Of names and nicknames

By Elizabeth Prata

I was researching for an essay recently and came across, I don’t know how or where, a phrase calling Irish preacher Rev. William Patteson Nicholson “The tornado of the pulpit“. This is surely a vivid expression and nickname of a then-well-known traveling evangelist preacher in Ireland in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Another nickname I have come across is one given to 1700s British Methodist Mary Fletcher. She was known as “Mother in Israel“, a throwback to prophetess Deborah. She was given this nickname not only because of her charity work and running an orphanage, but because of her preaching. Fletcher is seen as the first women to advocate in the Methodist denomination for women to preach in public. She was an early lay preacher ‘credited’ through a letter writing campaign to convince John Wesley that some women should be allowed to preach, a stance he eventually caved into. Fletcher said that some women are not called to preach just as some men are not, but ones who do have “an extraordinary call” should be allowed. In 1781, Bosanquet married John Fletcher, John Wesley’s successor, and they worked in partnership as co-clergy team. He died only four years after their marriage but Mary continued her preaching ministry for almost 30 more years.

How many preaching women today do we hear of excusing their rebellion by claiming that it is God ‘calling’ them to preach.

David Martyn Lloyd-Jones is known as The Doctor because, well, he had been a medical doctor before he submitted to the call of Jesus to preach. He earned a medical doctorate (MD) from London University and became a Member of the Royal College of Physicians. LLoyd-Jones was one of the most well known and revered preachers of the last century. His sermons are recorded and just as timely today as they were in the mid-1950s. He at first sought to cure bodies but God’s call positioned him to offer a cure for souls.

Charles Spurgeon was called “The Prince of Preachers“. AI explains, “Charles Spurgeon earned the nickname “the Prince of Preachers” due to his immense popularity as a preacher during his time, particularly in Victorian England, where he was known for his powerful and impactful sermons that drew large crowds, his strong theological convictions, and his ability to effectively communicate the Gospel message to people from all walks of life; essentially, he was considered the most prominent and influential preacher of his era, leading to this title.”

Itinerant evangelist Billy Graham was called “Pastor to Presidents or “America’s Pastor.” That’s because Graham had a personal audience with many sitting US presidents, from Harry S. Truman to Barack Obama – 12 consecutive presidents. Of all of them, Truman saw through Graham’s façade, naming Graham a “counterfeit” and publicity seeker.

Emperor Aurelian was known as Restitutor orbis, a Latin phrase that translates to “Restorer of the World“. Wikipedia says, “Aurelian was a Roman emperor who reigned from 270 to 275 during the Crisis of the Third Century. As emperor, he won an unprecedented series of military victories which reunited the Roman Empire after it had nearly disintegrated under the pressure of barbarian invasions and internal revolts.“

We know who the REAL Restorer of the world is. Jesus. We know which city is the REAL Eternal City. Not Rome, New Jerusalem.

Some nicknames may give us a prideful push toward self-involvement. Spurgeon’s nickname, for example. Banner of Truth’s article “Lessons from the Prince of Preachers“, says of Spurgeon,

Spurgeon was convinced that the dangerous sin of pride could find him anywhere, even in the pulpit. Perhaps today’s ministers are even more vulnerable to hubris than in Spurgeon’s day. With the advent of social media in which ‘likes’ and ‘followers’ are the baseline for success, it is all too easy for a pastor to lose sight of the life of sacrifice to which he has been called.

I started thinking about the millions of people who are Jesus’ trophies of grace we will meet in heaven. I hope you have an eternal perspective, and think often of heaven, which is our country and our eventual destination.

There will be throngs on Jesus’ right hand, named as His sheep, and will be welcomed with love and joy. There will be millions we have not heard of. We are familiar with some of the missionaries of old, like William Carey and John G. Paton, Elisabeth Elliot or Corrie ten Boom. But those fine people are just a drop in a large bucket of folks whom Jesus has graciously saved to labor for Him on that side of the veil. Some of them have fine nicknames, others don’t. But we will have an eternity to meet them and learn of how they became Jesus’ trophy.

The most important thing is whether you have a nickname or not, is your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life?

Meanwhile, here is a snippet of a rabbit trail I embarked on when researching nicknames of famous Christian or historical figures. I love how smart and funny people are. This is from Reddit:

–Which historic person had the coolest nickname? I submit Isabela, ”the she-wolf of France”.
–Basically any famous Vikings have anyone else beat. My personal favorite is Thorir the Troll-burster.
–Ivar the boneless.
–Don’t forget his brothers, Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye, and Bjorn Ironside. Not to mention his father, Ragnar Hairy-Breeches.
–Bjorn Ironside; tried to raid Rome & accidentally raided random town.
–Some people just hate to ask for directions.