It kind of snuck up on me, but according to my calendar, it was two years ago today the first post was made here at The Octavius Winslow Archive.
Happy Birthday to……um, the archive!
The Archive Turns 2
2
Category Archives: blog
The Octavius Winslow Archive Now Featured On Devotional Christian
Many thanks to Tony Kummer of Devotional Christian to now featuring the archive on their ever expanding blogroll. Stop in and check them out!
Morning Thoughts Completion At Last!
Well, unbeknownst to me, as of July 17 of this year, we have finally gone through the entire Morning Thoughts book here on the website! I guess I fell asleep at the wheel and completely overshot the 1 year anniversary by 2 months!
Oops!
So now that we have gone through Morning Thoughts, we will now shift over to the Evening Thoughts book and will begin the daily posts here tomorrow morning. Many thanks to all for sticking with me through this little project (well actually it’s not so little…I’ve invested a ton of time in it) and hope you will stick around for the next year as we dive into the second book of the Winslow devotional set.
Carry on…
New Blog Badge
I’ve whipped up another blog badge for anyone who might be interested in using it on their own website or personal blog to help promote The Octavius Winslow Archive.
To obtain the badge in various sizes, just click here and select the size that would work best for your needs.
As always, I thank everyone one of you who has helped spread the word about this site and have directed others here! You are truly an encouragement to me!
New “Testimonials” Page
I’ve just added a new “Testimonials” page in the menu above.
If you would like to add your own testimony as to how Winslow’s writings have encouraged and challenged you in your own walk, drop me a line and I’ll get you added!
The Reformed Quotes Fellowship
I have teamed up with Nick Uva of The Daily Spurgeon and Erik Kowalker of J.C. Ryle Quotes and have begun an online group entitled The Reformed Quotes Fellowship.
From our “About” page:
The Reformed Quotes Fellowship exists to bring together those of us throughout the internet who have created and administer websites, blogs, and other media outlets that are dedicated to routinely posting past quotes from writers, preachers, teachers, and scholastics of the reformed faith. The Fellowship is simply a gathering of such like minded people who wish to see the fame of Christ spread throughout the internet by the use of God glorifying, cross centered, gospel rich, and unashamedly reformed quotes from saints of the past and present.
This Fellowship also serves to encourage, strengthen, and edify her members who have so chosen to establish these sites. By coming together in the common bond of Christ our Savior, we shall show Christ honoring unity as we stand together to reclaim the dark recesses of the internet to the glory of God our Father and his Son the Lord Jesus Christ.
If you too have a website, blog, Facebook fanpage, or Twitter account that you use to post theologically reformed quotes on a routine basis, wouldn’t you please consider standing with us?
Another Big Announcement!
When I first sat down to figure out what exactly my goals were for this site, one of my objectives was to establish a Wikipedia page dedicated to Winslow.
After MUCH time trying to figure out how to make a wiki entry (no small task I assure you), it is finally done!
Please stop in and check it out!
Testimony: Resting In His Redeemer
I really wanted to share this testimony with the community to praise God for using the feeble and weak efforts of men to bring glory to Himself and call sinners from darkness.
It is from Gavin MacGregor who left a brief comment on one of the Facebook posts.
I hope it encourages you as much as it did me!
The Lord saved me out my sin on the afternoon of Monday 23rd August 2010. I had previously been a living the life of a religious hypocrite claiming to be a Christian born again of the Spirit of God when in reality I was still an unregenerate lost man enslaved to and loving my sins. I had spent about 19 years of my life claiming a Christian faith, but had not even understood what the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ was for the vast majority of that time.
At one point I even became a Roman Catholic and joined a monastery, living as a Benedictine monk for 3 years, mistakenly thinking that God would surely reward me with his love by my performing such a work of devotion.
But, praise the Lord, he led me to a solid biblical church called ‘Puritan Fellowship’ here in Manchester England about a year and a half ago and since then I have had the privelege of hearing the Gospel regularly. During this time I had thought myself to be saved, up until about 4 months ago when I was really getting pricked in my conscience regarding my private lifestyle not equating to my public confession of Faith. 2 months ago I confessed my unregenerate ‘Lost’ state to my Pastor, who was really supportive and strongly pointed me to look and see my Salvation in Christ alone, no more works, no more attempting to clean myself up. But soon I pulled out of all contact with the Fellowship, as I really felt that God was not going to save a foul sinner and hypocrite like me.
As the Gospel is the power unto Salvation for all who believe, I decided to return to Fellowship, crying out to the Lord to have mercy on me. But still I could not get my head around how someone like me could just come to God as I am. At this stage I still could’nt just look to Jesus alone for my rest in Salvation, I was still looking to do something to prove myself worthy to him.
On Monday 23rd August I recieved the Octavius Winslow devotion by email from yourself titled with the scripture ‘God is Love’. I didn’t actually settle down to read this devotion until the afternoon, but it was delivered directly to my heart by the agency of Jesus’s own Holy Spirit. It was these following words from our Brother Winslow that revealed Jesus in His mercy, waiting to receive me and I just looked upon my Jesus who lived, died and was resurrected for me and I was no longer blinded, I could now see my Salvation was complete and beyond doubt, I, like a child sitting at it’s father’s feet, trusted in Him without reserve. I was saved, safe and at last at peace, I was my Saviour’s and my Saviour was mine!
“Venture near, nothing doubting. No feature of your case is discouraging, or can possibly arrest the pardon. Your age, your protracted rebellion against God, your long life of indifference to the concerns of your soul, the turpitude and number of your sins, your lack of deep convictions or of stronger faith, nor worth or worthiness to recommend you to His favor; are no true impediments to your approach, are no pleas why you should not draw near and touch the outstretched scepter, bathe in the open fountain, put on the spotless robe, welcome the gracious pardon, and press it with gratitude and transport to your adoring heart.”
May God be praised for the works of mercy he is shedding abroad through your faithful obedient ministry brother.
God bless Matt!
Resting in Christ,
Gavin MacGregor.
Check Out The New Octavius Winslow Store Front
I’ve whipped up a few offerings over at Cafepress.com for “Winslow Wear”….as it were.
You can see the shop here.
I don’t make a penny off of any sales, so it’s a direct purchase from Cafepress.
Enjoy!
Wishlist Button
I’ve added a nifty little Amazon Wishlist button in the sidebar for anyone interested in obtaining certain books for a certain someone who just happens to have a website dedicated to this person’s writings.
Just thought I’d, uh. Let you guys know….*gulp*. :)
A Few Updates
There are now a few new media icons in the sidebar for audio and photos along with a new “Experimental Calvinist” page above.
Trying to hone this site down to make it more usable for you, the reader.
Carry on.
Social Media Links
WordPress has now made available some nifty little social media links to their arsenal. You will now see various links below each post to assist you in reaching others with posts you may find beneficial here.
Please Check Out the New “Winslow’s Photograph” Page
With many thanks to Pastor Murray Brett, I now have high quality scans of the only known image of Octavius Winslow.
I have decided to create a page completely dedicated to this photograph because of it’s historic value.
On this page, you will also read the interesting story of how Pastor Brett obtained this ultra rare image!
Biography Page
The Biography Page has been bolstered quite a bit if anyone is interested.
All Posts Now Tagged
Also, as a bit of an aside. I am now tagging all of the posts here. I should have been doing this since the beginning, but laziness won out I guess.
By tagging each post, the archive will be more accessible and search able to more refined inquiries. You will notice the tag cloud on the right just under the category cloud. So far I only have a few posts tagged.
Hope it helps.
