Robert Murray M'Cheyne [Paperback]

Andrew Bonar (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1960

The life and ministry of a young man who lived in the presence of God, and brought an overwhelming sense of that presence to men.This is that rare type of biography in which the subject is allowed to speak for himself in his own way and M'Cheyne's oft-quoted prayer: Lord, make me as holy as a pardoned sinner can be made;' casts its hallowed breath over every page.'

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Banner of Truth (November 1, 1960)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 085151085X
• ISBN-13: 978-0851510859
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #966,583 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars M'Cheyne's short life an inspiration, February 11, 2000

By 

Daniel Beck "tadayoshi" (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Robert Murray M'Cheyne (Paperback)

This short biography will stir up Christians who read it to make the most of their short time here on earth. M'Cheyne's time was indeed short. Only 30 years. But he did more in that time than most do in three score plus ten. M'Cheyne's take on a scheduled reading of scripture is excellent.

This schedule can be found in D.A. Carson's "For the Love of God". Highly recommended. Also recommended is other books by Andrew Bonar and his brother Horatius.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Every Minister Should Read it Often", February 12, 2010

By 

John A. Bird (Texas, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Robert Murray M'Cheyne (Paperback)

We're blessed with many good contemporary theologians and authors. They apply the truth to the world we live in today in a way that no other generation of writers can. But there is something different about the writings of yesterday--something special. They take us into sacred places and draw our hearts to Christ in an unusually powerful way.

One of my favorites of the old classics is Andrew Bonar's biography of Robert Murray M'Cheyne. M'Cheyne was, like Whitefield and Spurgeon, one of the great Calvinist evangelists. "He saw no inconsistency in preaching an electing God, who `calleth whom he will,' and a salvation free to `whosoever will;' nor in declaring the absolute sovereignty of God, and yet the unimpaired responsibility of man. He preached Christ as a gift laid down by the Father for every sinner freely to take."

Whether at home in Scotland or in the deserts of Palestine where he traveled to evangelize the Jews, M'Cheyne's passion was to preach the gospel. He loved sinners and was burdened to see them saved. And he served them tirelessly: "Occasionally, he would spend six hours in visiting, and then, the same evening, preach in some room to all the families whom he had that day visited. Very generally, too, on Sabbath, after preaching twice to his own flock, he was engaged in ministering somewhere else in the evening....When an opportunity of evangelizing occurred, there was none in Scotland more ready to embrace it."

The Holy Spirit blessed M'Cheyne's efforts. Hundreds were brought to Christ under his short ministry (M'Cheyne died when he was 29). He explained and applied the Scriptures clearly and powerfully, but he had something else that many lack: "It was testified of him, that not the words he spoke, but the holy manner in which he spoke, was the chief means of arresting souls."

Andrew Bonar, the author of this biography, was a fellow minister and close friend of M'Cheyne. He published his biography in 1844, just one year after his friend's death. Banner of Truth published their first edition in 1960, and it has been reprinted several times since. Besides the introduction, there are six chapters representing six phases in M'Cheyne's life: "His youth and preparation for the ministry," "His labours in the vineyard before ordination," "First years of labour in Dundee," "His mission to Palestine and the Jews," "Days of revival," and "The latter days of his ministry."

Throughout the chapters, Bonar allows M'Cheyne to speak for himself with journal entries and letters to friends and family. Several of M'Cheyne's poems and hymns are also included. All of M'Cheyne's words are beautifully written, and they show the great desire of his heart: "Lord, wean me from my sins, from my cares, and from this passing world. May Christ be all in all to me." Regarding the larger volume of M'Cheyne's memoirs, Spurgeon said, "This is one of the best and most profitable volumes ever published. Every minister should read it often." The same is true of this book. Pick it up, read it, and walk with one of the giants of our faith. You'll be blessed and encouraged for doing so.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!, September 9, 2007

By 

Jfred (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Robert Murray M'Cheyne (Paperback)

What produces such rugged, faithful, uncompromising men of God? In our frivolous time, that is the question I kept asking myself while reading this extraordinary account of an amazing young man. M'Cheyne did more in his short life than most men would ever dream of doing in a lifetime. Yet he did it struggling through terrible illness and opposition. It ranks right up there with Booker T. Washington's "Up From Slavery" on my all time great inspirational reads. Highly recommended.