The Life And Ministry Of James Dearsly

Earthen Vessel 1889:

The Late James Herbert Dearsly, Baptist Minister.

“What is it for a saint to die,

That we the thought should fear!

‘Tis but to pass the heavenly sky;

And leave pollution here.”

The earth has lost another grain of salt, and Zion another chorister, while the Church triumphant has gained a further accession to its already numerous host.

“To aid the song, a palm to bear,

And bow the chief of sinners there.”

Another faithful watchman has been taken from the walls of Zion, who could and did tell the hour of the night. “The morning cometh, and also the night”; one who waited for his Lord more than they that watched for the morning, and he watched not in vain, for now “he is not,” for his God has taken him.

James Herbert Dearsly died on Monday, July 1, 1889, according to the time appointed by infinite wisdom, in a good age, and full of years, and was gathered unto his people, and “devout men carried him to his burial.”

Our brother was born of believing parents, but, like his Lord, very little is known of the days of his childhood. It seems, however, that having been “loved with an everlasting love,” he was drawn by loving-kindness to His feet in early life, and was baptized by Mr. Chamberlain, of Jubilee-street, Stepney. The work of grace appears to have been shallow at the onset, but afterwards deepened, chiefly through being brought under the powerful ministrations of Mr. Philpot. To one special occasion he often referred, which was when this most useful man of God preached upon Jeremiah 48:11: “Moab has been at ease from his youth, and he has settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed.” This sermon, by the power of the Holy Spirit, entered into his soul, and brought him into a deeper experience of the truth of God than he had ever known, and he realized that God’s “commandments were exceeding broad.” How long he remained in this anxious state, or to what depths he was led, is not known, but it seems that Mr. Mackenzie was honoured of God as the means of bringing him into the liberty of the Gospel through a sermon on Zechariah 7:17: “How great is His goodness, how great is His beauty,” &c. The result of which was, that he was very shortly afterwards sent forth by the Spirit of God to tell to poor sinners round what a dear Saviour he had found. His own words, in the preface of his book on Salvation, are: “When I was first visited with the joy of God’s salvation, it became my great concern to enquire and search the Bible, and after anxious and diligent research, I wished to be used, in some way, to tell of the Saviour and His acts of saving grace towards and among the children of men. This feeling is strong still. This has prompted this essay on Salvation.”

Doors were soon opened for him to preach the glad tidings of salvation by grace, hither and thither. It was about this time that I became acquainted with him, now upwards of thirty years since, as we itinerated together, and many Churches were visited by him, to whom he preached Christ, whilst following his handicraft during the week, and among those Churches was ours at Clapham, where his ministrations were most favourably received, till ultimately, he became pastor of the Baptist Church at Forest-road (as is well known), where he continued for seventeen years, to the edification of the Church worshipping there, and to the salvation of sinners. He resigned his pastorate some few years ago, since which time, till within a few weeks of his end, he occupied the pulpits of different Churches, much to their approval and profit.

Our brother possessed a superior mind, his preaching was very sound, full of Christ, and of experimental truth; and his sermons were the result of much prayerful and thoughtful meditation, as all who heard him will readily testify. His idea of the ministry is thus expressed by himself, in the preface of his work before alluded to:—

“To show the wisdom of God work is fitted for men engaged in teaching and preaching. To do this in an approved way, and with help to the enquiring and needy, is worth all the time and service the servants of the Lord can devote to it.”

Our brother’s health had been failing since Easter, but he was able to continue his loved employment of preaching the Gospel until Lord’s-day, June 9, 1889, when he preached, at Hornsey, his last sermons—the morning text being Isa. 49:10, “They shall not hunger nor thirst,” &c.; and the evening, John 14:16, “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Comforter”; closing the service with hymn 1,010 (Denham’s Selection):—

“Glory is the destined station.

For the Lord’s peculiar race:

Some of every tribe and nation.

These shall meet to see His face,” &c.

The friends at Hornsey were much impressed by his earnest and affectionate manner in presenting the Lord’s gracious leadings to the congregation, and the fervour with which he commended them to God and to the word of His grace, and they felt that these sermons would be his last, and so it proved, for very shortly after his return home, he was obliged to take to his bed. His mind was kept very peaceful all through his illness, and quite clear to the last. Among other expressions which he uttered were the following:—”I am longing to go to the mansion prepared”: “I am a citizen of another city, the rest of which I am longing to enjoy.”

It may well be said of our dear brother that he was, by the grace of God, a good and faithful man. In his family circle he was most affectionate, and in his business most conscientious, which he relinquished a few years since. He has left a widow and grown-up family to mourn his loss, and the Churches are “sorrowing most of all that they shall see his face no more.”

“Send help, O Lord, we pray,

And Thine own Gospel bless,

For godly men decay,

And faithful pastors cease;

The righteous are removed home,

Oh, send more labourers in their room.”

Henry Hall

Clapham