surprising history
Story line: true
Time: the 19th century
Main character: a young missionary
"After fourteen months of persevering study, this fledgling missionary withdrew from his pastoral examinations and decided to become a preacher of his own account. After three months at an independent missionary school, a definite appointment was not awarded him and he was allowed to find his own mission work.
He found himself drawn to a wretchedly poor mining town, where he was eventually given a six-month appointment. Taking the lives of the early Christians as a model, he gave everything he possessed to the poor, went about in a worn soldier's coat, wore no stockings, made his own shirts out of old pack-cloth, and slept on the ground in a wooden hut. He looked after the miners when they returned exhausted after twelve hours' work, or when they had been injured in explosions in the pits; he helped the sick during an epidemic of typhus. He preached too, but he had not the gift of public speaking. He devoted himself entirely to his work, ate bad food, became weak and thin. But he would not give up half-way. His father, although he was himself a clergyman, could not understand this eccentric behavior; he came to see him, pacified the wayward son to whom it had pleased God to burden him, and took lodgings for him at a baker's. Even the religious body which had given him the appointment were appalled at his 'excess of zeal', and recalled him under the pretext that his sermons were not good enough."
Who is this zealous mystery man?
He is known by the whole world for a gift that was not recognized in his day....
Time: the 19th century
Main character: a young missionary
"After fourteen months of persevering study, this fledgling missionary withdrew from his pastoral examinations and decided to become a preacher of his own account. After three months at an independent missionary school, a definite appointment was not awarded him and he was allowed to find his own mission work.
He found himself drawn to a wretchedly poor mining town, where he was eventually given a six-month appointment. Taking the lives of the early Christians as a model, he gave everything he possessed to the poor, went about in a worn soldier's coat, wore no stockings, made his own shirts out of old pack-cloth, and slept on the ground in a wooden hut. He looked after the miners when they returned exhausted after twelve hours' work, or when they had been injured in explosions in the pits; he helped the sick during an epidemic of typhus. He preached too, but he had not the gift of public speaking. He devoted himself entirely to his work, ate bad food, became weak and thin. But he would not give up half-way. His father, although he was himself a clergyman, could not understand this eccentric behavior; he came to see him, pacified the wayward son to whom it had pleased God to burden him, and took lodgings for him at a baker's. Even the religious body which had given him the appointment were appalled at his 'excess of zeal', and recalled him under the pretext that his sermons were not good enough."
Who is this zealous mystery man?
He is known by the whole world for a gift that was not recognized in his day....
posted by thisrequiresthought at 8:31 AM
3 Comments:
I know but I have the inside scoop =)
I love these last two posts of yours!
Awesome stuff on the angel topic... although it does indeed shatter my imagination when it comes to "Angels In the Outfield." It's so true that the American church can become fascinated with the appearance of the spiritual, that we become disillusioned to God, and all the attributes of God!
Awesome stuff, that post helps me be a more effective apologist. I have had many times in NYC where people challenge me with Jesus being the same as, and in the appearance of an angelic being. But this insight helps me understand this stuff on a higher level, and it also challenges me to study the word about this. Thanks.
-Pete
I said "stuff" a lot in that last comment. :-)
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