Thanksgiving service for the life of Megan Franklin

Eleri and I have just returned from the packed thanksgiving service in East London Tabernacle for Megan Franklin who has recently and suddenly died. We did not know Megan personally but I know Brad and he has spoken for us here. One could not meet a more friendly man. We pray for Brad and their seven children and for St Giles Christian Mission in the months to come. The service was live streamed and can be seen at present here on Youtube. (The eulogy begins around an hour and five and the sermon on John 11 from Mike Gilbart-Smith at one hour and 19) It was good to spend time speaking with some of the hundreds present. The tone was rightly serious but hopeful.

Lord's Day January 13 2019

I preached from texts again this week as it is generally easier to prepare from a text than a passage. With these two (John 20:30, 31; Hebrews 2:14,15) I have now preached 83 of the one hundred texts recommended to workers by T C Hammond. (See here). As last week, I found the morning sermon went better than the evening one. This time I think I put in equal effort. It genuinekly was  aharder text to tackle I guess. We had lunch today as well, which was very nice. One of our members was celebrating her eightieth so we sang happy birthday to her. One or two friends and family joined her so it was nice to ahve them around and there were one or two other visitors. Once again there were people missing - some expected some I don't know. We sang some great hymns, including an 11th century one I found by Fulbert of Chartres

1 You choirs of new Jerusalem,
your sweetest notes employ
the Paschal victory to hymn
in songs of holy joy!

2 For Judah's Lion burst his chains,
and crushed the serpent's head;
he cries aloud through death's domains
to wake the imprisoned dead.

3 Devouring depths of hell their prey
at his command restore;
his ransomed hosts pursue their way
where Jesus goes before.

4 Triumphant in his glory now -

to him all power is given;
to him in one communion bow
all saints in earth and heaven.

5 All glory to the Father be,
the Spirit and the Son:
all glory to the One-in-Three
while endless ages run.

Carey Conference 2019 Day 3

There were just two sessions on the final day of the conference. Firstly, Dr Letham gave his third and final paper on the Trinity. This time on The Trinity, redemption, and worship. Neither of these second papers quite lived up to the first, I fear. This may simply be because we had half an hour extra for that first session and so plenty of time for discussion. It was all very good, however, and worth hunting down in recorded form. The same may be said of his book on the Trinity which is being revised and reprinted soon, and perhaps of the forthcoming 800 page Systematic Theology that Crossway are producing this year.

The final paper was from Jonathan Bayes on the subject of Zeal for God's glory. This took us through the many passages that deal with God's glory with the hope that it would stir us up to zeal. Perhaps this was not the best way to do that and if we had stuck with one epitomising text it may have been easier. The final day of a conference is never easy as people are tired and already in danger of overload.

Highlights remain then the first message on the Trinity, the message on holiness and the paper on Dort. We plan to meet again January 7-9, 2020. Once again the format and those present have been refreshing. A big thank you to organisers and speakers.

Carey Conference 2019 Day 2 Sessions 2-4

Robert Strivens, Jonathan Worsley, Bob Letham, Bill James

Bob Letham

Henry Dixon

We had three more sessions on Day 2 of the Carey, a further paper from Bob Letham on the Trinity, a Q and A session and a final paper on the Holy Spirit and prayer from Henry Dixon. As with the first session, our womenfolk left us for session son Proverbs by Ann Benton.

Bob spoke this time on The trinity, creation, and the world around us and although this is more difficult ground to cover he was again very helpful. Henry spoke first of how difficult prayer can be then of how the Spirit helps us and finally on the fact he prays for us. He spent most time on the second point suggesting ways in which the Spirit helps - giving power over sin, giving spiritual life, leading us, directing us into God's love and giving fervency of speech. Some of this, as Henry suspected, is controversial but widely held among even cessationist theologians. The question session was lively and far reaching and one of the best such sessions I have been involved in. Besides matters connected with the Trinity we got on to infant salvation, the authorship of Hebrews and fencing the table, etc. A good day, I also managed a trip to the nearby Denbyware factory shop in the afternoon with my son and his family. Haven't been there in ages.

Carey Ministers Conference 2019 Day 2 Session 1

Our first session of the second day was led by Robert Strivens and was on Baptists and the Synod of Dort.

It was a clear and very helpful session.

Factors leading up to the Synod of Dort

1. Theological: Arminius

Human will, origin of sin

2. Political: Johan van Oldenbarneevelt, Advocate of Holland

More state control, Looser interpretation and application of the Belgic Confession, foreign policy issues

After the death of Aminius (1609)

Johannes Uyttenbogaert provided theological leadership

Remonstrance of 1610 (five points) Counter-remonstrance 1611

Prinz Mauritius gains upper hand and backs counter Remonstrants, 1617

Oldenbarnevelt arrested and executed (May 13, 1619)

The Synod

Convened November 13, 1618 in Dordrecht

10 colleges of Dutch reps, plus delegations from Germany, Switzerland, Britain - 31 Dutch, 28 others

The Remonstrants at the Synod

Arrived, December 6, 1618

Presented their sententiae an expansion of the five points

Expelled January 14, 1619

Formal conclusion May 29, 1619 (180 sessions)

The canons of Dort

Latin English translation see https://www.crcna.org/welcome/beliefs/confessions/canons-dort

Five heads

Canons of Dort overview

Election unconditional not based on God's foresight and individual

Atonement sufficient for all but efficient only for the elect

Humanity totally lost in sin and unable to do anything towards salvation

All and only the elect are called irresistibly to saving faith in Christ

The elect unfailingly persevere in saving faith to eternal life

Closer analysis

Election unconditional not based on God's foresight and individual

1. God would be just in leaving all to perish in their sin - no obligation to save any

2. Out of love for the world God sent his Son to save those who believe

3. God sends preachers to carry this good news to all the world

4. Those who reject the good news perish while those who believe are saved

5. Responsibility for unbelief lies with the unbeliever; believer owes all to grace

6. Reason some believe and others do not rooted in God's eternal decree

7. Full, formal statement on election

Election is God’s unchangeable purpose by which he did the following:

Before the foundation of the world, by sheer grace, according to the free good pleasure of his will, God chose in Christ to salvation a definite number of particular people out of the entire human race, which had fallen by its own fault from its original innocence into sin and ruin. Those chosen were neither better nor more deserving than the others, but lay with them in the common misery. God did this in Christ, whom he also appointed from eternity to be the mediator, the head of all those chosen, and the foundation of their salvation.

And so God decreed to give to Christ those chosen for salvation, and to call and draw them effectively into Christ’s fellowship through the Word and Spirit. In other words, God decreed to grant them true faith in Christ, to justify them, to sanctify them, and finally, after powerfully preserving them in the fellowship of the Son, to glorify them.

God did all this in order to demonstrate his mercy, to the praise of the riches of God’s glorious grace.

8-11. Classifications

12, 13. Assurance

14. How to teach the doctrine

15. Reprobation

16. Comfort for the sincere seeker

17. Salvation of infants

18. Concluding doxology

Second head (atonement)

Remonstrance: Christ died for every individual, obtaining reconciliation and forgiveness, but conditionally.

For it was the entirely free plan and very gracious will and intention of God the Father that the enlivening and saving effectiveness of his Son’s costly death should work itself out in all the elect, in order that God might grant justifying faith to them only and thereby lead them without fail to salvation.

It was also God’s will that Christ should cleanse them by his blood from all their sins, both original and actual, whether committed before or after their coming to faith; that he should faithfully preserve them to the very end; and that he should finally present them to himself, a glorious people, without spot or wrinkle.

Third and fourth heads (sin and calling)

.. all people are conceived in sin and are born children of wrath, unfit for any saving good, inclined to evil, dead in their sins, and slaves to sin. Without the grace of the regenerating Holy Spirit they are neither willing nor able to return to God, to reform their distorted nature, or even to dispose themselves to such reform.

There is, to be sure, a certain light of nature remaining in all people after the fall, by virtue of which they retain some notions about God, natural things, and the difference between what is moral and immoral, and demonstrate a certain eagerness for virtue and for good outward behaviour. But this light of nature is far from enabling humans to come to a saving knowledge of God and conversion to him—so far, in fact, that they do not use it rightly even in matters of nature and society. Instead, in various ways they completely distort this light, whatever its precise character, and suppress it in unrighteousness. In doing so all people render themselves without excuse before God.

Fifth head (perseverance)

Because of these remnants of sin dwelling in them and also because of the temptations of the world and Satan, those who have been converted could not remain standing in this grace if left to their own resources. But God is faithful, mercifully strengthening them in the grace once conferred on them and powerfully preserving them in it to the end. Etc.

Four reasons Baptists should bother with the Canons of Dort

The canons

1. Provide a clear exposition of the doctrines of grace which we are in danger of forgetting

2. Address the hyper-Calvinist issue, a perennial one in any recovery of the doctrines of grace

3. Are pastorally useful and avoid our being theologically arid and unfruitful

4. Form part of our Particualr Baptist theological adn confessional heritage

In conclusion he spoke of the importance of taking seriously our Reformed and Puritan heritage. This involves a careful and sustained study of the writings of this heritage and careful attempts to pass it on to the rising generation. This needs to be something we are all involved in. The heritage belongs as much to Baptists as to others. lets be committed to exploring it.

Carey Ministers Conference 2019 Day 1

Bob Letham

David Campbell

It is good to be at the Carey in Swanwick once again. Numbers seem to be good (about a hundred or so?) and as always there is a good spirit.

The meetings began yesterday with three sessions from three different men. I missed the first session with Jonathan Worsley from Kew on worship, which looked helpful. We then had a session on the Trinity (the first of three) with Dr Bob Letham. This one "From biblical foundations to orthodox doctrine". It was an excellent clear introduction on a topic that we need to keep coming back to. We recited the Nicene Creed together. 

The highlight of the day perhaps was David Campbell on the beauty of holiness who took us to the Lord Jesus Christ, the holy servant of God and made us long to be holy like him. It was an excellent session.

He noted how after the death of the saintly Robert Murray McCheyne, a letter addressed to him, which he had not shown to anyone, was found responding to the last sermon he preacched in Broughty Ferry, Dundee. The anonymous writer testified that McCheyne had been the means of leading him to Christ, and concluded, ‘It was nothing you said that made me wish to be a Christian; it was rather the beauty of holiness which I saw in your face!’” So challenging.

Lord's Day January 6 2019

No reports on midweek meeting or day off because of the holiday. I was at the Alfred Place prayer meeting on Tuesday the first. There was a prayer meeting here in Childs Hill but I was still in Wales. The first Lord's Day of the year began with communion. We were not a great number but we were joined by a friend from Germany and his new wife on honeymoon in London. I preached morning and evening on texts again - 1 Thessalonians 2:13 in the morning and 1 Timothy 4:1-3 in the evening. I think the morning sermon was better than the evening one, partly because the second text is more difficult but I probably could have spent more time on the second one.

We had a good number in the morning meeting, including some people we hope might stick with us, but we were quite few in the evening. Two children were there in the second service.

We got back to our church history series. The tenth century is a real low point but we enjoyed singing an anonymous hymn from that period. We had to jig things about a bit but in the form below you can sing it to Michael Baughen's "Lord of the years".

1 Father most holy, merciful and loving,
Jesus, Redeemer, ever to be praised,
life-giving Spirit, Comforter most gracious,
God everlasting, everlasting God.

2 Three in a wondrous Unity unbroken,
one perfect Godhead, love that never fails,
light of the angels, succour of the needy,
hope of all living, of all living hope.

3 All your creation it serves its Creator,
you every creature praises without end;
we too would sing you psalms of true devotion:
hear, we beseech you,; we beseech you, hear!

4 Lord God Almighty, unto you be glory,
One in Three Persons, high above all.
yours, as is meet, be honour, praise and blessing,
now and for ever, for ever and now.

We were all sorry to hear of the death of the wife of a North London pastor during the day. Only a few of us know the Franklins but our hearts went out to them.

Lord's Day December 30 2018

I haven't reported on the last Sunday of the year yet. I decided to take two great new year texts - Philippians 4:6, 7 and Hebrews 10:23-25. I preached better in the morning than the evening but there will always be a difference one way or the other. At least two families were away but we had lots of visitors - mostly the family of one of my deacons (four of the five kids with spouses and seven granchildren) plus my own son and his wife and our three grandsons. I did the candy cane talk using the candy canes of our tree at home (bit sticky). Good congregations morning and evening then. We sang four of the five new year hymns in the book. We didn't do well with the one (to Endrys night) so we abandoned it and used the Amazing Grace tune. Amazing Grace is a new year song, of course, so we should have just sang that.

Holiday Books 2018 2019

As usual, I was given a variety of good books over the holiday. I particularly enjoyed the Hirameki book from my youngest son and am looking forward to the drawing book from my oldest and his wife (they also bought the Jeremy Walker paperback). My father-in-law gave me the sixties picture books and my second son and his wife Histories of the unexpected. My wife bought the history mag and the others were in the secret Santa, except for the book on accents (from my third son and his wife) and the perpetual disappointments diary from kind members who are beginning to understand my melancholy approach to life.

No longer under copyright

The new year means that certain times under copyright in America, due to Sonny Bono's law affecting items from 1923 forward are now in the public domain. These include Robert Frost's Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening previously featured on this blog in 2007. See here.

The Highwayman

The Highwayman

BY ALFRED NOYES

PART ONE

The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees.
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas.
The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding—
Riding—riding—
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.

He’d a French cocked-hat on his forehead, a bunch of lace at his chin,
A coat of the claret velvet, and breeches of brown doe-skin.
They fitted with never a wrinkle. His boots were up to the thigh.
And he rode with a jewelled twinkle,
His pistol butts a-twinkle,
His rapier hilt a-twinkle, under the jewelled sky.

Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed in the dark inn-yard.
He tapped with his whip on the shutters, but all was locked and barred.
He whistled a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the landlord’s black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord’s daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.

And dark in the dark old inn-yard a stable-wicket creaked
Where Tim the ostler listened. His face was white and peaked.
His eyes were hollows of madness, his hair like mouldy hay,
But he loved the landlord’s daughter,
The landlord’s red-lipped daughter.
Dumb as a dog he listened, and he heard the robber say—

“One kiss, my bonny sweetheart, I’m after a prize to-night,
But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light;
Yet, if they press me sharply, and harry me through the day,
Then look for me by moonlight,
Watch for me by moonlight,
I’ll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way.”

He rose upright in the stirrups. He scarce could reach her hand,
But she loosened her hair in the casement. His face burnt like a brand
As the black cascade of perfume came tumbling over his breast;
And he kissed its waves in the moonlight,
(O, sweet black waves in the moonlight!)
Then he tugged at his rein in the moonlight, and galloped away to the west.

PART TWO
He did not come in the dawning. He did not come at noon;
And out of the tawny sunset, before the rise of the moon,
When the road was a gypsy’s ribbon, looping the purple moor,
A red-coat troop came marching—
Marching—marching—
King George’s men came marching, up to the old inn-door.

They said no word to the landlord. They drank his ale instead.
But they gagged his daughter, and bound her, to the foot of her narrow bed.
Two of them knelt at her casement, with muskets at their side!
There was death at every window;
And hell at one dark window;
For Bess could see, through her casement, the road that he would ride.

They had tied her up to attention, with many a sniggering jest.
They had bound a musket beside her, with the muzzle beneath her breast!
“Now, keep good watch!” and they kissed her. She heard the doomed man say—
Look for me by moonlight;
Watch for me by moonlight;
I’ll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way!

She twisted her hands behind her; but all the knots held good!
She writhed her hands till her fingers were wet with sweat or blood!
They stretched and strained in the darkness, and the hours crawled by like years
Till, now, on the stroke of midnight,
Cold, on the stroke of midnight,
The tip of one finger touched it! The trigger at least was hers!

The tip of one finger touched it. She strove no more for the rest.
Up, she stood up to attention, with the muzzle beneath her breast.
She would not risk their hearing; she would not strive again;
For the road lay bare in the moonlight;
Blank and bare in the moonlight;
And the blood of her veins, in the moonlight, throbbed to her love’s refrain.

Tlot-tlot; tlot-tlot! Had they heard it? The horsehoofs ringing clear;
Tlot-tlot; tlot-tlot, in the distance? Were they deaf that they did not hear?
Down the ribbon of moonlight, over the brow of the hill,
The highwayman came riding—
Riding—riding—
The red coats looked to their priming! She stood up, straight and still.

Tlot-tlot, in the frosty silence! Tlot-tlot, in the echoing night!
Nearer he came and nearer. Her face was like a light.
Her eyes grew wide for a moment; she drew one last deep breath,
Then her finger moved in the moonlight,
Her musket shattered the moonlight,
Shattered her breast in the moonlight and warned him—with her death.

He turned. He spurred to the west; he did not know who stood
Bowed, with her head o’er the musket, drenched with her own blood!
Not till the dawn he heard it, and his face grew grey to hear
How Bess, the landlord’s daughter,
The landlord’s black-eyed daughter,
Had watched for her love in the moonlight, and died in the darkness there.

Back, he spurred like a madman, shrieking a curse to the sky,
With the white road smoking behind him and his rapier brandished high.
Blood red were his spurs in the golden noon; wine-red was his velvet coat;
When they shot him down on the highway,
Down like a dog on the highway,
And he lay in his blood on the highway, with a bunch of lace at his throat.

...

And still of a winter’s night, they say, when the wind is in the trees,
When the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
When the road is a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
A highwayman comes riding—
Riding—riding—
A highwayman comes riding, up to the old inn-door.

Over the cobbles he clatters and clangs in the dark inn-yard.
He taps with his whip on the shutters, but all is locked and barred.
He whistles a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the landlord’s black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord’s daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.

Alfred Noyes

I was walking through the streets of Aber today when I spotted this plaque noting that Alfred Noyes lived here  1881-1898. He was a minor poet and writer and the author of The Highwayman, which I remember doing in Junior School. In 1995 it was voted 15th in a BBC poll for Britain's favourite poem.

1964 The Honeycombs - Have I the right?

Best little female drummer in the world! Amazing Kanade Sato age 11

10 Female drummers

1. Karen Carpenter
2. Caroline Corr
3. Cindy Blackman (Santana, etc)
4. Meg White (White Stripes)
5. Honey Lantree (Honeycombs)
6. Sandy West (The Runaways)
7. Gina Schock (The Go gos)
8. Debbi Peterson (Bangles)
9. Palmolive (The Slits)
10. Evelyn Glennie

(This list was prompted by the recent death of Honey Lantree)