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Horatius Bonar D.D. (1808 – 1889)

Horatius Bonar D.D. A Scottish author, poet, and preacher who wrote many hymns of our faith, was born on December 19, 1808, in Old Broughton, Edinburgh, Scotland, and he died on July 31, 1889, in Edinburgh, Scotland. Horatius was the son of James Bonar and was one of eleven children, of which two others, Andrew and John were also minister of the Free Church of Scotland. Horatius came from a family filled with Presbyterian ministers, a total of 364 years of ministers left their legacy in his family. Horatius and his family not only taught the Word of God, but they lived devote Christian lives before their fellow men. He was a dearly beloved brother in Christ and is highly respected to this day in Scotland.

A young women named Jane Catharine Lundie the daughter of Rev. Robert Lundie was born December 1821 in Kelso Manse, Scotland. Jane had lost her mother in 1832 and moved to a Edinburgh, Scotland. After which she was sent to London for schooling in 1835, after her schooling she returned to Edinburg and then went to Cleish and stayed there with her sister Mary until Mary died in 1840. Horatius and Jane met and fell in love and then married 1843. They had nine children of which five of them died while yet young. I cannot imagine the grief and sorrow that they must have felt with losing their five children in death. Jane died on December 3, 1884

In 1837 he became a minister in Kelso, and he was totally devoted to the work of the Lord, and spent many an hour’s weekly visiting and comforting his congregation, and they dearly love him for his care of the flock of God.

He was a busy minister and edited several magazines, in addition he wrote many books and hymns, yet his heart was on preaching the Word of God.

He preached about a Sovereign God and salvation by Grace alone, he knew that man was saved not by his own freewill but only and solely by the Grace of God, through faith by and through the working of the Holy Spirit. A great revival broke out in Dundee, and God’s Spirit moved greatly as Horatius took part in “The Great Disruption, in 1843 which led to the founding of the Free Church of Scotland.

Mr. Bonar nicely put it ““Righteousness without works to the sinner, simply on his acceptance of the Divine message concerning Jesus and His sufficiency,–this has been the burden of our good news…It is one message, one gospel, one cross, one sacrifice, from which nothing can be taken and to which nothing can be added. This is the…beginning and the ending of our ministry.”

Bonar worked hard to spread the Gospel message, realizing that he could reach more people by the written word, he began to write tracts. His goal was 1. Edify the saints 2. Warn those who lost, and 3. To present the gospel message simply. In the pulpit his messages were clear, as he preached righteousness alone came by Christ alone who was the only hope of sinners.

Horatius Bonar wrote not only wonderful hymns filled with doctrine but he also wrote hymns for children to sing as well. They would have a children song and then a short message to them. Horatius loved these times building the faith of the young. Horatius worked hard for the Lord and his congregation followed his example as they were filled with zeal and good works.

Bonar’s songs and messages spread worldwide, He himself revered the early church fathers and was very comfortable with them, and he studied deeply the literature of the Reformation and dearly loved the Puritans. He was so deeply in love with his Master the Lord Jesus Christ that he could not keep what he learned to himself, and as a godly shepherd he quickly shared to enrich the lives of others.

One wonderful thing can be said about Horatius Bonar and that is that he loved his Lord with all his heart and served his Master well. He lived the life he preached which was to the glory of God and in turn those who heard his messages and saw his life profited greatly children and adults alike. He did not seek the honor of men, but with his great sermons, hymns and literature honor was bestow upon him. His work for God is meat for the soul and is handed down to many a generations. We now live in times when doctrine is not important nor the ways of our forgathers, churches are places of entertainment and books on self improvement have taken many a people away from the God of the Bible.

Horatius Bonar’s wife, Jane Lundie Bonar, wrote hymns as well and their home must have been filled with hours of joyful God honoring music.

Let us refresh ourselves with our Bibles and great writings – songs and poems of those who have gone before us as we put our feet back on solid ground and depart from the slippery sloops of the false gospels that are being preached from pulpits today. Let us know who we follow and know what and why they believed in what they did. Let us make sure of our foundation so we stand as Christ commanded us to do.

Horatius had written over 600 hymns, although they did not sing his hymns in his church, as hymns were never sung in the worship service!

His beloved wife passed away in 1884 and Horatius himself suffered exceedingly the last two years of his life. He himself died on July 31, 1889, five years after his dear Jane. They both died in Edinburgh, Scotland and are both buried in Canon-gate churchyard.

May you enjoy this as much as I did researching all the material on Horatius Bonar.
Lynn

My Biography was created from my notes taken from information and with permission from Darrin Brooker on Horatius Bonar, from Darrin’s blog called “Darrin Brooker” at: http://drbrooker.net/?cat=12

For more information on Horatius Bonar go to: “The Life and Work of Horatius Bonar” at http://horatiusbonar.com/