July – George Campbell Morgan

George Campbell Morgan was born on December 9, 1863, in Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England. He was very sickly as a child, could not attend school, and so was tutored.

His father was a strict Plymouth Brethren pastor who resigned, become a Baptist, and in faith rented a mission hall to begin a new ministry.

George grew up preaching to his sister’s dolls. When he was ten, his family took him to hear D. L. Moody. When 13, George began preaching publicly, and was preaching regularly at the age of 15.

He became a school teacher in Birmingham to earn a living. In 1883 he worked with the evangelistic team of Moody and Sankey. In 1888, he was surprisingly turned down from a job at the Wesleyan Methodist Church when he failed his trial sermon. He read Darwin, Huxley, and other wicked writers when he was 19, and so wasted three years of his life. Finally he locked up his books in a cupboard and was found by the Bible. This became a major decision change in his life. From then on, he studied the Scriptures after prayer, and only after learning from it, would commentaries and other writings be consulted. This resulted in a fresh inspired message to preach.

He was tall, emaciated, and imposing, with a clear understanding, and an innate ability to cause the Scriptures to be comprehended, appreciated and used. He had a pleasing and strong voice that was perfect for speaking to large crowds. His writings and lectures were in high demand. All his life, he continued to be known for his long times of Bible Study, before speaking, keeping him from becoming stale and passé.

In 1896, D. L. Moody asked him to give a lecture at Moody Bible Institute, and he became frequent speaker there. In 1899, when Moody died, he was chosen to be the director of Moody’s Northfield Bible Conference. Morgan met the need of the many thousands of young converts who were hungry to learn from the pages of God’s Word.

He was a most valued speaker the Keswick meetings in England, but more of a Bible teacher than preacher. At his first visit to Keswick, the crowds flocked to hear him, leaving the smaller tent half empty. F. B. Meyer, one of the most popular speakers, said of the event, “He must increase, and I must decrease.” He had a mop of auburn hair, that became snow white in later years. He dressed immaculately, and left an indelible impression upon Keswick attendees.

He was ordained by the Congregationalists in London, and given a doctor of divinity degree by the Chicago Theological Seminary in 1902. During this time, Westminster Chapel of London, a church building built to seat 2500 people, was facing destruction. Even though Morgan had no formal training, he was hired to try to salvage the building and work. Charles Spurgeon and F. B. Meyer both had huge churches in the area, so this pulpit had been rejected by several big names of the day. Morgan ministered there from 1904 to 1917, and again from 1933 to 1943, completely reviving the church, area and people. While there he began the Friday Night Bible School, where he taught the Bible analytically and systematically, and drawing large crowds. He was pastor of the Tabernacle Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia from 1929 to 1932.

He was a travelling evangelist who attracted great crowds, and had many conversions, crossing the Atlantic 54 times. He was a friend of F. B. Meyer, Charles Spurgeon, and many other great preachers of his day.

He died in May 16, 1945, at the age of 81.

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