The Life and Labours of Asahel Nettleton by Bennet Tyler and Andrew Bonar. Banner of Truth Trust. Price £2.10.
Though the name of Asahel Nettleton is little known in this country he was in his day a noted evangelist whose labours the Lord was pleased to own to the awakening and conversion of many souls. He was born in Connecticut, U.S.A., in 1783. From 1812 he was employed in revivals for a period of 10 years. He laboured mainly in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Maryland in the U.S.A. but also spent one year in Britain. He passed away in 1844.
Asahel Nettleton was careful to avoid those excesses into which many evangelists in his own day and since his day ran. Also he was afraid lest his hearers should take up with a false and spurious hope. He warned them of self-deception and of the deceitfulness of the human heart. One of the evidences he would give of being born again was joy in the contemplation of the divine character.
Interesting accounts are given in the book of his labours and successes in the ministry of the Gospel in the various places he visited as an evangelist. Ministers of the Gospel welcomed him into their parishes knowing the worth of his ministrations. Many places which were dead
and barren were through his instrumentality brought to life and fruitfulness.
In 1822 he was struck with typhus fever and for two years he rarely preached. After this he resumed his evangelistic labours again with continuing success though he never recovered the physical strength which he had before his illness. During the last few years of his life he was subject to great bodily suffering which he endured with patience and resignation.
For all those interested in true religion and genuine revivals this is a book both of a searching and also a consoling nature. In these days of denial (largely) of the Spirit of grace to the Church of God it is encouraging to read of those seasons when the Lord was pleased to give a plentiful out-pouring of His Spirit.
D.B.M.
John Murray of Badbea, and Westminster Seminary, Philadelphia.
Banner of Truth Magazine, Issues 143-144. Price 30p.
Rev. Iain Murray in the August-September issue of the Banner of Truth Magazine has published a Memorial to Prof. John Murray, including also tributes by former colleagues and students. The account given of Prof. Murray is very interesting as it traces the influences which moulded him from his youth upwards and which made him what he was. Fairly full reference is made in the Memorial to the controversy over Rev. William Matheson of Chesley’s non-acceptance of our Church’s view on Sabbath transport. This was a matter which led not only to the severance of the ties which bound Mr Matheson and his congregation to the Church but occasioned the severance of John Murray’s connection with the Church also. As Mr Maclean, Glasgow, in another article in this issue makes reference to the actual point in dispute there is no need to go into it here.
The Memorial gives a very clear view of Prof. Murray’s work at Philadelphia, first as Instructor and afterwards as Professor of Systematic Theology. His moulding influence on a generation or two of divinity students belonging to various denominations in America during his forty years’ labours on that side of the Atlantic is clearly brought out. That that influence was towards a Calvinistic and Reformed outlook cannot be doubted. His attitude to his own subject, Systematic Theology, shows the thoroughness of his scholarship. He believed, so Cornelius Van Til states, that Systematic Theology must grow out of the ripe fruitage of penetrating linguistic exegesis, be the result of gathering together what
biblical theology has found, and be amenable to a development that springs from continued study of the Scriptures. With this outlook it was no mean task which he set himself in order that he might be an accomplished systematic theologian.
Family and College photographs are also included which helps to make the booklet an attractive Memorial to the late Prof. Murray.
D.B.M.