A Continent Was His Parish

W. H. Griffith Thomas

W. H. (William Henry) Griffith Thomas (1861-1924) urged young preachers to “Think yourself empty, read yourself full, write yourself clear, pray yourself keen—then enter the pulpit and let yourself go!” This first-rank evangelical scholar and preacher did not attempt to be sensational, only biblical.

Thomas was born in England. After the early death of his father and resulting family financial pressures, he was able to obtain his education only “with the greatest difficulty and sacrifice.” He worked in his uncle’s office, then devoted himself to serious study from 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. In 1885, he received a Bachelor of Divinity from King’s College in London, and earned a Doctorate of Divinity from Christ Church, Oxford in 1895.

He was ordained an Anglican minister and became curate of St. Aldate’s Church in Oxford, where “he preached often, led the Sunday school, managed various parish organizations, and did a thorough job of visitation.” By all accounts he was both a loving and well-liked pastor.

Later, he accepted a call to St. Paul’s church in Portman Square, London. Under his leadership, the church conducted six prayer meetings weekly and had many community organizations.

By 1905, he followed the Lord’s lead into education, and was named principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, the center of ministerial training for evangelical Anglicans. There he was a “pastor, teacher, and friend of more than 80 students.” He conducted a popular weekly Greek New Testament reading on Sunday afternoons; among those who attended was a young T.E. Lawrence (better known as Lawrence of Arabia).

During this time, he also began to minister at the British Keswick convention and other “victorious living” activities.

In 1910, he and his family crossed the Atlantic, moving to Toronto, where he joined the faculty of Wycliffe College. During his time teaching Old Testament literature and exegesis, he became widely respected among evangelicals across North America.

In 1919, he moved to Philadelphia, where he carried on an extensive writing and conference ministry. Travels took him to China, England, and all over the United States, where he lectured in leading Bible schools and seminaries, becoming quite a popular speaker. In these years, he became increasingly a voice for the fundamentals of the faith in the face of encroaching modernism.

“We cannot make up for failure in our devotional life by redoubling energy in service,” he wrote. “As water never rises above its level, so what we do never rises above what we are…we shall never take people one hair’s breadth beyond our own spiritual attainment...we shall only take them as far as we ourselves have gone.”

Throughout his career, Thomas was a prolific author. Theologian and writer Warren Wiersbe urged believers to “add every one of his books to your library,” especially “his great commentaries on Genesis and Romans.” Thomas wrote 26 booklets and 24 larger works, including (but not limited to) The Apostle John, Christianity is Christ, The Holy Spirit of God, How We Got Our Bible, Let Us Go On (a commentary on Hebrews), The Prayers of St. Paul, and The Work of Ministry (later reprinted as Ministerial Life and Work).

Later in life, he befriended Lewis Sperry Chafer, and the two (along with A. B. Winchester) pursued their vision of a sound, Bible-teaching school and founded Evangelical Theological College (now called Dallas Theological Seminary) in Texas in 1924. Thomas was to have become the school’s first theology professor, but he passed away before the first classes began.

R. A. Torrey, the great revivalist and first superintendant of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, paid tribute to Thomas for his “very unusual ability to state profound truth with a clearness and simplicity to which very few attain.”

Dr. James M. Gray, another MBI president, recalled that Thomas was an earnest contender for the faith who “had a great advantage…in his broad knowledge and his early experience as an evangelical leader in the Anglican church.”

Thomas was a rare blend of spirituality and scholarship, a true “pastor-teacher”.

Bernard R. DeRemer chronicled the lives of dozens of heroes of the faith in more
than a decade of writing for Pulpit Helps Magazine. He continues to serve in this
capacity as a volunteer contributor to Disciple. He lives in West Liberty, Ohio.

Reference: Listening to the Giants, by Warren W. Wiersbe. Excerpts used by permission.