A. J. Gordon (1836-1895) didn’t pay much attention to dreams until one changed his life. It was late on a Saturday evening and A.J. was burning the midnight oil to finish a sermon. He fell asleep and dreamt about leading worship at Clarendon Baptist Church in Boston. He was standing in the pulpit before a packed house. A stranger entered and walked up the left aisle, his eyes silently asking if someone would offer him a seat. A man motioned to his pew and the stranger obliged to sit down. He listened attentively to the sermon and left before Gordon could meet him. Gordon asked his parishioner, “Can you tell me who the stranger was in your pew today?” The man answered nonchalantly, “Why, do you not know that man? It was Jesus of Nazareth.” Gordon couldn’t believe why he would let the stranger leave without making introductions. “Oh, do not be troubled,” the man said, “He has been here today and no doubt he will come again.” Gordon awoke from his dream with the words replaying in his head, “He has been here today, and he will come again.” Gordon was a newly installed pastor at a church with a reputation for being exclusive and affluent. Merchants and bankers rented the choice pews while common folk sat in the back. A deacon took Gordon to task for advertising “Strangers are Welcome.” Gordon couldn’t shake the dream and refused to buckle. He helped the church shed its exclusive moniker and became a mission-focused, Christ-centered congregation. Gordon later founded a college and seminary that bore his name (Gordon College and Gordon Conwell Seminary). We have Gordon to thank for resurrecting the hymn “My Jesus, I Love Thee.” He discovered a poem written by 16-year-old William Featherston who died in his 20’s. Gordon added the melody and introduced it to his church. Today’s prayer draws upon this classic hymn:
A. J. Gordon
My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;For thee all the follies of sin I resign,
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
I love thee because Thou has first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree,
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
I’ll love thee in life, I will love thee in death,
and praise thee as long as thou lendest me breath,
and say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown of my brow:
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
Rev. Dr. Peter James served 42 years as the senior of Vienna Presbyterian Church in Vienna, VA — 21 years in the 20th century and 21 years in the 21st century. He retired in 2021 and now serves as Pastor-in-Residence at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
Even as a pastor, prayer came slowly to Pete. Read Pete’s story.