Gill's First Words At
Many have
read and justly quoted Spurgeon's first words in the Metropolitan Tabernacle.
They are worthy to be inscribed upon every pulpit in the world. It should be
required of every preacher that he put into practice what Spurgeon said on that
momentous occasion. But few have read or heard the first words spoken by his
venerable predecessor, John Gill, at the opening of the house of worship at
The meeting house at
"As we have now opened a new place of
worship, we enter upon it, recording the name of the Lord, by preaching the
doctrines of the grace of God, and of free and full salvation alone by Jesus
Christ; and by the administration of gospel ordinances, as they have been
delivered to us...What doctrines may be taught in this place after I am gone is
not for me to know; but as for my own part, I am at a point; I am determined,
and have been long ago, what to make the subject of my ministry. It is upwards
of forty years since I entered into the arduous work; and the first sermon I
ever preached was from those words of the apostle, `For I am determined not to
know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified:' and through the
grace of God I have been enabled, in some good measure, to abide by the same
resolution hitherto, as many of you here are my witnesses; and, I hope, through
divine assistance, I ever shall, as long as I am in this tabernacle, and
engaged in such a work. I am not afraid of the reproaches of man; I have been
inured to these, from my youth upwards; none of these things move me."
BLESSED IS THE
Don Fortner