0:01 [Music] All right. Anybody remember um who we heard about last time? You're all thinking it correctly. We heard about a man named Robert Murray McShane. 0:21 That's who it was. I'm sure you all got it right. Um and I I don't know if you remember uh in that story we heard about an incident that while Robert Mari McShane was in Palestine, God used another man who preached in his 0:40 church to bring the revival to the church in Scotland that McShane had been praying for and praying earnestly for. And if you remember, God used this other man back in McShane's home church in Scotland. And that's the man we're going 0:57 to hear about today. His name is William Burns. William Charmers Burns. So this um here's a little story from William Burns's life later on. He said, "This young Scottish preacher would preach the gospel of Jesus Christ anywhere." 1:16 And once he was facing an angry mob in Dublin, Ireland, as the mob became more hostile, he realized that if he continued speaking, they would only turn even more against what he was saying. And so it was time for him to stop. So 1:33 he decided to return home along the harbor. A policeman who had been watching the whole thing knew that the crowd would just follow him and harm him. So he told William to take a ferry boat to the other side of the river. But 1:48 I don't have money for the ferry, William said. It only costs half a penny, said the policeman. I don't even have half penny. Well, here's one, the kind-hearted policeman said with a smile. William thanked him, took the half penny, and 2:04 stepped into the boat. And then he lifted up the half penny and proclaimed in a loud voice, "See my friends, I have been given a free ride. In the same way, you have been given a free gospel, a way to the kingdom of heaven without needing 2:21 any money." This was an unusual pulpit, but he used it wisely even as the boat pulled away to speak to both the mob on the pier and the other passengers on the boat. This unconventional young preacher was William Charmer's Burns. And let me show 2:41 you a picture of him older in life. This is a picture of William Charmer Burns. William Charmer's Burns. Okay. So, let's continue the story after I silence my phone. 3:04 Yeah. So, William Charmers Bourne Burns was born on April 1st, 1815. I've always wanted to meet somebody who was born on April Fool's Day. And someday I'll get to meet William Burns in heaven, I believe. Anyway, he was born on April 3:18 1st, 1815 in Scotland into the family of William Hamilton Burns, who was a church minister. When he was still a teenager, he decided to become a lawyer because he saw, as he put it, lawyers were rich and had nice houses. 3:36 His godly parents were disappointed with his decision, but reluctantly agreed to send him to study law, hoping and praying that he would choose instead to serve God and preach the gospel. When William went to Edinburghough to work as 3:51 an apprentice to his uncle, his family mourned for him because they saw that he still loved the world and its attractions. One day, they received a letter from him asking for some Christian books, which they sent to him. And sometime later, he 4:07 returned home walking 36 miles from Edinburgh. As he stood in front of the fireplace in his home, he asked his parents, "Seriously, I am thinking about quitting my profession and serving the Lord full-time. What do you think about it?" 4:22 The spirit of God had touched his wandering heart, and William had been born again. All he wanted now was his parents' permission to start preparing for the ministry to which God had called him. As it turned out, there had been a 4:36 delay in getting some of his paperwork, and he hadn't yet officially registered for the apprenticeship. So, he was able to begin his preparation for full-time ministry immediately. This was in 1832. And here's what he wrote in his diary about his experience 4:52 of being born again. Here's what he writes. Here's how my heart was changed. Mr. Bruce's preaching at the church made me think a lot and I had the fear of sudden death from cholera which was spreading at that time. My sisters who 5:08 were still at home had written me a letter. In one sentence in that letter they spoke of going as pilgrims to Zion and having to leave me behind. This was the word in season that I needed to hear and affected me very deeply. 5:26 My sin had caused me to lose all other feelings and sensitivity. But when I thought about my godly parents and family, my soul was tormented by the thought of being separated from them forever if they go to heaven and I don't 5:40 go. I could be separated from Christ because I didn't know him at all. Alas, do you know him? Burns is writing. But to be separated from my family was too much for me to bear. This amazingly prepared the way 5:58 for me to turn from sin. But my heart was still dead spiritually. I sat down with a heavy heart and read a part of the book Early Piety by JG Pike, which my father had given me when I left home. Suddenly, my inmost soul was 6:16 pierced as if by a dart. God had gotten a hold of me. I felt the conviction of my lost condition rushing through me with power. I left the room in which I was sitting and rushed to my bedroom to pour out from my heart for the first 6:30 time with many tears a genuine cry for God's mercy. Immediately I had the hope that the sovereign and infinitely gracious God would save me. At the same moment, I felt that I had to leave my current occupation and interests and devote 6:48 myself to Jesus in spreading the gospel to which I had been saved. The gospel by which I had been saved. From that moment, young William Burns had a desire for more and more of the life of God. A month later, he wrote to 7:04 his sisters, "I got to spend a lot of time with DL, Mr. DL Moody. He is one of the few who lives near to God. I don't ask how near do I have to be to God to ensure that I go to heaven. Instead, I ask how much communion with God can I 7:21 possibly have while I am here on earth. I want to say that again. That is a wonderful wonderful phrase, wonderful thing to keep in mind. He says, I don't ask how how near do I have to be to God to ensure that I get to go to heaven. 7:39 Instead, I ask, "How much communion with God can I possibly have while I am here on earth for this short time? If I have only one goal in view, the kingdom of heaven, then God will add on whatever is necessary." He then went to live in Aberdine 7:58 and applied himself fully to studying God's word. In another letter to his family in November of that year, he writes, "When I came here, my spiritual state was very low. I hoped that knowing that I needed to walk carefully with God 8:13 would make me seek nearness to him and strength for all my needs. But sadly, I have been disappointed." Within the first few days after my arrival, I realized how much hypocrisy was in me. I was so full of acting to appear holy in 8:30 order to uphold my own reputation more than actually desiring God's glory. In reality, I see that I am still unwilling to become his holy completely that is and his only. May the Lord in his great 8:47 mercy show me my real character and lead me to properly know his perfect holiness and hatred of sin. Then I will be able to value his salvation as I should and count all things as loss for the excellency of knowing Christ Jesus. I 9:05 want to repeat that again is so important. He says here may I be led to properly know God's perfect holiness and hatred of sin. only then will I actually value salvation as I should and be able to count all things as loss compared to 9:25 Christ. And I think it's because so many so-called Christians even haven't really seen the perfect holiness of God and received a hatred for sin that they take salvation carelessly and even sanctification as a very light thing. 9:41 It's wonderful that William Burns got this revelation and this burden and passion early in his Christian life. That's why he was so useful. William entered Glasgow University in 1835. One day as he was listening to a missionary from China speak about the 9:57 work there. He saw a little bit of what complete consecration to God looked like. He decided that for him that meant going abroad as a missionary. As he neared the completion of his degree, all he could think about was his 10:13 calling. One day, unbeknownst to him, his mother happened to be in Glasgow on business. As he was walking down the street deep in thought about his future, he walked into a shopping complex and almost bumped into her and only then 10:28 realized who it was. Startled, he exclaimed, "Oh, mother, I did not see you. As I was walking down Argyle Street, I was so overcome by the countless crowds of souls bustling here and there, all rushing toward their eternal destiny. I couldn't bear it any 10:46 longer. So, I turned into this quieter area to quieten my thoughts. Around this time, William Burns had a deep yearning for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This is how he expresses it in this letter from 1839. He writes, "I 11:02 long that the Lord would pour out on us the spirit as he did in former days and bring us into close and delightful fellowship with himself." I pray, why do the wheels of his chariot delay? That's 11:18 a phrase from Judges 5 verse 28. It's the poem of uh Deborah, I think. Why do the wheels of his chariot delay? Um and William Burns used that phrase to in to appeal to the Lord as if Lord why are the wheels of your chariot delaying 11:37 and sending the Holy Spirit? And here this verse from Psalm 85:6. Will you not yourself revive us again that your people may rejoice in you? And he continues writing. William Burns does. Let us wait day and night on him in 11:53 earnest expectation of his coming and he will surely arrive and amaze us infinitely. These words that William Burns wrote appear prophetic in light of what happened the following year. The world may think it was a coincidence, but we 12:07 know it was God who orchestrated it all. William was asked by Robert Marie McShane to speak at St. Peter's Church in Dundy while McShane was away in Palestine. Burns was still young and had only been ordained a month earlier. He 12:22 was willing to serve, however, while he waited for his appointment to foreign ministry to the foreign missionary work by the India committee. Some of his older me some of the older members of the church looked undoubtingly as this young 24year-old 12:40 man walked up the steps of the pulpit to preach in place of their more experienced and beloved pastor McShane. As they listened to his opening prayer, however, they were all deeply moved. From that point on, they wholeheartedly 12:56 supported him. In June, the India committee asked him to go to Pune in India. William was in a dilemma. While he was seeking the Lord for guidance, he spent some time at the church where his father was serving in Kilsite. His father had asked him to 13:13 speak at a series of special meetings. Building up to this moment, Burns had had a growing desire for the conversion of the lost sinners along with a sense of their horrible condition without Christ. He saw their immense guilt from 13:29 rejecting the Savior who was so freely offered to them. His complete helplessness to do anything about it humanly became an oppressive burden on him. He felt completely unworthy at the very thought of the Holy Spirit using him as 13:46 an instrument to bridge the gap between a holy God and unawwakened, unrepentant men. What William didn't know was that a number of godly people had wrestled and travailed in prayer from that church for most of the previous night that God 14:03 would break through and pour out his Holy Spirit in convicting power. They had come to the meeting with the assurance that their cries had been heard and that this would be a day when God would appear gloriously and in power. How much can happen when a church 14:20 prays? William's message was based on the text, the people shall be willing in the day of thy power. That's from Psalm 110:3. The thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. Psalm 110:3 with burning words. Burns described 14:39 interesting burning words and burns. All right. With burning words, burns described different times when the Holy Spirit had been poured out, beginning with Pentecost. The climax was his account of the revival at Schwarz in 14:54 1830 when John Livingstone had prayed all night and then preached in an outdoor meeting from Ezekiel 36 26. God descended in power upon that meeting and then it started to rain. As the people started to try to find shelter 15:13 from the drops of rain, Livingston challenged them whether they had whether they had any shelter from the drops of God's wrath, God's anger against sin. This had such an effect on them that they stayed and listened to him for 15:28 another hour in the rain and around 500 people were converted that day. Here's what Burns wrote as I was speaking about the revival in shorts. And so u remember Burns was telling the story of Livingston's uh testimony of that meeting that David 15:47 Living John Livingstone was preaching at in shorts and Burns was telling that story in this meeting and he says as I was speaking about that revival in shorts my own soul was moved in a similar way and I pleaded with the 16:01 unconverted sitting in front of me to accept God's offer of mercy. I continued appealing to them until the power of the Lord's spirit came mightily upon their souls that it carried all of them forward like the rushing mighty 16:19 wind of Pentecost. The whole time that I was speaking, the people listened with solemn attention and with many silent tears and inward groanings of the spirit. But by the end, their feelings became so strong that they couldn't hold 16:32 themselves back and broke out simultaneously in weeping and wailing. Tears and groans mixed in with shouts of joy and praise. The meeting lasted for 5 hours and William's brother Elay remembered two specific moments that he 16:51 could never forget. Here's what his brother wrote. He said, "William sent forth appeal after appeal with everinccreasing passion until he reached the climax of his message and urged those listening to fight the battle to 17:05 win the eternal prize." He called out, "No cross, no crown." Not like a sentence in ordinary speech, but like a shout in the thick of the battle. The other moment was when William had urged sinners to immediately surrender 17:20 to Christ using the analogy of a lifeboat sent to aid a sinking ship. He described a crouching, trembling crowd clinging to the side of the sinking ship, but hesitating in the last moments of opportunity. And he cried aloud as one would in the 17:38 midst of the tossing waves, "Are you in? Are you in? flee for refuge to lay hold of the hope that is set before you now or never. The need was so great that Burns extended his stay at Killsite for another two weeks. He held meetings 17:56 every evening and whenever the weather was good, he preached in the marketplace or in the churchyard during the day. Prayer meetings would spontaneously spring up in places around the village as both young and old hungered to see 18:08 the Lord stretch out his arm of power freely. For weeks prior to this revival, Burns had spent much time in prayer. There it is again. Prayer always precedes the move of God. Day and night along or with others alone or with others, he lifted 18:26 up his heart to God until he experienced the fulfillment of this promise. This promise, the Lord whom you seek shall suddenly come to his temple. even the messenger of the covenant whom ye 18:43 delight in that's from Malachi chapter 3 the first verse the Lord whom you seek shall suddenly and this is a good promise for us to remember dear family we pray often the Lord will send uh the outpouring of his holy spirit in our 18:59 midst and I believe he is doing that but we want more this verse was a tremendous promise even as I read it earlier today the lord whom you seek that is the holy spirit whom you seek shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the 19:12 covenant whom you delight in. Let's take that to heart. He regretted even the long hours. Listen to this. He regretted even the long hours he would formally spend in writing out his sermons and for for some weeks stopped doing that so 19:29 that he could spend more time in prayer for what he was going to speak. Those around him recognized that a new power rested upon him. He had been asking, seeking, and knocking for the Holy Spirit, and that spirit had descended upon his waiting heart. 19:45 For four months prior to this, Burns had seen the deep work of the Holy Spirit in the church in Dundee through the ministry of Robert Marie McShane. William opened his heart in a letter to Robert. When I came to your church, I saw 20:00 clearly the Lord. So, this is Burns visiting McShane's church before McShane invited him to speak there. And here's what after spending some time there for uh some time there he wrote to Michine when I came to your church I saw clearly 20:16 the Lord's power to convert sinners and that refreshed my soul for the seven years before this that I had known the Lord I had not even seen a single case of open and visible transition from darkness to light from the power of 20:31 Satan unto God. I knew a few who I think had really been brought by the spirit to know Jesus and a few others who I hoped had at least reached the very edge of the line that divides the kingdom of Satan from the kingdom of God. But I 20:47 don't recall ever seeing an awakened sinner seeking after Jesus with the whole heart. Then God sent me to your beloved flock. Here I found many who seem to have passed from death to life under your ministry. They had gone 21:04 beyond that ice cold life of simply formally calling themselves Christians and instead spoke boldly about the change God had done in them without fear of who would be offended. Burns returned to Dundy having just 21:21 witnessed the move of God in Kilsite. So here's where Burns is now coming to McShane's church. um he had just witnessed the move of God in Kilsight at his father's church and he returned to Dundy little expecting that God would move in the same way 21:35 there as he spoke about what had happened in Kilsite and appealed to those who were still unconverted 100 people stayed back after that first meeting and gave their lives to Christ for many weeks the hunger continued and 21:51 they held meetings every evening as the meetings continued continued on. The people were reluctant to return to their homes, not wanting to miss out on a further word from the Lord through Burns. When William invited any who still 22:06 wanted to pray into the back room, many pressed into that small room. And I thought about our little room back there at RLCF where we pack it in on Sunday mornings. But that room was probably even smaller here. Uh but they when he 22:21 invited any who still wanted to pray after the official meeting was over he said you can come to the back room. Many pressed into that small room moved by an intense desire for God. The entire town was touched by a heavenly influence. 22:36 When McShane returned to Scotland from his trip to Palestine, Burns started a ministry in various other smaller churches as well as in the open air. There was constantly an unusual outpouring of divine grace over him. His 22:50 messages were unbiased and swung like a pendulum across the whole truth of God. He trained the young converts with this phrase of enlistment that we heard earlier. No cross, no crown. Those nearest to him knew the reason for 23:07 the spiritual success of his public ministry. Yes, he was a diligent scholar of God's word and a gifted preacher. Yes, he was energetic and persevering in all he did and had many other excellent qualities of character. But the thing 23:22 that stood out the most was his prayerfulness and utter dependence upon the spirit of God. The thing that stood out the most was his prayerfulness and utter dependence upon the spirit of God. His church members described his 23:37 preaching like a fountain which gave forth on Sundays the treasures which had been stored up during a week of direct and personal communion with God. This is perhaps the line of the story for me as a a good ambition a good goal for us to 23:53 pray for for for us as a church. A few of us get up and speak on Sundays. All of us are invited if you're members of the church to share for 2 minutes on Sunday. Think about this that what we just heard about Burns's life that his 24:07 church members listening to him could tell that what he was sharing on Sunday was like a fountain that was out that was coming out that was spouting forth on Sundays. The treasures which had been stored up during a week of direct and 24:24 personal communion with God. That's a great uh hope aspiration to have. And whenever I speak on Sunday or whenever any day, what I'm speaking from is that fountain that I'm storing up, storing up, storing up communion with 24:39 God, communion with God. And then when you turn it on, it flows out. God did it for Burns. He's done it for others over the years. He can do it for us as well. Others likened his open air preaching to sewing in the springtime in three parts. 24:55 The the opening prayer was like the plowing of the field which opened the hearts and awakened the consciences of the people. The message was like the dropping of the seed into the prepared soil. And the closing prayer was like 25:08 the harrowing of the ground covering the seed that had been sown. A man who lived in the same house in Dundy with Burns described the effects of William's first visit to the church. When he got home in the evening, he would go directly to his 25:23 room and you could soon hear heavy groans coming out from the room. Once the door was not fully closed and his housemate saw him lying on his face on the floor, groaning out the overwhelming burden of the responsibility of 25:39 ministering to such a people. The person in the room next to him would sometimes hear him praying all night long. His whole life was one of intense prayer. Through all of this, God always took care of William's earthly needs, and he 25:54 even had enough to give freely to the cause of Christ. He enjoyed quietness and the luxury of having only a few things to take care of. I've never heard it put that way. It's a tremendous luxury to only have a few things to take 26:09 care of. Anxiety and worry comes from having much. And it's wonderful testimony that Burns had that he had the luxury of having only a few things to take care of. Now we take we receive as much as God gives us. But if we try to get more, there's a 26:26 burden and a the what the Bible calls the uh deceitful riches and the the deceitfulness of riches and the cares and worries of this world. Let's not add any more to it than we need. He believed that the happiest Christian state on 26:43 earth was one where he would have only a few wants. He writes, "If a man has Christ in his heart, heaven before his eyes, and only as much earthly blessing as is just needful to carry him safely through life, then pain and sorrow have little 26:59 to shoot at." Little to shoot at because you don't have much. To be in union with the one who is the shepherd of our souls. To walk very near to him who is both son and shield is everything that a poor sinner needs to be happy. Do you want to 27:16 be happy? All you really need is union with the one who is the shepherd of your soul. Walk near with him. Burns fully supported the disruption. You can read about it sometime. I hadn't read much about it until uh I read I was 27:31 intrigued to read about it. The disruption in 1843 in in uh Scotland was a movement among the churches among the state church people in the state church to come out of that and they formed what was later called the free church of 27:47 Scotland. And I don't know if that church is still free, but there was a movement in 1843 that people came out of the dead denominations in Scotland and he was he fully supported that. But that time of rebuilding wasn't good for evangelistic 28:01 work because people seemed to get more taken up with a lot of doctrinal things. So he accepted an invitation for gospel ministry in Dublin in Ireland. He met with much opposition especially during open air meetings. And you remember that 28:14 story at the pier that we first heard about. Sometimes his clothes were almost ripped off his body. The chair on which he stood to speak was broken to pieces. Through all of this, he never lost control of his spirit and the light of 28:28 heaven could always be seen on his face. One of those who persecuted him said, "He is a good man. He we cannot make him angry. He is a good man. We cannot make him angry." What a good testimony. One day, above all the loud mockery, as he 28:45 was preaching on a street in Dublin, a voice shouted out, "The devil is dead." And Burns replied solemnly, "Ah, then you are a poor fatherless child." This brought such a silent reverence to the crowd that he was able to present 29:04 God's truth freely. Burns then traveled to Canada for evangelism for two years. At the end of this time, he knew that God was calling him to work in countries where there were not many Christians. As he prayed for guidance, God directed 29:21 him through an opening to be the first missionary in China under the English Presbyterian Church. Two months later, he set off for the Far East. He and his brother Elay spent a few hours together in the ship's cabin before his 29:36 departure, reading God's word and pouring out their hearts to God in prayer. As they said goodbye, William said to his brother, "Isn't it blessed? Blessed, isn't it wondrous grace to be separated in this way for such a cause and for 29:52 such a work?" The journey lasted 5 months, which allowed him to learn a little of the Chinese language. In November 1847, he arrived in Hong Kong, where God opened doors for William to be useful. He preached to English-speaking 30:07 congregations for more than a year while continuing to concentrate on studying the Chinese language. In January 1849, he wrote, "I plan to jump right into the main mission field to learn the local language fluently and spread above 30:22 abroad the gospel of salvation among these unsaved millions. Please pray for me during this time especially and for the people whom God will lead me to. China is not only forbidden ground for a foreigner. It is a land full of idols. 30:38 How great then must be that power which alone can open up my way and make it successful. In the villages, he would read the Bible aloud under the shade of a tree and then explain the nature and purpose of the gospel to those who gathered around him 30:55 out of curiosity. His mission to the Chinese people seemed largely to be that of the seed swower. Although his burden for these souls was intense, the results were so scarce that it seemed as if God planned for others to reap the harvest after him. 31:14 For 8 years, William Burns was a household name in Scotland with thousands coming to hear his messages. In China, he eventually came to be affectionately known there as the man with the book and the saintliest man. But at first he plotted along patiently, 31:34 faced by people who didn't care or worse were hostile toward him. He had a deep assurance that sustained him during those seven years of hard labor and increasing travel. Seeing very little outward evidence of the supernatural 31:49 move of God like he had seen back home in Scotland. But the God who teaches us that in due season we shall reap if we faint not. In due season we shall reap. If we faint not. If we don't grow weary. That's 32:08 Galatians 6:9. The God who teaches us that was supporting his obedient and trusting servant. Finally, in a place called Petua, I think I'm pronouncing that correctly in China. His prayers were answered openly and his heart was 32:22 gladdened by a powerful move of the Holy Spirit. After some encouraging efforts scattered between short visits to neighboring towns and villages, it became clear that a deep work was going on in that village. He writes with joy, "What I see 32:37 here makes me call to mind former days of the Lord's power back in Scotland. I have never seen such a promising appearance of God's kingdom coming among us since I came to China. There is much going on here for admiring thankfulness 32:52 to our God and Savior and to move us to continue to pray for them. During his travels, William distributed tracks upon which were printed the Ten Commandments. He spent much time translating hymns into Chinese which impressed deeply upon young and old 33:09 alike, the great truths of Christianity. In 1853, he completed a translation into Chinese of the first part of Pilgrim's Progress. LA later that year, he was asked to 33:28 travel to England with another missionary friend whose wife had suddenly passed away, leaving the man in a state of shock. Burn's visit sparked a lot of interest in China among the churches in the United Kingdom. This was 33:41 the only time he came back to the UK and he was only there for a month because shortly after reaching England, the missionary friend with whom he had traveled back also passed away. As he boarded the train in London to begin his 33:53 journey back to China, he jubilantly jubilantly exclaimed back to China. He was excited to go back. After re reaching the mission field once more, he worked for 6 months traveling by boat along the rivers and canals to reach 34:08 more remote areas. It was in January 1856 that he met a young Hudson Taylor who would later become the founder of the China Inland Mission. The two found much in common and for a time they journeyied together. Hudson Taylor had just reached the 34:26 mission field a couple of years prior and Burns's influence left a deep impression upon Hudson Taylor. Burns possessed an insight into life's problems and a spiritual vision that it would have taken Taylor many years to 34:43 learn. Hudson Taylor wrote of his time with William Burns. This is what he said. Those happy months were an unspeakable joy and comfort to me. Burns's love for the word was delightful, and his holy, reverential life and constant communion with God made 35:03 fellowship with him satisfying to the deep cravings of my own heart. He often pointed out God's purpose in in trial. Let me start over. He often pointed out God's purposes in trial in a way that gave me a new perspective and value to 35:21 all of life. His views especially about evangelism and the importance of every member of the church doing the work of an evangelist were seeds which proved fruitful in our organization of the China Inland Mission. Hudson Taylor had ad adopted Chinese 35:38 dress and soon after that Burns realized that the people received young Taylor more freely than they did him. So he also started wearing Chinese clothing following Hudson Taylor's example. And that's neat. He was a an older man, 35:53 clearly much older than Hudson Taylor, but he was not afraid to learn from a younger man like Taylor. William Burns was faithful to the heavenly vision. He was so unworldly. I like that phrase, unworldly, not like the world. He was so 36:08 unworldly that others considered him eccentric. Let me start that phrase over again. Uh he um he was so unworldly that others 36:26 considered him eccentric. He remained true to God and his fellow man by fearlessly denouncing any practice that was not found in the New Testament. Very rare to find and hear of somebody like that. That's what we also seek to 36:43 follow and practice and teach. I loved reading that about William Burns. He remained true to God and fearlessly denounced any practice that was not found in the New Testament. Still, as a person, he himself was exceedingly 36:57 tender. He maintained dependence upon God by prayer in his personal life and in his exhortations to others. In a letter to his mother in 1857, he writes, "We have outward peace and larger numbers at our meetings, both on regular 37:11 meetings as well as when we hand out medical aid, but we need the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Swatau as in Kilsite." Suatau is in China obviously. He's saying we need the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. There's that longing in 37:25 his heart to turn the souls of sinners from darkness unto light and from the power of Satan unto God. And this God has promised to prayer, true prayer. Who among us has the spirit of prayer? The ones who have this spirit are 37:42 spiritually mighty and the ones who don't are weak. It's worth repeating. Who among us has the spirit of prayer? The ones who have this spirit are spiritually mighty and the ones who don't are spiritually weak. And dear 37:57 family, that is true at RLCF as well. I believe it. Can you pray with us? He writes in this letter. Especially for China. Perhaps in seeking the awakening and conversion of these perishing millions, a blessing may come down on 38:10 you all there as well as on us here. The end of his apostolic and saintly life came somewhat unexpectedly in April 1868 when he was only 53 years of age. In a letter written to his mother in January of that year, he reveals a sense 38:27 that his days were numbered. He writes, "At the end of last year, I got a severe cold which has not yet left my system, producing chills and fever. Every night for the past couple of nights, I wake up drenched in perspiration which quickly drains my 38:43 strength. Unless God is pleased to rebuke the disease, it is clear that my end is near. I am writing these lines beforehand to say that I am happy and ready either to live or die. May the God of all consolation comfort you when the 38:59 news of my death reaches you. He's writing to his mother who was still alive. And through the redeeming blood of Jesus, may we meet with joy before the throne above. You know, I wonder when I read this, his mother had prayed for him when he was a 39:13 teenager that he would um be devoted to the Lord. And I wonder what went through his mother's mind hearing from her 53-year-old son all the way in China doing God's work probably and she never got to see him again before he died. 39:29 What must have gone through her mind? Uh even though she must have been sad uh and probably missed her son, she would have had great joy knowing that he had lived a life useful to the Lord. In a thoughtful and orderly manner, he got 39:42 rid of all his early earthly goods except for a few items. His close friends, some who had been converted and others of his co-workers, received a garment or a Bible or a book that he thought they needed. His lifestyle had been 40:01 simplified so that nothing would hinder his ministry. I love that phrase, too. His lifestyle had been simplified so that nothing would hinder his ministry. Sacrificially he lived and sacrificially he died in a room with only the barest necessities 40:17 and certainly no luxuries. His Chinese assistant faithfully took care of all his needs during the three months that he lay in bed with the sickness. Still, William preached and exhorted even from his bedside. The God with whom he had communed for so 40:32 long and so often was real to him even until the end. This two-way intercom of prayer continued strong as he neared the last stage of his life's journey. I love that phrase two-way intercom. One day his assistant heard him speaking and 40:49 asked him what he was saying and William replied, "Ah, do you hear me? I was just reciting the 121st Psalm. I was speaking with God, not with you." he said. Another time he laughed out loud and upon being asked why, he replied, "God 41:04 was speaking with me and it made my heart glad." Just before he passed away, his friend repeated several portions of scripture, including Psalm 23. Burns noticed his hesitation when at the verse, "Yay, though I walk through the 41:21 valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. And in a strong, unwavering voice, Burns finished the psalm himself. With surprising strength, he and with surprising strength, he 41:41 joined in with the last part of the Lord's prayer. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Then within minutes, he left this earth to be with the Savior whom he adored. After his death, his trunk containing 42:00 personal possessions was sent to his family in Scotland. And to their amazement, the sum total of uh the sum total of all his belongings consisted of a few sheets of Chinese printed materials, a Chinese Bible, an English 42:15 Bible, a writing case worn from constant use, several books, a Chinese lantern, a native dress, and a blue flag. In the silence that followed as everybody looked into the truck's contents, a child, a small child 42:34 whispered, "He must have been very poor in the worldly sense." Yes. But what a priceless legacy to future generations. It was his example of personal holiness and his faith in the power of prayer to move an all powerful God. Yes, in an 42:54 earthly sense, he was very poor. But what a priceless legacy to future generations was his example of personal holiness and his faith in the power of prayer to move an all powerful God. I keep thinking each one of these 43:09 stories gets better. But I love that some of these are men we don't hear about often and there's very little written about William Burns compared to Hudson Taylor for example. But a precious man of God again. There's a man 43:22 named HG Guinness. I don't know who he is, but somebody who obviously knew William Burns, who after Burns died wrote a little poem about William Burns. And I thought I would just read that poem here written by a man named HG 43:37 Guinness about William Burns. as gazed the prophet on the ascending car, swept by its fiery steeds away and far. So with the burning tear and flashing eye, I trace thy glorious pathway to the sky. He's describing William Burns as it 43:56 were being taken up to heaven like Elijah was loan like the Tishbite. Elijah the Tishbite as the Baptist, bold, cast in a rare and apostolic mold, earnest, unselfish, consecrated, true, with nothing but the noblest end in 44:14 view, choosing to toil in distant fields unseown, contented to be poor and little known, faithful to death. Oh man of God, well done. Thy fight is ended and thy crown is won. 44:32 God shall have all the glory. Only grace made thee to differ. Let us man abase with deep emphatic tone. Thy dying word, thy last was this. Thine is the kingdom, Lord, the power and glory. Thus the 44:51 final flame of the burnt offering to Jehovah's name ascended from the altar. Life thus given to God must have its secret springs in heaven. Oh William Burns, we will not call thee dead. Though lies thy body in its narrow bed 45:10 in far off China. Though Manuria keeps thy dust which in the world Lord which in the Lord securely sleeps. Thy spirit lives with Jesus. And where he, thy master, dwells, tis meetat that thou shouldst be. There is no death in his 45:29 divine embrace. There is no life. But where they see his face. There is no death in his divine embrace. There is no life but where we see his face. Amen. 45:47 Amen. Before we pray, Dad, if you would like to share anything, um, we we get to have you here with us today. You're welcome to share anything if you'd like. See, this man was not a very well-known person. Even many Christians who read about 46:06 other great missionaries and biographies don't hear of this man Burns. He he paved the way as it were for Hudson Taylor who was much more well known and for the China mission. He worked alone 46:26 and uh what I learned from that is that some of us are not called to see all the results of our labor. Some people see in their lifetime the 46:44 results of their labor like Hudson Taylor who came after him. He saw tremendous results the whole mission that was built the China Inland Mission. But some people who have gone ahead and paved the way don't see the results but 47:01 the Lord recognizes you know one man sws the seed another man reaps the harvest. So the one who sews the seed, nobody sees him. But when the person goes to reap the harvest, there's such a lot of thing he brings home and everybody he gets a lot of 47:18 honor. So I think a lot of people who don't get any honor on this earth because they quietly serve the Lord. They have to be satisfied that God sees them. So that's the great lesson we can all learn from it because most of us are not going 47:34 to be very famous on this earth for having accomplished anything great for the Lord. But if you can learn an example from this man who never sought honor and whatever he quietly could do, he spoke to individuals and I'm sure he 47:49 brought a number of people to Christ and those people will thank him that they are in heaven because he faithfully served. So people like him are also a great example for us. And also when we see when we hear of all the sacrifices he made that's because he 48:08 was called to a particular calling as a missionary and all of us here are not called to be missionaries. So we don't have to think that we have to do all those things he did or for example even when you read of the all that he owned 48:24 finally at the end of his life was just in one trunk. I don't think any of us are going to end like that. But that's because he was just a single man and uh he had finished his work and there was nothing left. John Wesley was 48:37 like that. He had hardly anything left cuz he was a single man. But all of us who've got families, we can't be like that. We can't have just one trunk left at the end of our life with hardly anything in it. So you don't have to 48:50 make those things your example. But the fact that he lived in simplicity, that is the example. We are not to follow people in the exactness of what they had or what they left behind when they died. But there was a simple lifestyle. And a 49:04 simple lifestyle is something I encourage all believers to have. Even if you have a house and two cars and all that type of stuff in your home, a simple lifestyle where you don't unnecessarily waste money on unnecessary 49:18 luxuries and the children can grow up with a simple lifestyle. That's a that's a great thing. I think Jesus lived very simply. So though we have families and we need to take care of them. What I learned from all these people is 49:34 to avoid luxuries, unnecessary luxuries and the challenge of u you know being willing to sacrifice anything to show his love for the Lord. And one more thing about prayer, I find 49:51 prayer also is a specific gift. when you see him groaning at night and lying on the floor and all. I don't think all of us can do that because we don't have that type of calling to to I've discovered through the years there are 50:07 some people who have a gift and are called to prayer just like some other people have a gift of preaching. So you look at somebody who preaches and you can't preach like that. That's okay. In the same way you look at somebody who 50:20 prays and you can't pray like that. But to me prayer is an expression of our helpless dependence upon God. And if you can learn that much. There are many things we cannot imitate another person. But in our own small way 50:36 if you can have a like I often use the example of the branch in the tree. The branch is in a helpless dependence on the tree and prayer is actually the branch expressing to the tree I can do nothing without you. I can't produce any 50:55 fruit. My whole per purpose in existence the purpose of my existence is to be dependent on you. So if we can learn that in prayer is that prayer is an expression of my dependence on God all the time for everything and to accept 51:12 whatever he sends into my life that we have learned from these people even if we cannot live with the standard of life they live because they had a different calling. Yeah that's all. >> Thanks dad. Very very good instruction. 51:31 [Music]
