Thursday, April 20, 2006

So This Is Boreham: Part Four

After twelve fruitful years, the Borehams left Mosgiel and moved to Hobart, Tasmania, to accept the leading Baptist pulpit there.

During his years at Hobart, his writing found an even greater readership. More articles and books flowed from his pen.

His final pastorate was in Armadale, a prosperous suburb of Melbourne, Australia. He settled in nicely there and it was in Armadale where he spent his remaining pastoral years. As his writing became increasingly well known, invitations to speak began to come his way. He ministered all over the world addressing denominational councils and Bible conferences. He maintained his Baptistic convictions but in his heart his outlook was ecumenical. In his autobiography, My Pilgrimage, he writes, "During these years I have preached an almost exactly equal number of times in the pulpits of the various denominations and have felt equally at home in each. Indeed I like to think of myself as a kind of shuttle, moving to and fro, between the Churches and, perhaps binding them a little closer together." He added that he felt his sermons were equally accepted in all the churches. Moving between various denominational traditions fulfilled a lifelong dream of his. He stated at his commissioning service prior to sailing for New Zealand and embarking on his ministerial career, "...it is my hope that in the course of my ministry, that I shall hold three pastorates, and then be free to travel in many lands preaching the everlasting gospel among all denominations."

While speaking at the Church of Scotland's General Assembly in 1936, the moderator, Dr. Daniel Lamont, welcomed him as "the man whose name is on all our lips, whose books are on all our shelves, and whose illustrations are in all our sermons." His heart's desire had come to fruition.

Jeff Cranston

Image: F W Boreham on the platform of the Hobart Tabernacle. Note his traditional preaching coat (GP).