Faith Presbyterian Church Reformed

START "MISSING" LETTER

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

From:   Reg Barrow[SMTP:swrb@connect.ab.ca]
Sent:   Friday, February 16, 1996 8:29 AM
To:     Chris Coldwell
Subject:        Reply #2: True charges

Feb. 16/96

Dear Misguided Brother in Christ (Chris):

I believe that it would be helpful for you to have an illustration of my
great "anger" against you. Shortly after receiving your letter indicating
that you were going to stick to your new discount policy (and well before
receiving your email this morning) I adjusted my home page entry (cf. "New
Resources...) to reflect the new status of the book English Popish
Ceremonies. As I had informed you I was going to make it and other (public
domain) books that I used to get from Nap. Press available as inexpensive
bound photocopies. As you obviously have a gift for discerning the motives
of others I am sure that the following example will be helpful in assisting
you concerning your present crusade. Here is what I had (Feb. 15/96)
written:

GILLESPIE, GEORGE

A Dispute Against the English Popish Ceremonies Obtruded on the Church of
Scotland (1637, reprinted from the 1660 edition)
George Gillespie was one of the Scottish commissioners to the Westminster
Assembly, the
youngest member there, and undoubtedly one of the most influential.
Concerning this book
Coldwell writes, "It is an exhaustive defense of that Reformation principle
that it is God's right to
order the institutions of worship in His church.... The book first appeared
on the eve of the second
Reformation, sparked by an attempt by Charles I to impose Anglo-Catholic
worship forms on
Presbyterian Scotland. It fell like a thunderclap, silencing any argument,
except that of force,
against which the Scots rose up in a defensive war. The book was never
answered. Although
removed from us by more than 350 years, this book is still a powerful
argument against modern
liturgical renewal movements. It also has application to that baser error
of the Church Growth
Movement, which has reproduced the expressions of modern entertainment and
showmanship in
God's worship, and subjected His institutions and ordinances to the rules
of expediency,
marketing and caprice, loosing the church from that biblical mooring, Sola
Scriptura" (back cover
of Naphtali Press, hardcover reprinted 1993, this reprinted hardcover
edition has been edited to
reflect contemporary spelling, punctuation, and usage. Valuable indices and
introductions have also
been added. If you don't mind paying the extra money this reprint edition
is superior to our
photocopy version as the editor has done an excellent job. It can be
ordered from Naphtali Press,
[P.O. Box 141084, Dallas, TX, 75214], and it retails for $49.95 US funds).
William Hetherington
observes "The effect produced by this singularly able work may be
conjectured from the fact that
within a few months of its publication, a proclamation was issued by the
Privy Council, at the
instigation of the Bishops, commanding that all copies of the book that
could be found be called in
and burned by the hangman. Such was the only answer that all the learned
Scottish Prelates could
give to a treatise written by a youth who was only in his twenty-fifth year
when it appeared"
("Memoir," from the WORKS of Gillespie, p. xviii.). Possibly the best book
ever written on
biblical worship, an extensive and thorough masterpiece that leaves no
stone unturned . (Rare
Bound Photocopy)
$39.95 - 78% = 8.79

In case you missed it, please make sure to let your elders see this
evidence of my "anger," as you call it.

(back cover
of Naphtali Press, hardcover reprinted 1993, this reprinted hardcover
edition has been edited to
reflect contemporary spelling, punctuation, and usage. Valuable indices and
introductions have also
been added. If you don't mind paying the extra money this reprint edition
is superior to our
photocopy version as the editor has done an excellent job. It can be
ordered from Naphtali Press,
[P.O. Box 141084, Dallas, TX, 75214], and it retails for $49.95 US funds).

Furthermore, I will be continuing to let people know that the GOOD books
that you publish will still be available directly from you (for whether
they get them from you or me is of no consequence in my mind). I am just
happy to see that good Reformed literature is reaching the people.
Moreover, as mentioned above, I gladly recognize and acknowledge
(regardless of your personal feeling towards me) that your editions will
often be far more helpful than our photocopies (because of all the hard
work and care that you put into them). This should amount to a great deal
of free advertising for you given all the catalogues that we put out, and
will, no doubt, further indicate to you how "angry" I am with your decision
to lower our discounts.

In short, by God's grace, I will continue to promote the GOOD work that you
do (for the sake of the kingdom of Christ), no matter how much you
misunderstand my motives or position, slander me, or otherwise try to
hinder the covenanted reformation.

The matter regarding your promotion of false views will all come to a head
in due time and I am more than willing to let God, his true representatives
and history judge that one.

I hope that this letter has been helpful.

Sincerely,
Reg Barrow
President, Still Waters Revival Books
(Discount Christian resources by Mail order)

Feb. 19, 1996. Apology of Chris Coldwell to Reg Barrow

Dear Reg:

I wish to apologize and ask your forgiveness for presuming to read your motivations regarding the accusations made against me and the FPCR session. Nor do I want you to think, that because we have this matter of serious accusation between us, that I have retracted my appreciation which I expressed in a prior post for your advocacy and commending of NP titles.

However, as you have said the accusations stand, and they are very serious. At the request of my Pastor, I'm forwarding all our posts since this began to Pastor Price.

Sincerely,

Chris Coldwell

Feb 19, 1996. Reg Barrow to Chris Coldwell. Apology accepted.

From: Reg Barrow Sent: Monday, February 19, 1996 11:04 AM To: Chris Coldwell

Subject: Reply: Apology

Dear Chris:

Your apology is accepted and you have my complete forgiveness concerning this matter. Thank you for such a quick response - it is encouraging.

All three elders here already have copies of all our correspondence, as I have been keeping them posted of everything that has been happening. I will continue to do so, but you may also want to forward copies to them - if you so desire.

Sincerely,

Reg Barrow

Feb. 20, 1996. Chris Coldwell to Reg Barrow. Original accusation of promoting Popery and Independency.

From naphtali Tue Feb 20 19:42:21 1996 From: Chris Coldwell To: "'Reg Barrow'" Cc: "'Richard Bacon'"

"'Greg Price'"

Subject: Original accusation of promoting Popery and Independency Date: Tue, 20 Feb 1996 19:38:59 -0600

Reg:

Thank you so much for exhibiting the Christian grace of being quick to forgive my sin of presuming what your motivations were in making your accusation. I do remain very concerned about this accusation (which you "stand by"), that I and FPCR have published works that "promote" Independency and Popery. What you've accused is a much greater sin than my former presumption, yet you have not told me what writings do this and how. You need to be specific, by which I mean titles and page numbers, as well as how the passages promote these errors. You've obviously made a careful enough analysis of my publications to make the accusation. Is it not your duty in Christ to clearly and readily tell me what this sin is (just as you did previously), so I can repent (if the accusations are indeed true)? And if you do intend these accusations against the elders of FPCR, you have more need to be clear and specific. Does you session agree with the accusation? Why have they not made it if so? If the accusation is true I (we) certainly want to repent of sin. Yet if unfounded we want to be able to remove the odium of the accusation by correcting any misunderstanding on your part. We can do neither without knowing exactly how we are reputed to be promoting these errors. I ask you to please be specific regarding this serious accusation.

Sincerely,

Chris Coldwell

[August 9, 1997 remaining text of letter of Reg Barrow, providing a missing letter above.]

From: Reg Barrow [email addresses snipped]
Subject: "Missing" letter for your web page.
Date: Sun, 10 Aug 1997 00:13:15 -0600 (MDT)

Dear Chris:

In the following section (listed under my name) of our discussions
available on your web page I noticed you were missing at letter I wrote.
You note it in this way ("*'s" added):
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
However, as you have said the accusations stand, and they are very serious.
At the request of my Pastor, I'm forwarding all our posts since this
began to Pastor Price.
Sincerely,
Chris Coldwell
*****Missing response from Reg Barrow.*****
Feb 19, 1996. Reg Barrow to Chris Coldwell. Apology accepted.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
HERE IS A COPY THE "MISSING" LETTER:
[snipped, see above]

We will see if you have enough integrity to post it along with the rest of
the information that you are making available.
[Ed. note. May the reader please allow some appended notes throughout Mr. Barrow's "comments," as it not our intention to protract and continue to enlarge debate with the PRCE -- let these notes serve as answer to Mr. Barrow's latest batch of accusations.]
There may be other missing letters (given the lack of integrity that you
have shown in the past, e.g. your forgetting to mention that *you said over
the phone* that I could send you the first packet of information that touched you off [Ed. Note. Mr. Barrow is mistaken here. It was FPCR's understanding with the PRCE on December 19, 1995, that Reg Barrow would not circulate material before Presbytery could determine the issue. This was not objected to or corrected by PRCE between that date and 1-31-96 when Mr. Coldwell objected to receiving material. The initial agreement by phone to receive material was earlier (I believe in November) and should be taken in context with subsequent events. Mr. Barrow here has chosen instead to take the path of "miscontructing, intentions, words and actions," that the Larger Catechism calls a breach of the ninth commandment (LC 145). There are no other "missing" letters that FPCR is aware of and Mr. Barrow's questioning of integrity and reading of motives is inconsistent at best given the context of the very letter that he has provided, as it contains his reproach of Mr. Coldwell for judging his motives. If it was a sin for Mr. Coldwell, is it not a sin for Mr. Barrow? Further, Mr. Barrow's leaps in logic between possible missing letters and lack of integrity and a possible fault in memory to lack of integrity are nothing more than railing accusations. FPCR clearly stated their motives in the introduction to this controversy and in Bacon's Defense Departed. We pray that Mr. Barrow would measure himself by the rule he would measure others.]), but I do not have time at present (I am in the midst of publishing over 200 new books, primarily source documents defending the Covenanted Reformation) to look over what you have done. Others may take the time to do so. [Ed. Note. See letter to Mr. Coldwell. We are all busy people, but Mr. Barrow has still not learned that if you make accusations you have to back them up or be considered a liar. He's always "busy." Rather, it's easy to make hasty accusations, but it takes time and investment in our brethrens' lives to bring biblically based reproofs backed up with fact and Scripture. See Coldwell. Mr. Barrow has consistently failed to follow this basic rule of godly walking in Christ.]

I will only thank you for directing people to this controversy, for "ye
thought evil against me; [Ed. Note. More motive judging and mind reading] but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as
it is this day, to save much people alive" (Gen. 50:20). I am certain that
anyone lead [sic led] by the Holy Spirit, who is willing to read the source documents
of the Second Reformation and compare them with the truth of Scripture will
see who is rightly representing God's truth, as it was proclaimed during
this period (*and following*) by the Scottish GA (1638-1649) and the
Protesting Covenanters (through men such as Rutherford, Gillespie, McWard,
Brown [of Wamphray], Guthrie, Cameron, Cargill, Renwick, Macmillan, Steele,
Price, etc.). [Ed. Note. Reader, we simply refer again to Bacon's Defense Departed where it is clearly shown that the Edmonton Steelites don't really understand the Second Reformation divines, and that they rely on an unbiblical and illogical manner of argumentation. ]

In fact, if you want to see how far you are from the positions taken by one
of the most noteworthy Covenanting martyrs, I suggest that you get a copy
of the following book by James Renwick (and actually read it):

*********************

RENWICK, JAMES, ALEXANDER SHIELDS AND OTHER "SOCIETY PEOPLE"

_An Informatory Vindication_ (1687)

[Ed. Note. long quote snipped. If the reader wishes he may check SWRB web site for this.]

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[Ed. Note. Reader, more railing accusations follow. They are without fact or merit. Please remember the sole difference that causes Barrow to label the "souls in Rowlett" as "misguided" is over whether it is NECESSARY to take the historic Scottish covenants (and all the concomitant baggage that the Steelite defense of this brings with it, requiring an implicit faith, a pharisaical understanding of the fifth commandment, an exalting of human tradition to the level of scripture, etc.). ]
This book would be especially helpful to the misguided souls in Rowlett, as
the malignants of Renwick's day were using many of the same tactics, and
espousing a number of the same errors (at least in principle) which you,
Bacon and others (disaffected to the Covenanted Reformation) presently
promote.

Furthermore, *our General Assembly* clearly warns us against people like
you, Notice:

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The Acts of the General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland, p. 51

Aug 1, Session 5, 1640

The Assembly ordains, that such as have subscribed the Covenant and speaks
against the same, if he be a Minister, shall be deprived: And if he
continue so, being deprived, shall be excommunicate: And if he be any other
man, shall be dealt with as perjured and satisfy publicly for his perjury.
[Ed. Note. Barrow continues to confuse those who HAVE subscribed the covenant with those who have not.]

The Acts of the General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland. p. 93

July, Session 21, 1648.

Whosoever brings in any opinion or practise in this Kirk contrary to the
Confession of Faith, Directory for Worship or Presbyterian Government may
be justly esteemed to be opening the door to schism and sects: And
therefore all depravers and misconstructors of the proceedings of the Kirk
judicatiries, especially the General Assembly would take heed lest making a
breach upon the walls of Jerusalem they make a patent way for Sectaries to
enter.
[Ed. Note. There has NEVER been a single charge brought or sustained that FPCR or any member of the Reformation Presbyterian Church presbytery has brought in any opinion or practice contrary to any of the documents listed. The whole controversy, as Barrow et al admit, comes down to their belief in the NECESSITY of swearing the historical covenants. ]

*********************

In any case, we will keep you in our prayers, as it saddens us to see
people (which we hope are brothers in Christ) so opposing themselves and
the truth of Christ (2 Tim. 2:25). [Ed. note. Reader, pray for Mr. Barrow and his followers' repentance.]

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For the Third Reformation,
Reg Barrow, President, STILL WATERS REVIVAL BOOKS

Page Created 08/17/1997

Page Last Updated: 07/04/99 08:38:05 PM