The Life And Ministry Of George Harris
The Earthen Vessel 1890:
I was born in the village of Grundisburgh, Suffolk, on the 3rd day of June, 1814—I think, sixteen years after the Particular Baptist Church was formed in that place; and in the providence of God, one of the members of that Church, of the name of Stripling, nursed my mother, who carried me to chapel when I was only a week old. At that place of worship, in childhood, I was brought up to attend the ministry of Mr. John Thompson, whose labours were abundantly blessed for 28 years. Under his preaching I had very deep convictions of sin—so deep that I envied the cattle around me, and at night in my bed I often wept, fearing I should wake up in hell. But, though these convictions led me to try to pray, they did not bring me to break off the society of those who were going on in the way of sin and wickedness, with whom I joined, but not with a light heart, always feeling condemned in my conscience at thus sinning against light and knowledge. In this way I continued until the death of Mr. Thompson, and the late revered Samuel Collins, under whose ministry my convictions greatly deepened, and under which I broke away from my companions, and resolved upon another way. I tried hard to reform; I tried to pray daily, went to all prayer meetings and religious services. I read the Bible, and committed many of our precious hymns to memory, and took great interest in the singing in God’s house, so much so that I could start 400 tunes from memory. This change appeared so great that some anticipated I should Join the Church; but, from not feeling satisfied in myself in taking such a step, I declined it; and afterwards, for several years, although I did not neglect attendance on the means of grace, my heart appeared between the world and eternal things. I formed an acquaintance with a young person who was a member of the Church of England, who became my wife, and was found to be one of God’s elect vessels of mercy, and who died in the faith in August, 1880. Her memoriam was recorded in the Gospel Herald, in the November number of the same year. After marriage, I was in God’s providence removed from Grundisburgh to the town of Eye. Here I felt a stranger in a strange land, being separated from every known friend, and away from the privilege of the means of grace. First I went to the Baptist chapel at Eye, but finding it was an open Church, I left and went to Horham, and heard Matthew Harvey, a plain servant of Jesus Christ, under whose preaching I got spiritual profit; but as the distance was much greater than to the small cause of truth at Occold, I left Horham, and went to Occold in 1839. At that time a farm labourer preached there, and, singular to relate, the first prayer I heard him offer up took such a hold of my heart, that I felt that was the place I must attend for worship, and in the Divine leading, I and my dear wife commenced to attend there regularly. It was a small clay-brick chapel, and a small congregation of the poor of this world, but some of them rich in faith. I undertook to conduct the singing, which appeared the means of drawing people to the chapel for miles around, some of whom were caught in the Gospel net. At the time I went they were raising their minister 10s. 6d. per quarter. I made an appeal to the congregation on his behalf, and succeeded in raising him over £5 per quarter. There was also a debt upon the chapel of £70, and I arranged with the Church to hold an anniversary service, and obtained Brethren Collins, Wright and Cooper to come and preach. They did so, and at two anniversaries the debt was paid off, and, the place being too strait for the congregation, the chapel was enlarged, the outlay being upwards of £80; and, by holding two more anniversaries, the money was raised and the debt discharged. Thus the hand of the Lord was seen to the glory of His holy name. It was at this time, under the preaching of the Word and conversation with aged, godly men, my mind became further enlightened and established in the doctrines of free and distinguishing grace of the Gospel of the blessed God. In the month of May, 1841, I went over to a baptismal service at Grundisburgh, and saw my cousin, William Harris, and several others baptized by Mr. Collins. It was at that service I became decided to give myself up to follow the Lord fully, and to join the Church at Grundisburgh. I revealed my mind to Mr. Collins, and messengers were appointed to see me, and on a Lord’s-day in July, 1841, I went before the Church, and related the Lord’s dealings with my soul, and was accepted, baptized, and received into Church that day, and a memorable day it was in my life’s history. After this I kept attending regularly at Occold, except on ordinance days, when I went to Grundisburgh; and, being over there the first Lord’s-day in July, 1843, and that day being one for public prayer in the afternoon, Mr. Collins, in the presence of a very large assembly, asked me to engage in prayer. I rose with great solemnity of mind and an enlargement of heart in pleading at God’s throne. In the meeting there was an aged and retired minister of the Gospel, Daniel Wilson, who preached many years at Tunstall faithfully and successfully, who came to me and asked if I did not think I could talk to sinners from God’s Word, showing them God’s way of salvation through Christ crucified. I replied, “I did not think I had that gift.” “Well,” he said, “I think you have, and you will have to exercise it.” His words abided much with me, and in attending the weekly prayer meeting at Occold (conducted by the great-grandfather of Shadrach Ling, the leading deacon now at Occold), I was pressed in those meetings to read and expound portions of the Bible, the result of which was our numbers in the meetings increased from 20 to 50 hearers, which led Mr. Revell, the minister, to attend and conduct the services himself, which excluded me from the exercise. After this, Mr. Collins invited me to go to Grundisburgh, and take the morning service on a baptizing occasion, which I did, and I was invited to supply several pulpits around. At about the same time I commenced speaking in several villages; and in the month of February, 1845, for the first time, I was invited to preach at Rishangles. This was on a week evening. I went, but, although invited by the friends again and again, as they had no stated minister, I did not go for several months. In 1846 my cousin, William Harris, engaged to supply them, which he did nearly or quite twelve months, driving fifteen miles every Lord’s-day morning. In 1847 my cousin asked me to supply one Lord’s-day in a month to relieve and assist him, as the distance from his home was so great, which I consented to do; the result was that the friends fixed on me as their future pastor; and, through my cousin giving up supplying, a requisition, signed by nearly 80 friends, was sent to me to serve them. This I submitted to Mr. Collins, who decided that I must go, saying he viewed it as a call from God to the work. I accordingly, but very reluctantly, went. In a little time many souls were quickened under the Word by the Holy Ghost. Then came the inquiry, what could be done? Under God, we spoke to Mr. Collins about it, and he advised three baptized believers to join the Church at Grundisburgh, and for us to become a branch from them. This was done, and a baptistry being made, Mr. Collins came over, and baptized 45 persons, on the profession of their faith in the Lord Jesus, our numbers then being upwards of 50. We had our dismission from Grundisburgh, and were formed into a church on the 1st day of May, 1849, when I received an unanimous call to the pastorate, to which I consented; and, by the help and sustaining grace and mercy of God, I have continued to this time sowing the seed of the Word beside all waters, through evil and through good report, in days of great prosperity and in scenes of much adversity! But my hope in God still abides, and that through His sovereign grace I shall hold on my way till He shall say, “It is enough; come up higher.”
The photo. I send you by request was taken in my 76th year. My father, Joseph Harris, was a praying man, and a good supporter of the cause at Grundisburgh; he resided in the Hall Farm there. There were eight of us in family; four died when I was a child, a dear brother and sister died in the faith a few years ago. I have now only one brother left, a godly man, and a friend to the cause of which Mr. W. Gill is pastor. I have been called to pass through deep waters of affliction lately, but the Lord is my stay and everlasting strength. Amen.
George Harris (1814-?) was a Strict and Particular Baptist preacher. In 1849, he was appointed the pastor of a newly organized church at Rishangles, Suffolk, the congregation frequently filling the 220 seat chapel.
