Log college - Alexander - III - Chapter 4

Required reading
The log college by Archibald Alexander (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 4 (Memoir of the Rev. Gilbert Tennent continued).

My summary
Today we continue to hear about the work of Gilbert Tennent, particularly his relationship with the Presbyterian Synod.

At the time that the Log College was formed, there was no formal training of ministers in America.  So ministers were imported from Europe with qualifications from approved universities. 

However when the Log College was formed, men were beginning to enter into the ministry without formal qualifications.  Thus the Presbyterian church needed to decide how to approve of such men.  Therefore the Synod formed committees to assess such men, but the Tennents believed that the local Presbyteries had the right to approve the men.

Thus Gilbert Tennent caused a great deal of controversy and division in the church over the issue.

What grabbed me
The chapter was all very interesting for me as a Congregationalist Baptist.  Such an affair would be a non-issue for autonomous Baptist churches.

But I do like the reasoning behind the Tennents' working without the Synod's approval: 'They saw a great harvest before them, and the Lord seemed to attend their labours everywhere with a blessing ; and they were led to think, that mere forms of order and regulations of ecclesiastical bodies were of trivial importance, compared with the advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom, and the salvation of souls. They felt, as did the apostles and first reformers, that they were called to go everywhere preaching the gospel, without regard to prescribed limits of Presbyteries or congregations ; especially, as they observed that many pastors neglected to inculcate on their hearers the necessity of a change of heart, and that the people were as really perishing for lack of knowledge, as they were under Jewish or Popish instructors. They felt themselves bound, therefore, to preach far and wide, wherever the people would hear them ; and although there was irregularity in this, judging by human and ecclesiastical rules, yet I doubt not, that in the main their zealous and exhausting labours have met with a large reward. Weak enthusiasts or fierce fanatics may abuse the principle on which they acted ; but the same thing occurred at the time of the blessed Reformation from popery. '

Sounds good reasoning to me.

Next week's reading
Read Chapter 5 (Memoir of the Rev. Gilbert Tennent continued).

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.