Dead Presbyterians Society

In this episode we explore John Witherspoon’s famous sermon, The Dominion of Providence Over the Passions of Men. Preached in 1776 amid the growing struggle for American independence, Witherspoon reflects on God's sovereign rule over human affairs, showing how even conflict, suffering, and the ambitions of men ultimately serve His purposes. Along the way, he calls Christians to trust God's providence, pursue personal holiness, and labor faithfully for the good of church and nation.Dead Presbyterians Society is a ministry of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. This time of year is a special year at the seminary; we say goodbye to our graduating class, and prepare to welcome new students. It is also the end of our fiscal year, and because of the growth of our student body, we have an increased need this year. Will you help us reach our goal? Consider supporting GPTS, and partnering with us in training the next generation of pastors. You can give online at ⁠gpts.edu/give⁠.

In an age that treats the Lord’s Day as expendable, Samuel Miller calls the church to remember what God has promised through the Sabbath. Drawing from his introductory essay to Agnew’s Manual on the Christian Sabbath, this episode explores why the Fourth Commandment still matters—and why recovering the Lord’s Day may be essential to the church’s spiritual health.

This episode tells the story of John Bailey Adger, a 19th-century missionary who served Christ both overseas and at home through translation work, preaching, and sacrificial ministry. His life challenges us to consider where Christ is calling us to pour out our own.

In this episode, we explore T.D. Witherspoon’s compelling case for the beauty and order of Presbyterian church government—rooted not in human hierarchy, but in Christ’s rule over His people through the courts of the church. Discover how these biblical principles safeguard unity, protect liberty, and strengthen the church’s witness today.

In his inaugural addresses, William Swan Plumer urged Christians to approach Scripture with humility, reverence, and prayer, keeping Christ at the very center of all study. Collected as Christ All in All: The Right Temper for a Theologian, his counsel remains vital—not just for seminarians, but for every believer seeking to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ.

B.B. Warfield never made peace with error—and neither should we. In his 1918 book Counterfeit Miracles (lectures originally delivered at Columbia Theological Seminary), he takes aim at false wonders that have distracted the church from the early centuries to modern “faith-healers,” and calls us to measure every claim by the all-sufficient Word of God.

What does true evangelism look like? In a powerful 1856 sermon on John 10:17–18, James Henley Thornwell calls the church to a missions model shaped by the cross. For Thornwell, Christ’s self-giving sacrifice is both the message and method of evangelism.“The spirit of missions is the spirit of the gospel,” he declares—bold words we still need to hear today.

Join us this week as we revisit Presbyterian minister Daniel Baker’s A Plain and Scriptural View of Baptism (1853). In this concise, winsome exposition—rooted in both adult and infant covenantal theology—Baker distills biblical teaching on the mode and significance of baptism. Based on an earlier Washington, D.C. sermon (A Scriptural View of Baptism, 1827), and later condensed into Baptism in a Nutshell (1856), his timeless clarity continues to edify today. Tune in to discover why his pastoral voice remains so compelling for thoughtful Christian listeners.