The Oxford Methodists : $b Memoirs of the Rev. Messrs. Clayton, Ingham, Gambold, Hervey, and Broughton, with biographical notices of othersTyerman, L. (Luke)
History
The Oxford Methodists : $b Memoirs of the Rev. Messrs. Clayton, Ingham, Gambold, Hervey, and Broughton, with biographical notices of others
“The Brethren’s grand topic, in their hymns, as every one
may see, is the Person and Propitiation of Jesus Christ.
They collect, as in the _focus_ of a burning glass, what
has descended to them from past ages, or properly from the
Bible itself, upon this head; and, that it may not be evaded
under the notion of _dicta ardentia_, they present it in a
system, and apply that system to practice. They affirm our
free acceptance with God as sinners, and through pure grace,
and yet the necessity of, and powerful assistances for, a most
real holiness of life afterwards, with such a warmth, upon
each of these subjects successively, that many a reader runs
away with the supposition of their over-doing on that side he
happened to take notice of, for want of waiting the balance.
They cherish, as an hereditary platform from their ancestors,
a very high persuasion of, and very strict rules concerning,
a New Testament Church. To mention but one peculiarity more,
they continually betray a burning propensity to the work of
propagating the Gospel of peace. If any one finds more things
uttered in this spirit, than he can make application of in his
sphere, let him remember that these are a people, very many of
whose members have such a call. Above a hundred of them have
already consumed and laid down their mortal tabernacles in
ministering the Gospel to the heathen.”
The last statement is remarkable, and greatly to the honour of the
Brethren’s Church, especially when it is remembered that only thirty
years had elapsed since the Church was founded at Herrnhuth, in Germany.
From these brief notices of his literary labours, it will be seen, that,
Gambold was a faithful, unflinching friend of the illustrious Count.
The English Moravians were passing through the terrible crisis already
mentioned in the Memoir of Ingham. They were nearly wrecked; and not
undeservedly. Ingham left them; but Gambold did his utmost to defend
them; and, as the chief English member of their community, was ordained
a “_Chor-Episcopus_,” in other words, an Assistant Bishop. The ceremony
took place at a Synod, held at Lindsey House, London, in November,
1754; and was performed by Bishops Watteville, and John and David
Nitschmann.[136]
Little more remains to be told of this sincere and devoted man. For
seventeen years, he wore the honours of his office “with humility and
diffidence.” The writer of the Memoir, prefixed to Gambold’s works,
remarks:—
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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