Dear One in Christ:
I regret that the pressure of
much work has delayed me in responding to your request that I present a
statement of what is unsatisfactory in the "Scofield Reference
Bible." I do so as one who read it through several times as to the
Scripture text, became fairly well acquainted with its notes, used it for years
in my public work, and had an agency for selling it. All this was during the
time I was identified with the realm of ecclesiastical sectarianism or the
mixtures of inter-denominationalism and independency. I would not expect any
understanding of what I shall present in this communication on the part of such
as are still intelligently and approvingly a part of that realm, nor yet by any
others who fail to see the necessity of separation from it on the part of
scripturally-gathered saints. Before I was exercised regarding the claims of
"Assembly truth," I should have had absolutely no patience with any
unfavorable criticism of the literature under consideration.
The volume known as "The
Scofield Reference Bible," consists of two elements, broadly speaking:
first, a text of the Scriptures; and, second, everything else found therein,
which I shall designate "the helps." The text is known as
"Authorized Version," or "King James’ Translation," or
"1611 Version." Comment on this does not fall within the scope of my
present endeavor. That text is not peculiar to this volume, but has been
circulated by the millions of copies for more than three hundred years.
"The helps" are the other material which constitutes it the
"Scofield Reference Edition." All that I shall have to say concerns
that material.
With many of those
"helps" I find myself in happy agreement and gladly own that many
precious truths are set forth therein. I am thankful for the proclamation of
God’s truth, through whatever channel.
The two things which grieve me
are:first, that these "helps" stop short of setting forth the path
of God for His people on earth in Assembly unity; second, the intrusion of what
is contrary to that. In so saying, I make myself responsible for showing that I
am justified in writing thus; the rest of this paper will be devoted to such an
effort, treating them in that order.
I. The "helps" in the
Scofield Bible fail to mark out the path of Assembly unity for God’s people on
earth.
The "Introduction" is
dated 1909. I will quote from it at length. It observes that "The last
fifty years have witnessed an intensity and breadth of interest in Bible study
unprecedented in the history of the Christian Church.” He says further,
"The winnowed and attested results of this half-century of Bible study are
embodied in the notes, summaries, and definitions of this edition." He
writes as one to whom "gradually the elements which must combine to
facilitate the study and intelligent use of the Bible became dear" and
which, further, he has "endeavored … to embody in the present
work." The "intelligent use" of the Bible is a practical thing
and would surely involve assembly order and unity.
Perhaps, it might be ventured,
he may not choose to include ecclesiastical matters in his "helps."
How then, could he present "the winnowed and attested results of this
half-century of Bible study"?
You and I know that about 1827-8
a movement of the Spirit of God began to stir believers with regard to this
very subject; they began meeting to remember the Lord in the simplicity of
Christian unity, as being members of one body, separate from the world, outside
the camp, apart from sectarianism and refusing independency. Included in that
"vast literature" to which the "Introduction" refers, are
many able treatments of the subject of the assembly. The "intelligent
use" of the Bible resulted in the forming of assemblies according to
divine principles, which attracted widespread attention.
Further, among some two dozen of
"the great words of Scripture," which "are defined in simple,
non-technical terms," we find the word "Church." Again, "In
the present edition, by a new system of connected topical references, all the
greater truths of the divine revelation are so traced through the entire Bible,
from the place of first mention to the last." No doubt, the Assembly is
one of "the greater truths." Again, "All of the connected
topical lines of reference end in analytic summaries of the whole teaching of
Scripture on that subject." I suppose "the whole teaching of
Scripture" on the subject of the "Church," would include unity
of assemblies and would not include anything contrary thereto. The volume under
consideration has twelve notes and three summaries on the subject of
"Church."
When I was in the systems I
became well acquainted with these notes and summaries but have no recollection
that any of them ever even suggested to me that sectarianism or
inter-denominationalism or independency was to be forsaken and that I ought to
gather on the ground that there is one body (Eph. 4:4). How could they? If I
did so I must thereby become separate from the author of those notes and from
all those associated with him both in the production of them and in the various
ecclesiastical spheres with which they were identified.
I have just now looked over
those notes and summaries once more. I fail to see anything in them which would
gather saints scripturally in separation from the camp. Instead, it seems to me
that all is carefully worded so as to avoid entering that realm, in helps which
nevertheless are supposed to summarize the whole teaching of Scripture on the
subject. Did you ever hear of anyone who was delivered from the camp and
brought to Scriptural ground of gathering by the "helps" in the
Scofield Bible? I have yet to learn of one.
I am told that Mr. C. Grain was
a student for Baptist clericalism, when a copy of W. Trotter’s "Eight
Lectures on Prophecy" came into his hands. He read it and was delivered,
and as you know, exercised a most helpful ministry among scripturally gathered
assemblies. Would the Scofield "notes" and "summaries" be
serviceable to that end?
Mr. Trotter did not, I am sure,
pretend to present "the whole teaching of Scripture" about either
prophecy or the assembly; what he set forth did mark out the path in which to
walk. Where do we find such a path in the Scofield Bible? (To be continued.)
FRAGMENT
"They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." This
sweeps away every principle of conduct which cannot connect us with the
world-rejected Christ.