H.A.Ironside And A.W. Pink

Harry Ironside wasn't a Baptist, even though he was baptistic. H.A. (1876-1951) was a man from my former Church background -- the Plymouth Brethren. Some saints that I knew from the past knew H.A. My father went to a meeting where Ironside was preaching. My dad said that HAI was blind but had his Bible open and quoted it perfectly despite being virtually blind.

A.W. Pink is a hero of mine. He was Baptist. Yet he had strong PB ties as well. I have a number of his books. His written ministry was exceptional. I have gleaned so much from his very biblical insights.

The two gentlemen had some inteaction in the first part of the 20th century. Richard P. Belcher is a fan of AWP. He has several books regarding Pink's life and doctrines.In his Letters Of An Itinerant Preacher he quotes AWP and Mrs. Pink regarding HAI.

I won't cite every time in this book of letters where HAI is mentioned -- just a few places where I think there may be some things of historical interest.

"Yes it was strange how Brother Thompson should prefer me to do the teaching in his tent when Ironside and other 'Brethren' teachers were there to hand." (p.25, 9/15/20)

[I must add that in those early days AWP was a dispensationalist.]

"Well, the Devil has gotten in quite a little work since I left. It is the old story -- jealousy. Bro. Ironside returned to Oakland in October to spend the winter here, and started a series of Bible readings in the Brethren Assembly Hall: but the people would not come to hear him -- preferred Bro T. at the Tent. This incensed Bro. Ironside. Thompson took pity on him, and invited him to the Tent, but as soon as Ironside began crowds fell off markedly. The thing came to an issue one night when Bro. Ironside told the crowd from the platform of Bro. Thompson's Tent, that 'all Bro. Thompson's talk of walking by faith, trusting the Lord etc., was so many idle words, that the assembly was behind bro. Thompson, supporting him etc.!!' This, of course, was not true tho the Assembly had had quite a little fellowship with Bro. Thompson. After Ironside was through, Bro. Thompson arose and contradicted him to his face, and I gather there was quite a scene, Ironside getting very hot. A very short time after this, someone went round to see Bro. Ironside about Reprobation, taking him a marked copy of my book. Ironside seized on this and made the most possible out of it: said it was a bottle of deadly poison and so on: he warned all who belonged to the Assembly to burn my books & urged them to shun the Tent: most of the Assembly folk have done so, and quite a few of the young converts have been so stumbled by the breach between Ironside and Thompson. They have gone back to their denominations disgusted with Brethrenism. But distressing as all this is, the Divine purpose in it is apparent: God invariably tests those who have professed to receive His truth." (38,39, 1/17/21)

 

January 30, 1921

"You asked me to keep you posted re developments here respecting the opposition. There has been little change since last I wrote. Neither Bro. Ironside or Crain ever came near the Tent: they are scarcely civil when we go to the Book Concern for anything. Bro. Ironside is the 'pope' of the Assembly, and has succedded in persuaded about two-thirds of its members to keep away from the Tent. But while, of course, this is deplorable, we are far more anxious to reach those of the Lord's people who are starving in the Denominations than we are to preach to those who (think they) know as much or more than we do -- I mean 'The Brethren.' (p.44)

 

Yeah, I bought that book decades ago along with :

Wrongly Dividing The Word Of Truth

Notes On The Book Of Proverbs

My father has a number of other Ironside works including : A Historical Sketch Of The Brethren Movement.

Then, of course, I secured Ordained Of The Lord by E. Schuyler English. It's a bio of HAI.

But I left all these books back in America. They have their value, but I've moved on from those days.

 

A Letter From Vera Pink 2/28/21

"The meetings are still very encouraging. They are well attended and there is a real interest in the study of the Word on the part of those who do come. Last night there was almost 1000 again. But when God's Word prospers the enemy gets busy and does everything in his evil power to counteract the good. The opposition is getting stronger and stronger on the part of Mr. Ironside. He took it upon himself to write Bro. A.C. Gabelein a letter, when he heard that he promised to come to the tent for three days in April, telling him that Mr. Pink was teaching 'damnable heresy,' that he said publicly 'the way to hell is paved with babies,' and further said A.C.G. was doing a great wrong to publish 'Gleanings In Genesis' in Our Hope and advised him strongly to cease having them printed. Personally, we feel Bro. G. has too much sense to listen to H.A.I. for he knows that those articles of Arthur's have brought in innumerable subscriptions for the O.H.
It is pathetic how much jealousy there is among Bible teachers. He [H.A.I. --Rip] had a man at the tent door last night, with his car, asking those who were going in the tent to come with him to the Gospel Auditorium for there was just as good teaching there. I don't know how many he took away but I do know some came to me and said 'when they asked me to go there, I replied, No indeed, I am going in here.' " (p.55)

 

2/8/21

Last night one of the younger "Brethren" [i.e. Plymouth Brethren --Rip] who ministers the Word was out. After my exposition of John 1:13 he called out, may I put a question: I said, Yes, if it is pertinent. He said, You've just us the new birth is due solely to the mighty working of God in us -- Does God work thus upon all? I replied, No, certainly not. He then said, May I ask another question -- I said, What is your object -- to seek light, or start an argument? He said --Light. I said, go ahead:"Then are those who are not born again damned because God did not work so mightily in them as in those who believe?" I said, No -- they are damned because they have consciously and deliberately rejected Christ. No doubt he expected a different answer -- the one from the Divine side. I believe he was "primed" beforehand.
Now for your queries: Yes, the opposition meetings ended January 31. No; our attendances are not increasing: for one thing Bro. Ironside and members of his association are working hard warning everyone they know against us at the Tent. (p. 50)

 

No Date Listed --But Early March --Before 3/8/21

The opposition here is very fierce: last Friday night (when Mr. Ironside was giving an address on Zechariah) and also on Sunday night, two of "the Brethren" in fellowship at the Gospel Auditorium stood outside the Tent, when the crowd was gathering and intercepted those they knew and urged them not to enter the Tent, but go with them to hear Mr. Ironside at the Aud. offering to convey them out there in their autos!! This does not "move" us, but it shows their animosities. I learned last week that Mr. Ironside had written to A.C.G. telling him I was teaching the most damnable heresies here, including the Damnation of Infants, and urging him not to publish any more of my articles in "Our Hope". One of the Auditorium sisters told Mrs. Thompson, A.C.G. [A.C. Gabelein] had replied saying if what he had written was true, he (ACG) would cease publishing my articles, having any further fellowship with me, and would refuse to speak on the same platform; adding he was going to write me. Thus far I have not heard anything on this from ACG -- will let you know about it if I do. But not withstanding the opposition, the attendances are being maintained, many are being blessed and God's blessing is very manifest. I have now spent over 50 hours on John's gospel, and am only 1/2 way thro Chapter 4! You can imagine how minutely I am going thro it, and the close study this involves! (pages 57,58)

 

March 12,1921

Up to the time of writing I have heard no word from A.C. Gabelein. A man here of the name of Matlock and who is a member of H.A.I's Assembly, is going around showing people a letter he claims to have received from A.C.G. in an effort to prejudice people against me: many have told him to his face they have no wish to read it. Bro. Thompson, who has returned from Seattle, told me last night he intended to see this letter for himself and find out what was in it. (p.60)

 

April 7,1921

With reference to your query as to which issues of "Help & Food" contain accounts of the Bible readings here last September on Romans 9&10: January, February, March and April of this year. I have read the Feb & Mar ones only: they are reduced in size, and the wording has been carefully altered in several of Bro. Crain's statements. I understand H.A.I. "revised" them! Still I am surprised and pleased there is as much in them as there is.(p.67)