Sermon

Geoff Thomas Brownlow North 20190216c

February 16, 2019 IPC Ealing Sermon Podcast

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He was about seven years of age, a PK, a preacher's kid, and his father, Moody Stewart, was amongst that galaxy of Scottish Presbyterian ministers, Bannam, Cunningham, the Bonner brothers and McShane, that make the 19th century in Scotland.
He was in such a terrific time. And his father Moody Stewart had a church, and he loved his father, and his father loved him. His name was Kenny, and one day his father was speaking to him and said, you know, there's an aristocrat up there in Inverness, and he's been converted.
And he's starting to preach, and great crowds are coming to hear him. He has an awakening ministry. And lots of people are professing faith through his testimony.
I've asked him to come and preach for us. So within a month or so, Brownlow North came down to the church where Moody Stewart was a minister for so long.
And little boy saw him and listened and was a god and was his biggest supporter and learned so much and came to make a profession, really. It was one of the great influences in his life.
And when, 40 years later, Moody Brownlow North died, he was the choice of everyone to write the biography.
And so, he wrote this volume. And so, he wrote this volume. This is a first edition. Brownlow North. Records and Recollections.
So, a beautiful work. I got it from the library in Hackney of the Black Reformed Church here in London, the only Reformed Church of Caribbean and Nigerians in Europe, I suppose.
And the banner brought it from the library in Hackney of the Black Reformed Church.
The second edition, which was smaller, which was smaller, where those chapters were omitted. But he died doing that.
And then, his family, his wife and children, they finished the second edition, which really is based on that.
And that's also been brought out by Paisley's Press. And that's a photocopy, really, where the banner put a new typeface and so on.
This is John Ritchie. No, that's not the Paisley Press.
But we were, we got to know this name Brownlow North, firstly, by the appearance of this book, The Rich Man and Lazarus.
And these are the sermons he preached in the 1859 revival in Ireland.
And they go through that whole wonderful story of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Great.
It's been reprinted now under the title, The Great Girl Fix, Sermons on the Rich Man and Lazarus.
And when I did the life of, I wrote a book on the life of Ernest Reisinger.
And I once said to him, oh, what was the first ban on the book you came across?
I was in Canary, he said, and I saw The Rich Man and Lazarus.
And that made such an impact on me.
And then also his sermons in Ireland and elsewhere, he taught with them,
Wilt thou go with this man?
And they have been greatly used.
And then there's this publisher.
And he photocopies tracts and treatises.
And he's done at least four of the Brownlow North books.
And you see how he just puts them like this.
And the prodigal son on the way home.
And they are like this.
And they are like this very valuable.
Great stuff, you know what?
He was a colleague of J.C. Ryle.
And the man who published Holiness and Practical Religion and Thoughts on the Gospels.
He also published Ryle and Brownlow North.
And so it's done.
Look at that, for example.
It's done so clumsily, some of them.
That couldn't be avoided.
And there we are.
But it's fair to have them.
So, I read the book called Brownlow North.
And it's coming out.
Joel Beeky is publishing it in the summer.
And that's why I'm fascinated by him and love him.
And I hope I can communicate my enthusiasm.
And the blessing he's been to me, to you.
He was born 207 years ago, 1810.
On January the 6th, it was the year Beethoven wrote his 4th symphony.
And his violin concerto came out that year.
Napoleon was expanding his control of Europe.
And just a couple of months after his birth, Elizabeth Barrett Browning was born.
And William Pitt the Younger died.
The foundations of Darwin Prison were laid.
It was the year before Chalmers was converted.
And the same year that Andrew Bonner was born.
With his older brother Horatius, two years of age.
And McShane was born two years later.
So, 1810.
To the Reverend Charles Augustus North, his wife Rachel, their only child.
Brownlow.
Born in Chelsea.
In the townhouse of his distinguished grandfather, Brownlow North.
This is the family.
He was a bishop in the Church of England.
And Brownlow was named after that Brownlow.
And he wrote quite a number of Christian books.
And you can go online and you must check that with the dates.
That it isn't, you're not reading the grandfather.
The bishop's brother was Lord North, who was the Prime Minister.
So, we are really in the aristocracy now, aren't we?
One of the most distinguished families in England.
But most important of all, his mother was devoted to Jesus Christ.
She loved him and served him.
Never stopped praying for her son.
He was a precocious child, one of the stories.
You know how stories come from the families.
And then we remember what you said.
When you were a little boy and so on.
We've all got those stories.
And he was five years old and he was walking with his aunt, Lady Lucy North.
And he saw, it was at one of the deer parks of London.
And he said to her, Aunt Lucy, why are you like that big stock over there?
Well, I have no idea, Brownlow.
I don't think I'm a bit like that stock.
Because Aunt Lassie, Aunt Lucy, you're a great deer.
Well, for a six-year-old, he earned half a crop.
He went to Eton at nine and remained there six years, rebellious, disinterested in study.
When he was 19, his father died and he went to Corfu to a theological college.
When he was too well-spirited, he had a personal tutor who was to keep an eye on him and toured Europe with him.
The grand tour of coming out.
The men did it like that and he learned nothing.
Enjoyed dancing, horse riding, the company of women.
One winter, he proposed to no fewer than 19 girls, all of whom accepted his offer of marriage.
He was a terrific horse rider and he became a kind of jockey.
He raced other aristocrats in places like Chatham.
After one of those escapades, he went to Galway on the west coast of Ireland to live quietly for a while.
And he met a clergyman's daughter, Grace Ann Coffey.
And at 18 years of age, he married her.
By the time he was 21, he had two sons to care for.
They had four boys in the end and one died in infancy.
And his income came from a post that his grandfather, the Bishop of Winchester, gave to him.
He was appointed registrar of the Diocese of Winchester and Surrey.
And he took this post very seriously, although it was administered by a couple of lawyers.
His salary was £300 a year, which wasn't enough to keep up his interest in horses and riding.
And so he became a gambler and he lost hundreds of pounds.
And he went to Boulogne to escape those demanding their money.
Another fruitless escapade.
He sent his family back home, his wife and boys, and he joined the Portuguese army.
And that was another day battle.
And so he returned home at 25.
His life was going nowhere.
His debts were covered by this family.
And he decided he would go to Scotland.
To his brother-in-law's home to shoot grouse.
And there he fell in love with Scotland.
Well, who wouldn't?
And there he remained for the rest of his life, virtually becoming a naturalised Scot.
For the next four summers, he spent them shooting.
And the winters in a large house near Aberdeen.
In the winter he raced horses, winning many of the races.
And shooting energetically across the moors of Scotland, breaking the spirit of all who tried to give up with him.
His motto was, every day and all day.
In one season at Glenbucket, he shot 770 brace of grouse in six weeks.
At times, the emptiness of his life would convict him.
And he would kick against the goads of a troubled conscience.
The teaching of his mother.
Her little letters to him.
His knowledge that she was praying for him.
Couldn't be eradicated from his mind.
He had Christian friends.
Christian family.
Who prayed for his conversion.
But there'd be a season of repentance.
And conviction.
And a new determination.
A resolution to turn over a new leaf.
It came to nothing.
Once at a dinner party, he turned to a Christian lady.
The Duchess of Gordon.
And he said to her.
What should a man do who has often prayed to God and never been answered?
And she looked straight back at him.
And she said.
He asked.
And receive not.
Because ye ask amiss.
That ye may consume it upon your lusts.
And it made a real impact.
The ministry of rebuke.
What a ministry it is.
When his son Brownlow.
The third Brownlow.
The grandfather.
The father of the son.
Became very ill.
He was subdued.
And the Duchess of Gordon gave his wife a book to read to the boy.
And he also read it.
And it was a fine Christian book.
And he was convicted.
Well then he turned over a new leaf.
And he trained for the ministry.
So he went to.
Magdalene Warden Hall.
In Oxford.
And he took it very seriously.
He studied church history.
And the apologias that were very popular at that time.
And.
In his books later on.
When he became a Christian.
And these tracts and books were written.
His name was given.
And then.
Magdalene Hall.
Oxford.
Registrar of the Diocese of Winchester and Surrey.
So.
Should he go into the ministry.
He went to see the Bishop of Lincoln.
And.
Someone had written to the Bishop of Lincoln.
And.
And described.
His.
Excesses.
His.
Wildness of life.
His.
Partying.
And he went to see the Bishop.
And he was laid back.
And cool.
And there didn't seem to be any evidence of a call.
And the Bishop said to him.
If I were in your position.
And you were in mine.
Would you ordain me?
No I wouldn't.
My Lord.
He said.
Well.
What was his position at that time?
He.
Had a sense of guilt.
And shame.
He knew he was under the wrath of God.
But there's a difference between.
Acknowledging one as a sinner.
And experiencing.
A divine change of heart.
And his training in Oxford.
And his awakened conviction of personal sin.
Was true.
But he says.
I never apprehended Christ.
I never accepted him.
As my sin bearer.
And my righteousness.
So he felt like a man.
Who had cleaned.
And garnished.
His house.
And driven out the demon.
Who lived there.
But he had opened the doors.
Of every room.
And welcomed the Lord Jesus.
In.
And the demons were hovering.
Waiting to return.
In legion force.
He later said to a Christian woman.
The house was swept.
And garnished.
But empty.
And the last state of that man.
Was worse than the first.
Think of it.
Think of the love.
Of Jesus.
That came to me.
In spite of that.
So.
His mind was.
Filled with the theology.
That he learned.
And the books he read.
In Oxford.
And it was a challenge.
For him.
To.
Give up the racing.
And the.
Jockeying.
And the shooting of grouse.
And the fishing.
He knew.
Evidences of religion.
Paley.
And Butler.
The two.
Standard.
Defenses.
Evidentialism.
And that was useful.
For him.
And.
When he.
Preached.
After his conversion.
The.
The information.
That he had learned.
At that time.
It wasn't.
Wasted.
He never had to.
Withdraw words.
Publicly.
From the very beginning.
Of his preaching.
That he had made mistakes.
And.
He.
Didn't understand.
The gospel.
And the articles.
Of religion.
And so on.
And.
When.
He was accepted.
In the free church.
And set apart.
Almost unanimously.
To be an evangelist.
For them.
His.
Proponents.
On the floor.
Of general.
As family.
Could.
Get up.
And they could say.
He studied.
Theology.
In Oxford.
For two years.
But.
With.
No doors opening.
He drifted.
Back to his old way.
Of like.
35 years of age.
He walked.
The moors of Scotland.
Around Inverness.
Gun in hand.
Month after month.
Increasingly.
He forgot God.
For three years.
He shot grouse.
In the summer.
Raised horses.
In the winter.
His children.
Got married.
When he was 40.
He settled in a large house.
In Dallas.
Near Inverness.
And there.
He continued.
A life without God.
It was.
Unhelpful.
To any.
Evangelical.
Christian.
Any moral.
Person.
None of his.
Friends.
Cared anything.
For God.
And yet.
He hated.
Foul conversation.
He could never stay.
In a room.
With a man.
Who used.
Blasphemies.
But on the Lord's day.
Get on his horse.
With his friends.
And they would.
Ride along the lanes.
They would pass people.
Who were.
On their way to church.
To worship.
And he would spend.
His Sundays.
Fishing for salmon.
And this is how he described.
This period of his life.
For 44 years.
Of my life.
My object.
Was to pass time.
Pleasantly.
So long as the days.
Were spent.
Agreeably.
I was satisfied.
During those years.
Whatever harm.
I may have done.
I don't believe.
I ever did.
Any real good.
To any human being.
From 1835.
Until 1854.
With the exception.
About three years.
The greater part.
Of my life.
Was spent.
In Scotland.
I rented.
Moors.
And fisheries.
And my greatest.
Idea.
Of pleasure.
Was to shoot grouse.
And catch salmon.
I believe.
At the different.
Shooting quarters.
I rented.
I treated.
The poor.
With.
An average.
Liberality.
Contributing.
To their different.
Collections.
What I fancy.
Would be expected.
And on five shillings.
When an old woman.
Lost a cow.
All I consider.
My great act.
Of kindness.
Of the people.
And that.
For which I expected.
Them to be most thankful.
Was to give them.
At the end.
Of the shooting season.
A dance.
And supper.
To this party.
Of my old.
Tenants.
In the neighborhood.
Where their wives.
And their daughters.
Were invited.
The gamekeepers.
The gillies.
The shopkeepers.
Of the village.
My old servants.
All in sundry.
And every acquaintance.
That any of these.
Like to bring.
They were very merry.
Late in the evening.
Some were very noisy.
Early in the morning.
I've seen some.
Very tipsy.
It would be daylight.
When a number of both sexes.
Gave me three cheers.
And thank me for my kindness.
They would cry.
God bless you.
And walk home.
They thanked me for my kindness.
Was it kindness?
They cried.
God bless me.
Could either they.
Or I.
Expect God's blessing.
On.
Such a meeting.
It's true.
It was intended kindly.
And as a return for kindness.
To those who had taken care of my shooting.
And preserved my game.
And I knew no better way.
Of saying.
I'm obliged to you.
Yet.
Again.
I ask.
Was it kindness?
In the end of 1854.
It pleased God.
To bring home.
With power.
To my heart.
It would be.
Profit.
It would profit.
Me.
Nothing.
If I should gain.
The whole world.
And lose my own soul.
Well then.
How did that.
Great truth come to him.
With convicting.
And life transforming.
Energy.
He was blessed.
With his mother.
Still alive.
More spiritually minded.
And prayerful.
Than ever.
There was his aunt.
Miss Gordon.
Of Ward House.
In Elgin.
Never stopped praying for him.
And thinking.
The potential he had.
And the wasted life.
And one day.
He heard a sermon.
On let me die.
The death.
Of the righteous.
And she came.
She.
Hearing it.
Brought him to mind.
And she remembered.
Much of the sermon.
She got home.
And she said.
Dear Brownlow.
I was in church today.
And this was the text.
We heard.
And you know.
This is what the preacher said.
He read the letter.
And he replied to her.
Dear auntie.
To die the death.
Of the righteous.
We must live the life.
Of the righteous.
I'm not prepared.
To do that yet.
And he would.
Later on.
When he was a preacher.
He would.
Tell people.
That he had written that.
And he would say.
I said to God.
I must have.
My sins.
I know the consequences.
But I accept them.
I accept.
Damnation.
As my portion.
I said that.
And so.
His life continued.
Until he was.
Forty five years of age.
Until the autumn.
Of 1854.
And in that summer.
He was slaughtering.
Grouse.
As if there was a famine.
In the land.
And he was responsible.
For feeding in Venice.
One day.
He and his son.
Brunner North Junior.
Competed with one another.
And.
He killed.
Fifty brace.
And a single bird.
While his son.
Killed.
Fifty one brace.
Hundred and two.
Four drugs.
But the Christians.
In the family.
Never stopped praying for him.
They never gave up.
For him.
And.
There was an increased.
Activity.
And an increased.
Heaviness.
About him.
And a burden.
And they would say.
We must keep praying.
Come on.
Keep praying now.
Don't stop praying.
He visited his aunt.
In Elgin.
And.
She would say to him.
How are things.
Between you and God.
And he said.
I'm always saying things to you.
That make you think.
I'm promising.
Spiritually.
And giving you the impression.
That I'm better.
Than I really am.
But one day.
He was weary.
Of shooting.
And weary.
Of fishing.
And he spoke to her.
And he said.
I'm going to see Blackwell.
Blackwell was his cousin.
He was an.
Anglican evangelical.
Preacher.
And he liked him.
And he would call.
And see him.
And he was so patient.
And kind.
With him.
And he was.
A man.
Who explained to him.
The grace of God.
You know.
We.
Deserve eternal death.
Because we're sinners.
But.
Jesus Christ.
Because.
He loved us.
Died for us.
He took our guilt.
And gave us.
His righteousness.
Not because of our deserving.
But all because of what Jesus Christ has done.
And salvation is offered to us.
In.
In the gospel.
And that was the message.
That he always heard.
From Blackwell.
And he was drawn to him.
He would come back to him.
He wouldn't see him for six months.
And then he'd go home.
Blackwell always knew.
What his duty was.
To speak to him.
Of Jesus Christ.
Soon after.
He visited.
His aunt.
In Elgin.
She had a.
Letter.
The post.
Was very efficient.
You could send a letter.
And it would.
Be received.
And.
You could.
Get a response.
By the afternoon.
The post.
Was.
Wonderful.
And.
His wife.
Wrote to the aunt.
And said.
He's ill.
And.
It's as much.
A state of soul.
As of body.
And.
In fact.
Bromelow North.
Had told his wife.
Right to auntie.
To auntie.
Will she come and visit me.
It was the favorite time.
November.
In 1854.
He was speaking at the Christian Union.
At Edinburgh University.
A few years later.
And this is how he described.
What occurred.
He pleased God.
In the month of November.
1854.
One night.
When I was sitting.
Playing at cards.
To make me concerned.
About.
My soul.
The instrument used.
Was a sensation.
Of sudden illness.
Which led me to think.
That I was going to die.
I said to my son.
I'm a dead man.
Take me upstairs.
As soon as this was done.
I threw myself down.
Along the bed.
My first thought was.
Now.
What.
Has.
44 years.
Of following.
The devices.
Of your own heart.
Profited you.
In a few minutes.
I shall be in hell.
And what good.
Will all those things.
Do me.
For which.
I have sold.
My soul.
And at that moment.
I was constrained.
To pray.
It was.
The prayer.
Of a coward.
A cry for mercy.
I wasn't sorry.
For what I'd done.
But I was afraid.
Of hell.
And yet.
There was still.
Something.
That stopped me.
Getting on my knees.
To pray.
Because the maid servant.
Came in.
To clear out.
The ash.
From the fire.
And lay.
A new fire.
And you know.
If your father did this.
When you were a boy.
He'd put the ash.
In the ash bucket.
And he'd put.
The unburned.
Coke.
On one side.
And.
And then he'd lay.
Finally.
Then.
Paper.
And sticks.
On top of it.
And the coal.
On top of it.
And he'd have a blower.
That he'd put.
And he'd light.
The paper underneath.
And seal it.
With a newspaper.
So that there'd be a draft.
I sold my father to it.
For years.
And then he'd go over and wash.
And he'd shave.
And my mother would be.
Alongside him.
And she would be.
Cooking eggs and bacon.
Which we always.
We never had.
Cereals.
We had eggs and bacon.
Every day.
And then the fire would.
So this woman.
She took ages.
And he wanted to get on his knees.
And cried to God.
For mercy.
I didn't believe.
At that time.
I had ten minutes to live.
And I knew.
There was no.
Possible hope for me.
But in the mercy of God.
And if I didn't seek that mercy.
I couldn't expect to have it.
Yet such was the nature of my heart.
And of my spirit.
Within me.
That was a balance with me.
A thing.
To turn this way.
Or that.
I couldn't tell how.
Whether I should wait.
Till the woman.
Left the room.
Or whether I would fall on my knees.
And cry for mercy.
Before that girl.
I believe it was.
The turning point.
With me.
I believe.
If then.
I had resisted.
The Holy Spirit.
Of course.
Who can say.
Who can limit.
The Holy Ghost.
But my belief is that.
It would have been.
Once too often.
But I wasn't held back.
I got on my knees.
With her.
Lighting the fire.
And I prayed.
Although.
I'm not that I should be.
Yet I am.
This day.
What I am.
Which at least.
Is not what I was.
I mention this.
Because I believe.
Every man.
In his life.
Has a turning point.
I believe.
That the sin.
Against the Holy Ghost.
Is grieving.
That spirit.
Once too often.
So.
The servant.
The servant.
I went downstairs.
And said.
He's praying.
He's on his knees.
He's praying.
So.
They all gathered.
For breakfast.
In the morning.
And.
He joined them.
And.
He took.
Pen.
To paper.
And he wrote.
To everybody.
Everyone.
He wrote letters to.
He wrote a letter.
To them.
And announced.
I've become.
A Christian.
And.
At 11 o'clock.
His auntie.
Miss Gordon.
Arrived.
And she found him.
Writing these letters.
And he was quiet.
And he was gentle.
And at 8 o'clock.
He joined.
The family.
In worship.
And he read.
A portion of scripture.
And he made a few comments.
About it.
No hysteria.
He had found.
Peace with God.
Through Jesus Christ.
And.
He just.
Spent.
The days.
In much prayer.
And then.
He would stretch out.
On.
The carpet.
With his mouth.
Next to the rug.
Longing.
That God.
Would.
Be hearing him.
And would listen to him.
And answer.
To him.
He stopped.
He stopped smoking.
His cigars.
Immediately.
He'd been.
Addicted.
To nicotine.
He couldn't.
Play billiards again.
For months.
He would read.
Nothing.
But the bible.
The crimean war.
Was going on.
He wouldn't.
Read the newspapers.
With a change.
In him.
Was staggering.
And you were fearful.
Then.
Things.
That are human.
Are not sinful.
Will be.
Given up.
Whereas you want them.
To be.
your tools
but
there will be an
anknunfunkspunk
a point of contact
that there will be with
other people
his friends
heard the Jews with great
skepticism
they suggested he had a breakdown
it was temporary excitement
it was soon get over
he withdrew from hunting
and racing and the newspapers
reported this and journalists wrote
ah it's for a wager
he's made a bet that he could
gather a thousand people
to listen to him
do you know how Christian people are
when a
notable figure, a media star
a sportsman, a
singer
professors faith in Christ
Saul of
Tarsus conversion
the early church said
if there's anybody
who would be the last
to be converted
it's Saul of Tarsus
and so when he was converted
they were very uncertain
he wrote in
Brownlow North
wrote in the margin
it was by black
721
so it was with
Brownlow North
and no wonder
and yet for all that
he does believe
that the Lord
has spoken to him
to him be the gratitude
and the glory
and then along
the words
of Tarsus
to Paul
Acts 26-24
that Paul was beside
himself
and mad
Christians in all ages
have been called mad
but who was the most mad
Paul
or Tarsus
but the Christians
who knew him
his mother
and his family
his aunt
his cousin
the evangelical
vicar
those who believed
in the triumph
of grace
and regeneration
by the Holy Spirit
they stood by him
and they encouraged
him to visit
some old friends
who were not
Christians
and that he could
write to them
and go and see them
and talk to them
he wouldn't travel
on the Sabbath
he had been kept
twice in the free church
in Inverness
on the boat
on the Caledonian
Canal
on the Monday
he sailed to
Fort William
and the steward
recognised him
was amazed
of the difference
appearance
that he had
going north
on that boat
a few months earlier
he had consumed
glass after glass
of scotch
but on this journey
he was
a broken man
he was leaning
on his staff
he was deeply
serious and thoughtful
he didn't slip
easily
into
a religious
laid back
frame of mind
at all
the fiery dogs
were enormous
he was becoming
acquainted
with the deceitfulness
of his own heart
he was striving
to enter the narrow gate
and walk on the narrow path
and mortified
by the Holy Spirit
remaining sin
and God was preparing him
for
this extraordinary future
that lay before him
he came
to
growing assurance
day by day
he could
appropriate
Jesus Christ
as his Lord
and Saviour
at the beginning
of every day
and keep
in communion
with him
through those
days
he told a friend
he couldn't pray
that Jesus Christ
would come again
soon
you know
it was a very
popular
time
for speculation
eschatological
speculation
about the coming
of Christ
he said
I can't pray
that Jesus
I don't want
that
I'm afraid
we'll ask
God
to make you
want it
his friend
said
and that
helped him
he thought
of the atonement
what has
Christ accomplished
then
has he accomplished
for me
in his death
that I
should be
afraid
of
seeing
Jesus
Christ
haven't
all my
sins
been laid
on the
Redeemer
and when
he returns
doesn't he
return
as
my Saviour
and I will
be like
him
so he
began to
pray
come
Lord
Jesus
come
Lord
Jesus
the first
Christmas
as a
disciple
1854
we spent
with his
mother
he stayed
with her
for a
week
the joy
was full
as a much
grateful
only child
who had
been dead
was alive
again
who had
been lost
was found
and in
the next
months
he came
to a
clearer
understanding
of the
Christian
faith
he learned
to harm
the dear
life
on the
naked
wood
of God
he learned
the blood
of Christ
the atonement
of Jesus
Christ
the all
sufficient
answer
for the
past years
of wickedness
and emptiness
he had
many
difficulties
but going
to the
Bible
he found
peace
again and
again
he said
aloud
to himself
do you
think
by your
own
reason
or deep
thinking
that you
can find
out
God
or know
Christ
better
than
the Bible
can teach
you
how to
know
him
if you
can't
then why
are you
perplexing
your brain
with worse
than useless
speculation
why aren't
you learning
from scripture
and holding
on to what
you've got
you must
either make
a God
and religion
for yourself
and stand
and fall
entirely
and eternally
on the God
you've made
or
you must
take the
religion
of Jesus
Christ
as revealed
to you
in his word
you can't
take a little
of God's
teaching
and a little
of your own
you can't
believe
on the Lord
Jesus Christ
and the wisdom
of your own
heart
at the same
time
choose
that
now
and forever
by which
you will
stand
or fall
and he
put his
hand
on the
open
Bible
and he
said
God
helping
me
I
will
stand
or fall
by the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
I will
put my
trust
in his
truth
and in
his
teaching
as I
find it
in the
written
word
of God
as sure
as the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
is the
truth
I
must be
forgiven
and
saved
and that
then
established
his
attitude
from that
time on
to his
much
read
Bible
and much
written
Bible
how he
fed
on it
three months
after
Christmas
he and his
wife became
members of
the congregation
of Donald
Gordon
in the
free church
in Elgin
you can
still see
the same
building
it stands
today
and he
sat under
an
expository
evangelistic
preaching
from that
ministry
he was
going
through
Mark's
gospel
and his
assurance
grew as he
heard the
word of
God preached
he was a
very imposing
presence
he sat
in the
pew
there
and the
marks
of his
past
encanglements
in the
world
were on
him
and an
air of
unrest
of strength
of hungry
looks
as he
gazed
at the
preacher
his eyes
fixed
and when
guest preachers
came near
to be
warned
about
this
man
built
like an
ox
who was
there
just
would
gaze
and gaze
he does
that to
us all
he said
not just
to you
and his
minister then
at that time
like we do
there are
times when
we give up
our regular
visitation of
people
and there are
individuals
and we
have to
spend
hours
with
them
and his
pastor
spent time
with him
reading the
bible
praying
and he
never lost
his wonder
that the
god of
heaven
should have
mercy
on a
prodigal
like him
and
fiery
dance
like the
thorn in
the flesh
for Paul
as a
counterbalance
to
the one
voice
whispering
in one
ear
you're a
great man
Paul
you're a
wonderful
man
and in
the other
ear
you're a
wicked
man
Paul
you're a
cruel
man
look what
you've
done
Paul
and so
he had
whisperings
there's no
god
it's a
fantasy
there's no
god
there's no
god
it came
when he
got on
his knees
to pray
it came
at the
lord's
table
it came
under the
word of
the means
of grace
and then
he would
have to
say
god
is
god
is
there
is
a
god
and
his
diligent
trust
coloured
his
convictions
and
he
could
sympathise
with
people
wrestling
in the
congregation
who later
came
and opened
their hearts
to him
his
anchor
verse
on which
he would
often
cast
himself
was
him
that
cometh
unto
me
I
will
in
no
wise
cast
out
and
no
verse
did he
so often
quote in
his
preaching
and in
his
private
counselling
with
awakened
men
and
women
than
not
worse
and
that
testing
time
came to
an end
in
his
life
like
it
did
with
Bunyan
and
like
it
did
with
Luther
and
he
describes
his
piece
!
I
had
risen
from
my
bed
in
an
agony
of
soul
for
I
had
been
many
months
in
trouble
about
my
spiritual
condition
I
need
not
have
been
like
that
for
many
hours
if
I
had
only
had
faith
to
believe
in
Jesus
Christ
and
make
my
own
heart
a
liar
but
my
own
heart
told
me
I
was
the
chief
of
sinners
that
Paul
who
called
himself
the
chief
was
not
to
into
my
room
to
read
the
Bible
the
portion
I
was
reading
was
the
third
chapter
of
Romans
and
as
I
read
the
20th
and
following
verses
a
new
light
seemed
to
break
in
on
my
soul
by
the
deeds
of
the
law
there
shall
no
flesh
be
justified
in
God's
sight
that
I
knew
but
then
I
went
on
to
read
these
words
but
now
now
the
righteousness
of
God
without
the
law
is
manifested
being
witnessed
by
the
law
and
the
prophets
even
the
righteousness
of
God
which
is
by
faith
of
Jesus
Christ
unto
all
and
upon
all
them
that
believe
for
there
is
no
difference
and
with
that
passage
such a
light
came
into
my
soul
and
I
struck
my
book
with
my
hand
and
I
sprang
from
the
chair
and
cried
if
that
scripture
is
true
I
am
a
saved
man
that
is
what
I
want
that
is
what
God
offers
me
that
is
what
I
will
have
God
helping
me
it
was
that
I
took
the
righteousness
of
God
without
the
law
and
that
is
my
only
hope
and
so
that
period
then
of
searching
for
forgiveness
and
satanic
assault
a
fearful
period
in
his
life
came
to
an
end
he
wouldn't
he
said
want
his
worst
enemy
to
endure
what
he
had
experiences
like
reading
the
first
chapter
of
Bunyan's
Grace
of
Bounty
he
said
that
his
friends
would
tremble
for
him
thinking
he
was
losing
his
reason
he
would
break
down
under
the
strain
of
those
times
and
part
of
the
enormous
influence
that
he
exercised
in
Scotland
and
Ireland
was
due
to
the
fact
that
so
long
he
had
served
the
world
the
flesh
and
the
devil
and
then
he
come
to
renounce
it
totally
and
habits
had
been
formed
which
could
injure
the
sinner
himself
and
Brown
Renor
would
compare
himself
to
the
sick
man
of
Acts
4
who
was
40
years
of
age
when
he
received
the
miracle
of
healing
and
when
he
began
a
new
diary
the
year
after
his
conversion
he
wrote
his
name
Brown
Renor
and
then
a
man
whose
sins
crucified
the
Son
of
God
and
he
penned
his
words
alas
that I
so
lately
knew
thee
thee
so
worthy
of
the
best
nor
had
sooner
turned
to
why
thee
truest
good
and
only
rest
the
more
I
love
I
mourn
the
more
that I
did
not
love
before
all
right
let me
close
now
with
how
does
God
make
a
person
an
evangelist
how
does
God
some
of
your
men
are
thinking
about
the
ministry
is
God
calling
you
to be
a
minister
there's
a
great
need
for
preachers
of
the
gospel
there's
great
need
for
evangelists
church
planters
in
Europe
in
these
days
how
did
God
draw
this
man
saved
strengthened
knowing
he trusted
in
Jesus
Christ
how
did
God
call
him
now
to
be
a
preacher
11
months
after
his
conversion
he
was
convinced
of
his
lack
of
compassion
for
the
people
who
lived
around
him
what
was
he
doing
for
them
so
firstly
tract
distribution
should
he
distribute
tracts
that
would
make
him
look
ridiculous
people
would
laugh
at
him
people
would
call
him
mad
but
he
resolved
to
try
and
one
day
he
went
to
a
quieter
part
of
Elgin
with
a
pocket
of
tracts
he
met
an
old
woman
he
handed
her
a
tract
she
took
it
without
a
smirk
on
her
face
she
said
thank
you
as did
another
old
woman
when
she
received
his
tract
the
test
came
as a
policeman
came
walking
along
the
road
he
offered
one
to
him
the
constable
said
thank
you
Mr.
North
so
for
14
years
he
carried
a
supply
of
tracts
in
his
pocket
and
there
was
only
one
occasion
when
an
atheist
refused
to
take
one
there
were
others
who
avoided
him
and
he
noticed
this
but
he
took
it
as
a
cross
!
so
he
would
engage
in
conversation
with
people
and
he
would
leave
tracts
in
prominent
places
he
never
found
it
easy
after
14
years
it
was
still
very
difficult
he
said
it
took
him
half
an
hour
of
internal
struggle
on
a
train
before
he
offered
a
truck
to
a
fellow
traveler
once
he
was
on
a
ferry
and
there
were
a
group
of
gentlemen
talking
together
how
could
he
speak
to
them
it
was
so
pleasant
and
far
easier
to
read
the
paper
or
a
book
and
then
he
thought
of
the
eternal
life
that
was
facing
these
men
and
he
galvanized
them
he
went
across
and
he
smiled
at
them
all
and
he
gave
them
each
a
tract
and
some
of
them
knew
him
and
they
would
have
been
surprised
if
he
hadn't
come
across
to
give
later
he
wrote
well
as
you've
seen
some
terrific
tracts
like
rye
tracts
but
they're
meaty
and
convicting
secondly
so he's
giving
that's
how he's
beginning
his
journey
into being
an evangelist
and a
preacher
he gives
out tracts
secondly
he visits
the sick
he was
a member
of a free
church
and there
were people
in the
congregation
who were
sick
and he
began
to visit
them
one of
his
members
said
I remember
his supplying
the very
poor
and bedridden
with many
little
comforts
he
paid for
gas
to warm
their rooms
I myself
have gone
to see
some of
these
poor
people
and I'll
never forget
some of
those visits
it was a
wretched old
body
and she
couldn't
leave the
bed
for years
and he
would pick
up a
stool
and he
would sit
next to
the bed
and he
would bring
oranges
with him
and he
would unpeel
the orange
and he
would give
her a
portion
after portion
and the
surroundings
were so
disgusting
even to
mention
after that
time I
for one
felt I
couldn't be
in his
company for
a quarter
an hour
without being
benefited
by it
we all
loved him
so much
and he
had a
there was a
town
missionary
a member
of the
congregation
and they
would go
to the
hospital
and they
would go
from
from bed
to bed
and they
would talk
on Sunday
afternoons
thirdly
there was
evangelistic
visitation
and that
developed
of course
from visiting
the sick
in
Aberdeen
in
1863
he spoke
of this
when I
first came
to know
the Lord
the Spirit
said to me
Brown
run off
there's that
woman in
the
porter's
lodge
you ought
to go
and speak
to her
about
religion
but the
flesh
said
don't
do
that
keep
what
you've
got
to
yourself
but the
Spirit
gave me
no rest
till I
went to
the woman
at the
porter's
lodge
I
read the
Bible
to her
and told
her what
the Lord
had done
for my
soul
then the
Spirit
said to
me
there's
the
washer
woman
in the
town
you know
you should
go to
her
and read
and pray
with her
also
do nothing
of the
sort
she will
likely
think
that she
has
more
religion
than you
have
the
Spirit
would
give me
no rest
till I
read
and prayed
with the
washer
woman
so he
gave
away
trunks
he
visited
the
sick
reading
the
Bible
to
them
and
occasionally
prayed
then he
visited
a young
woman
whom he
had been
told about
she didn't
have long
to live
she said
to him
don't mind
me
my father
please speak
to him
he's a
bad man
and so
he went
to the
room where
they were
and he
spoke to
them
and they
were impressed
with what
he said
and there
were two
other people
in the
room
and they
were helped
by his
words
so that
whenever
he visited
the home
which was
very frequently
in order to
see the
dying
daughter
they would
come
and they
would listen
to what
he had
to say
and the
father
was changed
and the
change in
his life
was so
evident
that
everybody
in the
street
all his
neighbours
knew
about it
and then
many other
people
wanted to
know
about this
change
and it
all came
about him
visiting
a dying
girl
then a
woman
came to
him
and said
can you
come and
see my
husband
and speak
to him
the way
you were
speaking to
us
in the
room
here
and the
man was
a shoemaker
and he
asked
from the
north to
return
and he
would bring
a few
of his
fellow
shoemakers
with him
and a
dozen
gathered
to hear
him
and they
asked him
to return
and this
time
sixty
men
assembled
to hear
him
and these
meetings
continued
and grew
and in
various
occasions
so that
every night
all over
Elgin
he was out
speaking
to groups
of men
and women
and there
was a
solemnity
and a
deep
hearing
the
daughter
in law
John
Macdonald
the apostle
of the
north
heard him
in these
meetings
and tried
to attend
she couldn't
get in
the stairs
up to the
room where he
was speaking
were full of
people sitting
and craning
their ears
to hear
she said
she heard
nothing like
it since
hearing her
father preach
and he would
be driven
home in a
horse and
truck
by one of
the elders
of the
church
and he
would express
to his
driver his
fear
oh I'm
not really
ordained
I shouldn't
be speaking
in meetings
like this
I'm trespassing
on the
duties of a
minister
but then
I can find
no prohibition
in the Bible
that stops me
from speaking
like this
and I bring
the matter
to God
in prayer
again and
again
if it's
against God's
will
close the
door
but the
very
reverse
occurs
and I
get more
and more
invitations
to come
and speak
to gatherings
of men
and women
he travelled
a great
distance
to visit
one family
where there
was much
carelessness
and indifference
about the
same
it was a
long journey
and he
had no
assurance
that he
would be
welcomed
when he
knocked the
door
but they
asked him
in
and when
he visited
Woody Stewart
then he
spent much
of one day
writing an
owner's
letter to
someone
who
he had
known
in the
days
of his
follies
and he
wrote
and said
he longed
that the
saviour
that he
knew
that they
should know
him
too
and the
Christian wrote
to him
and said
will you
go and
see
my
brother
a man
he'd
hunted
with
in his
early life
and he
shrunk
from the
invitation
she gave
him
an
address
in
Edinburgh
and he
went to
see him
and when
he went
through his
pockets
he'd lost
a bit
of paper
so he
took a
camp to
the station
to go
to Glasgow
and in
the camp
he put
his hand
in his
pocket
and he
found a
piece of
paper
so he
told straight
away
turn around
and go
to this
address
he could
have
pleaded
the providence
of God
but he
went to
see the
man
and spoke
earnestly
and lovingly
to him
fourthly
there was
street
preaching
next
he'd
gone to
London
to visit
his mother
and one
Sunday
afternoon
he called
on a
young
Scotsman
who'd
been
converted
in a
remarkable
way
and had
begun
to
preach
in the
street
and
Braulot
knocked
him
the door
and he
said
if I
can't
ask
you
in
come
with
me
now
I'm
preaching
in
King's
Cross
will you
come
with
me
and he
stood
on a
street
corner
and he
prayed
and then
he addressed
a handful
of people
nobody
stopped
his words
seemed to
just be like
barbarians
bouncing
around the
place
not making
any impact
and there
was frustration
in the air
and somebody
in the crowd
we want to
hear the
Stoutman
with the
dark eyes
Brownman
all standing
next to
him
and there
was no
escape
and he
wasn't
ashamed
of
the
gospel
and there
on the
street
corner
near
King's
Cross
he
began
to
preach
and
immediately
his
voice
and his
presence
and his
conviction
that what
he was
saying
was the
very
word
of
God
impacted
and a
crowd
came
and people
stopped
a large
crowd
and when
he preached
until he
was exhausted
people cried
out
don't
stop
go on
but he
couldn't
preach
any
further
and so
he was
persuaded
from that
experience
of the
usefulness
of open
air
preaching
and his
own
ability
to speak
without
notes
of the
God he
knew
and the
Bible
that he
knew
and then
fifthly
Sunday
preaching
from the
pulpit
and that
was a
providence
out of
his
control
he
returned
to
Inverness
to
Dallas
where he
lived for
years
and hunted
and fished
and raced
and he
told them
he was
looking forward
to being
with them
in the
free church
on Sunday
he said
oh
we haven't
got anybody
the preacher
has been
called away
and there's
nobody
we looked
and visited
lots of
people
they can't
will you
preach
there'd be
no sermon
unless you
come and
preach
they pleaded
with him
I'm not
ordained
well let
an elder
take the
devotions
and I'll
preach
and that's
what happened
and they
thought of
18 months
ago
and that
long
long
wealthy
hunting
shooting
riding
Sunday
riding
out
to fish
and hunt
the next
day
the Monday
after that
Sunday
when they
thought
what has
grace
wrought
in this
man's
life
to preach
to us
like that
the next
Monday
there was
a tragedy
it was
a heavy
rain
and two
little
children
had tried
to cross
the river
on a plank
and they
had fallen
in and
were drowned
and the
minister
was away
and the
father came
to Brown
Row
and asked
him to
come and
speak to
his wife
and where
he did
so the
bodies
of the
children
were brought
from downstream
and were
brought and
the crowd of
people gathered
and they
looked to
Brown
and he
stood outside
the house
and he
spoke to
of the
providence
of God
and the
love of
God in
Jesus
Christ
and
to
sympathy
with
them
and
urged
them
to be
ready
to
meet
God
themselves
and the
minister
came back
and he
was told
that everything
had happened
and he
went to
see him
straight away
and said
will you
preach next
Sunday
again
preach again
and the
building
was full
and in
the congregation
were two
men who
walked eight
miles to
hear him
and
they came
and said
can you
come to
where we
live
and preach
there
and he
said
but I'm
not ordained
they wouldn't
take no for
an answer
and so
there
he preached
to a large
and attentive
congregation
every seat
taken
the staircases
the stairwells
people were
converted
the cause
of Christ
was revived
he was asked
to explain
whether he
was a real
preacher
or not
you would
say
don't think
I'm intruding
into the
office of
the ministry
I'm not
an authorised
preacher
but I'll
tell you
what I am
I'm a man
who stood
on the
brink
of the
bottomless
pit
and I
looked in
and I
saw many
of you
going down
into that
pit
I am
here to
haul
you back
and warn
you of
the danger
I'm here
as the
chief of
sinners
saved by
grace
to tell
you
that the
grace
that saved
me
can surely
save
you
and so
in
Dallas
in
Venice
the place
where he
had so
publicly
shown his
opposition
to the
claims
of Christ
there he
began
preaching
on the
Lord's
day
and he
did it
tirelessly
for the
rest of
his life
with great
effect
he said
I've done
all the
harm I
could
in Scotland
and now
I intend
to remain
here
and do
all the
good I
can
and so
his ministry
began
and went
on
and he
was
recognized
unanimously
by the
General Assembly
of the
Church of
Scotland
and
Rabbi
Duncan
just loved
his preaching
and
coalition
and
the
leaders
in the
free church
he was
set apart
he left
a famous
message
it follows
on from
what we
heard this
morning
six
short
rules
for young
Christians
never
neglect
daily
private
prayer
and when
you pray
remember
that God
is present
that he
hears
your prayers
two
never
neglect
daily
private
Bible
reading
and when
you read
remember
that God
is speaking
to you
and that
you are
to believe
an act
upon what
he says
I believe
all
backsliding
begins
with a
neglect
of these
two
rules
three
never
a day
pass
without
trying to
do
something
for
Jesus
every
night
reflect
on what
Jesus
has done
for you
and then
ask
yourself
what
am I
doing
for him
four
if ever
you are
in doubt
as to a
thing
being right
or wrong
go to
your room
and kneel
down
and ask
God's
blessing
upon it
if you
can't do
this
it's wrong
five
never take
your
Christianity
from Christians
or argue
that because
such and
such people
do so
and so
that therefore
you may
you are
to ask
yourself
how would
Christ
act
in my
place
and strive
to follow
him
six
never
believe
what you
feel
if it
contradicts
God's
word
ask
yourself
can
what I
feel
be true
if
God's
word
is
true
and
if
both
cannot
be
true
believe
God
and
make
your
own
heart
a
liar
so
the
long
life
of
ministry
1859
in
Ulster
and his
preaching
there
his awakening
ministry
came to
Wales
to Swansea
to preach
and travelled
throughout
the British
Isles
until his
death
the transformation
of a man
so
wonderfully
transformed
by grace
encouraging
us
to
follow
him
let's
pray
him
to
to
to
him
to
him
to
!