confessions of Gadsby's Hymnal

As I was looking for some new music this weekend-I stumbled across Red Mountain Church (of Birmingham, AL) and their "Gadsby Project" to which I quickly became a bit enamored. I quickly decided that I wanted the "Help My Unbelief" album. I've found many encouragements in this beautiful collection. I have even added Gadsby's Hymnal to my Christmas Wishlist.

I think all of us struggle with some form of a past sin whether it be hidden, confessed, or repented (or maybe all three)-and I had a conversation this week that basically said, "My unbelief is my stronghold". About 30 minutes later, I realized that this is so true. Our unbelief is the stronghold. It's not that God doesn't have the power to heal us-it is simply our unbelief-our flesh, this earth, and maybe our deep condemnation.



William Gadsby was a Baptist minister from a poor background and as a child he went to a hanging. It is said that this ghastly sight forever "preyed upon his mind" in terms of eternity. I think of this and how the spectacles of our lives prey upon our minds. These things should drive us to share the gospel-through our words and lives with others. We should be haunted by the eternity of others-to be forever sharing our eternal perspective with others. I can confess that I'm not impacted by that enough.



He ministered for 38 years at St. George's Road Baptist Chapel and traveled 60,000 mostly by foot to preach the Gospel. In 1938, he and his son, John, started a magazine called "Gospel Magazine" which is still in print.



Ol' Gadsby must have been a force to be reckoned with at his time. I think he would have been a modern day Mark Driscoll-very practical, truthful, shocking, convicting, and seen as crazy. I can see that-he was not a fan of musical instruments in church. He was not afraid to argue for the sake of the truth. He was also weary of missionaries because he felt like many of them preached erroneously and spread false doctorines.. Hmm. Yikes! A part of me wants to rebuke him and in another way-I know my missionary friends and I have experienced some very confused people-confused by the doctorine taught by missionaries.



This is what was said of Mr. Gadsby by Richard Lord,

"It is now nearly forty years since the devil and I were friends, and now during that time we've had many a conflict; but if the devil has begun to send such men as Mr. Gadsby to preach the gospel as he does laying the sinner in the dust and exalting the dear Redeemer, then the devil and I will be friends for ever."



One man so disliked Mr. Gadsby that he went to towns and preached against him. This man was soon dismissed from his congregation-to which Mr. Gatsby sought him out. From then on, these men were friends to death.
As I continued to read a biography of his-I became more enthralled.....and suddenly I was on the 110th page and out of time. ....so I leave you with these few thoughts in hopes you will check out some of his hymns....ahh....beautiful.
To read his biography online:
http://books.google.com/books?id=rTZsc7rMBzkC&pg=RA1-PA74&lpg=RA1-PA74&dq=William+Gadsby+and+Andrew+Fuller&source=bl&ots=pffuWtItip&sig=ZXyiH--fqMxovh0T9lXu7FTJcv4&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result#PRA1-PA113,M1
I could not put it down (or close it if you could say that about my laptop..) :)