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 PrintableVersion Bold as a lionJohn Cennick, Moravian evangelistForgotten?BOLD AS A LION This new biography of John Cennick rescues an important figure in the Evangelical Revival of the 18th century from the obscurity into which he has sadly fallen. Had he lived as long as the Wesley brothers and George Whitefield he might have been better known, but he died in 1755 aged 36. This well researched and well written book is in two parts. Part One covers his life, Part Two his theology, his preaching and evangelistic endeavours, his hymns and poems, and his relevance for today. In theology Cennick leaned towards Whitefield’s Calvinism, and was strongly critical of the Wesleys’ perfectionism. He was not a great organiser as John Wesley was, although he is credited with forming 220 societies in Ireland. During 1741-1744 Cennick was Whitefield’s principal assistant, but in 1745 he joined the Moravian Church, in which he remained until the end of his life. He seems to have admired the Moravians’ simple love of Jesus, with its emphasis on the sufferings of Christ, their liturgical worship and Episcopal Church government. Cennick’s hymns are not up to the overall standard of Charles Wesley’s, but they are not that far behind his in combining doctrinal depth with experiential religion. (Eight are included in the first edition of Christian Hymns). Perhaps his finest hymn is ‘Jesus, my All, to heaven is gone’. Its last two verses are very moving. Lo! Glad I come; and Thou, blest Lamb, Now will I tell to sinners round Cennick’s intense love for Christ and his burning zeal to make him known are a challenge to us all. David Kingdon, © Evangelicals Now - July 2007 |
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