Letters from the West,—No. III.
James Dodson
[from The Covenanter, Devoted to the Principles of the Reformed Presbyterian Church. 6.4 (November 1850) ed. James M. Willson. Philadelphia: William S. Young, 1850. pp. 109-110.]
August 6, 1850.
In my last I gave you some reasons for the natural increase of the church. In this, I give some account of the accessions from without. There are three quarters whence additions are made to the number of the sons and daughters of Zion:—1. The Protestant churches that are not Covenanters in Britain. 2. Other denominations in the West 3. The non-professors, who know themselves to be “without God and without Christ in the world,” and are willing so to be accounted.
From the first class we have had, and still have, valuable accessions. In all the Presbyterian sects of Scotland and Ireland, the manner of worship approximates nearer to ours than to those of any other church. The Presbyterian emigrants from Britain, Free Church, Residuaries, Relief, Synod of Ulster, and Seceders, have been habituated to praise God in our literal and most excellent version of the inspired Psalms. If they have any correct spiritual taste, or are desirous of improving in the life of godliness, they are disgusted with the vapid effusions of modern poetasters [i.e., persons who write inferior poetry]. Attracted by God’s Psalms to our churches, they soon become acquainted with our distinctive testimony in favour of Christ’s kingly claims as Lord over all, and against the sinfulness of the infidel, oppressive constitution of the nation, administered commonly by ungodly men. When our people see these strangers worshipping with us in the house of God, they put our Reformation Principles, the Sons of Oil, Prince Messiah, the Written Law, Bible Magistracy, the Character and Claims of Messiah, the Covenanter, Reformed Presbyterian, or some such Covenanter book or tract, into their hands.
If the emigrant is a mere formalist, he soon forsakes our assemblies, and connects himself with whatever Presbyterian body happens to be most convenient for him. He goes to those who will allow him to live as he lists. But not a few, especially from Ireland, are of a far different character. People who love the truth, and desire to walk in its light, that God in Christ may be glorified, and their souls saved, stay with us. Godly British Presbyterians are taught to regard with disgust the reading of essays in the pulpit, instead of the preaching of the Lord’s Word. They regard the reading mode as part and parcel of the corrupt Episcopal form. In their mind it is connected with the ministration of curates, whose lives do not adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour. I ought, however, to state that the reading of sermons, by Presbyterian ministers, is by no means so common in the West as in the East. The professors in their divinity schools disapprove of it, in their very gentle way rebuking sin. This bad practice does not, to say the least, gain ground. It has never been practised in the Associate Church or Associate Reformed.
The attention to fast days, before the dispensation of the sacrament of the supper, although nominally not neglected, is hardly a form. It is not, so far as I can learn, regarded as a religious day—nor is there, commonly, any abstinence from food. I am sorry to say that in respect to the latter. Covenanters are less attentive to their duty than they were fifty years ago.
Were it not that the Associate Church and Associate Reformed use David’s Psalms only, we should have much larger accessions from British Presbyterians. The ministers of the latter church are, at least, quite as faithful as our own ministers in their testimony for the Bible Psalms. They have made, and are still making, great inroads on the Presbyterian Church: God countenances testimony bearing.