Archive for the ‘Vignettes from the Old Parish Way’ Category
Lecture on Chalmers’ Conversion & Kilmany Pastorate
Posted in Locality & the Law of Residence, Missiology, Parish Theory & Practice, Parochial Strategy, Pastoral Theology, The Romance of Locality, The Sacred Ministry, Thomas Chalmers, Vignettes from 19th Century District Visitation, Vignettes from the Old Parish Way, Visitation Evangelism on March 12, 2019| 2 Comments »
“Being crafty, I caught you with guile”
Posted in Church of Scotland, Gospel Tactics, Missiology, Moral Suasion, Parish Theory & Practice, Parochial Strategy, Vignettes from the Old Parish Way on November 27, 2018| Leave a Comment »
“Some Highland Evangelicals (in the 18th century) resorted to coercive tactics to compel people to hear their message. A mild example was Walter Ross’ confiscation of the cooking utensils in a fishing village that repeatedly emptied of its suspicious inhabitants when he approached. He returned the pots and pans after entertaining the villagers at a meal two days later. At that time they promised to receive his visits and to attend church.”
-Stephen A. Woodruff, The Pastoral Ministry in the Church of Scotland, p. 242
Pastoral visitation in the old Church of Scotland
Posted in Church of Scotland, Church Order & Discipline, Experimental Religion & the Cure of Souls, Family Religion, Parochial Strategy, Pastoral Theology, Practice of Piety, Vignettes from the Old Parish Way, Visitation Evangelism on November 21, 2018| 1 Comment »
X. Sess. 13 et ult., April 27, 1708.—Act and Recommendation concerning Ministerial Visitation of Families.
“. . . Seeing, for the faithful discharge of ministers’ work, they ought, besides what is incumbent to them in the public congregation, to take special care and inspection of the particular persons and families under their oversight and charge, in order to which, it hath been the laudable custom of this Church, at least once a year, if the largeness of the parish, bodily inability in the minister, or other such like causes, do not hinder, for ministers to visit all the families in their parish, and oftener, if the parish be small, and they be able to set about it.
“For the more uniform and successful management of which work, although in regard of the different circumstances of some parishes, families, and persons, much of this work, and the management thereof, must be left to the discretion and prudence of ministers in their respective oversights, yet these following advices are offered and overtured as helps in the management thereof, that it may not be done in a slight and overly manner.
Private, house to house evangelism
Posted in Church of Scotland, Gospel Proclamation, Missiology, Parish Theory & Practice, Parochial Strategy, Pastoral Theology, Preaching, Vignettes from the Old Parish Way, Visitation Evangelism on July 12, 2017| Leave a Comment »
The following passage comes from the Memoirs of James Fraser of Brea (1639-1698). In it, we hear the heartbeat of a true fisher of men, a pastor-evangelist that all pastors should strive to be. Also, note that he urged the duty of the minister going beyond the four walls of the church into the “highways and hedges” to speak to the lost. This is the good old parish way – ministerial house to house evangelistic labor in a fixed, geographical district. Would to God it may be recovered! (Italics below mine.)
* * * *
God did not send me to baptise, but to preach. But that which I was called to was, to testify for God, to hold forth his name and 
ways to the dark world, and to deliver poor captives of Satan, and bring them to the glorious liberty of the sons of God: this was I to make: my only employment, to give myself to, and therein to be diligent, taking all occasions; and to be plain, full and free in this charge. I was called to enter in hot war with the world and sinners, to fight by my testimony against them for God ….
He is [in addition to public preaching] to execute his commission by exhortation, private and occasional instruction, whether for reproof, comfort, or in formation and direction. And this is it which I suppose I was moſt called unto, viz. to take all occasions with all persons in private discourse, to make the name of Christ known, and to do them good, and to do this as my only work; and to do it boldly, and faithfully and fully: and this to do is very hard in a right and effectual manner; to do this is harder than to preach publickly; and, to be strengthened, directed and encouraged in this, is that for which I ought to live near in a dependence on Christ, without whom we can do nothing, and of whom is all our sufficiency. In preaching there are a great many whom we can not reach, and there are many to whom we have no occasion to preach publickly; we may thus preach always, and speak more succesfully than in publick, where the greatest part of hearers do not understand the minister tho’ he speak never so plainly. This likewise we are called unto this day, seeing we are by force incapacitate: but oh how is this neglected! were ministers faithful in this, we should quickly fee a change in affairs; but, alas, with grief of heart I speak it, it is in this thing that I challenge myself most of any, it is in this that I have most come ſhort, and I suppose it may be so with others too. The Apostles went from house to house.
Parish minister, gainer of souls
Posted in Church of Scotland, Gospel Tactics, Gregarious (Social) Principle, Locality & the Law of Residence, Missiology, Moral Suasion, Parish Theory & Practice, Parochial Strategy, The Romance of Locality, Vignettes from the Old Parish Way, Visitation Evangelism on June 14, 2017| Leave a Comment »
Here is a delightful vignette of old parish ‘missions,’ if you will, in 17th century Presbyterian Scotland. The minister, William Guthrie (1620-1665), labored to be all things to all men, that he might gain some.
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“After William Guthrie came to Fenwick, many of the people were so rude and barbarous, that they never attended upon divine worship, and knew not so much as the face of their pastor. To such, everything that respected religion was disagreeable; many refused to be visited or catechised by him; they would not even admit him into their houses. To such he sometimes went in the evening disguised in the character of a traveller, and sought lodging, which he could not even obtain without much entreaty, but, having obtained it, he would engage in some general amusing conversation at first, and then ask them how they liked their minister. When they told him that they did not go to church, he engaged them to go and take a trial; others he hired with money to go. When the time of family worship came, he desired to know if they made any, and if not, what reasons they had for it.
The Parson in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales
Posted in Experimental Religion & the Cure of Souls, Medieval Church, Parish Theory & Practice, Pastoral Theology, Vignettes from the Old Parish Way on October 12, 2016| Leave a Comment »
A PARSON of a certain township who
Was poor, but rich in holy thought and work.
He also was a learned man, a clerk;
The Christian gospel he would truly preach,
Devoutly his parishioners to teach.
Benign he was, in diligence a wonder,
And patient in adversity, as under
Such he’d proven many times. And loath
He was to get his tithes by threatening oath;
For he would rather give, without a doubt,
To all the poor parishioners about
From his own substance and the offerings.
Sufficiency he found in little things.
His parish wide, with houses wide asunder,
He’d never fail in either rain or thunder,
Though sick or vexed, to make his visitations
With those remote, regardless of their stations.
On foot he traveled, in his hand a stave.
This fine example to his sheep he gave:
He always did good works before he taught them.
His words were from the gospel as he caught them,
And this good saying he would add thereto:
“If gold should rust, then what will iron do?”
For if a priest be foul in whom we trust,
No wonder that the ignorant goes to rust.
And it’s a shame (as every priest should keep
In mind), a dirty shepherd and clean sheep.
For every priest should an example give,
By his own cleanness, how his sheep should live.
He never set his benefice for hire,
To leave his sheep encumbered in the mire
While he ran off to London and Saint Paul’s
To seek a chantry, singing in the stalls,
Or be supported by a guild. Instead
He dwelt at home, and he securely led
His fold, so that the wolf might never harry.
He was a shepherd and no mercenary.
A holy, virtuous man he was, and right
In showing to the sinner no despite.
His speech was never haughty or indignant,
He was a teacher modest and benignant;
To draw folks heavenward to life forever,
By good example, was his great endeavor.
But if some person were too obstinate,
Whether he be of high or low estate,
He would be sharply chided on the spot.
A better priest, I wager, there is not.
He didn’t look for pomp or reverence
Nor feign a too self-righteous moral sense;
What Christ and his apostles had to tell
He taught, and he would follow it as well.
The Story of Thomas Chalmers’ West Port Experiment
Posted in Benevolence & the Diaconate, Free Church of Scotland, Gregarious (Social) Principle, Locality & the Law of Residence, Missiology, Parish Theory & Practice, The Gospel & the Poor, The Romance of Locality, Thomas Chalmers, Vignettes from 19th Century District Visitation, Vignettes from the Old Parish Way, Visitation Evangelism on July 10, 2016| Leave a Comment »
I recently gave a lecture (sermon?) on the fascinating and inspiring story of Thomas Chalmers’ West Port Experiment in the slums of Industrial Edinburgh, from 1844-1847. You can listen to it here. Ad urbem!
