William Kelly (1821-1906) was born into an Episcopalian family from Ulster, Northern Ireland. As a young boy he was left fatherless. This misfortune did not rob him of his buoyant sense of humor, but did spur him to diligence in all areas of life. A hard worker and a vigorous student, he graduated at the […]
“In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple” (Isaiah 6:1). What a vision it was that Isaiah saw! What an honor to see the Lord in this way. It is no wonder that after seeing Him like […]
I have known the Lord for many years and say that what counts for me is not only what Jesus Christ meant to me years ago, but what He means to me today. I hope He means more to me today than when I bowed the knee to Him. I was not brought up in […]
In the summer of 1923, Mr. Fred Mehl pitched a gospel tent in Big Rapids, MI, his hometown. It was my privilege to join our brother in house-to-house visitation, open-air and tent services. “Grandma’s” open house became our “dwelling.” The elderly German couple received us kindly. There, in the upper room, we knelt together daily–sometimes […]
I was traveling west for a gospel outreach with a group of young men. Enroute, I stopped by to see an old family friend who, for whatever reasons, had become jaded with his heritage in New Testament style assemblies. Somewhere in the conversation, he asked me where I was heading. I told him I was […]
The Spirit’s commentary on the early Church reads, “They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine, and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). These are the four great principles of fellowship in “the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” […]
When John writes his first letter, five times over he mentions being “born of God.” Immediately it would be understood, not only that anyone who has been born of God possesses new life, but also that there is a new relationship. We have a relationship with God. This relationship is so wonderfully expressed by Paul […]
Menno Simons (1496-1561) was the intrepid Bible teacher and evangelist among the besieged and harried brethren who lived without government protection during the times of the Reformation in northern Europe. His enemies in the state-churches thought he was immortal too. Immortal because after they had tortured, drowned, or burned almost every prominent Anabaptist preacher, for […]
In every age of church history, questions have arisen which have grown into issues of great concern. The role of the woman is one such issue. Today, as in the past, there is scarcely a local church, or church leader, who has not discussed the place and service of women in the church. The sheer […]