"OF WHOM THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY"
-119-
MAY
18, 1740 --England. In Chelsea, London, Jean
Cavalier dies. He has been the leader of the Protestant Camisards in
their struggle for existence against the French government. Here in
England, these Camisards are referred to as French “prophets” for they
often utter pure French instead of their local dialects. They have
“seen” troops from far away come marching toward them. They have singled
out those who would fall in battle and have recognized traitors among
themselves. Often these “prophesyings” have been made with profound
accuracy.
18, 1843 --Scotland. Horatio Bonar joins the Free Church of Scotland.
Thomas Chalmers, sickened by a moderation that places culture above
piety and state support above independence, has led in the founding of
the Free Church of Scotland. In all four hundred and seventy preachers
quit the General Assembly and elect Dr. Chalmers their first moderator.
The State had attempted to settle “obnoxious” ministers into other
parishes. After Dr. Chalmers guides the new assembly through its initial
difficulties, he will withdraw in order to labor with the new college at
Edinburgh. Philip Schaff says of him, “He was a greater worker than
Writer; and a greater man than either.”
18, 1864 --Switzerland. In Geneva, Caesar Malan dies. He was strongly
influenced by his teacher, Robert Haldane. When the pastors of Geneva
issued the “Reglimens” prohibiting the preaching of 1.) The Deity of
Christ, 2.) Original Sin, 3.) Election, and 4.) Predestination; he
refused to conform and was expelled from the pulpits of the canton, and
soon after lost his position as teacher. He held meetings in his
residence until he could build a chapel on his premises and at his own
expense.
When one-third of his congregation left him, he became
a missionary and conducted preaching tours in England, Scotland, France,
Belgium, Holland, and parts of Germany and Switzerland. An ardent
Calvinist, he possessed a fervent love for the souls of men.
19, 1662 --England. A fourth Act of Uniformity is passed. “ ...Every
parson, vicar, or other minister whatsoever . . .shall in the church,
chapel, or place of public worship belonging to his said benefice or
promotion, upon some Lord’s Day before the feast of St. Bartholomew . .
.one thousand six hundred and sixty-two, openly, publicly, and solemnly
read the morning and evening prayer ...and after such reading thereof,
shall openly and publicly, before the congregation there assembled,
declare his unfeigned assent and consent to the use of all things in the
said book contained and prescribed in these words and no other: ‘I, A.
B., do here declare my unfeigned assent and consent to all and
everything contained and prescribed in and by the book entitled, The
Book of Common Prayer . . ..”
Eight objections were the principal obstacles for many
godly ministers to find it contrary to their consciences: it was
contrary to the Word of God—
1.) That no minister is admitted to baptize without
using the sign of the cross;
2.) That no minister is admitted to officiate without wearing a
surplice;
3.) That none are admitted to the Lord’s Supper without receiving it
kneeling;
4.) That ministers are obliged to pronounce all baptized persons
regenerated by the Holy Ghost;
5.) That ministers are obliged to deliver the sacrament of the body and
blood of Christ to the unfit;
6.) That ministers are obliged to absolve the unfit of their sins, and
that in absolute expression;
7.) That ministers are forced to give thanks for all when they bury, as
persons whom God has taken to Himself;
8.) That none may preach who do not subscribe that there is nothing in
the Common Prayer book, ordination service and Thirty-nine
Articles contrary to the Word of God.
One intention is to dismiss godly ministers appointed
from 1654 onward by Cromwell’s “Commission of Triers.” This commission
required a minister—regardless of ecclesiastical order—to be “a person
for the grace of God in him, his holy and unblameable conversation, as
also for his knowledge and utterance, able and fit to preach the
Gospel.”
Two thousand ministers refusing to conform will be ejected from their
pulpits.