Adam Clarke uplifts his eyes, at the outset, to the true standard of human effort, — the glory and approval of the Most High God. I well remember,” he once said, “the time when the last farm went out of the family, and our ancient boast was lost for ever. Clarke was of Scotch origin, a descendant of the M’Leans of Mull, in the Hebrides, — a hardy race, remarkable for muscular strength.
Though he was baptized by his uncle Tracy, no register of the baptism was preserved; and Mrs. He found himself sitting in the water, and it was by a very swelling wave that he had been put out of the way of being. The neighborhood in which he lived had not at that time the privilege of the plain Gospel.
Her mind was habitually serious, and her whole conduct in the training of the family betokened an earnest solicitude for their everlasting welfare. He had a notion that it was possible to attain such a knowledge of those unseen agencies which reveal their effects in the appearances of the. The Bible is in His hand, and the light of the Holy Spirit shining in His conscience.
That the world lies in wickedness: proved by appeals to the state of man’s nature, and the actual condition of human society
I will exhort as usual, but cannot venture to take a text.” “Well, a text you must take; for the people will not be satisfied without it. A good exhortation is a sermon, and you may as well have a text as not.” To this authority he was obliged for the present to bow, though he went with rather a perplexed than a heavy heart. I will go,” thought he to himself: “ I can only bring back the tidings that I went, tried, failed, and brought a disgrace upon Methodism.” He arrived near the place a good while before the time, and, not knowing any one, strolled on the bank of the river; so depressed and melancholy as to lie down on the grass and weep.
While reading, he was forcibly struck with the words, “We know that we are of God,” upon which he felt his mind could fasten, as the text he wanted. Just as he had risen from the grass, a man passed, of whom he inquired for the place of preaching occupied by the Methodists. The man measured him apparently with his eye, from head to foot, and then, in a tone of despondency mingled with surprise, said, ‘You are a young one to unravel the word.
The text was the passage that had made the impression on his mind in the field, <620519>.
That it is only by the power of God that men are saved from this state of corruption; those who are converted being converted by Him
That the world lies in wickedness: proved by appeals to the state ofman’s nature, and the actual condition of human society.
Those who are converted know it; not only from its outward effects in their lives, but from the change made in their hearts: “We know that
On the last day of the journey, no dinner offering itself, he had subsisted on “a. The idea of the united school was given up, and the establishment henceforward devoted to the purpose of affording a. Nature called for rest, but the necessities of the work to which he had committed.
In the history of the world, and of the church, he was very extensively read. Adam Clarke, — a kind of distaste for, or a disparagement of the use of music in the worship of God. The people of the towns, and the marine population of the ships in the Hamoaze, came in crowds to hear the word of God.
The title of servant of the Lord Jesus Christ I prefer to the glory of kings. In the course of the year he was moved to attempt the introduction of preaching into the island of Alderney. I climbed the rocks, and got to the top of the island, thanking God for my passage.
The trumpets of Providence were sounding the advent of a new era in the history of the world. I hesitated a moment; but, finding my soul drawn out in pity to the multitudes, I said, ‘I will go down in the name of the Lord.’ Mr. Underneath, after the manner of the old portraits in the Magazine, is the inscription, “Mr.
Let there be no exhortation at any prayer-meeting
In the great revival in London, my first difficulty was to bring into temper those who opposed the work; and my next, to check and regulate the extravagances of those who promoted it.
Beware of jealousy, or judging one another
Never think a man is an enemy to the work because he reproves irregularities
He insists somewhere that the preachers in the pulpit should not exceed ten minutes in that part of the service. Imprisoned on suspicion of a murder, which was afterwards fully cleared up by the surrender of the real. From among these one was now selected as the presidential head of the Connection for the current year;.
All the acts of the Conference were distinguished by a single-minded purpose to do all to the supreme glory of God. Clarke, with such strength as he had, addressed himself to the duties of the opening year. The bloody drama of the French revolution was then unfolding scene after scene of horror.
Two classes of opinions on this great crisis held sway on our side of the. As a small token of continued filial respect, this inscription is humbly dedicated to the memory of the above, by his affectionate son in the Gospel, Adam Clarke.”. The term of the Manchester appointment expired in July, 1793; and a new scene of labor opened to him in the Liverpool Circuit.
The great Methodist question of that time involved the celebration of service in church-hours, and the administration of the sacraments in the chapels. He complained heavily of the multitude of our communicants, and produced the canon against strangers. The clergy in Bristol at first complained of the increase of their labor in the.
The latter, however, declined to do violence to the consciences of the multitude of the members who were in favor of it. Some of the preachers went and prayed with them, nor rested till they were healed.
Thou art a sinner, and consequently wretched
In the constellation of eminent preachers who moved at that time in the intellectual sky, but who have now nearly all disappeared from our sight, Mr. From his rising to his setting hour, unnumbered multitudes rejoiced in his light as a witness and guide to the mercy which could save them. In his ministry Christ was all in all; the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end.
He essayed to unfold the entire evangelic revelation, the whole counsel of God with respect to the way of salvation by Jesus Christ. He showed the sinner his mighty need of such a Saviour, and led him in repentance to His feet. The only preaching,” he said once, in a letter to a brother minister, (and the maxim had its embodiment in his own practice,) “the only preaching worth anything in God’s account, and which the fire will not burn up, is that which labors to convert and convince the sinner of his sin; to bring him into contrition for it; to lead him to the blood of the covenant, that his conscience may be purged from its guilt; to the Spirit of judgment and burning, that he may be purified from its infection; and then to build him up on this most holy faith, by causing him to pray in the Holy Ghost, and keep himself in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
This is the system pursued by the apostles, and it is that alone which God will own to the conversion of sinners. Again, to another: — “These are not only the first rudiments of heavenly teaching, but the fulness of Divine truth in reference to salvation:.
God is an eternal, unfailing Fountain of love
He has given His Son Jesus Christ to die for men
Believe on Him, and thou shalt be saved from thy sins
When saved, continue incessantly dependent upon Him; so shalt thou continually receive out of His fulness grace upon grace, and be
From the Norman Isles to the ultima Thule of the storm-beaten Zetlands, he revealed the glorious Gospel of the grace of God. The poor man thereupon found tranquillity of mind, and expired at length in the enjoyment of the mercy of God. You might have seen small parties praying in separate parts of the chapel at the same time.
In this he was seconded by many of the trustees, and had also the concurrence of Mr. At one period it was his duty to receive the dividends of the Preachers’ Annuitant Society. I had a large congregation in the morning, and such a sense of the presence of God rested on us all as some of the oldest.
I preached a long and (for me) good sermon on the purpose and design of the Lord’s Supper; after which I administered that sacred ordinance to the Society. He went in the strength of the Lord God, making mention of His righteousness; and help came with every hour of duty. Which of the arts and sciences can be proved to be most useful to mankind.
Clarke gave another token of great activity, in the publication of the remaining volumes of the Bibliographical. Of the ability and zeal with which he co-operated in this great design we shall have to give some examples in the subsequent records. We want some kind of seminary for educating workmen for the vineyard of the Lord.
The Conference was burdened with increasing pecuniary difficulties, and the resources of the Connection were not adequate to the task. Already, in those sequestered shades, hundreds of pious young men, called of God to the work of the Gospel, have been soundly. On this memorable occasion, he was invested with the highest honor his brethren in the ministry could confer upon him, in being elected President of the Conference.
Benson, inside From every quarter I find it is the unanimous design of the preachers to put me in the chair.
