SUMMER 2012 NE Ographyiii
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“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16). W BI iiii VOLUME 4, NUMBER 3 u SUMMER 2012 NE OGRAPHYiii X X McINTIRE: Defender of BY MARK W. EVANS Faith and Freedom hristianity the God of truth. is founded “And judgment is No man on earth or upon truth. devil in hell can de turned away backward, Mrs. Nancy God “can stroy the truth. The Anderson, Cnot lie” (Titus 1:2). and justice standeth Bible teaches “what author He is the author of afar off: for truth is is” and reveals “what truth, the revealer of is not.” Scriptural truth, and He is the fallen in the street, and truth gives the only truth. Truth comes equity cannot enter.” sure foundation for from God and is Isaiah 59:14 now and eternity. like Him — without The Form of “variableness, nei Government of the ther shadow of turn Bible Presbyterian ing.” A local radio X Church begins with AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR preacher, unpolished a list of “Prelimi and plainspoken, said, “Truth is nary Principles,” dating back to the A word from the Editor … what is; a lie is what is not.” He was beginning of Presbyterianism in our correct. God not only exists, but all or much of the 20th century, the that He is and reveals is true. He is Continued on page 10 Rev. Dr. Carl McIntire stood as a sentinel in defense of Biblical F Christianity. Other than my par ents and extended family, no one exerted a greater influence on my life than did Basic Christian Integrity Dr. McIntire. As a teenager, his cheerful, hearty voice was heard each day via radio in and the Upcoming Election our home and even in the car on the way to school. “Good morning, good morn BY BRAD K. GSELL ing, everybody out across the land. This s we approach an important tion of our liberties has continued is Carl McIntire, coming to you with the election on November 6, over a number of decades. Twentieth Century Reformation Hour,” 2012, all Christians, as It is not our intention to promote began each broadcast, followed by a good citizens, should vote. specific candidates in these columns. half hour of Bible teaching and applica America is in deep trouble — eco However, there are principles which tion of the Scriptures to the issues of the nomically, morally and spiritually. are very much a part of our Christian day. There in the Cumberland Valley of The competing visions of what faith, which should aid us in making Pennsylvania, it was hard to turn the ra America should be have become vastly more polarized, and the viola Continued on page 15 Continued on page 7 Continued on page 6 Ashbel Green Simonton: Taking the Light of the Gospel to Brazil BY BRAD K. GSELL hile in Rio de Janeiro was elected as President of the Col Despite many promising oppor earlier this year, a Bra lege of New Jersey. tunities in the States, and despite a zilian pastor expressed Simonton was quite gifted intel serious injury requiring an operation, to me his great gratitude lectually and was graduated from the his desire to be a missionary only in W College of New Jersey in 1852. It is creased. In October 1858 he applied for the Rev. Ashbel Green Simonton, who brought the Gospel of Christ to reported that “His scholarship and to the Board of Foreign Missions of Brazil in 1859. Before we left the city acquirements were much above to fly back to the United States, the the ordinary grade of his class.”2 pastor made sure to take us to the After heading a boys school in Presbyterian Cathedral in downtown Mississippi, he returned to Har Rio, where Simonton’s work is me risburg and began the undertak morialized by several bronze statues. ing of studying to prepare him Simonton was born to a promi self for a career in law. nent family near Harrisburg, Penn However, the prayers of sylvania, in 1833. His father was a his parents were realized as the medical doctor and congressman, Lord laid the conviction in his and served as a ruling elder in the heart that he should instead Presbyterian Church. His mother was enter the Gospel ministry. He the daughter of a prominent Presby headed back to Princeton, this terian minister. Dedicating their son time to study in the Theologi to the Lord, his parents named him cal Seminary. Using a powerful after the Rev. Ashbel Green, praying message by Professor Charles that he would become another “Dr. Hodge, the Lord turned Simon Green.”1 Green had fought in the ton’s heart to the work of mis Revolutionary War, studied under sions. Simonton wrote that it John Witherspoon at the College of was a matter for “serious con New Jersey (now Princeton Univer sideration whether, since most sity), served as chaplain to the U.S. prefer to remain, it is not my House of Representatives and then duty to go.”3 2 Redeeming the Time | Summer 2012 www.rttpublications.org the Presbyterian Church (USA). Al ever, the numbers increased and soon though making mention of his desire he was speaking to a full room. to go to Brazil, he left the decision in Serving the Lord in this new land the hands of the Board. was not without its difficulties. In This would be a daunting en June 1864, his beloved wife, Hellen, deavor. “There was no Protestant was suddenly called home to be with missionary in all that vast empire, the Lord, shortly after giving birth and hitherto the Government, which to a baby girl. This was devastating was densely Papal [Roman Catholic] to him, but he threw himself into in spirit, had refused toleration of the work with even greater zeal. His the pure gospel.”4 Simonton himself sister, who had come to Brazil with wrote: “What can one or two mis her husband as a missionary (serv sionaries accomplish in an empire as ing in São Paulo), came to his aid large as the United States, and in a in caring for the child. This enabled city nearly as large as Philadelphia? him to continue with his missionary It will be a great trial of faith and work. He preached several times a patience. The work is so perfectly week and began the first Protestant hopeless by mere human agency that paper ever to be published in Brazil, they who undertake it must either Imprensa Evangelica (Evangelical find support upon the power of God, Press), which had wide influence. or else despair.”5 But, the work, and the living Shortly before leaving for the conditions in Rio at that time, be field, Simonton was ordained by the gan to have their effect. Feeling quite Presbytery of Carlisle and preached ill, Simonton traveled to São Paulo Above: A bronze monument, stand- a sermon to the Presbytery based to visit his sister and brotherinlaw. ing in front of the Presbyterian on the vision of the Apostle Paul in Shortly after arriving, he succumbed Cathedral in Rio de Janeiro, shows Acts 16:9: “Come over into Mace to what was diagnosed as yellow the Simontons disembarking from donia and help us.” Simonton ar fever, and the Lord saw fit to take their long voyage. rived at his “Macedonia” — Rio de him home to be with Himself at only Left: The Presbyterian Cathedral Janeiro — after leaving Baltimore on 34 years of age. in Rio de Janeiro. a nearly twomonth voyage aboard May the Lord give us mission the “Banshee.” Fortunately, he was aries in our day like Ashbel Green Below: The giant Christ the Re- kindly received by some American Simonton, who counted “all things deemer statue stands atop Corco- merchants upon his arrival. but loss for the excellency of the vado, and can be seen from most At first he preached to those in knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: places in the city. It is a reminder the Englishspeaking community, as for whom I have suffered the loss of of the heavy influence held by well as to the seamen visiting the all things, and do count them but Roman Catholicism in Brazil and port. However, the unfailing desire of dung, that I may win Christ” (Philip most of South America. his heart was to reach the Brazilian pians 3:8). • people. Thus, he immersed himself in ____________ the Portuguese language, studying 1Centennial Memorial of the Presby- very diligently to be proficient in the tery of Carlisle: A Series of Papers, Histori- colloquial speech of the people. His cal and Biographical, Relating to the Origin dream came to fruition in May 1861 and Growth of Presbyterianism in the Cen- tral and Eastern Part of Southern Pennsyl- when he started a Bible class, which vania, Vol. 2. Harrisburg, PA: Meyers Print he taught in Portuguese. It is record ing and Publishing House, 1889, p. 447. ed that “He had been impressed from 2“Ashbel Green Simonton,” Com- the first with the vastness of the field; memorative Biographical Encyclopedia of but he had not been so sure that it Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Chambers was ‘white unto harvest.’”6 His in burg, PA: J.M. Runk & Company, 1896, p. 274. stincts may not have been all wrong! 3Centennial Memorial …, p. 448. At the first meeting, only two attend 4Ibid., p. 449. ed. The next week was not much bet 5Ibid. ter, with three in attendance. How 6Ibid., p. 450. www.rttpublications.org Summer 2012 | Redeeming the Time 3 We could not agree with Dr.