John E. Vassar, served his Saviour faithfully for almost thirty years traveling as a book seller for the American Tract Society during the mid 1800’s. As he traveled, he developed into a powerful personal witness for Christ. Known by many as “Uncle John” he was a tremendous prayer-warrior and extremely effective in personal evangelism, as well as a great encouragement to the many churches and pastors he visited from coast to coast. Many pastors would ask him to preach for them, but his pleasant reply was always, “Oh, no! I am not a pastor, but only a shepherd’s dog, ready to run after the lost sheep, and try to bring them home to the Shepherd.”
Allow two well-known preachers of the past to give a summary of the man. First, Charles H. Spurgeon had this to say in the Sword & Trowel:
In every special mission he undertook, Uncle John more than justified the designation by which he was known, "The Shepherd’s Dog." There was a reflex influence attending his labours. If, as the "shepherd’s dog," he went forth and brought home the wandering sheep, the pastors were stirred up to care for them in the fold. If he endeavoured to raise the churches to a higher spirituality, he left them with a quickened desire, and the fixed resolution to copy an example so Christ-like.
Billy Sunday, in his message entitled, “He That Winneth Souls Is Wise” had this to say of the man:
John Vassar was one of the greatest personal workers of the nineteenth century. He never preached a sermon, but he did personal work. He was a wonder.
This book, written by his nephew, is a must-read for both pastors and church members. Anyone would be challenged by this man’s faithful life and selfless ministry! Of this man it could truly be said, “…he being dead yet speaketh.”
214 pages.
