Christian Leaders of the Eighteenth Century (Updated, Annotated): Eleven Biographies in One Volume

J. C. Ryle

Aug 2021 · Aneko Press

About this eBook

Biographies of George Whitefield, John Wesley, William Grimshaw, William Romaine, Daniel Rowlands, John Berridge, Henry Venn, Samuel Walker, James Hervey, Augustus Toplady, and John Fletcher.

The reader will soon discover that I am an enthusiastic admirer of the men whose lives and ministries I have narrated in this volume. I confess it honestly. I am a thorough admirer of them. I firmly believe that, with the exceptions of Martin Luther and his contemporaries and our own martyred Reformers, the world has not seen any such men since the days of the apostles. I believe there have not been any who have preached as much clear scriptural truth, none who have lived such lives, none who have shown such courage in Christ’s service, none who have suffered as much for the truth, and none who have done as much good. If anyone can name better men, he knows more than I do.

I now send forth this volume with an earnest prayer that God will pardon all its imperfections, use it for His own glory, and raise up in His church today men like those who are here described. Certainly when we look at the state of the church today, we may well say, “Where is the Lord God of Whitefield and of Rowlands, of Grimshaw and of Venn? O Lord, revive Your work!”

—J. C. Ryle

Stradbroke Vicarage, August 10, 1868

Ratings and reviews

JC Ryle has blessed us with a glimpse into the lives, successes and humanity of some great heroes of the faith. From the accounts of the lives of courageous Christians we are inspired to take our faith more seriously. I was encouraged to examine my own witness for Jesus and to be bold for Him. The style of writing required more effort than usual but I enjoyed Ryle's balanced perspective on each of his subjects. This book helped me to see, more clearly, the simple truth and power of the gospel. The message which not only brought many to salvation but enabled these men to face suffering and even death with the "blessed assurance" and often with excited anticipation - a mystery well worth pursuing.

Christian leaders in England, whom maybe not well known but contributed a lot to the Christian communities in the eighteenth century and their works still used until now.

About the author

John Charles Ryle (1816-1900) graduated from Eton and Oxford and then pursued a career in politics, but due to lack of funds, he entered the clergy of the Church of England. He was a contemporary of Spurgeon, Moody, Mueller, and Taylor and read the great theologians like Wesley, Bunyan, Knox, Calvin, and Luther. These all influenced Ryle’s understanding and theology. Ryle began his writing career with a tract following the Great Yarmouth suspension bridge tragedy, where more than a hundred people drowned. He gained a reputation for straightforward preaching and evangelism. He travelled, preached, and wrote more than 300 pamphlets, tracts, and books, including Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Principles for Churchmen, and Christian Leaders of the Eighteenth Century. Ryle used the royalties from his writing to pay his father’s debts, but he also felt indebted to that ruin for changing the direction of his life. He was recommended by Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli to be Bishop of Liverpool where he ended his career in 1900.