Benjamin D. Thomas (1843-1917) is the subject of the 14th essay in A Noble Company, Volume 12, The Canadians

In the face of...enemies, the Church must be ever ready to respond to all that impugns the “honor of her great Lord and King” and be possessed by “a courage and confidence that knows no fear.” On occasion this will mean responding directly by means of reasoned discourse to the attacks that unbelieving men make on Christianity. Usually, though, it will mean a forthright declaration of gospel truth through preaching. As [Thomas] said: "I hold with a profound honesty of conviction that there is a great deal too much said in the modern pulpit in defence of Christianity. The fact is Christianity does not need our defence. Our business is to assert the truths committed to us whether men will hear or forbear. …You may slaughter a whole army of skeptics without rescuing or confirming a single soul. The best way of meeting the practical infidelity of the times, as far as our pulpits are concerned, is by preaching 'the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.' The gospel of the grace of God is what the human heart needs." ---Michael A. G. Haykin