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Comfort Ye My People
It is the preachers’ calling and purpose to comfort and encourage the Lord’s people. Spiritual comfort can be enjoyed only when the Saviour of sinners is lifted up before them in all the fulness of His glorious accomplishments. Courage to stand for truth in this dark and sinful world flows from the settled knowledge of peace and reconciliation with God through the blood of Jesus Christ. Those who preach duty, obligation and self-examination must of necessity draw their hearers’ eyes from the Lord Jesus in order to focus upon themselves. Such practices can never bring comfort to the downcast pilgrim, or strength to Christ’s feeble folk. Brethren, if we are able, in our worship together, to approach the Great Triune God and there catch a…
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The Pastor To His Flock
The following is a copy of the first letter in my possession by my father to the Church: To the Church of God, meeting for the Worship of our glorious Trinity in the Chapel, George's Road, Manchester. Beloved of the adorable Jehovah, and of me, his poor Servant and your Servant, for His sake,—Through the matchless kindness of the Lord, I arrived safely here on Saturday afternoon, and preached on Lord's day to the largest congregation I ever preached to before in my life; and I believe the Lord was there. One of the deacons tells me they let 2,300 sittings; and the chapel was quite crowded, aisles and everywhere, so you may guess what the numbers present were. God willing, I have to preach…
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Usefulness In The Ministry
November 28, 1831 My dear Tiptaft,—When Brenton made me the offer of my coming to Stadham, it seemed to me, at first, the very opening I had been desiring and praying for. But since I have considered the subject more maturely, I have thought it best not to accept his offer. My desire is to do just what God pleases in the matter, and to be willing to go or stay just as He thinks best. At the same time, I find myself counting the weeks to next spring, and feel somewhat of what Laban said to Jacob, "You greatly longest after your father's house." But I think, all things considered, I am doing what is best in staying here. Though it has pleased God…
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The “Almost” Christian
A Sermon Preached By John Booth At Providence Chapel, Croydon, On Sunday Evening, November 29th, 1903. "Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian."—Acts 26:28 The charge preferred against Paul was, as we read in Acts 21:28: "This is the man that teacheth all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place (i.e., the Temple): and further brought Greeks also into the Temple, and hath polluted this holy place." So they said he taught against the law, against the Temple, and against the rules of the Temple. It is certain that Paul taught everywhere the received fulfilment of all these things, that Christ was the Substance of them. Paul had been a Pharisee; he had belonged to…
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There Is The Sign
The late Mr. Hatton related the following, stating that the circumstance was well known to him: Many years ago the late Mr. Gadsby was going into the country to preach, and, as was his wont in his younger days, was walking; when he was joined by a “simple faith” professor: Religion soon became the subject of conversation. Mr. G. maintained that true faith was not man's work but the work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of his people, and that without this there can be no real satisfaction for a quickened soul, hungering and thirsting after an assurance of his salvation; while his companion maintained that it was the duty of every man to believe. “There is the Word,” said he, “and we…
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80. Epipodius And Alexander
Epipodius Of Lyons, And Alexander, The Greek, Martyred For The Testimony Of The Evangelical Truth, At Lyons In France; The One Beheaded, And The Other Crucified, About The Year 179 In the seventeenth year of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, there were slain, among other pious martyrs at Lyons in France, Epipodius, a citizen of Lyons, and Alexander, a Greek by birth; whose imprisonment, suffering, and death occurred in this wise: When the heathen thought that the Christian name was entirely extirpated at Lyons and Vienne, and that no person who confessed it was remaining, these two, as the remainder of the Christians there, were betrayed, accused, and, three days afterwards, placed before the tribunal of the Governor. There they were interrogated in regard to their…
