Chalmers’ parish mission theory made its way to the U.S. during his career and in the decades after his death in 1847. I had heard about such city missions inspired by the “territorial” method; and of course, I knew about his enthusiastic supporter of the West Port experiment, the New York philanthropist James Lenox. With a little free time, I did some poking around online and found one example: the Lebanon Chapel. Below is an 1878 report from that mission effort in the heart of New York City.
It bears all the marks of a convinced Chalmersian. We see the distinct and underscored prioritization of saving souls, above all efforts to ameliorate outward poverty. And there is also an absence of the individualistic-leaning and pietistic sort of American Christianity, but the old confessionally Reformed version that prizes the Visible (or as Kuyper eventually put it, the “Institutional”) Church with its outward and ordinary means of grace. Here’s a quote that could very easily have been written by the “Arch-Parson” himself:
Here is the latest quarterly update. If you missed the last one from February, you can read it here. Also, as a part of my home mission labors under my presbytery, I am free to take pulpit supply opportunities one Lord’s day per month on average. This enables me to supplement our support income with honoraria and, as opportunity allows, raise awareness of Reformed Parish Mission. If you have or know of any opportunities, feel free to drop me a note at michael@reformedparish.com. (Bio & online sermons here.)
Silence the critics . . . have them over for dinner! A good article by Carl Trueman:
Princeton professor Robert P. George recently drew my attention to a trivial but emblematic incident in which a flight attendant wished a passenger a “blessed” night. Unfortunately, the recipient of these kind words was a member of America’s progressive officer class who responded with predictable outrage. Clara Jeffery, editor of the progressive magazine Mother Jones, was so traumatized by this verbal assault, she took to X to express her splenetic indignation at the “creeping Christian nationalism” this unwanted benediction displayed.
She has since deleted the post and been both derided and defended online. While Prof. George saw in the tantrum yet more evidence of progressive condescension and scorn for the working class, others have resorted to the incantatory clichés of critical theory that magically render superfluous the need for thoughtful engagement with anything outside of the acceptable progressive frame of reference. One simply cannot dialogue with such people because any attempt to do so is regarded as a manipulative (even if unwitting) attempt to reinforce the values of an intrinsically unjust system. “Shut up and listen!” is the progressive default response.
Found this quite insightful. Disturbing, to be sure; but also enriching to see the manifold grace of God’s Son who came “to destroy the works of the Devil.”
You read it right. There is actually a Christian religious establishment within the U.S. of A., and I imagine that it is completely free of whites. So for you R2K-types, assorted Anabaptists, and secular liberals, “put that in your pipe and smoke it!”
This author is evidently not orthodox, but some good history and analysis here nonetheless. Not sure what I think of his central thesis in the second, but certainly good grist for the mill.
The article below on Andrew Bonar at Finnieston, Glasgow, was written by my friend Matthew Vogan and published in the Bulwark Magazine of the Scottish Reformation Society. The author relates the compelling story of Bonar’s evangelistic labor on the parish principle as taught and modeled by Thomas Chalmers.
Here are some sample extracts from the article:
Every afternoon from one o’clock till nearly five he would be found walking about his parish, visiting his people. He was well known on the streets of the district. He became a well-known figure in the area, and his friendly way of speaking and behaving endeared him to all, including children. Little children would run up to him as he walked and put their hand in his and receive a smile and gentle hand laid on the heard. One child called him “the minister with the laughing face.” Soon after arriving in the city, he spoke to a little girl in the street, addressing her by name. The child ran home to her mother with the delighted cry, “Mither, mither, he kens me.” [“Mother, mother, he knows me!”]
The following quotes are from Andrew Bonar’s (1810-1892) Diary and Letters.
“We must continue in prayer if we are to get an outpouring of the Spirit. Christ says there are some things we shall not get, unless we pray and fast, yes, ‘prayer and fasting.’ We must control the flesh and abstain from whatever hinders direct fellowship with God.”
“It is considered by most these days to be a form of legalism but fasting is a spiritual practice that God honours and is commanded in scripture. Are we desperate enough for God to move in our lives? Sometimes this requires desperate measures that might require some sort of sacrifice.”
“God will not let me get the blessing without asking. Today I am setting my face to fast and pray for enlightenment and refreshing. Until I can get up to the measure of at least two hours in pure prayer every day, I shall not be contented. Meditation and reading besides.”
“How easy it is to give up and not persevere. I believe this is a big fault in my life, having not the desire and earnestness like Jacob to grab God in a sense and not let go until He blesses me.”
“We have not been men of prayer. The spirit of prayer has slumbered among us. The closet has been too little frequented and delighted in. We have allowed business, study or active labor to interfere with our closet-hours. And the feverish atmosphere in which both the church and the nation are enveloped has found its way into our prayer closets.”
“Why is there so little forethought in the laying out of time and employment, so as secure a large portion of each day for prayer? Why is there so much speaking, yet so little prayer? Why Is there so much running to and fro to meetings, conventions, fellowship gatherings and yet so little time for prayer’? Brethren, why so many meetings with our fellow men and so few meetings with God?”
“This is such and important aspect of our relationship to God. To set aside time not to read the bible, not to sing songs. But to just quietly seek God’s face alone in the private.”
“O brother, pray; in spite of Satan, pray; . . . rather neglect friends than not pray; rather fast, and lose breakfast, dinner, tea, and supper – and sleep too – than not pray. And we must not talk about prayer, we must pray in right earnest. The Lord is near. He comes softly while the virgins slumber.”
In this public lecture of the Scottish Reformation Society, I will be discussing Thomas Chalmers’ (1780-1847) defense of church establishments over against Adam Smith’s critique. Chalmers championed such an establishment as a “Great Home Mission.”‘ Yet is this a merely an academic question? Does Chalmers have something to offer is in modern, pluralistic America? You might be surprised. Join us Friday, October 18 at 2:30 p.m. Eastern-U.S. / 7:30 p.m. U.K. Watch throughFacebook Live. More information below:
West Port Experiment 