Preaching in London — At John Street Chapel — The old Prodigal — In the eastern counties — Ipswich, Needham Market, Stowmarket, Norwich, Bury St. Edmund. — The Lord’s special leads — At Sudbury
At that time I was accustomed frequently to preach in London. I named to a few that it was on my heart to take the Myddelton Hall, Islington, for a week’s preaching. Some doubted, but many hearts were lifted up in prayer of God. It was taken in dependence on God. I had no arrangements or preparation, or even knowledge of what subjects I might speak upon. The hall was filled every night. Many written petitions for prayer for dear ones were offered up. A very solemn circumstance occurred one night. As we commenced, a person came bringing a request for the prayers of the meeting, for a lady in a worldly family, who was dying without Christ. Mr. G., now with the Lord, went back with the messenger. We bowed in solemn earnest prayer. He found the poor lady in the midst of the folly and finery this world can produce. But none there knew Christ, or could speak a word to an affrighted soul, about to pass from London society to outer darkness and eternal woe.
God answered prayer. He opened the heart of this poor lady to receive the word of life; she was eternally saved. There was a great solemnity fell upon the meeting. Eternity felt very near to us all. We asked the anxious to retire into an anteroom. In a few minutes it was crammed. It was a wonderful sight to see young and old, rich and poor, with streaming eyes and anxious looks, asking what they must do to be saved. We were obliged to go into the large hall. And while some looked to the Lord in silent prayer, others spoke to anxious souls. The interest seemed to deepen every night; the large hall being quite full. Known only to the Lord is the number of those who passed from death unto life.
About this time I was invited by the Hon. B. N., to preach in John Street chapel, three nights. The subject was the righteousness of God in justifying the sinner. After preaching we invited the anxious into the schoolroom adjoining. Nearly 200 came in. It was impossible to speak to them all individually. I was too exhausted to speak again. And so Mr. N. went over the discourses, and enforced it with most sweet simplicity. This was remarkable, as I was told he had held different views on the subject. He now explained very clearly how God was righteous in justifying the sinner that believes Him, through the death and resurrection of Christ.
I dwell on this a little, to show that the preaching was not in the least of a revivalistic character. Indeed, Mr. N. said to a friend, that they were more like lectures on divinity. I am more and more convinced this is the kind of preaching needed; not excitement, but the calm unfolding of the gospel of God.
After Mr. N.’s addresses in the after-meeting we spoke to a few, and then dismissed them. I shall never forget one case; a fine tall old gentleman, about seventy years of age. He had long been in the dungeon of dark despair. I had been speaking of the deep joy of God, in receiving the prodigal. The work of the shepherd was done; He had sought and died for the sheep. The Spirit had come down from heaven to seek and to find the lost one, like the woman that swept the floor for her lost piece of silver. And now the Father in righteousness and grace can meet and receive, can kiss and clothe the prodigal. I heard the deep groan of that tall old gentleman, or once a gentleman. He said, “I have spent all. I have spent my health, my fortune, every comfort, wife, children, all gone; here I am, sunk in sin, and misery,” and so forth. It is impossible to describe the agony and distress of this aged man. We put the gospel before him, and we trust the grace of God shone into his dark soul. Where is he now?
Many souls professed to find peace. But I rather judge the Lord used these three preachings to many who were the children of God. At this time I had invitations to preach in the large chapels in London, but felt more led to preach in town halls, assembly rooms, and so forth.
I will now try to describe a week in the Eastern counties. I stayed with a Christian lady in Ipswich, had met her in Birmingham. I had barely time to take a cup of tea on my arrival from London, as a large audience was waiting at the assembly rooms, at seven o’clock on the Saturday evening. I went to the hall, gave out a hymn, but felt all a blank in my thoughts. Not a scripture, or a thought had I on my mind. I knelt down in prayer, still all appeared a blank. As I rose from my knees that scripture came to my mind, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” I said, “Lord, I will tell them that, any way.” I read the words. That night will never be forgotten. Years after, I met a lady who told me she, and her brothers and sisters, received blessing that night. They were then quite young people. And many others, especially the young, were brought to God. The next day, the Lord’s Day, we had preaching at Needham Market, at half-past two. The number was so great that all could not get in, and the power of the Lord was felt. At night the Assembly Room, Ipswich, was crowded. A large bundle of petitions, for relatives, were sent up to be read. As I read them out, before lifting up our hearts in prayer, I had noticed an aged man near me, hang down his head in deep distress. He was filled with sorrow that he had not sent up a petition, for his daughter. Just as I closed reading the papers. I saw a tall young lady forcing her way through the crowd, with flushed face and weeping eyes, she came close up to the aged man, and sinking down by his side, said, “Father, won’t you pray for me?” The coming day, so near, will declare the results of that night. It was late before we could leave the many anxious souls. The following night the interest was equally great.
On Tuesday afternoon we had a meeting at Stowmarket at four, for prayer and fellowship. Well do I remember one prayer. A dear Christian from Bury said, “Lord, thy servant is here, we do not ask him if he will go to Bury, but we ask Thee if he is to come and preach Thy Word there.” Those words are as fresh as though I had heard that prayer last night. The large new corn exchange was taken, and at seven it was full. People had come in from all around the country, in carts, wagons, carriages, &c. Hour after hour went on, still the interest deepened. If we closed, all remained, only to go on again; until at last, about eleven, the gas was turned off. I then spoke of the coming of the Lord, and the vast company still remained in the dark. It was near twelve when we got away. God only knows the results. Many professed to be saved. In many cases, no doubt, the work had been going on before.
On Wednesday at two o’clock, a large company was assembled in the Theater, or Assembly Room, Norwich. And at seven the crowd was so great that it quickly filled; two other large buildings were also filled. At about nine o’clock the crowd outside was so great, still waiting, that the one company went out, and the place filled again for another service. One aged minister stood up and said, he had never known real peace with God before that night. This produced a deep solemnity. It was felt God was working by the Holy Ghost. Very many professed to have been brought to Christ that day.
The next day I went on to Bury St. Edmunds. The brother who had prayed at Stowmarket had taken the large Town Hall. Some Christians had rather remonstrated, saying it would be so discouraging to see the large place half filled. At seven there was scarce seat to be found. Here the word seemed to be specially blest to such as had been under serious impressions. There were many also, that had never enjoyed the certainty of sins forgiven, and sin not imputed. Oh how blessed that God is righteous in reckoning us righteous before Him.
While I look back upon that week, I say, “Who but God could have given strength to a poor weak body to go through such a week of labor, with only one sad lung? And who but God could have gathered such numbers of anxious souls, to listen to His blessed Word?” Often unknown to me, and without any effort but simply obeying the guidance of His eye and leading of the Spirit of God, doors of blessing have been opened; and in altogether a different way from the above. On another occasion I was at Ipswich and it was much on my heart that I should go to Sudbury and preach Christ. I named it to several but they discouraged me, all except one brother. I only knew the name of one person there. I wrote and said I hoped to come and preach on such a day. I called at Bury on my way, and found the brother who prayed at Stowmarket had been praying for Sudbury about two years. How much have such praying Christians to do with the work of the Lord! The brother said he would go with me. I will give this as a specimen of many a first visit to a town.
We arrived at Sudbury station. A young gentleman came up to me, and asked if my name was Stanley? I replied it was. He said his mother would be glad to see us at her house, and there were a few waiting to read the Word. We found quite a company at four o’clock. Of course, all were strangers to us. We had a very blessed time over the Word, and while reading, a minister sent word to offer me his chapel. I said I could not accept it, unless on the understanding that I was free to speak whatever the Lord gave me to speak. He made one condition. However, I said I would come on at the time, seven o’clock. I went, and the chapel was pretty well filled. But I felt I could not go on there; and I was led to propose that we should go outside, and have the preaching in the open air. They were quite agreeable, and we all went out. To my surprise there was a large company assembled on the green, by the parish church, who would not come into the dissenting chapel. I preached there in the open air until about ten o’clock, to a large company. It might be asked, How could all this be? How could they get to know? I will tell you. I was told afterward (I had only to obey the Lord at the time) Mr. H. had been preaching in the parish church, and had given it out that I was expected to preach in Sudbury during the week, and he begged his congregation to come and hear.
It might also be asked, Where should I lodge upon going thus, as a stranger, to different towns. Well, at the close of the preaching, a lady came up to me, and said a gentleman, who could not be there himself, owing to the funeral of a near relative, at a distance, had sent his carriage, and begged us to accept his hospitality for the Lord’s sake. We drove a few miles, came to a mansion, and had a meeting until near midnight, and then another for the large household in the morning, returning to Sudbury, where we had a reading the whole day.
As I write this, a letter has just turned up, from which I will give an extract: “You may remember standing up to preach God’s glad tidings, on a bit of ground called the Croft, Sudbury. I was amongst that crowd; and through the Lord’s grace and love, got complete deliverance... and was brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God, and can bless and praise the Lord for His wondrous love to me, in giving One who could, and did, do all things for the poor sinner. By the Spirit of God you showed me it was all on the Lord’s side, that a complete satisfaction had been made to God by the Lord Jesus Christ; and that God’s mercy had been shown out to the utmost, when He gave His Son. I felt like one unfettered from the influences of Satan and the bondage of men, content to come outside the camp to that blessed object who is outside all man’s pretensions.”