Remembering Those Who Have Stood for the Faith

     During a recent trip to England and Scotland, we had the chance to visit many spectacular cathedrals. One common denominator we saw among these great church buildings, especially at Westminster Cathedral in London, was seeing many prominent people either buried in the church or having a plaque displayed in their honor. These prominent people included kings, queens, noblemen, priests and famous people like William Shakespeare, for example. To the best of my knowledge, for many of these people, this is the only honor they will receive as their names have faded into obscurity in the annals of history.

     In contrast to the spectacular cathedrals, we also visited a cemetery in north London, called Bunhill Fields. Bunhill Fields is a Nonconformist burial ground dating from the 1660's. The size of the site is about four acres and when the cemetery was closed for burials in 1854, it contained approximately 123,000 graves. The term, nonconformists, refers to those who refused to conform to the doctrines, practices and control of the Church of England. These nonconformists were from a variety of Christian groups, but what they held in common was being persecuted by the Church of England. At that time, the cemetery was also used as a burial ground for those who died of the plague.

     Bunhill Fields became a popular burial site for the Nonconformists. Two notable individuals buried in Bunhill are John Bunyan, who wrote Pilgrim’s Progress while in prison and Isaac Watts, the noted hymnwriter. With 123,000 people buried in a four-acre plot, most of the people don’t have a grave marker to identify their burial site. In the world’s eyes they are anonymous people lost to history, but in God’s eyes, most of those buried at Bunhill are known by Him. They may not have a marker with their name on it, but they have their name written in the Book of Life, which is kept by God Himself. I am in no position to state how many of those buried at Bunhill are in the presence of the Lord right now, but God knows and that is all that counts.

     I think it is obvious to you that our notoriety in the world does not gain a place in heaven. So many people with the external trappings of success in the world today will experience something much different when they enter into eternity. The story of Lazarus and the rich man, as recorded in Luke 16: 19-31, makes this point so clear. Their economic status and notoriety in this world means nothing in eternity. Just ask the rich man in the story. A person’s relationship with God, more specifically, a personal relationship with Christ is what counts for eternity.

     As we look at the contrast between Westminster Cathedral and Bunhill Fields, let us not be confused by the trappings of the world. There are many people who have been memorialized at Westminster and many who are buried without a marker at Bunhill who will enter into eternity, permanently separated from God. The eternal question is whether those buried at Westminster and Bunhill, and more importantly us, have our name written in the Book of Life.

     Thank you to Adam Groh, from our trip who provided some valuable insights which made the trip more meaningful.