Blues about Pink

[ZackF]

Didn’t Murray publish MacRae’s work also?

 

[Stephen L Smith]

MacRae’s

Yes he did. I would love to see it come back in print.

 

[JimmyH]

Excerpts from the Wikipedia article on AWP. It has been some time since I read the two bios by Murray and Belcher, so whether these are accurate or not is unknown to me, but they do indicate that he had some difficulties which likely contributed to his apparent aversion to social interaction. He briefly attended Moody Bible Institute, had pastorates in Colorado, Kentucky, and South Carolina before having a nervous breakdown in 1923 from which the article states he recovered from by 1925.

In 1925, the Pinks sailed to Sydney, Australia, where he served as both an evangelist and Bible teacher at the Ashfield Tabernacle. But his impolitic preaching of Calvinist doctrine resulted in a unanimous resolve of the Baptist Fraternal of New South Wales not to endorse him. From 1926 to 1928, Pink served as pastor of two groups of Strict and Particular Baptists—for the first of which he was not Calvinistic enough because he asserted belief in the "free offer of the gospel and in human responsibility to receive the gospel."[12]

Returning to England, Pink was invited to preach at a pastorless church in Seaton, Devon; but though he was welcomed by some members, the overseers thought his installation as pastor would split the church.[13] In the spring of 1929, Pink and wife returned to her home state of Kentucky where he intended to become pastor of the Baptist church in Morton's Gap. Once again his hopes were unrealized. To a friend he wrote, "I am more firmly convinced today than I was 14 months ago that our place is on the 'outside of the camp.' That is the place of 'reproach,' of loneliness, and of testing."[14]

In 1940, Hove became a regular target of German air raids, and the Pinks moved to Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, where they remained for the rest of his life. The island was a bastion of Calvinism, but church services were held mostly in Scots Gaelic, and visitors were not especially welcomed in any case.[18]

There is a lot more info in the Wiki article that is worth reviewing, and the two aforementioned biographies by Murray and Belcher are worth the time. Pink's Life of David was a wonderful read, and I have quite a few other books by him, as well as collections of his 'Studies in the Scriptures' magazine from which most of the 'books' were gathered from after his demise.

 

[bookslover]

Excerpts from the Wikipedia article on AWP. It has been some time since I read the two bios by Murray and Belcher, so whether these are accurate or not is unknown to me, but they do indicate that he had some difficulties which likely contributed to his apparent aversion to social interaction. He briefly attended Moody Bible Institute, had pastorates in Colorado, Kentucky, and South Carolina before having a nervous breakdown in 1923 from which the article states he recovered from by 1925.




There is a lot more info in the Wiki article that is worth reviewing, and the two aforementioned biographies by Murray and Belcher are worth the time. Pink's Life of David was a wonderful read, and I have quite a few other books by him, as well as collections of his 'Studies in the Scriptures' magazine from which most of the 'books' were gathered from after his demise.

Westminster Theological Seminary in California has an almost complete set of the original Studies in the Scriptures.

 

[JimmyH]

Westminster Theological Seminary in California has an almost complete set of the original Studies in the Scriptures.

SGP Books has put out 12 of a projected 17 volumes of Studies in the Scriptures. Volume 12 encompassing the 1943-1944 editions. I'm hoping Jay Green follows through with the other 5 volumes, but I suppose it is a cost issue. Times are hard.
I've been reviewing my copy of the Richard Belcher biography of Pink and he was a troubled man who had a difficult time with social interaction.

 

[Scott Bushey]

Pink and he was a troubled man who had a difficult time with social interaction.

Sounds like a clinical agoraphobia; which, in my opinion, would providentially hinder a person from gathering with groups.

 

[JimmyH]

Sounds like a clinical agoraphobia; which, in my opinion, would providentially hinder a person from gathering with groups.

It has been a few years since I read it so browsing through the Dr. Richard Belcher's excellent bio of Pink, refreshing my memory, it is very possible his social ineptitude advanced to agoraphobia. It is noted that in the 1938 edition of Studies in the Scripture he twice posted to readers ;
(April 1938) "Will readers kindly note we have instructed our landlady to notify all callers that we cannot receive visitors. The necessity for undisturbed study obliges us to insert this notice : so please do not call upon us."
(Dec. 1938) "We regret that it is not convenient for us to receive any visitors, and respectfully ask that readers who may visit these parts to kindly refrain from calling upon us; but please note that we are always glad to hear from Christian friends, if it be only a line or two, whether it be accompanied by a gift or no."
Studies In The Scriptures ; SGP Books Volume 9

This in addition from Dr. Richard Belcher ; A.W. Pink Born To Write A Biography
Richbarry Press Columbia South Carolina

"Before moving to the next area of Pink's life, the present author feels a necessity to say something in way of analysis concerning Pink's conference ministry versus his pastoral ministry. He seemed quite successful as a conference speaker and something of a failure as a pastor. Why the difference in the two ministries ?
The answer is that Pink seemed to be much better suited for the conference ministry than he was for the pastorate, for several reasons. First, he was not a sociable person. he did not seem to enjoy being with and fellowshipping with people. Some found it difficult to be with him or even to be in his presence. Remember the earlier statement by one who knew him well, who said he seldom smiled. In the pastorate after he had preached he would retire to his study to pray rather than greet the people at the door."

 

[Stephen L Smith]

When I noted that Pink had left Brethren theology behind, you highlighted the "left behind" and attributed the quote to me. I said no such thing so you have transgressed the moral law by 'bearing false witness against your brethren'

If you don't repent of this transgression you will indeed by 'left behind' in the Pretribulation rapture of the Saints

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

When I noted that Pink had left Brethren theology behind, you highlighted the "left behind" and attributed the quote to me. I said no such thing so you have transgressed the moral law by 'bearing false witness against your brethren'

If you don't repent of this transgression you will indeed by 'left behind' in the Pretribulation rapture of the Saints

Well, I was just highlighting your words.

 

[Pilgrim]

When I noted that Pink had left Brethren theology behind, you highlighted the "left behind" and attributed the quote to me. I said no such thing so you have transgressed the moral law by 'bearing false witness against your brethren'

If you don't repent of this transgression you will indeed by 'left behind' in the Pretribulation rapture of the Saints

I'm not sure that Pink ever embraced the totality of Brethren theology, (i.e. their teaching on local church organization or lack thereof) although he continued to admire some writers such as B.W. Newton long after abandoning dispensationalism, comparing him favorably to the Puritans and others in his work on sanctification, which I believe came later in his writing ministry. (Newton was not pre-trib however and ended up separated from the Darby Brethren himself.)

There is an article of his posted on the PB Ministries site that shows that he embraced some views characteristic of Landmark Baptists at one point, perhaps picked up either in KY or SC. (I'm not sure if it is still on the site as they've redeveloped it once or twice since I read that.)

By the 1940s, it seems that he basically denounced all of the denominations as sectarian. He was rejected by the Brethren due to his eschatology, (and probably soteriology, although I think some may have still been Calvinistic in Pink's day) rejected by Baptists because he was either too Calvinistic or not Calvinistic enough, and rejected by Presbyterians because he was not a pedobaptist. I think I remember reading in Murray's bio that if a church wouldn't let him teach he wasn't interested in attending either. Murray wrote that even though Pink rejected Brethren eschatology, it seems that he never abandoned the dispensational/Brethren idea that the churches were largely apostate with little to no hope of recovery.

 

[Jack K]

Pink should have found a way to go to church. Sadly, the fact that he neglected this and appears to have done so with insufficient remorse ends up reflecting poorly on what he wrote, as is usually the case when a Christian writer's faults are made evident.

The lesson here is that those who presume to teach must also be rigorous about their Christian lifestyle and constantly open to correction from the wider church. Even one area of neglect in an otherwise upright life can do great damage. It's a sobering thought.