I am a retired teacher who wrote 7 photocopiable books for Teachers and one book for children Union Jack Colouring Book.
The 7books covered Geography, History (Medieval/ Tudor/ Stuart), Travel and Transport, Myself and Events (this included diaries), Race Against Time Stories (SATS based), Church Dates for Children plus Nature and Seasons (including Sport). These 7 books have been mainly broken into a number of segments.
Challenging the Physical Elements, my Geography book, is complete.
I am a retired teacher who wrote 7 photocopiable books for Teachers and one book for children Union Jack Colouring Book.
The 7books covered Geography, History (Medieval/ Tudor/ Stuart), Travel and Transport, Myself and Events (this included diaries), Race Against Time Stories (SATS based), Church Dates for Children plus Nature and Seasons (including Sport). These 7 books have been mainly broken into a number of segments.
Challenging the Physical Elements, my Geography book, is complete.
James Blair (1656-1743) was a C.of E. . He was a missionary and an educator.He was the founder and president of the College of William and Maryin Williansburg, Viginia.USA. (1693-1743)
Geoffrey Cyril Bingham (1919-2009) was an Australian author and cleric in the Anglican Church of Australia. He was founding principal of the Pakistan Bible Training Institute in Hyderabad, Pakistan (1957-67).
He was also one of the founding members of the Austri-Asian Christian Church (AACC). From 1967-73 he was principal of the Bible College of South Australia after which he formed New Creation Publications.
He was a gifted writer and NTCM published close to 300 of his books- they were mostly theological.
There are many articles written about the Hebrew word ‘Yahweh/Jehovah’ which in English translates into LORD.
I have chosen 3 ( one twice).
I found the article by Danielle Bernock particularly interesting. I have repeated the first double page in bolder print .She includes Biblical references.
She looks at many of the other words which can be related to God in the scriptures and obviously includes Jesus who is given various wonderful names in both the O.T. and N.T…
There are 6-9 definitions for Yahweh/Jehovah .
The second set showing 16 names includes pronunciation. .
The third set gives both pronunciation plus Biblical verses and references.
I hope these prove useful.
Source
Wikipedia
BPCA celebrated its 50 years in November 2019 (1969-2019).
Prior to 1967 the Chowdhry brothers- Mujeeb, Najeeb and Waheed had started a home church. The services at St. Mary’s were originally led by lay preacher Akhter Samuel
The pioneering Pak-Christian Church at St. Mary’s, London proliferated across the UK through traceable oral-history links. In 1994 the church moved to a new premise. Many of the BPCA leaders who attended the event were asked to speak and present trophies to the leading dignitaries within the Pakistani Christian community- see list.
The Revd. Daniel Singh, the first ordained Church of England Asian minister, who galvanised the church, was posthumously awarded a trophy for ‘Outstanding leadership for Pakistani Christians in the UK’. (In 1978 the Rt. Revd Trevor Huddleston, Bishop of Stepney, had paid for Singh to attend Oak Hill College.) The award was collected by Dishad, his son-in-law.
Two of the leaders present were Michael Nazir-Ali a former Anglican bishop and James Shera MBE , former mayor of Rugby. (See notes)
Some thing separate, but interesting, I found an article about the voices of foreign language speakers and multilingual congregations in the Church of England
*
Everytime I think I’ve forgotten
I thin I’ve lost the mother tongue,
it blossoms out of my mouth
Sujata Bhatt
Sources used
Evangelicals now
Church Times
Bakht Singh Chabra , also known as Brother Bahkt Singh, was India’s foremost Christian evangelistic preacher and indigenous church planter. He founded and established the Hebron Ministries in India. This world wide indigenous church planting movement grew to more than 10, 000 local churches.
According to Indian traditions he is known as ‘Elijah of the 21st century’ in Christendom.
He was born into a religious Sikh family in the village of Joiya.
He studied at a Christian missionary school in India but Bakht at some stage ripped a Bible to pieces.
His parents were against him coming to England in 1926 to study Agricultural Engineering because they feared he would influenced by Christians. He promised he would not convert.
In 1929 he went to the University of Manitoba in Canada. He was befriend by 2 devout Christians -John and Edith Hayward. 4th February 1932 baptized in Vancouver, British Columbia
In 1933 returned to India having told his parents by letter of his conversion. Asked to keep it a secret he refused - they left him - he was homeless.
He started to preach in the streets of Bombay. He became a fiery itinerant preacher and revivalist gaining a large following throughout colonial India.
He was initially Anglican but became independent.
In 1937 the revival that swept through the Martinbur United Presbyterian church was one of the most notable movements in the history of the church of India. ( Jonathan Bonk in 1998 declared).
He started local assemblies based on New Testament principles after spending a night in prayer on a mountain top at Pallavaram, Chennai in 1941.
He held his first ‘Holy Convocation’ in Madras in 1941. These were held annually in Madras, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Kalimpong. Participants,in their 1000s, would eat and sleep in huge tents and meet under a large thatched pandal for hours long prayer, praise and teaching meetings that began at dawn and ended late at night. The care and feeding of guests was handled by volunteers. Expenses were given by voluntary offerings, no appeal was issued.
Read the 6 testimonies.
250,000 attended his funeral in Narayanguda’s Christian cemetery.
I came across information about 10 Asian Christian Women during my research. I have set them up in alphabetically order and found extra information on 8 of them.
Angie Hong - a Korean-American worship leader, speaker and writer.
Dr Grace Ji-Sun Kim - a Korean American theologian and professor - best known for her work on the social and religious experiences of Korean women immigrants in N. America.
Dr. Havilah Dharamraj - she is passionate about South Asian Christian leaders to understand the Word of God within the Asian context.
HeeSun Lee is a Christian hip hop artist. She is vocal about her faith and uses her singles and albums to not only talk about Jesus but elevate her diverse experiences as a bicultural Korean American Christian
Hosanna Wong - she has a unique storytelling voice in which she explores faith and identity through first hand experiences of lose, hope and redemption.
Dr. Jayachitra Lalitha- she is an ordained minister of the Church of South India, She holds a number of roles at Tamilnadu Theological Seminary - associate professor, dean of the women’s studies dept. and coordinator of the women’s centre. Plus co-chair and coeditor of 2 organizations
Dr Sydney Park - she is Associate professor of Divinity at Beeson Divinity School.
Her courses and writings emphasis the need for reconciliation and justice initiatives, both within the church and society at large
Sherrene DeLong- she is an Indian American doctoral student - she challenges what cultures are considered normal and the way in which American evangelism can become more open to eastern values like open -door hospitality.
Tara VanderWounde - is a nationwide speaker at conferences and is passionate about equipping parents for experiences and conversations their children encounter.
Vivian Mabuni - is a Chinese American author, speaker ans cancer survivor. She is passionate about raising up up the next generation of Asian American leaders.
She is the founder of SIH -* Someday is Here Podcast. a place where Asian American women can explore their heritage.
Ten Asian Christian women determined to forward the Christian Gospel.
William Flororunso Kumuyi ( born 6th June 1941) is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry situated at Kilometre 42 on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria. He is the author of 10 Christian books and devotionals ( See books published).
William was brought up in a Christian family in Orunwa, Ogun State, western part of Nigeria. As a young child he read the Bible and sang songs and attended church regularly. In secondary school the principal taught atheism but he eventually started to go to various churches in town.
William began teaching mathematics in 1962 at Mayflower School.
He became a born again Christian on 5th April 1964.
In 1967 he graduated from the University of Ibadanand as the best overall best graduating student in his year, with a first class degree in Mathematics. he also took a post graduate course in Education at the University of Lagos.
In the 1970s he became a lecturer of Mathematics at the University of Lagos.
In 1973 he started a Bible study group with 15 Lagos university students. By the early 1980’s that small group had grown to several 1000. This training became the foundation of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry.
Deeper Life Bible Church was formerly established in 1982.
By 1988 the congregation had grown to 50,000
By 2005 the Christian ministry is said to have over 800, 000 affiliates
September 2016 William addressed over 50,000 youths *to inculcate in them the highest virtues in youths and stay away from antisocial and push-pull tendencies.
On 24th of April 2018 the auditorium, holding 30,000 worshippers, at the church in Gbagade, Lagos was inaugurated. Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President of Nigeria, attended the .
In 2013 the Foreign Policy magazine listed William *among the 500 most powerful people on the planet.
Source use
Wikipedia *
Ezekiel Handinawangu Guti was born on the 5th of May 1923 in Ngaone, Chipinge, Manicaland Province, Rhodesia. He is a gifted evangelist and has distinguished himself as a leading personality in the Pentecostal World.
His academic credentials include a BA, Ma, DD, D.MIn and Ph.D in Religion. Plus BA in Christian education and a Doctorate from Northgate Graduate school and Zoe College.
His ministry began on the 12th may 1960 under a gum tree in Bindura, Zimbabwe.
He founded the Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa (ZAOGA) Christian church in 1959 when the Apostolic Faith Mission broke away from the South African Pentecostal church. The church is now established in over 143 nations, with over 2,000 in Southern Africa.
ZAOGA is also known internationally as Forward in Faith Ministeries International. Its headquarters is to be found in Waterfalls, Harara Zimbabwe
Ezekiel initiated the building of Zimbabwe Ezekiel college and the Mbuya Dorcas Hospital. He oversees 5,000 pastors and evangelists world wide.
Mary Moffat Livingstone was the wife of David Livingstone the missionary and explorer.
In the history books she has been forgotten They said he had three wives - the river Nile,the struggle against slavery and religion.
In the article in the Daily Mail Mrs Livingstone i Presume written by Jane Fryer she looks at the life of his real wife.
She was strong, educated, fearless and spoke 6 African languages. She was the daughter of missionaries and was renowned in South Africa. . It was Mary who opened doors in remote parts of Africa for her singularly driven husband with her languages and connections. Tribal leaders would insist on addressing her first.
Together they crossed the Kalshari desert surviving on biscuit and beans. They survived an entire week without water.
She endured appalling hardship, long separations, a sporadic paralysis caused by a post natal stroke after her fourth child Elizabeth was born in the bush and the final battle aged 41 with malaria.
Mary and David met when he was recovering from being bitten by a lion. Within weeks his life long vow to marry ‘went up in smoke’. They married in 1845. In 7 years they built their own house, created 3 mission stations from scratch and weathered 2 years of drought. In 1849, with 3 children and Mary pregnant they started a 1,500 mile trek across the Kalahari desert.
Read the full article by Jane Fryer.
Visit in July (2021) the revamped (9.1 million) David Livingstone museum In Lanarkshire where finally Mary’s contribution will finally be given due credit
They obviously loved each other. He just loved exploration and adventure a bit more.
Sources
Daily Mail
Wikipedia
Saint Aldhelm (c.639-7090 was Abbot of Malmesbury Abbey, Bishop of Sherborne, a writer and scholar of Latin Poetry.
He is said to have been the son of Kenten, who was of the royal house of Wessex.
Aldhelm was educated by an Irish hermit called Maildulf (also known as Maemaidub, Maidubh and Meldun), who had a small school near what is now Maimesbury (which was named after him). He remained with him for many years.
In 668 Pope Vitalian sent Theodore of Tarsus to be Archbishop of Canterbury. At the same time Hadrian, the North African scholar, became abbot of St. Augustine’s at Canterbury. Aldhelm, now aged about 30, went to Canterbury. There his studies included Roman law, astronomy, astrology, the art of reckoning and the difficulties of the calendar. He learned Latin and Greek, plus possibly Hebrew. He used Latinized Greek words in his works on poetry and prose.
Due to ill health he left Canterbury and returned to Malmesbury Abbey where he was a monk under Maildulf for 14 years, dating probably from 661. It was a small community that had grown from Maildulf 's pupils
On the death of Maildulf he was appointed as the first abbot of Malmesbury.He introduced Benedictine rule and secured the right of the election of the abbot to the monks he founded 2 other monasteries - Frome in Somerset and Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire. He also built a new church at Malmesbury and obtained grants of land for the monastery. He was the abbot there for 35 years
He was a learned man and also a poet, It is said if his hearers would not listen to his sermons he would sing his own songs to them. There is a story that his sermon at Bishopstrow in Wiltshire was so long that his staff, which he stuck into the ground when he began, had ash buds on it at the end!
His fame as a scholar spread to other countries. Artwil, the son of an Irish king, submitted his writings for Aldhelm’s approval As far as we know he was the first Anglo Saxon to write in Latin verse. ( For more detail go to Wikipedia entry)
HIs fame reached Rome. He was successfully involved in solving the controversy of the dating of Easter.
He reluctantly became the first bishop of Sherborne when the huge diocese of West Sussex was divided into Winchester and Sherborne. The monks at the abbey did not want to lose him so he was both abbot and bishop. His territory stretched right to Land’s End,
Aldhelm was now in his mid 60s but he was very active as a bishop. He built the cathedral church at Sherborne. He was known to sing hymns and passages from the Gospels, interspersed with entertaining tales, in public places, so he might draw attention from the crowds and then preach to them. He is known as the Apostle of Wessex.
He died on 25 May, 709 five years after he had become bishop. He was buried in the church of St. Michael at Malmesbury Abbey. HIs friend, St. Egwin, Bishop of Worcester, set up crosses at Aldhelm’s various stopping places.
His feast, on May 25th, is in the Sarum Missal.
John David Pawson (1930-2020) was an evangelical minister, writer and prominent Bible teacher based in the U.K.
He was not afraid of tackling the controversial topics. All he wanted people to do was to read the Bible for themselves.
He was born in the northeast in England. His parents were H. Cecil and Jean Pawson.
His father was head of Agriculture at Durham University and Vice President of the Methodist conference.
From childhood he had always wanted to be a farmer but by the time he had completed a B.Sc. in Agriculture at Durham University he felt God was calling him into full-time Christian ministry. He studied for an M.A. in theology at Wesley House, Cambridge. On graduating he joined the Royal Air Force as a chaplain and served in Aden
When he left the RAF he served as a Methodist minister. He found he was uncomfortable with infant baptism. Following a doctrinal meeting of the Methodist church he volunteered to leave the denomination.
Shortly afterwards he became pastor of Gold Hill Baptist church in Buckinghamshire.
Later he moved to Guildford Baptist Church, Millmead, which helped design. Here he established a reputation amongst the evangelicals and charismatics as a Bible preacher. He began to create teaching tapes for the church’s sick and elderly members- these tapes became popular world wide. Under his ministry Millmead became one of the largest Baptist churches in the U.K…
David left Millmead in 1979 and began an itinerant worldwide Bible teaching ministry. His ministry, predominantly through seminars for church leaders, took him to Asia, Australia, Africa, England, Europe and the USA.
MILLIONS of copies of his teachings have been distributed in more than 120 countries. He was a writer and speaker with a reputation for urgency, clarity and uncompromising faithfulness to the Scriptures. he wrote over 80 books.
His extensive and accessible overviews of the books of the Bible have been published and recorded in Unlocking the Bible, available on CDs, DVDs and YouTube.
Steve Dally worked alongside him during his last ten years. In 2013 he was still preaching at events across the globe. David now in his mid 80’s had a mini stroke and was found to have advanced prostate cancer which had spread to the bones but he fortunately was not in significant pain. As his public appearances became fewer he worked on making his teaching accessible online.
David died on Ascension Day, 21st May 2020 aged 90.
David is considered to be one of the world’s finest biblical expositors
*All he wanted was for people to read the Bible for themselves.
Steve Dally
Sources used
Wikipedia this includes summaries of 10 of his books
Christian News
Read Not as bad s the truth -David’s autobiography
Adelaide of Italy, also known as Adelaide of Burgundy, (931-999) was a Roman Empress by marriage to Emperor Otto the Great. She was crowned with him by Pope John XII on 2nd February 962. She was regent of the Holy Roman Empire as the guardian of her grandson from 1991-995.
Adelaide was born in Orbe Castle in modern day Switzerland. She was the daughter of Rudolf II of Burgundy.
She became involved in the beginning of the complicated fight to control Burgundy and Lombardy. In the battle between the two areas Berengar I died and Rudolf II became king.
When Rudolf 11 died in 937 Hugh of Provence succeeded him. His son Lothair II, the nominal king of Italy, married the 15 year old Adelaide In 947. Adelaide became queen of Western France. In 948 she gave birth to Emma.
On 22 November 950 Lothair was poisoned. by his successor Berengar II of Italy.
He attempted to cement his power by forcing the widowed Adelaide to marry his son Adalbert. She refused and fled to the castle of Como. She was tracked down and imprisoned at Garda for 4 months. She escaped and was rescued by a priest who probably took her to Canossa Castle near Reggio. While theer she sent an emissary to Otto I, the East Frankish king for his protection. They met at Pavia, the old Lombard capital, and were married on 23rd September 951.
Adelaide accompanied her husband on his second expedition to Italy. In Rome, on 2nd February 967, Pope John XII, crowned Otto the Great as Holy Roman Emperor and breaking from tradition Adelaide was named Holy Roman Empress.
4 years later they returned to Rome, with their son 11 year old Otto II, to restore the newly elected Pope John XIII to his throne and to execute some of the Roman rioters who had deposed him.
For the next 6 years they stayed in Rome, Otto ruled his German kingdom from there. 967 their son Otto II was crowned co-emperor and married Theophanu, a Byzantine princess, in April 972. This solved the conflict between the 2 Italian empires in southern Italy.
They returned to Germany and Otto I died in May 973. Adelaide return to Italy where she had a powerful influence at court. In 978 expelled from court - jealous daughter-in-law to blame. In exile for 5 years. Reconciled to son in 983 before he died. Grandson Otto III now emperor. On death of his mother in 990 Adelaide assumed regency for next 4 years. In 995 he was declared of ‘legal majority’,
Adelaide. now in her 60’s, devoted herself exclusively yo her works of charity -
foundation and restoration of religious houses - monasteries, churches and abbeys.
She retired to a nunnery she had founded in c.991 at Seiz in Alsace,
She died at the Seiz Abbey on 16th December 999, She was buried at the abbey and Pope Urban II canonized her in 1097.
Adelaide had devoted herself to the service of the church and peace, and to the empire as a guardian of both.
James the Less is a figure of early Christianity,possibly one of the 12 chosen by Jesus.
According to translation he is called ’ the minor’, the little’, ‘the lesser’ or ‘the younger’
Jesus chose his 12 apostles Matthew ch10 v 3-10,
Mark ch 4 v 13-19
Luke ch 6 v 12-16
*first Simon (also called Peter)
then Andrew (Peter’s brother)
James (son of Zebedee)
John (Jame’s brother)
Philip
Bartholomew
Matthew ( the tax collector)
James (son of Alphaeus)
Simon ( the zealot)
Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him)
*
We have the ‘sons of Zebedee’ - John and James- he is not that James. This James is recognised as James the Great ( although that designation does not appear in the New Testament)
The other James in the 12 is James the son of Alphaeus
James is mentioned 3 other times In the Gospels along with the phrase Mary the mother of James.
Matthew ch 27 v 56 * Mary (the mother of James and Joseph)
Mark ch 15 v 40, Mary (the mother of James the younger and of Joseph)
Luke ch 24 v 10 Mary the mother of James
At no point is this Mary actually referred to being the mother of Jesus.
In Matthew ch 13 v 55 and Mark ch 6 v 3 *he’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary his mother and his brother’s - James, Joseph, Simon and Judas
This James is clearly a brother of Jesus.
The experts are divided as to whether James the Less was James, son of Alphaeus OR James the brother of Jesus.
Jerome concludes that James the Less, James, son of Alphaeus and James the brother of Jesus are one and the same person.
Read the thoughts of Jerome, Jacobus de Varagine and Papias of Hierapolis.
Modern scholars are divided,
Reach your own conclusion
Gregory Thaumaturgus (c.213-270), also known as Gregory of Neocaesarea, was a Christian bishop of the 3rd century. He has been canonized as a saint in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.
Gregory was born around 213 AD into a wealthy pagan family in Neocaesarea (modern Niksar).
He was originally known as Theodore ( gift of God). His immemorial title Thaumaturgus, the wonder worker. in Latinized Greek, casts an air of legend about him but the historical references to him permit a fairly detailed reconstruction of his work.
He was introduced to the Christian faith at the age of 14, after his father had died. He studied law and traditional Greek and Roman classics.
His brother-in-law was appointed legal counsel to the Roman Governor of Palestine. With his brother Athenodorus they acted as an escort to take their sister to Caesarea in Palestine. While there they learned that the celebrated scholar Origen resided there. Curiosity led them to hear and speak with Origen, the head of the Catechetical School of Alexandria. They gave themselves up to the great Christian leader who gradually won them over to Christianity
For 7 years he underwent the mental and moral discipline of Origen (231-9).Before leaving Palestine he delivered a public farewell oration to his illustrious master Origen to thank him.
Gregory returned to Pontus with the intention of practising law but he was soon consecrated bishop of Neocaesarea by Phoedimus, Bishop of Amasea and metropolitan of Pontus.
He was 40 when he became bishop and he ruled his diocese for 13 years. He started with 17 members but under his leadership most of the city of Pontus converted to Christianity. His skills were such that some his flock soon attributed miracles to him - he gained the nickname of The wonder Worker.
But during the persecutions ordered by Emperor Decius in 250 many deserted. He also fled into the surrounding mountains with many of his flock. By the time of his death his flock had dwindled back to 17.
Gregory was a great and conspicuous lamp, illuminating the church of God
Basil concludes Gregory was regarded as another Moses. Basil the Great
Sources used
Christianity Today
Wikipedia
Brief note included about Origen
John the Baptist was a cousin of Jesus.
He baptised Jesus in the River Jordan.
All 4 of the gospels look at the life of John the Baptist - notes used from Luke
His parents were Zachariah, a priest, his mother was called Elizabeth.
Zachariah was chosen to burn incense in the temple. While in the temple the angel Gabriel appears to tell him that, although he and his wife are quite old, they are going to become parents, and he is told the baby is to be called John… He does not believe and is struck dumb and can only communicate by writing on a slate.
Luke ch 1 v 5-22
Elizabeth becomes pregnant and the baby kicks for the first time when Mary, the future mother of Jesus, visits her. Luke ch 1 v 39-56
After John is born his parents take the baby to be circumcised. Zachariah picks up the slate to write ‘John’ and his voice is restored. Luke ch 1 v 57-79
We now move forward approximately 30 years. John, dressed in camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, is baptising people in the River Jordan calling on them to repent of their sins, saying he is the foreunner of the one who will baptise with the Holy Spirit. Luke ch 3 v 1-18
Jesus goes to be baptised by John. John reluctantly baptises saying he is unworthy.
A dove appears and a voice says You are my son whom I love; with you I am well pleased. Luke ch 3 v 21/2
John later tells his disciples to follow Jesus, the long awaited Messiah.
John speaks out against Herod Antipas’ illegal marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife and is imprisoned Luke ch 3 v 19-20
Herod holds a party and after seeing. his wife’s daughter Salome dance offers the daughter anything she wants. After speaking with her mother she asks for the head of John on a plate. Reluctantly he agrees, Luke ch 9 v 7-9
I tell you among those born of women, there is no one greater than John.
Jesus
Luke ch 7 v 27
Sources used
The Church’s Year by Charles Alexander
The Nativity (Life) of John the Baptist
New Living Translation Bible - John the Baptist notes
Mary, the mother of Jesus, has been venerated since early Christianity.
According to Christian theology, Mary conceived Jesus through the Holy Spirit whilst still a virgin. Both the gospels of Matthew and Luke in the New Testament, and the Quran, describe Mary as a virgin, and as being betrothed to Joseph.
Over the centuries she is said to have appeared to many believers.
6 Fascinating facts found in ‘Beliefnet’
Her life was foreshadowed in the Old Testament
Virgin Mother of Emmanuel Isaiah ch14 v7
2.She was a woman of great Courage and Character
When the angel Gabriel came and told she was to be the mother of God’s son she showed great courage and character Luke ch 1 v38
3.Believed by many to be the greatest of all saints
She was chosen and prepared by God to be the mother of his son.
4.She was Instrumental in Jesus’ Life
She was there throughout his lifetime -birth to Ascension
5.The true meaning of the Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception deals with the conception of Mary herself, not that of her son.
A Life of Witness
Her life was to witness to the glory of her Son and we can’t help but admire her for that.
I have included Bible references, 2 copies of the Magnificat - traditional and modern, information about Jewish betrothal and marriage plus Catholic Mariology
I hope these sheets prove useful.
Note
Mary is mentioned by name on more occasions in the Quran than in the Bible.
John Paton (1824-1907) was a protestant missionary to the New Hebrides Islands of the South Pacific. He brought to the natives of the New Hebrides education and Christianity.
John was born on the 24th May 1824 in a farm cottage at Braehead, Kirkmahoe, Dumfriesshire, Scotland. He was eldest of 11 children. His parents moved to Torthorwald in the same county. His father was a stocking manufacturer and a stocker of books- Bibles.
From the age of 12 he learned the stocking manufacturing trade, working 14 hours a day manipulating one of the 6 ‘stocking frames’.
He also studied for 2 hours during the alloted time to eat.
He was greatly influenced by the devoutness of his father who 3 times a day went to his ‘prayer closet’ and conducted family prayers twice a day’
He felt he was called by God to be a missionary.
He went to Glasgow ( 40 miles walking to Kilmarnock, the rest by train).
There he undertook theological and medical studies. For years he handed out tracts, taught at schools and laboured as a city missionary.
!858, 23rd March, ordained by the Reformed Presbyterian Church. On 2nd April married Mary Ann Robson. 16th April, accompanied by Mr Joseph Copeland, they set sail for the South Pacific. 5th November landed on the island of Tanna - the natives there were cannibals!
The cannibals - 'painted ’ savages wore very little -the men were naked, the women wore a short grass or leaf apron.
1859, 12th February Peter Robert Robson born, Mary dies 19 days later from tropical fever. Baby Peter dies after 36 days. They were buried together and John guarded the grave from the cannibals. The grave is still accessible to this day and a plaque in 1996 was erected to mark the spot.
John continued with his missionary work in spite of constant animosity form the natives. During one attack a ship arrived just in time to take him and Mr. Mrs. Mathieson to the safety of Aneityum.
He then went first to Australia then back to Scotland to recruit missionaries and raise funds for the building and upkeep of a ship.
1864, 17th June, he marries Margaret ( Maggie) Whitecross.
1866, August, back in the New Hebrides, they establish a new mission station on Aniwa Island, the island closest to Tanna. They live in a native hut while they build 3 houses- i for them and 2 for orphans.
They find the natives similar to those on Tanna but they continue with their missionary work. They have 10 children, 4 die early or in infancy.
John learns the language and turns it into written form.
Maggie works with 50 women/girls who become experts at sewing, singing, plaiting hats and reading.
They expound the Scriptures
They administer to the sick
Send out natives to preach the gospel
After years of deprivation, danger from the natives and disease and patient ministry the entire island of Aniwa professed Christianity.
( Read ‘Return to the New Hebrides’)
1899 Aniiwa N.T. printed & 25/30 islands have missionaries
David Brainerd (1718-1747) was an American missionary to the Native Americans. He had a fruitful ministry among the Delaware Indians of New Jersey. During his short life he was beset by many physical difficulties.
As a result his diary,Life and diary Of David Brainerd(1749) edited by Jonathan Edwards, he became a source of inspiration and encouragement to many Christians.
David was born on 20th April 1718 in Haddam, Connecticut.He was one of 9 siblings.He was orphaned at the age of 14 when his father died, his mother died 5 years later.
After his mother’s death he lived with Jerusha, one of his older sisters. in East Haddam. Aged 19 he inherited a farm in Durham but did not enjoy the experience. He returned to his sister’s. A year later he prepared to go to Yale University.
12th July, 1739, he had ‘inspeakable glory’ - a conversion experience…
September entered Yale. In his second year he was sent home after a serious illness.(now believed to be tuberculosis (TB))
When he returned to Yale in December 1740 there was tension between the college trustees and their students relating to the enthusiasm of the students In 1741 a decree was passed that anyone who called staff hypocrites after a second offence would be expelled.
Jonathan Edwards came to preach and David commented that one of his tutors - Chauncey Whittelsey ‘has no more grace then a chair’. He was also alleged to ask why the Rector ‘did not drop dead’. He was expelled. He apologized for the first comment but denied making the second.
A recent law had been passed that ministers could only be appointed in Connecticut if they had graduated from Harvard or Yale. He had to reconsider his plans.
In 1742 he was licensed to preach for a group called ‘New Lights’. Jonathan Dickinson noticed him and tried to get him reinstated at Yale but failed. it was suggested he worked as a missionary among Native Americans, supported by the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian knowledge (SSPSK). He was approved on 25th November 1742.
1st April 1743, after a brief time serving a church on Long Island, he began working with Native Americans He began working at Kaunameek, a Housatonic Indian settlement. He stayed there a year. He began a school and to translate the Psalms.
He then worked for a year with the Delaware Indians along the Rivernorthwest of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
He then moved to Crossweeksung in New Jersey where he established a Christian community of 130 members.
By November 1746 his health- a form of depression - 22 times- stopped him from working. He moved first to Jonathan Dickenson’s house. After a few months rest. he moved to Jonathan Edward’s house. 17 year old Jerusha Edwards nursed him… He managed a trip to Boston.
He suffered greatly and died of TB at Edward’s house on the 9th October 1747, aged just 29.
Life and Diary of David Brainerd is still in print (see Amazon flier)
William Whiting Borden (1887-1913) was a philanthropist and millionaire Christian Missionary Candidate who died in Egypt before reaching his chosen field, Gansu province in China.
William was born onto a prominent and wealthy Chicago family.His father had made a fortune in Colorado silver mining. He was the third of four children.
His mother converted to evangelical Christianity in 1894. She took her son to Chicago Avenue Church. later Moody Church.He responded to the gospel preaching of R.A. Torrey and prayer and Bible study became his hallmark for life.
After he graduated from The Hill School, Pottstown, Pennsylvania aged 16 his parents gave him a gift of a chaperoned trip around the world. This developed a desire to become a missionary…
At a meeting In London, where R.A. Torrey was preaching, he surrendered his life for Christian service.
1905 he went to Yale University. Encouraged by classics tutor Henry Burt Wright he began daily prayer groups which within 2 years reached the entire university.
1906, at a Student Volunteer Movement convention, Samuel Marinus Zwemer impressed him with his emphasis on the open doors for evangelizing the Muslim world.
William had a charismatic personality, was sociable, athletic, fun loving but also an intense hardworking natural leader. He was elected president of Phi Beta Kappa.
With his own money he funded a New Haven rescue mission and worked there.
He graduated in 1909 and then attended Princeton Theological Seminary (1909-12).
His reputation was such that he became a board member of the National Bible Institute in New York City - at one point he was temporarily in charge of the whole ministry. He became a director of Moody Bible Institute. Aged 22 he was a member of the North American Council of the China Inland Mission ( until he applied to go to China!)
His intention was to become a missionary to Uyghur Muslims in Northwestern China. He decided to first study Islam and Arabic in Cairo. He boarded with a Syrian family so that he would hear Arabic spoken as much as possible. He also spent time distributing Christian sermons written in a Koranic style.
March 13th 1913 he contracted cerebral meningitis and died a few weeks later on April 9th 1913, aged 25.
His mother had just arrived from the USA. After a simple funeral he was buried in the American cemetery in Cairo. On his gravestone was written
Apart from faith in Christ, there is no explanation of such a life
(words suggested by Samuel M. Zwemer who attended the funeral)
Other services were also held back in the USA, Japan, Korea, India and South Africa.
Legacy
Borden Memorial Hospital (1918-1951) in Gansu, was founded by the China Inland Mission with money donated by the Borden family ($800,000) after the death of William. The hospital was handed over to the Chinese government in 1951.
( Read ‘Borden Memorial Hospital’)
Sir Wilfred Thomason Grenfell KCMG was a medical missionary to Newfoundland.
Wilfred was born at Parkgate, Cheshire, England on 28th February 1865. His father was Rev, Algernon Sidney Grenfell, headmaster of Mostyn House School.
He moved to London in 1882 and commenced the study of Medicine at the London Hospital Medical College (now part of St. Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry). He graduated in 1888.
In 1892 The Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen RNMDSF)(1881) sent him to Newfoundland. His task was to improve the plight of coastal inhabitants and fishermen. he began by recruiting 2 nurses and 2 doctors for hospitals at Indian Harbour. He later opened cottage hospitals along the coast of Labrador.
The mandate expanded to making a small ‘village’- schools, orphanage, . co=operatives industrial projects and social work.
In 1907 he imported a group of 300 reindeer from Norway but the animals carried a parasitic roundworm that spread to the native caribou herds The reindeer herd eventually disappeared.
1908 he got caught in a ‘slob’ a sludgy mass of floating ice, with a team of huskies,
on his way to a medical emergency. He managed to get onto an ice-pan and drifted for several days without food or fresh water. To keep warm he had to sacrifice some of his dogs to make a warm coat for himself. He buried the dogs and put a plaque saying ‘Who gave their lives for me.’
In 1909 he married Anne Elizabeth Caldwell MacClanahan. She brought comfort and refinement into his life, She became totally involved in his work - organizing his fundraising tours and lectures, editing his books and helped secure scholarship for the children to continue their education.They had 3 children of their own.
By 1914 the mission had gained international status. The International Grenfell Association , a non-profit mission society, was founded to support his work.
In 1927 he was knighted by the king for his years of service on behalf of the people of his community. He received 5 other awards. ( See 'Awards)
Wifred wrote 20 books- mixture of religious books and about Labrador. (See ‘Publications’)
The Grenfell Mission (1892 branch of RNMDSF) established a Village Industry Department prior to 1930.
They retired to Vermont after his work in Newfoundland. Anne was ill towards the end of her life. She kept the pain hidden from her husband and took care of him until she died in 1938. Wilfred died on the 9th Ocyober 1940.
The Sir Wilfred Thomason Grenfell Historical Society was formed in 1978.
Wilfred is honoured with a feast day on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church (USA) on 9th October.
Information included about
Fishermen’s Mission
Grenfell Mission
Sir Wilfred Thomason Grenfell Historical Society ( See ’ Death and legacy)