Biographies
The First Forty Years and the Fight of Faith
Biography of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones by Iain H. Murray
All over the world are found Christians who owe an incalculable debt to the ministry of Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. He has been called "The Last of the Puritans", "The Doctor", and "a legend in his own lifetime".
He was born in Cardiff, Wales, in 1899 or ordinary parents. He lived most of his youth in Wales, but moved to London, England after his father failed to find employment in Canada. By the age of 23 he was not only a doctor but the Chief Clinical Assistant to the King's Physician.
He was on the threshold of a brilliant career, but in his spiritual life he became aware that he was not a Christian. God soon saved and called him to become a minister in Aberavon, South Wales. Many said he was made to give up a great career including game, money and leisure to work among the hopeless. But providence proved otherwise, for he became one of the foremost preachers in his day. A physician of souls, he realized humanity's problems went deeper than the body, its only cure being Jesus Christ.
He was for thirty years minister of the renowned Westminister Chapel in Buckingham Gate. In 1932 he preached in Toronto for nine weeks for a minister that was to go on holidays. The minister never left. A St. Thomas couple found it a great honour to sit some years under his ministry. He was instrumental in setting up the worldwide Evangelical Library, of which this branch is a part.
What can one say of his many books which have brought spiritual encouragement to millions around the world? The Sermon on the Mount, which comes to grips with humanity's profoundest needs, brought him worldwide eminence. His volumes on Romans will go down as a spiritual landmark of the twentieth century. Reading his numerous other volumes, one can only conclude that Dr. Lloyd-Jones was one of the greatest expositors of the Word of God. Yet in his own eyes he was "nothing but an old sinner saved by grace." He died in 1981 after a time of illness.
These volumes are a must read for ministers and all who hope for the revival of the glorious Gospel of Christ.
This book is available at the St. Thomas Evangelical Library. Please call (519) 633-8282 or e-mail the librarian, John Van Eyk, at elibrary@execulink.com for more information on this work or any other book you may be interested in.
Spurgeon: A New Biography
by Arnold Dallimore
To our shame, little is known in this day of the life and ministry of Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892). It has been said, "He was the greatest preacher to adorn the evangelical church since John Knox thundered in Scotland.
Born in Essex, England, in 1834, both his father and grandfather were preachers. At the age of 17 he became known as "The Boy Preacher", becoming the pastor of a small Baptist church.
Soon its windows and doors were left open to the many people that had to stand outside listening to his preaching, such as the people had never heard. At the age of 19 he became the pastor of a church in London, which in a few years would grow to seat 6000.
For some years he became the object of severe ridicule and reproach until the nation began to recognize his true qualities. During his lifetime, an estimated ten million people heard him preach, often more than 20000 at once, and he often preached ten times a week. His preaching was one thing, but his prayers were the life of his ministry. The famous D. L. Moody was asked if he had heard Spurgeon preach, and replied: "Yes, but better still, I heard him pray."
Psalm 1:3 says, "...and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." This saying was truly fulfilled in his life. The institutions that Spurgeon started include a pastors' college, orphanage, alms houses, a blind society, plus more than sixty others.
Much of his last twenty-five years was spent in pain and sickness, yet this never diminished his labours. His sermons were printed weekly in newspapers all over the world and his prolific writings include more than 100 titles.
Even today, though dead, he yet speaks. His writings continue to be republished, purchased, and read. Today there are more works in print by C. H. Spurgeon than by any other English-speaking author, dead or alive.
There were more than thirty biographies written within three years of his death. Arnold Dallimore, after reading most of them, presents this brief, 272 page volume which sets out to pesent Spurgeon in his praying, suffering, weaknesses, and strengths; in his triumphs and incredible accomplishments. The church today would profit much to read of this man and God's ministry through him.
This book is available at the St. Thomas Evangelical Library. Please call (519) 633-8282 or e-mail the librarian, John Van Eyk, at elibrary@execulink.com for more information on this work or any other book you may be interested in.
George Whitefield: "The Life and Times of the Great 19th century Evangelist"
A Biography by Arnold Dallimore
Christians of all denominations would greatly profit to read of the life of George Whitefield (1714-1770) who throughout most of his adult life was as famous as any man in the English-speaking world. It has been widely acclaimed that he was the greatest preacher England ever produced and one of its most saintly. From the age of 22 he was the foremost figure of the immense religious revival that swept both sides of the Atlantic.
From the beginning, multitudes clamoured to hear him, and when the churches couldn't hold them he preached outdoors to crowds of up to 25,000. He crossed the Atlantic seven times and there was hardly a consideable town in England, Scotland and Wales that he did not visit as an evangelist. He preached to the poor, the rich, and the aristocracy, entreating them to repent and come to Christ and be saved.
He was always about his Master's business from January to December preaching daily, often 18 times a week. It is reckoned he preached publicly 18,000 times. He built a large orphan house in Georgia, preached up and down the colonial states and was a life-long friend of Benjamin Franklin. He could have had a denomination named after him but stated "Let the name of Whitefield perish and the name of Christ glorified."
On September 27, 1770, he preached his last sermon in Mass and died a few hours later. It has been remarked about his biography, "One of the greatest monumental literary achievements of the 20th century"; "A book to make our hearts burn within us." A great preacher once said "What can be more profitable, next to the Bible itself, than to read something of the life of such a man as George Whitefield."
This book is available at the St. Thomas Evangelical Library. Please call (519) 633-8282 or e-mail the librarian, John Van Eyk, at elibrary@execulink.com for more information on this work or any other book you may be interested in.
All biography reviews were written for the local newspaper, the St. Thomas Times-Journal. The review on Whitfield's biography was published on Saturday, March 5, 1994 in the paper under the title "Book focues on preacher".
