Log college - Alexander - VII - Chapter 9

Required reading
The log college by Archibald Alexander (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 9 (Memoir of the Rev John Tennent).

My summary
Now we read about the rather short life of William Tennent's third son, John Tennent.

We are given an account of John's:
(i) birth;
(ii) conversion;
(iii) spiritual state;
(iv) religious education;
(v) church in Monmouth, New Jersey;
(vi) preaching;
(vii) love for his church;
(viii) sickness;
(ix) death at age 25.

What grabbed me
I liked the description of John Tennent's humility: 'First, his humility. He was wont to speak of himself in the most abasing terms, saying that he thought himself one of the worst creatures the creation bore; and on his dying bed he desired his relations to forbear any funeral encomiums upon him when he was gone, for he declared with vehemence that he was not worthy of them. When admitted to preach, he would often, in his private studies, take the Bible in his hand, and would walk up and down the room weeping and mourning, that although there was a treasury of precious truth contained in that blessed book, he understood so little of them. A sense of the greatness of the ministerial work, and of his ignorance and unfitness for it, was often a very oppressive burden to him. It was a striking evidence of the low opinion which he entertained of himself,that he never could be persuaded that a holy God would bless the labours of a person every way so mean and so unworthy as he felt himself to be. And when informed that certain persons had been convinced under his ministry, he could not for some time believe that the work was genuine, until further conviction was afforded by bright and incontestable evidences.'

Who is truly worthy to be a minister?

Next week's reading
Commence Chapter 10 (Memoir of the Rev William Tennent, Jr.) by reading up to the paragraph beginning 'The writer having requested of the present Rev. Dr. William M. Tennent a written account of an anecdote relative to his uncle, which he had once heard him repeat verbally, received in reply the following letter...'

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