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 PrintableVersion An iron pillar - the life and times of William RomaineChampion!AN IRON PILLAR Tim Shenton has done the Christian world a great service with his biography of William Romaine. Romaine is one of the lesser-known leaders of the Evangelical Revival of the 18th century in England and yet was a tremendously influential figure. Already an Anglican clergyman, he was not converted until his mid-30s, when he was gradually, in his own words, brought to a clear conviction that all fullness of good is in Jesus. Only moments before he was about to return to his native Hartlepool to find openings for ministry, providential circumstances led him to remain in London. Lectureships, occasional preaching and a curacy gave him the opportunity to become known as an effective preacher in London churches, until at the age of 51 he eventually had his own church at Blackfriars. At this time he was the only evangelical clergyman to hold a living in a London church. He continued in this position until his death at the age of 80. His appointment was a turning-point for the revival itself in London. Romaine was a man of great learning. But his preaching was powerful because of his fearless proclamation of the gospel. His ministry was greatly blessed, despite fierce opposition. He gained the distinction of being removed from preaching at St. George's, Hanover Square, because he attracted too many hearers! The book gives a helpful account of Romaine's times as well as his life. We are shown the desperate spiritual state of mid-18th century London, but also the amazing increase in the number of evangelical believers at the time of Romaine's death in 1795. We meet many other leading evangelicals of the time, with whom Romaine had friendly contact, not least the Countess of Huntingdon, in whose chapels Romaine often preached. Tim Shenton does not conceal Romaine's faults. He could be irritable and abrupt. And yet he was a deeply humble man with a genuine concern for sinners. He learned over the years to curb a tendency towards courting needless controversy. Two qualities of William Romaine stand out from this biography. The first is his strong championship of gospel truth, hence the title of the book, An Iron Pillar, a description of Romaine by John Newton. The other is his Christ-centredness. He wrote on one occasion to his sister, 'Christ all, I nothing'. I thoroughly recommend this book, which will help its readers to learn valuable lessons from the past. Robert Bashford, © Evangelicals Now - March 2005 |
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