Lord’s Day, Vol. 13 No. 33

Gospel Rally 2025

This year’s Gospel Rally will be held, God willing, on 7 September. Do pray for the Lord’s blessing as the gospel is held forth, that souls may be saved and the saints strengthened in the faith.

The invitation bookmark is ready for distribution. Do pray and avail yourself to invite love ones and friends to our gathering. Amen.

Persevere in the Use of the Catechism at Home

Besides the public worship as a congregation, mercifully established, it is expedient and necessary that secret worship of each person alone, and private worship of families, be pressed and set up; that prayerfully lead to national reformation, the profession and power of godliness, both personal and domestic, be advanced.

How careful should ministers and parents be to train up young ones whilst they are yet pliable, and like wax, capable of any form and impression, in the knowledge and fear of God; and betimes to instil principles of our most holy faith, as they are drawn into a short sum in catechism, and so altogether laid in view of conscience! 

Surely these seeds of truth planted in the field of memory, if they work nothing else, will at least be a great check and bridle for them, and , as the casting in of cold water doth stay the boiling of the pot, somewhat allay the fervours of youthful lusts and passions.

I had, upon entreaty, resolved to recommend to thee with greatest earnestness the work of catechising. 

Bewailing the great distractions, corruptions and divisions that are in the church, let us examine the cause and cure:

Among others, a principal cause of these mischiefs is the great and common neglect of the governors of families, in the discharge of that duty which they owe to God for the souls that are under their charge, especially in teaching them the doctrine of Christianity. Families are societies that must be sanctified to God as well as churches; and the governors of them have as truly a charge of the souls that are therein, as pastors have of the churches. 

But, alas, how little is that considered or regarded! But while negligent masters of families take themselves to be almost blameless. They offer their children to God in baptism, and there they promise to teach them the doctrine of the gospel, and bring them up in the nurture of the Lord, but they easily promise, and easily break it; and educate their children for the world and the flesh, although they have renounced these, and dedicated them to God. This covenant-breaking with God, and betraying the souls of their children to the devil, must lie heavy on them here or hereafter. They beget children, and keep families, merely for the world and the flesh: but little consider what a charge is committed to them, and what it is to bring up a child for God, and govern a family as a sanctified society. [Adapted and edited from Mr Thomas Manton’s Epistle to the Reader – The Westminster Confession] 

Since the beginning of the year of grace 2025, the church has embarked on the catechising of the church and families in the church in the Westminster Shorter and Larger Catechism.

A recording has been made by Pastor and sent out to members and friends for each week’s catechism to facilitate and to encourage the process of catechising the families in the church. We have completed Family Devotions (33) from 11-17 August 2025 from Questions 75-81 of the Larger Catechism on God, His Sanctification & Assurance.

There are 20 weekly catechism topics to the close of the year. Families are encouraged to persevere. As for the singles in our congregation, do persevere in the study in your personal devotions.

We leave the outcome to our good God to order while families do their part in inculcating God’s Word in the hearts and minds of its members to God’s glory Amen.