Was reading an incredible article in this month's 'The Banner Of Truth' and had to share!
In the 1840s West Port was one of the worst in Edinburgh- huge levels of poverty- and scenes such as parents in a drunken state, ignoring their babies' cries for basic needs like feeding.
And God sent Thomas Chalmers- the first thing he did was to set up a school to educate children, to give them opportunities in life.
He also built a church in the school- the first services were held- the church had unplastered walls, unsightly windows, the roof in poor condition, a decayed floor, a general dilapidated building- but worship is worship and the prayers of the congregation were as sweet incense to God!
The congregation started small- only a dozen and the vast majority elderly. Chalmers got a local minister, William Tasker and God used Tasker to grow the congregation- eventually reaching 1,300!
Were the original, elderly members forgotten? Not at all- Chalmers, when he wasn't preaching, busied himself helping them, making sure they were in the right place in the Bible, holding the books open for them and joining in with them for worship!
As the West Port became a better place to live and Christian revival happened there he wrote to Tasker: "God has indeed heard my prayer and I could now lay down my head in peace and die".
A few weeks later on the 30th May 1847, Chalmers retired to bed and the maid found him dead in the morning- he had passed into an eternity with many treasures in heaven!
His funeral was attended by over half of West Port- wow, what an amazing account of a Godly man and what a great event to demonstrate what showing Christ's love to the community can do for a church!
