Notwithstanding current excitement and delight in Britain generated from performance success by its Olympians there remains, on a broader scale, a shadow over the nation. A prophecy some 75 years ago is working itself out in the decline of Britain. Without dramatic change the result will be fatal.
J. H. Merle D'aubigne had this to say in 1847:
"There is no people to whom religion [Christianity] is so necessary as to the British. The material, agricultural, manufacturing, and mercantile interests are so predominant, that, were not religion [Christianity] to counterbalance them, the nation would be undone. The energetic activity which distinguishes the Britons; those gigantic enterprises that characterize them; the founding of an immense empire in India; the gates of China, which her powerful hand has wrenched open; that creation of Australia; those expeditions to the poles and to every climate; that abolition of the slave trade and of slavery itself-all these giant-like labours require that a pure religion [Christianity] should animate the people, that oil should be always pouring into the lamp, and that a truly moral force should inspire, moderate, and direct all these efforts. If the Britons, and even the Germans, are much better colonisers than the French and the nations under the Papal rule, it is to the Gospel that they are indebted for it. Neither is this all. Even the admirable political institutions of Britain have need of the rule of faith; the liberal in States, notwithstanding their many elements of disorder and dissolution, are not only still in existence, but increasing more and more in power and importance, it is because they are the sons of the Puritans.
From the very moment that England begins to yield; nay, from the moment she ceases to press onward in religion [Christianity], we think she will decline towards her abasement, perhaps to her ruin. Evil elements are not wanting. She possesses, to a greater extent perhaps than any other country, a low, impious, and impure literature; and the efforts made to diffuse it among the people are very great. If once the mighty flood-gates, which religion and morality oppose to these infamous publications, are thrown down, the torrent will break forth and overwhelm the whole nation with its poisonous waters."
That which is overhauling Britain has also reached those nations identified as Western in culture and which have their historical roots in a once Great Britain.
Pray in all earnestness for revival of Reformation faith in the preaching and teaching of God's Word accompanied by an outpouring of God's Holy Spirit. Anything less is death by however many cuts.
Sam Drucker
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And at the time of writing Darwin was yet to unleash his fairytale upon the Church.
Yes, but much of the Church had opened the door for Darwin by accepting the Uniformitarian view on the age of the earth and Liberalism was similarly given impetus by that very same subjective reading of Scripture.
Sam Drucker
In light of Keith Mascorde's recent admission that Michael Jensen, son of the Archbishop, doesn't believe in the scriptural inerrancy, here's a statement by Francis Schaeffer which seemed particularly apropos:
"the generation of those who first give up biblical inerrancy may have a warm evangelical background and real personal relationships with Christ so they can ‘live theologically’ on the basis of their limited-inerrancy viewpoint. But what happens when the next generation tries to build on that foundation?"
Michael Jensen just may have a lot to answer for one day.
Francis Schaeffer rightly describes the current direction of the Episcopalian (Anglican) Diocese of Sydney.
It is not unlike what has happened to what were Reformed bodies elsewhere in the world in the past couple of centuries. History is a great teacher.
I just hope and pray for a breath of God's Holy Spirit to intervene and bring life to the dying.
Sam Drucker
"The great need of Australia today is for God-sent and God-anointed men, who will not shun to declare all the counsel of God; men in whom the Word of Christ dwells richly, so that they can say with the apostle, 'Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel'; men on whom rests the fear of God, so that they are delivered from the fear of man. Will Christian readers in distant lands join us in daily prayer that the Lord of the harvest will raise up and thrust forth more of his labourers into this portion of His Vineyard."
Murray, I.H. The Life of Arthur W. Pink. The Banner of Truth Trust, Edinburgh, 1981.
Amen, to that.
A. W. Pink was a loss to Australia when certain churches in Sydney failed to rightly evaluate his doctrine.
We are to be thankful for the work of Iain Murray for keeping available to us the work of faithful men who have gone before.
Sam Drucker
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