Flee to the city of refuge with all speed, and join yourself to Christ as your prophet, priest ,and king, who came to seek and save those who were lost, for there is no other name given under heaven by which we can be saved.

Britain is in the midst of what one thinktank has called “an epidemic of fatherlessness.” The ‘Lost Boys’ report found that 2.5 million children in in the UK have no father figure at home (almost one in five children). Although the situation is worse in some parts of the country than others, almost half of first-born children by age of 14 do not live with both natural parents. The report adds that fatherlessness in childhood has a particularly stark impact on the mental health of young men, yet boys are more likely now to own a smartphone than to live with their dad. Even in societal and personal wellbeing terms this is a crisis, and when we also factor in the spiritual dimension, the picture is bleak indeed. John Stevenson (c.1655-1728/29), a Covenanter, wrote down his life experiences for the sake of his children and grandchildren. More than just an autobiography of his eventful life, this was an expression of care for their souls, an example of parental advice and guidance where the spiritual dimension is key. The following updated extract gives just one incident from his eventful life and a summary of his advice.

My dear children and grandchildren, I cannot but leave some testimony behind me of my real concern for your never-dying souls. I choose to put this in writing, so that, when I am gone, you may at your leisure read what God has done for my soul, and from that be encouraged to set your own hope in God.

How the Lord kept me safe.

For about nine years, until the Revolution, I was obliged to hide myself as much as possible from the persecutors. Knowing their wrath, and my weakness, I set apart time for prayer, and pleaded with God that He would graciously fulfil to me what He had promised to do for His church and people in days of fiery trial, particularly His great promise, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation…” (Rev. 3:10).

Some time after this, a troop of the enemy were quartered around Dailly, and five of them were quartered on my father, in Camregan. As they came to my father’s house, an informer told them that I had come that morning to the house (for there were many informers in the country, who sold themselves to betray innocent blood, and that for a piece of bread). They had told the soldiers what sort of a man I was, what clothes I had on, and what sort of hair, and it happened that I had come from my hiding place just into the house to get some refreshment.

I had not sat down, when all of a sudden, my sister and I heard a great noise at the door. We ran to the door to see what was the matter, and found three of the five dragoons. They asked if I was the man of the house, or if I belonged to the family? I answered that I was not the head of the family, but I belonged to it. I expected the next question would have been, “Are you his son?” but the Lord restrained them from it, for His wise ends and my safety. They told me they were to quarter with us, and dismounted, and were in a great rage.

The Lord ordered it such that neither my sister nor I were the least daunted before them. I spoke civilly to them, and told them to be calm and easy, and they should get plenty for themselves and their horses. I offered them either straw, or hay, or corn, for their horses, and took them into the garden, and made up a bundle for each of them of what they desired. I also made one up for myself.

I let them take up their bundles first, and return to the stable, and I just followed, but when they entered the stable door, I skipped back, and got over the garden ditch, and so escaped from them.

They were afterwards in great rage at the disappointment, and when they met with my father, they threatened to have him ruined for sheltering such a person as I in his house. But my father turned the tables on them, and threatened to tell their commander that they had let me go after they had me in their custody, which made them go quiet. So the Lord kept me from that time of temptation, as I had begged, and as He made me hope.

My dear children, these are my last pieces of advice to you, and I give you them with dying breath and care.

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