The Life And Ministry Of John Andrews

Earthen Vessel 1896:

Pastor John Andrews, Hilperton, Near Trowbridge, Wilts. 

Beloved Brother In The Lord,—ln acceding to your wish to give a brief account of my call by grace and also to the work of the ministry. I must of necessity omit various details, my time being limited, seeing I have much to attend to in connection with my removal [Removing from Ipswich, Suffolk, to Hilperton, near Trowbridge, Wilts., to enter upon the pastoral office there, June 7, 1896], as also fearing to trespass upon your valuable space. Therefore I hasten to commence with the fact that I was blest with godly parents (both members of a Strict Particular Baptist Church, i.e., meeting at Zoar Chapel, Ipswich, where with them I attended till I was about 16 years of age) and was the subject of many prayers, with godly teaching; but, alas! paid but little heed either to warnings, counsel, admonitions or reproof. When about 13 I began to have doubts about the reality of religion, seeing so much inconsistency on the part of some who were members of the Church, while the enemy of souls carefully blinded my eyes to the consistent walk of others. This was the first step to what followed after, for I soon came to the conclusion that the Bible was not of God, and had no hesitation in declaring religion a delusion and the Bible a lie.

It makes me tremble even now, when I think of it, and wonder I was not left to perish or cut off in my iniquity. But “Wonders of grace to God belong.”

At the age of 17, I went to live in Cambridge, and as my calling brought me into the colleges daily, I had opportunities of seeing into the life of the students, many of whom were being trained for “the Church” (?), and seeing the corrupt, filthy lives of the majority of them, and knowing that they would soon be dubbed “Reverend,” and become religious (?) teachers, my infidel notions were deepened, and I felt satisfied that my verdict was correct, and in addition, religion was only a money-getting system from beginning to end.

While here I was charged with being “a Baptist,” as it was known my parents were, I repudiated the charge with scorn, declaring my infidel principles, adding that, “If I took up religion it would not be the Baptists, as I hated them like I would poison.” Nevertheless, I spent one night in searching my reference Bible, my dear Father’s gift on leaving home, to see if baptism could be supported by it; and, to my utter astonishment, I found that if there was any truth in religion, the Baptists were right and no other section had the least support from the Bible. So I confessed the next day what I had done, and the result of it, stating that if I believed in the truth of religion I should be a Baptist. So the Lord made me a Baptist while I was an Infidel. Oh what a wonder working God.

Upon my removal from Cambridge I went for a short time to Norfolk, and while there made the highest game of religion, leading others to follow me in my infidel principles. From thence I went to live in Essex. The Lord’s time to call me by His grace was drawing near; but I must sink lower yet. Step by step the devil had been leading me down, first in doubting the truth of religion, esteeming it a delusion and, in some cases, I thought a happy one. Next doubting the truth of God’s Word, believing it to be only got up by priests to establish their money-getting system. Being then a confirmed infidel, it was only one step more; I took that one, and plunged into atheism, believing there was neither God or devil, heaven or hell. Now the enemy came upon me, I felt a hatred for every semblance of religion, and for everyone who professed it. Some kindly tried to shew me the truth. I hated them for it. My life was a misery to me. At last it became unbearable; Satan urged me to get out of it; as there was no hereafter there would be an end to it. At last I yielded to him, took a sharp knife, secreting it under my coat went into the cellar, bared my throat, and was just raising the knife to finish when a voice came out of the darkness, “Prove whether there is a God first.” My hand was stayed, the knife dropped out of it on to the floor. I rushed out of the cellar and into my bedroom, and fell on my knees crying in agony, “If there is a God reveal Thyself!” I prayed till the sweat rolled off me. At last I opened my neglected Bible; there I saw in bold letters, “The fool hath said in his heart there is no God.” It came with such power it sent me to my knees again, crying for mercy and forgiveness. After twenty minutes agonizing thus, again I went to the Word of truth, and oh, the riches of God’s grace and love. He spoke through His word so sweetly and powerfully that after praising Him I went down into business again, “A new creature in Christ Jesus,” with a heart so full of gratitude and praise best described by Colonel Gardiner in his life, a scrap of which laid on the counter, and on it:—

“Oh had I but an angel’s voice,

Whose sound would reach from pole to pole;

I would to all the listening world,

Declare His goodness to my soul.”

And, oh what changes I have passed through since then, and to this day Satan tempts me on the old line of doubting the truth of Christianity and also the truth of God’s Word. Oh, sometimes I wonder the dear Lord bears with me at all. Oh, what a wretched hell deserving sinner, but

“Tell it unto sinners tell,

I am, I am, out of hell.”

And sometimes when all is bright I can add, “And never shall be there.” But I must hasten to relate how I came to enter the ministry. 

The first intimation of it was given me soon after my call by grace being brought down in a severe illness to the gates of death, the nurse (a Christian woman), watching the crisis, expecting it would end in my death. I was lying in an unconscious condition, when I saw the heavens opened and my precious Lord sitting upon His throne surrounded by the angels and the redeemed, all of whom were beckoning me but the Lord; I felt grieved because He did not.

I wanted to go to Him, but the vision passed away and then this text was given to me, “I shall not die, but live to declare the works of the Lord.” I opened my eyes then, and nurse said, “Praise the Lord, you are going to live now; you are better.” I told her the text that had just been given me, “Ah,” she said, “then you will be a preacher.” I replied, “No! never; I can’t, and I won’t preach!” “Hush, my dear,” she replied; “you must not talk like that: it’s very wrong, and very wicked.” I replied, “I am angry; I wanted to go to heaven, I did not want to come back to earth.” I felt rebellious because I was disappointed.

Oh, what wondrous forbearance that I was not sent to hell in my rebellion. From that time I determined I would never preach, although I was pressed by friends to do so. I steadily refused. I afterwards joined an open communion Church, and was prevailed upon to address some young people at a prayer-meeting, and having done so two or three times, in the presence of the deacons, the Church offered to send me to college (Leeds Baptist), the Church bearing the expense. I thanked them for their kind offer, but declined, assuring them that if the Lord called me to the work He would qualify me for it, and that I dare not go to college for a qualification.

Some time after I was on a visit in the country, went with a young friend who was going to preach at the evening service. When nearly there he discovered he had left his Bible with the notes of his sermon at home, telling me he could not preach and that I must or the people would be disappointed. I refused, but he begged so hard at last I yielded; but oh, what trembling and fear possessed me I cannot express. At last in answer to earnest prayer, the dear Lord appeared for me and strengthened me, giving me the blessed text, “It is finished.” The Lord stood by me, and I afterwards heard that He blessed it to the quickening of two dead sinners into life and of liberating others who were in bondage. Yet with this encouragement I still hesitated. Occasionally I would go out, but mostly reluctantly.

At last, removing into Norfolk, I was led to itinerate in the villages, and then received a call to the pastorate of a small Baptist Church (open), which, after much prayer, I was led to accept, where I laboured for five years, often preaching four times on the Sunday and nearly every night in the week in surrounding villages. The Lord blessed the work, thirty-five souls being added to the Church during that period. Although Open Communion, yet doctrinally I preached as the Strict Particular Baptists, and had to endure much persecution in consequence. But the Lord was with me and delivered me. About twelve months before I left the dear Lord shewed me clearly that the open way was not His, so I was obliged to come out of it.

From there I went to Bungay, entering into business, resolving I would preach no more. I and my dear wife joined beloved brother Brand’s Church, and my dear brother soon set me to work again, either in the villages or at home for him when absent. My business did not prosper, so removed to Colchester, where I again was called to preach, but business failing there I returned to Ipswich, again resolving not to preach, but the Lord would not have it so. I was therefore sent to Chelmondiston, Stowmarket, and Little Stonham, where I eventually settled for about five years, then to Walsham-le-Willows for eighteen months, and from there into business again at Walton with the determination never to take a pastorate again, but was called to Waldringfield, where I laboured for seventeen and half years. My reasons for leaving there I need not go into, as it is given in Earthen Vessel for August 1895. I must not go into details of my call to Hilperton, Wilts., but pray that it may be manifest that it is of God.

To give a history of my chequered life, my several narrow escapes from death, my persecutions for the truth’s sake, being stoned, waylaid, beset, nearly drowned, wrecked, with the many providential helps in money, clothing, food, proving Elijah’s God to be still living, with the remarkable conversions of some of the vilest wretches under the sun, through God’s blessing upon my poor weak ministry, would more than fill a large volume.

What I have written is with a single desire for God’s glory, and for the strengthening of the faith of the Lord’s dear tried people. May it prove so, is the prayer of a poor hell deserving sinner, but trust, saved by sovereign grace. 

John Andrews