You will know their names; Matthew Henry, Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, Fanny Crosby, Spurgeon, Hudson Taylor, Moody, Chambers.
Obviously I have to confess to an ignorance about most of these preachers, and this era, which is sad, but if you are like me, this is a great book to start with.
I really enjoyed reading about the people, the times, the problems of the era, how God worked in their lives. Each summary had pithy wisdom from the subject, insights and stuff on how they lived. It was fascinating to hear how many past preachers lived their lives. Praying & studying the word from morning to mid afternoon, then doing their pastoral visiting in the cool of the evening - virtually everyday of the week except Sunday.
It seemed a much simpler time to do Ministry - and the author would often harken back to this simpler time and simpler method implying that if this method was 'rediscovered' the mythical success the church is no longer experiencing would simply return. But there was enough variation in method - with some preachers confessing their lack of pray, and lack of visiting - to undermine such a rose coloured view of things.
Many of the 'preachers' spoke of their responsibility for the whole town; they had 5000 souls in their care and they weren't sure of each one's salvation. Again, a passion and vision that would be hard to replicate today.
I was also fascinated to learn that some of these churches were so full you needed tickets to get in. A young Dwight Moody had travelled all the way to England from America to hear Charles Spurgeon preach at his height, and nearly missed out because he didn't have a ticket. When they found out how far he had come, he could enter the standing room.
People would hear one great preacher in the morning, travel across town to hear another in the evening. This was the general public, so regular conversion were expected and experienced. Indeed the Leeds Skeptic Society [we thought Dawkins was new!] turned up on mass to 'heckle' Samuel Chadwick, but their president was soundly converted, and the rest of the group too within the next few months.
They really were the glory days of English/American Christianity - the heart of Christendom, when there was a church on every corner, full and with a wonderful choir to boot, the preachers were famous and influential in the society, the hymn writers renowned and the missionaries superstars!
It's very interesting because one insightful preacher, Phillip Brooks, said to his contemporaries, 'do not be ashamed of the age you live in least you talk of it in a weak tone of despair' [paraphrase, p155]. It seems every preacher did not see him or herself as living in the glory days, but as living in the worst of times with the glory days behind them. What a sobering truth. It is only in hindsight we see the significance of our days, and what might look like struggle to us, others may see as our glory days.
Indeed, the author does harken back to these times, praying that such preachers will arise in our time, that preachers will learn the lessons from this book. I think there is no going back to these times. When there was no TV, no films, the only entertainment on a weekend was the opera, or theatre - the 'preacher' was well placed to provide a burgeoning middle class society with some wholesome entertainment. Where else could you go and hear an amazing orator who would move you to tears and inspire you - all for a penny if that's all you had.
The time was ripe for this ministry, I'm not sure the time will ever be the same again. Rather than dwelling back, we do need to learn the principles from the past, but not stay there. Indeed, in our disparate, complex society - rather than having a whole country on fire for God, can we only expect to ever have a community 'on fire'. Can we see the various ministries doing well around the world as in their glory days [Hillsong, Saddleback, Willow Creek]. If things are going well where you are - see them as glory days, not 'if only' days.
Working with young people I know that while my congregation may not be full and overflowing - these young people are having amazing encounters with the living God through us anyway - they will look back on this as their glory days - when the Glory of the Lord impacted them, grew them. That is glory to be praised.
Grab the book, it is a simple, but profound read. Baker Books, 2009.
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