Last night I started reading a book on TC Hammond. TC was a Church of Ireland minister from Cork, who was used of God in mighty ways to spread the gospel in Dublin, through his ministry in St Kevin's parish, then as Superintendent of Irish Church Mission, before going to Australia to be the principal of Moore Theological College in the Diocese of Sydney.
His book, In Understanding Be Men is regarded as an excellent introduction to theology, and a comprehesive summary of evangelical doctrine. It was used as the textbook for first year students at Moore for many years.
But it was TC's passion for winning souls that inspired me - how he gave his life for the gospel. Imagine it, that in his days at Trinity, students were barred from attending particular churches in Dublin because they were 'too evangelical'! Yet he got through college and had a life of faithful ministry, both here and in Australia.
Oh that I would similarly be faithful in my preaching and pastoring!
TC Hammond was certainly a man of God and devoted his life to the Gospel. Isn't it sad that Church of Ireland ministry students are still barred from attending certain churches that are considered too evangelical.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite quote from the TC book, which I haven't just finished yet, will probably please you, David. It says that TC was an ecumenical in the truest sense of the word, in working with other Christians (evangelicals, of course) no matter what denomination they were part of. And yet, he fell between the two stools, as the writer comments:
ReplyDelete'Throughout his life he was often in the same position as other evangelical Anglicans: too Anglican for Baptist and Brethren friends but also too open to 'dissenters' for most Anglicans.'