Joseph Medlicott Scriven – death, Aug. 10, 1886

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.

 

Joseph Medlicott Scriven died this date, 8/10/1886 at Port Hope, On­tar­io.  Aft­er his

fi­an­cée drowned in Ireland (night be­fore they were to mar­ry) he moved to Can­a­da.  There he taught school and be­came en­gaged to Eliza Roche, in amaz­ing co­in­ci­dence, Eliza died short­ly before their wed­ding.  Yet Scriven could pen, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”

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Word not in the WORD

Are we adding to God’s Word

 

          by insisting on using a word (rapture),

 

                             not in His Word?                   – 5/26/08

 

 

 

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Lpost – John Darby (born Nov. 18, 1800)

John Nelson Darby was a British-Irish blooded, Dublin-trained, lawyer who turned Church of Ireland minister and then moved on (1828) to help establish the Plymouth Brethren.  He would perhaps be unknown today but for his meeting with eighteen-year-old Margaret MacDonald who is said to have had a vision regarding a “secret rapture” of the church.  Though this doctrine has other, older, questionable roots, Darby popularized it in the Isles and in America having a strong influence on C. I. Scofield.  Scofield in turn, placed the secret rapture idea in his Scofield Bible and today it has widely held acceptance among many evangelicals though the word rapture is non-biblical.  Many also have failed to atempt to reconcile their concept of “thief in the night” with the rest of Peter’s inspired words, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” 2Pe 3.10.  Three items are here which surely seem to not be secret.

Jesus is going to come! That is in the Bible.  The return of Christ is not in question! 

Too many are accepting the doctrine of a “secret rapture” without examining it.  Look up it origins (the “s” is purposeful) – it will surprise you.  The secret rapture appears to have catholic roots. It has also this visionary root in MacDonald. 

Conversely does a “secret rapture” have any roots in the actual Bible?  Do your homework.  Be willing to re-examine this doctrine.  Or for many – be willing to examine it for the first time.  Can (will) this doctrine play into the hands of the antichrist?

One source to see is Grace, Faith, and Holiness, (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1988), 586.

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