This week in Christian history: ‘The Fundamentals’ released; King Charles II tolerates non-conformists
William Arthur dies – March 21, 1901
This week marks the anniversary of when William Arthur, an Irish Methodist author and missionary known for his book The Tongue of Fire, died in Cannes, France, at 82.
A native of Glendun, County Antrim, Arthur was raised in the Church of Ireland before joining the Methodist movement after attending a meeting in Westport as a teenager.
Arthur served as a missionary in India for two years, returning to the British Isles in 1841 due to ill health. He then pastored churches in England and France for several years.
Arthur is probably best known for his 1856 book The Tongue of Fire, or the True Power of Christianity, an influential work he wrote while serving as general secretary of the Wesleyan Missionary Society.
“Arthur vividly narrates the events of that first Pentecost, as the tongues of fire descended on the apostles and enabled them to declare the wonders of God in the languages of other nations,” explained the Christian ministry group Seedbed.
“For him, the gift of Pentecost is a supernatural power that takes whatever natural abilities we have and enables us to communicate the truth of the gospel with a power that renews souls, revitalizes the church, and revolutionizes society, from the inside out.”
