This volume by 19th-century Scottish pastor and theologian Horatius Bonar contains 33 meditations on the gospel in the Book of Acts.
"We connect each planting of a church with what Jesus did and taught," Bonar writes. "Each Church begins just where each sinner begins, with Jesus himself. Other foundation can no man lay; other soil can no church root itself in; round no other centre can any church revolve. Christ is all and in all! Not numbers, nor bulk, nor wealth, nor influence, nor antiquity, nor organisation, nor literature, nor music, nor vestments, nor administrative skill, nor various learning, not all these together make up the glory of a church. For what is the temple if the shekinah be not there? What is a church or congregation if the Holy Ghost, revealing Christ in his grace and glory, be not the indwelling and inworking energy?"
The son of James Bonar, Solicitor of Excise for Scotland, he was born and educated in Edinburgh. He comes from a long line of ministers who have served a total of 364 years in the Church of Scotland. One of eleven children, his brothers John James and Andrew Alexander were also ministers of the Free Church of Scotland. He had married Jane Catherine Lundie in 1843 and five of their young children died in succession. Towards the end of their lives, one of their surviving daughters was left a widow with five small children and she returned to live with her parents. Bonar's wife, Jane, died in 1876. He is buried in the Canongate Kirkyard.
In 1853 Bonar earned the Doctor of Divinity degree at the University of Aberdeen.
He entered the Ministry of the Church of Scotland. At first he was put in charge of mission work at St. John's parish in Leith and settled at Kelso. He joined the Free Church at the time of the Disruption of 1843, and in 1867 was moved to Edinburgh to take over the Chalmers Memorial Church (named after his teacher at college, Dr. Thomas Chalmers). In 1883, he was elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland.... Show more