In the Fall of 2017 we sent several emails about the History of Protestantism. To keep relevant information on hand we have copied that below.

Please enjoy, and increase your greatest joy, with the following excerpt from 

CHAPTER VI — ESTABLISHMENT OF THE REFORMATION IN SCOTLAND

It is partly from the pages 492 and 493 of vol. 3 of The History of Protestantism by J.A. Wylie about the First Sermon of John Knox at St. Andrews.

. . . Duped by the queen, they had stood quietly by and witnessed these irreparable sacrifices. The reform promised them was as far off as ever. Abbot, bishop, and cowled monk were lifting up the head higher than before. A French army had been brought into the country, and the independence and liberties of Scotland were menaced. [Memoirs of Sir James Melvil, p. 49; Edinburgh, 1735.] This was all the Reformers had reaped by giving ear to the delusive words of Mary of Guise. While other countries had established their Reformation Scotland lingered on the threshold, and now it found itself in danger of losing not only its Reformation, but its very nationality. The lords of the Congregation, therefore, resolved to set up the Reformed worship at once in all those places to which their authority extended, and where a majority of the inhabitants were favourable to the design. [M’Crie, Life of Knox, vol. i, pp. 264, 265.]

A commencement was to be made in the ecclesiastical metropolis of Scotland. The Earl of Argyle and Lord James Stuart, Prior of St. Andrews, arranged with Knox to meet in that city on an early day in June, and inaugurate there the Protestant worship. The archbishop, informed of Knox’s coming, hastened in from Falkland with 100 spears, and sent a message to him on Saturday night, that if he dared to appear in the pulpit of the cathedral tomorrow, he would cause his soldiers to shoot him dead. The lords, having consulted, agreed that Knox should forego the idea of preaching. The resolution seemed a prudent one. The dispositions of the townspeople were unknown; the lords had but few retainers with them; the queen, with her French army, was not more than fifteen miles off; and to preach might be to give the signal for bloodshed. Knox, who felt that to abandon a great design when the moment for putting it in execution had arrived, and retire before an angry threat, was to incur the loss of prestige, and invite greater attacks in future, refused for one moment to entertain the idea of not preaching. He said that when lying out in the Bay of St. Andrews in former years, chained to the deck of a French galley, his eye had lighted on the roof of the cathedral, which the sun’s rays at that moment illuminated, and he said in the hearing of some still alive, that he felt assured that he should yet preach there before closing his career; and now when God, contrary to the expectations of all men, had brought him back to this city, he besought them not to hinder what was not only his cherished wish, but the deep-rooted conviction of his heart. He desired neither the hand nor weapon of man to defend him; He whose glory he sought would be his shield. "I only crave audience," said he, "which, if it be denied here unto me at this time, I must seek where I may have it." [Laing, Knox, vol. i, pp. 347-340.]

The intrepidity of Knox saved the Reformation from the brand of timidity which the counsel of the lords, had it been followed, would have brought upon it. It was a display of courage at the right time, and was rewarded with a career of success. On the morrow Knox preached to perhaps the most influential audience that the Scotland of that day could furnish; nobles, priests, and townspeople crowding to hear him. Every part of the vast edifice was filled, and not a finger was lifted, nor a word uttered, to stop him. He preached on the cleansing of the Temple of old, picturing the crowd of buyers and sellers who were busy trafficking in that holy place, when One entered, whose awful glance, rather than the scourge of cords which he carried, smote with terror the unholy crew, and drove them forth a panic-stricken crowd. The preacher then called up before his hearers a yet greater crowd of traffickers, occupied in a yet unholier merchandise, therewith defiling, with immeasurably greater pollutions and abominations, the New Testament temple. As he described the corruptions which had been introduced into the Church under the Papacy — the great crowd of simonists, pardon-mongers, sellers of relics and charms, exorcists, and traffickers in the bodies and souls of men, with the sin and shame and ruin that followed — his eye began to burn, his words grew graphic and trenchant, the tones of his righteous yet terrible reproof rung out louder and fiercer, and rolled over the heads of the thousands gathered around him, till not a heart but quailed under the solemn denunciations. It seemed as if past ages were coming up for trial; as if mitred abbots and bishops were leaving their marble tombs to stand at the judgment-seat; as if the voices of Hamilton, and Wishart, and Mill — no, as if the voice of a yet Greater were making itself audible by the lips of the preacher. The audience saw as they had never done before the superstitions which had been practised as religion, and felt the duty to comply with the call which the Reformer urged on all, according to the station and opportunity of each, to assist in removing these abominations out of the Church of God before the fire of the Divine wrath should descend and consume what man refused to put away. When he had ended, and sat down, it may be said that Scotland was reformed.

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So far this quote. I was tempted to also quote from page 509, but believe everybody should get the books and read them all the way. You can hardly do yourself and your descendants a greater favour, and you will hardly receive a "greater joy."

I also was planning write more about the Luther books but that will have to wait till the next NGJ letter. By that time it will be too late for the reader to get the best price on The History of Protestantism.

Before I draw your attention to four new books by Deborah Alcock I invite you to read one of the very interesting responses we had to our last email about the New hard cover edition of J.A. Wylie's History of Protestantism:

GMC wrote:

 That is encouraging to know, I came across this set many years ago in both a two and three volume set, both the same contents, I reprinted them in 1985 and again in1991 but was not able to reprint after that.

We launched the reprint in 1985 in the martyrs memorial Free Presbyterian Church Belfast and sold nearly 100 sets. During his sermon Dr Paisley said, "I recall as a boy of six my father taking me into his study and pulling out these great volumes, and saying: Son you can’t read them now but I want you to look at the pictures. As I looked through those pages and saw the Martyrs at the stake, the burning of the Bibles, the torture chambers of the inquisition, the Reformers preaching the Word and sealing their testimony with their life’s blood, there started in my heart a holy hatred of the pernicious system of Romanism-a system which takes away man’s right of free access to God, and robs him of the free gift of God’s salvation, which is without money and without price. Rome would pile obstacles in the way of direct contact between the souls of men and God. Thank God we need neither priest or pope, saints or beads, for Jesus Christ is the only Mediator between God and men……."

"These are not dry, historical volumes- the Reformers step right out of the pages and you feel you want to shake hands with Martin Luther and stroke John Knox’s beard, as they fearlessly and earnestly contend for the faith."

I trust you have the same response as we had 32 years ago.

So far the email we received. Thank you Mr. GMC!

Do yourself, your children, and your grandchildren a great service and order these books for them!

The special price will expire before you know it!

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We are pleased to announce

four new books

of Deborah Alcock in the Reformation Trail Series, three of them about Scotland. The fourth is about South America.

Please check http://www.inhpubl.net/ip/New.htm

The greatest monument of the Reformation is J.A. Wylie’s History of Protestantism. It is like a story bible on Church History. It was originally published in the 19th century with hundreds of beautiful illustrations (which children will love to colour!).

We have been working hard to get it back in print before October 31, 2017. However, since we are slightly updating the language it will D.V. be January 2018 before it is printed.

This is a book that fathers (and mothers) will love to read to their children for at least three reasons:

1. It is captivating.

2. It stimulates him in his service to God.

3. Children age 6 and up will also enjoy it very much.

Save 33% or more by ordering before October 31, 2017.Get free shipping if you order 3 or more sets .

Order 10 sets and you will get an additional set free of charge.

Talk to your friends, forward this email to them, or put these books on your facebook page.

Christian Schools can use this as a fundraiser

and receive regular wholesale discount

on the special price

(just like book stores and other retail outlets).