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The Reverend John R. Gunn (August 17, 1877 - November 15, 1956) was first a minister, and then at about age 43 became a columnist whose daily messages inspired readers for over 36 years. After his death, letters to the editor requested that the columns continue, and so they were reprinted daily for 15 more years. A short time later his messages became radio scripts for the Presbyterian Church in the United States. The 1984 Peabody Award-winning program 'The Protestant Hour' was produced by the Protestant Radio and Television Center of Atlanta for 14 years. Reverend Gunn’s work, written and audio, is still available at Day1,〔()〕 a ministry of The Alliance for Christian Media transitioning from Facing Life.〔()〕 ==Early life and education== Gunn was born in the wake of the Civil War in the humblest of circumstances in Camak in Warren County Georgia. His father was Robert T. Gunn, the son of a wealthy cotton planter, Jonathan Gunn of Taliaferro County, Georgia. Robert’s life was cut short due to the rigors and hardships of living following the Civil War. His mother was Mary Elizabeth Gunn, daughter of Reverend Thomas J. Veazey, a widely known and much beloved Baptist preacher through whose efforts a number of Baptist churches were founded in middle Georgia. In a reference to the privations of the times, Gunn recalled that he had an optimistic outlook on life from the earliest days of his youth. He explained, “I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth; there had been a silver spoon laid up for me, but a man by the name of Sherman came marching through Georgia and he created quite a commotion in the midst of which that spoon got misplaced, so I had to make out with a pewter spoon.” He said further, “In the course of my life I’ve had some dark days—very dark days—but never a day dark enough to put out the light of hope. Through the years I have suffered many disappointments; I have seen time and again some dream, some cherished plan, crumble into dust. But thanks unto God, I have a faith which has kept me continually looking for a brighter tomorrow. My optimism dates back to the home of my childhood. I caught it from my mother at whose knee I was taught to pray.” “Left a widow with four little boys at the time of the terrible aftermath of the Civil War when the days were dark and there was scarcely a ray of light anywhere on the horizon, when the little family had been moved out of that antebellum mansion into a little two-room cabin there at the humble fireside, she set up a family altar of prayer. Night after night she gathered her little brood around her, read a chapter from the Bible, and knelt with them and lifted her heart to God in prayer.” Following the death of her husband and one son, Mary moved her young family to Jewell, Georgia, where she conducted a millinery and sewing business, and where the boys went to school part of the time and worked part of the time in the cotton factory. Very early in life Jack, as he was known, had said he wanted to be a preacher, and at the age of ten he joined with the Baptist church in Jewell, Georgia, a church founded by his grandfather, Reverend Thomas J. Veazey. This map shows the general geographical vicinity of Gunn’s youth in middle Georgia.〔()〕 During these years young Gunn attracted the attention of Col. W. L. L. Bowen, one of the owners of the cotton factory and a deacon in the Jewell church. He had observed Gunn taking an active part in the work of the church, especially in the prayer meetings. Sometimes he would take a text and preach a sermon. Soon Col. Bowen made an appearance where Gunn worked, observed him a long while, and then approached him and said, “Jack, I want to have a talk with you; tomorrow afternoon I will come for you in my buggy and I want you to take a ride with me.” Somehow Gunn sensed that this was going to be meaningful in terms of his life-dream. Although Col. Bowen was not aware of Gunn’s desire to be a preacher, he told him that was what he wanted to talk to him about and that he had felt impressed of the Lord to do it. When he discovered Gunn’s deep interest in the ministry, he was convinced that the Lord was leading, and the die was cast. Col. Bowen talked about attending high school and college and introduced Gunn to Baptist leaders in the area. According to the historical records of the Jewell Baptist Church, Gunn was licensed to preach at the age of 14. About that time he attended high school in Hephzibah, Georgia, graduating in the spring of 1897. From there he enrolled in Mercer University (Macon, Georgia) where he was a champion debator. During his high school and college years he frequently preached, supplying pulpits and assisting pastors with revival meetings. Jack was educated at Mercer University and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, Kentucky). During his last year at Mercer he served as pastor of Balerma Baptist Church near Sparta, Georgia. A few years later while at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (1903–1905), he served Highland Park Church in Louisville, Kentucky. At SBTS he studied under theologians Archibald Thomas Robertson, John Richard Sampey, Edgar Young Mullins and William Joseph McGlothlin. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「John R. Gunn」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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