Extracts from the Letters of Samuel Rutherford

Samuel Rutherford

Mar 2008 · Gleanings from the Past Book 1 · Scripture Truth

About this ebook

The letters of Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661) have been a source of encouragement and inspiration to Christians for over 350 years; but to the modern reader their language and structure can often hinder the enjoyment of their true value. In 1913, Hamilton Smith (1862-1943) set out to make the heart of the letters (and of Rutherford himself) more accessible to the reader of his day. He organised a selection of extracts under topical headings covering such themes as warning, peace, evil, the Devil, death, comfort, pilgrimage, glory and, above all, Christ. Retaining Rutherford's original text, with occasional explanatory footnotes, he created a volume of devotional readings which have stood the test of time in sharing Rutherford's passion for the love of Christ. The publisher is pleased to make this classic work available once again.

About the author

Samuel Rutherford (1600 1661) was a Scottish minister and covenanter best known for his political book, "Lex Rex; or, The Law and the Prince", for which he was charged with high treason and imprisoned. The book argued for limited government, as well as limitations on the current idea of the divine right of kings.

Hamilton Smith (1862-1943), born in Barnes, Surrey, the son of a sea captain, was employed in the office of his uncle's building firm, where he was later joined by his cousin F B Hole. By 1901, married and living in Sutton, Surrey, with his wife and young family, he had retired from the building trade and entered full-time upon the task of building up the church of God. Later in life, he moved to Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, his wife Rachel's home county. His personal ministry was delivered in the United Kingdom, but his written ministry is still read worldwide. Along with H P Barker, A J Pollock, J T Mawson and F B Hole he frequently contributed articles to "Scripture Truth" magazine, many of which were later published in books by the Central Bible Truth Depot. His written expositions of Scripture are brief, clear and very much to the point. He is probably best known for his Old Testament character studies and New Testament outlines.