Log college - Alexander - IX - Chapter 10 concluded

Required reading
The log college by Archibald Alexander (Available from Amazon or free here) - Conclude Chapter 10 (Memoir of the Rev William Tennent, Jr.).

My summary
Today we finish reading about the life of William Tennent Junior.

We hear about his:
(i) preaching;
(ii) pastoral visits;
(iii) theology;
(iv) peace-making;
(v) persecutions including a criminal trial for perjury;
(vi) integrity;
(vii) submission to the will of God, particularly regarding the death of two of his sons;
(viii) meeting with George Whitefield;
(ix) diligence;
(x) political opinions;
(xi) sickness;
(xii) death.

What grabbed me
I found really helpful the discussion between Tennent and Whitefield: '" When the late Rev. George Whitefield was last in this country, Mr. Tennent paid him a visit as he was passing through New Jersey. Mr. Whitefield and a number of other clergymen, among whom was Mr. Tennent, were invited to dinner by a gentleman in the neighbourhood where the late Mr. William Livingston, since governor of New Jersey, resided, and who, with several other lay gentlemen, was among the guests. After dinner, in the course of an easy and pleasant conversation, Mr. Whitefield adverted to the difficulties attending the gospel ministry, arising from the small success with which their labours were crowned. He greatly lamented that all their zeal, activity and fervour availed but little ; said that he was weary with the burdens and fatigues of the day; declared his great consolation was, that in a short time his work would be done, when he should depart and be with Christ ; that the prospect of a speedy deliverance had supported his spirits, or that he should before now have sunk under his labour. He then appealed to the ministers around him, if it were not their great comfort that they should soon go to rest. They generally assented, excepting Mr. Tennent, who sat next to Mr. Whitefield in silence ; and by his countenance discovered but little pleasure in the conversation. On which Mr. Whitefield, turning to him and tapping him on the knee, said, 'Well ! brother Tennent, you are the oldest man amongst us, do you not rejoice to think that your time is so near at hand, when you will be called home and freed from all the difficulties attending this chequered scene?' Mr. T. bluntly answered, ' I have no wish about it.' Mr. W. pressed him again ; and Mr. T. again answered, 'No, sir, it is no pleasure to me at all, and if you knew your duty it would be none to you. I have nothing to do with death ; my business is to live as long as I can — as well as I can — and to serve my Lord and Master as faithfully as I can, until he shall think proper to call me home.' Mr. W. still urged for an explicit answer to his question, in case the time of death were left to his own choice. Mr. Tennent replied, ' I have no choice about it; I am God's servant, and have engaged to do his business as long as he pleases to continue me therein. But now, brother, let me ask you a question.  What do you think I would say if I was to send my man Tom into the field to plough, and if at noon I should go to the field and find him lounging under a tree, and complaining, ' Master, the sun is very hot, and the ploughing hard and difficult ; I am tired and weary of the work you have appointed me, and am overdone with the heat and burden of the day ; do, master, let me return home and be discharged from this hard service What would I say ? Why, that he was an idle, lazy fellow ; that it was his business to do the work that I had appointed him, until I, the proper judge, should think fit to call him home. Or suppose you had hired a man to serve you faithfully for a given time in a particular service, and he should, without any reason on your part, and before he had performed half his service, become weary of it, and upon every occasion be expressing a wish to be discharged or placed in other circumstances. Would you not call him a wicked and slothful servant, and unworthy of the privileges of your employ ?' The mild, pleasant, and Christian-like manner in which this reproof was administered, rather increased the social harmony and edifying conversation of the company, who became satisfied that it was very possible to err, even in desiring with undue earnestness 'to depart and be with Christ,' which in itself is ' far better' than to remain in this imperfect state; and that it is the duty of the Christian, in this respect, to say, 'All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come.''

This is a good rebuke for me too.  Only a lazy servant would desire to be relieved of his master's work before his master desires to relieve him.

I should be content to work hard while it is the Lord's will that it is so.

Next week's reading
Read Chapter 11 (Remarks on the preceding narrative), Chapter 12 (Anecdotes of the Rev. Wm. Tennent Jr.) and Chapter 13 (Memoir of the Rev. Charles Tennent).

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