Peck: When Christian ‘worship’ is nothing but the paraphernalia of a corpse lying in state

[NaphtaliPress]

“The true glory of Christian worship consists in the presence and power of the Holy Ghost; and without the Holy Ghost, all our paraphernalia of "long drawn aisle and fretted vault," of painted windows and "dim religious light," of symbols of lamb and dove, of pealing organs and what not, are but the paraphernalia of a corpse lying in state. It is a vain attempt to conceal the painful reality of death. One thing, we confess, that commends Presbyterianism to us is, that it cannot be worked by mere human wisdom or power; that it must either have the power of the Spirit to work it, or be nothing.” Thomas E. Peck, “The Spirit of Presbyterianism,” in Memorial volume of the semi-centennial of the Theological seminary at Columbia, South Carolina (1884), 30. https://archive.org/stream/memorialvolume00colu#page/30/mode/2up

 

[NaphtaliPress]

The following article brought the Peck quotation to my attention.
John J. Murray, Reversing the Trend in Modern Worship, https://banneroftruth.org/us/resources/articles/2016/reversing-the-trend-in-modern-worship/

 

[earl40]

Two things I prayed for while in corporate worship today. #1. To sing at least one Psalm during worship, which we never do. #2. To be able to partake in The Lord's Supper with the proper element of wine. I am not asking to stop those who prefer to sing hymns and to drink grape juice, but only to add what our Lord commands.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

Two things I prayed for while in corporate worship today. #1. To sing at least one Psalm during worship, which we never do. #2. To be able to partake in The Lord's Supper with the proper element of wine. I am not asking to stop those who prefer to sing hymns and to drink grape juice, but only to add what our Lord commands.

I don't recall that we've discussed this in the past, but if so, blame the memory. Have you petitioned to sing more psalms? Have you asked the session to add wine? How hard can either of these be to accommodate?

 

[earl40]

I don't recall that we've discussed this in the past, but if so, blame the memory. Have you petitioned to sing more psalms? Have you asked the session to add wine? How hard can either of these be to accommodate?

I have asked for both. One officially, wine, which was refused based on wanting to keep unity in the congregation. I almost appealed to the presbytery but decided to not to do so when I spoke with an official there. He implied it would not pass or go to the GA. I knew it was doomed when he said watermelon juice would be acceptable. So far as Psalms go we have sung one Psalm in the past three years that was so unrecognizable it was embarrassing to even try to sing. I was promised that our director of worship would incorporate them, but that person left a couple of years ago, and the new director I have yet to approach for fear of being seen as divisive.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

What do you mean by presbytery official? A TE thought watermelon juice would be acceptable?

I have asked for both. One officially, wine, which was refused based on wanting to keep unity in the congregation. I almost appealed to the presbytery but decided to not to do so when I spoke with an official there. He implied it would not pass or go to the GA. I knew it was doomed when he said watermelon juice would be acceptable. So far as Psalms go we have sung one Psalm in the past three years that was so unrecognizable it was embarrassing to even try to sing. I was promised that our director of worship would incorporate them, but that person left a couple of years ago, and the new director I have yet to approach for fear of being seen as divisive.

 

[earl40]

What do you mean by presbytery official? A TE thought watermelon juice would be acceptable?

I am not familiar with the official levels of offices in a presbytery. I think it was the Stated Clerk (whatever that is) who I spoke with. It sounded like he was an ordained pastor from how he spoke.

 

[Jeri Tanner]

Earl do you live near Orlando— and if so did you know there’s an EP church there? (Orlando RP.)

 

[earl40]

Earl do you live near Orlando— and if so did you know there’s an EP church there? (Orlando RP.)

Yes there is though if I remember they require all members to subscribe to the WCF and the Three Forms of Unity. Not a problem for me, but I would not make my wife take any vow to ascribe to such much less make me take another vow to be a member of another church which is simply wrong and against my conscience.

 

[Jeri Tanner]

Yes there is though if I remember they require all members to subscribe to the WCF and the Three Forms of Unity. Not a problem for me, but I would not make my wife take any vow to ascribe to such much less make me take another vow to be a member of another church which is simply wrong and against my conscience.

Hmm, members do not take vows of subscription to either of those! Only officers, and that to the WCF and RP testimony only. Members take a membership vow that is basically a profession of faith, and to live as a Christian. My husband has credo-Baptist convictions still, and is not completely convinced of EP, but is happy to be a member in our RP church plant. Just wanted to let you know that’s the case as far as I know in all RP churches; I would surely think it’s the case in Orlando.

 

[Jeri Tanner]

Earl, here is a link to their membership vows http://orlandorpc.org/beliefs/

#4 was a real sticking point for me, because I do part ways with some of the RP testimony. I talked this over with several people over the course of some months. In the end, and especially after talking it over with our temporary governing body, I was satisfied that “submitting in the Lord” to the teaching of their constitution as being biblical meant, to them, to be peaceable about differences of conviction, to understand that the RPCNA holds these truths to be biblical, and that where a member’s convictions may differ, not to disturb the church by espousing them. It’s not very well put language in the vows, in my opinion (and others‘). But this was how it was explained to us and we accepted this, after explaining where our disagreements were.

I don’t want to derail the thread, so feel free to PM me if you want to discuss it any further!

Edited to add: you may feel that any membership vows beyond a profession of faith are problematic, and I understand that and agree with you.