Heroes of the Faith by New Life Publishing Co

July – September 2010

July – September 2010 Issue 3 £3.50 $6.00 €5.00

heroes of the

faith

INSIDE:

• George Whitefield The great evangelist who saw multitudes turn to Christ on both sides of the Atlantic

• Fanny Crosby

The prolific hymn writer who saw God through blindness

• Alan Benson Triumphant grace which overcame torture • God’s Plowman A mother’s prayers for a frontier preacher • Hudson Taylor Lessons from the life of a hero PLUS Your Letters • Controversy Corner • Words to live by

inspiring insights from men & women who proved God Heroes003July2010.indd 1

03/06/2010 14:47:44

July – September 2010

The God’s Generals series By roberts liardon, international speaker and author of 54 books with over 7 million in print

3 BooK seT speCial oFFer For only £27 (+ posTaGe) Forewo rd by dr. oral roberts

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God’s Generals ii: The roaring oaring r reformers In an atmosphere of oppression and darkness, the Reformers came with revelation from God and translations of the Bible into common language. Roberts Liardon will introduce you to six men who fought to reintroduce the beliefs and principles of the early church. You’ll journey with them through their periods of enlightenment as well as their periods of persecution.

Endorsements by Kim Clement, C. Peter Wagner, Bill Johnson, Rolf McPherson, Gerald Coats, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills, Dr. Niko Njotorahardjo, and many others.

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Forewo r dr. Morr d by is Cerull

God’s Generals i: Why They succeeded and Why some Failed! This historical classic volume contains the compelling spiritual biographies of twelve extraordinary heroes of faith - men and women who were dynamically empowered by the Holy Spirit to ignite the fires of revival worldwide. You will discover how they achieved their amazing successes, and how you can become a victorious leader for God! Forewo rd by Colin d senior M ye inister of Kensing ton Tem ple

God’s Generals iii: revivalists Roberts Liardon tells the compelling stories of some of the most powerful preachers that ever ignited the fires of revival. Learn about their anointing and how they lived for God and overcame the traps of compromise. This volume includes stories of preachers such as John and Charles Wesley, George Whitefield, Charles Finney and many others.

Call +44 (0)207 313 4649 (UK) or +1 941 373 3883 (Usa) for more info on roberts’ ministry or visit www.robertsliardon.com

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July – September 2010

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Inside this issue...

SEE PAGE 35 FOR DETAILS

4 Consulting Editors

June - August 2010

PEOPLE

& masthead information

George Whitfield A Burning Candle In The Wind Of Revival

5 WELCOME

and moral conditions in England had As the 18th century dawned, spiritual restoration of the monarchy in 1660, sunk to an all-time low. Following the godlessness, drunkenness, immorality the country plunged into a morass of torrent of evil was challenged by the and gambling. In 1738, however, this George Whitefield, who declared the lone voice of a 22-year-old clergyman, power that soon no church could hold gospel of Christ with such fervour and His voice was soon joined by others the multitudes that flocked to hear him. - and a tremendous move of God’s Spirit including John and Charles Wesley Atlantic to the American colonies. swept the land and spread across the

from Editor Dave Littlewood

the hour in the awakeorge Whitefield was God’s man for of the Atlantic during ening which took place on both sides John and the 18th century. Many other men, including but there is no question Charles Wesley, contributed immeasurably, the revival. In 34 years of pubthat Whitefield was the spearhead of 30,000 times, often to immense lic ministry, he preached more than at a time when sea travel crowds, and made seven trips to America said of him, ‘Have we ever was extremely hazardous. John Wesley thousands, so many myriads of heard of anyone who called so many sinners, to repentance?’ Bell Inn, in the tavern, Gloucester a in born Whitefield was years old and his mother then 1714. His father died when he was two who squandered the family had the misfortune of marrying a man estate, leaving them quite poor. Although knowing nothing of salvation, the young George was set on being a clergyman and entered Oxford in 1732 as a ‘servitor’ (a poor student who earned his living by serving students who were well off). Here he met John and Charles Wesley and became a member of the ‘Holy Club’ of Oxford ‘Methodists’. The members of the Whitfield preaching

6 The Sword of the Spirit in the hands of men by Bishop J C Ryle

8 CANDLE IN THE WIND OF REVIVAL An in-depth look at the life and ministry of famed preacher George Whitefield

June - August 2010

men seeking to earn their Holy Club were a group of earnest young As yet they knew nothing of salvation by works of personal piety. went further than most salvation by grace and it appears Whitefield wrecking his health with in his search for peace with God, almost the rigours of religious asceticism. personal searching, the However, in 1735, in the midst of great alone came to Whitefield. The understanding of salvation by faith and his soul was flooded with weight of his sin was lifted off him of the Holy Club, including unspeakable joy. Later, other members the Wesleys, came into a similar experience. the Bishop of Gloucester, Dr Whitefield was ordained in 1736 by Mary de Crypt, GloucSt in Benson, and preached his first sermon so struck by his eloquence ester, a few days later. His hearers were that he had driven 15 people that someone complained to the bishop the madness might not be mad! The bishop replied that he ‘wished forgotten before next Sunday.’ preach to packed buildings From this time on, Whitefield would gifts of natural eloquence, and huge crowds. He had wonderful Garrick, the philosopher actor the as such attested to by unbelievers Franklin. Garrick once Hume and the American diplomat Benjamin able to say ‘Oh!’ with the elosaid he would give 100 guineas to be extraordinary carrying power quence of Whitefield. His voice had numbering 30,000 or more and could be clearly heard by crowds was simple, totally Bible in the open air. For all this, his preaching common man. Above all, Whitebased and easily understood by the from God as an evangelist, anointing extraordinary an field carried people cry out in repentance. which revealed sin and often made to America, where In 1738 Whitefield made his first journey On his return, he found he established an orphanage in Georgia. but churches began huge crowds gathered to hear him preach,

instrument of George Whitefield was God’s primary took place on both revival in the awakening which century. sides of the Atlantic in the 18th 

Page 8 June –- August 2010 19 June

2010 August 2010 June –- August

12 REFLECTIONS – Benjamin Franklin and others pay tribute to George Whitefield

14 WORDS TO LIVE BY Quotes worth quoting

The Big Picture

15 BIBLE CROSSWORD 16 TIME TRAVEL we visit remarkable

flow on the sands at Withernsea. A beach mission is captured in full 65 services being held in Doncaster, Interestingly, the group is advertising name unable to date this photograph or miles away! Unfortunately, we are Nottingto contributors Cathy Cherrett in several of those in it but, thanks we can identify some of the group: ham and Valerie Fawbert in Plymouth later General Secretary of Elim; (l-r) Unknown; Unknown; EJ Phillips, Secretary of Assemblies of God; Unknown; Alfred Missen, later General Apparently the group was known John Wood later minister in Sunderland.

connections with Northern Ireland as the ‘Evangelistic Band’, had some ‘The book about Assemblies of God, and is referred to in Alfred Missen’s Sound of a Going’. have light on this fascinating picture or l Perhaps readers can shed more in The Big Picture in future issues. photographs that might be featured Great Box 777, Nottingham, NG11 6QA, Write to Heroes of the Faith, PO Britain, or email editorial@newlife.co.uk

Page 18

published accounts from yesteryear

– June 2010 21 - August April June

18 THE BIG PICTURE 20 FANNY CROSBY

2010 2010 August April- –June June

writer Fanny J Crosby – the blind hymn who saw light rather than darkness incompetence of a Blind nearly all her life through the could have easily lived travelling quack doctor, Fanny Crosby her faith in God, she her life in bitterness. However, through disability, but became not only refused to be daunted by her history of the Christian one of the greatest songwriters in the over 8,000 of her poems church. During the course of her life million copies of her were set to music and more than 100 songs were printed.

the blind hymn writer who saw light instead of darkness

in a tiny cottage in New rances Jane ‘Fanny’ Crosby was born to be shaped by tragedy. York in 1820. Her early life appeared only a year old. Her father, John, died when she was only six weeks old, Fanny Before that, however, when she was a monumental medical error. was stricken with blindness through eyes and, the regular family She had developed a slight cold in her doctor was called in to treat physician being away, another country to be applied to her eyes her. The hot mustard poultices he prescribed It was later discovered that the destroyed the baby’s sight completely! medicine, but it was too ‘doctor’ was not even qualified to practice had left town, never to be heard late to prosecute him, for by then he

25 The doctrine of the Trinity in our

there are stacks of well-known hymn verses at the bottom of the file to use to illustrate the text. No

Controversy Corner feature

32 BOOK REVIEWS 34 What if... she hadn’t prayed?

‘God’s plowman’ and his mother’s prayers

21:28:53

Heroes003July2010.indd 3



June - August 2010 29

June - August 2010

Triumph In The Torture Chamber

28 TRIUMPHANT GRACE

Alan Benson, the missionary to china who endured terrible torture

more familiar to her than any the Bible. Soon the scriptures became mind, the child could repeat other book. Equipped with a brilliant many of the Psalms, Proverbs, from memory the Pentateuch, Ruth, New Testament. the Song of Songs and much of the to be sent to The Hungry for education, Fanny was overjoyed City aged 15. She was to spend Institution for the Blind in New York a student for twelve years, the next 23 years of her life there, as Here at the Institute, even and then eleven more years as a teacher. her ability as a poet began to though not encouraged by her teachers, vigour. of again. assert itself with a remarkable was taken to see an eminent before Congress, Fanny When she was five years old, Fanny When at 23 she represented the Institute you will never see again.’ of a loving Saviour, eye specialist who told her, ‘Poor child, of her poems about the tender care some recited her by refused to be daunted she had seen him face to face. However, even as a youngster, Fanny speaking with conviction as though written when she was only eight Jefferson Davis were among disability. Her first recorded poem, Men such as John Quincy Adams and As a result of this, Fanny years old, shows an indomitable spirit: those moved to tears by the blind poetess. political and religious leaders of O what a happy soul am I! began to make friends with the great knew all the American presiAlthough I cannot see, the day, and during her lifetime she I am resolved that in this world, dents except George Washington. ‘The Blind Girl and Other Contented I will be. Fanny’s first book of poetry, entitled 24; she also composed several How many blessings I enjoy, Poems’ was published when she was what was probably the first That other people don’t. popular songs and assisted in writing she was 27 Fanny became an To weep and sigh because I’m blind, cantata published in America. When which she held until 1858. I cannot and I won’t! instructor at the Institute, a position it is surprising that With all her apparent devotion to Christ, to Ridgefield, Connecticut, evangelical conversion until When she was nine, the family moved Fanny did not actually experience an 15. Here her grandmother beattended a revival service held where she was to stay till the age of 1851, when she was 31 years old. She Fanny to the books of introducing life, her in influence major came a

Page 20

26 MY HERO – Steve Uppal learns lessons from the life of Hudson Taylor

by David Littlewood

Burning passion brought missionar hero through a fiery furnace

uring the Second World War, pastor and missionary hero Alan Benson was arrested by the occupying Japanese forces when working in Kalgan, on the border of North China and Inner the first Mongolia, on charges of spying. For he seven weeks of a seven-month detention, tortures underwent the most foul and brutal a false as his captors tried in vain to wring that confession out of him. Alan later wrote months one thing kept him in these terrible – triumphant grace. It was on August 27 1940 during World mission War II that the Japanese entered the At compound and arrested Alan Benson. first he thought it was for routine questionthe ing, but when he was confronted by military authorities in Kalgan, he was

arrested amazed to be told that he had been for as a British spy and was responsible organising a spy ring operating in three cities in North China. On denying the charges he was taken to the Foreign Office buildings of the Mongolian Border Government, buildings very which he would soon come to dread arrival much in the weeks that followed. On two interrogators, named Iida and Tsurata, questioned him in an apparently friendly the fashion, but when Alan refused to sign confession that he was a spy, their ‘friendliness’ soon took other forms. Threatening reprisals and torture both him for him and his wife, Violet, Iida told he replied to confess. However, when Alan not could not confess to things which were you true, Iida shouted, ‘We are not asking

Alan Benson (second from left)

pioneering in Scotland (1944-47)

you whether they are true; we are asking Alan to confess.’ And so the torture began. a chair was forced to kneel down and hold to above his head, excruciatingly painful the arms and knees, while the interrogators he beat his knuckles with sticks. When they refused to hold the chair up anymore, him stood him against a wall and flogged the with a billiard cue until he fainted from in experienced both pain. His tormentors, exthe ‘art’ of torture, were confident of tracting a confession from this missionary, but had reckoned without Alan’s triumphant faith in Christ. Alan later wrote, ‘When I realised I for was to be ill-treated I began to pray as grace and strength, that I might suffer might a Christian and that my tormentors not have the satisfaction of seeing any

missionary, I cannot hate you, but instead 71:1 will weakness or fear on my part. Psalm will pray for you each night that God O became my constant prayer, ‘In Thee, sins have mercy on you and pardon your be put the Lord, do I put my trust; let me never and lead you to the Saviour.’ To which ‘grace you to confusion’... I prayed for grace and astounded Iida quietly replied, ‘Thank so that triumphant’ was given to me of God, very much!’ any the Japanese were not able to wring Alan even had the opportunity of cries or groans from me.’ The witnessing to Iida about the gospel. Alan’s fortitude under intense suffering once wretched man confessed that he had ‘Do even amazed the Japanese. They asked him had and known a missionary in Tokyo you had you not feel the pain? Then why don’t professed Christ himself. But now he because cry out under the torture?’ ‘Simply making his living was and Christ rejected will that I am a Christian,’ Alan replied, ‘and as a professional torturer. He believed suffer as a Christian.’ and he his heart was too black to get saved But Alan had another reason for mainhe was entered eternity without Christ when found taining his stubborn silence when he killed during the war. imout that the Japanese were seeking to of torture in which session one After plicate other missionaries in the imaginary Alan was thrown around by Japanese Chinese ‘spy ring’. Apparently, a number of for Ju-Jitsu experts brought in specially up, his Christians had been arrested and beaten as the purpose, Iida told him that neither Alan endured excruciating pain and under torture had signed false statehim. To 12 God nor his government could help spy and his interrogators tortured him ments implicating Alan as a British you are which Alan replied, ‘That is where the hours a day for seven weeks anti-Japanese agitator. He realised that cannot wrong. I know that my government him Japanese efforts were aimed at forcing me so do a lot for me, but God has helped that for his goodness to me.’ to sign similar statements to the effect of far and I believe he will bring me through Such experiences of joy in the midst other British and American missionaries because I trust him.’ for Alan terrible suffering became common were also spies and working in conjunction other by confession Unable to exact a as his ordeal went on. with him. means, the interrogaone However, the Japanese had reserved tors turned to the desperate increasingly cruel trick in their dreaded water torattempts to exact a confession. Bringing ture. Alan was held his wife into the prison, they told him on his back across a water they were going to subject her to the Alan endured excruciating pain as table with his head was torture. On Alan’s refusal to sign, he hanging over the his interrogators tortured him 12 the heard he taken into another room where end. His mouth was screams of a woman apparently undergoing hours a day for seven weeks. gagged and a large did he find out that later Only torture. the teapot of salt water his wife had been released and the screams was poured down to came from a Japanese woman pretending his nostrils. This act out his wife’s torture. time incredibly painful torture was repeated After seven weeks of daily torture Alan Alan says, ‘If they had succeeded in cell and again, sometimes until Alan mercifully prison rethe uncomfortable an statements, in such held sign was forcing me to he slipped into unconsciousness. But every and where, along with the other prisoners, sults would have been the arrest, torture to bring time there were the slaps to the face was forced to sit cross-legged in silence, probable execution of these missionaries, him around to face his tormentors again. a staring at the wall all day. Little exercise myself included. This knowledge became HowOnce they varied the torture when they was allowed and the food was poor. great deterrent to me.’ very hot tea into Alan’s nostrils, poured Chinese several excrulead to endured ever, he managed For seven weeks Alan lungs the with the scalding liquid going into his prisoners to Christ by speaking when pain. ciating pain as his interrogators tortured notes and stomach and causing excruciating guards were not looking and passing him for 12 hours a day. His fingers and And all the time was the chant of ‘Confess’. and to them, telling them of the way of salvaat arms were bent back, and his finger Realising Alan was unable to sleep burned tion. toe-nails and other parts of his body night from the pain of the day’s torture, with with lighted incense sticks. These were his interrogators varied the brutality was they even placed up his nose, while his face brain-washing, telling him the horrors beaten with a thin rod until great lumps he had planned for the next day. When All appeared on his cheeks and temples. Alan’s fortitude would realised this, Alan prayed that God the time his tormentors chanted ‘Confess, so that he could sleep at pain the away intense take under of confess, confess’ over and over again. night and be able to meet the demands Alan said, ‘No imagination can ever was suffering amazed the the next day. He recounts, ‘That prayer and sufficiently conceive the dreadful pain to my wonderfully answered for, on rising Japanese. the anguish suffered daily and it was only left my feet, I found the agonising pain had me longer ‘triumphant grace’ of God that enabled body and my limbs were free and no my to remain steadfast and firm to the truth.’ stiff and sore. I was so thrilled I raised and That grace even extended to loving in hands to heaven in thankfulness and During this time Alan received much my praying for his tormentors, so that when sheer joy commenced to dance round had hated comfort from reading a Bible his wife one of them, Iida, asked whether Alan the Lord small cell, praising and rejoicing in him, he was able to reply, ‘As a Christian

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Page 28

03/06/2010 14:48:00

July – September 2010

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I’M GLAD I HAD A BIGGER BROTHER WOMAN WATC A ‘WALKING HINGMIRACLE’ ME...

STEPHEN BALDWIN REVEALS HOW HE GOT OVER HIS FEARS ABOUT TV REALITY SHOW – P3

FAITH STRONG IN SHATTERED COUNTRY – PAGE 4

This

Consulting Editors

How I’ve How HowI’ve I’ve beaten bea beten aten cancer can cerer canc STEPHEN BALDWIN REVEALS HOW HE

GOT OVER HIS FEARS ABOUT TV REALITY

SHOW – P3

WOMAN A ‘WALKING MIRACLE’ WOMAN A ‘WALK ING MIRACLE’ STEPHEN BALDWIN

A womAn considers herself a “walking

REVEALS HOW HE GOT

OVER HIS FEARS ABOUT

TV REALITY SHOW

– P3

by Becky Barlow

said we would have miracle” after beating specialist to wait and see.” breast cancer. After being told about playA womAn ing aconsiders waiting game, Linda, who Barlow Linda Whalley, from Blackby Becky was also told she may develop pool, had to have a mastectomy, herself a “walking bone cancer, decidedspecialist to turn to but it was her Christian faith miracle” said we would have beating her faith and prayed.to wait that helped her throughout her after and see.” breast cancer. “This wonderful peace came ordeal. After being told about playA womAn Linda Whalley, over from me and I was ing as calm as Linda 61, said: “They found Blackaconsiders waiting by Becky game, Linda, who Barlow pool,in herself had to have anything,” she said. was two cancerous lumps my a mastectomy, a also “walking told she may develop but itI was “It didn’t matterbone whether I breast – both primary. was her Christian faith miracle” cancer, decidedspecialist after to turn to said that helped herlived beating or diedher because I knew riddled with it. throughout we would have her faith and prayed.to wait breast ordeal. and see.” I would be OK cancer. going in God’s “This wonderful peace dying Linda 61, said: came Linda Whalley, After being told about strength. “They found over me from Blackand playI was as pool,the ingcalm as game, two option had a waiting cancerous lumps to have “They said the only “After operation, as I a mastectomy, in my Linda, who anything,” she said. was also but it moved breast – both was told she may develop was surgery and then I might being into reprimary. Christian I was was her “Itthe didn’t faith matterbone that whether helped I decided riddled and cancer, with it.covery have to have radiotherapy room, I suddenly her throughout lived to turn to orfelt died her because ordeal. her Ifaith knew ith and praye chemotherapy as well. this hot burning sensation on prayed. d. I would be OK going in God’s Linda 61, said: “This wonderful peace “I asked if had gone too fardying my chest. aid: “They found strength. came two over me and I cancerous said the“Ionly THE Beatles drummer Ringo year, says life improved after his – I didn’t want to go “They through was option chatting away to in a lumps was “After themy operation, breast anything,” as Ishe said. as calm as was surgery – both faith strengthened. He admitted Starr has revealed how God has surgery if I was going to die and nurse putting things away andI then primary. I might was being was into“Itthe moved re- matter have to worwith didn’t have radiotherapy become a reality in his life. he had “stepped off the path”. anyway. I wasn’t actually whenriddled I wentand backit. to my room, covery room, I suddenly whether I lived orfelt died because ● Full story... Page 5 Starr, who will turn 70 this ried about dy i ng,chemotherapy because I as I felt need well.fine. I didn’t this hot any I knew burning sensation dying I would THE Beatles drummer Ringo onWhalley “I asked be HEALED... Linda knew where I was going. Theif had ● Continued OK going in God’s gone too on farPage year, says life improved my5chest. after his strength. Starr has revealed how God has – I didn’t want to go “They said the through faith strengthened. He admitted was option chatting away was surgery and “Ionly become a re to the “After a surgery if I was going reality in his life. operation, as then to die he had “stepped off the path”. nurse I might was putting I have to away andmoved Starr, w anyway. I wasn’t actually being who will turn 70 this have radiotherapy things wor● Full story... Page 5 into the when I went THE Beatles drummer and back to my room, covery ried about dy i ng,chemotherapy room, I suddenly rebecause I well. Ringo year, says Iasfelt fine. I didn’tthis Starr has revealed need “I asked if had knew after life improved hotany where I was going. burning sensation felt gone too on The ● Continued his become a reality how God has faith strengthened. farPage – I didn’t my5 chest. HEALED... LindaonWhalley want to in his life. He admitted he had “stepped Starr, who will surgery if I was go through “I was chatting off turn 70 this away to a ● Full story... Page the path”. anyway. I wasn’t going to die nurse putting 5 actually lly w woror- when I went things away and ried about dy back to my room, i ng, because I I felt fine. knew where I I didn’t need was going. The any ● Continued on Page 5 HEALED... Linda Whalley

Starr is shining... after Starr finding is God shining... after Starr finding is God shining... after finding God

Summer

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Dave Allen

Des Cartwright

Mathew Clark

Dave Garrard

William Kay

RT Kendall

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Steve Uppal

Former lecturer and Dean of Mattersey Hall, Dave has three degrees, including a Ph.D, from London University.

A missionary for 23 years in Zaire, Dave holds three degrees in theology, including a PhD from Aberdeen.

An Elim Minister for over 30 years and currently serves on the Elim’s National Leadership Team.

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Published by New Life Publishing PO Box 777, Nottingham, NG11 6ZZ England Tel: 0115 824 0777 Email: editor@newlife.co.uk or for sales, orders@newlife.co.uk www.newlifepublishing.co.uk/hotf All content is copyright and must not be reproduced without prior written permission. Printed by Buxton Press, Palace Road, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 6AE The acceptance of advertising does not indicate editorial endorsement, and articles published do not necessarily reflect the official position of New Life Publishing Co. Submitted articles and letters are subject to editing. By sending articles you accept this to be the case. Heroes of the Faith church representatives: please advise any alterations to orders before 10th of the month previous to the next issue. Back copies: Previous issues are available while stocks last, at cover price plus £1.00 handling charge, including p&p, per order.

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July – September 2010

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WELCOME The Courage of Heroes

eroes come in all shapes and sizes. Some acquire the status of celebrities with the public while others live in almost complete obscurity as far as the news media are concerned. What all real heroes have in common, however, is courage. Winston Churchill once famously said that, ‘Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.’ Courage has also been defined as, ‘feeling the fear, yet doing it anyway.’ I remember a veteran commando saying, as his boat was going in for a daring raid during World War II, that what he was afraid of most was not the enemy shells that were raining down on them but of letting his comrades down by not doing his bit. To live the Christian life as a hero requires a whole deal of courage coupled with an unshakeable faith in God. The people featured in this magazine are all heroes because they showed incredible courage in following what they believed was the will of God for their lives. We see George Whitfield, the great evangelist, preaching the gospel before the miners in Bristol and the London mob, groups of people known for their wickedness and rampaging violence. Undeterred, Whitfield not only preached up and down Britain, but crossed the Atlantic no less than thirteen times in the cause of Christ, each time risking his life in the primitive vessels that carried him. Also featured here is the blind hymn writer, Fanny Crosby. She showed her indomitable spirit by writing hymns full of praise and worship to God even though a travelling quack doctor had blotted out her eyesight at the age of three. One name you may not have heard is Alan Benson. But then, many real-life heroes go unnoticed by the majority. But just read about how Alan, as a missionary to China in 1940, was tortured 12 hours a day for seven weeks by the occupying Japanese. When his dumbfounded captors asked him the secret of his incredible endurance in the face of terrible pain and suffering, he said, ‘Simply because I am a Christian; and will suffer as a Christian.’ I have just mentioned three very different kinds of heroes, but all have one thing in common – their indomitable courage. It was a courage shown often in the face of overwhelming odds. And a courage that came outside of themselves – from the strength of their faith in Christ. Thanks for reading this edition of Heroes of the Faith. We trust it will inspire you in your walk with God. Dave Littlewood, Editor

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03/06/2010 14:48:47

July – September 2010

The Sword of the Spirit in the Hands of Men Bishop J C Ryle (1816-1900), a leading evangelical clergyman and historian of his day, assesses the effect preachers had on 18th century Britain.

great change for the better came over England during the 18th century – a fact that I suppose no well-informed person would ever attempt to deny. Both in religion and in morality, the country gradually went through a complete revolution. This is a great fact that even the irreligious cannot deny. However they may attempt to explain it. But, by what means was this great change effected? To whom are we indebted for the immense improvement in religion and morality that undoubtedly came over the land? Who, in a word, were the instru-

ments whom God employed in bringing about the great English reformation of the 18th century? The government of the country can lay no claim to the credit for the change. Morality cannot be called into being by laws and statutes. People have never yet been made religious by acts of government. In fact, the parliaments and administrations of the 18th century did as little for religion and morality as any that ever existed in England. Nor did the change come from the Church of England as a body. The leaders of that venerable institution were utterly

The Parish Church at Everton saw revival during the 18th Century under the preaching of John Berridge

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By J C Ryle unequal to the times. Nor did the change come from the independent churches of the dissenters. Who, then, were the reformers of the 18th century? To whom are we indebted, under God, for the change that took place? The men who wrought deliverance at this period were a few individuals, most of them clergymen of the established Church, men whose hearts God touched about the same time in various parts of the country. They were not wealthy or highly connected. They had neither money to buy adherents nor family influence to command attention and respect. They were not put forward by any church, party, society, or institution. They were simply men whom God stirred up and brought out to do his work without previous concert, scheme, or plan. They did Christ’s work in the old apostolic way by becoming the evangelists of their day. They taught one set of truths. They taught them in the same way, with fire, reality, and earnestness. They taught them in the same spirit, always loving, compassionate, and like Paul, even weeping, but always bold, unflinching, and not fearing the face of man. They did not wait for sinners to come to them, but rather they sought sinners. Instead of sitting idle until sinners offered to repent, they assaulted the high places of ungodliness like men storming a breach, giving sinners no rest so long as they held to their sins. The movement of these gallant evangelists shook England from one end to

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7 July – september 2010

John Wesley

Daniel Rowland

another. From the beginning, people in high places made it known that they despised them. The educated class sneered at them as fanatics. The humorists made jokes and invented sarcastic names for them. The Church of England shut her doors on them, and even the dissenters turned the cold shoulder on them. The ignorant mob persecuted them. But the movement of these few evangelists went on and made itself felt in every part of the land. Many were aroused and awakened to think about religion. Many were shamed out of their sins. Many became frightened at their own ungodliness. Many were converted. Many who declared their dislike of the movement were secretly provoked to imitation. The little sapling became a strong tree; the little creek became a deep, broad stream; and the little spark became a steady, burning flame. A candle was lighted of which we are now enjoying the benefit. The feeling of all classes in the land about religion and morality gradually assumed a totally different complexion. And all this, under God, was effected by a few unpatronised, unpaid adventurers! When God takes a work in hand, nothing can stop it. When God is for us, none can be against us. The instrumentality by which the spiritual reformers of the 18th century carried on their operations was of the simplest description. It was neither more nor less than the old apostolic weapon of preaching. The sword that Paul wielded with such mighty effect when he assaulted the strongholds of heathenism 1,800 years ago was the same sword by which they won their victories. To say, as some have done, that they neglected education and schools is totally incorrect. Wherever they gathered congregations, they cared for the children. To say,

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Howell Harris

as others have done, that they neglected the sacraments is simply false. But beyond a doubt, preaching was their favourite weapon. They wisely went back to first principles and took up apostolic plans. They held, with Paul, that a minister’s first work is to preach the gospel. They preached everywhere. If the pulpit of a parish church was open to them, they gladly availed themselves of it. If it could not be obtained, they were equally ready to preach in a barn. No place was too unworthy for them. In the field or by the roadside, on the village grass or in a marketplace, in lanes or in alleys, in cellars or in attics, on a tub or on a table, on a bench or on a

 They proclaimed the words of faith with faith, and the story of life with life. They spoke with fiery zeal, like men who were thoroughly persuaded...

horse block, wherever hearers could be gathered, the spiritual reformers of the 18th century were ready to speak to them about their souls. They were instant in season and out of season in doing Christ’s work, and crossed sea and land in carrying forward their Father’s business. Now, all this was a new thing. Can we wonder that it produced a great effect? They preached simply. They rightly concluded that the very first qualification to be aimed at in a sermon is to be understood. They saw clearly that thousands of able and well composed sermons are utterly useless because they are above the heads of the

Bishop JC Ryle

hearers. They strove to come down to the level of the people and to speak what the poor could understand. To attain this, they were not ashamed to sacrifice their reputations as learned men. They willingly used illustrations and anecdotes in abundance and, like Jesus their Master, borrowed lessons from every object in nature. They revived the style of sermons in which Luther and Latimer were so eminently successful. In short, they saw the truth of what the great German reformer meant when he said, ‘No one can be a good preacher to the people who is not willing to preach in a manner that seems childish and vulgar to some.’ Now all this, again, was quite new in their age. They preached fervently and directly. They cast aside that dull, cold, lifeless mode of delivery that had long made sermons boring. They proclaimed the words of faith with faith, and the story of life with life. They spoke with fiery zeal, like men who were thoroughly persuaded that what they said was true and that it was of the utmost importance to your eternal interest to hear it. They spoke like men who had a message from God for you, who felt that they must deliver it, and that they must have your attention while they delivered it. They threw heart, soul, and feeling into their sermons, and they sent their hearers home convinced that the preacher was sincere and wished them well. They believed that you must speak from the heart if you wish to speak to the heart, and that there must be unmistakable faith and conviction within the pulpit if there is to be faith and conviction among the pews. All this was a thing that had become almost obsolete. Can we wonder that it took people by storm and produced such an immense effect as to change the whole face of Britain?

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July – September 2010

PEOPLE

George Whitfield A Burning Candle In The Wind Of Revival As the 18th century dawned, spiritual and moral conditions in England had sunk to an all-time low. Following the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, the country plunged into a morass of godlessness, drunkenness, immorality and gambling. In 1738, however, this torrent of evil was challenged by the lone voice of a 22-year-old clergyman, George Whitefield, who declared the gospel of Christ with such fervour and power that soon no church could hold the multitudes that flocked to hear him. His voice was soon joined by others – including John and Charles Wesley – and a tremendous move of God’s Spirit swept the land and spread across the Atlantic to the American colonies.

eorge Whitefield was God’s man for the hour in the awakening which took place on both sides of the Atlantic during the 18th century. Many other men, including John and Charles Wesley, contributed immeasurably, but there is no question that Whitefield was the spearhead of the revival. In 34 years of public ministry, he preached more than 30,000 times, often to immense crowds, and made seven trips to America at a time when sea travel was extremely hazardous. John Wesley said of him, ‘Have we ever heard of anyone who called so many thousands, so many myriads of sinners, to repentance?’ Whitefield was born in a Gloucester tavern, the Bell Inn, in 1714. His father died when he was two years old and his mother then had the misfortune of marrying a man who squandered the family estate, leaving them quite poor. Although knowing nothing of salvation, the young George was set on being a clergyman and entered Oxford in 1732 as a ‘servitor’ (a poor student who earned his living by serving students who were well off). Here he met John and Charles Wesley and became a member of the ‘Holy Club’ of Oxford ‘Methodists’. The members of the Whitfield preaching

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Holy Club were a group of earnest young men seeking to earn their salvation by works of personal piety. As yet they knew nothing of salvation by grace and it appears Whitefield went further than most in his search for peace with God, almost wrecking his health with the rigours of religious asceticism. However, in 1735, in the midst of great personal searching, the understanding of salvation by faith alone came to Whitefield. The weight of his sin was lifted off him and his soul was flooded with unspeakable joy. Later, other members of the Holy Club, including the Wesleys, came into a similar experience. Whitefield was ordained in 1736 by the Bishop of Gloucester, Dr Benson, and preached his first sermon in St Mary de Crypt, Gloucester, a few days later. His hearers were so struck by his eloquence that someone complained to the bishop that he had driven 15 people mad! The bishop replied that he ‘wished the madness might not be forgotten before next Sunday.’ From this time on, Whitefield would preach to packed buildings and huge crowds. He had wonderful gifts of natural eloquence, attested to by unbelievers such as the actor Garrick, the philosopher Hume and the American diplomat Benjamin Franklin. Garrick once said he would give 100 guineas to be able to say ‘Oh!’ with the eloquence of Whitefield. His voice had extraordinary carrying power and could be clearly heard by crowds numbering 30,000 or more in the open air. For all this, his preaching was simple, totally Bible based and easily understood by the common man. Above all, Whitefield carried an extraordinary anointing from God as an evangelist, which revealed sin and often made people cry out in repentance. In 1738 Whitefield made his first journey to America, where he established an orphanage in Georgia. On his return, he found huge crowds gathered to hear him preach, but churches began

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03/06/2010 14:48:52

JULY – SEPTEMBER 2010

George Whitefield was God’s primary instrument of revival in the awakening which took place on both sides of the Atlantic in the 18th century. Portraits of Whitefield often show him with a pronounced squint, which was caused by an attack of measles in infancy. It afforded his detractors a point of ridicule, and he was often referred to among the London rif-raf as ‘Dr Squintum’.

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03/06/2010 14:58:36



July – September 2010

closing their doors to his message. Whitefield now did the unthinkable – he started to preach in the open air! At Kingswood, Bristol, he preached to the miners, and soon crowds of 20,000 rough, near-heathen people were responding to the gospel. Whitefield himself movingly describes how ‘the first discovery of their being affected was to see the white gutters made by the tears which plentifully ran down their black cheeks as they came out of the coal pits.’ It was at Bristol that Whitefield introduced the newly-converted John Wesley to field preaching. Wesley, like most of the Anglican Church, was initially shocked by such ‘disorder’, but soon proved himself a worthy companion to Whitefield. Wesley’s incredible organiNewspaper illustration of Whitefield preaching on Moorfield sational abilities helped form the societies which were to Wesley and departed again for Georgia. In become such a feature of out of the public arena for fear of harming America, despite much opposition from early ‘Methodism’. the revival. However, the controversy was the established church, Whitefield was From Bristol, Whitefield moved to now well joined and, when Whitefield arsoon preaching to huge crowds in the open London where he preached to huge crowds rived back in England, he found Wesley in air. During his two years in the colony, at Moorfields, a place of riotous entertaincharge of the movement he had begun and his preaching sparked what has become ment, and Kennington Common, the scene many of his former followers had deserted known as ‘The Great Awakening’ with of many hangings and gibbetings. The him. fires of revival burning wherever the young worst characters in all London gathered at Deeply in debt because of his obligaevangelist went. During this visit he met such places, and it took enormous courage tions to the orphanage in America, Whitesome of America’s most prominent preachfor a field preacher to brave the hostility of field set about recovering support and healers including Gilbert Tennant and Jonathan the mob for the sake of the gospel. In spite ing the rifts in the evangelical community. Edwards. Edwards, commenting on the of the dangers, field preaching became the His friends built a huge building known as effect of Whitefield’s preaching, said, ‘The pattern for his life’s work and he travelled ‘The Tabernacle’ at Moorfields and there, congregation was extraordinarily for the next 12 years, Whitefield helped set melted by each sermon, almost the pace of revival as he pioneered a whole the whole assembly being in tears new direction – the training and use of lay for a great part of the time... there ministers as preachers and evangelists. His voice had was a great alteration in the town, From his London base, Whitefield extraordinary carrying both as to the revival of professors travelled all over England as well as several [of religion] and the awakening of more times to America. In 1742 a tremenpower and could be others.’ dous revival shook Cambuslang in Scotland clearly heard by crowds On his return to England in where, as he preached to a vast crowd, 1741, Whitefield faced the suWhitefield observed, ‘for about an hournumbering 30,000 or more preme trial of his life. The revival and-a-half there was such weeping, so many in the open air. had spread wonderfully, but a falling in deep distress and manifesting in sad division had arisen within its different ways. The people seemed to be ranks over the Arminian-Calvinsmitten in scores. They were carried off and ist controversy (an argument which pitted from place to place, often preaching 20 brought from a field of battle.’ the free will of man against the sovereignty sermons a week. In 1741 Whitefield married Elizabeth of God in the salvation process). There were By now a major evangelical awakenJames, a widow ten years his senior. The obvious faults on both sides, but the rift was ing was underway, but Whitefield felt marriage, although not as disastrous as John initially provoked by John Wesley’s publishimpelled to go back to America. So in 1739 Wesley’s infamous match, does not appear ing of his anti-Calvinist views. Whitefield he left much of the work he had begun in to have been very successful for either had begged him to keep such controversies the hands of his friends John and Charles partner and was visited with sorrow when

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11 July – september 2010

their only child, John, died in infancy. As Whitefield got older, his health began to decline. However, he kept up his rigorous itinerary, even in his last years. Sometimes he would be so weak he had to be carried to his preaching point, where he would wait for the Holy Spirit to move upon him and then, divinely strengthened, again preach with great power. He sailed for America for the last time in 1769 and in September 1770 preached his final sermon in Exeter, near Boston. On being told, ‘Sir, you are more fit to go to bed than preach,’ he lifted his heart and said,

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It took enormous courage for a field preacher to brave the hostility of the mob for the sake of the gospel.

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‘Lord Jesus, I am weary in thy work but not weary of it.’ He then preached in a field for two hours on ‘Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith.’ Later that evening, feeling very ill, he was about to retire when a small crowd gathered at the house asking that he preach to them. And so the evangelist who could never say ‘no’ to sinners preached Christ to them until the light of his candle expired. It was symbolic of his own life which, by then, had burned out for God. That night Whitefield suffered a severe attack of

asthma and died. George Whitefield was not just a great preacher but a great man, completely sold out for Christ. Although undoubtedly the initial leader of the Methodist movement and the initiator of many of its innovations, he deliberately chose to hand the leadership over to Wesley rather than see the movement divided. When asked why he didn’t form a movement which bore his name, he replied, ‘Let the name of Whitefield perish, but Christ be glorified.’ He did not desire human recognition or adulation, but rather to use his extraordinary gifts in the service of Christ. His life is a reminder of how, in times of godlessness and sin in the nation such as we are experiencing today, God can raise up a man as a shining light and an instrument of revival. But it also reminds us that revival is always an offence, particularly to the religious establishment, and that no evangelist was more shocking to many of his contemporaries than Whitefield. Those who long for God to raise up ‘another Whitefield’ should remember that such a man will always be on the radical cutting edge of modern evangelism and would be just as offensive to our religious scruples as Whitefield was in his day. Even so, Lord, do it again! H

For further reading: A complete study of Whitefield’s life is found in a superb two-volume biography, ‘George Whitefield’ by Arnold Dallimore (Banner of Truth). This is one of the great modern Christian biographies, even though some might think the author comes down too firmly on the Calvinist side of the controversy between Whitefield and Wesley. Dallimore’s book is also available in a popular, abridged version. Another popular biography, ‘George Whitefield and the Great Awakening’ by John Pollock, is also worth reading. Copies of these books may be obtained from Amazon.co.uk and Banner of Truth.

Whitefield and the ‘Grim Reaper’

uring the 18th century awakening, the North Yorkshire village of Howarth (famous afterwards for the Bronte sisters) experienced a revival under the ministry of William Grimshaw. The church building held 1,000 people, but soon the crowds were so great that they gathered in the church yard to listen. One time when Whitefield visited and preached to them up to 6,000 gathered. As Whitefield announced his text on, ‘It is appointed unto man once to die,’ a person shrieked out and that

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person was soon dead. Whitefield needed to start again and after again announcing his text there was another shriek and another person died. Assessing the situation, Grimshaw looked up at Whitefield and said, ‘It appears the Grim Reaper is among us. Cry out, sir! Cry out with all your might!’ Needless to say, the congregation were particularly receptive to Whitefield’s message that day!

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July – September 2010

Benjamin Franklin on Whitefield An example of Whitefield’s charitable heart and astounding eloquence is recorded in the autobiography of one of America’s founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin. Though not a religious man, Franklin found it impossible not to be moved by Whitefield’s eloquence as he appealed on behalf of the Orphan House he had founded in Georgia. ‘The sight of the miserable situation [of the orphans he found when preaching in Georgia] inspired the benevolent heart of Mr Whitefield with the idea of building an orphan house there, in which they might be supported and educated. Returning northward, he preached up this charity, and made large collections, for his eloquence had a wonderful power over the hearts and purses of his hearers, of which I myself was an instance. ‘I did not disapprove of the design, but, as Georgia was then destitute of materials and workmen, and it was proposed to send them from Philadelphia at a great expense, I thought it would have been better to have built the house here, and brought the children to it. This I advised; but he was resolute in his first project, rejected my counsel, and I therefore refused to contribute. ‘I happened soon after to attend one of his sermons, in the course of which I perceived he intended to finish with a collection, and I silently resolved he should get nothing from me, I had in my pocket a handful of copper money, three or four silver dollars, and five pistoles in gold. As he proceeded I began to soften, and concluded to give the coppers. Another stroke of his oratory made me ashamed of that, and determined me to give the silver; and he finished so admirably, that I emptied my pocket wholly into the collector’s dish, gold and all!’

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Whitefield on Justification by Faith An assessment of Whitefield’s preaching from his published sermons is notoriously difficult. The printed page captures the words but not the eloquence and power of the supreme oratory behind those words. However, this part of the sermon from Matthew 22:42, ‘What think ye of Christ?’ in which Whitefield deals with justification by faith will give an idea of the content of the great preacher’s message.

hat think you about being justified by Christ? I believe I can answer for some of you; for many, I fear, think to be justified or looked upon as righteous in God’s sight, without Jesus Christ. But such will find themselves dreadfully mistaken; for out of Christ, ‘God is a consuming fire.’ Others satisfy themselves, with believing that Christ was God and man, and that he came into the world to save sinners in general; whereas, their chief concern ought to be, how they may be assured that Jesus Christ came into the world to save them in particular. ‘The life that I now live in the flesh, (says the Apostle) is by faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.’ Observe, FOR ME: it is this immediate application of Jesus Christ to our own hearts; and that they can be justified in God’s sight, only in or through him: but then they make him only in part a saviour. They are for doing what they can themselves, and then Jesus Christ is to make up the deficiencies of their righteousness. This is the sum and substance of our modern divinity. And was it possible for me to know the thoughts of most that hear me this day, I believe they would tell me, this was the scheme they had laid, and perhaps depended on for some years, for their eternal salvation. Is it not then high time, my brethren, for you to entertain quite different thoughts concerning justification by Jesus Christ? For if you think thus, you are in the case of those unhappy Jews, who went about to establish their own righteousness, and would not submit to, and consequently missed of that righteousness which is of God by faith in Christ Jesus our Lord. What think you then, if I tell you, that you are to be justified freely through faith in Jesus Christ, without any regard to any work or fitness foreseen in us at all? For

salvation is the free gift of God, I know no fitness in man, but a fitness to be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone for ever. Our righteousnesses, in God’s sight, are but as filthy rags; he cannot away with them. Our holiness, if we have any, is not the cause, but the effect of our justification in God’s sight. ‘We love God, because he first loved us.’ We must not come to God as the proud Pharisee did, bringing in as it were a reckoning of our services; we must come in the temper and language of the poor Publican, smiting upon our breasts, and saying, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner;’ for Jesus Christ justifies us whilst we are ungodly. He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. The poor in spirit only, they who are willing to go out of themselves, and rely wholly on the righteousness of another, are so blessed as to be members of his kingdom. Our salvation is all of God, from the beginning to the end; it is not of works, lest any man should boast; man has no hand in it: it is Christ who is to be made to us of God the Father, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and eternal redemption. His active as well as his passive obedience, is to be applied to poor sinners. He has fulfilled all righteousness in our stead that we might become the righteousness of God in him. All we have to do, is to lay hold on this righteousness by faith; and the very moment we do apprehend it by a lively faith, that very moment we may be assured, that the blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed us from all sin. ‘For the promise is to us and to our children, and to as many as the Lord our God shall call.’

The whole of this sermon may be found at www.reformed.org/documents/ Whitefield.html

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13 July – september 2010

The Evangelist at Sea

hen only 23, the young George Whitefield made the first of his thirteen trips across the Atlantic to preach in the colony of Georgia. While at sea, Whitefield soon realised that his first mission field would be the ship he was travelling on, The Whitaker. Here he became an evangelist to a special congregation. Besides the crew of the vessel, there were at least twenty women and children and about one hundred soldiers on board. The soldiers were being sent to Georgia to defend the Colony from the Spaniards in Florida. Whitefield’s immediate goal was to see all the people on board converted, yet he was faced with great opposition. The soldiers cursed like sailors and mocked like pagans. They were so pagan that Whitefield decided to delay his preaching and instead, as he said, ‘catch them with a holy guile!’ He ministered in a very pastoral way by encouraging the unusual congregation with kind words, acts of graciousness, and sincere prayers. He sought to build personal relationships with the soldiers by having helpful conversations with them, reasoning with them concerning the things of God and the gospel of Christ. He was practicing the personal evangelism approach taught in 1 Peter 3:15, which says that we ought to ‘be ready always to give an answer of the hope that lies within us with meekness and fear.’ He and his partner James Habersham began a teaching ministry of Bible study and simple education for the women and children on board, and they invited the soldiers to attend as well. After setting this foundation of love and concern, George approached the captain of the soldiers and asked if he could preach to the entire group. Not only did the captain – having seen the beneficial effect Whitefield’s preaching was having on his men – agree to this request, he actually facilitated a meeting place. He ordered chairs to be set out on the deck and planks laid across them so the Whitaker became a floating chapel! Every day Whitefield would lead praise and worship and then preach to his floating congregation. The fruits of conversion on the boat became very obvious. Cursing and profanity were replaced by Bible study and songs of praise. Many, if not all, of the people on board had received Christ and were now listening attentively to Whitefield’s preaching morning and evening. Several times during the journey, other boats would come alongside The Whitaker to hear the young evangelist preach. During the voyage Whitefield had shown himself as gifted an evangelist on board a ship as he had been while preaching in the churches in England. Indeed, his first harvest of souls as a missionary to Georgia came several months before he actually arrived at his mission field!

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The Preacher Part of a poem about George Whitefield by John Greenleaf Whittier, a Quaker, who also wrote the famous hymn ‘Dear Lord and Father of Mankind.’ Lo! by the Merrimac Whitefield stands In the temple that never was made by hands, Curtains of azure, and crystal wall, And dome of the sunshine over all! A homeless pilgrim, with dubious name Blown about on the winds of fame; Now as an angel of blessing classed, And now as a mad enthusiast. Called in his youth to sound and gauge The moral lapse of his race and age, And, sharp as truth, the contrast draw Of human frailty and perfect law; Possessed by the one dread thought that lent Its goad to his fiery temperament, Up and down the world he went, A John the Baptist crying – ‘Repent!’ For the whole poem see: www.accuracyproject.org/t-Whittier-ThePreacher.html ‘Merrimac’ is an old spelling of Merrimack, a river that runs in the North Eastern United States, where Whitefield would often preach during his visits to America. ‘Enthusiast’ was a word for a religious fanatic, and therefore an insult.

Whitefield by his contemporaries ‘He is the most extraordinary man of our times. He has the most commanding eloquence I ever heard in any person.’ (Lord Bolingbroke) David Hume, Scottish philosopher, skeptic and deist, is said to have raced off at five in the morning to hear the evangelist George Whitefield preach. Asked if he believed what the Whitefield preached, he replied, ‘No, but he does!’ ‘It was wonderful to see the change made by his preaching in the manners of the inhabitants of Philadelphia. From being thoughtless or indifferent about religion, it seemed as if the whole world were growing religious.’ (Benjamin Franklin) ‘It seemed as if he never preached in vain.’ (John Newton) ‘Have we read or heard of any person who called so many thousands, so many myriads of sinners to repentance? Above all, have we read or heard of anyone who has been God’s blessed instrument to bring so many sinners from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God as Whitefield?’ (John Wesley)

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July – September 2010

LETTERS Bang on target Many thanks for the first two issues of Heroes. They are terrific. The production is absolutely first class in every way, in content and in the high quality of production and lay-out. I trust and pray that with God’s blessing it will exceed even your highest expectations and that God will honour your faith in launching it and that you will never be hindered by lack of finance. All the articles I have read so far in the first two issues are ‘bang on target’. The selection of heroes is brilliant – and I am sure they will result in memories being stirred and will ensure that you will never be short of ‘heroes’ for future issues. Colin Whittaker, via e-mail

A credit to the cause I have just read the April-June 2010 edition of Heroes of the Faith. It is really well presented and a credit to the cause – well done. I particularly enjoyed the article on Teddy Hodgson. I remember over 20 years ago visiting the AOG Eventide home in Bedford (Douglas Quy) to introduce Harold Womersley (mentioned in the article) to a group of school children – it was a privilege. Peter Linnecar, Brentwood

A powerful weapon What a privilege to receive the first copy of the Heroes of the Faith magazine here in India. I have gone through each and every page, sentence and word of these powerful articles and I am greatly profited by the inspiring messages and life histories. Especially I was moved by the detailed life story and thrilling power-packed incidents of Smith Wigglesworth. I had already studied his story, but this article gave me a full idea, detailing his call, works and the reasons why he had such a faith in his Christian walk. Thank you and God bless your dreams and make this magazine a powerful weapon to revive his preparing Bride. Rev Jacob Manoharan, South India

Beau Nash and John Wesley

eau Nash, the reigning dandy of England, was sojourning among the fashionable circles of Bath when it was announced that John Wesley was coming to preach in that place. In a spirit of high jest Nash boasted among his friends that he would attend the meeting and confound the ridiculous Methodist ranter. This boast was noised abroad and a large audience gathered to ‘see the fun’, among them being many of Nash’s fashionable friends. After Wesley had begun preaching Beau entered the meeting pompously and, coming up to Wesley, asked by what authority he dared to preach. Wesley replied, ‘By that of Jesus Christ, conveyed to me by the present Archbishop of Canterbury, when he laid hands upon me and said, ‘Take thou to preach the gospel’. Nash insisted he was breaking the laws by so doing and added, ‘Besides your preaching frightens people out of their wits.’ Wesley answered, ‘Sir, did you ever hear me preach?’ ‘No,’ Nash replied. ‘How, then,’ asked Wesley, ‘can you judge of what you never heard?’ ‘By common report,’ said Nash. ‘Sir,’ continued Wesley, ‘is not your name Nash? I dare not judge you by common report. I think it is not enough to judge by.’ This nettled Beau and he exclaimed, ‘I desire to know what these people come here for.’ One of ‘these people’ retorted, ‘Sir, let an old woman answer him. You, Mr. Nash, take care of your body. We take care of our souls, and for the food of our souls have we come here.’ To this Nash had no reply and having been made ridiculous, he escaped further embarrassment by leaving the meeting in haste, to the amusement of all the people.  Some day you will read in the papers that DL Moody of East Northfield, is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it! At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now; I shall have gone up higher, that is all, out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal – a body that death cannot touch, that sin cannot taint; a body fashioned like unto His glorious body. (DL Moody)  Every man must do two things alone; he must do his own believing and his own dying. (Martin Luther, reformer)

A brilliant journal Heroes of the Faith is a brilliant journal, thoroughly enjoyable and challenging. There are themes and jewels throughout, and the whole mag and concept is brilliant. I buy three and give away a couple to folks I am ‘looking after’. It does them good, and their families as well. I appreciated you starting with Smith Wigglesworth. There are loads of encouraging things about his life as you will know. If you run out of heroes, you could do a repeat look at SW and bless us again. Please keep up the very good work. John Hopkinson, St Albans

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I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. (Galileo Galilei)

 The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul. (Johannes Sebastian Bach)  Well, I can’t figure out God! (Oral Roberts)  I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish that he didn’t trust me so much. (Mother Teresa)

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15 July – september 2010

words to live by

Bible crossword 

 

59 The sons of Benjamin: Gera, Naaman, ___ , Rosh (Gen 46:21) 60 Now ___ kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil (Gen 4:2) 61 the fine linen, and the ___ , and the vails. (Isa 3:23) KJV 63 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come ___ you (Luke 1:35) 64 So Moses brought their ___ before the LORD (Num 27:5) 65 and do good; let him seek peace, and ___ it (1 Peter 3:11) KJV 66 sold your people for a pittance, gaining nothing from their ___ (Ps 44:12) 67 Those who practice magic ___ , the idolaters and all liars (Rev 21:8) 68 the hollow of his hand, and ___ out heaven with the span (Isa 40:12) KJV 69 The ___ of the LORD are on the righteous (Ps 34:15)

DOWN

 ACROSS 1But he took ___ of their distress when he heard their cry (Ps 106:44) 5 the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for ___ (Acts 27:6) 10 one of the minor Old Testament prophets

14 You will rule them with an ___ scepter (Ps 2:9) 15 may be established by the testimony of two or ___ witnesses (Matt 18:16) 16 merchants and sellers of all kind of ___ lodged (Neh 13:20) KJV 17 The Lord needs it and will ___ it back here shortly (Mark 11:3) 18 his enemy came and sowed ___ among the wheat (Matt 13:25) 19 Fall on us and ___ us from the face of him who sits (Rev 6:16) 20 worship God acceptably with reverence and ___ (Heb 12:28) 21 so that it will be like a ___ swaying in the water (1 Kings 14:15) 22 But the day Lot left ___ , fire and sulfur rained down (Luke 17:29) 23 Like ___ babies, crave pure spiritual milk (1 Peter 2:2) 25 they consult a wooden ___ and are answered by a stick (Hos 4:12) 27 grandfather of David (1 Chron 2:12) 28 because he was of the house and ___ of David (Luke 2:4) KJV 32 His face ___ like the sun, and his clothes became as white (Matt 17:2) 35 to the ___ afar off, that have not heard my fame (Isa 66:19) KJV 37 If any one of you is without ___ , let him be the first to throw (John 8:7) 38 and authority to drive out all demons and to ___ diseases (Luke 9:1-2) 40 the wicked ___ their bows; they set their arrows (Ps 11:2) Ask him. He is of ___ ; he will speak for himself (John 9:21) 41 42 Summon your ___, O God; show us your strength (Ps 68:28) 45 street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent ___ (Rev 21:21) 46 anything in heaven above or on the earth ___ (Ex 20:4) 48 brother of Jacob (Gen 25:25-26) 50 “You ___ were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said (Matt 26:69) 51 Saul spent ___ days with the disciples in Damascus (Acts 9:19) 55 letting your cattle and donkeys ___ free (Isa 32:20) 58 go to the lake and throw out your ___ . Take the first fish (Matt 17:27)

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1 In the month of ___ in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes (Neh 2:1) 2 whether it be cow ___ ___ , ye shall not kill it and (2,3) (Lev 22:28) KJV 3 their wives to other men and their fields ___ ___ owners (2,3) (Jer 8:10) 4 but he who stands firm to the ___ will be saved (Matt 24:13) 5 no power over me if ___ ___ not given to you (2,4) (John 19:11) 6 and does my will to ___ ___, ___ will give authority (3,3,1) (Rev 2:26) 7 there before me was a man riding ___ ___ horse (1,3)(Zech 1:8) 8 You will go out in joy and be ___ forth in peace (Isa 55:12) 9 “___ , Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ (John 11:27) 10 may redeem it within ___ ___ year after it is sold (1,5) (Lev 25:29) KJV 11 as the eyes of a ___ look to the hand of her mistress (Ps 123:2) 12 did I do it lightly? ___ ___ I make my plans in a (2,2) (2 Cor 1:17) 13 Your beginnings will ___ humble, so prosperous will your (Job 8:7) 21 a large crown of gold and a purple ___ of fine linen (Est 8:15) 22 On that very day Noah and his ___ , Shem, Ham and Japheth (Gen 7:13) 24 This is now ___ of my bones and flesh of my flesh (Gen 2:23) 25 Indeed he was ___ , and almost died (Phil 2:27) 26 While we were still sinners, Christ ___ for us (Rom 5:8) 29 was what looked like ___ ___ of glass, clear as crystal (1,3) (Rev 4:6) 30 a net by the wayside; they have set ___ for me (Ps 140:5) KJV 31 God will bless us, and all the ___ of the earth will fear him (Ps 67:7) 32 in the skin of his flesh a rising, a ___, or a bright spot (Lev 13:2) KJV 33 From the sky ___ hailstones of about a hundred pounds each (Rev 16:21) 34 son of Jerahmeel (1 Chron 2:25) 36 Come and ___ what God has done (Ps 66:5) 39 There we sat around ___ of meat and ate all the food (Ex 16:3) 40 Make a curtain of ___, purple and scarlet yarn (Ex 26:31) 42 there before me was a ___ horse! Its rider was named Death (Rev 6:8) 43 Blessed are those ___ hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matt 5:6) 44 That the ___ of men might seek after the Lord (Acts 15:17) KJV 45 Then he took the cup, ___ thanks and offered it to them (Matt 26:27) 47 They will soar on wings like ___ (Isa 40:31) 49 about midnight the sailors ___ they were approaching land (Acts 27:27) 52 How can I ___ the LORD for all his goodness to me? (Ps 116:12) 53 dug ___ ___ in the ground and hid his master’s money (1,4)(Matt 25:18) 54 even with two ___ measured he to put to death (2 Sam 8:2) KJV 55 anyone who says to his brother, ___ ,’ is answerable to the (Matt 5:22) 56 badgers’ skins, and shall put them on ___ ___ (1,3) (Num 4:12) KJV 57 The owl will ___ there and lay eggs, she will hatch them (Isa 34:15) 58 My people have been ___ sheep; their shepherds have (Jer 50:6) 61 pomegranates are to alternate around the ___ of the robe (Ex 28:34) 62 No ___ knows about that day or hour (Matt 24:36) 63 Do not ___ dishonest standards when measuring length (Lev 19:35)

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July – September 2010

TIME TRAvEL

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July â&#x20AC;&#x201C; September 2010 17

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July – september September 2010

The Big P This group of ladies from the women’s missionary training home of the Pentecostal Missionary Union are serious about taking the gospel around the world. The PMU came into being in 1909 and was headed by Cecil Polhill until 1925. The PMU sent missionaries to China, India, Tibet, Congo and Brazil. This photo was taken in 1921.

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â&#x20AC;&#x2030;19 July â&#x20AC;&#x201C; september 2010

g Picture

e ound il ongo

l Can any reader help us name any of those in the picture and tell the stories of these brave women? Or, do you have photographs that might be featured in The Big Picture in future issues. Write to Heroes of the Faith, PO Box 777, Nottingham, NG11 6QA, Great Britain, or e-mail editorial@newlife.co.uk

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20 APRIL July ––JUNE September 2010 2010

Fanny J Crosby – the who saw light rathe

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July –APRIL September – JUNE 2010 21

he blind hymn writer ther than darkness Blind nearly all her life through the incompetence of a travelling quack doctor, Fanny Crosby could have easily lived her life in bitterness. However, through her faith in God, she not only refused to be daunted by her disability, but became one of the greatest songwriters in the history of the Christian church. During the course of her life over 8,000 of her poems were set to music and more than 100 million copies of her songs were printed.

rances Jane ‘Fanny’ Crosby was born in a tiny cottage in New York in 1820. Her early life appeared to be shaped by tragedy. Her father, John, died when she was only a year old. Before that, however, when she was only six weeks old, Fanny was stricken with blindness through a monumental medical error. She had developed a slight cold in her eyes and, the regular family physician being away, another country doctor was called in to treat her. The hot mustard poultices he prescribed to be applied to her eyes destroyed the baby’s sight completely! It was later discovered that the ‘doctor’ was not even qualified to practice medicine, but it was too late to prosecute him, for by then he had left town, never to be heard of again. When she was five years old, Fanny was taken to see an eminent eye specialist who told her, ‘Poor child, you will never see again.’ However, even as a youngster, Fanny refused to be daunted by her disability. Her first recorded poem, written when she was only eight years old, shows an indomitable spirit: O what a happy soul am I! Although I cannot see, I am resolved that in this world, Contented I will be. How many blessings I enjoy, That other people don’t. To weep and sigh because I’m blind, I cannot, and I won’t! When she was nine, the family moved to Ridgefield, Connecticut, where she was to stay until the age of 15. Here her grandmother became a major influence in her life, introducing Fanny to the books of

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by David Littlewood the Bible. Soon the Scriptures became more familiar to her than any other book. Equipped with a brilliant mind, the child could repeat from memory the Pentateuch, Ruth, many of the Psalms, Proverbs, the Song of Songs and much of the New Testament. Hungry for education, Fanny was overjoyed to be sent to The Institution for the Blind in New York City aged 15. She was to spend the next 23 years of her life there, as a student for twelve years, and then eleven more years as a teacher. Here at the Institute, even though not encouraged by her teachers, her ability as a poet began to assert itself with a remarkable vigour. When, at 23, she represented the Institute before Congress, Fanny recited some of her poems about the tender care of a loving Saviour, speaking with conviction as though she had seen him face to face. Men such as John Quincy Adams and Jefferson Davis were among those moved to tears by the blind poetess. As a result of this, Fanny began to make friends with the great political and religious leaders of the day, and during her lifetime she knew all the American presidents except George Washington. Fanny’s first book of poetry, entitled ‘The Blind Girl and Other Poems’ was published when she was 24; she also composed several popular songs and assisted in writing what was probably the first cantata published in America. When she was 27 Fanny became an instructor at the Institute, a position which she held until 1858. With all her apparent devotion to Christ, it is surprising that Fanny did not actually experience an evangelical conversion until 1851, when she was 31 years old. She attended a revival service held

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22 July – September 2010

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Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

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at the John Street Methodist Church in New York. Recalling the incident years later, she said, ‘After a prayer was offered, they began to sing the grand old consecration hymn, ‘Alas! And Did My Saviour Bleed?’ and when they reached the third line of the fifth stanza, ‘Here, Lord, I give myself away,’ my very soul was flooded with celestial light.’ Aged 37, Fanny married her long-time sweetheart, Alexander VanAlstyne, who had been a fellow student at the Blind Institute and, like Fanny, he also became a teacher there. He was later to write the music for some of her poems. The VanAlstynes were married for 44 years, although, on her husband’s insistence, Fanny continued to use her maiden name, which was by then already quite famous. The couple had only one child, which died in infancy. Later, Fanny’s hymn, ‘Safe in the arms of Jesus’, would bring comfort to many similarly grieving parents. In 1864, aged 44, Fanny met the wellknown composer, William Bradbury, who told her she should turn her poetical abilities towards writing hymns; he suggested she write a hymn for him that week. Within three days Fanny returned with her first sacred song: We are going, we are going to a home beyond the skies, Where the fields are robed in beauty, And the sunlight never dies.

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Assurance, He Hideth My Soul, I Am Thine O Lord, Jesus Is Calling, Near the Cross, Pass Me Not, Praise Him Praise Him, Redeemed, Rescue the Perishing, Safe in the Arms of Jesus, Saved by Grace, Tell Me the Story of Jesus, To God Be the Glory and To the Work – to mention but a few. Fanny’s hymns may not have the deep theological convictions of Charles Wesley and Isaac Watts, but they reveal their author’s extraordinary relationship with God. Fanny spent many hours in prayer – and delighted in it! As she later wrote: O the pure delight of a single hour, That before Thy throne I spend, As I kneel in prayer and with Thee, my God, I commune as friend with friend, And these lines from ‘Blessed assurance’

show her to be entirely familiar with the ecstatic movings of the Holy Spirit in her soul: Perfect submission, perfect delight, Visions of rapture now burst on my sight, Angels descending, bring from above, Echoes of mercy, whispers of love, Above all, Fanny Crosby’s verses speak of a heart totally in love with her Saviour, the heart of a true worshipper. In fact, any treatise on worship would be incomplete without a study of the hymns of Fanny Crosby. Her hymns have a unique ability to touch even the hardest hearts. ‘Pass me not’, her first hymn to win worldwide attention, was composed in 1868 after a prison service. As Fanny spoke, a prisoner cried out, ‘O Lord, don’t pass me by!’ And she wrote it into a hymn. In the Moody-Sankey meetings in London in 1875, a hard-drinking Englishman heard the crowd singing the hymn and whispered to himself, ‘O, I wish he would not pass me by!’ The next night the service began with the same hymn and he was saved. He began carrying a copy of the hymn with him and forty years later, as a successful businessman in America, he met Fanny and gave her twenty dollars.

This was Fanny’s first hymn, and it began an extraordinarily prolific outpouring of material from her pen. She produced as many as seven in one day, and wrote so many that on several occasions, on enquiring the author of an unfamiliar hymn, she would find it to be one of her own! In fact, as many as 200 different pen names were used by hymn book publishers so that the public wouldn’t know she wrote such a large number of them! Among the hymns Fanny gave to the church are: A Shelter in the Time of Storm, All the Way My Saviour Leads Me, Blessed The lyrics of ‘Gentle Words of Jesus’ penned by Fanny’s hand

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July – September 2010 23

Fanny’s hymn, ‘Safe in the arms of Jesus’, has not only comforted many bereaved people but has also given hope to the dying. There is an extraordinary story of the effect of the hymn during World War I in 1918. A Finnish army engineer tells of besieging a town and taking a number of prisoners. Seven of them were to be shot

poetess replied, ‘Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine…’ and one of the great gospel songs was born. Fanny’s composition rate was extraordinary – like the time when Philip Phillips brought her forty subjects for hymns. When he returned several days later, she had completed them all! She also dictated them to him entirely from memory! For a long time she was contracted to write three hymns a week for a Tell me the story of Jesus, New York publishing firm. Altogether Write on my heart every word! they purchased 5,900 Tell me the story most precious, hymns from her Sweetest that ever was heard. and provided her a regular allowance in Tell how the angels in chorus her later years. Sang, as they welcomed His birth, It was the composer and ‘Glory to God in the highest, collector of hymns, Peace and good tidings to earth’. Ira Sankey, who did more than any other single individual to popularise Fanny Crosby’s songs. The at dawn the following Monday. Hearing of great crowds who thronged the Moodythis, one of the doomed men began to sing, Sankey revival meetings sang her songs ‘Safe in the Arms of Jesus’, that he had until they became part of the heritage of that learned only three weeks previously from generation. the Salvation Army. One after another of At the age of 90, Fanny declared, ‘My the comrades fell to their knees and began love for the Holy Bible and its sacred truth is to pray. The seven asked to be allowed to stronger and more precious to me at 90 than die with uncovered faces. With hands raised at 19.’ Asked about her long life, she said her to heaven, they sang this song as they were secret was that she guarded ‘her taste, her ushered into eternity. The Finnish engineer, temper and her tongue.’ A famous saying of Nordenberg, a former Army Officer, who hers through the years was, ‘Don’t waste any tells the story, himself met Christ that very sympathy on me. I am the happiest person hour as a result of this witness. living.’ One day at the Bible conference in Fanny remained active until her death. Northfield, Massachusetts, Fanny was At 92, she enjoyed her first visit to Harvard. asked by the famous evangelist, DL Moody, Her latter days were spent in Bridgeport, to give a personal testimony. At first she Connecticut, with a Mrs Booth, who cared hesitated, then quietly rose and said, ‘There for her. Shortly before her death, she penned is one hymn I have written which has never her last lines: ‘You will reach the river been published. I call it my soul’s poem. brink, some sweet day, bye and bye.’ On her Sometimes when I am troubled, I repeat it last night, she dictated a letter of comfort to myself, for it brings comfort to my heart.’ to a sorrowing friend, whose daughter had She then recited while many wept: recently died. At three o’clock the next Some day the silver cord will break, morning, Mrs Booth found Fanny unconAnd I no more as now shall sing; scious. She slipped away to meet her loving But oh, the joy when I shall wake Saviour just short of her 95th birthday. Within the palace of the King! Her minister, George M Brown, said at And I shall see Him face to face, Fanny’s funeral, ‘There must have been a And tell the story – saved by grace! royal welcome when this queen of sacred song burst the bonds of death and passed Like several of her hymns, ‘Blessed into the glories of heaven.’ assurance’ was written in response to a And the headstone on Fanny’s grave in melody. A friend, Mrs Knapp, played Fanny Bridgeport, Connecticut, carries a typia tune she had composed. When she asked, cally casual quote: ‘She hath done what she H ‘What does it say to you, Fanny?’ the blind could!’

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President John Quincy Adams was moved to tears by Crosby’s verse

Hymn writer Ira D Sankey

American evangelist DL Moody

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24 July – September 2010

Adverts

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25 July – september 2010

God in Three Persons...

here can be little doubt that since the founding of the Christian Church, believers have found the whole idea of the Holy Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – a daunting one. Controversies have raged throughout the centuries and we must be thankful that the Church fathers did not shirk the responsibility of formulating and defending what is arguably the most important article of our faith – a doctrine which sets apart Christianity from the rest of the world’s major monotheistic religions. Problems arose because there is no clear mention of the Trinity in the Hebrew Scriptures. Hence, for a fanatically conservative Jew like Saul of Tarsus, the new and ‘heretical’ faith practised and preached by the followers of Jesus was doubly offensive: they worshipped someone who had died a criminal’s death and – this was arguably even worse – they spoke of God as Father, Son and Spirit and thus blatantly contradicted Deuteronomy 6:4, ‘The LORD is our God, the LORD is one’. Saul, however, was forever changed by his dramatic encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road and during his subsequent years of strenuous service and profound reflection as the Apostle Paul, he came to realise that the Trinity is not a contradiction of the monotheism of his forefathers but a development and enrichment of it. In subsequent centuries, again faced

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with other deviations, the mainstream or ‘Catholic’ Church issued doctrinal statements – each one of them in Trinitarian form – affirming the deity of Christ (Creed of Nicaea, 325) and the deity and personhood of the Holy Spirit (Nicene Creed, 381). The later Athanasian Creed – based largely on the work of Augustine of Hippo – is very firmly Trinitarian and insists that anyone who denies its doctrine or even holds it defectively will not be saved! These ancient statements of faith remain the doctrinal standard for what we might call Biblebelieving Christians. In the Middle Ages there were some interesting developments. Abbot Joachim of Fiore (d.1202) devised a series of figurae or diagrams illustrating various false views of the Godhead and, more importantly, an ingenious one of three overlapping and interlinked circles, the circles representing the Three Persons of the Divine Trinity. Joachim chose the circle as best representing the eternity of the Persons, explained the overlapping and interlinking of them as indicative of their close relationship and co-operation and, last but not least, highlighted a central and shared area pointing to their common deity. Thus the Persons are distinct, though intimately related, three though uniquely one, and coeternal and consubstantial. Demonstrably and clearly, three can be one and one can be three!

Part of Joachim’s diagram, describing the Trinity

In the Reformation period certain radicals began to deny the Trinity. They were disciples of Fausto Sozzini – they came to be known as Socinians, or in modern times, ‘Unitarians’. In Geneva during the years of Calvin’s theocratic rule, a Spanish Socinian was burned at the stake as a heretic. Servetus allegedly died praying, ‘O Jesus, Son of the Eternal God, have mercy on me!’ Some grim humorist has suggested that if he had prayed, ‘O Jesus, Eternal Son of God, have mercy on me’ the authorities would have set him free! So, be careful how you pray! Throughout the nineteenth century liberal Protestant theology generally abandoned belief in the Trinity and so reduced Jesus to a mere gifted teacher of things like the universal fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. And so it was left to Evangelicals, the Roman Catholics and Anglo-Catholics to hold on to the ancient doctrinal heritage. The First World War changed the world forever. And it had a profound effect on theology. The young Karl Barth, trying to prepare his Sunday sermon to the sound of the distant thunder of the guns on the Western Front, tore his notes up. The liberal, idealistic theology he had learned at university would no longer do in a grim situation where millions were being slaughtered and where one group of so-called ‘Christian’ nations were locked in combat with another group of ‘Christian’ nations whose allies were Muslims! Barth, followed by a number of other younger-generation theologians, undertook a complete and radical overhaul of theology in which sin was taken seriously, Christ was proclaimed as the supreme revelation of God and faith alone brought salvation. And Barth, in his own 13-volume systematic theology, Church Dogmatics, deliberately placed the Trinity at the beginning. In the latter part of the twentieth century the Trinity began to be the main focus of another generation of theologians, including Jürgen Moltmann, Wolfhart Pannenberg, Leonardo Boff, Colin Gunton and John Zizioulas. Though from different traditions, they all see the Divine Trinity, in its loving relatedness, as a model for the Church, the family and society at large. That’s how important the Trinity is!

Co Contro rn ve er rs

In our series charting the history of great controversies in the church, David Allen deals with one of the most explosive of all – the doctrine of the Trinity

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26 July – September 2010

My Hero

Hudson Taylor In our new series, My Hero, Steve Uppal discusses missionary to China, Hudson Taylor.

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27 July – september 2010

ames Hudson Taylor is more commonly known to many simply as Hudson Taylor. He was the most widely used servant of God in the history of missions to China, spending just over fifty years ministering there, and he established the China Inland Mission (now CIM). During his time of service Taylor saw 205 mission stations established in China with 849 missionaries working in the field; he trained and released into ministry 700 Chinese workers; and more than £1.5 million came into CIM to support the work – all without him ever having solicited a single donation. Taylor developed a witnessing church in China of 125,000 believers. It has been reported that at least 35,000 of those were his own converts, people he had personally led to the Lord. All accomplished without aeroplanes, telephones or e-mail. So I ask myself how a man born more than 170 years ago manages to make such and an impact and produce such lasting fruit. Here are three lessons I learn from his life.

1. His absolute trust in God, and in God alone

believe Hudson Taylor achieved so much in his service for God because he learned early on to trust in him and him alone. He proved God whilst studying and working in Drainside, Hull. He said, ‘God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s resources.’ This truth was proven many times. Years later when one of his associates, a Dr Parker, left the hospital he was running in Ningpo, the hospital was going to be closed because the organisation that supported Parker withdrew all financial support. But Hudson decide to take it on and called all the hospital staff together, saying to them, ‘If you are prepared to trust God to supply our needs you are invited to continue your work here. Otherwise you are free to leave. I am confident that his grace is sufficient. Has not our God said that whatever we ask in his name, shall be done?’ As the weeks passed, the hospital’s supplies decreased and one day the cook told him, ‘The last bag of rice has been opened.’ This was his answer, ‘Then the Lord’s time for helping us must be close at hand.’ And so it was. Before the rice was finished, a gift of £50 had arrived. The workers in the hospital went through the ward telling the patients what had happened and saying, ‘Have your idols ever delivered you in your troubles or answered prayer after this sort?’ At times, things looked bad for Hudson

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Taylor, suffering the loss of his wife and several of his children, and suffering from serious sickness himself. Onlookers must have judged him, saying ‘Maybe you have sinned?’ But he never doubted the Lord.

2. He was a man of consistent and constant prayer

aylor lived his life founded on John 14:13. ‘Whatever you ask for…’ was the theme of his life. It was his daily practice to pray. He saw prayer work from the moment of his salvation, to the tough times in China. When travelling through inland China his co-workers reported that in the early hours of each morning, at around 3.00am, they would hear a match strike and see a candle being lit (they would often sleep together in the open air). Then they would see Hudson opening his Bible and reading by candlelight, having his devotional time with the Lord. After that he would close his Bible and begin to pray. With all that had to be done, Hudson would not forsake his time with God. Today we live in a hurry; we’re busy. We have so much to do and we think we can figure it all out, but there are still great things for those who will depend upon God and will learn to call upon his name. Daniel 11:32 says that ‘the people who know their God shall be strong and do great exploits.’ And Hudson knew his God. Philippians 4:6-7 says, ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer, petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God, and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’

3. He lived in union with Christ

oesn’t every believer live in union with Christ?’ you may ask. No. Some get saved, some know how to work his promises, but they don’t know him. Others go after what comes from his hand, but they don’t seek his face. But Hudson Taylor lived in union with Christ. He wrote once in a letter to a missionary: ‘I have the very passage for you, a passage God has so blessed to my own soul, John 7:37-39: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.” No matter how difficult my service, how sad my bereavement, how helpless I am, how deep my soul yearnings, Jesus can meet all my needs. Moreover, he says, ‘he who believes in me, trusts me fully, from within him shall flow



‘Pray on, labour on, do not be afraid of the toil or the cross – they will pay well.’



Hudson Taylor

rivers of living water.’ Can it be so? Can the thirsty soul not only be refreshed but be so saturated that streams flow down from it? Even so, and not mere mountain torrent, full while the rains lasts then dry again, but from within him shall flow rivers of living water, rivers like the River Yangtze, always a mighty stream, always flowing, deep and irresistible.’ This outflow of his life came from his knowing Jesus and being intimate with him. In these days the Father longs for his people to know him and live with him daily. God challenges us to live in the baptism of the Holy Spirit every day of our lives, to be full of him, to do nothing to offend or grieve the Spirit, to allow the love of God to be manifest in our lives, to live in union with Christ. Hudson Taylor landed on the shores of the most populous nation on earth one hundred and fifty years ago with just ten pounds in his pocket. He mentioned this later in his journals saying, ‘I had ten pounds and all of the promises of God.’ Naturally speaking, he had very little, but he had a confidence and a hope in the greatness of God and the certainty of all his promises. We serve the same God as Hudson Taylor. As you reflect on his life, I encourage you to put your absolute trust in God. Learn to pray about everything, live in union with Christ. We are all called to serve God in different ways, but we all have a plan that the Father has orchestrated for our lives. Don’t live with the illusion that your destiny is somewhere in the future. Today is a day of destiny!

Steve Uppal is the leader of All Nations Church in Wolverhampton

03/06/2010 14:49:55

28 July – September 2010

Triumph in the Torture Chamber Burning passion brought missionary hero through a fiery furnace

uring the Second World War, pastor and missionary hero Alan Benson was arrested by the occupying Japanese forces when working in Kalgan, on the border of North China and Inner Mongolia, on charges of spying. For the first seven weeks of a seven-month detention, he underwent the most foul and brutal tortures as his captors tried in vain to wring a false confession out of him. Alan later wrote that one thing kept him in these terrible months – triumphant grace. It was on August 27 1940 during World War II that the Japanese entered the mission compound and arrested Alan Benson. At first he thought it was for routine questioning, but when he was confronted by the military authorities in Kalgan, he was amazed to be told that he had been arrested

as a British spy and was responsible for organising a spy ring operating in three cities in North China. On denying the charges he was taken to the Foreign Office buildings of the Mongolian Border Government, buildings which he would soon come to dread very much in the weeks that followed. On arrival two interrogators, named Iida and Tsurata, questioned him in an apparently friendly fashion, but when Alan refused to sign the confession that he was a spy, their ‘friendliness’ soon took other forms. Threatening reprisals and torture both for him and his wife, Violet, Iida told him to confess. However, when Alan replied he could not confess to things which were not true, Iida shouted, ‘We are not asking you whether they are true; we are asking you

to confess.’ And so the torture began. Alan was forced to kneel down and hold a chair above his head, excruciatingly painful to the arms and knees, while the interrogators beat his knuckles with sticks. When he refused to hold the chair up anymore, they stood him against a wall and flogged him with a billiard cue until he fainted from the pain. His tormentors, both experienced in the ‘art’ of torture, were confident of extracting a confession from this missionary, but had reckoned without Alan’s triumphant faith in Christ. Alan later wrote, ‘When I realised I was to be ill-treated I began to pray for grace and strength, that I might suffer as a Christian and that my tormentors might not have the satisfaction of seeing any weakness or fear on my part. Psalm 71:1

Alan Benson (second from left) pioneering in Scotland (1944-47)

Heroes003July2010.indd 28

03/06/2010 14:49:58

29 July – september 2010

will pray for you each night that God will have mercy on you and pardon your sins and lead you to the Saviour.’ To which the astounded Iida quietly replied, ‘Thank you very much!’ Alan even had the opportunity of witnessing to Iida about the gospel. The wretched man confessed that he had once known a missionary in Tokyo and had even professed Christ himself. But now he had rejected Christ and was making his living as a professional torturer. He believed that his heart was too black to get saved, and he entered eternity without Christ when he was killed during the war. After one session of torture in which Alan was thrown around by Japanese Ju-Jitsu experts brought in specially for the purpose, Iida told him that neither his God nor his government could help him. To which Alan replied, ‘That is where you are wrong. I know that my government cannot do a lot for me, but God has helped me so far and I believe he will bring me through because I trust him.’ Unable to exact a confession by other means, the interrogators turned to the dreaded water torture. Alan was held on his back across a Alan endured excruciating pain as table with his head his interrogators tortured him 12 hanging over the end. His mouth was hours a day for seven weeks. gagged and a large teapot of salt water was poured down his nostrils. This incredibly painful torture was repeated time Alan says, ‘If they had succeeded in and again, sometimes until Alan mercifully forcing me to sign such statements, the reslipped into unconsciousness. But every sults would have been the arrest, torture and time there were slaps to the face to bring probable execution of these missionaries, him around to face his tormentors again. myself included. This knowledge became a Once they varied the torture when they great deterrent to me.’ poured very hot tea into Alan’s nostrils, For seven weeks Alan endured excruwith the scalding liquid going into his lungs ciating pain as his interrogators tortured and stomach and causing excruciating pain. him for 12 hours a day. His fingers and And all the time was the chant of ‘confess’. arms were bent back, and his finger and Realising Alan was unable to sleep at toe-nails and other parts of his body burned night from the pain of the day’s torture, with lighted incense sticks. These were his interrogators varied the brutality with even placed up his nose, while his face was brain-washing, telling him the horrors they beaten with a thin rod until great lumps had planned for the next day. When he appeared on his cheeks and temples. All realised this, Alan prayed that God would the time his tormentors chanted ‘Confess, take away the pain so that he could sleep at confess, confess’ over and over again. night and be able to meet the demands of Alan said, ‘No imagination can ever the next day. He recounts, ‘That prayer was sufficiently conceive the dreadful pain and wonderfully answered for, on rising to my anguish suffered daily and it was only the feet, I found the agonising pain had left my ‘triumphant grace’ of God that enabled me body and my limbs were free and no longer to remain steadfast and firm to the truth.’ stiff and sore. I was so thrilled I raised my That grace even extended to loving and hands to heaven in thankfulness and in praying for his tormentors, so that when sheer joy commenced to dance round my one of them, Iida, asked whether Alan hated small cell, praising and rejoicing in the Lord him, he was able to reply, ‘As a Christian for his goodness to me.’ missionary, I cannot hate you, but instead

became my constant prayer, ‘In Thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be put to confusion’... I prayed for grace and ‘grace triumphant’ was given to me of God, so that the Japanese were not able to wring any cries or groans from me.’ Alan’s fortitude under intense suffering amazed the Japanese. They asked him ‘Do you not feel the pain? Then why don’t you cry out under the torture?’ ‘Simply because I am a Christian,’ Alan replied, ‘and will suffer as a Christian.’ But Alan had another reason for maintaining his stubborn silence when he found out that the Japanese were seeking to implicate other missionaries in the imaginary ‘spy ring’. Apparently, a number of Chinese Christians had been arrested and beaten up, and under torture had signed false statements implicating Alan as a British spy and anti-Japanese agitator. He realised that the Japanese efforts were aimed at forcing him to sign similar statements to the effect that other British and American missionaries were also spies and working in conjunction with him.

  Heroes003July2010.indd 29

Alan endured excruciating pain as his interrogators tortured him 12 hours a day for seven weeks Such experiences of joy in the midst of terrible suffering became common for Alan as his ordeal went on. However, the Japanese had reserved one cruel trick in their increasingly desperate attempts to exact a confession. Bringing his wife into the prison, they told him they were going to subject her to the water torture. On Alan’s refusal to sign, he was taken into another room where he heard the screams of a woman apparently undergoing the torture. Only later did he find out that his wife had been released and the screams came from a Japanese woman pretending to act out his wife’s torture. After seven weeks of daily torture Alan was held in an uncomfortable prison cell where, along with the other prisoners, he was forced to sit cross-legged in silence, staring at the wall all day. Little exercise was allowed and the food was poor. However, he managed to lead several Chinese prisoners to Christ by speaking when the guards were not looking and passing notes to them, telling them of the way of salvation.

 Alan’s fortitude under intense suffering amazed the Japanese.

During this time Alan received much comfort from reading a Bible his wife had brought into the prison for him. On being



03/06/2010 14:50:00

30 July â&#x20AC;&#x201C; September 2010

Alan reports in a 1938 edition of Redemption Tidings

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03/06/2010 14:50:11

31 July – september 2010



told he would never be freed, he took the promise of Psalm 142:7 to heart, ‘Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name. The righteous shall compass me about, for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.’ And when informed that he was to be shot, Alan held on to this promise. He believed God’s word would prevail no matter what the Japanese decided. The execution never happened and after seven long months of excruciating pain and harsh conditions, Alan was placed on trial before a military court. Miraculously, the Chinese who had signed confessions implicating Alan retracted them before the court and, to Alan’s amazement, the judge accepted their statements. After a short consideration, the judge and his officers told Alan he was free to go. Alan was joyously reunited with his wife Violet and together they had the joy of taking part in the revival which broke out in the same city where Alan had been tortured. The revival touched missionaries of many denominations, with some being baptised in water, filled with the Holy Spirit and healed.

  A large teapot of very hot tea was poured into Alan’s nostrils, with the scalding liquid going into his lungs and stomach.

Lighting fires for the lonely

When Alan Benson died in 1998, veteran AoG minister, the late Willie Hacking, offered this tribute to a fellow worker of many years.

n the early 1930s when I was pastoring the Blackburn Assembly, one of our young ladies, Marion Benson, brought her brother Alan to the Saturday night prayer and testimony meeting. At the end of the meeting I made no appeal, but Alan walked straight to the front for salvation, and I had the joy of leading him to Christ. From the moment he surrendered his life to the Lord, a passion for souls burned within him. Before long, the Blackburn Assembly could hold him no longer, and with a fellow worker he travelled the British Isles by bicycle, preaching everywhere in towns and villages, often sleeping rough and trusting God for everything. Needless to say, many were won to Jesus! Alan had the words ‘to the uttermost’ laid on his heart, and China became the chief burden of his intercession. Soon he was on his way, having married Violet Mitchel, one of our devoted Blackburn members. Over a period of years hundreds of souls were won to Jesus.

Heroes003July2010.indd 31

  When told he was to be shot, Alan held onto a promise of deliverance God had given him.

But it was now too dangerous for them to remain in China as a number of ‘near misses’ showed. By a series of miracles, Alan and Violet managed to escape from North China to Shanghai despite not having the required permits. It seems God caused the Japanese official to ‘turn a blind eye’. After three months in Shanghai they took a boat to South Africa, being waved off by crowds of Chinese Christians, many of whom were to be martyred for their faith in the dark days of Communist rule that followed. In his booklet ‘Grace Triumphant’, Alan spoke of ‘a profound thankfulness to God who had so wondrously effected my deliverance, a confirmed belief that nothing is too hard for the Lord, and also a great determination to serve him more fully and more fearlessly in the days to come. ‘Looking back over it all, I can truthfully say that it has been worth it all, and in and through it all God has surely been glorified and his ‘triumphant grace’ has carried me through every trial and testing.’ H

Suddenly, in August 1940, he was arrested by the Japanese on the false charges of spying. His booklet ‘Grace Triumphant’ tells the story of the most brutal and diabolical sufferings he endured at the hands of his torturers. He literally suffered martyrdom, yet through divine grace he conducted himself with such Christian fortitude and forgiving love that even his tormentors (on their own admission) were amazed. It was only by God’s miraculous intervention that, after seven months’ detention, he was released. Arriving at Shanghai, Alan and his wife were finally able to leave China, though not without great personal difficulty and risk on account of the Japanese occupation. Having left China, they first moved to South Africa, where God greatly used them, and then home to England. Soon Alan suffered the loss of his dear wife, but the passion for souls still burned brightly within him and God used him to pioneer churches in Scotland, including Cairnbulg, Fraserburgh and Peterhead, in addition to pastoring the work in Aberdeen. Later on he pastored the Leyland Assembly for 15 years during which time he married his second wife Olwen, who cared for him devotedly during his last years. When Alan went to be with the Lord in 1998, the pastor conducting the funeral service, Bill Counsell of Leyland, spoke about spending a hard winter with Alan when he was pastoring an assembly in Manchester. One morning when the snow was deep, he found that Alan had been out at 5am, visiting a number of widows and lighting their fires for them! Alan was truly a hero – man of Christ-like character. We revere his memory and thank God for a life on fire for God.

03/06/2010 14:50:11

July – September 2010

BOOK REvIEWS

A diary of signs and wonders Maria Woodworth-Etter

Shaping history through prayer and fasting Derek Prince Whitaker House

erek Prince recounts from personal experience how history was shaped through prayer during battles, wars and key points throughout generations. However, this is more than a factual book, and will help the hungry believer learn of how they, too, can implement change in their families, churches, communities and nations through the power of prayer and fasting.

Harrison House

Paperback, £7.99

Great Revivals Colin Whittaker Kingsway

lthough there is no recording available of WoodworthEtter’s preaching, her journal, A Diary of Signs and Wonders is available to inspire a new generation of believers. Many who have read Maria’s colourful journal-type books have put them next to the Bible in importance. For example, healing pioneer Fred Bosworth, said that he wished that ‘all the saints in the Pentecostal movement had a copy of Sister Etter’s book. It is such a help to faith! There has been no such record written since the Acts of the Apostles recording such continuous victories by the Lord in our day over sin and sickness’. Pentecostal statesman, David du Plessis, said he often used to read Woodworth-Etter’s books for the ‘wonderful inspiration’ they provided. Perhaps most remarkable of all is the fact that her descendents, Tom and Mary Slevin, were converted to Christianity in 1975 through reading their great-great grandmother’s books, after which Tom made it a priority to see that her books were available as a legacy to future generations. ‘A Diary of Signs and Wonders’ puts together many of Woodworth-Etter’s journal-type books she produced during her remarkable ministry. They are written with the personal touch of a woman who knew God and did remarkable exploits. Reading them is both astonishing and inspiring. If you like Smith Wigglesworth’s books, you will love this! Review by David Littlewood

Paperback, £6.99

Heroes003July2010.indd 32

n this exciting read, Colin Whittaker journeys with the Holy Spirit into the archives of Pentecostal revival history. You can read about how God visited Korea, China and Indonesia, as well as moves of God closer to home in Britain. A book recommended for any church leader or intercessor who is passionate to see a Bible-based genuine move of God in their community. Paperback, £6.99

Aggressive Christianity Catherine Booth Diggory Press

f you’re content with average Christian life, don’t go anywhere near this book! It is an ultimatum, demanding a response from the reader to live a fullyfledged, on-fire, dedicated life for Christ. Be inspired to win souls as Salvation Army co-founder Catherine Booth explores the true meaning of Spirit-filled life. Warning: this book might change your life forever! Paperback, £6.99

03/06/2010 14:50:21

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July – September 2010 33

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34 July – September 2010

What if... she hadn’t prayed

ignored the innkeeper and prayed all night. The next morning everyone at the inn was converted. What’s more, Peter didn’t have to pay a penny! Peter Cartwright – Travelling so ‘God’s Plowman’ many miles in the rough frontier country, Cartwright came across many bandits. One day, travelling on horseback, a man walked out and stood in front of him. Peter was going to get off his horse, but God said ‘Stay on it’. The man started to chase him to attack him, not knowing that Peter had a bible in one hand and a gun in the other. Peter turned around and to the bandit’s astonishment, started to wave his gun at him. The bandit soon fled and Peter was saved without having to fire a shot. Peter Cartwright served the Lord until he passed away on September 25th 1872 aged 87 and was buried in Illinois Cemetery. During his lifetime, he witnessed over 10,000 converts being baptized and left behind a legacy for some great pioneers of the gospel. However, we might ask what would have happened if his mother hadn’t prayed!

eter Cartwright was one of the most colourful frontier preachers in the young United States. He called himself ‘God’s Plowman.’ As a circuit rider Cartwright explained in his autobiography, ‘My district was four hundred miles long, and covered all the west side of the Grand Prairie, fully two-thirds of the geographical boundaries of the state.’

Born in Virginia in 1785, just two years after the treaty ended the American Revolution, the young Peter was taken West to Kentucky. There as he grew up he became a tough guy in rough Logan County known as ‘Rogue’s Harbour’ because of its swarms of bad men. Peter, however, had a mother who prayed fervently for him and, when he was 16 years old, a serious illness caused him think about eternal matters. He began to feel guilty about his lifestyle of playing cards and gambling, but even after he renounced them he could get no peace in his soul. Undaunted, his mother continued to pray for her son and in 1800 to 1801 her prayers were answered when there was a great spiritual awakening called the ‘Cane Ridge Revival’. This outpouring of the Holy Spirit was prelude to the birthing of an American Pentecostal movement. Peter attended and found the peace he was looking

The Cane Ridge revival

by Dr Jim Masters for when he accepted Jesus as Saviour. He joined the Methodists after a great revival camp meeting near his family home in 1801. Licensed to preach in 1802, he became known as ‘Kentucky Boy’ because of his powerful speaking voice and oratory skills. This was the frontier land where he became a frontier preacher, carrying a pistol in one hand and a Bible in the other! His intensity to pray and see God move developed peculiar signs and wonders around him which were referred to as ‘the jerks’. Suddenly, during a song or sermon, those in attendance would start to jerk, whether they were saints or sinners. Cartwright saw as many as 500 people at a time get these jerks, which he took to be a sign of the Holy Spirit acting on the bodies of the people concerned. Peter spent most of his life on the road, travelling from one place to the other to preach the gospel. It is estimated that he travelled some 270,000 miles in his lifetime, preaching some 16,000 sermons. One time during his travels, Peter arrived at an inn and asked the Innkeeper if he could he pray for the people in the place. The Innkeeper thought that he just wanted to pray so that there would be a discount on the bill! So, he said no. However, Cartwright

Big picture comes into focus Many thanks to eagle-eyed reader Geoff Craven, who has more reason than most to know who was in last issue’s Big Picture – Geoff married the daughter of Arnold Astwood, 2nd from left in the image, with his hand on the banner. We made a stab at naming the outreach group before, but now with Geoff’s help we can caption it fully: (l-r) Clarinettist is Mr Missen Snr, Alfred Missen’s father; AoG minister Arnold Astwood; AoG minister Harold Tate; seated at the harmonium William (‘Willie’) Markham, pianist at Doncaster Pentecostal Church; Alfred Missen, later General Secretary of Assemblies of God; John Wood.

Heroes003July2010.indd 34

Peter’s tombstone in an Illinois cemetery

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april ––june May 2010

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A beach mission is captured in full flow on the sands at Withernsea. Interestingly, the group is advertising services Doncaster, 65 miles away! being held in Unfortunately, we are unable to date this photograph or name several of those in it but, thanks to contributors Cathy Cherrett in Nottingham and Valerie Fawbert in Plymouth we can identify some of the group: (l-r) Unknown; Unknown; EJ Phillips, later General Secretary of Elim; Unknown; Alfred Missen, later General Secretary of Assemblies of God; John Wood later minister in Sunderland. Apparently the group was known as the ‘Evangelistic Band’, had some connections with Northern Ireland and is referred to in Alfred Missen’s book about Assemblies of God, ‘The Sound of a Going’. l Perhaps readers can shed more light on this fascinating picture or have photographs that might be featured in The Big Picture in future issues. Write to Heroes of the Faith, PO Box 777, Nottingham, NG11 6QA, Great Britain, or email editorial@newl ife.co.uk

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Heroes of the Faith Who are the ‘heroes of the faith’? Do we mean those described in Daniel 3:1, ‘ who lead many to righteousness’? Or do we mean ‘children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved genera�on’ Philippians 2:15, who ‘shine like stars in the universe’? Not all God’s heroes are wri�en about in books and magazines. But they are all recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Our records are full of the Lord’s heroes. Since 1807 it has been our privilege to minister to them in their old age.

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Some have spent lives on the mission ﬁeld. They have been teachers, nurses, doctors, surgeons, administrators, preachers and more. Some have endured condi�ons we cannot imagine in order to share the gospel. Gill, a slightly built nurse from Wiltshire, rowed across rivers in hollowed-out tree trunks to reach people in remote areas of Nepal. She was o�en in danger and was thrown into jail on more than one occasion. Now in one of our care homes, she has le� behind spiritual children who have become pastors and leaders in their own right and a thriving Chris�an community. Joy was a missionary in a remote jungle part of Congo; Ben was a surgeon and teacher who changed thousands of lives in India. Others have been ‘stars’ in a crooked and depraved genera�on. Space is not suﬃcient to record them all. They are precious to God – and to us. We honour our heroes of the faith when they are older, with residen�al and nursing care, sheltered and very sheltered housing, and assisted living. Our great commission is to ‘do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Gala�ans 6:10). With your help, we can con�nue. We look to the people of God for help in our ministry to the heroes of the faith. Read more about us on www.pilgrimhomes.org.uk Published by

Pilgrim Homes 175 Tower Bridge Road, London, SE1 2AL Tel: 0300 303 1400 Fax: 0300 303 1415 Email: info@pilgrimhomes.org.uk Web: www.pilgrimhomes.org.uk Pilgrim Homes (formerly known as the Aged Pilgrims’ Friend Society) is a registered charity and a registered provider of social housing. Charity Number 242266 : RP A0822

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