When we read, we are working with words, and when we are working with words, then we are working with language. Now you all know there are many different kinds of languages in the world. And most of you will know that over the years, as languages developed and changed, words (or word parts) from one language, became part of another language. Think only of the many Latin and Greek word (parts) found in our English language. And so with our topic: biographies. “Bio” is the Greek root word meaning life, and “graph” (also Greek) has to do with something written. A biography then, is a written history of a person’s life. An autobiography (auto – self) is written by yourself about your own life.
Many (auto)biographies are available: many of these have been written to promote self—to tell of the glory, the greatness, the deeds of people. At the same time, it is true that there are other biographies which relate the very interesting lives of “good” people, who either in politics, medicine, war, or some other field, have made discoveries, advances, fought battles, etc., which, in the Lord’s providence, have been used for the welfare of mankind. And there are times, when studying, for example, that one has to read such a biography to learn about the lives of people from the past. Yet, in most of these, you will find no (or little) reference to God, and often, the person, or the things they have accomplished during their life, subtly become the main point of the biography. Ultimately then, all these can be summed up in the same manner—man (self) with all the accomplishments attained without God!
All that being said, there are biographies which you are encouraged to “take up and read.” Never neglect your Bible, but if you want to take up another book, there are many sound books available. In that number there are also biographies: books where the author has tried to bring out, not the greatness, the accomplishments, the legacy of man, but the wonderful dealings of the LORD in the life of man. Books which may relate not only that the Lord works, but how He works. For example, when you take the (auto)biographies of John Newton, or closer to our Dutch heritage, those of Rev. Heikoop and Rev. Lamain, you will read how, despite what may come against it, a sinner is brought to see his/her lost state, may come to bow before the Lord as being righteous in all His doings, and, how that for such a lost sinner, the way of salvation may yet be revealed. Then, not as in other biographies, where we read all about what man has accomplished, we hopefully may be left with an impression of the deeds of the Lord: an impression of how necessary it is that a wonder take place in our life before we must die.
For adults, the books “Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners” about the life of John Bunyan, and The Mercies of a Covenant God about the life of John Warburton, or others on your bookshelf, may come to mind. But children also need good nourishment—for the body and for the mind. During the past years, Early Foundations has been enabled to bring into print such biographies, directed to younger readers. Books about William Tyndale, Guido de Brès, John Bunyan, and Hudson Taylor are some examples of what is readily available for our children and young people from EFP. The Lord can bless the reading of these kinds of works that it may arouse a jealousy for the good that God’s people may have, and drive to God and to His Word.
Mr. Paul Verhoef, NRCEA Coordinator