Théodore Monod (1836 - 1921), the son of Frederick Monod, was a French Protestant Pastor who initially studied law but then trained for the ministry at Western Theological Seminary in Alleghany, PA. From 1860 - 1863 he labored among the French Canadians in Illinois. He returned to Paris and his father’s pastorate in 1875. He was a popular speaker at the Keswick Campmeetings. Among the books I have found are Looking To Jesus, The Christian's Cross, Life More Abundant and The Gift of God. He also wrote wonderful poetry. One finds some of his sermons on the internet.
November 6, 1836 in Paris, France
Frédéric Monod (1794–1863), a pastor, and Constance de Coninck (1803–1837).
Studied Law (1855-1858) at the Sorbonne. Theology Studies at Western Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
He pastored a church of French-speaking Presbyterian congregation in Kankakee, IL from 1861 - 1863. In September of 1863 he returned to Paris and took over the pastorate of Chappel du Nord from his ailing father (He was sick with lung cancer). It soon became involved in Robert Whitaker McAll's "Mission Populaire Évangélique" ministry to reach common people in Paris.
In June of 1874 Monod joined Robert Pearsall Smith in promoting a deeper spiritual life. As a result he attended some of the early conferences in England and was one of the keynote speakers at the Oxford Union Meeting for the Promotion of Scriptural Holiness in August-September of 1874. He also spoke at the Brighton conference in May-June 1875. As a result of the blessings of God on his ministry, he gave up his pastoral role and became an deeper life evangelist.
In 1878 he returned to a regular pastoral role at the Reformed, "Temple du Marais," however he continued to serve as a speaker at many venues where the deeper life was being sought, particularly the Keswick Convention. In these endeavors he worked with Theodor Jellinghaus and Otto Stockmayer. In 1892 he took a parish role with the Oratoire du Louvre.
From 1875 to 1879 he published the Liberateur magazine. Among his personal writings, 1862 saw the publishing of Regardant Jésus, which was published as Looking to Jesus in 1864. Revival sermons were included in Le don de dieu. Allocutions (Paris in 1876, published as the Gift of God (1876) and in German (1882), and the Life More Abundant (1881). Many of his songs were first written in English and then translated into other European languages, the best known being "None of Self and All of Thee," written in 1874. Due to the success of the conference that year, the hymns was placed in many hymnals, usually under the title: "O the Bitter Shame and Sorrow."
Monod was married to his cousin Gertrude Monod (1846-1878 in 1867, she was the daughter of the surgeon Gustave Monod (1803-1878). They had seven sons and two daughters. Two of the sons died early. One son, Wilfred who was also a pastor at the Oratoire, was the father of the writer and typographer Maximilien Vox and the zoologist and African explorer, Théodore Monod. He married Emilie Lindop in 1882 and they had a son.
February 26, 1921.
Monod, Theodore: French Reformed, son of the preceding; b. in Paris Nov. 6, 1836. He studied law 1855-58; accompanied his father to the United States, and was converted in New York Apr., 1858; studied theology in the Western Theological Seminary, Allegheny, Pa., 1858-60; preached among the French Canadians in Illinois, 1860-63; was his father's successor at the Chapelle du Nord, Paris, 1864-75; traveling agent for home mission work in France, 1875-78; and became pastor of the Eglise Reformee, Paris, in 1878. From 1875 to 1879 he edited Le Libérateur, later absorbed in the Bulletin de la mission intérieure. His writings embrace: Regardant a Jesus (Paris, 1862; Eng. transl., Looking to Jesus, New York, 1864); Le Chrétien et sa croix (Lausanne, 1865); The Gift of God (London, 1876; French, Le Don de Dieu, Paris, 1877); Life More Abundant (London, 1881); Loin du Nid, poésies (Paris, 1882); Crucifiés avec Christ (1883); Au vent la voile poésies (1898).—The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Volume 7 edited by Johann Jakob Herzog, Albert Hauck, Samuel Macauley Jackson, Charles Colebrook Sherman, George William Gilmore, 473, 474.
Pastor Monod died in Paris, France, March 1, at the age of eighty-four. He was the son of Pastor Frederick Monod, and nephew of the great preacher, Adolphe Monod. He pursued his theological studies in Canada, and there perfected his English. After completing his theological studies he returned to France and became pastor of the church founded by his father, afterwards entering the service of La Mission Interieure Evangelique. After a time he became pastor of a Reformed church in Massachusetts. He was in intimate touch with D. L. Moody, and translated the sermons of Mr. Moody, when the latter visited Paris. He was with Mr. Moody in the great evangelistic campaign carried on in Chicago during the World's Fair.—Moody Monthly, May, 1921
Théodore Monod came from a very godly family that wielded a very positive influence in France. Because there were many Monod's in ministry, including the famous "Adolph," it is sometimes hard to figure out Théodore's family roots. This article gives the necessary explanation. Up to this point, I have not found a "biography" on his life. It would be wonderful if one were located. It will undoubtedly be in French, which will make it harder to find.—Dan
Professor Charteris has asked me to say a word or two about the Deaconesses' Home in Paris. There is a work of this kind in Berne as well, which was founded more than forty years ago by the Pastor of the Reformed Church. It is not under the immediate control of any church, but it is conducted by a committee, consisting of members that belong either to the Reformed or to the Lutheran Church, and they work together in perfect harmony. In the Paris Deaconesses' Home we have first an hospital for women, excellently conducted. Nurses are sent to attend to the sick in their homes. They visit the poor. Also in my parish we have a little work going on for the older women. They have charge of two important sections of our church work. To some are intrusted the duty of training young girls, and others have the care of women who would otherwise have to go to prison. The chaplain of the Home is William, only son of Adolphe Monod. Thank God, good is being done by these deaconesses, who enter upon this work of faith and labour of love.—Pasteur Théodore Monod, Minutes and Proceedings of the Fourth General Council, London, 1888, (London: Presbyterian Alliance Office, 1889), 212
On thee my heart is resting!
Ah, this is rest indeed!
What else, Almighty Saviour,
Can a poor sinner need?
Thy light is all my wisdom,
Thy love is all my stay;
Our Father's home in glory,
Draws nearer every day.
My guilt is great, but greater
The mercy Thou dost give;
Thyself, a spotless Offering,
Hast died that I should live.
With Thee, my soul unfettered
Has risen from the dust;
They blood is all my treasure,
Thy word is all my trust.
Through me, Thou gentle Master,
Thy purposes fulfill!
I yield myself for ever
To Thy most holy will.
What though I be but weakness,
My strength is not in me;
The poorest of Thy people
Has all things, having Thee.
When clouds are darkest round me,
Thou, Lord art then most dear,
My drooping faith to quicken,
My weary soul to cheer.
Safe nestling in Thy bosom,
I gaze upon Thy face;
In vain my foes would drive me
From Thee, my hiding-place.
'Tis Thou hast made me happy,
'Tis Thou hast set me free;
To whom shall I give glory
For ever, but to Thee?
Of earthly love and blessing
Should every stream run dry,
Thy grace shall still be with me,
Thy grace, to live and die!
From Sacred Songs & Solos, No. 619
(May be sung to the tune "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus")
"Oh, the bitter shame and sorrow,
That a time could ever be,
When I let the Saviour's pity
Plead in vain, and proudly answered--
"All of self, and none of Thee."
Yet He found me; I beheld Him
Bleeding on the cursed tree;
Heard Him pray, "Forgive them, Father,"
And my wistful heart said faintly--
"Some of self, and some of Thee."
Day by day His tender mercy,
Healing, helping, full and free,
Sweet and strong, and ah? so patient,
Brought me lower while I whispered--
"Less of Self, and more of Thee."
Higher than the highest heavens,
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lord, Thy love at last hath conquered:
Grant me now my soul's petition--
"None of self, and all of Thee"
This is a wonderful sermon on bearing fruit, based on John 15.
"A friend was telling me that he has had more gladness in his ministry in three months than during the twelve previous years. How is that? Did not he know of "the rest of faith?" Yes, years ago. What then? Ah! now he knows the joy of bringing souls to the Lord, and his strength and youth are renewed. It is a great thing to have the rest of faith; but then there is the rest of obedience, the rest of service, the rest that the Saviour promises when He says: "If any man will do My will; I will manifest Myself unto him? "He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me, and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him." That is true rest, that is lasting rest, in unity of purpose, in unity of work with the Lord. We have first to be converted; then we have to be consecrated to God; further, we have to be consumed on the altar of sacrifice; thus shall we be conquerors, and more than conquerors, bringing others with us to Him that loved us first." (Read the rest of this wonderful sermon.)
This sermon is on the dangers facing the church.
“What then is the danger for the Church? It is to suffer herself to be stealthily poisoned by sensualism, fatalism, and the spirit of levity that tends to minimize sin. It is to play into the hands of the enemy, if not by open complicity, at least by silence and inertia. Shall we be told that there is also a danger from an excessive reaction against formalism, leading to eccentricity? a danger lest the flesh should be pressed into the service of the Spirit? We grant it, although the chief peril at present lies on the side of congestion, not of effervescence. Christian churches, while praying to be filled with the Holy Ghost, are afraid of the Holy Ghost, afraid of boldness, afraid of anything that recalls the gifts and the powers of the apostolic age." (Read Our Perils, Our Duties, Our Hopes)
"Some fifteen minutes ago, a brother favoured me with a confidential remark that sounded, I must say, rather strange. He whispered: “There is a large crowd, this evening; you were to speak on holiness, but perhaps you had better preach a Gospel sermon.” Now, my friends, I do intend to speak on holiness, but I also mean it to be a Gospel sermon-one that contains the very essence of the Gospel-the kind of address that the Apostle Peter concluded thus: “Unto you first, God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities” (Acts 3:26). This is what I want to present to you who may be here this evening, and are yet unconverted. I want to tell you that God has sent Jesus Christ into the world to turn you and save you now from your sins. Not only has He taken them upon Himself; not only has He redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; but He came for the very purpose of saving his people from their sins." (Read the rest of Life More Abundant)
Théodore Monod on Prayer
This sermon was given at the Union Meeting for the Promotion of Scriptural Holiness at Oxford, England, in 1874.
"In the last place, we will just turn to St. Paul’s story. In his conversion his first question is “Who art Thou, Lord?” His second question is “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” That last question was the motto of his life. We see it again in Acts 22:22,23, He went about “not knowing the things that shall befall me there,” but still in perfect peace. When we go away from this quiet time with Jesus we know not the things that will befall us, but we know He will guide us much more than even here. As somebody said when we were leaving Broadlands, if a child in this beautiful place is led and kept and guided, much more it will be led and kept and guided in the bustle and confusion of the streets. Brethren, if Jesus has been guiding us in these meetings, much more will He guide us in the din and whirl of outer life." (Read the rest of Théodore Monod's sermon on Divine Guidance)
In this sermon delivered at the Dublin Convention, Monod reveals the importance of God's will for the vibrant Christian experience.
In this short excerpt Monod shares some important thoughts on being true to our convictions and reaching out to others who are not sure about where they stand in reference to God.
This is a wonderful short sermon on prayer. You will be greatly blessed in reading it!
In this short excerpt, Monod explains how a conversation with Pearsall Smith about "reckoning" victory revolutionalized his experience.
"One day I was led just to say to God, "I am Thine;" not, I wish to be, or, I wish I was, but, "I am." Well, did that make any great change? No; no extraordinary change. My duties were just the same, only I felt this, I knew this, that I belonged to God, I believed it on the authority of his Word: 'Ye are mine.'" (Read all of Monod's Testimony on Victory)
"We want a sanctification that goes "so far and no farther." We are ready to say: "If sanctification is a grace it is really a very comfortable thing." Nay! but what is comfortable is to regulate our sanctification ourselves; what is not comfortable is to have the Lord to do in us and with us what seems good to Him; it is to consent to be broken, crucified, led whither we would not. But if it is not comfortable, it is efficacious, salutary and blessed. (Read this rest oft his discourse on obedience.)
"These addresses were delivered at the Conference for the Promotion of Scriptural Holiness, held in London in 1876. They treat of the source, the nature, the reception, tho consequences, the uses and the purpose of the gift of God. They ... simply tell the story of the gift of God and the love of Jesus with much freshness of illustration and delicacy of touch, as well as with the fervour and enthusiasm which rendered the utterance of M. Theodore Monod so instinct with life to many who listened to them." Evangelical Magazine and Missionary Chronicle, 1877.