The Life And Ministry Of James Griffith

Earthen Vessel 1896:

The Late Mr. James Griffith

For Many Years The Former Pastor Of “Hope,” Bethnal Green, And Ex-President Of The Metropolitan Association Of Strict Baptist Churches.

Mr. James Griffith was was born into this world of sin and sorrow in Temple-street, Southwark, in the year 1822. He was blessed with parents who were godly people, and were members of the Church under the pastoral care of the honoured Mr. Chinn. As a boy, he was lively and cheerful, very affectionate, obedient and happy in the company of his dear father, mother, brother and sister, but his brother Ambrose was more seriously inclined, whom the Lord in His mercy called by His grace, and was baptized, by Mr. Chinn, at the age of fifteen years, and joined the Church, where, after the service on Sunday evenings, a public prayer-meeting was held, and Ambrose used to kindly invite James to stay, who refused, but was, however, in the end prevailed upon to join them, and his brother was asked to pray. He so expressed himself, that the Lord might bless those who never prayed for themselves, and our friend was so convinced that he was one of those, that he was more attentive and diligent in his attendance of those meetings.

After Pastor Chinn’s decease, he went to hear Mr. George Clayton, York-street, Walworth, whose ministry was greatly blest to him, in instructing him in the divine Word as to his sinnership, and fully to realize there was no salvation apart from a personal interest in the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ. Thus, by the Spirit’s power, he was feeling his way to Jesus for pardon and peace, and after a time he was brought into the liberty of the Gospel; but owing to his firm belief in the ordinance of believers’ baptism by immersion as the Scriptural way into the Church of Jesus Christ, he could not join Mr. Clayton’s Church, and after seeking direction from the Lord, he was led to the ministry of Mr. James Smith, in New Park-street, Southwark, where he was much blest by being further instructed in the Word, his mind and heart being more firmly fixed upon the atonement of Christ as his law-fulfiller and substitute for his soul’s eternal salvation. He was led to propose himself a candidate for Church membership by baptism; his testimony was received, and he was baptized and received into fellowship. Here he found rest and communion for about eight years, occasionally venturing to speak a few words in the Master’s name to the coalmen at Bankside, not without some tokens of blessing.

After much seeking to be directed by the Lord, he found his way to Meards-court, Soho, during Mr. Bloomfield’s pastorate, who very kindly encouraged him forward:—

“To tell to sinners round

What a dear Saviour he had found,

Point to His redeeming blood,

And say, Behold the way to God.”

He preached before the Church three times acceptedly, and went out preaching the Gospel by their sanction and best wishes, until in the providence of God he was directed to the Church at Hayes, in Middlesex, being invited to take the oversight of the same, continuing to preach the Word with profit and success for a period of eight years, and retiring from his charge, he was invited to preach the Gospel at Woolwich, which he did for three years, but could not see his way clear enough to settle, so, for a little time, he again supplied the Churches until he received an invite to become pastor of “Hope,” Bethnal Green. 

After preaching on probation for twelve months, with some hesitation, desiring more fully to see the hand of the Lord in the call, on account of receiving a very pressing invite to settle over the Church at Foot’s Cray, in Kent. In the end, however, he was constrained to accept the call to the pastorate at “Hope,” where his ministry was attended with spiritual prosperity and blessing for several years; at one time, not a sitting to let. He served the Church for sixteen years, with much pleasure and happiness to himself and his friends; but the end came and he left, much to the regret and sorrow of those who esteemed him very highly for his work’s sake in preaching Jesus Christ.

The later years of his life he was fully occupied in preaching, more particularly at Hampstead, Camden Town, Barnet, and at our brother Meere’s Church, Bermondsey; but it pleased our covenant God to lay His afflicting hand upon him heavily. He suffered much, with patience and submission, knowing that in heaven he had “a more enduring substance,” sometimes speaking very blessedly to the confirmation of the faith in Jesus to those who listened to the same, and, in a conversation, a few days before he took to his bed, he said to his dear wife: “If the friends should inquire about the state of my mind, and, no doubt, they will he anxious to hear, please tell them I am firm on the Rock, and have not the slightest fear of death, the terror being removed by my precious Lord Jesus.”

About a fortnight before the end came, on Sunday morning, in the quiet of the small hours, he was very calm and said, with tearful eyes, “I am conscious I may wander in mind a little, therefore I will take my farewell of you, my dear wife, and my dear sister, and thank you both for the kind attention and loving care you have given me. I feel it hard to part, although I am so happy, because I have the feelings of a man and of a husband. (Here he paused for a few moments.) You have only to watch for the Master’s coming.” On the Wednesday after, at midnight, he burst forth and sung all the verses through of the hymn, “There is a land of pure delight,” also another, “Washed in the blood of the Lamb,” and the last words were—”I am going home, washed! Washed!” and may our last end be like his, Amen.

To this account little need be added. Affection’s hand has avoided most conscientiously affection’s fault, and used not one syllable in excess. James Griffith—one of quite the earliest of my ministerial friends, remained so to the end. That is much more than I can say of all.

I need only add that a goodly number of those who esteemed him very highly for his work’s sake, including brethren Theobald and Stockdale, his former deacons, followed him to the grave, that an impressive service was held, in which some of his old ministerial brethren took part, brother Holden pronouncing what, for once, might rightly be called the “funeral oration.” The last words were said—and the memorial sermon preached—from his old pulpit by the undersigned. If ever the words were rightly used, they were on that occasion:—“For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith, and much people was added unto the Lord” (Acts 11:24). 

George W. Shepherd

The Funeral took place on Friday, Decemher 20th, at the East London Cemetery, Plaistow, where he officiated as chaplain for seventeen years. G. W. Shepherd conducted the service, which commenced by singing, “Why do we mourn departing friends?” H. Myerson engaged in prayer, W. Webb read the Scriptures; hymn, “Come, let us join our friends above,” was sung, and a short prayer by G. W. Shepherd closed the service in the chapel. An address was given at the grave by F. C. Holden, and G. W. Shepherd offered prayer. Besides the widow and family connections of our departed brother, there were present the cemetery officials, by whom he was much respected, deacons and friends from “Hope,” Bethnal Green; “Elim,” Limehouse; “Mount Zion,” Bow, and others.

F. C. Holden