Christ Is All: The Piety of Horatius Bonar (Chapters 7-11)

HORATIUS BONAR
December 19, 1808 – July 31, 1889

Following are quotes from the Scotish theologian and hymn-writer, Horatius Bonar, as presented in the anthologized biography Christ Is All: The Piety of Horatius Bonar (Haykin & Brooker, Reformation Heritage Books, Grand Rapids, Michigan 2007)

Chapter 7: On Prayer

Be much alone with God…He wants, not merely to be on “good terms” with you, if one may use man’s phrase, but to be intimate; shall you decline the intimacy, and be satisfied with mere acquaintance? What! intimate with the world, with friends, with neighbours, with politicians, with philosophers, with naturalists, or with poets; but not with God! That would look ill indeed. Folly, to prefer the clay to the potter, the marble to the sculptor, this little earth and its lesser creatures to the mighty Maker of the universe, the great “All and in all!” (p. 62-62)

Chapter 8: Blameless Christians

If you are Christians then, be consistent. Be Christians out and out; Christians every hour, in every part, and in every matter. Beware of half-hearted discipleship, of compromise with evil, of conformity to the world, of trying to serve two masters — to walk in two ways, the narrow and the broad, at once. It will not do. Half-hearted Christianity will only dishonour God, while it makes you miserable. (p. 65)

Chapter 9: A Strong and Bold Witness

For there is some danger of falling into a soft and effeminate Christianity, under the plea of a lofty and ethereal theology…[Christianity] does not fear to speak the stern word of condemnation against error, nor to raise its voice against surrounding evils, under the pretext that it is not of this world. (p. 67)

Chapter 10: Our Eternal Heritage

It is a great thing to be a Christian. The very name is a noble one, beyond all the noble names of earth. The thing itself is inconceivably blessed and glorious. To say, “I am a Christian,” is to say, “I belong to God’s nobility; I am of the peerage of heaven.” (p. 69)

Be true to Him who loved you, and washed you from your sins in His won blood. He deserves it at your hands. It is the least that you can do for Him. (p. 70)

Chapter 11: The True End of the Ministry

It is the man who has made up his mind to confront every difficulty, who has counted the cost and, fixing his eye upon the prize, has determined to fight his way to it — it is such a man that conquers. (p. 73)