Thomson's Sacramental Catechism
HIS FIRST CHARGE
ANDREW THOMSON was licensed to
preach the Gospel, by the Presbytery of Kelso, early in 1802; and ordained by
the same Presbytery of the Church of Scotland, and inducted into the pastoral
charge of Sprouston, on the 11th of March. He was to labour in the Border
country for six years, laying a solid foundation of knowledge and experience
during those years of obscurity, for his later ministry of great power and
influence in the nation’s metropolis.
Shortly after settling in
Sprouston, he married Miss Carmichael. The union was, from all accounts, a
singularly happy one; its fruit being ten children, seven of whom - five
daughters and two sons - survived their father. Fine to read that this pater
familias was "if possible . . still more attractive and delightful in the
family circle than he was commanding and distinguished in the public walks of
professional and active life"
A young minister quickly becomes aware of the
privilege and responsibility of dealing with new communicants, as they prepare
to enter the full membership of the church on profession of faith. Finding
nothing exactly suited to his purpose, Mr Thomson compiled his own
Sacramental Catechism. Intended only for use in his parish, it soon
became widely known and used, proving immensely popular in the Kirk of those
days. No fewer than thirty editions, comprising upwards of 130,000 copies, were
struck off in the quarter-century following its first impression in 1807. This
was a phenomenal demand. In 1957, the Westminster Fellowship of evangelical
Presbyterians in New Zealand, with which the writer is closely associated,
brought out a Triple Jubilee Edition:- which also has sold well.
In his
Foreword, the young pastor wrote: “It is not intended that the following
Catechism should be committed to memory, in the way that other Catechisms are
usually learnt. Most of the answers are so long as to render this in a great
measure impracticable; but the Catechetical form has been adopted, because it
seems best calculated for conveying instruction to the generality of readers,
with ease, distinctness, and effect". After explaining the nature of the
Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper (Questions 1-28), and advancing nine
reasons why Christians should partake of it (29-61) the author goes on to deal
more fully with the duty of self-examination, under the familiar heads of
Knowledge, Faith, Repentance, Love and New Obedience (62 - 122) . The rest of
the space is devoted to: the need for prayer before partaking (123—136)
the duty of believers while partaking (137-1 52). and their responsibility
after partaking (153-165).
As typical of the style, we may select the
following:
"49. In what respect do Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
differ?
"Baptism is to be administered but once, the Lord’s Supper
frequently: the former is a sign of our regeneration and putting on Christ, the
latter is a sign of the spiritual nourishment that we derive from him; the
former may be administered to infants, the latter to such only as are able to
examine themselves; by the former we are admitted, or initiated, into
the visible church of Christ, by the latter we profess our willing continuance
in the church, and our adherence to its doctrines and laws."
" 50. In
what respect do these two ordinances agree?
"They are both of divine
appointment; they both represent Christ and the benefits of his purchase; they
are both seals of the same covenant: they both lay us under peculiar
obligations to holiness in heart and life: and they are both to be continued in
the church till Christ's second coming"
Much the longest answer is the
73rd. We reproduce it here as an interesting piece of apologetic:
"What
reasons have you to believe in the mission and doctrine of Christ?
" (1)
I believe in Christ, because in him were fulfilled a great variety of
prophecies. that were uttered some ages before he appeared; and by him were
wrought many miracles, or wonderful works, which no man could do except God
were with him (Jn 3:2) This I know on the evidence of testimony more powerful
than what was ever employed to establish the truth of any other fact the
testimony of a great number of witnesses, of irreproachable character; who
showed no symptoms of enthusiasm: who were capable of judging of what they saw
and heard: whose declarations were consistent, although made at different
times, in different languages and in different circumstances; whose evidence
was contrary at once to their strongest prejudices and their worldly interests:
who, notwithstanding, gave it boldly and distinctly: who maintained it be a
life of danger and suffering; and who (many of them at least) sealed it with
their blood, amidst tortures and in death.
(2) I believe in the religion
of Christ, because it is worthy of God to promulgate, and every way suitable to
the nature and circumstances of man; because it contains the sublimest truths
and the purest system of morality that were ever taught; and because, with all
this excellence, it was published not only at a time when the world around was
grossly mistaken with respect to the very first principles of religion and
morals, but also by men who had received no education, and who were utterly
unqualified of themselves for teaching mankind.
(3) I believe in the
religion of Christ, because, although it was universally resisted by interested
priests and civil rulers, by bigoted Jews and idolatrous mobs; although it
opposed the whole current of religious opinion, and condemned the most
favourite practices that prevailed in those times; although it was preached by
none almost but men of low birth, without force, without learning, and without
influence; although the most effectual means that can be imagined were made use
of to crush and destroy it: yet, in spite of all these disadvantages, it made
such a rapid and triumphant progress, that in the space of thirty years after
the death of Christ it was diffused over the greatest part of the then known
world; which astonishing success can be reasonably ascribed to nothing else
than the power of God accompanying the labours of the Apostles.
(4) Lastly,
I believe in Christ because he delivered several prophecies which were
afterwards most exactly fulfilled: one, in particular, of the destruction of
Jerusalem, which was so circumstantially foretold, and so minutely
accomplished, that we should consider the language of our Saviour rather as a
history than a prediction of the event, were we not certainly informed of the
contrary".
Thomson’s Sacramental Catechism concludes on a
characteristically positive and reassuring note:
"164. Has not God
provided you with support and consolation fully adequate to these hardships and
difficulties? Yes; every support and consolation that my situation needs -
that I could reasonably expect or possibly desire.
"165. What is that
support and consolation? An assurance that God will make his grace
sufficient for me, and perfect his strength in my weakness (II Cor. 12:9) ; a
divine intimation that Christ has already subdued my spiritual enemies, and
that through him every true believer shall be more than a conqueror; a promise
that the Holy Ghost shall be given to them that ask him, to abide with them
continually, and to lead them in the way everlasting: and there is set before
me the certain prospect of a most happy and glorious immortality in heaven, if
I be faithful even unto death. With such encouragements, and such motives, I
have every reason not only to be stedfast and unmoveable, but even to go on my
Christian way, rejoicing with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.”
In a fairly recent work, written from the Moderate standpoint, and
entitled Two Centuries of the Church of Scotland (1707-1929), A. J. Campbell
frankly traces the decline of Moderatism towards the end of the 18th century,
and adds: “The first thirty years of the 19th century form one of the
notable periods of Scottish history; and as far as the Church of Scotland is
concerned, they belong to the Evangelicals" "The Evangelicals", Campbell also
tells us," . . believed strongly in preaching. The empty churches began to
fill. Patrons and town councils, coming themselves under the new influences,
showed a preference for Evangelical candidates for vacant pulpits. The stern
doctrines of Calvinism have always had their greatest power of appeal in times
of dangerous upheaval; and so it was in those days. In a season of panic
Evangelicalism spoke with authority"
The young pastor of Sprouston had come
to the kingdom for such a time as this. His name had been made by his
Sacramental Catechism; and within a year of its first publication, he was
translated to the East Church, Perth, in 1808, after a six years’ ministry
on the Border. At Perth, his fellow-ministers included his own brother,
William; and here, we are told, “he lived happily, and laboured
successfully" But not for long.
(From the
Biography "A Great Scottish Churchman" by Strang Miller)
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