There is a tendency in church history to present certain renowned men of the faith in a way that greatly misrepresemts their actual ministry. Everyone loves heroes and there is tendency to “manufacture” heroes of the faith. In other words there is a tendency to “garnish the tombs of the prophets.” For the sake of truth, honesty, and accuracy this ought not to be so. As Dabney stated it honest biography should present a man warts and all. And the saints can not learn the lessons of church history if history is enhanced to make for more inspiring and devotional reading. The Scriptures with its inspired record of sacred history gives us agood example to follow. While it presents many godly men and gives us many inspiring examples it does not err by distorting the record. The sins of the best of men are faithfully pointed out. Noah’s drunkeness, Abraham’s polygamy, Moses’ sin in striking the rock, David’s adultery, etc. are all faithfully set forth to balance the record. The same Paul that records the herores of the faith rebukes Peter for compromising the gospel and rejects Mark for abandoning the work. So, while some may question the following critiques of men who have been highly regarded as heroes of the faith, Biblical imperatives require that the record show their sin as well as their saintliness, that is record their vices as swell as their virtues. It is to that end that the subsequent articles are directed. Initially we will direct our historical studies to the careers of three men, Isaac Watts, Jonathan Edwards, B. B. Warfield

Isaac Watts

Jonathan Edwards

B. B. Warfield