William Edwin Robert Sangster (1900 – 1960) was an English Methodist minister and writer.
Life Sangster was born June 5, 1900, in Shoreditch, London, to Henry George (a box cutter) and Martha Elizabeth (a homemaker). He was the third of five children. Sangster said of his family's Christianity, 'they were devoted Church of England...but just stayed away'.
He left school at 15 to become an office boy. He preached his first sermon aged 16 after being drawn to Methodism, and became a local preacher by 17. After serving in World War I, he trained for the Methodist ministry at Handsworth and Richmond Colleges, and was ordained in Wesley Chapel in York when he was 26.
Shortly after his ordination, he married Margaret Conway, who he had previously met at Radnor Street Mission, a Methodist Hall. They had twins, Paul and Margaret, a year later.
Ministry He had short term pastorates in Wales and the north of England, and in 1939 became senior minister at Westminster Central Hall, where he had the largest Sunday evening congregation in London, filling over 2,000 seats.
Sangster became President of the Methodist Conference in 1950, and General Secretary of the Home Mission Department for British Methodism in 1955.
He lectured around the world, as well as writing books and for various newspapers, including the Daily Express and the Sunday Times.
Illness and death Towards the end of the 1950s, he was diagnosed with progressive muscular atrophy. He died in Wandsworth, London, on 24 May (Wesley Day), 1960.
Books Why Jesus Never Wrote a Book and Other Addresses – 1932 God Does Guide Us – 1934 He Is Able – 1936 Methodism Can Be Born Again – 1938 These Things Abide: Devotional Meditations in Dark Days – 1939 The Christian Has Wings: A Christian Commentary on Democracy's War Aims – 1941 Ten Statesmen and Jesus Christ: A Christian Commentary on Our War Aims – 1941 The Path to Perfection: An Examination and Restatement of John Wesley's Doctrine of Christian Perfection – 1943 The Craft of Sermon Illustration – 1946 Methodism, Her Unfinished Task – 1947 Let Me Commend: Realistic Evangelism – 1948 The Craft of the Sermon – 1951 The Approach to Preaching – 1951 Let Me Commend – 1951 A Spiritual Check-up – 1952 Doctrinal Preaching: Its Neglect and Recovery – 1953 The Craft of Sermon Construction: A Source Book for Ministers – 1951 The Pure in Heart: A Study in Christian Sanctity – 1954 They Met at Calvary: Were You There? – 1956 The Secret of Radiant Life – 1957 Power in Preaching – 1958 Teach Us to Pray – 1958 Teach Me to Pray – 1959 Questions People Ask About Religion – 1959 Sangster of Westminster – 1960 Can I Know God? and Other Sermons – 1960 Sangster's Special-Day Sermons – 1960 Westminster Sermons – 1960 Sangster at Filey: Talks Given by the Rev. W. E. Sangster, D.D., under the Auspices of the Movement for World Evangelization – 1961 The Pattern of Prayer – 1962 Special-Day Sermons – 1962 A Sangster Anthology – 1964 Daily Readings From W. E. Sangster – 1966
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