Which Biography? I Recommend John G. Paton

Biographies & autobiographies of past Christians are deeply inspiring. To read of the life, ministry, struggles & joys, along with the work of God upon & through a life can be one of the greatest inspirations & challenges upon our own lives.
My own personal favourite has been the autobiography of John G. Paton (I tried to find it online but failed).


John G. Paton born in 1824.
After leaving school John became a missionary in Glasgow for ten years, in which he saw God move in many ways, Christ used John as a means for saving many people.
He left for the New Hebrides with his new wife in 1858, she died shortly after arriving. Not long after this tragedy struck again with the death of his son.

After a struggle with grief, Paton began work on Tanna, an island inhabited by savage cannibals who continually attacked him and eventually chased him from the island.

Travel
After leaving Tana John took some time travelling around Australia & back home in Scotland, telling the Christians there of the great need for the Gospel to be brought courageously to the New Hebrides. During this time he married Margaret Whitecross and in 1865 returned with his new bride to the New Hebrides, this time to Aniwa.

Written Language
One incident that stands out in my memory is when, one day, needing some tools, John picked up some bark and wrote a few words on it. He then asked a native to take it to Mrs. Paton. When the native saw Mrs Paton reading and then getting the tools needed, he was filled with amazement and asked how wood could speak. Paton explained about 'writing' and 'reading' and from that time on the native had a fascination with getting the Bible in his own language, a desire that was indeed accomplished.

Christ was pleased to move & the island was turned to Christ; idols were destroyed, a church building was made & communion began.

John continued to travel, and visited Scotland, England, America & Australia; raised money for a mission ship & was a means of grace used to call others to the mission field.

He died in Australia in 1907 (Margaret had died 2 years earlier).

Get the Book
There are many, many stories that could be told of Paton's life, but for that i recommend that you source out the book. You'll love it!

Other well-known Christians who lived during his lifetime:
Mary Slessor, Hudson Taylor, D.L. Moody, George Muller, Charles Spurgeon, Fanny Crosby and Ira Sankey


Your Turn
Who's biography would you recommend?