The Life And Ministry Of George Webb

Earthen Vessel 1894:

Mr. George Webb

Dear Brother,—My late beloved brother, Mr. George Webb, was born near Victoria-park, London, of God-fearing parents in the year 1827, and was suddenly called home on October 17, 1894. He was the child of many prayers; he grew up strictly moral; when quite young attended chapel with his parents, went to Sunday-school, and, when about fifteen years of age, became a teacher. That with his morality, attendance at chapel, saying prayers, teaching in the school at the age of sixteen years, he had become a decided self-righteous young man, trusting to his moral virtue, so making a righteousness of the supposed good deeds he had done. As I had been mercifully taught the only way of salvation was by sovereign grace, through the obedience and sufferings of Christ, the necessity of regeneration and sanctification of the Holy Spirit, that caused us to disagree upon religious matters. I often tried to convince him of his error, but it produced no good effect, until, one day, I said, “George, I want to impress one portion of Scripture upon your mind which was spoken by the Lord; you will find it in John 3:7: “Ye must be born again.” Unless you are born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God much less enter into it; until you can tell me something about the effects of the new birth, do not talk to me again about religion, for I cannot enter into the subject as we do not agree.” Thankful to say, the Word entered his heart like an arrow from the bow of the Almighty. He did not speak to me any more about the subject for nearly eighteen months. At the end of that time he opened his mind to me, telling me the effect the words had upon his mind when I spoke them to him. The words kept ringing in his ears night and day, “Ye must be born again,” which made him very unhappy; then the law was brought home to his conscience with power, so that he was soon made to see that “by the deeds of the law, no flesh could be justified” in the sight of God, for the Word declared that “He who offendeth in one point is guilty of all.”

He was then led to see that salvation was all of grace through what Christ had done for sinners. Now all his confidence in his good works came to an end, and he was humbled before God as a poor lost sinner, praying for mercy and pardon through the atonement of Christ, saying in the language of the poet:—

“Was it for crimes that I have done

He groaned upon the tree?”

And,

“’Tis a point I long to know.”

Sometimes hope would spring up, then, again, fears would prevail. He had now come to a firm conclusion, that if ever he was saved, it must be by sovereign grace; but his great fear was that he was not one of the chosen ones, so he was much tempted to give it all up and think no more about it; but he could not. He said he was like Paul, he wanted to be found in Christ, not having mine own righteousness on, but clothed upon with the justifying righteousness of Christ. Much more he told me, but I think I have said sufficient. I then tried to encourage him by reminding him of the many blessed promises, and assured him, that what he was seeking he would soon find. I then took him by the hand as a brother in the Lord; and we have lived in unbroken fellowship for nearly fifty years.

He was led in the providence of God to hear the late Mr. George Wyard preach from Rom 8:1. Under that sermon the Lord set his soul at liberty— he came home and told me the good news which caused us to rejoice together. He then joined the Church under the pastorate of the late Mr. W. Chamberlain, where he continued till he became a settled Pastor in the year 1854. He was deeply exercised about the ministry; he opened his mind to me about the matter, and his great concern and complaint was his lack of ability for the all-important work, fearing lest be should take it upon himself without being sent. I told him, if the Lord intended him for the ministry, He would give him the ability and make his way plain. I also told him, if a door was opened to go and do his best, as I believed it would soon be made clear and manifest that he was called to the work.

After this, he received an invitation from the Church at Tadworth. When he received the letter, he brought it to me full of trouble, not knowing what to do. I said, Go by all means, trusting in the Lord. When the time came he went, feeling full of fear, but the Lord mercifully helped him, so that he was invited to go again. From time to time doors were opened for him, and he supplied various Churches for some time. Eventually, the Church in White-street, Moorfields, gave him a call to the pastorate, which he accepted. All went well for a time—God blessed the Word to many—but a reverse took place, so he resigned his charge. Then the Church, under the pastorate of the late Mr. James Nunn, at Camden Town, engaged him to preach for them while their pastor was laid aside by affliction, which ended in death. They then gave him an invitation to the pastorate, which he accepted. He remained with that Church eleven years. He went from there to Laxfield for a short time, then to Maidstone, afterwards to Dover, thence back to London, where, for the last three years of his life, he acceptably supplied various Churches in London and country; also, following the leadings of Providence, he found a spiritual home with the Church at Limehouse, under the pastoral care of Mr. F. C. Holden, whose ministry he was wont to speak very highly, for he delighted to listen to the opening up of the Word in harmony with his belief of the truth, as set forth by the doctrines of distinguishing grace, and often expressed his gratitude to the Lord for bringing him to “Elim,” where his soul rejoiced in the freeness and fulness of the Gospel, which he also loved to proclaim in the hearing of the Lord’s people; also the prayer-meeting on Monday evenings was a very happy hour indeed with him among the dear friends, and never absent, only when serving his Lord by engagement at other Churches.

Just a week before his death, he came to Southampton to preach our anniversary sermons. He was evidently under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, for the Word came with much power, the friends enjoying the two encouraging discourses. The following day we spent the whole time together, and truly our communion was sweet. When he was leaving me at the station, he said, “If we never meet again in the flesh it is well with us, we shall meet above.” From what he said then, and at different times, he quite thought he should be taken suddenly like our dear father. 

We can truly say, Sudden death was sudden glory to him; also, “Absent from the body, present with the Lord.” May my last end be like his, is the prayer of 

Yours in the best of bonds,

William Webb

Funeral Of The Late George Webb

On Wednesday, Oct. 24, 1894, we set out in the drenching rain to pay the last tribute of affection to the memory of the genial and respected man of God George Webb; and amid the sorrowful surroundings, we had our thoughts directed (by the glimpses of the sun, which, now and again, shone through the heavy black looking clouds) to the glorious fact that our dear brother is now basking in the rays of the “Sun of Righteousness,” enjoying that rest which remaineth for the people of God. Arriving in good time at the Tower Hamlet’s Cemetery, Bow, it was soon noticeable “that something more than an ordinary funeral was to take place this wet afternoon.”

The funeral having been announced for 2 o’clock, at the Cemetery Chapel, there was a goodly number present before that hour was reached, which increased, so that the doors of the chapel were left open, and by the time brother F. C. Holden, of Elim, Limehouse, announced the hymn—”Blest are the dead, for ever blest, Who in the Lord of glory die,” the place was filled, many having to stand throughout the service in the porch. After singing, brother Holden read several appropriate passages of Holy Scripture, and Mr. R. E. Sears prayed, followed by Mr. Burrows, of Camden Town, an old friend of the departed, announcing hymn—,

“Our much-loved brother’s gone,

To reign among the just.”

Brother Holden then, in a touching way, gave a brief address, referring to the closing minutes of the life, now, more fully “hid with Christ in God;” he graphically portrayed the end, and although feeling still the shock naturally, yet he rejoiced because he was now with Jesus, which is far better.

He told us how earnestly at Ponder’s End, on that fatal night, he spoke of his Lord and His goodness, and he vividly pictured him now with his Lord. And so, whilst sympathising with his family and the Church, it was the desire of many a heart, that this might be sanctified, so that the children should be, led to say, our father’s God is our God too. We crave this blessing for them, for Christ’s sake; and thus would we worship our God, even here, and as we do so, we record a victory, for he has fought and won, and is now at home and at rest.

“Beyond the gloom of death, Our thoughts and wishes rise,” was sung. Then William Webb, of Southampton (brother to the deceased), in tones of tenderness and affection, spoke, and said, he was there with mingled feelings. It was a solemn pleasure, he said. I remember him being born, I remember him being born again, I being the honoured instrument used of God for its accomplishment. We have been brothers 68 years, brethren in the Lord 50 years, and fellow-labourers in the kingdom of Christ as ministers 40 years. Pathetically, he turned to the family, and prayed God that this sad circumstance might be blessed to them all; the sweetness and earnestness of the remarks touched all hearts and nearly all eyes.

Mr. Griffiths, brother-in-law, prayed, which concluded the service in the chapel.

At the grave, quite near the chapel, brother Holden committed the body to the tomb. Mr. Beecher, of Shouldham-street, gave out hymn—“‘Earth to earth’—we lay to rest, All that’s mortal of our friend.” Mr. J. Parnell, of Rehoboth, Stepney, prayed; the benediction being pronounced by brother Holden: the praises being ably led by William Pallett, jun., of Ebenezer, Waltham Abbey. Amongst the large company considering the weather, we noticed: Messrs. R. E. Sears, Little Alie-street; several friends, Eden, Ponder’s End; Ash and Pallett, Ebenezer, Waltham Abbey; Chisnall and Buckland, Providence, Highbury; J. W. Banks, &c., Mount Zion, Chadwell- street; J. Parnell, Rehoboth, Stepney; W. Archer, Acton Tabernacle; E. Marsh, &c., Gurney-road, Stratford; Burrows, &c., Camden Town; several friends, Shaftesbury-avenue, Soho; F. C. Holden, &c., Elim, Limehouse; Noyes, Bond, Gibbons, Bethel, Poplar; Beecher, Shouldham-street.

“The Spared Life”