John Elias: Life and Letters by Edward Morgan

obert Govett was born in 1813 and died in 1901. A fellow of Worcester College, Oxford, he possessed brilliant intellectual gifts. The teaching of Robert Govett has been preserved in a large number of expositions and tracts.His writings are marked by five particularly noticeable characteristics. The first is logic. Few men equal Govett in ordered and sustained argument. He was fearless in pursuing a point to its rational conclusion; and none could put his finger more unerringly on weak points in current theology. This brings us to a second feature _ Govett's entire independence. He subjected the teachings of the Scriptures to a fresh scrutiny, not acquiescing in all the ordinary doctrines of post-Reformation Protestantism. A third characteristic of his teaching is its ordered argument - he was in the best sense of the term a systematic theologian. He seems to be the first to present in a clear view the truth of reward for believers at the judgement seat of Christ and its relation to the Millennial Kingdom. A forth feature is simplicity of style - he never sought to impress by beautiful phrases, but to employ language direct and plain such as all could understand. Last but most important of all, he ever showed a supreme desire to be faithful to the Scriptures - to reach the meaning of the Spirit and to set it forth. He revealed this not least when he confessed at times that he could not understand a particular passage or verse, and refused to wrest it in order to give a convenient explanation. (Taken from the Memoir of Robert Govett, M. A. By W. J. Dalby, M. A. )"Mr. Govett wrote a hundred years before his time, and the day will come when his works will be treasured as sifted gold." Charles H. Spurgeon..