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(For more than 30 years my pretrib critics have
falsely claimed that leading scholars condemn my research. Since
those critics are in effect slamming poor, helpless, long-departed
Margaret Macdonald, I hereby come to her defense with a few of the
many reactions from scholars who generally haven't had a huge axe to
grind either for or against the pretrib rapture view. My usual
practice, by the way, has been to obtain permission when quoting
personal letters.)
Loraine Boettner (theologian, author): "I think
that you have done a magnificent job in showing the real origin of
the Pre-trib rapture theory." F. F. Bruce (theologian,
encyclopedia contributor): "It is strange that Darby should
acknowledge his indebtedness to a young lady in Limerick and say
nothing about the young lady in Port Glasgow [that is, not
acknowledge her pre-Antichrist rapture of part of the church]....If
this work of yours can do anything to counter the influence of Hal
Lindsey..., you will have rendered a signal service."
Superficial----and even devious----scholarship loves to repeat
Bruce's 1975 surmise that pretrib was "in the air in the 1820s
and 1830s." Hired critic Thomas Ice knows that this wasn't a
scientific conclusion (does reliable data rest literally "in the
air"?), and Ice moreover has ignored Bruce's later statements
complimenting my evidence!
Gary DeMar (theologian, author): "THE RAPTURE
PLOT is the never-before-told, true story of the plot----how
plagiarism and subtle document changes created the 'mother of all
revisionisms.' A fascinating piece of detective work."
Robert H. Gundry (theologian, author): "As usual,
Dave MacPherson overwhelms his critics with a superior knowledge of
the primary sources. His is a rare combination of historical research
and investigative reporting. Those who would refute him have failed
to outhustle him, especially in the tracking down of information
uncatalogued in academic libraries." Superficial scholarship is
aware that the first----1973----printing of Gundry's THE CHURCH AND
THE TRIBULATION stated on pp. 185, 187: "The likelihood is that
Edward Irving was the first to suggest the pretribulational
rapture....the outpouring on Margaret Macdonald did not include
revelation of a pretribulational rapture...." But careful
scholarship has long known that after Gundry saw my Macdonald
findings, he deleted his Irving statement and substituted favorable
comments about the Scottish lassie----changes appearing in his
classic work since the 1980's!
John H. Kromminga (Calvin Sem. president emeritus):
"The material appears to be well researched, and this impression
is confirmed by the excellent comments you cite from well-established
evangelical commentators." Harold Lindsell (church historian,
author): "...must reading for anyone who is interested in the
[pretrib] origins...."
C. S. Lovett (pastor, author): "You have to be,
in my opinion, the world's authority on Margaret."
Peter Marshall (pastor, author): "I am in
emphatic agreement with you on your thesis."
Walter Martin (researcher, author): "[MacPherson
has produced] a fascinating historical detective story...with
surprising and not easily refutable conclusions."
J. Gordon Melton (editor): "According to the best
scholarship available, the pretribulation, premillennial eschatology
originated among members of the Catholic Apostolic Church as a result
of a vision and revelation to Margaret MacDonald. See Dave
MacPherson, THE UNBELIEVABLE PRE-TRIB ORIGIN." (ENCYCLOPEDIA OF
AMERICAN RELIGIONS, 1978) Gary North (author, church historian):
"...Dave MacPherson has inflicted a deep wound on the pre-trib
camp by showing that a teenage Scottish girl named Margaret
Macdonald...came up with this doctrine...." (Dispensationalism
in Transition, Nov., 1988)
Harold J. Ockenga (theologian, author): "You have
done your research well."
J. I. Packer (author, church historian): "From my
own explorations of the origins of Darbyism I judge that you are
presenting facts fairly, and I am glad you are, for I also regard
dispensationalism as an unhappy aberration."
J. Barton Payne (theologian, author): "MacPherson
has once and for all overthrown Ernest Sandeen's assertions that the
Irvingites never 'advocated any doctrine resembling the secret
rapture' and that to connect J. N. Darby and early dispensationalism
with Irving's church is 'a groundless and pernicious charge'....For
serious students of the history of dispensationalism the study of
MacPherson's discoveries has become a must." (Journal of the
Evangelical Theological Society, Winter, 1974)
The Prairie Overcomer (Canada): "...MacPherson's
case seems to be watertight." (July, 1974)
Reformed Review: "MacPherson has done excellent
historical research." (Spring, 1985)
Ian S. Rennie (author, church historian): "...it
is likely that [Margaret's revelation] was grist for Darby's
mill." (DREAMS, VISIONS AND ORACLES, 1977)
R. J. Rushdoony (theologian, author): "Dave
MacPherson has been responsible for major change in the eschatology
of evangelical churches by his devastating studies of some of the
central aspects thereof. In THE RAPTURE PLOT MacPherson tells us of
the strange tale of 'rapture' writings, revisions, cover-ups,
altercations, and confusions. No one has equalled MacPherson in his
research on the 'pre-trib rapture.' Attempts to discredit his
research have failed...."
The Seminary Review: "[MacPherson] shows
conclusively that Margaret Macdonald was the originator of the
concept." (June, 1984) Oswald J. Smith (pastor, author):
"You have some excellent thoughts here that will be difficult to answer."
Merrill C. Tenney (theologian, author): "...the
connection between Margaret Macdonald and Irvingites and Brethren is
reasonably well established. You have done a valuable piece of research."
The Witness (oldest & largest Darbyist Brethren
magazine in England): "What [MacPherson] succeeds in
establishing is that the [pretrib] view outlined was first stated by
a certain Margaret Macdonald...early in 1830." (April, 1974)
(The critics who have tried to cover up the above
scholarship are basically the ones who've tried to muddy the waters
by "discovering" hints of pretrib before 1830. For more on
this, see my internet article entitled "Deceiving, And Being Deceived.")
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