William Grimshaw

The Pastor gave me a book to encourage me which tells the stories of some of the great open air preachers. "Christian Leaders of the 18th Century" by J.C. Ryle. To my shame I have been crawling through it at a death march pace. I read about Whitfield and Wesley and am now reading about a man named William Grimshaw, who would open air preach 20-30 TIMES A WEEK! Can you imagine that? He didn't write much because he was preaching all the time. Here is a beautiful excerpt from one of his writings and is SO poignant and makes me look forward to my own death...

"Dispose my affairs, O God, in a manner which may be wholly subservient to thy glory and my own true happiness; and when I have done, borne, and endured thy will upon earth, call me home at what time and in what manner thou pleasest. Only grant that in my dying moments, and the near approach of eternity, I may remember this my engagement to thee, and may employ my latest breath in thy service; and do thou, when thou seest me in the agonies of death, remember this covenant too, though I should be incapable of recollecting it. Look down upon me, O Lord, thy languishing, dying child; place thine everlasting arms underneath my head; put strength and confidence into my departing spirit, and receive it to the embrace of thine everlasting love." - William Grimshaw December 4th 1752

Isn't that absolutely beautiful? Only a vision of glory and security of salvation can so move a man to pen with such confidence the longing to meet his Creator!