p. 428 | The Missionary by S. N. Haskell

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 30, 1880

The Missionary.

By S. N. Haskell

GEORGE WISHART.

HISTORY fails to give us the names of those who possessed a greater devotion to the cause of Christ than George Wishart. Actuated by a desire to preach the gospel to his countrymen, he returned to Scotland in 1544. He traveled in foreign countries, where he distinguished himself for his great learning, and ability for self-improvement. In his dress, and other habits of life, he exercised great plainness and economy, that he might have wherewith to benefit others.

"If," says one of his students, "I should declare his love to me, and to all men, his charity to the poor, in giving, relieving, caring, helping, providing, yea, infinitely studying how to do a good unto all, and hurt to none, I should sooner want words than just cause to commend him."

A historian speaking of him says: "Excelling all his countrymen at that period in learning, of the most persuasive eloquence, irreproachable in life, courteous and affable in manners, his fervent piety, zeal, and courage, in the cause of truth were tempered with uncommon meekness, modesty, patience, prudence, and charity." He traveled from one place to another, accompanied by a few friends, preaching to large concourses of people who flocked to hear him. Toward the latter part of the time, John Knox became intimately connected with him in his labor.

If shut out of the churches by his enemies, he preached in the open fields, and with a power that for a time confounded and paralyzed the efforts of those who would take his life. He at times seemed to be endowed with a prophetic gift. At one time, while preaching at Dundee, he was commanded to trouble the town no more, and forbidden to proceed. After a short pause, looking sorrowfully upon the speaker and the audience, he said: "God is my witness that I never intended you trouble, but your comfort, but I am assured that to refuse God's word, and to chase from you his messenger, shall not preserve you from trouble, but shall bring you into it, for God shall send you ministers that shall neither fear burning nor banishment. . . . If it be long prosperous with you, I am not led by the spirit of truth; but if unlooked for trouble comes upon you, acknowledge the cause, and turn to God, who is gracious and merciful." At the close of these remarks he retired from the pulpit.

Four days after the plague broke out in Dundee, and rejecting his friends entreaties with the remark, "They are now in trouble, and need comfort," he returned to the place. Taking his position at the gate of the city, where those in health within, and the sick without, could hear, he preached from the words, "He sent his word and healed them." This discourse affected the people deeply, and raised their minds above the dreadful scenes around them. While the plague continued he remained with them constantly, visiting those who lay in the greatest extremity, and comforting them by his exhortation.

While engaged in this labor of sacrifice and love, the papists laid a plot to his life. At the close of one of his sermons, he saw a priest standing at the foot of the stairs. "My friend," said he, "what would you have?" and immediately clapping his hand on a dagger which the priest had concealed under his gown, took it from him. The priest was terrified, and fell upon his knees, confessing his intention. At the same time, the people, indignant at the outrage, would have taken him by force and ended his miserable life, but for the noble reformer, who, putting his arms about him, exclaimed, "Whosoever shall hurt him shall hurt me."

Defeated in this plot against his life, a deeper one was laid. A forged letter, purporting to be from a familiar friend desiring his immediate presence on account of sudden illness, was handed to him by a boy, who brought him a horse for the journey.

After proceeding some distance he turned back, and said to his friends, "I will not go; I am forbidden of God; I am assured there is treason. Let some of you go to yonder place and tell me what you find." They went and found sixty armed men lying in wait for him.

Notwithstanding his danger he would not refrain from preaching publicly, saying to his friends, who were unwilling to ask his services, "If you dare hear, let God provide for me as best it pleaseth him." His whole life and soul were given to preaching the gospel, and in view of the fact that in some places but few came to listen to him, because the people feared for their lives, he at one time remarked to his companion, John Knox, that he was weary of the world because he saw that men were weary of God. He was impressed that he would have but a short time in which to labor, and toward the latter part of his ministry frequently spoke of the near approach of his death, and was known to arise in the middle of the night and plead earnestly with God that he might not shrink in the time of trial and suffering.

To his weeping brethren he said, "God shall send you comfort after me. This realm shall be illuminated with the light of Christ's gospel, as clearly as any realm since the days of the apostles. The house of God shall be built in it; yea, it shall not lack, in despite of all enemies, the top stone, neither will it be long before this shall be accomplished. Many shall not suffer after me, before the glory of God shall appear and triumph in despite of Satan. But alas, if the people afterward shall prove unthankful, then fearful and terrible will be the plagues that shall follow."

Finally, about two years after he returned to Scotland, he was taken prisoner, and at his trial was condemned to be burnt as a heretic. One of the charges brought against him was that he had said that "the soul of man should sleep till the great day, and not obtain immortal life till that time." At the stake he exhorted the spectators to hold fast the word of God which he had taught them according to the grace given unto him, and concluded with these words: "For the word of God's sake I now suffer, not sorrowfully, but with a glad heart and mind. For this cause I was sent, that I should suffer this fire for Christ's sake; behold my face, you shall not see me change my countenance; I fear not the fire; and if persecution come to you for the Word's sake, I pray you fear not them that kill the body, and have no power to hurt the soul." After the torch had been applied, upon being exhorted by one who stood near, to be of good cheer, he replied: "This flame occasions trouble to my body, indeed, but it hath in no wise broken my spirit." S. N. HASKELL.