Arthur Walkington Pink was born in Nottingham, England on April 1, 1886 and became a Christian in his early 20s. Though born to Christian parents, prior to conversion he migrated into a Theosophical society (an occult gnostic group popular in England during that time), and quickly rose in prominence within their ranks. His conversion came from his father's patient admonitions from Scripture. It was Proverbs 14:12, 'there is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death,' which particularly struck his heart and compelled him to renounce Theosophy and follow Jesus.
Desiring to grow in knowledge of the Bible, Pink migrated to the United States to study at Moody Bible Institute. In 1916 he married Vera E. Russell, from Kentucky. However, he left after just two months for Colorado, then California, then Britain. From 1925 to 1928 he served in Australia, including as pastor of two congregations from 1926 to 1928, when he returned to England, and to the United States the following year. He eventually pastored churches Colorado, California, Kentucky and South Carolina.
In 1922 he started a monthly magazine entitled Studies in Scriptures which circulated among English-speaking Christians worldwide, though only to a relatively small circulation list of around 1,000.
In 1934 Pink returned to England, and within a few years turned his Christian service to writing books and pamphlets. Pink died in Stornoway, Scotland on July 15, 1952. The cause of death was anemia.
After Pink's death, his works were republished by the Banner of Truth Trust and reached a much wider audience as a result. Biographer Iain Murray observes of Pink, "the widespread circulation of his writings after his death made him one of the most influential evangelical authors in the second half of the twentieth century." His writing sparked a revival of expository preaching and focused readers' hearts on biblical living.
Encouraging meditations on encouraging verses. I may have rushed reading the last few chapters, since I kind of wanted to be able to add it to my books read this year ^_^
Pink's "Comfort for Christians" addresses those teachings that help Christians when facing hard times or doubt. Much of the material is from Romans and about half of the text deals specifically with the Beatitudes. It is a lovely little book, and I found it helpful while I was faced with some personal losses.
Pink's books are always strongly founded in scripture, and he is not ashamed to call on other, well-known theologians and preachers when making his point. This is a good introduction to Pink's writings.
Very good, encouraging book! I don't think I had ever read/heard Jesus fulfilling the beatitudes laid out, before. Pink speaks of God's chastisement, of heaven, and of various other subjects to comfort a Chrstian.
Quotes: "Should our afflictions continue throughout a whole lifetime, and that life be equal in duration to Methuselah's, yet it is momentary compared with the eternity before us."
"Here then is what faith is invited to do: to place in one scale the present affliction, in the other, the eternal glory. Are they worthy to be compared? No, indeed. One second of glory will more than counterbalance a whole lifetime of suffering. What are years of toil, of sickness, of battling against poverty, of persecution, even a martyr's death, when weighed over against the pleasures at God's right hand, that are for evermore! One breath of Paradise will extinguish all the adverse winds of earth. One day in the Father's House will more than balance the years we have spent in this dreary wilderness. May God grant us faith that will enable us to anticipatively lay hold of the future and live in the present enjoyment of it."