Another quality eBook from Chapel Library. In this message on John 21:25, Bonar considers what kind of wonderful works and words our Lord did above and beyond what are found written in holy Scripture. They were works of power, majesty, suffering, prayer, zeal, and pity. He closes with these thoughts: "Shall we not feel how well He deserved all our trust and love, how worthy He was of loudest praise, and honor, and blessing? Shall we not be ashamed to think that there actually was one period, nay, one day of our lives, when we did not love and trust and honor and praise Him? Shall we not be amazed to think, that one hard, one suspicious, one unbelieving thought, could ever have arisen within us? Shall we not be humbled at the remembrance of having so often treated with coldness, and disesteem, and neglect, this Being of beings, this Brother of brothers—so often brought dishonor upon this Name of names!"
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