Page 144 - The Rapture Question by John F. Walvoord

General Posttribulational Arguments
the position that the Rapture is a special event for the church
itself.
In the attempt to discredit prctribulationism, however,
numerous assertions have been made that Darby did not get
his view from his own studies, as seems to be the case, but
rather from several erratic individuals, including such charac­
ters as Edward Irving and a woman by the name of Margaret
MacDonald. This charge has been made for years but has
especially been advanced by Dave MacPherson, the son of
Norman MacPherson, also a posttribulationist.
In a series of publications beginning with mimeographed
sheets and later embodied in a series of books, Dave MacPher­
son has attacked prctribulationism as originating in heretical
and Pentecostal teachings and especially from Margaret
MacDonald, who is said to have had a vision while under the
influence of a demon.
Dave MacPhcrson’s most recent summary of his argu­
ments is found in his work The Incredible Cover-Up, which com­
bines material of two previously published books, The Unbe­
lievable Pre-Trib Origin and The Late Great Pre-Trib Rapture. His
latest work grows out of extensive research in attempting to
get at the sources of information concerning Edward Irving
and Margaret MacDonald. Dave MacPherson had made the
charges for many years before he did the research to support
his arguments.
As a newsman, Dave MacPherson has built an impres­
sive case for his position, with somewhat flamboyant jour­
nalism. What he attempted to prove is that pretribulationists
are guilty of a plot to cover up the real origin of pre-
tribulationism as originating in Edward Irving and Margaret
MacDonald and that the real facts are that prctribulationism
is a heresy with a very dubious background. His arguments
have been discussed in detail by a number of authors, includ­
ing R. A. Huebner and this author’s own work The Blessed
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