Last Words

Rev. John MacDonald's parting words to his flock in London:

"I would sum up my present desires in one word -- Love Christ! Love Christ! Love Christ! He that doeth so will please God in the loveliest way, and reach heaven by the sweetest road."

JC

David Sandeman

The early nineteenth century Scottish Presbyterian pastor David Sandeman tells of his salvation in one sentence, and it gets at the heart of the matter:

"Jehovah assumed to Himself the throne of my soul."

Whitefield Speaking to Men Training for Ministry

A dead ministry will always make a dead people, whereas if ministers are warmed with the love of God themselves, they cannot but be instruments of diffusing that love among others. This, this is the best preparation for the work whereunto you are to be called. Learning without piety will only make you more capable of promoting the kingdom of Satan. Henceforward, therefore, I hope you will enter into your studies not to get a parish, nor to be polite preachers, but to be great saints. George Whitefield

Queen Anne's Dead

In 1702 Queen Anne came to throne of England. She greatly favored the Church at Rome, and was hostile to the Dissenters in her realm. On August 1, 1714, under her rule, the Schism Act was to be enacted in England. It was aimed at the dissolution of Noncomformist schools . . . this would have certainly led to a period of great persecution of the Protestant church. But Queen Anne died on that very day . . . and the act did not come to pass, and the Dissenters believed that God had specially intervened. For many years the Dissenters greeted one another with "Queen Anne's Dead". Isaac Watts commemorated the occasion with the following hymn:

Our God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come.
Our shelter from the stormy blast
and our eternal home.

Beneath the shadows of thy throne
thy saints have dwelt secure.
Sufficient is thine arm alone,
and our defence is sure.

Lord's Supper on Lewis

When Alexander Macleod became pastor on the Isle of Lewis in the 1820's he was told that everyone there was ignorant of the gospel except one shepherd-boy (who later became a minister at Knock!). In his congregation were about 800 communicant members, but they did not know the basics of the Christian faith. So, Macleod suspended the Lord's Supper among them until they began to understand the sacrament and "bring forth fruits meet for repentance." And so he instructed them in the gospel. In June, 1827 Macleod dispensed the sacrament again; he tells the following:

"Yesterday the sacrament of the Lord's Supper was administered in this place, and much of the presence of the Lord appeared in the congregation . . . There were no more than twenty communicants in all. The whole of the unworthy communicants kept back, and a great many of our young converts did not take upon them to come forward. The congregation was much impressed through the whole day. When the elements were presented, there appeared as a shower of revival from the presence of the Lord through the whole congregation . . . But all this might be called the commencement of what happened afterwards, for when our young converts saw the uncommon liberty that was granted to the pastors in addressing those who sat at the table, they were still more impressed and filled as it were with new wine and holy solemnity. Much disappointment now appeared among several of them that they had not taken out tokens, and so were not prepared to come forward. Pungent conviction, towards the evening, took hold of some of them for not obeying Christ's command. It was a night ever to be remembered in this place, in which the whole of it was spent in religious exercises, whether in private or together with others, in cases mingled with unusual instances of joy and sorrow. While these things were carried on, the ungodly themselves were in tears, and iniquity for a time dwindled into nothing, covered her brazen face and was greatly ashamed."

Who Do You b

I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low for thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

(As used in the Book of Offices of the British Methodist Church, 1936). John Wesley

Submitted by HH (from JT web-site)

Newton's Epitaph

John Newton wrote his own epitaph, and it may be read on a plain tablet near the vestry door at his Church of St. Mary Woolnoth in London. He wrote:

John Newton, Clerk,
Once an infidel and libertine,
A servant of slaves in Africa,
Was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior
JESUS CHRIST,
Preserved, restored, pardoned,
And appointed to preach the faith,
Near sixteen years at Olney, in Bucks,
And twenty-seven years in this Church.
On February 1, 1750 he married
MARY,
Daughter of the late George Catlett,
of Chatham, Kent,
He resigned her to the Lord Who gave her,
On the 15th day of December 1790.

In a follow up letter to his executors, Newton said, "And I earnestly desire that no other monument and no inscription but to the purpose, may be attempted for me."

A Small Congregation?

“I know the vanity of your heart, and that you will feel mortified that your congregation is very small, in comparison with those of your brethren around you; but assume yourself on the word of an old man, that when you come to give an account of them to the Lord Christ, at His judgment seat, you will think you have had enough.” – John Brown, 19th century pastor [letter of counsel to one of his students upon graduation and ordination over a small congregation]

Rev. Robertson

Patrick Robertson was a well known Scottish pastor who served at Craigdam in the early 18th century. One day he met a Dr. Kidd from Aberdeen, and the Dr. was under a period of great distress and confusion. He said to Robertson, "How is it, Mr. Robertson, that although the Lord has been pleased to send me some heavy trials, I find it easier to bear them with composure than I do these comparatively light ones?" The reverend replied, "Well, Doctor, that is easily explained. It's just because you carry your big trials to Him that sent them; but you try to get over your little trials in your own strength."

Christian's Great Interest

The following questions and answers come from William Guthrie's book The Christian's Great Interest:

Quest. 1. What is the great business a man has to do in this world?
Ans. To make sure a saving interest in Christ Jesus, and to walk suitably thereto.
Q. 2. Have not all the members of the visible church a saving interest in Christ?
A. No, verily; yea, but a very few of them have it.
Q. 3. How shall I know if I have a saving interest in Him?
A. Ordinarily the Lord prepareth His own way in the soul by a work of humiliation, and discovereth a man's sin and misery to him, and exerciseth Him so therewith, that He longs for the physician Christ Jesus.
Q. 4. How shall I know if I have got a competent discovery of my sin and misery?
A. A competent sight of it makes a man take salvation to heart above anything in this world: it maketh him disclaim all relief in himself, seen in his best things: it maketh Christ who is the Redeemer, very precious to the soul: it makes a man stand in awe to sin afterwards, and makes him content to be saved upon any terms God pleases.
Q. 5. By what other ways may I discern a saving interest in him?
A. By the going out of the heart seriously and affectionately towards Him, as He is held out in the gospel; and this is faith or believing.
Q. 6. How shall I know if my heart goes out after Him aright, and that my faith is true saving faith?
A. Where the heart goes out aright after Him in true and saving faith, the soul is pleased with Christ alone above all things, and is pleased with Him in all Him three offices, to rule and instruct as well as to save; and is content to cleave unto Him, whatsoever inconveniences may follow.
Q. 7. What other mark of a saving interest in Christ can you give me?
A. He that is in Christ savingly, is a new creature; He is graciously changed and renewed in some measure, in the whole man, and in all his ways pointing towards all the known commands of God.
Q. 8. What if I find sin now and then prevailing over me?
A. Although every sin deserves everlasting vengeance, yet, if you be afflicted for your failings, confess them with shame of face unto God, resolving to strive against them honestly henceforth, and see unto Christ for pardon, you shall obtain mercy, and your interest stands sure.
Q. 9. What shall the man do who cannot lay claim to Christ Jesus nor any of those marks spoken of it?
A. Let him not take rest until he make sure unto himself a saving interest in Christ.
Q. 10. What way can a man make sure an interest in Christ, who never had a saving interest in Him hitherto?
A. He must take his sins to heart, and his great hazard thereby, and he must take to heart God's offer of pardon and peace through Christ Jesus, and heartily close with God's offer by retaking himself unto Christ, the blessed refuge.
Q. 11. What if my sins be singularly heinous, and great beyond ordinary?
A. Whatsoever thy sins be, if thou wilt close with Christ Jesus by faith, thou shalt never enter into condemnation.
Q. 12. Is faith in Christ only required of men?
A. Faith is the only condition upon which God does offer peace and pardon unto men; but be assured, faith, if it be true and saving, will not be alone in the soul, but will be attended with true repentance, and a thankful study of conformity to God's image.
Q. 13 How shall I be sure that my heart does accept of God's offer, and does close with Christ Jesus? .
A. Go make a covenant expressly, and by word speak the thing unto God.
Q. 14 What way shall I do that?
A. Set apart some portion of time, and, having considered your own lost estate, and the remedy offered by Christ Jesus, work up your heart to be pleased and close with that offer, and say unto God expressly that you do accept of that offer, and of Him to be your God in Christ; and do give up yourself to Him to be saved in His way, without reservation or exception in any case; and that you henceforth will wait for salvation in the way He has appointed.
Q. 15 What if I break with God afterwards?
A. You must resolve in His strength not to break, and watch over your own ways, and put your heart in His hand to keep it and if you break, you must confess it unto God, and judge yourself for it, and flee to the Advocate for pardon, and resolve to do so no more: and this you must do as often as you fail.
Q. 16 How shall I come to full assurance of my interest in Christ, so that it may be beyond controversy?
A. Learn to lay your weight upon the blood of Christ, and study purity and holiness in all manner of conversation: and pray for the witness of God's Spirit to join with the blood and the water; and His testimony added unto these will establish you in the faith of an interest in Christ.
Q. 17. What is the consequence of such closing with God in Christ by heart and mouth?
A. Union and communion with God, all good here and His blessed fellowship in heaven forever afterwards.
Q. 18. What if I slight all these things, and do not lay them to heart to put them in practice?
A. The Lord comes with His angels, in flaming fire, to render vengeance to them who obey not His gospel; and thy judgment shall be greater than that of Sodom and Gomorrah; and so much the greater that thou hast read this Treatise, for it shall be a witness against thee in that day.

From Drunk to Disciple

Rev. John Morrison of Petty was on his way home to the manse one day when he found a drunken woman lying by the roadside. He attempted to rouse her, but she responded by saying that if he would chant a tune that she would get up and dance. Morrison began a tune and she danced . . . a man close by tried to shoo her away, but Morrison said, "Let her alone, she is not tired yet. This is the last reel she will ever dance." The pastor's prediction came true: when she later got over her intoxication, she was filled with great shame and remorse. She was convicted of her sin, and this led to her repentance. The former drunkard became a new creation in Christ Jesus.

Death of Halyburton

Thomas Halyburton was an important minister in the early 18th century in Scotland: he had a great impact on the direction of the Scottish church towards orthodoxy. He ministered only twelve years: ten as minister of the parish of Ceres in Fife, and two as professor of theology at St. Andrews. He died young and in a painful way. Yet, his weakness and pain could not stop the praises of Halyburton to the very end of his life. He said on his death-bed when death was near, "When I fall so low that I am not able to speak, I will show you a sign of triumph when I am near glory, if I be able."

And he did. In his last act, "He lifted up his hands and clapped them"!

Guthrie

If you can find William Guthrie's little book The Christian's Great Interest it is worth the time to read. John Owen once remarked that there was more divinity in this book than in all the many books and manuscripts that he himself had written. Thomas Chalmers said that, apart from the Bible, it was the best book he had ever read.

McCheyne Quote

Robert Murray McCheyne: "It is not great talents God blesses, so much as likeness to Jesus."

James White

In the churchyard of Fenwick, Scotland is the grave marker of James White. He was one of the six covenanting martyrs in that cemetery. He was shot to death by the order of Captain Peter Inglis because he was attending a forbidden prayer meeting. To add abuse upon abuse, the soldiers cut off White's head and used it as a football. On his tombstone reads the following six line verse:

This martyr was by Peter Inglis shot,
By birth a tyger rather than a Scot,
Who that his monstrous Extract might be seen
Cut off his head and kicked it o'er the green
Thus was that head which was to wear a Crown
A football made by a profane Dragoun.

Thomas Hog

Thomas Hog became minister at Kiltearn in 1654. He had a glorious ministry in that town with many converts to the gospel. But in 1662 he was a victim of the Great Ejectment in which Episcopacy was restored to Scotland and non-conforming ministers were thrown out of their pulpits. Hog fled to Holland, but later after the "bloodless and glorious Revolution" in 1688 the spiritual independence of the Scottish church was restored. Hog returned to pastor his church in Kiltearn in 1691 . . . almost thirty years after he had been ejected. He died in January, 1692. He was buried near the main entrance to the church in Kiltearn; a flat stone marks the place, and there is an inscription on the grave marker that reads:

This stone shall bear witness against the parishioners of Kiltearn if they
bring an ungodly minister in here.

This is a fitting memorial, indeed!

John Milne on Sufficiency

John Milne, pastor in Scotland and great friend of Andrew and Horatius Bonar and Robert Murray McCheyne, dealt often with the issue of the common thought of earning one's salvation. On one occasion he dealt with this problem in the following way: "In seeking some recommendation in yourselves to come to God, you are dishonouring His justice in thinking you have anything fit for its acceptance, dishonouring His grace in thinking He cannot love and save freely, and dishonouring His Son's blood in thinking it cannot cleanse from all iniquity and make a full atonement."