An Outline of Baptist History

-15- ministry. He was in prison for preaching the Gospel from 1660-1672, and remained in prison during that time, writing the Pilgrim's Progress. Next to the Bible this has been the guide and solace of troubled souls. It has had 50 editions and has been translated into every language of Europe. After Bunyan's release from prison, 3000 people gathered to hear him preach. He delivered a message to them before breakfast. Dr. John Owen said he would relinquish all of his learning for the tinkers preaching abilities. On a journey of mercy, exposure brought sickness to Bunyan and he died August 12,1688. His church now, we are told, is of the Congregational denomination. . John Gill. Gill was born November 23, 1697. His father was a Baptist with member- ship in a Union Church composed of Presbyterians, Congregationalists and Baptists. He eventually withdrew with others and founded a Particular Baptist church. John early showed ability in acquiring knowledge. Before he was 11 years of age he was a pupil in grammar school. By this time he had read the prin- ciple Latin classics and made such progress in Greek that he became an object of wonder and admiration to several ministers. He was deprived of an education because his parents took him out of a school which insisted he attend prayers of the Angelican church. He then studied the more industriously. At 12 years of age he heard a sermon by his fathers pastor on ''Adam, where art thou?" and he was converted and saved. On the first day of Nov. , 1716, he was baptized and received into the fellowship of the church at Kettering. He was called to be pastor of a church at Horsleydown Southwark, London. He was ordained March 22, 1720. His church wasfilled. The conversions under his ministry were numerous. For over 51 years he was a powerin London, He becamea religious authority over America and Great Britain. He was a Hebrew scholar who compared favorably with Dr. John Lightfoot. His "Body of Divinity" published in 1769 sweeps away Arminian teaching, declares the doctrine of eternal and personal election, teaches particular redemption, teaches resistless grace in redemption and declares thefinal doom of sin and Satan. Dr. Gill's commentary is the most valuable exposition of the Old and New Testament ever published. It was republished in Philadelphia by a Presby- terian elder in 1811. Gill was one of the first contributors to RhodeIsland. College, now Brown University. He died October 14, 1771. . Other men who should be considered as outstanding English Baptists are Andrew Fuller, William Carey, Robert Hall and Charles Spurgeon.