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Andrew Bonar
Andrew Alexander Bonar (1810–1892). Born on May 29, 1810, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Andrew Bonar was the youngest of seven brothers, including hymn-writer Horatius, in a devout Presbyterian family. Orphaned by his father at seven, he struggled with faith until finding assurance at 20 through William Guthrie’s Saving Interest of Christ. He studied divinity at Edinburgh University, was licensed to preach in 1835, and ordained in 1838 at Collace, Perthshire, serving 18 years. A friend of Robert Murray M’Cheyne, he co-wrote a mission report on Palestine’s Jews in 1839 and authored M’Cheyne’s memoir, a lasting Christian work. Joining the Free Church of Scotland after the 1843 Disruption, he preached in a tent until a church was built, fostering revival during the 1839–1840 Kilsyth movement. In 1856, he became minister at Finnieston Free Church, Glasgow, until his death on December 30, 1892. Married to Isabella Dickson in 1848, he was widowed in 1864 after having six children. Known for expository preaching and fervent prayer, Bonar’s ministry bore a guiding principle from Proverbs 11:30, as he wrote in his diary, “He that winneth souls is wise.”
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Andrew Bonar emphasizes the importance of redeeming time for prayer, encouraging believers to pray continuously, even while engaged in daily activities like walking. He reflects on his own struggles with unholiness, prayerlessness, and a sense of responsibility towards his congregation, especially as he marks the anniversary of his ordination. Bonar expresses a desire to utilize Scripture more effectively in his daily life and acknowledges feelings of envy towards the success of other clergymen. His message serves as a reminder of the need for diligence in prayer and personal growth in faith.
Redeeming Time
"Pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17). God has this week been impressing much upon me the way of redeeming time for prayer by learning to pray while walking or going from place to place. Also He has been showing me how to make more direct use of Scripture to my own case in daily reading. Tomorrow is the anniversary of my ordination day I feel my unholiness, my prayerlessness, and my want of solemnity and sense of responsibility I seem to have done nothing at all for this people, and I wonder much at my indifference of neighbouring clergymen. I feel also a great deal of envy at hearing of others' success.
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Andrew Alexander Bonar (1810–1892). Born on May 29, 1810, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Andrew Bonar was the youngest of seven brothers, including hymn-writer Horatius, in a devout Presbyterian family. Orphaned by his father at seven, he struggled with faith until finding assurance at 20 through William Guthrie’s Saving Interest of Christ. He studied divinity at Edinburgh University, was licensed to preach in 1835, and ordained in 1838 at Collace, Perthshire, serving 18 years. A friend of Robert Murray M’Cheyne, he co-wrote a mission report on Palestine’s Jews in 1839 and authored M’Cheyne’s memoir, a lasting Christian work. Joining the Free Church of Scotland after the 1843 Disruption, he preached in a tent until a church was built, fostering revival during the 1839–1840 Kilsyth movement. In 1856, he became minister at Finnieston Free Church, Glasgow, until his death on December 30, 1892. Married to Isabella Dickson in 1848, he was widowed in 1864 after having six children. Known for expository preaching and fervent prayer, Bonar’s ministry bore a guiding principle from Proverbs 11:30, as he wrote in his diary, “He that winneth souls is wise.”