Author Archives: vanguardpresbytery

Starting with this week’s article, I will be sending you a chapter from one of the books by Dr. Lloyd-Jones which is available online. It was a lecture that Lloyd-Jones gave that was included in his book, The Puritans: Their Origins and Successors. It is a book that has been in my library ever since itContinue reading “Martyn Lloyd-Jones on True Calvinism”

In Romans 14:1 to 15:13, the Apostle Paul has an extended section in which he deals with the principles of conscience. I consider it one of the most important sections in the Scripture concerning the matter of Christian conduct. It is also one of the most ignored sections of the Scripture. The principles Paul laysContinue reading “Principles of Conscience”

In both Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16, the Apostle Paul refers to Christians singing “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” John Calvin commented on the latter passage as follows: Moreover, under these three terms he includes all kinds of songs. They are commonly distinguished in this way: a psalm is to the accompaniment of someContinue reading ” Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs”

Thanksgiving in the US is one of the best and purest of holidays. It has long been my opinion that it is a truly Christian holiday even if it is not specifically sanctioned by Scripture. It is a Christian holiday because the emphasis is on giving thanks to God for all His bountiful care. Yet,Continue reading “Thanksgiving”

The Revolutionary War (1776-1783) There were two other events that happened after the death of Samuel Davies (February 4, 1761) in which he played an indirect, but very close part. The first of those events was the Revolutionary War. That war has been called the ‘Presbyterian Rebellion’ because most of the leading voices in itContinue reading “Samuel Davies, Champion of Liberty, Part Two”

With this week’s article, I am sending out the gist of a message I gave In Richmond, Virginia last Friday evening on the 300th anniversary of the birth of Samuel Davies. Half of the message is in this week’s email and the other half will be next week. There were about 120 people who gathered last FridayContinue reading “Samuel Davies, Champion of Liberty”

On May 8, 1758, Samuel Davies preached to the militia being mustered in Hanover county, Virginia as a result of the French and Indian War (1755-163). He had three years earlier preached a similar recruiting sermon at the raising of an independent militia for CPT Overton, the first such militia raised in response to theContinue reading “The Curse of Cowardice”

Vanguard Presbytery held its semi-annual presbytery meeting in Hanover, Pennsylvania on October 20, 2023. I was expecting Hanover to be a very small community, but it was larger than I realized. It is still a small city, but there are many souls there that need to hear the gospel. Those who were arrived early enoughContinue reading “Update”

Last week, I wrote a few words about the theological system of Thomas Aquinas. I received a number of very good responses from both ministers and laymen. One respondent, in particular, Dr. Henry Krabbendam, sent a paper he wrote on Aquinas that was very enlightening. I have not yet had a chance to read itContinue reading “Aquinas’ Views of the Sacraments and Scripture”

            From time to time, I come across articles by Reformed authors wherein they encourage the reading of the Summa Theologica by Thomas Aquinas. Their rationale is that Aquinas is an excellent guide for making fine distinctions on theological points. Au contraire. As one who spent several weeks at a nearby university library reading through the unabridged threeContinue reading “Aquinas Is No Safe Guide For Protestants”