Theological Review. REVIEW OF THE CHARACTER AND MINISTRY OF THE LATE W. HUNTINGTON. ART. I. The Substance of the last, or Farewell Sermon, of the late Rev. W. Huntington, S.S. preached at Providence Chapel, Gray's Inn Lane, on Wednesday Evening, June 9, 1813. London: printed and published by T. Bensley, pp. 63, 8vo. including a Preface of 14 pages, by Mr. C. Goulding, 18. ART. II-A Letter to Mr. C. Goulding, upon the Epistles to the Seven Churches in Asia, Popery, and Catholic Emancipation; in answer to his Preface to Mr. Huntington's last Sermon. London; 1814. pp. 64, 8vo. 1s. 6d. ART. III.-A Second Letter to Mr. C. Goulding, in answer to his "Remarks." Also a few Particulars of the late Mr. Brook, of Brighton. London: 1814. Offer, p.p. 36, 8vo. 1s. don: Mr. any little effervescence which may have been excited in the minds of both his friends and his foes, by that event, has had time to pass away, and both parties, it may be fairly presumed, are now by so much the better qualified to review the subject with calmness, and cone to an impartial decision upon it. Huntington is dead-" peace to his manes!" but his character and his principles survive him; and a generation must pass away before either of them can cease their influence on the public mind. How necessary is it then that they should be impartially and candidly examined. To do this, is the task we have imposed upon ourselves; but in entering upon it, justice seems to require us to apprise the reader, that we had no personal acquaintance with Mr. HunART. IV.—Memoirs of the Life and tington; having never, to our knowMinistry of the late W. Hunting-ledge, seen his face in the flesh, nor ton, S.S. with an Estimate of his ever heard him preach. Of his Character. By Onesimus. Lon-writings we never had perused two pp. 40, 12mo. and pages, until necessity imposed on us the duty of reading the sermon before us. Our information must therefore be chiefly derived from the publications which stand at the head of this article. We have indeed heard much of his "Table Talk," which has been retailed by his friends and admirers during a period of thirty years. We have heard of his witticisms, his bon mots, or, to speak more properly, his extravaganzas, for who has not a thousand times been told of these? But the reader may, if he pleases, resolve it wholly into our dullness or stupidity, that such things never could tempt us either to read "The Bank of Faith,” or to move a step out of our way to hear, the "Coal Heaver " preach. The truth, however, is, if we may be allowed to tell it, that we never yet could find out the connexion between the jests of a buffoon, and "holding forth the word of life" to dying, perishing sinners; or, rather, the incongruity of these things had Portrait, 28. ART. V. The Voice of Years, concerning the late Mr. Huntington: being an impartial Recollection of Ministerial Character and Conduct. Humbly designed to excite Imitation and Caution—Imitation, as to what was right; and Caution, as to what was wrong. By A Disciple of Jesus. London: Maxwell, pp. 80, 12mo. and Portrait, 3s. boards, 1814. We have classed these several articles under one general head, for a reason so obvious, that it scarcely requires to be mentioned. They have all a bearing on one common topic, namely, the character and religious sentiments of the late Mr. Huntington. The subject, indeed, cannot be said to possess the novelty which is excited by an occurrence of yesterday; for Mr. H. has now been "numbered with his fathers" full eighteen months, and, of course, taken such firm hold of our imagi- | his personal effects used to be car nation, as to make us anxious to avoid coming in the way of them. 66 WILLIAM HUNTINGTON (as we learn from the MEMOIRS, before us, p. 6.) was born in the Weald of Kent, about the year 1744. His original name was HUNT," which he is reported to have elongated, as it now stands, for the purpose of escaping the consequences of one of "the follies of his youth." Penury frowned on him from his cradle; and when he had children of his own, he delighted in feeding them, for he called to mind how much he had, when young, suffered through his parents' poverty. When, about seven years old, his mind was struck at hearing a person say, that "God took notice of children's sins!" and also by the remark of another, that "all things are possible with God." These sentences, says the writer of the "Memoirs," form the exordium of his Bank of Faith; and are remarkable because, while they exhibit the origin of Huntington's religious profession, they also serve to shew his particular notion of faith, which, even at this early period, specially included temporal blessings. His poverty and wretchedness induced him to covet the situation of errandboy to 'Squire Cook, a neighbouring gentleman, who happened at the time to have a boy in his service that was well approved of. But it came into his mind, that " if all things were possible with God," it must be possible to send him to live with the 'Squire; and as Providence brought about the object of his wishes, the event contributed much towards confirming him in his notion of faith. After various menial services, and "wandering about some years, in this solitary way, seeking rest, and finding none," Mr. H. married, and took ready-furnished lodgings, at Mortlake in Surrey, where, after a residence of about half a year, he received a wrench in his loins, which, for many days, incapacitated him for labour; and when he began to recover, a deep fall of snow succeeded, which put it out of his power to work, and here, all his money being expended, and himself a stranger in the place," Providence suffered him to know what it was to want." For some years prior to his marriage, all 66 ried in his hand, or over his shoulder, in one or two handkerchiefs; and even, for some years after he married, he was wont to carry all his goods in a sack upon his shoulders. My dame and I," says Mr. H. recording these things, 46 now kept house at a very cheap rate; two shillings and sixpence per week carried us through tolerably well;" and enabled them to save upwards of twenty shillings! He That Mr. H. should seek something better than such a state as this, can excite no one's surprise. therefore took his wife and child, and removed to Ewell Marsh; and "when the cart set us down," says he, " on the Monday morning, and I had paid the hire of it, I had the total sum of tenpence halfpenny left, to provide for myself, my wife, and child, till the ensuing Saturdaynight! But though I was thus poor, I knew God had made me rich in faith, and these words came on my mind with power- He multiplied the loaves and fishes to feed five thousand men, besides women and children.' We went on our knees, and turned the account of that miracle into a prayer, beseeching the Almighty to multiply what we had, or to send relief another way, as his infinite wisdom thought most proper." At Ewell, therefore, Mr. H. "first began to speak for God," to which he was constrained by a sense of everlasting love in Jesus Christ! But the inhabitants of Ewell rejected his mission, reviled his character, and drove him, a persecuted man, to Thames Ditton, in quest of employment, where he was compelled to engage in the servile occupation of coal-heaving Determined, however, to prosecute his ministry, Mr. Huntington began to preach at Thames Ditton, which drew down upon him the ire of the clergyman of the village, "an ecclesiastical sportsman," who was so unwise as to attack the coal-heaver from the pulpit, styling him, "a fellow from the plough-tail, pretending to inspiration." The consequence was, a tremendous storm, which assailed the preacher on all hands, and put his fortitude to the test; and it is difficult to say, what might have been the consequence, had he not at this instant experienced, what he consi : manner in which it was delivered, and the pointed remarks the preacher made; because, without such striking features in the discourse, his solemn appeal to the congregation, of his integrity and uprightpeared to he clothed with divine majesty ness as our minister (which appeal apand power), would at once fall to the dered to be, the interposition of Pro-sible, to preserve the strong and powerful vidence, by means of a dream! The extraordinary event is thus related by himself." I fell into a sound sleep when I dreamed, and behold! in my dream, I thought I heard the Lord call to me, with a shrill distinct voice, saying, Son of man, son of man, prophesy !-son of man prophe-ground, and appear to have no becoming sy! I answered, Lord, what shall I foundation. And I am sure the appeal prophesy? The voice came again, will never be erased from the minds and saying, Prophesy upon the thick hearts of many who heard it, while they boughs. I immediately awoke, and are in this world. It was exactly similar felt a comfortable power on my taking leave of the Ephesians, as recordto that of the great apostle Paul, when heart; and thought the voice seemed ed in the 20th chapter of the Acts of the afresh in my ears. I got up imme- Apostles. And I am certain also, that diately, and traced my Bible, to see many of you will agree with me in this— if I could find those words there; that, if ever one man in this world was thinking, that if I could, I should influenced with an abundant measure, conclude the dream to be from God. and an abundant influence, of the Spirit; I soon found the words, Ezek. xxxi. as a spirit of life, of power, of love, and 3, 17, 23, and perceived the thick of a sound mind; our invaluable and irboughs to be men." reparable Minister was, on that occasion, The result was, so influenced. a" sudden impression" on his mind to leave Thames Ditton, and take a labours for forty years among us (during "And when we reflect, that his useful house in London, which was speedily which time we may truly say that he carried into effect; and here he con- bore the heat and burden of the day), tinued to prosecute his ministry for were finished with such a solemn farenearly forty years. Having, how-wel, and that he should be led to speak ever, given a sketch of his history to this important epoch, which is sufficient for our present purpose, we here pause, in order to attend to other interesting particulars concerning him. from a text that so strikingly belongs to us, being members of the church of Sardis in general with a pleasing, gratifying, in the figure, it must impress our minds and a precious reflection, as it shews that he walked in the sweetest and closest communion and fellowship with his God, Mr. Huntington preached his last like Levi, in peace and equity, and that sermon on the evening of Wednes- he was intimately acquainted with the day, June 9, 1813, from Rev. iii. 3; mind and will of God concerning himself; and we are indebted to one of his for he knew that his work was done, and most intimate friends, and most arthe time of his departure was at hand, as dent admirers, Mr. C. Goulding of cently declared, that he had but few evidently appears from what he had reNorthampton Square, for rescuing it more sermons to preach, and this being from oblivion. Anxious to "gather the third from, that time. And I have no up the fragments that remain, that doubt but, under this impression, he had nothing be lost," he took an early his last text given him, that he might take opportunity of noting down the sub- a final leave of his ministry, and of the stance of it, mostly from recollec-flock over which the Holy Ghost had so tion; a task in which, it is acknow-long made him the overseer." ledged, that he has succeeded to an extraordinary degree. He has also prefixed to it an Address to the Congregation of Providence Chapel, Gray's Inn Lane, where the sermon was preached; but before we come to notice the sermon itself, we must beg to be indulged in an extract or two from what Mr. Goulding has to say to his friends. The first thing to which we are desirous of drawing our readers' attention is, the strain of extraordinary panegyric in which he speaks of the deceased. He says— "I have endeavoured, as much as pos This, the reader will admit, is pretty strong; but let him mark what follows: times of the apostles, there has not been a "I believe. in my soul, that, since the minister raised up who has been blessed with such an experience himself of the Spirit's work upon the heart, and with such abilities to describe it to others, as our late honoured pastor. Scoffers may rage at this; but his incomparable works, now he himself is gone, will indisputably prove what I now declare. No author scribes vital godliness, or saving religion, under the sun can be produced who deso experimentally, and so clearly, as he has done; and, for myself, I can say, that 66 So much for Mr. Goulding's ference to the sacred injunction, to cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils!" And to call no man master on earth!! ap in him I have lost one of the best friends the primitive church. It may be other that ever I had in this world, or, I be-wise, but this is the firm conviction of my lieve, ever shall have." mind, according to the little reading and de-information that have fallen to my share. And certainly, while there remains in this land any love to pure and spiritual truth, any understanding of the vast difference between a minister of the letter, however sound, and a minister of the spirit, and Mr. Huntington, in the introduc-between the form of godliness and the tory part of his Sermon, had taken power thereof, his memory will be reoccasion to introduce the common-vered and loved, his name had in grateful place remark, that the seven churches and everlasting remembrance, and his of Asia were typical of the gospel writings eagerly read and greatly adstate of things during seven different mired.-His conversion the most remarkperiods, from the apostles' days to able and glorious, his religion and ministhe end of time; and in particular, try were not received from man, but from that " the church of Sardis repre- same Lord who took David from the the great head of the church; and the sents the state of the church in our sheepfold, and from following the ewes times." p. 21. With this part of the great with young, to feed and to rule JaSermon Mr. G. seems to have been cob his people, and Israel his inheritance, highly satisfied; but, as different took Mr. H. from the culture of the garmen will have different minds, an- den, and the labours of the coal-barge, other of Mr. H.'s warm admirers and blessed him with a most abundant discontroverts the propriety of this play and communication of his grace and plication of the prophetic language; and singular gifts, made him a ruler in the spirit, bestowed upon him the most rare insisting upon it, that the present household of faith, and from the rich treastate of the church is represented by sure within, of things new and old, instruthe church at Laodicea; and this has mentally gave to each their portion in occasioned the two Letters to Mr. due season. Though his eminently useful C. Goulding, now before us. It is life was long spared, yet at last he was not at all necessary for us to enter taken rather suddenly away, and his upon an investigation of the merits death may be regarded as an ill omen of this dispute. The assumption it- both to the church and the nation. self, viz. that the seven churches of Asia are prophetical of seven different periods of time under the gospel, is wholly hypothetical; and after all the confidence that Mr. H. and his two friends betray concerning it, if the latter could resume calmness enough to look at the naked question, they would be constrained to admit, that at most, it was only an ingenious conjecture unsupported by any scriptural evidence! But, passing this, let us hear the opinion of Mr. Goulding's correspondent respecting the character of Mr. Huntington. "I most cordially agree with you in all you have said in praise of your late honoured pastor, and unite with you in lamenting his loss. When he died, there indeed fell a great man, and a prince in Israel; in my conscience, I believe, the greatest man that has been raised up since the days of Luther; and that the Lord Jesus Christ had committed to him the clearest and brightest ministration of his gospel, the most evangelical and experimental, since the days of the apostles, and "He was, beyond all doubt, the greatest light of his day and generation, who burnt with zeal and love, as his great and extensive labours abundantly testify, and shone in the most clear and profound knowledge. His doctrine was uniform and consistent, never varying in a single point-the reverse of those weathercocks who change with every wind of doctrine that blows. Fruitful he was to the last, having the springing well, and flowing brook, in rich abundance." We know not whether it be necessary to extend our quotations in order to convince the reader how superlatively arrogant are the claims that the followers of Huntington have made for the pre-eminence of their master over every other man since the times of the apostles. One believes" in his soul," and the other "in his conscience," that no such man has existed since the apostles' days! Some of them, indeed, have not stopped even there; but have boldly declared their opinion that he was a greater man than even Paul * in the things of God. In glancing * A friend was lately mentioning to an aged and venerable minister with whom we have the happiness to be acquainted, that he had heard one of Mr. H.'s followers over the pages of "The Second As there is so strong a propensity among these people to draw a parallel between the great apostle of the Gentiles, and the late minister of Providence Chapel, we must beg the patience of our readers while we examine how the account stands between these two eminent characters. It shall be done, with fairness and accuracy, and we hope it will not be wholly without its use. his enviable lot, when he was called to the knowledge of the truth and had the ministry of the word committed to his trust. He had friends, he had reputation, he had property in short the high road to preferment lay open before him. But what was the consequence to Paul of his becoming a disciple of Christ? Why, in the first place he lost his friends-next he lost his propertythen his reputation-in the fourth place, all his prospects in life vanished-and last of all it cost him life itself! Such were the consequences to Paul of becoming a minister of Jesus Christ. Let us now turn our attention for a moment to the case of Mr. Huntington. The poverty of his parents was such as scarcely to afford him the common necessaries of life, and as to advantages of education, he had none of them. Friends, reputation, and property were equally unknown to him. It is plain that such was his abject condition when he commenced preacher, that any change must be for the better. But not to dwell minuetly It is evident from the Acts of the on his history-we see him raised, Apostles that Paul entered public by means of his ministry, from the life with the most flattering pro- dunghill to a palace, from the scanty spects of making a distinguished pittance of eleven shillings per week figure among his cotemporaries. to the possession of the princely reHis parents were people of distinc- venue of Two THOUSAND POUNDS tion; citizens of Tarsus, the metro- a-year! There is, therefore, this polis of Cilicia; and his father had marked difference between the cases the honour of being free of the city of Paul and W. Huntington, that of Rome. After giving his son while the former sacrificed every every advantage of education which thing for the sake of Christ, the could be enjoyed in his native place, latter dexterously contrived to make he was sent to Jerusalem to finish his religion the means of raising his education at the feet of Ga-him from beggary to affluence. It maliel, the most eminent Professor of his day. And such was the progress that Paul made in his studies under this renowned instructor, that he outstript all his fellow pupils in the learned languages, and had attained the highest station among his equals or fellow students. Such was is, however, probable that the admirers of Mr. H. will say, this is not the point of view, exactly, in which they would be disposed to draw the comparison; but as ministers of the word. We shall now, therefore, briefly examine the subject in re ference to that particular. aver, that the latter was a greater man than the apostle. "It may be so," said the minister, with all the meekness and gentleness that adorn his character, at the same time rubbing his hands,; "yet where Paul and Mr. Huntington differ," said he, “ I should prefer following the former !!" 66 *We will not undertake to vouch for the truth of the fact, that this was actually suggested to them by our friend Mr. W-s, who, whenever he has occasion to speak of a favourite society, absolutely refuses to be restricted to the broad A; always prefering the use of the article The, as sounding infinitely better-" THE Missionary Society." |