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BAPTIST MAGAZINE.

FEBRUARY, 1828.

MEMOIR OF MR. ROBERT WINTER

INGHAM.

from it." He was led to feel with shame and bitter remorse his guilt and depravity, as an apostate from MR. ROBERT WINTERINGHAM the Almighty. Groaning under a was born Feb. 11, 1748, at Brid- | broken and contrite heart, he earnlington. His parents were mem-estly sought forgiveness and acbers of the Baptist church in that ceptance through faith in the Lord town; his father had long filled Jesus Christ; and obtained rethe office of a deacon, with great demption through his blood. In reputation, and his grandfather and the thirtieth year of his age he grandmother were also honourable made a public profession of his members of the same church, dur-faith by baptism, and became a ing the ministry of the Rev. George member of the church, the Rev. Braithwaite, A. M. who entered Joseph Gawkrodger being then upon his pastoral office at Bridling- the pastor. From that period to ton in June 1713, and in 1733 re- the day of his death he exemplified moved to London, and became the the Christian character, with a pastor of the Baptist church meet- lustre not only equal to many, but ing in Devonshire-square. superior to most professors.

Mr. Winteringham was brought In the world he managed his up to the business of a tanner, in secular affairs with honesty and which he continued for many years, uprightness, and passed through but afterwards went into partner-the various changes of life, from a ship, as a corn-miller, with a competency to adversity, with younger brother. In Nov. 1774, Christian submission and fortitude. he married Miss Elizabeth Slum- He had learned to be content with bers, a pious young woman, then a such things as he had, and daily member of the same church; her relied upon the promise of his Lord, father, James Slumbers, was also who has said, "I will never leave a déacon, and in the church book thee, nor forsake thee." Having a very honourable testimony is here no continuing city, he sought given to the character of her one to come. In his domestic grandfather, Mr. Marmaduke Slum- circle he might justly be ranked bers. amongst the tenderest of husbands, and the most affectionate of parents. As a friend, he was faithful and sincere; a stranger to fickleness, he varied not with the varying circumstances of his friends, but his attachment was strong and steady. During a period of thirtytwo years of endeared friendship and constant intercourse, his pastor does not recollect that an angry

Mr. Winteringham being favoured with pious instruction in his early days, was kept from falling into many of those evils which ensnare the young, who are left to wander without any religious guide. In him was remarkably verified the advice of Solomon, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart VOL. III. 3d Series.

E

word passed between them, or a of Christ, to which he was affecfrowning look.

tionately united, he was a burning In his judgment of the charac- and shining light; present always ters of others, and in his conduct in her public assemblies, unless towards them, if he erred, it was detained by illness or some very on the side of kindness. His heart urgent business. The peace, proswas governed by that charity which perity, and increase of the church, seeketh not her own, is not easily lay near his heart. To promote provoked, thinketh no evil-and the cause of the Redeemer, he which covereth a multitude of laboured both by his counsel and sins. He wished as far as possible example; and in the use of all to live peaceably with all men, means, as far as he was able. He and to speak evil of no man. His always took a leading and an acmind was enriched with a large tive part in the public prayers and store of general knowledge; he praises of the church, and welhad during life read much, and comed the returning Sabbath as thought much; and till nearly the the most delightful day of his life. last his retentive memory furnished He fulfilled with great fidelity the stores of information. His know-deacon's office for nearly forty ledge being associated with great years, and it may be truly said, sweetness of temper, made him a "that he purchased to himself a most instructive and pleasing com- good degree, and great boldness in panion. But the Bible was his the faith which is in Christ Jesus." chief study; "the word of Christ His views of the truth were strictly dwelt in him richly in all wisdom." evangelical, and his religious senThe writer of this narrative re-timents were very remote from members well how much he has those of the antinomian, the legabeen delighted and edified, when list, or the enthusiast. He saw the good man used to give very clearly the beautiful harmony subsimple, concise, and judicious ex-sisting between doctrinal, experipositions of the Scriptures at dif- mental, and practical religion, and ferent social meetings-remarks that would have done honour to our most celebrated commentators. Had he been called in early life to labour in the sanctuary of our God, no doubt he would have arisen to considerable eminence.

As his life was a life of faith on the Son of God, so it was a life of continued intercourse with heaven. Prayer was the breath of his soul; it was his regular practice, at proper seasons, to withdraw himself from every eye, except the eye of his heavenly Father, and then to pour out his soul unto God. The secret chamber, the retired garden, and other places of concealment, will witness at the last day the purity of his devotion, and the fervour of his prayers. In the church

the inseparable connexion between faith in the Redeemer and holiness of life. He firmly believed that the intervention of sin could never diminish the supreme right of the Almighty to command the obedience of his intelligent creatures, or abolish the eternal obligations of men to obey the law. During his probationary state he gradually ripened for a better world.

Eight years after his marriage he lost his beloved wife, and was left with the care of two children. By this stroke he received a wound which was deep and long felt-a wound, indeed, no human balm could heal. After the lapse of a few years, he followed to the grave his honoured parents; two venerable aupts, who resided in the

house with him; a sister, and two of his own depravity; felt more brothers. But on the 28th of June, the value of the Redeemer, and 1798, he was called to endure a became more devotional and spirimore severe trial. His eldest son, tually minded. For some consia fine youth about seventeen years derable time before his death, he of age, who had served in his conversed and lived as knowing employ as a miller, went on that that the time of his departure was day to the mill, in his usual health at hand. On the last Lord's day and spirits. Shortly after his ar- in August he attended the meeting rival there he was joined by Wm. as usual, read the hymns, and in the Matson, of Bridlington, the Rev. afternoon officiated at the Lord's John Peacock, and the Rev. John Supper. On the Wednesday folFenwick, two Methodist preachers, lowing he walked out to see a few who there sought shelter from a friends, and to transact a little violent thunder-storm. But this business; in the evening he ate his retreat was no refuge, for an awful supper, and was as well as usual; flash of lightning struck the axle-and it was remarked that he entree, tore the upright shaft to gaged in family prayer with more pieces, and nearly destroyed all than ordinary fervour. But immethe machinery of the mill. Young diately on his retiring to bed, he Winteringham and Mr. Fenwick was seized with death; he was were killed on the spot; Mr. Pea-speechless all the night, and in the cock and Mr. Matson were struck morning, about seven o'clock, reto the ground, and for some time signed his spirit to God who gave insensible: they felt the effects it, in the 79th year of his age. of it through life. Thus the de-Mark the perfect, and behold sire of his eyes was taken away the upright; for the end of that with a stroke. As a man, he felt man is peace."

very acutely; but as a Christian, He was interred on the Lord's he submitted calmly to the will of day morning after his death, and God. The text he chose for im- on the following Lord's day his provement on the mournful occa-pastor delivered a funeral discourse sion of his son's death was, "Have from Johu xvi. 33. "These things pity upon me, have pity upon me, have I spoken unto you, that in Oh! my friends; for the hand of me ye might have peace; in the God hath touched me." And, world ye shall have tribulation, indeed, this affecting occurrence but be of good cheer, I have overso far excited the sympathy of his come the world." He remarked friends, that the loss of his pro- to a friend, a few days before his perty was nearly made up, but the death, that these words had afloss of his son was irretrievable.forded him much support through On the 4th of May, 1815, he was the greater part of his life. bereaved of his only surviving son, R. HARNESS. who left a widow and three chil- Bridlington, Dec. 1827. dren to lament their loss. (See his Obituary, Baptist Mag. vol. vii. p. 338.)

THE CHRISTIAN'S SOLACE IN THE
TIME OF TRIAL.

Having passed through the furnace, he was tried, and came forth WHATEVER God does is best. He as gold. He had brighter views of could endue a new-born babe with the sovereignty and holiness of the knowledge of the profoundest God; more humbling discoveries philosopher, and with an equiva

lent for the experience of the ve- The troubles of the wicked are

like a living lion, whose roaring is the harbinger of destruction; but the troubles of the righteous are like a dead lion, with honey in his carcase.

nerable grandsire; but he has seen fit to communicate knowledge as he does light, by a gradation from the faintest dawn to the effulgence of noon-day. So it is also with the communication of divine grace. Of some of the wicked, indeed, God could, in one instant, purify it may be said, "They are not in the soul from every vestige of apos- trouble as other men," Ps. lxxiii. 5. tate nature, and make it as spotless But the Psalmist, with all his chasas the holy angels, and thus fit it tisement, saw no reason for envyfor an immediate transition from ing them when he repaired to the earth to heaven. But he has been sanctuary of God. For " then," pleased to employ a series of said he, "understood I their end." means; and, in his wisdom, re- Such an awful exemption, therequires his people to sojourn for a fore, no Christian in his right limited period as pilgrims in a wil-senses will desire. In short, this derness, in order to put them to world is like a new-ploughed field, the proof. Such a proof, indeed, on which fallen rain has frozen. is not necessary for God's own in- The path of safety is not the formation, but it evinces to men smooth path, untouched by the and angels what is unspeakably plough; but the man who holds on important, and what will ulti-his way is he who is pursuing his mately issue in the most happy course over the furrows. The and grateful feelings of the believer rougher path, therefore, is that through the countless ages of eter- which our Lord has designed for nity. his disciples. He shewed, that So great, however, is the dark-though his church was built on a ness in which the Christian's mind rock, it was nevertheless destined is sometimes enveloped, that the to be rudely assailed by storms and very things that will cause his tempests. "In the world," said loudest songs in another world, he to his disciples, "ye shall have bring him the nearest to despair in tribulation." this. Surely Jacob will never forget that state of despondency in which he said, "All these things are against me;" though, at the same time, those very things were pre-eminently working together for his good.

In this rebellious province of God's dominions, trouble succeeds trouble as spark succeeds spark from a blazing fire. Yes, as Eliphaz once said, "Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward;" and to the ungodly, all these sparks are so many indications of the consolidated fiery element in which they must burn for ever and ever. But with regard to the righteous, trials are blessings in disguise.

Nor is there any

reason to expect a freedom from trials, even in the Millennium. For if the Christians of that happy period are to be as holy as other Christians, there will be the same reason for our heavenly Parent's adopting the plan of our earthly parents. "For," says the apostle,

they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness." Heb. xii. 10. In all ages of the world, therefore, "whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth."

In every trial the Christian has to sustain, there is a specific end it is to answer; and on this end the nature of the trial depends. Some

times a trial is sent as an antidote | count, it is nearer the truth to say, to some existing sin. Thus in that he who is tried the most is the David's numbering the people for man whom God designs to honour military service there was a great the most. Thus Job's signal trials sin. For as a king's armies were were sent to prepare him for signal the criterion of his glory in the honours. For in this world Job's estimation of contemporary nations, personal afflictions prepared him a vain-glorious display of numbers to enjoy and appreciate a hundred was the great temptation that pro-and forty years of health, and the mised so much to the tempter. loss of children that caused him Nor was David's sin, in this case, many anxious fears, prepared him to be cured by private trials. His to appreciate a new and lovelier procedure had been public from family, in which he was to have Dan to Beersheba; and God's son for son, and daughter for chastisement was to be as public daughter, according to the number as the offence. Nor can pride and he had lost. The loss of his provain-glory be cured, but by the perty, too, prepared him for inmortification of pride and vain- creased and sanctified prosperity; glory. For the cure of David's a prosperity in which the interposin, therefore, the appropriate an- sition of Providence was so sigtidote was a trial that would abase nally written in legible characters, him as much in the eyes of neigh-as to be known and read by all bouring nations, as he had unrigh- men. For the exact doubling of teously endeavoured to exalt himself. As to those who fell victims to the wasting pestilence, God's procedure was as strictly just as in all other pestilences; and if any of the godly were assailed by it, it was to them a positive blessing. For, from the volume of inspiration we learn, that "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Rom.

viii. 28.

the numbers of his sheep, of his camels, of his oxen, and of his sheasses, was like the united voice of the heavenly host, proclaiming from pole to pole, "This is the man whom God delighteth to honour."

Nor can we conceive of Job's protracted life being less useful than it was honourable; and though he has long been dead, he yet speaketh to the edification of the church of God, and will hereafter

In David's trial, and in its bene-speak to the edification of millions ficial results, we see a verification yet unborn. The present generaof his own words: "Before I was tion of believers, too, will soon afflicted I went astray; but now have the happiness of seeing, that have I kept thy word." Ps. cxix. even now Job is ineffably blessed 67. We must not, however, infer among the spirits of just men made from David's case, that he who is perfect. But when the Redeemer, afflicted the most has sinned the of whom he spoke, shall stand at most. For one of the men whose the latter day within the precincts trials have been the most signal of this lower world, not only Job, was Job, of whom God himself but the whole assembled universe, said, "There is none like him on will see that it was good for him the earth, a perfect and an upright that he was afflicted. For, in man, one that feareth God and 2 Cor. iv. 17. the Apostle Paul, avoideth evil." Job i. 8. In short, speaking of himself and other taking both worlds into the ac-believers, uses these memorable

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