The Metropolitan Tabernacle in London was the place of C.H. Spurgeon’s great ministry. But long before that, Benjamin Keach was their pastor, ordained to that work in 1668. After his passing, John Gill led the congregation for fifty-one years. On this day in 1773, John Rippon, after being called by the church to become the new pastor, wrote asking for time to consider the offer. Then in August that year, still in his early twenties, he began a sixty-three-year ministry at the same church. Those three men pastored that congregation for about 150 years total.
John Rippon was not only a pastor, but also a great friend of missions. He supported the Americans in their fight for liberty. And he published a hymnal. Many of the hymns in our song books were published by Rippon and some were written by him, including, “How Firm a Foundation.”
The Soul that on Jesus hath lean’d for Repofe,
I will not, I will not defert to His Foes;
That Soul, tho’ all Hell fhould endeavor to fhake,
I’ll never – no never – no never forfake.”
