Monday, June 30, 2014

The Proclaimer, Summer 2014

Magazine of Crosslanes Chapel

News of the Fellowship
The Divine Art of Christian Contentment - Thomas Watson
Psalm 34
Learn to trust Christ's word, whatever sight may say - Robert M'Cheyne
Book Recommendation: Old Paths - J.C. Ryle
Metrical Psalm 27 - John Brown of Haddington
Contentment - C.H. Spurgeon

Latest online preaching by Rev. Aaron J. Lewis:
Luke 24 v 36, preached on Sabbath morning, 15th June 2014
Luke 24 v 45, preached on Sabbath morning, 22nd June 2014

Contentment

Delivered on Sabbath Evening, March 25th, 1860, by the
Rev. C. H. Spurgeon
At New Park Street Chapel, Southwark.

"For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."―Philippians 4:11.

The apostle Paul was a very learned man, but not the least among his manifold acquisitions in science was this―he had learned to be content. Such learning is far better than much that is acquired in the schools. Their learning may look studiously back on the past, but too often those who cull the relics of antiquity with enthusiasm, are thoughtless about the present, and neglect the practical duties of daily life. Their learning may open up dead languages to those who will never derive any living benefit from them. Far better the learning of the apostle. It was a thing of ever-present utility, and alike serviceable for all generations, one of the rarest, but one of the most desirable accomplishments. I put the senior wrangler, and the most learned of our Cambridge men in the lowest form, compared with this learned apostle; for this surely is the highest degree in humanities to which a man can possibly attain, to have learned in whatsoever state he is, to be content. You will see at once from reading the text, upon the very surface, that contentment in all states is not a natural propensity of man. Ill weeds grow apace; covetousness, discontent, and murmuring, are as natural to man as thorns are to the soil. You have no need to sow thistles and brambles; they come up naturally enough, because they are indigenous to earth, upon which rests the curse; so you have no need to teach men to complain, they complain fast enough without any education. But the precious things of the earth must be cultivated. If we would have wheat, we must plough and sow; if we want flowers, there must be the garden, and all the gardener's care. Now, contentment is one of the flowers of heaven, and if we would have it, it must be cultivated. It will not grow in us by nature; it is the new nature alone that can produce it, and even then we must be specially careful and watchful that we maintain and cultivate the grace which God has sown in it. Paul says, "I have learned to be content;" as much as to say he did not know how at one time. It cost him some pains to attain to the mystery of that great truth. No doubt he sometimes thought he had learned, and then broke down. Frequently too, like boys at school, he had his knuckles rapped; frequently he found that it was not easy learning this task, and when at last he had attained unto it, and could say, "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content," he was an old grey-headed man upon the borders of the grave, a poor prisoner shut up in Nero's dungeon at Rome.

Metrical Psalm 27

Notes by Rev John Brown Haddington

A Psalm of David. 

For thy instruction, my soul, behold here, (1.) The holy courage and undaunted bravery of true faith, amidst manifold dangers and enemies, ver. 1-3. (2.) What earnestness there ought to be, and what pleasure, profit, and honour there are, in the study of familiar fellowship with God, ver. 4-6. (3.) Fervent desires, with strong cries and supplications, for the gracious favour, spiritual presence, and saving direction and protection of God, ver. 7-12. (4.) Strong and encouraging expectations of help, favour and strength from God, ver. 10, 13-14.

While I sing, let my soul enter the very marrow of these matters. Let God himself be relied on, as my trust, my Saviour, and my all in all. Let my heart burn with superlative desires after the knowledge and enjoyment of him. Let nothing less than the most familiar communion with him here, and the full enjoyment of him hereafter, satisfy my longings. Let me readily embrace every invitation to seek his face. Amidst enemies and distresses unnumbered, let me always believe in, wait for, and boast of God my only Lord.

1 The Lord's my light and saving health, 
who shall make me dismay'd? 
My life's strength is the Lord, of whom 
then shall I be afraid? 

2 When as mine enemies and foes, 
most wicked persons all, 
To eat my flesh against me rose, 
they stumbled and did fall. 

3 Against me though an host encamp, 
my heart yet fearless is: 
Though war against me rise, I will 
be confident in this. 

4 One thing I of the Lord desir'd, 
and will seek to obtain, 
That all days of my life I may 
within God's house remain; 

That I the beauty of the Lord 
behold may and admire, 
And that I in his holy place 
may rev'rently enquire.

5 For he in his pavilion shall 
me hide in evil days; 
In secret of his tent me hide, 
and on a rock me raise. 

6 And now, ev'n at this present time, 
mine head shall lifted be 
Above all those that are my foes, 
and round encompass me: 

Therefore unto his tabernacle 
I'll sacrifices bring 
Of joyfulness; I'll sing, yea, I 
to God will praises sing. 

7 O Lord, give ear unto my voice, 
when I do cry to thee; 
Upon me also mercy have, 
and do thou answer me. 

8 When thou didst say, Seek ye my face, 
then unto thee reply 
Thus did my heart, Above all things 
thy face, Lord, seek will I.

Old Paths

Author: J.C. Ryle
Publisher: Banner of Truth (May 1999)
ISBN-10: 0851517609
ISBN-13: 978-0851517605

First published in 1877, this volume systematically leads us through 19 important doctrines of the faith, which were originally given by J C Ryle, as individual papers. These doctrines are of the utmost importance and therefore must be heard, believed, and defended most earnestly. Rightly, J C Ryle, wrote, “It contains nothing but the “Old Paths” in the which the apostolic Christians, the Reformers, the English Churchmen for the last three hundred years, and the best Evangelical Christians of the present day, have persistently walked. From these paths I see no reason to depart.”

In the first paper, Ryle begins, much after the fashion of Thomas Watson, to labour, from the Bible's 'internal evidences' for the case of inspiration. He writes, “I shall bring forth the Book itself, and put it in the witness box”. The first argument He brings forth, is the extraordinary fullness and richness of the contents of the Bible. Under this first point, he has a number of sub-points: 1. The Bible alone gives us a reasonable account of the beginning and end of the globe on which we live. 2. The Bible gives a true and faithful account of man. 3. The Bible alone gives us true views of God. 4. The Bible alone teaches us that God has made a full, perfect and complete provision for the Salvation of fallen men. Another internal evidence for inspiration which Ryle gives, is the fact that, there is an extraordinary unity and harmony in the contents of the Bible, which, is entirely above man. He then continues this section with four further evidences. In the second half of the paper, he makes known the extent of inspiration, that is, 'full verbal inspiration'. In doing so he sets forth reasons and arguments in favour, and dangers that arise from those who deny it. On a practical note, he argues that those who deny the full verbal inspiration destroy the usefulness of the Bible in regards to preaching. If the text is open to debate, the hearer will care little for its instruction or reproof.

In the second chapter entitled 'Our souls', he draws attention to those words of our Lord recorded for us in Mark 8 : 36 “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Under his first remark, he states, “Every one of us has an undying soul.” He stresses the importance of looking beyond the things of time to eternity. His second remark, which, he declares “is a sorrowful portion of my subject” is, “Anyone may lose his own soul,” that is bring great harm upon it and be eternally lost. He attempts to answer this truth by stating, you can “murder your soul by running into open sin, and serving lusts and pleasures, poison your soul by taking up some false religion, starve your soul to death, by trifling and indecision”. In his popular commentary on Mark, he makes this comment, “Many are the ways that lead to the pit. How vital it is that the sinner flees to Jesus for the saving of the soul.”

In the third chapter, he deals with the subject of 'few saved', taking the text in Luke 13: 23 “Lord, are there few that be saved?” Here, having underlined the meaning of what it is to be saved, he exposes those false notions that existed in his day, concerning the state of the world and the number that were saved. He refutes such a notion by plainly stating there are many careless sinners, many hypocritical professors of religion, and many who had a mere head knowledge of the gospel. Are we not saddened along with Ryle, concerning this painful reality with which we are also confronted with today. We recognize the truth of the words of our Lord in Matthew 7: 14, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

Before moving on, let me say, though everything which Ryle has said is right, we must be optimistic, for 'the few' comprises of millions upon millions; a great multitude which no man could number, Revelation 7 : 9. Consider what has taken place in recent years in parts of the world such as, Africa and China. Let us rightly remember that few will be saved in comparison to those who are not, however, let us pray earnestly for the growth of the church. Dear friends, pray earnestly that in this beloved country of ours, multitudes will be found crying out for mercy; that our churches and chapels might be filled with men and women, boys and girls praising God. May He speed the day.

In his paper on, 'Our sins,' He deals firstly with the reality of sin, and that one's sins are numerous. 2ndly, the utmost importance to have our sins taken off us and put away; for God is infinitely Holy and hates sin, death is before us, and the day of resurrection and judgement awaits.

Having stated the reality, the seriousness, and the deadly nature of sin, he then, with a thankful heart, sets forth the almighty remedy; “the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse away all our sins”. Here, in a heart warming way, he speaks of the precious blood of Jesus. Near the end of this paper, in his application, he speaks a word of invitation, and exhortation. He writes in one paragraph, “Cling to Christ, I say and have high thoughts of the atonement made by His blood upon the cross”.

The precious subject of forgiveness is addressed in the following chapter. In giving encouragement to a man who desires to be to be forgiven, he speaks of 'the treasures of gospel forgiveness'. Under this head, he has a number of points. 1stly 'a great and broad forgiveness,' 2ndly, 'a full and complete forgiveness', 3rdly, 'a free and unconditional forgiveness, 4thly 'an offered forgiveness', 5thly 'a willing forgiveness', that is, the Lord delighteth in mercy. 6thly 'a tried forgiveness'. 7thly, 'present forgiveness'. and 8thly and finally, 'an everlasting forgiveness'.

The next paper, in a moving and affectionate manner he opens up the all important doctrine of Justification by faith, stressing, (quoting his own words,) “Without Justification it is impossible to have real peace”. As in his day, so in ours, it must be set forth before the people, acknowledged and owned by men, and further, defended against those whose would seek to, attack, diminish, subtract, or change this glorious and so vital doctrine.

Time nor space permits, but briefly, the other papers, are as follows; The Cross of Christ, The Holy Spirit, Having the Spirit, Conversion, The Heart, Christ's invitation, Faith, Repentance, Christ's power to Save, Election and Perseverance.

In a day when the truth is under attack, and many are giving an uncertain sound, we can be further assisted and prepared for the battle by listening afresh to this well known, affectionate, and godly man, whose writings are well received and understood by many. I heartily and warmly recommend this book to you.

To conclude, let me pass on to you, his great and stirring conviction; “The longer I live, the more I am convinced that the world needs no new Gospel, as some profess to think. I am thoroughly persuaded that the world needs nothing but, bold, full, unflinching teaching of the old paths.”

Aaron J Lewis

Learn to trust Christ's word, whatever sight may say

Robert Murray McCheyne

Learn to trust Christ’s word, whatever sight may say. We live in dark times. Every day the clouds are becoming heavier and more lowering. The enemies of the Sabbath are raging. The enemies of the Church are becoming more desperate. The cause of Christ is everywhere threatened. But we have a sweet word of promise: “This sickness is not unto death.” Darker times are coming yet. The clouds will break and deluge our country soon with a flood of infidelity, and many will be like Mary― heart-broken. Has the Lord’s word failed? No, never! “This sickness is not unto death.” The dry bones of Israel shall live. Popery shall sink like a mill-stone― widowhood and loss of children shall come to her in one day. The kings of Tarshish and the isles shall bow their knee to Jesus. Jesus shall reign till all his enemies are put under his feet, and the whole world shall soon enjoy a real Sabbath.

(extract from Lecture 'Bethany' John 11)

Psalm 34

(Edited from the sermon preached at the Prayer meeting for the Church and Nation, 4th April 2014.) 
Psalm 34 : 15 & 17

“The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry.” “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.”

Dear brethren, take comfort, as God has in the past, He will in the future, come to our aid. This was the peace that David had within his heart.

In the title, we are plainly given the occasion that led David, being inspired by the Holy Spirit, to compose this Psalm; “A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed.”

In 1 Samuel 21 : 10 - 15, we have this occasion recorded for us; wherein we observe that Abimelech, who was otherwise known as Achish, the king of Gath. In verse 1 David offers praise to the Lord, “I will bless the LORD at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.” Following on from verse 2 through to verse 8, he exhorts others to do so, considering God, and then his own experience.

In the portion from verse 8, to verse 10, he declares the blessedness of trusting in the Lord. “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.” In verses 11 to 14 he gives further exhortation and instruction. Turning to the latter part of the Psalm, David sets forth, from v15, the privileges of the righteous, and, in contrast, the misery of the wicked. Returning to our texts in verses 15 & 17 we read; “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry.”, “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.”

There are three things for our consideration tonight, before we come to prayer: 1stly The Lord who sees. 2ndly The Lord who hears. 3rdly The Lord who delivers.

1stly The Lord who sees 

Ps 34:15 “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry.”

The Lord sees, He has knowledge of all men, He knows their actions, their words and their innermost thoughts; His sight is far reaching. In 1Samuel 16:7, we read, “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” Dear congregation, He knows.

Now, as we note here in this verse, He has special concern for His people, they are dear to Him. Dear brethren, He favours us and shows us pity. Because of our sin we grieve Him, however, take comfort He has pity in His eyes for us.

Psalm 56 was penned around the same time as this Psalm before us.

In verse 8 of that Psalm we read; “Thou tellest my wanderings: put Thou my tears into Thy bottle: are they not in Thy book?”

David had been a fugitive. Having gone from place to place, eventually he found himself in Gath. Some of the Lord's people have faced a similar experience. Take for example those who have fled from Syria. However, though this may not be what you have experienced, we, being the Lord's people face many days of trial, wherein one may be restless, and our thoughts roam from to place to place. In Job 7:4, Job describes his restlessness, “When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.” There are our wanderings though the vales of afflictions. Note again those words, “Thou tellest my wanderings:” He knows; He marks as a tally, numbers, records, declares, or shows forth. It is known to Him. David takes comfort in this, and believes that God will come to his aid.

In Deuteronomy 2:7 we read, “For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.” Take comfort, He is watching, He is not unmindful, He sees our tears, and in a tender way He stores them up, He does not forget! Those tears that have fallen down the cheek, and dropped upon your lap, have all been noted by the Lord.

'The Lord sees.' Take comfort, dear brethren, let us not forget, the Lord is looking on the church with pity in His eyes.

2ndly The Lord who hears

Psalm 34:15 “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry.”

In Psalm 66 : 18, we read; “ If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:” Sin, if regarded, is a great hindrance to prayer. The Unconverted man must take heed, and seek the Lord in a penitent way. However, in view of the humble prayer of the righteous man; “His ears are open unto their cry.”

He is a Heavenly Father, to us His children, who are the objects of His pity. He is a gracious shepherd, who attends to His flock, therefore; He will bow down His ear and hear their cry. What a comfort this affords dear brethren, we have One to turn to, who is ready to hear.

Now, He is so Holy, He hates sin, yet, He is ready to hear us. In the Song of Solomon 2 : 14, we read our Lord addressing His people;

“O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let Me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.” Our blessed Lord wants to hear you, “let me hear”..!

He is there, He desires you to speak, therefore, be assured, He is ready to hear your prayer. In difficulties, when providence seems dark and mysterious, let us not question; “has He turned from His gracious promise and now forsaken us?” No, humbly, as a weaned child, look to Him.

In the light this truth, when you are in difficulties, earnestly cry unto the Lord In Psalm 57 : 2, the Psalmist said, “I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.” Recognising that God, in His holy and wise providence has brought you to this situation, commit the situation unto Him. In those familiar words found in Psalm 37 : 5 we read; “Commit thy way unto the LORD”. Commit, or roll thy way upon the Lord. Dear brethren, Roll your burdens on the Lord! How amazing is this truth; has it not afforded to us much comfort in our pilgrimage through this world?

As individuals, but then also as local congregations, take comfort His ears are open. We met in His presence, He is here, and He is listening.

3rdly The Lord who delivers

Psalm 34:17 “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.”

David believed this when he was in straits, and looked back on it in numerous occasions. Let us grasp this truth like David; He will deliver. In accordance to His Will, in His perfect time, He comes and delivers us in a powerful and gracious way.

Sometimes it seems deliverance will never come, but it will, for our difficulties are not everlasting. We here in in the United Kingdom, have seen declension year after year in the Church, is not this a cause for great concern. Many prayers have been offered, many a cry has been uttered, “how long?” In Psalm 70 :1 the Psalmist said, and also Christ said, whilst here in His humiliation, “ Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O LORD.” Let us, with awe in our hearts say unto the Lord, Make haste! In His appointed time, in accordance to His sovereign will, He will, in a gracious and merciful way, deliver. Of this we can be assured. In verse 17 we read, “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.” Again, in verse 19 we read; “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” He will! Consider, He is our Covenant God, His power is infinite; He has an arm of power! Deliverance is coming. Whether it be be for you as in an individual, or, for the Church as a whole, look up, your prayers are heard, and in accordance to His will, they will be answered. Consider again verse 19; we can expect deliverance from all our trials. Many are our afflictions, but great is His mercy; we will be delivered from them all.

At death, our trials will be no more, as one has said, “death will be the funeral of all our sorrows”. One day they will be the former things, yet are we not thankful that certain trials we face in our lives will be over before. We can look back on many a time when the Lord has delivered us. As we look to the future, and the hurdles that are still before us, take comfort, one day we will be over them all. The Puritan, Thomas Adams wrote; “Be our troubles in number, strange in nature, heavy in measure; yet God's mercies are more numerous, His wisdom more wondrous, his power more miraculous; He will deliver us out of them all.” Dear brethren, look forward, yes, there will be valleys, but there will be the green pastures, and then one day we shall be there in our desired haven.

In conclusion, in difficulties, rightly we must cry out to the Lord, but as we do so, let us trust Him. In Psalm 56:3 we read, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” Trust Him! Believe His word. In days of great difficulty, believe that the Lord will lead us on and bring us through.

Moses exhorted the people, when the Egyptians were now in sight, by the Red Sea, “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.” Exodus 14 : 13.

May God help us to exercise faith, and let us be in expectation, that He will deliver. Dear brethren; He sees, He hears, and He will deliver.

Amen

The Divine Art of Christian Contentment

Thomas Watson 

The First Branch of the Text, the Scholar, with the First Proposition. 

I begin with the first: The scholar, and his proficiency; “I have learned.” Out of which I shall by the bye, observe two things by way of paraphrase. 1. The apostle doth noth say, I have heard, that in every estate I should be content: but, I have learned. Whence our first doctrine, that it is not enough for Christians to hear their duty, but they must learn their duty. It is one thing to hear and another thing to learn; as it is one thing to eat and another thing to concoct. St Paul was a practitioner. Christians hear much, but it is to be feared, learn little. There were four sorts of grounds in the parable, (Luke. 8. 5) and but one good ground: an emblem of this truth, many hearers, but few learners.

There are two things which keep us from learning. 1. Slighting what we hear. Christ is the pearl of price; when we disesteem this pearl, we shall never learn either its value, or its virtue. The gospel is a rare mystery; in one place, (Ac. 20. 24) it is called “the gospel of grace;” in another, (1 Cor. 4. 4) “the gospel of glory;” because in it, as in a transparent glass, the glory of God is resplendent. But he that hath learned to contemn this mystery, will hardly ever learn to obey it; he that looks upon the things of heaven as things by the bye, and perhaps the driving of a trade, or carrying on some politic design to be of greater importance, this man is in the high road to damnation, and will hardly ever learn the things of his peace. Who will learn that which he thinks is scarce worth learning? 2. Forgetting what we hear. If a scholar have his rules laid before him, and he forgets them as fast as he reads them, he will never learn. (Ja. 1. 25).. We have great memories in other things, we remember that which is vain. Cyrus could remember the name of every soldier in his huge army. We remember injuries: this is to fill a precious cabinet with dung; but as Hierom saith, how soon do we forget the sacred truths of God? We are apt to forget three things: our faults, our friends, our instructions. Many Christians are like sieves; put a sieve into the water, and it is full; but take it forth of the water, and all runs out: so, while they are hearing a sermon, they remember something: but like the sieve out of the water, as soon as they are gone out of the church, all is forgotten. “Let these sayings, (saith Christ) sink down into your ears;” (Lu. 9. 44) in the original it is, “put these sayings into your ears,” as a man that would hide the jewel from being stolen, locks it up safe in his chest. Let them sink: the word must not fall only as dew that wets the leaf, but as rain which soaks to the root of the tree, and makes it fructify. O, how often doth Satan, that fowl of the air, pick up the good seed that is sown!

USE. Let me put you upon a serious trial. Some of you have heard much, ― you have lived forty, fifty, sixty years under the blessed trumpet of the gospel, ― what have you learned? You may have a thousand sermons, and yet not learned one. Search your consciences.

1. You have heard much against sin: are you hearers; or are you scholars? How many sermons have you heard against covetousness, that it is the root, on which pride, idolatry, treason do grow? One calls it a metropolitan sin; it is a complex evil, it doth twist a great many sins in with it. There is hardly any sin, but covetousness is a main ingredient of it; and yet are you like the two daughters of the horse-leech, that cry, “give! give!” How much have you heard against rash anger, that is a short frenzy, a dry drunkenness; that it rests in the bosom of fools; and upon the least occasion do your spirits begin to take fire? How much have you heard against swearing: It is Christ’s express mandate, “swear not at all.” (Mat. 5. 34) This sin of all others may be termed the unfruitful work of darkness. It is neither sweetened with pleasure, nor enriched with profit, the usual vermillio wherewith Satan doth paint sin. Swearing is forbidden with a subpaena. While the swearer shoots his oaths, like flying arrows at God to pierce his glory, God shoots “a flying roll” of curses against him. And do you make your tongue a racket by which you toss oaths as tennisballs? do you sport yourselves with oaths, as the Philistines did with Samson, which will at last pull the house about your ears? Alas! how have they learned what sin is, that have not learned to leave sin! Doth he know what a viper is, that will play with it?

2. You have heard much of Christ: have you learned Christ? The Jews, as Jerom saith, carried Christ in their Bibles, but not in their heart; their sound “went into all the earth; (Ro. 10. 18) the prophets and apostles were as trumpets, whose sound went abroad into the world: yet many thousands who heard the noise of these trumpets, had not learned Christ, “they have not all obeyed.” (Ro. 10.16) (1.) A man may know much of Christ, and yet not learn Christ: the devils knew Christ. (Mat.1. 24) (2.) A man may preach Christ, and yet not learn Christ, as Judas and the pseudo-apostles. (Ph. 5. 15) (3.) A man may profess Christ, and yet not learn Christ: there are many professors in the world that Christ will profess against. (Mat. 7. 22, 23)

Q. What it is then to learn Christ?

1. To learn Christ is to be made like Christ, to have the divine characters of his holiness engraven upon our hearts: “we all with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image.” (2 Cor. 3. 18) There is a metamorphosis made; a sinner, viewing Christ’s image in the glass of the gospel, is transformed into that image. Never did any man look upon Christ with a spiritual eye, but he went away quite changed. A true saint is a divine landscape picture, where all the rare beauties of Christ are lively portrayed and drawn forth; he hath the same spirit, the same judgment, the same will, with Jesus Christ.

2. To learn Christ, is to believe in him; “my Lord, and my God,” (Jno. 20. 28) when we do not only believe God, but in God, which is the actual application of Christ to ourselves, and as it were the spreading of the sacred medicine of his blood upon our souls. You have heard much of Christ, and yet cannot with an humble adherence say, “my Jesus;” be not offended if I tell you, the devil can say his creed as well as you.

3. To learn Christ, is to love Christ. When we have Bible-conversations, our lives like rich diamonds cast a sparkling lustre in the church of God, and are, in some sense, parallel with the life of Christ, as the transcript with the original. So much for the first notion of the word.

News of the Fellowship


On the 18th. April we were pleased to welcome Rev Mark Stocker from Spring Road Evangelical Church, Southampton, to preach at our Lord`s Day Services. The morning sermon was from Paul`s letter to the Philippians 1:3-6 with the theme, “The Thankful Christian”. 1. The apostle Paul was thankful to God for His grace and mercy, even through the most trying circumstances. Paul was able to call the true God, his God at all times, and this is the experience of all the Lord`s people. 2. Why Paul was thankful to God. God had begun a good work in his heart. Paul had been saved from his sin, and now can enjoy fellowship with other believers, especially those in the church at Philippi. Not only had God saved him, He has kept him, and will keep him all his earthly days. He will never fail us who love him. Nothing can separate us from His love.

Our 163rd. Church Anniversary was held on May 10th. Our guest preacher was Rev William Macleod, BSc. ThM. from the Church of Scotland Continuing in Glasgow. On the Saturday his text was taken from Zechariah 4. The prophet lived in dark and difficult times. The true Church of Christ is to be a light in this darkness. The Church will be maintained by God`s power and Spirit, and not by the feeble efforts of man.

On the Lord`s Day morning Rev Macleod took his text from Ephesians 6:11, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil”. And in the evening he preached from Colossians 3:11, “…but Christ is all, and in all”.

We are thankful for further opportunities to go down into Ringwood and make known, the glorious Gospel of Jesus, in the open air. We pray for all who have heard, took Bibles, and other literature. Do continue to pray for those who preach along with our Minister, also for those who hear.

Once a month we also take a table down to Ringwood where, Bibles or New Testaments and Psalms, are placed. A number of New Testaments are being picked up by young people from Ringwood School. In April, 400 John's Gospel's along with a Gospel card written by our Pastor were delivered in the parish.

At the end of May, over the Bank Holiday weekend, we were again pleased to welcome a number of visitors from different congregations around the country, including many from Spring Road Evangelical church. Over the last few years, a camp in our Church field, has been organised by friends from Spring Road, which has grown in numbers. It was a joy to see the Chapel filled nearly to capacity both in the morning and in the evening of the Lord's Day.

We value such fellowship in these difficult days, and look to the Lord to strengthen His cause.