The following is a stinging rebuke of those of us in the ministry who tend to have a ‘clock in and clock out’ view of our calling:
The late excellent Mr. Hervey resolved – ‘Never to go into any company, where he could not obtain access for his Master.’ And at least we should determine to [...]
Archive for the ‘Cure of Souls’ Category
The anonymous parson
Posted in Charles Bridges, Cure of Souls on December 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The early city mission work of the ‘king of the cannibals’ (2)
Posted in Cure of Souls, Vignettes from 19th Century District Visitation, Visitation Evangelism on November 4, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Following is the next installment of John G. Paton’s account of his experience with the Glasgow City Mission, an example of 19th century urban territorial missions. For the previous one, click here.
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The kind cow-feeder had to inform us—and he did it with much genuine sorrow—that at a given date he would require [...]
The early city mission work of the ‘king of the cannibals’ (1)
Posted in Cure of Souls, David Nasmith, Vignettes from 19th Century District Visitation, Visitation Evangelism on October 13, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
It has been some time since I’ve read the classic John G. Paton: Missionary to the New Hebrides (1898). A truly amazing story of God’s work through a humble, Scottish Presbyterian missionary among the cannibals of Australasia.
But I had altogether forgotten the book’s recounting of his preparatory work in the Glasgow City Mission. He had been [...]
“My district” – a snapshot of 19th century evangelistic visitation
Posted in Cure of Souls, Vignettes from 19th Century District Visitation, Visitation Evangelism on August 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
From the diary of Sir Michael Connal, evangelical Presbyterian merchant in Glasgow:
“November 6 [1838].—Visited two poor women, as a member of the Stirlingshire Charitable Society ; one a Mrs. Buchanan, a poor object, five children.just out of scarlet fever, three stairs up in a back land in the High Street; dreadful poverty, suffocating smell, rags, [...]
The man of God: the man of the Book
Posted in Cure of Souls on July 16, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
May the Lord imprint these truths, so well expressed by Charles Bridges, on the heart of every Gospel minister:
“The book of God is indeed the living voice of the Spirit. To be intent therefore upon the study of it, must result in a clear apprehension of the mind of God. Hence the maxim—’ Bonus textuarius, [...]
The Man of the Manse
Posted in Cure of Souls, Parish Theory & Practice, Richard Baxter, The Manse on March 10, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Not long ago, I stumbled across a great treatise in Pastoral Theology from the Puritan era, The Country Parson: His Character and Rule of Holy Life, by George Herbert (better known for his poetry). Herbert, though a conformist to the Church of England, was obviously highly regarded among the non-conformists. Richard Baxter had this to [...]
W. G. T. Shedd & Parochialism (1)
Posted in Cure of Souls, David Nasmith, Parish Theory & Practice, Parish in American Context on December 18, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I’ve recently stumbled across Shedd’s Pastoral Theology at GoogleBooks. It contains several interesting insights into the theory and practice of Reformed parochialism. But even more intriguing is the fact that it illustrates the survival and idealization of the old, European ecclesiastical model within the untamed vastness of multi-denominational, disestablished America. And no, it’s not Roman [...]
Baxter’s Bucerian Parish Reform
Posted in Cure of Souls, Parish Theory & Practice, Richard Baxter on May 16, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Portrait of Richard Baxter. King’s College London,
Foyle Special Collections Library
J. William Black, “From Martin Bucer to Richard Baxter: ‘Discipline’ and Reformation in Sixteenth- and Seventeenth Century England”
Anyone with a basic familiarity of the history of Protestantism will no doubt be acquainted with its leading personalities. Each of them had particular gifts, standing head [...]
