W e notice also an event indicative of the prominence Whitefield had among the Church Evangelicals. Lord Dartmouth, a highly influential layman, frequently invited Evangelical clergyman to preach at the chapel in his country home near Cheltenham. He also endeavoured to have them, while in the area, preach in the parish church. At times the Rector allowed the use of his church but more often he refused it. Then, in November I757,  ... Madan came to Cheltenham, and was soon after joined by Venn and by Maddock ... Contrary to the expectations of Lord Dartmouth. both Madan and Venn were several times admitted to the parish pulpit. Then came Whitefield, and an immense crowd collected, expecting that he also would preach in the church. Attended by Lord and Lady Dart mouth... the renowned preacher proceeded to the church door. They found it closed against them.      Whitefield, never at loss for pulpits, mounted a neighbouring tomb stone, and preached. The Rev Henry Venn....

T his age suffers from an erosion of values brought about by fast-changing times and, more grievously, a generation that does not know God. There was a time when womanhood was defined by a fear of the Lord; yet that definition has since almost died out as focus shifted toward the superficialities of mere religion and outward morality. Virtue and holiness—the very foundations of character that are so often absent in our reality—are now sought after in every facet of society other than the Scriptures. The Biblical Womanhood channel is a mother's burden to call the remnant of the flock not to be conformed to the wiles of this world but to return to the old paths. It is an invitation to leave the empty husks of modern thought and return to the life-giving Bread of the Word. We hope to see you there as we seek the good way together. Join the Conversation: Who: Women When: Thursdays Time: 5:00-5:30 PM PST Telegram Link Charm is deceitful and beauty will fade away, but a woman who fears ...

To ask our blessed Redeemer, during His sojourn on earth, “What good hast thou lately bestowed upon thy neighbor?” would be bordering on the profane. Yet it would not be, to ask ourselves the same, and compare to Him as our example, who said, "go and do likewise." I am deeply indebted to our dear brother Ryan, a missionary preacher in the Andes, for this timely word of encouragement. It is a humbling providence when a fellow traveler on the narrow way offers a hand to steady my pace. Such exhortations remind us that we do not labor in this vineyard alone. May the Lord richly repay him for the kindness he has shown to my soul this day. (8) Let me ask, in the eighth place, whether we ever try to do any good in the world? Our Lord Jesus Christ was continually “going about doing good,” while He was on earth. (Acts 10:38) The Apostles, and all the disciples in Bible times, were always striving to walk in His steps. A Christian who was content to go to heaven himself, and ca...

In January, 1741, at the town of Bala, Harris was savagely assaulted. The local clergyman, in what he called an effort 'to defend the Church' , opened a barrel of beer on the main street and used it to entice a mob to attack the evangelist.  The fury of the persecutors was such that one of them fell into a fit from the transport of his passion. Another was loud for hurling Harris from the top of a rock into the lake hard by. The women also were as fiendish as the men, for they besmeared him with mire, while their companions... belabored him with their fists and clubs... inflicting such wounds that his path could be marked in the street by the crimson stains of his blood. The enemy continued to persecute him... striking him with sticks and staves, until overcome with exhaustion he fell to the ground... They still abused him, though prostrate; until one of his persecutors... perhaps apprehensive of a prosecution for murder if the abuse were pro longed, became his rescuer and.....

This volume of two hundred and thirty pages, I must confess, is but the third such work I have been compelled to finish in a single sitting. The details contained within are simply too incomprehensible and exhausting for the soul to rightly process in slow measure. It describes a different, more severe brand of Christianity than that which we commonly know and tolerate today. It is not the type that reaches for Christ safely from a comfortable distance, but rather that which charges head-on into the fray of spiritual warfare. At times, it seems that the faithful Adoniram and his devoted wife, Ann, were utterly alone in their terrible labor. The difficulties, the severe sickness, and the relentless hand of death all continued to pile up one after the other in an unending and worsening fashion. Their mission wears on for long, agonizing years, and with every turn of the page, there is a fresh account of life-threatening danger or profound tragedy. Such a narrative serves as a stern and...

This new book has arrived, late, but perfectly timed for my reflection. It is the second volume by Mr. Arnold Dallimore, and it speaks plainly of the failings of truly great men. He recounts the saddening loss of Howell Harris and the contention between the prideful Wesley brothers and the dear, good-hearted Mr. George Whitefield. The contents of this volume are far more explicit than the first. In truth, some parts are so shocking that I struggle to believe them. It is a terrible reminder: even when men of faith are mightily used by God, they remain only men, full of wretchedness and sin. I had painted them in my mind as "Men of God" without blemish, but this book shows them in full light—their humanity, their struggles, and their arguments. Though I shall never reach their heights of usefulness in ministry, I am now better reminded to look inward, to keep up a constant self-examination, and to strive for faithfulness with the very little that has been entrusted to my care. ...

Again: we have not enough self-denial; and that is one reason why we do not prosper. Far be it from me to say aught against the self-denial of those worthy brethren who have left their country to cross the stormy deep to preach the Word. We hold them to be men who are to be had in honor; but still, I ask, Where is the self-denial of the apostles now-a-days?  I think one of the greatest disgraces that ever was cast upon the church in those days was that last mission to Ireland. Men went over to Ireland; but, like men who have valor's better part, brave, bold men,—they came back again, which is about all we can say of the matter. Why do they not go there again?  Why, they say the Irish "booed" them. Now, don't you think you see Paul taking a microscope out of his pocket, and looking at a little man who should say to him, "I shall not go there to preach, because the Irish booed me!"  "What!" he says, "is this a preacher? What a small edition of...

We have known men who believed Calvinistic doctrines, but who preached Calvinism in the morning and Arminianism in the evening, because they were afraid God's gospel would not convert sinners, so they would manufacture one of their own.  I hold that a man who does not believe his gospel to be able to save men's souls, does not believe it at all. If God's truth will not save men's souls, man's lies cannot. If God's truth will not turn men to repentance, I am sure there is nothing in this world that can.  When we believe the gospel to be powerful, then we shall see it is powerful.  If I walk into this pulpit, and say, "I know what I preach is true," the world says I am an egotist; "The young man is dogmatical." Aye, and the young man means to be; he glories in it; be keeps it to himself as one of his peculiar titles, for he does most firmly believe what he preaches.  God forbid that I should ever come tottering up the pulpit-stairs to teach a...

We have no eyes now like the eyes of the Saviour, which could weep over Jerusalem: we have few voices like that earnest, impassioned voice, which seemed perpetually to cry,  "Come unto me, and I will give you rest."   "O Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have gathered thee as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not."   If ministers of the gospel were more hearty in their work of preaching; if, instead of giving lectures, and devoting a large part of their time to literary and political pursuits, they would preach the Word of God, and preach it as if they were pleading for their own lives, ah! Then, my brethren, we might expect great success; but we cannot expect it while we go about our work in a half-hearted way, and have not that zeal, that earnestness, that deep purpose, which characterized those men of old.  Then again, I take it, we have not men in our days who can preach like Paul—as to their faith, What did Paul do? He went to Phi...

In the first place, we have not men with Apostolic zeal.  Converted in a most singular way, by a direct interposition from heaven, Paul, from that time forward, became an earnest man. He had always been earnest, in his sin and in his persecutions; but after he heard that voice from heaven, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ?" and had received the mighty office of an apostle, and had been sent forth a chosen vessel to the Gentiles, you can scarcely conceive the deep, the awful earnestness which he manifested.  Whether he did eat, or drink, or whatsoever be did, he did all for the glory of his God; he never wasted an hour: he was employing his time either in ministering with his own hands unto his necessities, or else lifting up those hands in the synagogue, on Mars Hill, or anywhere where he could command the attention of the multitude.  His zeal was so earnest, and so burning, that he could not (as we unfortunately do) restrain himself within a little sphere; but he p...

King Solomon levied 150,000 workers (2 Chr 2:17) , enlisting 3,300 overseers (1 Kings 5:16)  and 300 commanders over all (2 Chr 2:18) for the building of the temple. Such a monumental undertaking that required careful preparation and careful attention to detail in order to mobilize a large number of men. The task of the ministers of God should be to prepare the people to partake in the advancement of the greater kingdom that is Christ's as He did bid His followers: "Engage in business till I come"   (Lk 19:13). The same business He mentioned when Joseph and Mary found Him amidst teachers in the temple (Lk 2:49) : "to do the will of Him who sent Me"   (Jn 4:34) . What will? "To give His life a ransom for many"   (Mat 20:28) . To what end? " That they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3) . Knowing God opens the gates to gospel action - to its proclamation, just as YHWH was the motivation beh...

Take heed to yourselves lest you should be void of that saving grace of God which you offer to others, and be strangers to the effectual working of that gospel which you preach; and lest, while you proclaim the necessity of a Saviour to the world, your hearts should neglect him, and you should miss of an interest in him and his saving benefits. Take heed to yourselves, lest you perish while you call upon others to take heed of perishing, and lest you famish yourselves while you prepare their food. Though there be a promise of shining as stars to those that turn many to righteousness (Daniel 12:3) , this is but on supposition that they be first turned to it themselves: such promises are made ceteris paribus, et suppositis supponendis. Their own sincerity in the faith is the condition of their glory simply considered, though their great ministerial labours may be a condition of the promise of their greater glory. Many men have warned others that they come not to that place of torment, ...

To emphasize the standard is not to be mean-spirited, nor should it be viewed as censorious. We exercise the same judgement when trusting our health to the diagnosis of a qualified physician, or place ourselves under the knife of a qualified surgeon. But the ministerial office is qualified by God Himself. Theological schooling is very important. But how do you measure education when in our day, every school claims to be truthful while contradicting each other on doctrinal interpretation? And even so, to be proficient theologically, or to confess to a creed, does not necessarily mean one is spiritually born again. When this requirement is set aside, everyone is ministry is legitimately correct, and the line between mere human knowledge and heaven-sent unction is blurred. *************** We are not among those who accept the apostolical succession of young men simply because they assume it; if their college experience has been rather vivacious than spiritual, if their honours have been c...

For years have I sat under emotional and academic yet lifeless preaching about repeated affirmations of basic truths. It merely stunted my growth. But I believed I had to sit through it because it was the program, and I convinced others to do the same. The glaring truth stared me in my face the whole time yet I closed my eyes because the system was set up as such, that I had to be bodily present, never mind if my spirit remained unfed. It was assumed that the Spirit was always present in the external exercises, but the lives of those who sat with me told differently as they remained lethargic and uninterested. In our first church, it was about the grandeur of gifts, achievements and humanism. In our second, comfort, richness, and identity. With our third, which professed to be reformed in doctrine but definitely not in deed, it was timidity and dead religion. There was rampant gossiping, backbiting, and taking sides. The pastor was then in a secret relationship with the youth leader wh...