Absolute Surrender: And Other Addresses

Born on May 9, 1828 Andrew Murray is best known for his unquenchable passion for prayer and preaching the Gospel message. His father was a Dutch Reformed minister who spent an extensive amount of time reading revival accounts to his family, and praying for revival to come to South Africa where there lived. He was ten years old when he left to study in Scotland with his brother and train with his uncle. It was there that he met revivalist William C. Burns and was deeply impacted by his prayer ministry, of which Murray observed him weeping and praying for hours for the salvation of the lost. This experience was significant in the course of his life. Murray was educated at Aberdeen University in Scotland, and at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. He served pastorates at Bloemfontein, Worcester, Cape Town, and Wellington; and helped found the University College of the Orange Free State and the Stellenbosch Seminary. Murray also served in the Dutch Reformed Church and as president of both the YMCA and the South Africa General Mission. Murray's international ministry led him across the United States speaking at holiness conventions. In 1879, however, sickness left him with the inability to speak and ushered him into what is called his "two silent" years. It was during this time that his life took a deeper, more intimate turn toward God as he sought a deeper understanding of the theology of healing. He traveled to a faith cure home started by W. E. Boardman and was completely healed. As he continued to travel and speak extensively, he began teaching that the gifts of Holy Spirit, like healing, were for believers in his day. He was known a chief promoter of the call to missions to South Africa. He led the Dutch Reformed Church missions to blacks. He was also given an honorary doctorate by the universities of Aberdeen and Cape of Good Hope. As a prolific writer, he penned more than 240 publications addressing the outworking of Christ in the life of a believer. Many of his books are regarded as classics today. Murray was married Emma Rutherford. They had four children. Murray died on January 18, 1917