The life of John Knox - M'Crie - III - Period 3

Required reading
The life of John Knox by Thomas M'Crie (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Period 3.

My summary
Today we read of Knox's time in England after his release from the French galleys.

He begins itinerant preaching throughout England and encourages other Reformers.  During this time Knox has a hand in the drafts of the Book of Common Prayer and Articles of Religion.  We also see an attachment form between him and a Miss Marjory Bowes who by the end of the chapter is his wife.

Due to his capabilities, Knox is then offered some fairly substantial positions but refuses them (a hint is given that he is not happy with everything the the Anglican church is doing).

At the end of the chapter Edward VI is dead and Bloody Mary has begun to persecute the church causing Knox to flee to France.

What grabbed me
I liked Knox's foresight during his labours in England: 'From an early period his mind seems to have presaged, that the golden opportunity now enjoyed would not be of long duration. He was eager to "redeem the time," and indefatigable both in his studies and teaching.  In addition to his ordinary services on Sabbath, he preached regularly on week days, frequently on every day of the week.  Besides the portion of time which he allotted to study, he was often employed in conversing with persons who applied to him for advice on religious subjects.'

Although we are not under the same circumstances as Knox, we should make the most of the 'golden opportunity' that we have in much of the Western World and work as hard as we can.  Another Bloody Mary could be here all too soon...


Next week's reading
Commence Period 4 by reading up to the paragraph beginning 'On the 25th of March, Knox delivered a very consolatory discourse to about fifty members of the congregation, who assembled at his lodgings in the evening' (pg 84 in the Free Presbyterian edition).

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.