USA > Virginia > City of Staunton > City of Staunton > The First Presbyterian Church, Staunton, Virginia > Part 16
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All that is now permitted me is to group the proofs of this asser- tion around the three Epochal Revivals found in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.
EPOCH I. (17th century) The 1st of these began about 1625 and swept over large portions of Scotland, England and Ireland. It appeared first in the parish of Stewarton, in Scotland, of which Rev. Mr. Castlelaw was pastor, and soon attracted much attention from friends and foes. By the latter it was derisively called the "Stewar- ton sickness."
The principal instruments employed by the Holy Spirit were the Rev. David Dickson of the neighboring parish of Irvine, and Rev. Prof. Robert Blair, of Glasgow. These men, well known as sturdy Calvinists, along with earnest prayer and personal conversation sought in their preaching to arouse the consciences of their hearers to bring them to some proper sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin and their
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own helplessness under just condemnation; and then to point them to Christ and His gracious and complete remedy freely offered to them in His gospel. Fleming in his "Work on the Fulfilling of the Sunday School" shows how this movement spread like a stream increasing as it flows until its blessed influences were felt in many parts of the land. Those who came and witnessed the gladdening sight of so many turned from darkness to light and walking in the fear of the Lord and comfort of the Holy Ghost took courage and became more earnest than ever in prayer and effort for the descent of the Holy Spirit on other parts of the Church. These prayers were soon and richly answered in the ever memorable revival in the Kirk of Shotts in Upper Lanarkshire.
A number of ministers, especially from those who were then under persecution for conscience sake, were invited to assist the pastor (the Rev. Mr. Hance) at a communion service to be held on the 20th of June, 1630. Among these were the venerable Robert Bruce and John Livingstone, a young licentiate and chaplain to the Countess of Wigton. The preparatory services and the communion itself were so marked by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit with both preachers and people, that instead of retiring to rest on the evening of the Sabbath, they gathered in little companies and spent the whole night in prayer and praise and, contrary to usual custom, determined to have a sermon on Monday.
With much difficulty young Livingstone was prevailed upon to preach. His text was Ez. XXXVI: 25-26 : "Then will I sprinkle clear water upon you and ye shall be clean, from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you. A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh." Seldom if ever since the Day of Pentecost was such effect produced by a single sermon. Five hundred or more traced their conviction and conver- sion to it, whose after lives attested the reality of the change wrought in them by the Holy Spirit through that word.
Surely we need not pause to show this audience how every clause, yea every word of Livingstone's text is weighty with the great doc- trines which men now call Calvinistic.
Man's sore need in his entirely ruined and helpless condition of a change which God only can bring about and which He pledges Himself to effect, stands out clearly, not only from the text itself, but from the whole passage from which it is taken (from the 16th verse to the end of the chapter) as has been so fully and beautifully shown by a later son of Scotland-that prince among preachers-Dr. Thos. Guthrie, in his admirable book, "The Gospel in Ezekiel."
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The influence of such doctrines was not only signally seen and felt on that day in the Kirkyard at Shotts, but, as Fleming and others tell us, was carried by many who were gathered there to other and distant parishes and even beyond the seas, where deep and lasting effects were produced. There seems to have been a close relation between these remarkable movements in Scotland and those which occurred almost simultaneously in the Province of Ulster in the North of Ireland to which under, God, the churches in this Valley, through the ancestors of many, if not the large majority, of their present members, are so largely indebted.
For we find as honored and blessed instruments in that revival, out of which grew the Presbyterian Church of Ireland, which in time so potently affected the earlier history of the Presbyterian Church in this country, the same Robert Blair and John Livingstone, of whom we have spoken above, with others, driven from Scotland and England by persecution, laboring in the same way and employing the same great doctrines of Sin and Redemption which God had owned and blessed in their native land. As the historians of this period tell us, the religious sentiments of all these men conspicuous in this great work, were those usually called Calvinistic and which were at that time maintained throughout the three National Churches of Great Britain and Ireland.
While England may not, during this epoch exhibit to much extent the distinctive revival features which marked the progress of true religion in Scotland and Ireland, she yet, through God's goodness, furnished a noble band of confessors whose labors in expounding and defending " the faith once delivered to the saints " have never been surpassed if ever equaled. Their writings packed with more or less clear-cut Calvinistic teachings have been and are still most powerful in stimulating, guiding and nourishing spiritual life. In proof we need only mention Bunyan with his "Pilgrim's Progress"; Baxter, with his " Reformed Pastor and Call to the Unconverted"; the saintly Owen, with his " Works on Regeneration, Justification and the Holy Spirit"; Flarce, with his "Fountain of Life"; Alleine, with his "Alarm"; Hume, with his noble work on "The Living Temple."
As we try to measure the influence exerted upon them and their cotemporaries and upon succeeding generations by the doctrines they held and taught, well may we exclaim (with one to whom we are in- debted for much of the material we are using to-day-Dr. Haman Humphrey in his "Revival Sketches, Etc."): "What would our own land and Great Britian have been but for this revival period in the 17th century ? Who can tell how much of the seed that was then sown sprang up and bore such precious fruit in the 18th century to which we now turn."
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EPOCH II (in the 18th century). About the close of the 17th and beginning of the 18th centuries most of the churches were in a deplor- ably low estate. The old style of preaching was laid aside and cold formal addresses had become fashionable. The testimony of such witnesses as Drs. Burnet, Watts and Doddridge confirms Archbishop Leighton when he says: "The Church is a fair carcass without a spirit." Historians give us the dark lines which show that the "higher classes laughed at piety and prided themselves upon being above what they called its fanaticism ; the lower classes were grossly ignorant and abandoned to vice, while the Church enervated by universal declension was unable longer to give countenance to the downfallen cause of truth." But that dark night was in God's great mercy to give way to a glorious day.
About 1730, almost simultaneously a blessing was poured out upon England, Scotland and America, so wonderful that it is still known as "The Great Awakening."
In Scotland and notably at Kilsyth and Camburslang the way was prepared by a long series of sermons on subjects which explained the nature and showed the necessity of regeneration preached by the pas- tors Robe and McCullogh. These, with such ministers as Bonar, White- field, Hamilton and others of like mind with them, bore an honored and conspicuous part in the revival that followed and saw extending over the land the rich fruits of the Spirit in the lives of the people.
In England a little band of devout students at Oxford, whose diligent efforts to learn more fully the Scriptural way of life and strict attention to and zeal in the performance of its duties, earned for them the nickname of "Methodists" furnished the three most promi- nent and effective instruments used by the Lord in the great work in that country, namely : John and Charles Wesley and George White- field.
Of these Whitefield was pre-eminently the preacher, Charles Wes- ley the sweet singer, and John Wesley the organizer. Finding the pulpits of the Established Church, of which they were ministers, closed against them, Whitefield, at first alone, and afterwards the Wesleys, with Richard and Rowland Hill and others, preached in the fields to large, sometimes immense audiences. As the historian, Green, tells us they preached with a burning zeal, and such earnest- ness of belief, a sympathy with the sin and sorrow of mankind so deep and tremulous as to hush criticism. They carried and pro- claimed their glad message everywhere, "in the wildest and most barbarous corners of the land, among the bleak moors of Northumber- land, in the dens of London, and in the long galleries where the Corn- ish miner hears in the pauses of his labor the sobbing of the sea', above his head.
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The success which God gave them is too well known to need recital here while, as you are all aware, Whitefield and the Wesleys did not agree upon some of the doctrines preached and at one time their differ- ences threatened lasting separation and alienation, yet mutual for- bearance and charity prevented this and they continued to labor together, each declaring there was no time to dispute such points while sinners were perishing. It is abundantly shown by the records they left of their labors that Wesley held and preached the same great doctrines of the Fall and man's condition as a sinner since the Fall as earnestly and freely as Whitefield, and refrained, as, for instance, when in his work in Scotland from giving prominence to the doctrines about which they differed (see Life of Wesley by his pupil and friend Henry Moore Vol. II p. 145) and in his prayers rejoiced to exalt God upon the throne as heartily as ever Whitefield and Hill did, while they preached the free offer of salvation as freely as ever Wesley or Fletcher did. In Wales the godly Howell Harris, aided by the renowned David Row- lands and followed by Thomas Charles, were used by God in a revival which, as one of its fruits, shows that large body of Christians then as now known as " Welsh Calvinistic Methodists."
No one familiar at all with the religious history of Great Britain during that period can recall such names as we have mentioned along with Berridge, Romaine, John Newton and Scott, the commentator, and many others can deny to Calvinistic doctrines a large if not the chief place and power in rousing the cold and almost dead Church of that day and in bringing about the mighty change which was seen in the lives of countless thousands in and out of the National Church.
When we cross the Atlantic and follow this "Great Awakening " throughout New England, New Jersey, Virginia and other parts of the Colonies of Great Britain in America and see such men as Jonathan Edwards, Whitefield, David Brainard, the Tennents, Blair, Dickinson and a host like them so preaching the Word in the demonstration and power of the Spirit as to bring, as was then estimated, at least 50,000 of the 2,000,000 of the population of the Colonies to a hopeful confes- sion of faith in Jesus Christ; we must reach the same conclusion as to the power and place of Calvinism in that mighty work. For even a cursory examination of the records of that period with the texts and sermons that have come down to us will show how general was the revival and use of the cardinal doctrines of the Reformation in the preaching of the distinguished ministers under whom that work was carried on.
The Rev. Jonathan Dickenson, of New Jersey, but voices the gen- eral opinion when he says, "the subjects chiefly insisted on were the sin and apostasy of mankind in Adam; the blindness of the natural
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man in the things of God; the enmity of the carnal mind; the evil of sin, the desert of it, and the utter inability of the fallen creature to relieve itself; the sovereignty of God; the way of redemption by Christ; justification through His imputed righteousnesss secured by faith, this faith the gift of God and a living principle that worketh by love; the nature and necessity of regeneration and santification by the Holy Spirit; and that without holiness no man shall see the Lord."
Thus did God, ever mindful of His covenant, through His own truth and by the power of the Holy Spirit work that mighty work of grace whose fruit in many forms still "shakes like Lebanon" and blesses our own and other lands.
EPOCH III (19th century). After the "Great Awakening," of which we have just been speaking, there came another season of declension brought about largely by the French and Indian Wars, the Revolutionary War, and the convulsions of Europe preceding and accompanying the French Revolution, with all of its blatant infidelity. But God in mercy again interposed and gave the Great Revival of 1800, extending from about 1790 to 1840. It was felt not only in England and Scotland, but reached almost every part of the United States and Canada. In our own land, New England and New York, but especially Western Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and the Carolinas were widely and deeply moved.
The time allotted me, and your patience will not suffer me to go into particulars, but whether we regard the human instruments employed, such as John Newton, Rowland Hill, Andrew Fuller, and the brothers, Robert and James Haldane, in England and Scotland, with Asahel Nettleton, John Griffen, William Graham, James Turner, John Blair Smith, George Baxter and James McGrady, in America, or look upon the men then brought to know and accept Christ and in after years to become His ascension gifts to His Church, such as Archibald Alexander, William Hill, Conrad Speice, John Holt Rice and a host of others, loved and honored throughout the Church; whether we con- sider the multitudes of changed hearts and homes and the impulse then given to Christian and Liberal Education, or the establishment of agencies for and increased interest in the work of the Church, this revival must be acknowledged one of the richest that has yet occurred.
Besides the well known doctrinal sentiments of such men as I have named we have this further proof how largely Calvinistic doctrines entered into the means employed in reaching such glorious results. I have examined the testimony of fifteen or twenty ministers from different parts of our land and find them concurring with Dr. Humphrey in stating that the preaching which held up before men the character of God, the strictness, justice and terrible penalty of His
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law, the entire and dreadful depravity of their hearts, the absolute sovereignty of God in having mercy on whom He will have mercy, regeneration by the Holy Spirit, and justification by faith alone was that which gave tone and character to this revival and was so richly blessed of God. Surely these doctrines are Calvinistic enough for the most rigid follower of the great German.
Other movements have followed in which such doctrines have had large share if not so great as in those of which I have spoken. But we cannot handle them now.
Thus, in barest outline, we have traced for you this wonderful history. Do we not find that it sustains the assertion made at the beginning of this address that no great and real revival was ever begun, and maintained without the preaching and teaching of Calvin- istic doctrines? In the face of such proofs ought not our faith in these grand and awful doctrines to be confirmed, and should we not more faithfully use and rely upon them in seeking to do the Master's work and to win souls for Him?
Is not one great need of the Christianity of to-day, as well as of the world of perishing sinners around us such preaching, (as Mr. Gladstone with his wonted vigor of thought and phrase has recently pointed out) such preaching as will emphasize and make clear man's real condition as a lost and helpless sinner? With the slight and feeble conception of the nature and extent of the desire which now finds expression in so many pulpits, is it any wonder that the hurt of the people is so slightly healed? "But," says modern taste and usage, " leave those dreadful doctrines of the sinner in the hands of a just and angry God, and tell us of His love." Yes, most gladly do we preach "God is love," but let us beware lest we teach that "Love is God." And never, never can we rightly appreciate His unbounded love until we learn something of and get the people to learn the real nature and consequences of that sin which God hates and His justice requires Him to permit, from which in His love He would save us.
The acknowledged failure of so many pulpits and teachers to press these great doctrines is in itself a most hopeful prognostic of a com- ing and widespread genuine revival. As in the past, so in the future, God will interpose and save His Church from apostasy and the world from death by his own truth made quick and powerful through the Spirit's presence and power and that truth will be found again, as in the past, embodied in the grand old doctrines of Calvinism.
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Following is the address of Rev. Francis R. Beattie, D. D., LL. D., Professor in the Presbyterian Theological Seminary of Kentucky, Louisville, Kentucky:
CALVINISM AND CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
I count it a rare privilege to speak in this place, on this occa- sion, and upon such a theme. I beg to thank those whose cordial invitation, very gladly accepted, gives me this high privilege on this auspicious hour. I dare hardly hope that the performance of the duty thus imposed will be worthy the occasion and this audience.
My general subject is "Calvinism and Liberty, Civil and Religious." First of all the terms must be defined.
Calvinism is that system of Christian doctrine and life which is founded upon the Word of God, and professes to set forth, in a balanced way its divine teaching concerning God, man and the universe. Its controlling principle is the sovereignty of a holy, wise and loving God, ever exercised according to the counsel of His own will, and in harmony with the nature with which He has endowed the different orders of His creatures. He rules over nature, He directs all human affairs, and He works graciously in redemption. As to the relations of God and man, both sovereignty and freedom are held, though it may not be possible to adjust these two facts at all their points of contact. As to man it holds that he was made in God's image, but has become apostate from God, by reason of sin, and is helpless to save himself either from the guilt or the power of sin. His recovery is, therefore, a matter of grace, according to the elect- ing purpose of God, which is conditioned, not upon anything in the creature, but only upon the secret counsel of God. To make this purpose effective Jesus Christ comes to be a Mediator and Redeemer, and, by His atonement and intercessions, to make effective the pur- pose of grace, according to election, in all the elect. In like manner the Holy Spirit is sent to make effectual the work of Christ, in the heirs of salvation, so that they are regenerated and united to Christ unto their assured salvation. This good work thus begun will be surely finished in the case of all of the elect, redeemed, regenerated, believing souls. Calvinism has also its ideal for human life and society. To live for the glory of God is that ideal, and direct respon- sibility of the individual soul to God is emphasized. Its idea of citizen- ship also emerges. If the Christian man is a freeman in Christ in the Church, and has the right of self-government there, he has the like freedom under civil government, another right of self-govern-
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ment also. Hence Calvinism is a philosophy of the universe, of man- kind, of redemption, and of national governments, as such it is all inclusive.
By liberty we mean the right to exercise our powers freely, so long as the rights of others are not interferred with thereby. In the sphere of government this implies the right of self-government, and the duty of protection in the exercise of these rights. In the realm of religion this is religious liberty. In the sphere of the State this means civil liberty. The former is in harmony with Presbyterianism and the latter with representative or republican civil rule. Liberty in both spheres is freedom without license, and freedom without tyranny. It is the golden mean between these extremes, and it balances right and duties according to the divine ideal given in the Word of God.
We are now to try to show the relations between Calvinism and liberty at both spheres. In particular we shall undertake to make good the contention that no interpretation of the facts of Christian religion has done so much or is suited to do as much for civil and religious liberties the world over as Calvinism has. It has been con- ducive to true liberty in all ages. There are two lines of exposition and illustration which naturally open before us. One raises the inquiry whether historically the facts sustain this position. The other inquires whether in the system itself, there are those features which might be expected to generate civil and religious liberty when they were wrought out in human life. The former is the his- torical and the latter the expository. We follow out each a little.
I. THE VERDICT OF HISTORY. In general it may be said that men of Calvinistic principles have fought and won the world's battle for civil and religious freedom. The reformed system of doctrine, which is the Calvinistic type, and the Presbyterian polity, which is the representative form of government, have borne the brunt of many a hard fought fight, and in the end have gotten the victory, whether it be against civil oppression, or ecclesiastical tyranny. Four great examples will fully justify this assertion.
First, the case of Calvin and Geneva. Prior to the remarkable work at Geneva the people were in sore confusion in their civil affairs. Then after they had banished him practically for a time, they had to send for him to come back to their aid again. After he returned and had an opportunity to put into effect his ideas of freedom and civil government, Geneva soon became one of the best regulated places in all Europe. Neither the tyranny of Rome nor the license of a godless government was permitted, and the influence of Calvin spread to France, and among the French Calvinists, known as the Huguenots, the
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same principles of civil and religious liberty spread which did much to make France what she was in the days of Coligny, and the darkest day for civil liberty in France was the fateful St. Bartholomew's Day, when the best Protestant blood, and it was Calvinistic, was shed.
Secondly, in the Netherlands we have another memorable example of the influence of Calvinism on Civil and Religious liberty. This little Calvinistic band, not numerous, nor rich in worldly goods, but strong in faith and rich in noble deeds withstood and finally baffled the proud armies of Philip of Spain, with the power of the Romish hierarchy behind him. This story, as told by Motley is more thrilling than any romance, and the career of William the Silent, and William, Prince of Orange, will never be surpassed in the history of heroic and persistent struggle in defense of human freedom. Their struggle not only made the Dutch Republic, but did much for freedom in Britain and America, and Calvinism was the type of the Christian faith which made these heroic and unconquerable men.
The Puritan struggle in Britain, alike in England and Scotland, together with the Revolution in 1688, A. D., is one of the most strik- ing proofs of the historic fact that Calvinism tends to secure civil and religious liberty. For some time before the Puritan movement took definite shape, influences from Geneva and Holland were operating on many minds in both England and Scotland, and in the latter country the influence of Knox became paramount. Hence it was that ever against spiritual tyranny in matters of religion, and civil despotism in matters of the state, there came a pronounced revolt. Against the divine right of the king it was asserted that the people also had divine rights in regard to civil government ; against the absolutism of bishops it was claimed that the Christian was a freeman in Christ and had a right to a voice in spiritual affairs. Both of these great truths are of Calvinistic origin, and when they were wrought into the minds of the people of the British Islands and translated into actions, absolutism in both Church and State heard its death-knell. What the whole world owes to the Puritan struggle can never be over- estimated. Our own age lives in the light of the liberties that were then won for the people, by the people, in a struggle that was heroic indeed.
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