Frederick B. Meyer

FREDERICK BROTHERTON MEYER
1847 - 1929

One of the greatly loved preachers of his day, Frederick Brotherton Meyer was a pastor, author, Bible teacher and evangelist. He was born in London in 1847 and grew up in a Christian home. After attending Brighton College, he graduated from London University in 1869 and completed his theological training at Regents Park Baptist College. Dr. Meyer began pastoring in 1870, and in 1872 he went to Priory Street Baptist Chapel. There he met D. L. Moody, who made a lasting impression upon his life and taught him valuable spiritual lessons. These two godly men formed a lifelong friendship. In 1895 he went to Christ Church in London, with only 100 attending. Within two years he was preaching regularly to over 2,000. He remained there for fifteen years and then began a ministry of conference preaching and evangelism, traveling to South Africa and the Far East on mission endeavors. He returned to England to pastor for several years before he died in 1929. Although, for the most part, his pastorates were in England, Dr. Meyer was a frequent visitor to the United States and Canada. At the age of 80, he conducted his twelfth American preaching campaign, traveling more than 15,000 miles and addressing over 300 meetings. During his long and fruitful life, he preached more than 16,000 sermons. Said one author: "The phrasing of [Meyer's] sermons was simple and direct; he polished his discourses as an artist polishes a perfect stone. There was always a glowing imagery in his words; his speech was pastoral, lovely as an English valley washed in sunlight....In his day, great wars raged. Those who went to hear him forgot the battles." A distinct feature of F. B. Meyer's ministry was his outcry against the social evils of his day. Not only was he effective in the temperance movement, but he was also responsible for the closing of over 500 houses of prostitution. He also formed a prison aid society. A devoted student of God's Word, he was the author of over 40 books, including Bible biographies (character studies), devotional commentaries, sermon volumes and expository works. He also authored several pamphlets and edited a number of magazines. He had great influence upon such giants of the Faith as J. Wilbur Chapman and Charles H. Spurgeon. It was Spurgeon who said, "Meyer preaches as a man who has seen God face to face."