Introduction
I have made this collection of articles by Dr Frank Bodman after my attention was drawn to how many survive, although he and they are not now at all widely known. They give clear and sound teaching on a wide range of subjects; and he and they clearly commanded the confidence of a number of respected brothers who undertook the preparation of periodical magazines over a period of fifty years.
Dr Francis Henry Bodman was born on 29 April 1844 into the Bodman family that had been responsible for the meeting established in Quemerford, Wiltshire, and for the conferences that were held there. He became a doctor, practising in the Bristol area where he was local, and married Mary Jane Osgood in Bath in 1872. They had five children. The last article of his, in The Believer’s Friend, in 1932, is followed by this brief note—
Our much-loved aged brother fell asleep in Jesus on Lord’s day, 13th March. “Absent from the body, present with the Lord”—the Lord he loved and served so long.
He was almost 88 years old, but his death was evidently unexpected, as a contributor to Goodly Words wrote—
Tidings of the sudden home call of beloved Dr FHB … have just been received. His long pathway of unswerving interest in, and fidelity to the testimony, bears witness to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ having been upon him in great measure, and his example is one of which those who are young may well take account. He was in active service to the end—spiritually alert to all the movements of the testimony, and vitally interested in all that concerned the glory of our Lord Jesus. His departure was a Christian departure in its proper meaning. He finished as a warrior ... May many be encouraged to take up the conflict, to finish the course, and may grace be given at all costs to “keep the faith”.
This collection of over 100 articles shows that Frank Bodman’s ministry was widely used, by editors of thirteen different publications (listed at the end), beginning as early as 1882, and running right up to his death. Evidently, he wrote for publication; and only a fraction of the articles here are transcripts of oral ministry. Besides the periodical magazines, his works also appeared in pamphlets—which are not dated; and there is also a more substantial book, The Fundamentals of Christianity, comprising a series of addresses given in Bristol; the title of that book has been borrowed for this one. The material covers a wide range of subjects, but has a strong practical side to it. I have found the teaching exercising and profitable; it helps that almost all of it is in the form of short pieces. I trust that the Lord will use this collection for His own glory. The period it covers is an interesting one; there was a rich vein of ministry through different ones—some now better remembered than others.
As with other ministry published at the time, it reflects what was generally accepted and ministered then. Those familiar with later ministry will appreciate that the Holy Spirit may have given further teaching from which a clearer understanding will be found occasionally on matters both of teaching and practice. I do not think this takes away the general value of what was given previously.
It is not possible to arrange this book entirely in date order without that information for every item of the contents. The vast majority of articles that are dated have been put first, with the afore-mentioned book then followed by material from other un-dated pamphlets.
Although the original text is preserved, a lot of work has had to be done on scripture quotations—it appears that none of the editors who published our brother checked the quotations he made, and many have had to be corrected; with references added where these were not originally supplied. In addition, although the King James Version was mainly used for scripture quotations, there are also many examples of different renderings from the Darby Bible.
ANDREW BURR
2025