The Life And Ministry Of Hiram Maycock
Earth Vessel 1895:
The Late Mr. Hiram George Maycock
In compliance with the request of many friends, I herewith send a few details with respect to the life, call by grace, and ministerial career of our late friend and brother, H. G. Maycock.
He was born in India, near Delhi, on December 3rd, 1823 (his father being of the military profession), and brought to this country when about fifteen months old. At the age of thirteen he was apprenticed to his uncle (Mr. Swift, an extensive boot and shoe manufacturer, who was a rigid Roman Catholic, who had a form of daily devotion observed in his family, tracts read from “The Garden of the Soul,” “Fenelon’s Sermons,” “The Writings of Thomas a Kempis,” and other Roman Catholic works). This acted, for the time being, as some check on his conscience. Having previously been a very wicked youth, notwithstanding the endeavours of his father, who was a man of high moral principle, to teach him morality, and the duty of attending public worship on the Lord’s-day.
After he left his uncle’s service he had more liberty and greater opportunity of running a course of iniquity and rebellion against God, which he eagerly pursued for a series of years. Several checks now and again intervened to interrupt his progress in the downward career, but he was finally stopped on the road to endless woe one Lord’s-day evening as he was going to Cremorne Gardens to indulge in sinful pleasure. Hearing singing when near Cadogan Pier, he stopped and listened to it, and also to the address which followed. The portion of Scripture the preacher took for his text was Prov. 23:17,18-viz., “Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long; for surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.” The discourse made a deep and vivid impression on his mind, and at the close he followed the preacher and others to a prayer-meeting in an adjoining cottage. Here, being unable to prevent his feelings finding vent in sobs and groans, was noticed by the company, and spoken to by an aged woman, who became the instrument in the hand of God in leading him to the fountain opened for sin. She directed him to the blood of Christ as cleansing from all sin, and in a moment he felt his burden gone, which, although he had persisted in his evil practices, had often been felt as a dreadful load on his conscience. He joined his new friends the Wesleyans and took an active part as a class leader, trustee of a chapel, tract distributor, and preacher.
In the year 1850 he went to reside at Brighton, and was induced to join the Primitive Methodists, with whom he continued some years, preaching the Gospel of salvation from his own feelings in the work; and from the seals God had given him, he felt persuaded he had been called by God to preach the Word of life. He read several articles in the Earthen Vessel written by the Strict Baptist ministers, and was convinced by the articles in question, that his ministry was not four- square with the Word of God, and at once resigned his connection with the Primitive Methodists, was ultimately baptized by the late C. W. Banks, and received into full communion with the Church worshipping at Unicorn-yard Chapel, June 2nd, 1861. He then was invited to supply at several Strict Baptist Churches, and received many invitations or calls to the ministry, but preferred to settle down with the Church worshipping at Bethel Chapel, Old Ford. Ultimately the place became too small for the congregation, and the Church removed to Hope Baptist Chapel, Norton-street, Bethnal Green. Here his ministry was greatly blessed to the ingathering of many precious souls. However, he shortly afterwards accepted an invite from the Church at Woolwich, which proved an injudicious step, as he passed through some very trying circumstances, which brought about his retirement from the ministry.
He removed to London, and attended the service of God at the Surrey Tabernacle, but did not make himself known. He told the writer he could not intrude upon the hospitality of his many kind friends, and preferred sweeping a crossing in the street to any fawning or obsequious conduct. He adopted a very humble method to obtain a honest livelihood by selling cough-drops and pills in the marketing localities of the Metropolis for some time. The writer sort him out, and had a long conversation with him with respect to the Lord’s dealings with him. He said that the Lord had been very merciful to him, and although he had passed through deep sorrow he acknowledged, though chastened, he had not been forsaken by the Lord.
Being instructed by several causes of truth to obtain supplies for them, I introduced our late brother to several places, and was found very acceptable. He preached many times at Dunmow, Saffron Walden, Tring, Dunstable, Cottenham, Bexley, and other places. At the latter cause he laboured for five years, and was ultimately chosen pastor of that Church, which he resigned on account of ill-health last summer, but continued to serve them as a supply until the end of October, 1894.
His last sermon was preached at Grays, on the occasion of their harvest thanksgiving, from Mark 4:28. Here he contracted a severe chill, which resulted in congestion of the lungs and influenza, which terminated his earthly career, on December 28th last, at the age of 71. I frequently visited him, and found his mind full of anticipation to be with his Lord and Saviour, who he delighted to serve, “and was not,” he said, “ashamed of the truths he preached. He longed to be with Jesus, and to be free from the body of sin.” His end was sweet, calm, and peaceful; and may our last end be like his.
J. Sanders
Hiram George Maycock (1823-1895) was a Strict and Particular Baptist preacher. He began his ministry with the Methodists, but came to embrace the teachings of the Strict and Particular Baptists. He was appointed pastor of a couple churches, among which was that congregated at Bexley.
