The Life And Ministry Of A. E. Realff

Earthen Vessel 1890:

Recognition Of Mr. A. E. Realff As Pastor, Buildford

In the afternoon of January 20, Mr. J. Box most kindly supplied for W. J. Styles, who was incapacitated through illness. Proceeding to explain in a most lucid and affectionate manner the nature of a Gospel Church: its privileges and duties, our dear brother took for his text Dan. 10:21, first clause. Very sweetly and encouragingly was he led into the subject, and a goodly company of appreciative hearers listened to his instructive and admonitory utterances. The schoolroom was well filled at the tea. At the evening meeting, Mr. E. Mitchell, the former pastor, asked the usual questions, Mr. Realff’s answers to which will be found below. He then called upon Mr. J. Billing to relate the providential circumstances that led to the present settlement, which were remarkable, and uttered with much feeling. Mr. Mitchell, having requested the members of the Church to show their approval by all standing and holding up their right hand. Mr. Billing then gave most heartily to the pastor-elect the right hand of fellowship in the name of the Church; after which our brother Mitchell offered the ordination prayer, and delivered a most earnest and affectionate charge to the pastor from John 21:16. There was a crowded congregation, and many testified that they found it good to be there. 

Call By Grace

I have reason to hope that I was made a subject of divine quickening very early in life, even before I could read; and, if so, clearly it was God’s sovereign work alone, and not brought about by anything I did, or could do. While my father was at chapel on the Lord’s-day, my dear mother was in the habit of instructing me in Dr. Watts’ catechism and hymns. My evil nature evidenced itself in dislike to, and rebellion against, these exercises; for I hated the Catechism, the Sabbath, and even the dear relative who manifested such deep concern about my soul. But at length, on one occasion I well remember that when my mother called me, I experienced a total change of feeling. Quite suddenly, yet powerfully, all my hatred to religion was taken away, and in place thereof there immediately sprang up in my mind a positive love of, and desire for, these catechetical instructions. This feeling melted and subdued me: so much so, that never afterwards do I remember to have shirked any religious exercise. 

I now began to fear God; and, as I grew in years, I became more and more anxious to please Him. This fear of the Lord kept me from bad associations, and from many evil practices. When eleven years of age, we removed from London to Croydon, and, as a consequence, I was transferred from Mr. Chapman’s Academy to a large public school. Here the moral tone of the instruction was high, and Mr. Drage, the excellent head master, was in the habit of reading the Scriptures, and praying with his scholars every morning. These sacred lessons and prayers often proved more helpful to me that the long, hard sermons which I heard on the Lord’s-day. Mr. Drage’s religious sentiments were, however, Arminian, and I gradually imbibed them. My parents were Calvinists, though not Baptists. 

In about two or three years’ time I became very dissatisfied with the chapel I attended with my parents. There was no Sabbath-school or Bible-class for the young; the singing was bad; and, though doubtless the minister was a good and gracious man, his mode of presenting the Gospel was not at all to my mind. I was now a pupil teacher in Mr. D’s school; and, the services becoming more and more distasteful to me, with my parents’ permission (reluctantly given) I took to going to Church, where I was delighted to find the services orderly, tasteful, and attractive, and the musical part decently rendered. The Church I attended was close to my parental home, and therefore convenient. But I grieve to say that ritualistic doctrines and practices, one after another, were gradually introduced. The change Romeward was so gradual, that I did not perceive it; and so, little by little, I imbibed ritualistic sentiments, and grew enamored of them. 

By-and-bye, the time arrived for me to enter a training college. I received an invitation from the principal of Culham, close to Oxford University. Here I took up my residence for two years. The services at the college chapel, which we were all required to attend at least twice every day, were highly ritualistic. Some of the tutors, and many of the students, were most pronounced in that direction. Several also of the books on the library shelves were quite popish in their tendency, advocating auricular confession and other Romish practices, but under a specious veil called “Anglicanism.” I was but nineteen years of age at the time of my commending to study here. I managed to make some progress in secular subjects, and, alas, in religious corruption also. My mind became more and more drawn away from the simplicity of the Gospel, and God was pleased for a time to give me up to the delusions that were around me. Thus I continued for four or five years after quitting the college, wandering farther and farther from the truth, until I had got about as far as it was possible to go in the way of error—that is, in doctrine. I was meanwhile most anxious to please God and save my soul, practicing much austerity, and self-denial, and fancying myself very religious. During all this period I was preserved in the path of virtue, and had an intense hatred of all moral evil. Thus, by the mercy of God, I was kept from outward sin, and my good character among men was still unsullied. 

And now came a wondrous change. I was somehow aroused to perceive the dangerous tendency of the awful errors I had imbibed. This led me to recommence the study of God’s Word, which had long been all but laid aside. I became troubled in spirit as my eyes were opened, and began to cry unto God not to leave me to myself. I rose early in those days, for I was anxious and almost distracted; and, taking my Testament I read and cried to God, as I walked out into the country. 

Gradually, but very effectually, the Lord was pleaded to teach me, and to raise up hope in my despairing soul. So distracted did I become, that I lost my appetite, all enjoyment of life—yea, and almost my very sense! The conflict I then went through neither tongue nor pen can describe. The very remembrance of it, though many years have elapsed, is exquisitely painful. 

One day, in the course of these early readings, I was led to Romans, fourth chapter. When I came to the fifth and following verses, my eyes were suddenly opened to behold what Luther saw on that memorable occasion when he ascended to Santa Scala at Rome—viz., the doctrine of justification by faith alone. It was as though heaven had opened; and I was ready to die of joy, for at the very moment when for the first time in my life I saw the doctrine, my own personal interest therein was revealed also. Then, indeed, did the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb did sing. I had waited patiently upon the Lord, and now He had “inclined unto me and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” He likewise “put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God; many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.”

Call To The Ministry

Soon after this, I removed to Edmonton to start a new school there. I attended Mr. Russell’s ministry, my mouth was opened when called upon to engage in prayer, and I felt constrained to present myself as a candidate for membership without baptism, Mr. Russell’s Church being one of the Open Communion order. I had not hitherto been led to consider that matter as of any importance. But now, as baptisms were frequently taking place there, I borrowed a book from one of my fellow- members—a Mr. Martin, who is, I believe, at the present time an Open Baptist pastor at Erith. After carefully perusing this book—Dr. Cramp’s “Baptist History”—I returned it to my friend, saying, “I was not aware that you Baptists had so much argument on your side.”

It was while at Edmonton that I was first called to preach. I was repeatedly requested to assist at a little Congregational Chapel, both in the Sunday-school and in the pulpit. At first I refused, feeling totally incapable; but at length, being further entreated again and again, I thought it was God’s call, and resolved to try. Finding myself assisted, I grew bolder. Mr. Russell, about this time, started a Lay Preacher’s Association, and desired me to join it, which I did, for I greatly respected him as my pastor, and had derived much benefit from his ministry. One of the deacons also, being a London City missionary, gave me opportunity frequently to speak in his mission-rooms. God was pleased to bless these my first feeble efforts to at least a few precious souls. Other engagements, all quite gratuitous, now followed, as at Mr. Russell’s week-night services, Tottenham Congregational Church on Sunday afternoons, Ponder’s End Congregational, &c.

My school not succeeding as I desired, I gave it up, and accepted the Mastership of the Endowed School, Sawbridgeworth. Becoming increasingly convinced that believers’ baptism was right, and the duty of every disciple, I submitted to the ordinance at Bishop Stortford, there being no Baptist minister of any kind at Sawbridgeworth. My services on the Lord’s-day and at other times gradually increased, so that I had frequent calls to supply in various towns and villages in Herts and Essex; until I was told, for the first time, by one of the trustees of my school, that it was against the deeds for the master to be a preacher of the Gospel. I respectfully informed him that I was not an ordained minister of any denomination whatever, and that my services were entirely voluntary and quite gratuitous. But this important functionary was inexorable. I appealed to some of the other trustees, and reminded them that no stipulation of this nature had been made at my engagement; but they as good as said I must give up the preaching or the school—they preferred the former. Accordingly I gave up preaching for some months; but God’s Word was like a”fire in my bones.” O what an exercise this matter was to me! My mouth had been opened to speak in the Lord’s name, contrary to my own inclination, and He had been pleased to bless my testimony. Was I right in pursuing my present course? I consulted several esteemed friends, but chiefly sought direction from the Lord.

At length I received in a somewhat remarkable manner an unexpected call to preach for two Sabbaths only, with a decided view to the pastorate, at Potter-street, Harlow, four miles from Sawbridgeworth. The retiring pastor called upon me personally, and urged me to go. Of course the matter was laid before God in very earnest prayer. It was a hazardous undertaking, for I thought I was not likely to be called to the pastorate, but more likely should be served with a notice to resign my school. I felt nevertheless constrained to go, and leave the issue with God. I had a hearty and unanimous call, accepted it at once, and gave my trustees three months’ notice thereof.

In this Open Baptist pastorate I labored for eight years, viz., from March, 1878, to December, 1885, God granting me many seals, and leading me more deeply into His truth. The subject of Strict Communion also began to exercise my mind, though I had not a single friend or acquaintance of that way of thinking, nor ever had. I had a very dear friend residing at Gravesend, Mr. Gipps, a retired pastor of my Church, who had kindly presented me at different times with several good and useful books. Among these I found “Kinghorn on Strict Communion.” I read this work with care and with prayer, and it convinced me that the Strict Baptists were right. About this time the Baptist Union, to which I then belonged, invited a Unitarian minister to take part in their annual session. This decided me. I saw at once the danger to doctrine, as well as discipline, which Open Communion brought, and felt convinced that though the Strict Baptists were a comparatively small denomination, it was clearly my duty to help them. After prayerful consideration. I wrote to my nearest Strict Baptist neighbour (though a total stranger), viz., Mr. Bowles, of Hertford. That good brother most kindly responded, and arranged with brother Winters (another perfect stranger at that time) that we should have a meeting together, and prayerfully talk over the matter. Mr. Winterton, one of Mr. Bowles’s deacons, very kindly offered his house for the meeting, and I was most cordially received by them all. The result was that brother Winters took considerable pains and that in the kindest manner, to introduce me to various Churches of the Strict denomination, and I supplied in this way occasionally during a period extending over about twelve months, and then accepted the call of the friends at Dunstable to take the pastoral oversight of that Church, where I have been enabled to labour for the past four years under the Divine blessing, and not without success. My reasons for resigning that pastorate are well known, and I cannot but think I have been now Divinely led to Guildford.

Doctrinal Basis Of Preaching

The doctrines I purpose to preach are what are generally known as Evangelical and Calvinistic, viz.,—That the Scriptures, both the Old and the New Testament, are the Word of God, and our infallible and only guide in Divine things. That there are three co-equal persons in the Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. That the first man was created in innocence, but fell by the temptation of the devil, which fall corrupted the whole human race. so that all men are by nature sinful and perverse. That, according to the eternal covenant made between the persons in the Godhead before the world was, a number whom no man can number (though certain and definite in the mind of God), of the sons and daughters of Adam were chosen unto salvation, and predestinated of the Father to be conformed unto the image of Christ. In the fulness of time the Word was made flesh, in order that He might fulfill the law, and suffer for sin, in the behalf of all such, and of these only: for whom He thus became the Surety, Substitute, and Redeemer. Every one of these, called God’s elect, becomes in time quickened by God the Spirit, is enabled to repent and believe, to live a comparatively holy life, and to persevere in the same unto the end, being justified freely from all sin by the atonement and righteousness of Christ freely imputed unto them; and sanctified in a measure by the indwelling of His Spirit, though the remains of inbred corruption continue in their mortal nature until death. Furthermore, we find it plainly revealed in the Sacred Word that it is the will of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master, that every renewed soul should make a profession of faith and repentance by being immersed in water in the name of the Sacred Trinity, be united in fellowship with other believers, and participate in the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper, because He has said, “This do,” &c. The latter ordinance is not to be received but by baptized believers only. The public preaching of the Gospel is also to be perpetually attended to, as a Divinely-appointed means for the edification of believers, and for the ingathering of sinners and the extension of the Church. For although it is not in the natural power of man to repent and believe unto the saving of the soul, it is by the ordinance of preaching that the Holy Ghost usually works in the minds of hearers toward the accomplishment of this purpose. It is also revealed in the Sacred Word that there will be a resurrection of the body, in the case of all true believers unto everlasting glory, and also a resurrection of the wicked unto eternal condemnation. 

These doctrines, involving the absolute necessity of a change of heart, evidenced by a gracious experience and a holy walk, and producing good works for the glory of God and the benefit of men, it has been my privilege and joy to advance by tongue and pen, and to endeavour to illustrate in my own daily life, for some years past; and I trust that by the help of God I may continue so to labour for the advancement of the Strict Baptist Denomination, and the spread of the knowledge of the truth everywhere, but more especially in this town of Guildford.