THE

FOR OCTOBER, 1801.

MEMOIR OF

THE REV. GEORGE CAMPBELL BRODBELT, Rector of Afton Sandford, and Minifter of Loudwater, Bucks.

WH THEN the children of Ifrael paffed through the wildernefs, we read that they were gracioufly provided with a vifible guide and guard in the fiery cloudy pillar, which accompanied them all their journey through. But it was a remarkable property of this myftical attendant, that at the very time when other objects were the moft obfcured, it became the moft obfervable. By day, it feems to have appeared as all other clouds it was not until the night feason, and all things elfe were in darkness, that it burft forth in all its glories.

This feems to be no unfit emblem of the light and influence of the Gospel of Chrift. It attends us throughout the whole of our progrefs to the heavenly Canaan; but its influences are particularly feen and felt at the clofe of our pilgrimage. It is when our fun is going down, when the night is at hand, when we are called to enter the dark valley of the shadow of death,-that the fame cloud affumes a new luftre, and the doctrines we knew to be truths, prove finally to be bleffings.

In this view, biographical sketches of the life, and particularly the last end of the righteous, have been ever efteemed by truly ferious Chriftians, as at once tending to improve the understanding, to animate the affections, to ftimulate the endeavours, and to comfort the hearts of those who are yet frangers and pilgrims in the prefent evil

world.

The feeble pen that lately attempted a faint but faithful outline of the character of a much-loved Pattrick*, has again to record the departure of another brother and mutual friend, who has fhortly followed him to where the wicked ceafe from troubling, and the weary are at reft: a partaker of the fame rich grace, a preacher of the fame righteoufnefs, and now, an inheritor of the fame eternal weight of glory h Evangelical Mag. for December, 1800, 3

VOL. IX.

The

The Rev. George Campbell Brodbelt was born in the year 1760, in the ifland of Nevis, one of our Weft India pof feffions. His father was a confiderable planter; but at his death the estate was left fo much involved, that the family derived little benefit therefrom. With a view of bringing his affairs round, truftees were appointed; of the conduct of one of whom Mr. Brodbelt made heavy complaints: but this man has lately gone to give an account of his Stewardship, and of his conduct to the fatherless and widow at that bar where hypocrify drops the mask, and fecret villany ftands expofed.

When a boy, he was fent over to England, in order to his education, and was placed at Harrow School: a feminary long and ftill celebrated for claffical learning. Of his attainments at this place, we have no other memorial than, that by no means deficient in mental powers, himself and another Weft Indian lad were rather feared as pugilifts than celebrated as pupils.

His defignation, at this time, was for the bar:—and, on his removal from Harrow, he was placed in a very respectable office, with a view of obtaining a practical knowledge of the law, previous to his practifing as a barrister. His guardian being the Attorney General of the Leeward Islands, there is little doubt but that a young man of his address and abilities might have fucceeded to a confiderable degree of eminence and profit in that profeffion, had he purfued it with ardour: and it was during this period he frequently attended the debating fociety at Coach-makers Hall, and often took a part, in order to acquire confidence as a public fpeaker.

At this time too, he not only walked according to the courfe of this world, in trifling and vanity, but in great wickedness; he was not only debauched in practice, but also in principle and was a partaker in other mens fins. But what cannot grace effect! The blafphemer and injurious was taught to live foberly, righteously, and godly in the present world and, like another. Zaccheus, he became, in afterlife, as fcrupulously exact as he had heretofore been licentioufly unjuft.

The particular year in which this great change took place the writer does not remember,, nor the exact means the Almighty made ufe of to effect this gracious purpose: he believes it was principally owing to the converfation and intreaty of a fellow-ftudent, who also perfuaded him to hear fome of the popular and evangelical minifters of the metropolis.

metropolis. However this may be, his character was foon fo decidedly ferious, that he was introduced to the friendship of the Rev. Mr. Fofter; to whom, in after-life, his obligations were neither few nor fmall.

When it pleafed God thus to call him effectually by his grace, immediately he conferred not with flesh and blood, but efteemed the riches of Chrift greater than the treafures of Egypt, could thefe have been annexed to his profpects in the Weft Indies. Henceforth, he rifked the patronage of his guardian, the favour of his friends,—the support of his connexions, &c. choosing rather to embrace poverty, and fuffer affliction with the people of God, than to gain the honours and to fhare the emoluments of the world.

As his views were now directed towards the ministry, his ftudies were correfpondent; and with a view of recovering his claffical, and increafing or rather acquiring his theological learning, he entered as a pupil under the late eminent and truly reverend Mr. Clark, Rector of Chefham Bois, who kept a feminary for pious youths intended for the fervice of the fanctuary; and where primitive manners called to remembrance the defcription of the fons of the prophets, at Bethel, furrounding the venerable Elifa.

Here his views were enlarged, his principles determined, his eccentricities corrected, his piety confirmed; and foon the serious man came forth a found minifter.

His ordination took place at the Temple church, London, on Sunday the 16th of March, 1783, when he was ordained Deacon, by the late Dr. Thurlow, Bifhop of Lincoln. His title for orders, was Bloxham cum Digby, Lincoln, at the nomination of the late Dr. Peckwell, whofe conduct towards him, in all refpects, was that of a kind friend, as well as a faithful brother.

The first fermon he preached was at the church of his much revered friend and tutor, Mr. Clarke: and I am informed by one who was prefent on the occafion, that it was not only delivered extempore, but with great precision and effect.

On Sunday the 7th of March, 1784, at the fame church, and by the fame Bifhop, he was ordained Prieft; and, in a few days afterwards, was prefented to the Rectory of Afton Sandford, Bucks; to which he was inducted on the 22d of the fame month.

By this time he had removed from his Curacy, in Lincolnshire, and came to refide upon his living, where he Taboured with much zeal and fuccefs. Many feals to his 3E2

ministry

miniftry yet furvive, and many have gone before, who have welcomed his arrival in the realms of blifs, while they augment the fplendor and rejoicing of his everlafting crown.

With Afton Sandford he alfo held, for fome time, the adjoining Curacy of Cuddington, where he was also owned and bleffed by Him who walketh between the golden candlesticks, and who openeth a door which no man can fhut.

During his refidence in this part of the county, he married and, befides fome difficulties arifing from a flender income and increafing family, he had alfo fome fevere trials as a militer. In common with many of his brethren, he had to pass through evil, as well as good report; and had fome experience of the turbulence of oppofition, and the perverfions of bigotry; the fneers of envy, and the flanders of malevolence.

At this crifis he was whirled, as it were, into the tempeft around him; and was involved in a fharp controverfy with fome of his brethren, both from the pulpit and the prefs. But as the occafion is almost forgotten, neither it, nor the particulars fhall be here revived, however much it might entertain readers of a certain defcription. Let us hope that a more liberal and candid fpirit is manifeft on all fides, between those who, as brethren, ought furely to dwell together in unity, and, at least, agree to differ, if they cannot agree to act; remembering, that fuch controverfies are ufually but amufement and port to the Philifines, and fuch as are without; that the triumph is generally empty, but the difpute is always dangerous.

The conftitution of our brother was never very robust, and, perhaps, was weaker than many of his friends fuppofed, who ufed fometimes to rally him upon his weak nerves, &c. But, however this may be, he verily thought himself a valetudinarian, and acted as fuch; fo that, conceiving the fituation and duty at Afton as being injurious to his health, he efteemed himself fully juftified in quitting his important ftand; and having appointed the Rev. Mr. Pryce his Curate (and who ftill continues labouring with diligence and fuccefs) removed in 1792 to Loudwater Chapel, or Perpetual Curacy, as it is called in Ecclefiaftical Law, and to which he was prefented by Mr. Davis, who both built and endowed the fame.

Here the good hand of the Lord still followed him in his miniftration for though the Gofpel was not altogether unknown in the neighbourhood, and had been faithfully and fully preached by his predeceffor, Mr. Clarke, nevertheless, his coming may be faid to be a new era, and the

beginning

· beginning of days to many, who, through countless ages, will have to blefs God for the word spoken by the mouth of their Ibeloved minifter.

Soon after Mr. Brodbelt's removal and fettlement at Loudwater, he had to experience trials of another kind, Perfecution could not brandifh her fword, but Death prepared his dart. Mrs. Brodbelt, whofe health had been for fome time declining, was now drawing near to the gates of the grave. But, notwithstanding his affliction on this account, added to the painful profpect of an infant-family left behind, he had not to forrow as thofe who have no hope: through these gates the triumphantly paffed to the everlasting doors of Heaven, and caught on earth a glimpse of heavenly glories!

It fhould perhaps be mentioned, that for fome time he inftructed young men intended for the miniftry; but was obliged at laft to decline the arduous undertaking, from infirmhealth, and, finally, a fevere fit of illness for fome inonths, from which his recovery was rather hoped than expected.

In the mean time Providence removed fome of his children by death. At prefent, three by his first marriage furvive him, and three more by the prefent Mrs. Brodbelt. whom he married 23d Nov. 1793. Thefe are, in a great meafure, unprovided for; and their cafe has been, and is prefented to a generous public. May it alfo be referred in prayer to that gracious God who has faid, Leave thy fatherlefs children, I will preferve them alive; and let thy widows truft in me! *

Loudwater-chapel, upon the whole, of all fituations, feemed not only beft fuited to the talent, but also to the temper and difpofition of its minifter. A fmall circle of friends, congenial in fentiment, and correfponding in fituation; a congregation hitherto preferved in the fimplicity of the Gospel, and preferring a faithful to an eloquent preacher;-a people looking up to him as their fpiritual guide, father, and friend; both loving, and in general, we hope, living the Gofpel ;-feveral brethren in the vineyard at hand, like-minded with himself, and with whom a clofe intimacy and union fubfifted; thefe and other motives, no doubt, confpired to fix this as a place, and to conftitute this as a people with whom it was in his heart to live and die.

And fo it proved; for about the 6th of laft March he caught a cold, which brought on an intermitting fever, but from which no dangerous confequences were apprehended; on the contrary, he was thought to be in a fate of con