William Graham Scroggie
William Graham Scroggie (1877 – December 21, 1958) was a Scottish preacher, Baptist pastor, and Bible expositor whose extensive ministry across three continents and leadership at Spurgeon’s Metropolitan Tabernacle in London solidified his reputation as a leading evangelical voice of the 20th century. Born in Great Malvern, Worcestershire, England, to James Johnston Scroggie and Jane Mitchell, he was one of nine children in a modest home with limited educational opportunities. His mother, converted under Plymouth Brethren revivalists in Scotland, instilled a deep faith, though Scroggie’s early years saw him working in business before entering Spurgeon’s College in London at age 19 in 1896 to train for the Baptist ministry. Scroggie’s preaching career began tumultuously; his first two pastorates in Leytonstone, Essex (1900–1902), and Halifax, Yorkshire (1902–1907), ended abruptly due to his staunch opposition to modernism and worldly church practices, leaving him spiritually broken but resolute. During two lean years of self-directed Bible study, he laid the foundation for his later work. His ministry flourished at Bethesda Free Church in Sunderland (1907–1916), followed by a transformative 17-year pastorate at Charlotte Chapel in Edinburgh (1916–1933), where his expository preaching drew over 1,000 weekly attendees and earned him an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Edinburgh University in 1927. After resigning due to ill health, he embarked on a global itinerant ministry, preaching in New Zealand, Australia, Tasmania, Canada, and the U.S., before taking the helm at Spurgeon’s Tabernacle (1938–1944). There, amidst World War II, his home was bombed thrice, and the church destroyed in a 1941 air raid, yet he persisted.
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William Graham Scroggie preaches about the elder brother in the parable of the prodigal son, highlighting how the greatest hindrance to Christianity can be those in the Church who are self-righteous and judgmental, despising others and lacking in compassion. He emphasizes how these individuals can hinder the joy and celebration of revival in the Church, being more concerned with tradition and propriety than with the salvation of sinners. Scroggie challenges the notion that custom and convention should override the joy of seeing lost souls saved, exposing the danger of being angry at the repentance and restoration of others.
Angry!
"And he [the elder brother] was angry and would not go in..." (Luke 15:28). The greatest hindrance to the progress of Christianity in this world is the elder brother class in the Church; people who make a religion of their morality and who despise others. His attitude toward himself is ridiculous, his attitude toward his brother is despicable. But that is not all; what is his attitude towards the household, and remember that is the Church? He despised all their expressions of joy. He heard music and dancing, and looked grave, and he sent in for a servant and said, "What is the meaning of all this?" "Oh, everybody in there is glad because your brother is home again." "Oh! Well it should not be, it is not decent, it is a disregard of convention and propriety" Such people pray for revival in the Church, and immediately revival appears they grow serious and say it is contrary to custom and convention; "We should not do it, we really should not." I do not think the Spirit of God has much use for custom and convention for custom's sake and convention's sake. I am not against custom or against convention; I believe we should do all things decently and in order, but I believe also that if there is ever any excuse for a man or woman dancing, it is when sinners are saved, but that is not when it is done. These self-righteous people disapprove; they say "it is unseemly." And this man was incensed at the occasion of their joy; he was angry! A Church member, mind you, Angry! What about? About a sinner coming home. Angry!
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William Graham Scroggie (1877 – December 21, 1958) was a Scottish preacher, Baptist pastor, and Bible expositor whose extensive ministry across three continents and leadership at Spurgeon’s Metropolitan Tabernacle in London solidified his reputation as a leading evangelical voice of the 20th century. Born in Great Malvern, Worcestershire, England, to James Johnston Scroggie and Jane Mitchell, he was one of nine children in a modest home with limited educational opportunities. His mother, converted under Plymouth Brethren revivalists in Scotland, instilled a deep faith, though Scroggie’s early years saw him working in business before entering Spurgeon’s College in London at age 19 in 1896 to train for the Baptist ministry. Scroggie’s preaching career began tumultuously; his first two pastorates in Leytonstone, Essex (1900–1902), and Halifax, Yorkshire (1902–1907), ended abruptly due to his staunch opposition to modernism and worldly church practices, leaving him spiritually broken but resolute. During two lean years of self-directed Bible study, he laid the foundation for his later work. His ministry flourished at Bethesda Free Church in Sunderland (1907–1916), followed by a transformative 17-year pastorate at Charlotte Chapel in Edinburgh (1916–1933), where his expository preaching drew over 1,000 weekly attendees and earned him an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Edinburgh University in 1927. After resigning due to ill health, he embarked on a global itinerant ministry, preaching in New Zealand, Australia, Tasmania, Canada, and the U.S., before taking the helm at Spurgeon’s Tabernacle (1938–1944). There, amidst World War II, his home was bombed thrice, and the church destroyed in a 1941 air raid, yet he persisted.