everlasting-gospels.gif Meet John Loughborough, The Boy Preacher
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May 8  Meet John Loughborough, The Boy Preacher

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It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Lam. 3:27.

John Loughborough (1832-1924) was 16 when he felt the call to preach. For nine weeks he had been suffering with Malaria. In desperation he finally cried out, "Lord, break these chills and fever, and I will go out and preach as soon as I can recover enough strength to do so."

The chills ceased that very day. At that point he had no money for travel. After a few weeks of wood cutting he managed to save a dollar above expenses. "That," he noted, "would get me where I wanted to go, but what about clothing? The neighbor for whom I was working gave me a vest and a pair of trousers, partly worn; but as he was a man much taller than I, these garments, after cutting seven inches off the trousers, were far from being a nice fit. As a substitute for a dress coat, my brother had given me a double-breasted overcoat, the skirt of which had been cut off.

"With this curious outfit and the $1.00, I decided to go into some area where I was unknown, and try to preach. If I failed, my friends would not know it; if I succeeded, I would take that as evidence it was my duty to preach."

On his first night out he found the little Baptist church in the village filled to capacity. "I sang," he reported, "prayed, and sang again. I spoke of the fall of man. Instead of being embarrassed as I feared I would be, the blessing of God came upon me and I spoke freely. The next morning I was told that there were seven ministers present the night before.

"the next evening the place was crowded again. I suppose what drew them was curiocity to hear a beardless boy preach. . .At the close of my sermons the. . .preacher arose and stated the next evening a service of singing classes would begin, so my meetings would have to close. Then a Mr. Thompson stood and said, 'Mr. Loughborough, this singing school has been planned for the purpose of closing your meetings.'" At that point Thompson invited the young preacher to move his meetings to a large schoolhouse at which he served as a trustee. And once again the budding first-day Adventist preacher succeeded where less-adventurous souls would have failed.

It never ceases to amaze me that the God of grace can bless what seems to be even the poorest of offerings when they are put forward in dedication. Most of us excuse ourselves until we are "ready." And ready never comes.

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You who are resting your hope on self are building on the sand. But it is not yet too late to escape the impending ruin. Before the tempest breaks, flee to the sure foundation. "Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, of sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste." "Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness." "Ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end." Isaiah 28:16, R.V.; 45:22; 41:10; 45:17(TFMB, 152). 
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