Dr Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture 2025 Concupiscence

It was good to be with about 30 others at the Dr Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture in the seminary in Finchley last Tuesday evening. The speaker was Matthew Roberts, the author of the book Pride, who spoke on repentance. Matthew has made his mark drawing attention to the whole matter of concupiscence. That was part of his message but there was much more. He must have spoken for over an hour and then there was a decent question session to follow. A good evening. One slight thing is that by now there is no real connection with Dr Lloyd-Jones. Some reference to the Doctor would perhaps have been appropriate.

Letters to my grandson: On first hearing and reading Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones

As with the proverbial London bus, first one and then another book on Dr Lloyd-Jones. Both are by Welshmen who knew him and heard him and both are very positive about him. Both quote in full the newly available journal entries from 1930 and 1931 that cast light on the Doctor's spiritual struggles. Whereas Philip Eveson's book seeks to defend the Doctor that by Geoff Thoams seeks only to promote him. The latter is written as a series of letters to my nephew and Geoff's grandson, Osian Alsop (it is weid to find yourself being referred to in a book about Llotd-Jones as happens once or twice). Eveson wants to defend the Doctor, I think, on everything, whereas my father-in-law's approach is to appreciate everything ge can but to ignore or deny one or two things and two criticise in certain places in order to avoid hagiography. Geoff's book is much more anecdotal and personal and chatty, partly due to his format. Both books are worth reading and now become part of the body of literature that any PhD student will need to consult. Geoff's book is spoiled a little by one or two slips (eg Osian Alsop not Osian Brady, Thomas not William Chalmers, to say Hilperton is a plant of Bradford on Avon glosses over a great deal of hurt and agaony). I think Isian is reading it and I hope the other grandchildren will and many others. Let's hope it will do good.

Baptised With Heavenly Power: The Holy Spirit in the Teaching and Experience of D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

I was sent a copy if this new book by Philip Eveson in the hope I might be able to commend it and give it some publicity. Having now read it I am happy to do what I can. It is a Mentor Christian Focus publication and costs around £17. it is a 421 page paperback.

Philip Eveson first heard Lloyd-Jones as a boy and as a fellow Welshman ministering in London got to know this leading minister of an older generation quite well. Since then he has listened to many of the recordings of Lloyd-Jones ad read more tha fifty of his publications. He is well placed therefore to present the leading elements in Lloyd-Jones's theology and pastoral practice. In this book he looks particularly at his Calvinistic Methodism, his understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer, in Revival and in preaching. Some sujects, such a shealing, are more briefly touched upon,

Mr Eveson is concerned to present Lloyd-Jones in the best light and to bring some clarity to the way his system is understood. It has often been misunderstood. He successfully defends Lloyd-Jones from the oft-heard claim that he was a closet charismatic rather than a mainline Reformed man and points out the importance of context when reading Lloyd-Jones and his tendency to use hyperbole in some instances.

I would guess Mr Eveson is happy with nost of the various nuances of Lloyd-Jones' theology. He was what we could call today an experiential Calvinist. He came to Baptist views but would speak of adult baptism and did not think the mode important. He was a creationist, a big fan of revival and held distinctive views about the baptism and sealing of the Spirit. It is good to have all that laid out very clearly. I would want to depart from his teaching on some things myself but one greatly admires his motives in teaching as he did and most of it was spot on. His approach was always very much a spiritual one in a good sense. His godliness shones through, as it does in the two volme biography by Iain Murray.

The book contains two appendices of previously unpublished material - a message on Evan Roberts and two entries in a journal made when he was in his early thirties. Rightly or wrongly I found comfort in the realisation that even Lloyd-Jones struggled with daily prayer and Bible reading. He was clearly a man of the same flesh as me but a brilliantly man, greatly used of God and a great guide for all who seek to serve the Lord faithfully..

It is great to know that tis very thorough piece of work is now in print. Let's hope it will be read and do much good.

Dr Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture 2024 Welsh Revivals

It is a blessing to live so near the London Seminary. I especially like to be at the annual Dr Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture. I think I've been at them all, all the way back to 2008. (It would be nice to be asked to do one but that is not likely to happen). This time round it was Jonathan Thomas (the third time a Welshman has been the lecturer). His subject was Welsh Revivals and he gave a very helpful and straightforward reminder of some of the many revivals that have happened in Wales between 1735 and 1905. It is important to keep going back to this subject because it is easy to forget that God works in this way. Besides the references to Lloyd-Jones, the best part of the mesasge was perhaps the application where Jonathan reminded us of the importance of personal revival and reminded preachers that success is not all down just to good preaching. There needs to be a place in our thinking for God and revival.

Sage advice from Dr Lloyd-Jones

This is from a letter written by Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones that appears in a new biography of Leslie Land by Ian Shaw. He is telling Land how to deal with his depression. Much of it is counter-intuitive but is correct I am sure and can be a help to anyone in a similar conditon.

1. Your present trouble is only temporary. It is quite a common happening at your age and it will in no way affect you permanently. It is quite a common experience and one from which the patient invariably makes a full recovery. Do not analyse your symptoms. Still less be worried about them. Our nervous system can play all sorts of tricks with us and if we begin to consider each symptom we can become very worried. Avoid that. Just relax completely and give nature a chance.

2. Don't be in too much of a hurry. Reconcile yourself to the fact that for the time being you must do just nothing. That is the way to prepare for the future.

3. Do not think at all about the work at Leicester (Land was pastor of Melbourne Hall). It is God's, not yours, and he will care for it.

4. You will find that this experience will be most rewarding spiritually. It will bring you as it has brought me to rest more in the love and perfect wisdom of God. I am sure that He has something special for you in all this for which you will thank Him all your life. It will enrich your ministry.

Rest in him and abandon yourself entirely to him.

Dr Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture 2023 Bavinck

 

This year's Dr Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture at London Seminary was given by Dr James Eglinton on Bavinck on preachers and preaching. This very interesting talk revealed that only one sermon by Hermann Bavinck survives but he and his protege, his nephew J H Bavinck, wrote on the subeject and so it is possible to address the subject. The emphasis was on persuasion which begins with knowing the culture and then applying the biblical message. Sadly, the lecture was delivered in the dark as there had been a power cut. It was only once the lecture was over that the lights came on again. About 30 or 40 were there. Dr Eglinton did very well in difficult circumstances. He has been lecturing all week at the seminary on Dutch Neo-Calvinsim (Kuyper, Bavinck et al).

Begg on Lloyd-Jones

Some of you may be interested in this link here

Day Off Week 41 2021/Dr LloydJones Memorial Lecture 2021 Evangelism

This week's day off was slightly disjointed. I read most of Mike Mellor's book on pathos in preaching Preaching the heart of God. Challenging and helpful. I also finished the book on the Beatles that I bought last week, listening to the Beatles. In the evening we went up to the seminary to hear Rico Tice give the Lloyd-Jones lecture. I'll try to report on that some other time.

The History of Christianity in Britain and Ireland

I enjoyed reading this large and comprehensive volume by Gerald Bray which very helpfully covers the long history of Christianity in these islands. He is especially good on the early stuff. Much was familiar but some was new and it was good to see how it all joins up. I had not realised that scholars now say that Wycliffe did not translate the Bible. I did enjoy some of the etymological notes (eg sinecure, Dingwall, church ales).

Really speaking it is an Anglican history and few opportunities are missed to downplay what is not of that ilk. Hence the Great Ejection involved 1000 not 2000 men, William Carey was not the big deal we all thought he was and as for Andrew Fuller - not worth a mention. The scholarship immense, the jokes few and far between, the thing mostly rattles along but there are some dull moments too. Inevitably just as Homer nodded so there are slips. To say that the 1859 revival in Wales mainly affected the Welsh speaking areas is rather redundant as at that time that was most of Wales. Whoever told Mr Bray that Dr Lloyd-Jones' first name was Dafydd rather misled him. It was David. I'm sure the Protestant Truth Society will be disappointed to learn from p 517 that almost nothing has been heard from (or about) them since 1982.

Blog of the Week 2

THE SHORTER WRITINGS OF Dr D M LLOYD-JONES

Dr Lloyd-Jones, in God's Word skilled
Preached great sermons and great books wrote.
Volumes are with his writings filled
But here are briefer things to quote
Things he penned with which you'll be thrilled,
If you'll take time their gist to note

I began this blog in 2013 and it can be found here There are a little under a hundred posts there at present. I can't remember how my attention was drawn to the prefaces Lloyd-Jones wrote for various books but once I became aware of it as a topic I did all I could to trace each example and gave a paper at the Evangelical Library on the subject. Looking at the list of shorter writings in Iain Murray's biography I noticed there are also magazine articles and book reviews and I have tried to add these and one or two other things.
Most popular post Review of C S Lewis Screwtape Latters.

Dr Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture 2019 Preachers and Preaching

I am sorry not to have written this up before now but last Tuesday we had a very special meeting at the Pastor's Academy in Finchley when Sinclair Ferguson delivered to a packed audience the annual Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones lecture. The year 2019 is the fiftieth anniversary of the delivering of the lectures in Westminster Seminary that became the book Preachers and preaching.

It was a long paper but the momentum never sagged. There were three parts - the lectures themselves, the preaching of the preacher and the preacher who wrote the book.

Sixteen lectures were given over six weeks with two final sessions for questions and answers. Lloyd-Jones liked preaching books with plenty of anecdotes and his own lectures are packed with them. One of his greatest concerns was with the matter of what is most often called unction. Dr Ferguson suggested that while we may reject Lloyd-Jones's exposition we cannot deny the evidence of church history which suggests that his view that we need the Spirit always to preach and sometimes he comes powerfully is correct. Lloyd-Jones favourite story of this was that of John Livingstone at the Kirk o' Shotts when some 500 were either converted or something similar Livingstone himself wrote

It is most probable that no gift, no pains, a man takes to fit himself for preaching, shall ever do good to the people or himself, except a man labour to have and keep his heart in a spiritual condition before God, depending on him always for furniture and the blessing. Earnest faith and prayer, a single aim at the glory of God and good of people, a sanctified heart and carriage, shall avail much for right preaching. There is sometimes somewhat in preaching that cannot be ascribed either to the matter or expression, and cannot be described what it is, or from whence it cometh, but with a sweet violence, it pierceth into the heart and affections, and comes immediately from the Lord. But if there be any way to attain to any such thing, it is by a heavenly disposition of the speaker. A man would especially read the writings, and labour to follow the gifts, of those whom God hath, in the most eminent manner, blessed with the converting and confirming of their hearers, rather than those who seem to have rare gifts for learning and delectation, without such success.

As for Lloyd-Jones as a preacher Ferguson singled out the humbling of his natural pride and his new understanding of the cross when someone showed him that he was preaching regeneration but failing to point people to Christ. On Romans 5 Lloyd-Jones says "The Christian life is in many ways a matter of logic, a matter of deduction" and he famously spoke of preaching as logic on fire or eloquent reason. His reading of Calvin, Edwads and Warfield confirmed him in this. Providentially he had a medical training and made use of this in his approach to preaching. However, it was more than that. As Dr Ferguson pointed out there have been many preachers with a medical training who did not preach like Lloyd-Jones. More important then, it was suggested, was his taking up of the recommendation of Lord Horder, his medical mentor, that his students read Jevons on logic. As for eloquence Plato's emphasis on logos, ethos, pathos was again important. Lloyd-Jones had the logos but believed he lacked pathos (as most preachers do). Ethos is to do with the integrity of the preacher and his message – and ourselves your servants for Christ’s sake.

We ended with some personal reminiscences and a reference to a picture of Lloyd-Jones being introduced to the Queen. At the end I felt like I did when I finished reading the two volume biography. This was a truly holy man, an eloquent preacher used by God. Only to be like him to some extent.

GT on DMLl-J

Good link here. Geoff Thomas is being interviewed about Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones.

GT on Dr Lloyd-Jones

It was good to be at the Westminster Fellowship on Monday where we had a bumper turn out to hear my father-in-law speak on the fellowship's founder,the late Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Geoff spoke very openly and helpfully, his advantages being a personal acquaintance with the Doctor adn the length of time since his death. It is now more than 35 years since his death. Geoff spoke very admiringly of his godliness and his preaching power. he spoke clearly on his doctrinal oddities - his view of Romans 7, his belief in baptism being best administered as effusion for believers, his Congregationalism and lack of elders, etc. It was a treat to hear this description of such a significant servant of God. It was good too to have opportunity for discussiion. There was no official recording of the proceedings.

Article in new RT

The picture shows part of the Library. Sadly, the Library has since suffered water damage but has now been restored.

If you get hold of the current RT, RT 286, you will find that alongside articles on Augustine I have an article on the Dr Lloyd-Jones article at London Seminary. Do have a read.

Dr Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture 2018 Reformed Piety

It was good once again to be at the London Seminary on Tuesday night to hear Dr Joel Beeke give the annual Dr Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture. He spoke on Reformed Piety - Covenantal and Experiential very helpfully to a good crowd.
One of the most interesting things he said I thought was this -  

While I was on active duty in the US Army Reserves, a sergeant laid his hand on my shoulder one day and said, "Son, if you ever have to go to war, there are three things you must remember in battle: what tactics you need to use, how the fight is going (which is usually very different from how it ought to go), and what the goal of the battle is." That sergeant gave me an experiential approach to fighting. His three points also provide insight into how experiential religion and preaching ought to go. When we preach we ought to be idealistic, realistic and optimistic a la ROmans 8, Romans 7 and the passages that speak to us of heaven.

He also warned against antinomianism, legalism, hyper-covenantalism and hypercalvinism. Great stuff.

10 theologians known by their double initial

1. F F Bruce (Frederick Fyvie)
2. D A Carson (Donald Arthur)
3. N T Wright (Nicholas Thomas)
4. B B Warfield (Benjamin Breckinridge)
5. D M Lloyd-Jones (David Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
6. A W Pink (Arthus Walkington)
7. J P Moreland (James Porter)
8. J I Packer (James Innell) 
9. D M Macleod (Donald M?)
10. A A Hodge (Archibald Alexander)

Two New Books Worth Getting and a Good Link

Two attractive titles in the On the Christian life series from Crossway have appeared. They are

Spurgeon on the Christian Life Alive in Christ by Michael Reeves (as mentioned previously)

Lloyd-Jones on the Christian Life Doctrine and Life as Fuel and Fire by Jason C Meyer

An interesting link drawing attention to the latter topic can be found here.

Others in the series look at Calvin, Warfield, etc. etc.

Dr Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture 2017 Ramon Llull

Monument Palma, Mallorca
(Olaf Tausch, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>,
via Wikimedia Commons)

For some years now the London Seminary has put on an annual lecture in memory of Dr Lloyd-Jones the seminary's founder. This year Hicham from France spoke on the forgotten pioneer missionary to Muslims, the Franciscan Ramon Llull (c1232-1325). He is also remembered as the first writer in Catalan. His writings before conversion are apparently on the bawdy side. Born in Mallorca, he is also buried there. Between times he learned Arabic and travelled to Tunisia seeking to win Muslims to Christ. Hxxxx, who was very positive about Llull despite his Romanist background, has been able to consult some of his Arabic writings in Barcelona, which added to his knowledge of the man, though many mysteries remain. The only biography is Samuel Zwemer's 1902 work. It was a refreshing privilege to hear this paper, which will hopefully stir many to such pioneer work also. About 40 were present.

Llangeitho

Yesterday (Wednesday) a friend here in Aber (Mike Iliff) kindly took a myself and another minister friend (Peter McKenzie) down to Llangeitho. It's only about 20 miles away but for some reason I had never been.

The main thing to see is the statue of Daniel Rowland outside the present CM Chapel. Some few things inside the chapel go back to Rowland's time too (the flagstones on the way in and a communion cup). He began ministering in the Parish Church which we also saw. That is where he is buried and there is also a pulpit there he is believed to have preached from.

The other thing to see these days is a slate plaque outside the caffi, which notes that this is where Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones lived 1904-1914 (as reported on this blog some time ago).

It was a very nice afternoon out and a reminder of the greatness and providence of God. I can recommend the bacon bap at the caffi, very nice.

The 19th century was dne by Edward Griffith. Below it are these words

Daniel Rowland ganwyd 1713 bu farw 1790

O nefoedd! nefoedd! nefoedd! Buasai dy gonglau yn ddigon gwag on i buasai fod sion yn magu plant i ti ar y ddaear!

Meaning

Daniel Rowland Born 1713 Died 1790

Oh Heaven! Heaven! Heaven! Thy corners would be sufficiently empty were it not that Zion is nursing for thee children upon the earth.

O nefoedd! nefoedd! nefoedd! was apparently a saying of Rowland.

Anniversary of Lloyd-Jones and 1966

An article on this matter appears here.
And another here