the worth of the ministry which God enabled Gideon Ousley to exercise to His glory.

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Muslim Evangelism

As a young Christian, I read "The Unlisted Legion" which was Jock Purve's account of his missionary endeavours among the Muslims in Lesser Thibet and on the Indian-Afghan frontier from 1926-30. I was greatly challenged. You will seldom see his name mentioned with great missionaries like Mary Slessor or William Carey etc. Indeed, I suggest that had the Banner of Truth not have printed this account, then his name would be known only to a relatively few. (Having said that, he also wrote Fair Sunshine which is a useful account of the struggles of the Scottish Covenanters, but knowledge of his missionary exploits might well have been somewhat limited)

With some of his missionary companions, Jock Purves started a school for young Muslim children. He taught them Scripture and had each boy read from the Bible in their own language. He soon ran into problems ("strikes and rebellions") because when they came to any reference to Christ being the Son of God, then they would stop and refuse to read any further. This opened up an opportunity, at least, for some discussion but neither side would back down. Sometimes the school just broke up and the books were handed back in. 

However, the young Muslims soon filtered back again and a full school would be in operation and then another roadblock situation and they were back to the beginning again. And so on. Then something wonderful happened. Mr Purves takes up the story. 

Phru Chik the brightest of our scholars was a poor boy who was always in rags. He was an able reader of Urdu, but had rebelled with the rest when asked to read words that stated directly, or implied that the Lord Jesus Christ was the Son of God. One day in the Scripture lesson, this young lad stood up to read his verse, and the offending words were in it. He read them. Every boy in the class gazed at him. There was an intense silence. Questions were written on every face. What had happened? Had he lost his senses? What would be the outcome of this? How could he be so foolish, and so unfaithful to Islam, and to us all? He looked around them all, every eye in the class intent upon him, and ours also so. 'You need not be surprised' he said, 'I can read these verses now. I have Jesus Christ in my heart.' From that moment he boldly took his stand for Christ. We rejoiced with trembling. We had seen what can be, comparatively speaking, a rare event among the Islamic peoples, the conversion of a soul to Christ."  

 This book is still in print. I suggest that you splash out a little and buy it.

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Why Calvinists evangelise

 

Why Calvinists evangelise

Possessd by the one dread thought that lent its goad to his fiery temperament,

Up and down the world he went, a John the Baptist crying - Repent!
(Whittier's poem on Whitefield, Entitled "The Preacher")

1) Because God has commanded it. The gospel is to preached to every creature (Mark 16:15) This is why Calvinists have been to the forefront of missionary endeavour. The man acknowledged as "the Father of Modern Missions" was William Carey who was a solid 5 point Calvinist. If a missionary (strictly speaking) is someone who leaves his homeland to preach the gospel elsewhere, then John Calvin qualifies as a missionary. Spurgeon said of him: "John Calvin…is looked upon now, of course, a theologian only, but he was really one of the greatest of gospel preachers. When Calvin opened the Book and took a text, you might be sure that he was about to preach "Through grace are ye saved, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." (MTP 14:216) Even if we had no other reason, we would still evangelist, because it is a clear command from God.

2) Because we believe that God has ordained the means of bringing many sons to glory as well as the end. Hyper Calvinists believe He has ordained the end but not the means, non Calvinists/Arminians believe that He has ordained the means but not the end. Calvinists alone consistently take the balanced view that He has ordained both. If we don't evangelise, then God will raise up soomeone else who rightly will. Calvinists believe as much in man's responsibility as they do in God's sovereignty.

3) Because God has done something wonderful for the whole world and wants every one to know about it. He is not willing that any should perish and that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9) He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11) He would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4) He invites the 'Whosoever will' to come and drink of the water of life (Revelation 22:17) How can we not evangelise? Surely when we bear these things in mind, we must (if applicable) reproach ourselves and say: We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household. (2 Kings 7:9)

4) Evangelism gives Calvinists the glorious opportunity to praise the God whom they believe unconditionally elected them to salvation. We love to preach the gospel in all its fullness. Just to recount the old, old story of Jesus and His love thrills our soul and leads us to praise His name. We glorify God when we proclaim the gospel.

5) Evangelism gives us the opportunity to unburden our souls for the lost. We cannot be silent while souls around us are bound for hell. We believe the gospel ourselves and therefore we speak (2 Corinthians 4:13) Many of us were brought savingly to Christ because someone else was burdened for us and prayed for us and witnessed to us. Any man who names the name of Christ, Calvinist or not, should have the burden to win others. It is an evidence of grace when we want others to experience it for themselves. If there is no burden for the lost, we are left to wonder does the professing Christian (of whatever school) believe there is a Day of Judgement and an immortal soul and an eternal hell?

6) Evangelism gives us an opportunity to serve God. The fields are white unto harvest and yet the labourers are few. There is a great reward awaiting for soul winners (Daniel 12:3). Yet even if there wasn't, we would still labour just for the sheer joy of being in God's work and spreading His word.

7) Evangelism gives us an opportunity to bear reproach for the name of Christ. Paul witnessed to the gospel with much contention (1 Thessalonians 2:2) and whilst such is irksome to the flesh, yet the spiritual man rejoices every whit. Such were the Apostles (Acts 5:41) Obviously we do not set out to annoy, but we recognise that the natural heart is going to kick hard against the message of Christ. If we have to bear reproach in our evangelism, then Amen! "So be it"

8) Far down our list, but there nevertheless, we evangelise because it nails the lie often uttered against us that Calvinism kills evangelistic endeavour. Why should it? The doctrine of predestination is the only grounds of evangelism. If God did not predestine folk out of their sins to be saved, then no one would be saved. The non Calvinist says that if there were no faith, then there would be no predestination because the latter (which is God's work) is totally and absolutely dependent on the former which is due ultimately to man's decision. The Calvinist says that if there were no predestination, then there would be no faith because the latter (which is man's responsibility) flows from the former. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17) and the word of God comes to sinners through gospel preachers (Romans 10;13-16)

With the obvious exception of the last point, every Christian (Calvinist or not) has a reason for evangelism. Evangelism is the common lot of every child of God, no matter what his understanding of the outworking of the decree of God may be. Both Whitefield (Calvinist) and Wesley (Arminian) preached together and rejoiced in each others great work. This is the way it ever should be.

  "I boldly avow that I am unchanged as to the doctrines I have preached; I preach Calvinism as high, as stern, and as sound as ever; but I do feel, and always did feel an anxiety to invite sinners to Christ. And I do feel also, that not only is such a course consistent with the soundest doctrines, but that the other course is after all the unsound one, and has no title whatever to plead Scripture on its behalf." 

(Spurgeon: MTP# 279 "Come and Welcome" )

Carey

(Apologies for the irregular font formations in this article. This is a gremlin in the works as I have tried on numerous occasions to fix them. Don't let them prevent you from reading the article and benefitting from it.) 

"YOUNG MAN! SIT DOWN! SIT DOWN! YOU ARE AN ENTHUSIAST! WHEN  GOD PLEASES TO CONVERT THE HEATHEN,HE'LL DO IT WITHOUT YOUR HELP OR MINE!"

The  words that adorn mar the beginning of this article are attributed to one John Ryland Senior when William Carey, William Fuller and others of like mind spoke at a Minister's Fraternal meeting about seeking to convert the heathen in India and other places to saving faith in Jesus Christ. I have seen this story disputed (I forget the source at the moment) on the basis that Ryland never referred to it at all. Laurence Vance used the word "supposedly" in relation to it. I have read of the speech being"perhaps with some embellishment" (Sketches of Church History by SM Houghton, BOT) while Peter Masters from the Metropolitan Tabernacle (Spurgeon's) in a public address indicated that, although basically true, the words are really a paraphrase of what was actually said.

If true (and I am not entertaining any doubts on the matter) then these words display a horrible Hyper Calvinistic spirit, totally inconsistent with true Biblical Calvinism. True, authentic Calvinism believes that when it pleases God to convert the heathen, not only will He raise up missionaries to go forth an reach them with the gospel, but that He has already displayed that pleasure and has already been raising up missionaries to fulfill His divine will and will continue so to do until the end of the age. John Calvin himself was a strong believer in the conversion of the heathen through gospel preaching. He wrote: 

 "It is no small consolation to godly teachers that, although the larger part of the world does not listen to Christ, He has His sheep whom He knows and by whom He is also known. They must do their utmost to bring the whole world into Christ's fold, but when they do not succeed as they would wish, they must be satisfied with the single thought that those who are sheep will be collected together by their work." (Comment on John 10:27)

Understandably - but only to a certain point - Ryland's words have been greedily seized upon by those who oppose Calvinism and who argue that it destroys the burden of evangelism and the need of world missions etc., However the story of William Carey is much bigger than one quote, paraphrased or otherwise, by  John Ryland Senior. If we are going to examine the role of the Calvinists in this incident, then please consider the following facts and then decide whether John Ryland Senior should be allowed to be the representative Calvinist as our opponents make him out to be. There is a certain shallowness and indeed injustice that seizes upon an individual quote and tries to effectively father it, or the thinking that lie behind it, on a whole school of thought.

* William Carey himself was a Five Point Calvinist. This important point is usually overlooked by those who repeat this incident to discredit Calvinism. David Cloud never bothers telling it. Laurence Vance, mentioned above, did so, but doggedly, and in my opinion very foolishly, fought on maintaining that Carey was an inconsistent Calvinist. I do not know what Dave Hunt wrote on the matter and I will hold my counsel until I gain more information.

* Carey's missionary friends were likewise Five Point Calvinists. Andrew Fuller was perhaps the best known among them - see below.

* The interest of Carey and his friends in missionary work was stirred, at least in part, by a book written by Jonathan Edwards of Northhampton, New England. Jonathan Edwards was another Five Point Calvinist and one of America's greatest soul winners, witnessing real, true revival in his church. Edward's book was entitled: "A humble attempt to promote explicit agreement and visible union of God's people in extraordinary prayer for the revival of religion and the advancement of Christ's Kingdom on earth." There could hardly be a more practical outcome to this book than having men of Carey's zeal and calibre offering themselves for missionary service with the subsequent results.

* William Carey tells us that he drew inspiration from the soulwinning zeal of an earlier Calvinist missionary, David Brainerd. I quote:"I was much humbled today by reading Brainerd. Oh, what a disparity between me and him! He is alway constant, I am as inconstant as the wind! (Diary for April 19th, 1794) 

* Twelve ministers from Ryland's denomination formed the "Particular (Calvinistic) Baptist (Missionary) Society, sacrificially contributing the initial sum of £13 2s. 6dwhich was all they could afford. These men were all Five Point Calvinists. This society is still operating today.

* Five Point Calvinist, William Carey, one of the above twelve, had already published a small pamphlet urging Christians to use all the means at their disposal in missionary effort. This booklet was entitled: "An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens in which the Religious State of the Different Nations of the World, the Success of Former Undertakings, and the Practicability of Further Undertakings, are Considered." The title is immediately followed by Paul's inspired missionary argument drawn from Romans 10: 10-15. 

* Five Point Calvinist Andrew Fuller published his book called "Gospel Worthy of all Exception." The Hyper Calvinists totally loathed it, but it was well received by those Calvinists of Calvin's own stamp. Later CH Spurgeon (another Five Point Calvinist) would refer to this book as a "classic of our faith" and mention it in the same breath as "Hodge's Outlines" and "Owen on the Spirit". Spurgeon also considered Fuller to be "the greatest theologian of his century" (cited Laws, Andrew Fuller, 127) and felt "so honoured" in the fact that he had been branded as a "Fullerite" (MTP: 12:68)  In the foreword of his book on the "Sovereignty of God" AW Pink referred to Fuller's name as "eminent and honored."

* In all my reading of books on Calvinism or by Calvinist writers, I have never seen anyCalvinist since defend John Ryland Senior's remarks. We have all been so quick to put as much ground as we can between us on him on this issue.

* The practical refusal of those who oppose Calvinism to hardly acknowledge the existence of Hyper Calvinism (as opposed to real, authentic Calvinism) displays either gross ignorance of the subject or a desire to blacken the names and stands of good men. Phil Johnstone's primer on Hyper Calvinism is a good place to start. 
 
* Much opposition to Carey and friends came not only from the Hyper Calvinists but also from the Socinians whose presence and influence riddled many of the mainline denominations. However, all true Calvinists (and others) supported these men in their endeavours.

* It would be interesting to see a list of those who supported or encouraged these Five Point Calvinists in their soul winning work. We know that the Missionary Society in that hotbed of Five Point Calvinism in Princeton University wrote to encourage William Carey in 1821. John Calhoun in his History of Princeton records that the Princeton students wrote, "The different names by which we are known in the Christian church, and the different views we take of points not essential, will not be suffered to affect our feelings towards you, or to damp our joy at your success." 

* Why is it that those who are so opposed to the Doctrines of Grace are prepared to ignore the many examples of Calvinistic missionaries in order to highlight this one example of Ryland senior? If the definition of a missionary is one who leaves his homeland to preach the gospel in another, then Calvin himself was a missionary. Furthermore, his church in Geneva sent forth young men as missionaries to Brazil. These young Calvinists perished on the mission field. To say that any Calvinist missionary is the EXCEPTION rather than the rule (David Cloud's strange emphasis) is surely a non starter of an argument. Surely that can be said of missionaries from any doctrinal position? How many members does your denomination have? What percentage of them are on the mission field? Anything less than 50% of the membership being actively involved is the exception rather than the rule.

* We see similar tactics used by the enemies of Calvinism in regards to Spurgeon. Again, David Cloud likes to remind us all that many Hyper Calvinists opposed Spurgeon in his indiscriminate gospel appeals - except Cloud seems to have a phobia about using this term"Hyper Calvinists" and somewhat mischievously brands them as "Calvinists". What he doesn't tell his readers is that many prominent Five Point Calvinists agreed with Spurgeon, including the eminent Presbyterian John Kennedy of Dingwall in the Scottish Highlands (who brought Spurgeon to open his new church building) and many other Scots Presbyterians. ("Dinnae forget Spurgeon" was the cry of one Scots wife to her husband going  into the nearest market town) and other men like the Bonar brothers etc., Spurgeon's sermons saw great circulation, among Calvinists and non Calvinists alike, including the Five Point Calvinists in the Southern Presbyterian Church in the USA. It was only when Spurgeon criticised slavery that the sales fell somewhat in those quarters, but his warm evangelistic Calvinism matched their own and he was popular on that account. Incidentally, the Calvinists of today still love Spurgeon and seek to see his sermons circulated. 

This is a theme I would like to develope as more information becomes available. However, I believe I have done enough here to show that the Calvinists in the situation are best represented by Carey and his friends rather than by one man. 

THE END 

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Busy

No! I haven't forgotten about this blog. Things pretty busy at the moment. Enjoyed preaching last night in the Prince of Wales Hotel in Athlone. Spent two days in the town leafleting homes advertising the meeting and this paid dividends with folk coming in as a result. I preached on the saints in Nero's household from Philippians 4:22

 All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar's household. 

My outline was pretty simple: 

1) Caesar's household was a very wicked place
2) Yet God had His holy ones there
3)  The means God used to produce this effect 

One point I emphasised a couple of times was that if God could save and keep people in the iniquitous den called Caesar's household, then He can keep save and keep His people anywhere, including the streets of Athlone. Some unsaved attended this meeting. We had a few come down with us and two young Christian girls sang two lovely gospel pieces for us.

Spoke in the school assembly this morning on those who loved not their lives unto death (Rev 12:11) which was the last point of a sermon on Revelation 12:11 which I dragged (for the dire want of a better word) over 4 assemblies. took the Scripture class for lower Secondary, and gave a brief summary of the thrusts of Paul's epistles. The next subject is Paul's relationship with the other Apostles which I have already prepared and then have to start thinking about an exam.

The plan is to preach tomorrow night in the monthly prayer meeting in Brakey Orange Hall and then travel down afterwards to Dublin for some street preaching and outreach there. 

So that's it. Appreciate your prayers for our work for the work of God. 

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Newsy stuff

Athlone St Pats Day Parade

Been a busy week this week. Usual Monday work with taking the Assembley in Clogher Valley Independent Christian School (Studying the Book of Nehemiah) and then the Lower Secondary Scripture Class where the life and times of the Apostle Paul has held our attention since September. We covered Acts 21 last week. On Monday night, I led the gospel meeting down in a community centre in Swords in Co. Dublin, but there was little interest despite a big outreach effort the previous Saturday. Two converted RC's came into the meeting, including a Hungarian man who had studied for 5 years to become a priest before getting saved. Wednesday saw me in solo outreach in Cavan Town and then I joined up with another believer from the FPC outreach work in Athlone for the St. Patrick's day parade. The picture on the left is neither me nor my friend -  You know what they say: If at first you don't succeed, then fire eating is not for you. BTW: Don't try this at home. Or if you do and it doesn't work out, don't leave any evidence that you got the suggestion from this blog :o) We gave out many copies of Dick Keogh's booklets on St. Patrick and "Easter in Ireland" which were well received. Very few were thrown away. We preached in the open air twice - once beside the 1921 IRA monument in the town at a busy traffic junction. Several people stood for a while on the balcony of the hotel opposite and listened to the preaching. One RC man in the other location got a bit nasty, but nothing beyond a few verbals. The sowing has been done - we look to God to give the increase according to His sovereign will on the matter. 

I usually take Friday's off - coffee with the missus in Enniskillen is a nice relaxation. There are a number of charity shops in Enniskillen and always the chance to pick up some Christian books at good prices. This week's hoke brought me:

William Tyndale by JR Broom (Gospel Standard Trust publications)  (available here on .pdf file)

Jesus Christ and Him crucified by Martyn Lloyd Jones (Banner of Truth)

Dialogue with a Muslim friend by James Cunningham (Open Doors)

Gideon by Jeff Lucas (Authentic Publishers)

Last night, I preached at the Parent's Open Night in the last for the season children's meeting in Fintona Independent Methodist Church. The room was packed with some unsaved parents in - including some RC's for the first time. After the children sang and recited Scripture verses etc., I used the PowerPoint and spoke on the Saviour's parable of the merchant man finding the Pearl of Great Price. There was a lovely supper afterwards. 

After I finish this article, time to get into the study of messages for a late booking for Londonderry FPC tomorrow. The booked preacher has broken his foot and cannot come. So there goes my only non preaching Lord's Day between now and the middle of May. Monday night sees another booking engagement back in Athlone again for the monthly gospel meeting in the prince of Wales hotel.

So that's it for another while. Interesting days on Twitter too during the breaks. The doctrines of sovereign grace are too unpalatable for some professing believers. But still - they are comforting to me and millions more. The Lord has decreed that His church will be built through the means of evangelism. And therefore, as the hymn writer so wondering put it: "Onward we go, no doubt or fear."  See you around. Fair faa ye!

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Billy Sunday War On Sin

Click on Photograph to enlarge 

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Busy of late

Been busy of late and so have relatively neglected this blog. However, God's word is being spread abroad in different places. This week I was in the Irish Republic in Co. Cavan and Co. Longford before finishing up at the International  RC Shrine to Mary (pictured left) in Co. Mayo. Today, I am preparing 3 more messages for our local radio station. I am responsible for the month of July, so I am under pressure to get it all done today. I have one message complete and recorded; with 3 more needing some editing details and then recorded. I admire those preachers who seem to be able to go radio with just an outline and deliver a word perfect message. I need everything written out word for word. Each programme is 15 minutes long which gives me around 12.5 minutes of actual preaching time. Tomorrow, the FPC have a stand at the Athlone Agricultural Show - yesterday afternoon was busy preparing for that - and then I have summer holidays for 2 weeks starting Monday. We hope to get a few days up in Portstewart  in the North Antrim coast. Anyway, have a good weekend yourself. 

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Already Elect

I am not a big fan of anon accounts and usually decline to debate theology with those who cannot even bring themselves to provide an identity. Then there are spoof accounts where the desire of the tweeter is to wind up more than anything else. If I use their stuff, it is generally as canon fodder for this blog or my own Twitter contributions. 

Having got that explanation of my chest, so to speak, I'll use the above serving from "Baptist Brother" (whoever he is) to point out the pretty obvious. Both Calvinist and non Calvinist Christians believe that the elect are "already elect". Calvinists believe election to be unconditional and the basis of our faith and repentance. Non Calvinists believe election to be conditional i.e. on faith which God foreseen from eternity past. However, as said, both sides of the fence hold that God's electing purposes have already been set and therefore "the elect are already elect" i.e. from before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). For some totally weird reason, our Baptist friend thinks that neither side should then propagate the gospel. 

* Eight reasons why Calvinists evangelise 

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Winning The Non Elect?

 BLURB OF BOOK ON CALVINISM BEING A TROJAN HORSE

A divided church is a weak church. To win and reach a lost and dying world for Christ with the gospel of free salvation for “all” is the central theme of the Word of God. Calvinism brings serious damage into our churches rendering them weak and powerless, and as well subverts the simple plan of salvation. To say that booklets such as this cause division in the church is in deep error. The truth is Calvinism brings division and strife into local churches, Christian colleges and seminaries, and must be stopped that the true message of free salvation for all can go forth in power and victory. It is this author’s goal and delight, to win the so called “non-elect” to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Let’s go soul winning today! “How shall they hear without a preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent?” Romans 10:14. Terry Lee Miller Sr. presently resides alone in Elgin, S.C. and is the father of 4 grown children. He is an avid soul winner active in the prison ministries and as well is involved in writing apologetic Christian literature. His favorite motto is “Truth will stand examination.”
Oh dear! At the risk of someone reading these words and still  buying the above book, I'll link to it anyway. If the blurb is anything to go on, only the gullible will swallow it and (as said before) it is only a matter of time before they get caught on somebody's hook anyway. 

There is a number of things I could comment on, but I will limit my remarks to two. 

1) Calvinists agree that the gospel invite is for "all" and by that we mean "all without any exception." 

2) Who are these "non elect" which the blurb speaks about? If we sealed all the exits in a shopping mall and filtered out the hundreds of shoppers, could he with any authority divide the sheep from the goats? Certainly, no Calvinist purports to be able to do it. How are we to say that shopper #562, although not yet professing faith in Christ, will never ever come to the Saviour? Calvinism sees all men still alive as potentially elect. We use the potentially here, because we have no insight into the Lamb's Book of Life to see whose names are written there. Therefore, as in the first point, we preach to all indiscrimately. We seek to knock on every last door and press a gospel tract into every last hand. 

No matter what your views on election might be i.e. whether you are an Unconditional Election man or a Conditional Election man, if you are within New Testament Christianity, you do not believe that the non elect will ever be saved. That is why (to state the glaringly obvious) they are non elect. 

Enough said...

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