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THE

EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE,

AND

MISSIONARY CHRONICLE.

FOR NOVEMBER, 1852.

MEMOIR OF THE LATE REV. WILLIAM WRIGHT,
OF HONITON, DEVON.

"THE memory of the just is blessed:" | pastoral care of the Rev. Richard nor would we willingly let drop into oblivion the names of those who, having served their own generation, by the will of God, are fallen on sleep. It is true, their record is on high; but the church on earth should preserve some memorial of them too. Especially are we commanded to remember our spiritual guides, who had spoken unto us the word of the Lord, and to follow their faith, considering the happy termination of their course of life and ministry.

He who has the keys of death and the invisible state, has been pleased recently to remove another of his servants from a scene of labour and usefulness on earth to the heavenly rest. We allude to the late Rev. Wm. Wright. It will be gratifying to the numerous friends of the deceased, and we trust interesting and instructive to the general reader, to have some account of him preserved in the pages of the EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE. He had the privilege to be born of pious parents. His father was for many years a member and deacon of the Congregational Church at Nottingham, then under the

VOL. XXX.

Alliott, his mother is described, by one who intimately knew her, as a person of elevated piety. She had been brought up on high church principles, but gradually felt her way to a simpler, purer, and more evangelical system: and having her own heart largely imbued with the love of Christ and the love of truth, she endeavoured, not unsuccessfully, to instil the same principles into the minds of her children. How many, under God, are indebted to a mother's influence, a mother's prayers, a mother's holy tenderness and wise and gracious counsels, for the first rudiments of their Christian character, for those seminal thoughts and emotions which grow into habits of active usefulness and lead on to glory! For literary instruction he was placed under the care of the Rev. Wm. Webb, at Sutton Coldfield.

This gentleman had a pious sister residing with him, who specially interested herself in the religious welfare of the pupils, and by her care the good impressions of home were fostered, continued, and strengthened in the youth's mind. The happy result of

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this training was, that he gave evidence of a work of grace on the heart: and in his seventeenth or eighteenth year, was admitted a member of Castle Gate Church, Nottingham. Having a wish to devote himself to the Christian ministry, and being judged to pos

sess

suitable qualifications, he was soon after recommended to the Old College, Homerton. He entered that institution, and honourably fulfilled his collegiate course, under the able superintendence of Dr. Pye Smith and the Rev. W. Walford. He left Homerton in 1819, and in the same year, having gone on a visit to his friend, the Rev. John Gunn, of Chard, was by him introduced to the Independent Church and congregation in the neighbouring town of Honiton. This issued in his continuing to preach to that people for two or three years, without, however, regarding himself in the light of a settled pastor, or intending it as the place of his permanent abode, though it pleased God that ultimately it should be the scene of his most protracted and useful labours. In the commencement of 1823, he received an invitation to the pastorate of the church at Witham, in Essex, vacant by the death of the Rev. Samuel Newton, of whom an interesting and extended memoir will be found in the fifth volume of the "Congregational Magazine." Mr. Wright's ordination occurred in April of the same year. The result, however, made it manifest, that Witham was not the spot which the Lord of the Church had designed for his long-continued ministrations. Circumstances arose which he interpreted as the guiding pillar of Divine Providence, pointing to a removal. The removal of ministers from one part of the vineyard to another, is an occasion which calls for much judgment and prayerfulness, and the exercise of unselfish, benevolent feelings on their part and on the part of the churches. Every minister does not at once find his proper niche,-his most

appropriate sphere,-the place where he is most likely to be useful,—the people to whom his talents, acquirements, and habits are best adapted. Or, the scene and prospects which, on his first settlement, were promising and auspicious, may be so altered as to indicate, to himself and others, the desirableness of removal. Simplicity of motive, submission to the will of God, and a disposition to follow, not anticipate, the leadings of Providence, will best solve the question of duty in such cases. Mr. Wright having relinquished his charge at Witham, after an interval,

in which he assisted the Rev. Mr. Wall, of the Pavement Chapel, London,-was invited to re-occupy the scene of his former ministry at Honiton. With that request he complied; and his public recognition as the pastor of the church took place in October, 1829. There he continued to labour up to the time of his death,-a period of twentythree years. The uniform course of a pastor in a retired town admits not of much variety of detail. He may be patiently labouring year by year,—exerting a silent, beneficial influence in his neighbourhood,-diligently prosecuting plans of usefulness,-and growing in the esteem and confidence of his people, without there being anything to tell in the shape of stirring incident or marvellous effect. Truth may be gaining ground, and impressions of living Christianity may be produced by his ministry, while yet there is nothing to raise the exciting cry, "Lo! here; or, Lo! there." A minister's usefulness will have to be summed up from all his varied efforts,-in the pulpit and out, in the Bible-class and Sabbathschool, in domiciliary visits, in lending books and distributing tracts, in an occasional and timely word of counsel to the young, in the sanction and help he affords to public, benevolent, and religious institutions; whatever forms his pious devotedness took, through whatever channels his influence for

good was diffused, all shall come into account when the inquiry is made, "What has this man done for Christ?" Three times every Lord's-day,-attached to which were two services in the week, -did Mr. Wright, through the whole course of his ministry at Honiton, stand up to proclaim the word of life in that pulpit from which he was seldom absent. And when to this it is added, that he was most assiduous in his endeavours to give efficiency to the Sabbath and day schools connected with his place of worship, it will be seen at once that his ministry was no sinecure, nor his life a life of idleness. For the instruction and welfare of the young he was deeply interested. He formed a vestry library for them, and took frequent opportunities, in public and private, to counsel, admonish, and encourage them. He had no greater joy than to see them walk in the truth. Nowhere did he feel himself more at home than in the Sabbath-school. All its arrangements were under his eye, and mostly suggested and planned by himself. He did what probably very few ministers would be able to accomplish,-i. e. he spent the intervals of the public services on the Sabbath in the school, partaking of a cold collation in the vestry for a dinner. It is questionable, however, whether this was not too great a strain on his physical energies, and did not exert a deleterious though gradual influence on his constitution. The bow always hent loses, in time, somewhat of its elasticity and force. Caution, however, is here the less necessary, as it is pretty certain that in that particular he can and will have but few imitators. It may be observed, too, that his calm, quiet, and systematic mode of doing things, enabled him to go through a larger amount of work than others differently constituted could achieve. As the result of his skilful management and untiring efforts, a flourishing Sabbathschool was formed and sustained,

which, for its good order and intelligence, might be almost deemed a model school. By his exertions, met by tlie willing and cordial liberality of his people, spacious and commodious rooms were built adjoining the chapel, for the Sabbath and day schools, nor is any debt remaining on them.

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He adopted one method for promoting the diffusion of religious literature in his neighbourhood, which, for the sake of example, it is important to notice. He employed a poor woman, a member of his church, and herself interested in the object, to perambulate the town and adjacent villages, with copies of the chief religious periodicals, the "Evangelical Magazine," "Christian Witness," Penny Magazine,” "Christian Visitor," "Tract Magazine," "Juvenile Missionary," and various publications of the Religious Tract Society, to offer them for sale. Thus did these silent messengers of truth and mercy find their way to many houses and homes, and, we trust, many hearts, where they were previously unknown. To the Religious Tract Society Mr. Wright was strongly attached. He had a high opinion of its importance and usefulness, and of the admirable manner in which its operations are conducted. He missed no opportunity of recommending and putting into citculation its works. He was also in the habit for some years past of travelling into different parts of the kingdom, to advocate the cause of that institutionan engagement for which he was well fitted by his catholic spirit, his knowledge of the world, and polished and courteous manners. His tact, punctuality, and business-habits, induced his brethren to desire that he would take the office of secretary to the East Devon Association of Ministers and Churches, an office which he filled for many years. But the time drew nigh when this useful life must be brought to its close. Mr. Wright bad hitherto enjoyed a vigorous constitution and

uninterrupted health, which, together | through the whole of his illness great

with the circumstance of the longevity attained by his parents, gave promise to his friends of a much more protracted course. But in the autumn of last year symptoms of decline began to show themselves. In November, the Rev. Mr. Moreton, formerly Missionary in India, came to Honiton, as a deputation from the London Missionary Society, and was kindly received at Mr. | Wright's house. But almost immediately on his arrival, Mr. Moreton was seized with malignant fever, the seeds of which had, no doubt, been latent in his system, though only now brought into active and visible operation. Through the whole scene of his painful illness, which lasted for some weeks, Mr. Wright and his beloved partner acted with the most Christian kindness and attention to their afflicted guest, until death put an end to his sufferings, and opened for him a passage to the heavenly rest. It is possible that the fatigue and anxiety connected with this event aggravated the disease incipient in Mr. Wright, and which ultimately developed itself in enlargement of the liver. Though he obtained the best medical advice, and by the earnest persuasion of friends, desisted altogether from public engagements, and changed the scene, going first to Torquay, then to Dawlish, and lastly to Cheltenham, it was too evident that the disease was extending its baneful influence, and gradually destroying the springs of life. It is not our intention to trace the fluctuations of his disorder, nor the history of his mind through his few remaining months of declining health, and lassitude and wasting. The path to the grave is a scene of humiliation to our nature; but how infinitely more dark and desolate would it have been had not our blessed Redeemer condescended to go that way, and to leave on it some radiations of his glory! He was mercifully exempted, for the most part, from acute suffering, and retained

calmness and self-possession, resigned to the will of God, and grateful for the least attentions shown to him by his sorrowing and tenderly attached family. At length it became apparent that his end was very near. It devolved by request on his medical attendant, who was a member of his congregation and a personal friend, distinctly to inform him of it. On receiving this announcement he inquired how near? Being told that he could not live at the farthest more than twenty-four hours, he replied, "So soon! I did not think it would have been so soon." After a minute's pause, he said, "The will of the Lord be done," adding that his only trust was in Christ. Sentences of like import continued at intervals to drop from his lips, which his family treasure up in their affectionate remembrance as a precious legacy of his faith and hope in the Redeemer. He had repeatedly desired during his illness that hymns might be sung in one of the lower rooms, the cadences of which, softened by distance, had a soothing, solacing effect on his mind. A short time previous to his dissolution, the servants, at their mistress's request, sang one of his favourite hymns; he caught the sound, and inquired what it was; on being told, he said, "How sweet, how very sweet." One gentle sigh, and his fetters were broken, and the freed spirit passed away to listen to, and take part in the sweeter, nobler harmony, which rises and swells around the throne of the Eternal, from the general assembly and church of the first-born—

"Ten thousand thousand are their tongues, But all their joys are one." Thus he expired in the 57th year of his age, on the 28th of July. His mortal remains were committed to the grave in the burial ground adjoining the chapel, where for so many years he had preached the word of salvation; his funeral being attended by two

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