23 May
1635 A.D. Book of Canons
Approved: Scots Heat Up Over Book of Common Prayer & Laudian
Prelates
Mr. Myers makes the effort with his perspective.
Myers,
David T. “May 23: Book of Canons Approved.”
This Day in Presbyterian History.” 23 May 2014. http://www.thisday.pcahistory.org/2014/05/may-23/.
Accessed 23 May 2014.
May 23: Book of Canons Approved
A Land So Far Away?
Just suppose, dear reader, just suppose now, that in our blessed country one year, a bill was approved by both Houses of Congress, sent to the White House in Washington, D.C., signed by the president and it became the law of the land. Oh yes, an important ingredient of this bill was that it had the support of The Episcopal Church (TEC). What was its gist, you ask?
Just suppose, dear reader, just suppose now, that in our blessed country one year, a bill was approved by both Houses of Congress, sent to the White House in Washington, D.C., signed by the president and it became the law of the land. Oh yes, an important ingredient of this bill was that it had the support of The Episcopal Church (TEC). What was its gist, you ask?
The
first section of the bill decreed deposition of all spiritual leaders who
denied the federal government’s authority in ecclesiastical matters.
The
second section excommunicated any spiritual leader who dared to preach and
proclaim that the worship part of the bill was contrary to Holy Scripture.
Next,
that same penalty of deposition was promised upon any who preached that the
liturgical part of the bill was unbiblical.
Fourth,
any and all clergy and churches in the land had to adopt the this
governmental liturgy for their congregations upon pain of deposition if
they failed to adopt it.
Fifth,
all congregational meetings could only be called by governmental decree;
further, no ecclesiastical business could be discussed without the approval of
the government; in addition, no biblical meeting could be held independent of
government authority, and last, no spiritual leader could engage in extemporary
prayers.
And
last, governmental regulations were handed on regarding the manner of worship,
gowns worn by clergy members, fonts used for baptisms, ornaments in the church
building, and the conducting of the Lord’s Supper.
This
author is sure that all of our readers would quickly acknowledge if the
churches of America were recipients of such a federal law as this, the visible
biblical church as we know and love would all but disappear from the land, or
be so thoroughly compromised that it would be not longer a church where Christ
Jesus is the Head of the church.
How
glad we are that this alleged supposition is only that. However to
Scottish Christians in the Church of Scotland on May 23, 1635, the above
supposition was an awful reality. It was sent down to that church by the
king with the blessing of the Anglican church upon the Church of Scotland.
After
a couple of years of delay, on July 23, 1637, an attempt was made to introduce
it in the cathedral church at St. Giles, Edinburgh. From among the common
people there that day, a woman named Jenny Geddes picked up her stool and flung
it at the dean who thought that he was going to introduce it in the worship
service. A regular riot broke out as other chairs began flying toward the
podium. The dean was forced to flee for his life. This result
brought the city of Edinburgh under an episcopal interdict, which suspended all
public worship, even on the hallowed Sabbath, because this sanctioned liturgy
has been neglected. We have a post on the reaction on July 23, 1637.
The
second response was the signed of the National Covenant on February 28,
1638. This Day in Presbyterian History also covered this reaction on February 28, 1638.
Words to Live By: You may be thinking that the separation of church and
state would preclude this from ever happening in America. But with
countless Reformed and Presbyterian leaders proclaiming that we now live in a
post-Christian land, the time may be soon upon us where such liberties of
worship and work may soon be past. Our Lord’s definition of His
people, found in Matthew 5:23
, must be re-discovered by the church in our land.
He said, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless,
how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except
to be thrown out and trampled under foot by man.” Let us not be
good-for-nothing Christians.
, must be re-discovered by the church in our land.
He said, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless,
how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except
to be thrown out and trampled under foot by man.” Let us not be
good-for-nothing Christians.
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