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Frank W. Boreham
Frank W. Boreham (March 3, 1871 – May 18, 1959) was a British-born preacher, pastor, and author whose ministry within the Baptist tradition spanned over six decades, captivating audiences with narrative sermons and prolific writings. Born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England, to Francis Boreham, a solicitor’s clerk, and Fanny Usher, he was the eldest of ten children in a devout Anglican family that later attended a non-conformist church. Converted on New Year’s Day 1888 at 16 after hearing Dwight L. Moody in London, he trained at Spurgeon’s Pastors’ College—likely the last student personally admitted by Charles Spurgeon—graduating in 1894 before sailing to New Zealand in 1895. Boreham’s preaching career began at Mosgiel Baptist Church near Dunedin, New Zealand (1895–1906), followed by pastorates at Hobart Baptist Tabernacle in Tasmania (1906–1916) and Armadale and Kew Baptist Churches in Melbourne, Australia (1916–1928). His sermons, blending storytelling with biblical truth, drew crowds and filled newspapers, as he wrote over 3,000 editorials for the Hobart Mercury and Melbourne Age. Author of 55 books, including A Bunch of Everlastings and The Luggage of Life, he preached on “immensities, infinities, and eternities,” influencing figures like Billy Graham, who visited him in 1959. Married to Stella Cottee in 1896, whom he met as a student preacher, they had five children—Stella, Esther, Frank, Rachel, and John. Boreham died at age 88 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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Frank W. Boreham preaches on the eighth beatitude, emphasizing that persecution for righteousness' sake is a universal experience for all Christians throughout history. He highlights how Jesus expanded the definition of persecution to include reviling, persecution, and false accusations, ensuring that no believer feels excluded from this final blessing. Boreham explains that every true Christian has faced one or more forms of persecution, whether through harassment, reviling, or defamation, ultimately leading them to the blessedness of the kingdom of heaven.
The Church Is Persecuted
"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:10). Indeed, he had his whole Church in mind--the Church of all times and of all climes. For the eighth beatitude includes us all. It would be a thousand pities to confine its scope to those heroes of the faith whose names are writ large in Master Foxe's famous volume. Every Christian worth his salt has suffered persecution. I like to think that, fearful lest some of us should feel ourselves excluded from this final blessing, the Master went out of his way to amplify its scope and define its terms. "Blessed are ye," he added, dividing persecution into three distinct classifications, "blessed are ye when men shall revile you, persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake." Paul adheres to the same threefold division in writing to the Corinthians: "Being reviled we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed we entreat." One or other of these words leads every true Christian who ever lived into the felicity of the last beatitude. At some time or other he has probably been actually persecuted. He has been harassed, annoyed, tormented, involved in some severe penalty or subjected to some disability for his Saviour's sake. Or he has been reviled--affronted to his face; openly snubbed, insulted, or jeered at. Or at least he has been defamed. Behind his back men have said all manner of evil against him, falsely.
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Frank W. Boreham (March 3, 1871 – May 18, 1959) was a British-born preacher, pastor, and author whose ministry within the Baptist tradition spanned over six decades, captivating audiences with narrative sermons and prolific writings. Born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England, to Francis Boreham, a solicitor’s clerk, and Fanny Usher, he was the eldest of ten children in a devout Anglican family that later attended a non-conformist church. Converted on New Year’s Day 1888 at 16 after hearing Dwight L. Moody in London, he trained at Spurgeon’s Pastors’ College—likely the last student personally admitted by Charles Spurgeon—graduating in 1894 before sailing to New Zealand in 1895. Boreham’s preaching career began at Mosgiel Baptist Church near Dunedin, New Zealand (1895–1906), followed by pastorates at Hobart Baptist Tabernacle in Tasmania (1906–1916) and Armadale and Kew Baptist Churches in Melbourne, Australia (1916–1928). His sermons, blending storytelling with biblical truth, drew crowds and filled newspapers, as he wrote over 3,000 editorials for the Hobart Mercury and Melbourne Age. Author of 55 books, including A Bunch of Everlastings and The Luggage of Life, he preached on “immensities, infinities, and eternities,” influencing figures like Billy Graham, who visited him in 1959. Married to Stella Cottee in 1896, whom he met as a student preacher, they had five children—Stella, Esther, Frank, Rachel, and John. Boreham died at age 88 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.