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November 8, 2017
Three Reasons for Writing History
Resources — Books and other print materials provide numerous advantages over oral communication for study and preservation. Church of the Nazarene pioneer Phineas F. Bresee thus encouraged ministers: “Get books; get them at any sacrifice. Be a student. Be systematic. The Holy Ghost will take all this equipment and use it to teach and win souls for the kingdom of God.”
Roots — Historical writings connect us with our heritage, as Free Methodist founder B. T. Roberts observed, “[Books preserve] the principles which led to the formation of the church. Preachers and people may backslide; but the literature remains to remind them of what they once were.”
Reach — By their portable, yet durable, nature, books and other publications can connect with readers where their authors may never travel. Thus, Martin Wells Knapp, founder of God’s Bible School, explained his own publishing ministry: “With the pen and press we can preach to multitudes far beyond the reach of our personal presence and also for centuries after ‘Our poor lisping stammering tongues lie silent in the grave.’”
“It cannot be that the people should grow in grace unless they give themselves to reading. A reading people will always be a knowing people.” – John Wesley
Copyright © 2017 by Wallace Thornton, Jr. All Rights Reserved.
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