18
March 1805. Mr.
(Rev.) George Washington Bethune, Dutch Calvinist Pastor of Huguenot descent,
was born. A certain sub-cultural specie
of Anglicans, however, probably think that he lacked apostolic ordination and
grace. Lest we forget those arrogant quarters.
Never lose a chance to strike a Tractarian or Laudian firmly and repeatedly, for the sake of the simple and to drive off these hubrists. Lest we forget this Dutch Reformed Churchman.
The story is told at: http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1801-1900/george-washington-bethune-11630349.html
“When France suppressed its
Protestant Huguenots, they scattered around the world. Many wound up in the
young United States. Several presidents, the first chief justice of the United
States (John Jay) and many other famous men boasted Huguenot blood. George
Washington Bethune, born on this day, March
18, 1805 in New York City, was also of Huguenot descent. He became a
notable Dutch Reformed pastor.
“Apart from a brief stint in South Carolina as a
missionary to seamen while he was still associated with the Presbyterian
church, George spent all of his pastoral life in Dutch Reform churches in New
York and Pennsylvania until illness forced his retirement in 1859. He authored
several books, including a study of British female writers, a collection of his
own poems, and five editions of Izaac Walton's Complete Angler.
“Because of his extraordinary literary background,
he was offered high leadership positions at New York University and the
University of Pennsylvania. However, he declined both because he preferred to
be a preacher of the Gospel. In fact, he once urged his sons and sons-in-law:
"My sons, preach the Gospel. Tell dying sinners of a Savior. All the rest
is folly."
“It was as a preacher and orator that he shone. In
one of his sermons, he gave this advice: `While, therefore, we grow in the
Christian life by divine grace, it is our duty to grow in grace. Besides, the
quality of grace is such that, though it is strength from God, we must use it.
Grace gives no new faculty, but strengthens the faculties which we have…’
“Bethune penned the words to the hymn, `There Is No
Name So Sweet on Earth.’
“There is no name so sweet on earth,
No name so sweet in Heaven,
The Name, before His wondrous birth
To Christ the Savior given.
No name so sweet in Heaven,
The Name, before His wondrous birth
To Christ the Savior given.
“And when He hung upon the tree,
They wrote this Name above Him;
That all might see the reason we
Forevermore must love Him.
They wrote this Name above Him;
That all might see the reason we
Forevermore must love Him.
“He died suddenly of a stroke in April 1862. The
morning of his death, he preached in the Scottish church in Florence. He had
gone to sunny Italy that year for his health and his wife's. George Bethune was
just 56. At his funeral, the congregation sang one of his hymns:
“It is
not death to die,
To leave this weary road,
And, midst the brotherhood on high,
To be at home with God.
To leave this weary road,
And, midst the brotherhood on high,
To be at home with God.
“Bibliography:
1. "Bethune, George Washington."
http://www.bartleby.com
2. "George Washington
Bethune." http://www.cyberhymnal.com
3. "George Washington
Bethune." http://chronicles.dickinson.edu/ encyclo/b/ed_bethuneGW.htm
4. Reynolds, William J. Companion to
Baptist Hymnal. Broadmas Press.
5. Various internet and encyclopedia
articles.”
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