My grandfather, like the majority of the Victorian middle-class society, was very religious and strongly Church of England while ferociously anti-Catholic. He was, so people who knew him said, in every way a true Christian who never had a bad word to say for anyone and was always ready to help.
When you read some of his private correspondence, and the prosaic sayings with which he closed the letters, you can feel the strong faith he had in Christ; he didnt just believe, he KNEW there was no doubt.
He was always doing something with, or for, the Church; writing prayers or hymns, giving Sunday School lessons and lectures, and played the organ during services.
He was a Reader, which, in the Church of England, was a person said to be called by God, trained, and licensed by their Bishop to lead worship, preach and teach about Jesus and the Christian faith, and encourage effective pastoral care and evangelistic ministry.
He wrote a small booklet; nothing more, really, than a single sheet of, what we would know today as, A5 paper, printed on both sides and folded, in half, so as to produce a small, single-sheeted booklet.
It′s not clear what the reason was for writing it but it seems to have been originally printed, at some unknown date, in a publication called "The Churchman′s Magazine"
The quality of the booklet′s print is not very good; the paper is too thin and the text too faint so, for those interested, I give below a transcription of what the booklet says.
There are two images, which can be seen by clicking on the blue arrow. They are shown in the form of a "Flip" book, so, when you get to the book, you will need to move the cursor over the top, right–hand (or left–hand) corner of each sheet (you will see the corner bending over, ready to turn).
Clicking on that corner will turn the page.
To go back, just reverse what you did before. To enlarge or reduce the image, right click on the page or picture and select either "zoom in" or "zoom out". If you zoom in, you will be able to read the title and, of course, the "Back" button will take you to the previous web page!
The following is the transcription of the text.
"THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL OF CHRIST'S HIGH PRIESTHOOD"
"On the night of His betrayal by Judas Iscariot, Jesus prayed His Great High Priestly Prayer (given in John 17), and afterwards, in Gethsemane, "began to be sorrowful and very heavy . . . exceeding sorrowful, even unto death" (Matt. 26: 37, 38; Mark 14: 33, 34), "in an agony" (Luke 22: 44) - to which reference is made in Heb. 5: 7-9."
"Paul wrote of Jesus interceding for us at the right hand of God (Rom. 8: 34; I. Tim 2: 5); but the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews bids us "consider the . . . High Priest of our profession Christ Jesus" Heb. 3: 1) of Whom he wrote at length in Chapters 7 to 10."
"In the following paragraphs we have the main points of the Gospel of Christ's High Priesthood gathered from the Epistle:"
"We have a Great High Priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God in all points (was.) tempted like as we are yet with out sin .. who, in the days of His Flesh offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death (particularly on the night of His betrayal; in Gethsemane), and was heard in that He feared; though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; and being made perfect, He became the Author (Source) of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey Him (Heb. 4: 14, 15; 5: 7 - 9. See John 3: 6; Rom. 6: 23, etc.)."
"He, because He continueth ever, hath an unchangeable Priesthood; wherefore He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing that He ever liveth to make intercession for them. Who needeth not daily to offer up sacrifice. . for this He did once when He offered up Himself." (Heb. 7: 24 - 27)."
"We have such an High Priest, who is set on the right hand of .the throne of the majesty the heavens, a Minister of the Sanctuary and of the True Tabernacle. If He were on earth He should not be a Priest . . . . But now bath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the Mediator of a Better (Superior) Covenant, which was established upon better (superior) promises "This is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those days, saith the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people . . . All shall know Me, from the least to the greatest, for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins, and iniquities will remember no more." (Heb. 8: 1, 2, 4, 6, 10 - 12)."
"Christ, being come an High Priest of good things to come (bliss), by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle, not made with hands . . . . By His own Blood He entered in once into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption for us now once in the end of the world (Jewish, or Old Covenant Dispensation) hath He appeared to put away sin by sacrifice of Himself."
"Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. (Heb. 9: 11, 12, 26, 28)."
"We are sanctified (accounted righteous before God by faith and blessed by His Holy Spirit) through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all . . . after He had offered one (single) sacrifice - for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God ..by one offering He bath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Heb.16: 10, 12, 14)."
"By Him, therefore, let -us offer (as priests unto God through redemption and reconciliation to the Father-Rev. 1: 5, 6; II. Cor. 5: 19) the sacrifice of praise continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His Name." (Heb. 13: 15)"
"JOHN J. NEWPORT."
"Re-printed from the Churchman's Magazine"
"Printed and published by the Wickliffe Press, Wickliffe Avenue, Hendon Lane, Finchley, London, N. 3 To be obtained from The Bible Depot, Sackville Road, Bexhill-on-Sea. Price id. each, 9d. per dozen, post free."
