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Percy Weston Heward (13 December 1882 – 6 May 1948) was an independent〔he was never affiliated with a Christian denomination〕 English Christian evangelist, Biblical scholar, author and principal of a “Bible Training College” in London. In 1908 he founded a movement which aimed to “literally carry out the word of the Gospel” and re-establish Churches/Assemblies according to the New Testament pattern.〔p.5, P.W. Heward ''Thoughts from the Word of God'', Vol.viii. Jan. 1908〕 He became the leading teacher of a gathering of Christians〔“Believers/Christians (not otherwise designated)” - Application form to local tribunal by a person provisionally registered in the register of conscientious objectors, National Service Act, dated 27.08.1940; Heward acting as a witness〕 in Forest Gate, East London, which was in association with a number of other similar assemblies〔 in England. ==His life== Heward was born in Hackney (parish) (today London Borough of Hackney), England on 13 December 1882 and was “raised in a godly home”〔 by his parents John Reeves Heward and Sarah Ann Heward. They were married in "Clapton Park Congregational Chapel" on 10 January 1878.〔according to the entry of their marriage in the "Register Book of Marriages in the District of Hackney"〕 He was converted at the age of 4,〔 “trusting (Christ ) as his personal Saviour”.〔p.38, P.W. Heward ''Student of Scripture'', 1948〕 His parents, who “had a deep spiritual interest in fellow-believers and held meetings in their own home”,〔 taught him according to their understanding of the Bible. His tutors at (St Olave’s Grammar School ), Southwark, London “desired him to follow a scholastic profession”〔 because of his “very successful career” at school. He refused.〔 His parents “had dedicated him to the service of the Lord Jesus Christ”〔 and so his education was centred on the Bible and languages. Later the American missionary S.C. Duce wrote: “He seemed to enter into the very warp and woof of the Scriptures and his deep knowledge of the Hebrew and Greek languages made him an authority on questions of interpretation. A learned Hebrew Christian in the United States once remarked to the writer that Mr. Heward was the most deeply instructed student of the Scriptures in the original languages he had met on either side of the Atlantic”.〔 “Straight from school he entered into Christian service”,〔 began to issue his magazines and then “instituted courses of Bible study amongst men”.〔 “In June 1901 ‘The Young Men’s Bible Study and Training Association’ was begun with Mr. Heward as ‘General Secretary’.” In 1903 a “Bible Training College” (B.T.C.) on an interdenominational basis was established, which moved in 1904 into No. 68 Fleet Street, London.〔 Although he was now only 21 years of age, “the work of the college was under his supervision as principal, his father and many friends helping”.〔 “His work of overseeing the B.T.C., and taking a large share of the lectures (others also lectured for the B.T.C., e.g. Mr. Archibald Brown, pastor of East London Tabernacle; Mr. Marcus Bergman, Hebrew Christian worker with the London City Mission; Mr. E. Bendor Samuel, Mr. Bloxsidge, Mr. J. Neil, Mr. Wilkinson of the Mildmay Mission to the Jews), necessitated constant study of Holy Scriptures”.〔 From his study of the Scripture he realized in 1906: “There is a need for more and more simplicity and a return to Scriptural arrangements, so that some of the grander developments proposed must be put aside and others delayed till the basis thereof (a local Christian church to which they can be attached on right lines) are organized”.〔 And in March 1907 he wrote: ”The idea of our “Bible Training College”, as an organization, apart from any church after God’s appointment, and training preachers for varied connexions, failed to stand God’s test.”〔p.29, P.W. Heward ''Thoughts from the Word of God'', Vol.vii, No.3, Mar. 1907〕 Putting his teaching into practice, he had in 1906 shut the college down while inviting those “who had joined in the work to take an assembly (or church) position. Some continued with him, and some did not, but whatever choice they made, they did not cease to regard (Heward ) with respect. Thenceforward the work proceeded on lines conceived by him to be in accord with God’s revealed will for this present age.”〔 The work under his direction was characterized by strong evangelistic efforts locally in Forest Gate and beyond,〔 “sound doctrine” followed by godly practice〔 and an increasing literature ministry〔p.75, P.W. Heward ''Thoughts from the Word of God'', Vol.xix. Oct. 1919; compare with Vol.xxiii. October 1923/74 and with Vol.xxviii. Oct. 1928/74〕 maintained on a basis of faith.〔p.58, P.W. Heward ''Thoughts from the Word of God'', Vol.xv, No.8, Aug. 1915〕 Several missionary journeys (e.g. 4 March - 25 May 1935) to countries such as Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, France, Austria,〔p.63, P.W. Heward ''Thoughts from the Word of God'', Vol.xxviii. Aug. 1928〕 Switzerland, Luxembourg, Latvia and Czechoslovakia〔p.50, P.W. Heward ''Thoughts from the Word of God'', Vol.xxxv. July 1935〕 were undertaken and international connections to Christian workers and fellowships (e.g. in South America, Germany and USA) marked his latter life. He remained unmarried to the end of his life and after contracting pneumonia〔 he died suddenly at the age of 65 on the 6th May 1948 in London, shortly after returning from his last missionary journey to Germany, where he had stayed for about one month.〔 A crowd of about 150 Christians assembled at his funeral in Ilford on the 13th May 1948.〔p.17, P.W. Heward/E. Kirk ''Student of Scripture'', 1948〕 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「Percy W. Heward」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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