A Few Hidden Gems In Banner Books

Fellowship in the book room at a Banner of Truth Ministers’ Conference is sweet. Talking about books with fellow preachers, gleaning recommendations on various topics, or overhearing comments about an engaging new title all make the book room a profitable place to visit between sessions. This year at the USA conference was no exception! Seeing a brother with the six volumes of The Works of John Newton under his arm, I asked if he knew of a particular treat waiting in volume 4. When I heard that he did not, I wondered how many others might own Newton but not yet know of this unique and valuable section hidden away in the large set. When I shared this thought it was suggested that the writing of an article on such finds within Banner books would be helpful to others.

Although I have yet to ‘prospect’ among all of the books published by the Trust, let me share a few of the ‘hidden gems’ I have found over the years in Banner books. In the six beautiful hard-cover volumes of Newton’s Works, one can find a collection of sermons on the Scripture texts used in Handel’s great oratorio Messiah. In his preface to vol. 4, Newton wrote:

MESSIAH, the great subject of the Oratorio, is the leading and principal subject of every sermon. His person, grace, and glory; his matchless love to sinners; his humiliation, sufferings, and death; his ability and willingness to save to the uttermost; his kingdom, and the present and future happiness of his willing people, are severally considered, according to the order suggested by the series of texts. Nearly connected with these topics, are the doctrines of the fall, and the nature and necessity of regeneration, and of that holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord (page vii).

There are fifty sermons in all, originally preached 1784-5, along with the preface and a scripture index, that comprise the whole of volume 4. Newton dedicated the sermons to his two beloved congregations in London.

In Archibald Alexander’s thoroughly commendable Thoughts on Religious Experience¹, you will find chapter 2, ‘Piety in Children’. Here are clear and well presented insights into the spiritual care of the youngest among us. His paragraphs on holy baptism of children (especially timely in this present day) come to this conclusion: ‘The reason why it is believed that regeneration does not usually accompany baptism, is simply because no evidences of spiritual life appear in baptized children, more than in those which remain unbaptized. The education of children should proceed on the principle that they are in an unregenerate state, until evidences of piety clearly appear, in which case they should be sedulously cherished and nurtured’ (page 13). Alexander goes on to provide his reader with some spiritual diagnostic questions to use with children, and to encourage parents regarding the power of grace and the promises of God. Again the whole of this book is to be commended.

Also on the topic of children is a gem to be found within William Perkins’ The Art of Prophesying², written about preaching and the calling of a minister of the gospel. Here I would direct you to pp. 100-8, where Perkins boldly encourages fathers to direct their sons towards the ministry: ‘One final point will conclude this chapter: the high honour of the ministerial office should encourage fathers to dedicate their sons to such a holy calling. The physician’s care for your body, or the lawyer’s for your court case, are both inferior to that of the minister. One in ten may be a good lawyer; one in twenty a good physician, one in a hundred may be a good man; but a good minister is one in a thousand! A good lawyer can explain the exact standing of your case; a physician can explain the truth about your physical condition. But no other calling, no other man, can tell you about your righteousness; only a true minister can do that.’ In 1996, when this title was newly reprinted in Banner’s fine Puritan Paperbacks series, it was a book-room brother at a Banner Conference who first directed me to it. At that time my wife and I were expecting our fifth child, whom we had learned was to be a boy (the third of four sons). Although you would do well to balance the opinion of Perkins with the position advocated by Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones (see Preachers and Preaching), these strong words honouring the pastorate have led me to much bold prayer for my sons, and the boys of our congregation.

My favourite Puritan is Thomas Manton. The Banner of Truth has published the first three volumes of The Works of Thomas Manton³, (which run to 22 volumes), as well as separate volumes for his commentaries on Psalm 119 (3 vols.), James⁴, and Jude⁵, and sermons on Hebrews 11⁶. Did you know that volume 1 of Manton’s works contains over 250 pages of detailed exposition on the Lord’s Prayer?

In the popular collection of Puritan prayers, The Valley of Vision Paperback⁷, Leatherback⁸, edited by Arthur Bennett, heads-of-households will find a practical section providing morning and evening prayers for each day of the week, and preachers will deeply appreciate a section of prayers pertaining to their office and lives.

Knowing the Times⁹ is a collection of addresses given by Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones and is one of the finest books Banner offers. Of particular usefulness to the church leader of today is chapter 11, ‘The Weapons of Our Warfare’.

In volume three of The Works of David Clarkson¹⁰ is a unique and important sermon from Psalm 87:2 on ‘Public Worship to be Preferred before Private’.

If you are in danger of owning more books than you have room to shelve, then I would point you to portions of chapter 10 of My Life & Books¹¹, by Mr S. M. Houghton, an editor of Banner books for some 27 years. His solution for part of his library of 30,000 volumes? Converted poultry sheds in the yard!

Two paperback volumes by P. B. Power, The ‘I Wills’ of Christ¹², and The ‘I Wills’ of the Psalms, unfold selected passages of Scripture with the phrase ‘I will’ (from the lips of Christ or the psalmists). P. B. Power (1822- 99) pastored churches for 20 years, then he spent the last 34 years of his life as an invalid. At a most needful time in my own life and ministry I was very greatly helped by his writings on prayer found in several middle chapters of The ‘I Wills’ of the Psalms. Chapters 9-11 are titled ‘The ‘I Will’ of Prayer in the Time of Trouble’, and chapter 10 deals with prayer in the time of ‘overwhelming trouble’. I mark most of my books as I read them, and even now, surveying my markings in Power’s book, my soul is stirred by the memory of how deeply the Lord used various chapters in my life. One or two excerpts cannot do justice to the whole, but must suffice for this brief article. Taking up the ‘I will’ of Psalm 121:1 he writes:

But why not make our escape out of these valleys? Simply because we cannot; and because God never intended that we should be able to do so; His design towards us is, that we should be taught to lift up our eyes unto the hills; that we should journey through the valleys, looking up to higher ground for all needful help. What God often has in view for His children, is helping them in the valley, rather than helping them out of it (pp. 218-9).

In our trial time we must lift up our eyes; we must not try and pierce the far distance; we must not speculate; and derive our comfort from thoughts that matters may turn out in this way or that way; we must look above the valley…And how are we to lift up the eye, if it be not in prayer?-Prayer, in which God is distinctly seen, in which His willingness to help is abundantly realised and acknowledged; one moment’s upturning of the eye in this way is of more practical value than the most earnest gaze into the future. Let us look up from the valley to God, and He will look down into the valley on us, and lead us through all its windings, all its gloom, to the point which He can see from His lofty throne, as the only one through which we can make our escape (p. 222).

Certainly one of the most sparkling gems found in a Banner book is at the end of Charity and Its Fruits¹³, by Jonathan Edwards. This exposition of the famous ‘love chapter’ (1 Cor. 13) concludes with his contemplating the nature of heaven – ‘Heaven, a World of Charity or Love’. The material in his final chapter has been a balm of comfort and blessing to many in my congregation who longed to ponder the place of their Lord and their departed loved ones.

In the appendix of the hard-cover edition of Letters of Samuel Rutherford¹⁴ there is a copy of the wonderful poem ‘Last Words’, by Mrs A. R. Cousin, perhaps better known by the hymn it inspired, ‘The Sands of Time are Sinking’ or by the concluding words of each stanza, ‘In Immanuel’s land’. Once acquainted with this fine piece you will want it near at hand for yourself or to share with others.

Of course, the dear value of these many passages is often best noticed when the reader is in the midst of a particular personal or ministerial need. It is hoped that by identifying these few gems, already in the libraries of many of us, we will have rich and reliable helps near at hand when those times of need (and opportunity) arrive.