The Foundling; or, The Child of ProvidenceChurch, J. (John)
General
The Foundling; or, The Child of Providence
Church, J. (John)
Church, J. (John), approximately 1780-approximately 1825; Clergy -- England -- Biography
Hill, Hendon, and other places, but particularly at the Hyde. Thus my
head, my heart, my tongue, feet, and hands, were perpetually employed;
and I think they were the happiest moments of my life, when, like the
apostle, I went forth among the Gentiles, “taking nothing of them, for
his name sake.”—3 _John_, 7. Having lost my favorite spot, another door
opened to me. (But more of this presently.) I often regretted I could
not hear my favorite, Mr. L. at all, as all my time was taken up, as I
have just related; and having been in the ministry about two years, I was
speaking one morning, at Mr. Burnham’s Meeting, upon _Song_ iii. 4, “Saw
ye him whom my soul loveth?” When I had concluded, Mr. Jesson, who is
now in heaven, came to me, and observed, I had been speaking much of the
love of Christ, but the question was, had I ever kept his commandments; I
told him I hoped I had, at least some of them; to which he replied, that
there was one he feared I had not kept, and that was the ordinance of
Baptism. I told him I was, in a measure, convinced that adult baptism
was right, but I wanted a better understanding of it, that I might see it
my duty and privilege to attend to it. This ordinance was that day to be
administered, and a sermon to be preached previous to it. I attended,
and Mr. B. spoke from this text, “We use great plainness of speech.”
This was a plain sermon, on some very plain truths, and which plainly
proved the doctrine was from heaven: and what was I, that I could resist
the truth? I had, before this period, seen the ordinance of believers
baptism was scriptural; but I was now fully persuaded it was of Divine
appointment—a sacred institution, and ought to be obeyed as a Divine
command. I had heard good Mr. Keeble, in Blandford-street, with pleasure
and profit. I knew several of the members, who were pious, discreet
persons. It was but shortly after I had heard Mr. B. as above, I
proposed myself to Mr. K. as a candidate for baptism: I gave in my
experience at the church-meeting, and was received without a dissenting
voice, but there was a condition to be performed, to which I hastily gave
my consent, which was, to decline preaching entirely, as it was not
agreeable to the order of the particular Baptists, to baptize any
preacher, as a preacher, without first resigning that office, submitting
to baptism, and, after a period, to have his gifts tried at the
church-meetings, and then, either going forward, or keeping back, as that
church directed. At first, this appeared to be right, and to this I
agreed, as soon as I had taken leave of my many little congregations, I
would then agree to such orders, and to this I most solemnly agreed
before the deacons. I went to all my little places, and bid them
farewell, and my mind seemed a little at ease. As I had many doubts
rising in my mind, about my call to the work, I thought, in the multitude
of counsellors, there would be safety if I ever was called out again;
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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