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Letters of Samuel Rutherford: A Selection
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If you’ve ever wondered, why would I want to read a man’s letters, you have probably not read any of Rutherford’s yet. These are some of the most remarkable, devotionally rich letters in all literature, in the opinion of numerous students of church history. Charles Spurgeon called Rutherford’s letters “the nearest thing to inspiration which can be found in all the writings of mere men.”
This edition contains 69 of Rutherford’s letters on a wide range of subjects. Rutherford was the well-known author of the lyrics to the hymn The Sands of Time are Sinking, sometimes known by its name as a poem, Emmanuel’s Land.
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Letters of Samuel Rutherford: A Selection
Like John Bunyan in Bedford gaol, Samuel Rutherford did his best work while suffering imprisonment for the gospel.
His opponents had meant to silence him but instead they perpetuated his ministry through the centuries for it was out of this period that most of his famous Letters came. Addressed to high and low they were so prized by the recipients that the first collection by Robert McWard appeared in 1664 just three years after Rutherford’s death. the successive editions contained more letters until they grew to the 365 in Andrew Bonar’s classic edition.
From this, ‘the most remarkable series of devotional letters that the literature of the Reformed churches can show’, the great leaders in the Church as well as the humblest Christians have drawn strength. It is said of Robert Murray M’Cheyne that ‘the Letters of Samuel Rutherford were often in his hand.’ This abridged edition contains sixty-nine of these letters.
Letters on a A Rich Variety of Topics
- Sickness a kindness of God
- Greatness of Christ’s love revealed to those who suffer for Him
- God the satisfying portion
- Early devotion to Christ
- Nothing worth finding but Christ
- Danger of formality
- Unbelief under trials
- Christ to purifier of His church
- Counsel to a youth
- Nothing lost by trials
- Strive to enter in
- Christ’s crosses worth more than Egypt’s treasures
- Truth worth suffering for
- Cares to be cast on Christ
- Submission to God’s will
- Christ, not creatures, worthy of our love
- The Christian life a mystery to the world
- Heaven a reality
- Depression under dark trails
- Encouraging words to a suffering brother
- Gloomy prospects for a backsliding church
- On the death of a child
His Pen Could Not Be Silenced
His opponents had meant to silence him but instead they perpetuated his ministry through the centuries for it was out of this period that most of his famous Letters came. Addressed to high and low they were so prized by the recipients that the first collection by Robert McWard appeared in 1664 just three years after Rutherford’s death. The successive editions contained more letters until they grew to the 365 in Andrew Bonar’s classic edition.
From this, ‘the most remarkable series of devotional letters that the literature of the Reformed churches can show’, the great leaders in the Church as well as the humblest Christians have drawn strength. It is said of Robert Murray M’Cheyne that ‘the Letters of Samuel Rutherford were often in his hand.’ This abridged edition contains sixty-nine of these letters.
Endorsements
‘When we are dead and gone let the world know that Spurgeon held Rutherford’s Letters to be the nearest thing to inspiration which can be found in all the writings of mere men.’ — Charles H. Spurgeon
‘Surprising though it may seem in a world of large books, of all those owned by our family this may be the one we have most often lent or quoted to friends.’ — Sinclair B. Ferguson
‘Apart from the Bible, ‘such a book as Mr. Rutherford’s Letters the world never saw the like.’ — Richard Baxter
Contents
Among the 69 letters contained in this volume, some examples are:
- To a Christian Gentlewoman (on the death of a daughter)
- To Lady Culross (on the eve of banishment to Aberdeen)
- Hugh M’Kail (Christ to be trusted amid trial)
- Robert Blair (God’s arrangements sometimes mysterious)
- Lady Kenmure (none worthy but Christ)
- Robert Cunningham (consolation to a brother in tribulation)
- John Kennedy (on deliverance from shipwreck)
- David Dickson (on God’s dealings)
- Lady Kilconquhar (the interests of the soul most urgent)
- Lord Craighall (standing for Christ)
- John Stuart (on suffering)
- Lady Boyd (on the proceedings of the Westminster assembly)
- William Glendinning (the sweetness of trial)
- James Lindsay (desertions and their use)
- James Guthrie (steadfastness under persecution
- Lady Ralston (duty of preferring to live rather than die)
- Mistress Craig (on the death of her son)
- Brethren in Aberdeen (sinful conformity and schismatic designs reproved)
- these are only a sampling – there are many more
About the Author
Samuel Rutherford (1600–61) was born in Roxburghshire, and educated at Jedburgh Grammar School and Edinburgh University. From 1623 he acted as Regent of Humanity at the University, with responsibilities as a Latin tutor. His first ministry, at Anwoth, lasted nine years, ending in 1636 when he was banned due to nonconformity. This barred Rutherford from preaching in Scotland, as he was exiled to Aberdeen for the duration of the King’s pleasure. It was during his two years in Aberdeen that many of these much-loved Letters were written.
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