“We Would See Jesus”
(John 12:21)
On a lovely Sunday morning in August we arrived at Osborne. We were desirous of seeing Her Majesty, but did not succeed. We only saw her house, her gardens, and her retainers. Then we went to Whippingham Church, having been told that the Queen would attend service. But again we were disappointed. We only saw the seat the august lady was known to occupy. The ladies and gentlemen of the court came to church, and those we saw; we even heard the court-chaplain preach, but of the sovereign we saw nothing. Well, this was a disappointment we could easily get over. But with me it led to a serious frame of thought. I said to myself: “What if the flock committed to your care should come to church to see the King of kings, and yet through some fault of yours not get to see Him! What if you, the great King’s dependent, detain men with yourself, by your words and affairs and all sorts of important matters which yet are trifles in comparison with Jesus! May it not be that we ministers often thus disappoint our congregations?
—Pastor Funcke
On a lovely Sunday morning in August we arrived at Osborne. We were desirous of seeing Her Majesty, but did not succeed. We only saw her house, her gardens, and her retainers. Then we went to Whippingham Church, having been told that the Queen would attend service. But again we were disappointed. We only saw the seat the august lady was known to occupy. The ladies and gentlemen of the court came to church, and those we saw; we even heard the court-chaplain preach, but of the sovereign we saw nothing. Well, this was a disappointment we could easily get over. But with me it led to a serious frame of thought. I said to myself: “What if the flock committed to your care should come to church to see the King of kings, and yet through some fault of yours not get to see Him! What if you, the great King’s dependent, detain men with yourself, by your words and affairs and all sorts of important matters which yet are trifles in comparison with Jesus! May it not be that we ministers often thus disappoint our congregations?
—Pastor Funcke