The Life And Ministry Of William Bull

Earthen Vessel 1888:

The Late Mr. William Bull, Pastor of the Baptist Tabernacle, Wellingborough

“Absent from the body present with the Lord.”—2 Cor. 5:8

With deep and solemn regret we record the sudden, but not unexpected, death of Mr. William Bull, the venerable and highly esteemed pastor of the Baptist Tabernacle, Wellingborough, which occurred at an early hour on the morning of Tuesday, February 28, 1888, at the age of 74 years.

Personally, we only remember to have been once in the company of our departed brother, Mr. Bull, and that was in July, 1876, on the memorable occasion of the settlement of our beloved brother, Mr. G. W. Shepherd, as pastor of the Church at Dorset-square, London. However, we have since then received many kind letters from him, especially relating to the welfare of the cause of truth at Clifton, and our deceased brother, Mr. Charles Lenton, with whom he was in loving sympathy in all his struggles for truth and liberty.

Mr. Bull’s Last Service And Death

Mr. W. Bull, who for over 24 years-ever since the chapel was opened, on July 25, 1863—has been the pastor of the Baptist Tabernacle. On Sunday, February 26, he conducted divine worship as usual in the Tabernacle, and at the evening service he preached a funeral sermon (which was his last) on the late Miss L. Neville, who died a few days previously, and who was buried in Irthlingborough Baptist Chapel-yard, when he conducted the service. The text he preached from on Sunday evening was Psalm 61:2: “From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” During the service he read Rev. 22, which was a favourite chapter of his. The usual prayer meeting was held on the following Monday evening in the chapel, and was presided over by Mr. Bull, who then appeared in his usual health. Formerly he used to conduct a Bible-class after the prayer-meetings, but two of his deacons (Mr. W. Lissenden and Mr. S. Wright) have relieved him of that service of late. He retired to rest at his usual hour on the same night, and awoke about six o’clock in the morning, and, not feeling well, his wife gave him some medicine, which deceased said he felt the better for. Shortly afterwards he was seized with a fainting fit, and from which he did not recover, but quietly passed away. He had been previously attended by Dr. J. H. Thomas, and as he was able to certify the cause of death, no inquest was held. For some time past the deceased had suffered very much from asthma, which at times was so acute as to bring on fainting fits, and his bed-room always had to be kept up to a certain temperature. Deceased leaves a beloved widow, who has been afflicted for many years, and one son, Professor Bull, M.A., the head of a large collegiate school at Huddersfield.

His Birth-Place, Parentage, And Ministerial Career

Mr. Bull first saw the light of natural day in the ancient market town of Bingham, in the county of Nottingham, noted as the birth- place of Robert White, the astronomer and editor, and the residence respectively, when rectors, of Abbot, Archbishop of Canterbury; Wren, Bishop of Ely; and Hanmen, Bishop of Bangor. The father of Mr. Bull was at one time pastor of the General Baptist Church at Beson. Having lately become possessed of two original letters of Mr. W. Bull, of Newport Pagnel, the friend of Cowper, Newton, and Thornton, we were curious to know if our late friend was related to him, whose ancestors in Puritan times resided at Irthlingborough, and other parts of Northamptonshire, and are famous today in the annals of Non-conformity.

Our deceased brother, Mr. Bull, was baptized by his father at Monkstone, in Lincolnshire. After awhile, being asked to preach, he commenced to do so in 1837, in a Friends’ Meeting House; but owing to some misunderstanding with the owners of the building, he gave up his engagement. He was then called to the pastorate of the Church at Great Gidding, in Huntingdonshire, and during the time he was there, he entered upon his married life, which continued unbroken until his death. From Gidding he went to Over, in Cambridgeshire, and then Burgh, in Lincolnshire, was the next sphere of his labours. He was very comfortable with the Church at Burgh, and would have stayed much longer, but, owing to the delicate state of his wife, he had to go South afterwards settling at Plymouth. Owing to divisions amongst the members, his stay only lasted two years. He again went back to Over where he laboured for six years; and whilst there, in 1863, he received the invitation to come to Wellingborough, during which year the present Tabernacle was built, and in which place he continued to minister until death laid its relentless hand upon him. The membership only numbered five when he came, and its present total is fifty. The smaller building is now used as an infant-school. As recently as May last he celebrated his jubilee as a minister, nearly 25 years of service having been spent at Wellingborough, an account of which was published in our July Number of last year, p. 221. On that occasion the Church and congregation presented him with a gold pair of spectacles and a silver albert, and an address which set forth the esteem in which they held him. We learn that during his ministry he gained the love and esteem of his congregation, and the respect of all with whom he came into contact. His noble bearing, genial manner, and uprightness in all his dealings had made him beloved by all who knew him. His familiar figure will be generally missed, and the regret at his decease is wide-spread.

Mr. Bull was a preacher of considerable ability, and his private life was without reproach. He was a man of very even temperament, and a lover of peace, and was very liberal to the poor and needy. Increasing age and bodily infirmities had made him very feeble of late; and indeed his probable resignation a few months hence had already been talked of. He commenced his ministry as a Strict Baptist, and remained so to the end. To his most intimate friends, and also from the pulpit, he had often expressed the wish that he might “die in harness,” and in this respect he had his desire. Until his latest breath Mr. Bull declared that he felt his shortcomings, and gloried in the sovereign favour of God in Christ Jesus. How strictly characteristic of the true Christian!

Interment Of The Remains Of Mr. Bull

The funeral took place on Thursday afternoon, March 1st, amidst general marks of respect. It being early closing day, all the shops in the town were closed, and the blinds of many private houses were drawn. At a quarter past four a service was held in the Tabernacle. The remains of the deceased were brought into the chapel and placed near the pulpit, which had been draped in black for the occasion. The massive coffin was of unpolished oak, with brass furniture. The brass plate bore the following:—

“WILLIAM BULL, DIED FEB, 28TH, 1888, AGED 74.”

The service was impressively conducted by our brother Mr. F. King, of Carlton, a very intimate friend of the deceased, in accordance with a previous arrangement made between them. The chapel was crowded, the majority of the congregation wearing mourning, and showing grief at the loss they had sustained. Mr. D. Dulley gave out the first hymn, from Denham’s Selection—”Sons of God by blest adoption.”

Mr. King then read appropriate selections from 2 Tim. 4; 1 Thess. 4, and 1 Cor. 15. The hymn—”When Thou, my righteous Judge, shalt come,” was then feelingly sung.

The Funeral Address

Before leaving the chapel, Mr. King gave a short address. He remarked that it was a very solemn event which had brought them together that afternoon. Death was always solemn, and when it came so suddenly they seemed to feel it the more. He could scarcely realize that the remains of their dear pastor were before him. It seemed so lately that they had seen him, especially many of them who saw him last Lord’s-day—such a short time ago, when he stood where he did and declared unto them the words of eternal truth. That tongue was silent, and no more would they hear the Word of God from his lips, and no more would he stand before them and show them the way of salvation. That afternoon they rejoiced in the thought that their dear brother was a man of God, one that knew the Lord, and loved the Saviour, and trusted in His blood, and who endeavoured to set Him before them as the only hope of the sinner. Were it not for the power of the Spirit of God, their friend would never have been what he was, and he would have been the first to say, “By the grace of God I am what I am.” He was not only a good man, but he was beloved by his brethren. He was one of his (Mr. King’s) oldest ministerial friends, for he had known and esteemed their late dear pastor for nearly forty years, and had always found him faithful and true. He was an eminent and favoured servant of the living God, and proclaimed unto men the way of life as set forth in His Book; and did not turn aside or depart from the facts related there. If he had been there he could have said—

“E’er since by faith I saw the stream

Thy flowing wounds supply,

Redeeming love has been my theme,

And shall be till I die.”

His work was done, and they had reason to be thankful that the Lord had spared him to a good old age. He did not live in vain, for the Lord gave him many seals to his ministry and souls for his hire. His Master had now called him home, and his spirit was now in heaven. His ransomed soul was now before the throne, drinking in immortal vigour, and they could not tell what were his feelings, and what his joy was since he had left this “vale of tears.” They were spared only for a little while longer, and it might soon be their turn. Might the Lord sanctify this solemn visitation unto those whom He had bereaved. Their dear sister (Mrs. Bull) was advanced in years, and some of them did not think she would survive her husband; but she was now left, and so long as she lived he prayed that the Lord would support her. Each of them felt they had lost a dear friend, and might the Lord look upon them and help them to be more prayerful, loving, and sympathetic one towards another; and as time was fast flying away, might He also help them humbly, diligently, and acceptably during the little time longer they were spared to meet where all the family of grace should be, where they would 

“Bless the conduct of His grace,

And make His wonders known.”

He concluded by commending them to the care of the Lord.

Ministers And Friends At The Grave

The corpse was then borne from the chapel, outside of which a long procession to the cemetery was preceded by the hearse, in the following order—Mourners: Professor Samuel Bull, M.A., and Mrs. Bull, Huddersfield), Mr. Poole (Birmingham), and Miss Bull (niece of the deceased), Mr. S. Allen (Croyland Farm), and Mr. Blinkhorn (Lincoln); the deacons, Mr. D. Dulley, Mr. W. Lissenden, and Mr. S. Wright; church members and congregation; also representatives of the Sunday-school. Among those present were Rev. T. Bromage, Rev. W. Fry, Mr. M. Reid Sharman, Mr. Willam Jackson, Dr. Thomas, Mr. G. R. Mather, Mr. T. Slinn, Mr. J. Slinn, Mr. G. F. Mitton, and others.

Mr. King officiated at the grave-side, where leaflets were distributed, and the numerous people assembled joined heartily in Dr. Watts· hymn—”When I survey the wondrous Cross.”

The followers returned in procession to the chapel. Mr. T. S. Howet was the undertaker. The grave is situated near that in which the remains of a beloved son of the deceased are buried.

On Lord’s-day evening, March 4th, Mr. F. King preached a funeral sermon to a large concourse of people, from Rev. 19:13. At the close of the sermon, the well-known ode, “Vital Spark,” was effectively rendered. On a memorial card of the deceased, kindly sent, are the following words:—“He was a Minister of the Gospel more than 50 years, nearly 25 of which he preached at the Tabernacle, Wellingborough, where he died—

“Softly his head he lay upon his Master’s breast;

His Maker kissed his soul away, and laid his flesh to rest.”

W. Winters, Editor

Churchyard, Waltham Abbey, Essex.

The Last Days Of The Late Mr. Bull

My dear husband had been failing for some time. Last March he had an attack of asthma, whilst at St. Neots; but it passed off, and he preached three times the same day. On April 9th he went to Leicester and took cold whilst there, which increased his cough considerably. He then went to Loughborough, on May 7th, and took cold again. On May 30th Mr. Marsh came. My husband was engaged to go out, but a circumstance prevented him. He heard Mr. Marsh, and the next day was the jubilee of his ministry. Three ministers came to assist at it. His friends made him a beautiful present. He was take ill in the night with another attack of asthma, but was able to preach the next Lord’s-day, June 3rd. The following week he had another attack of asthma. After that he had afflictions of various kinds, which at times quite prostrated him. But it was very remarkable, he was still able to continue his services, not only on Lord’s-day, but on the week-nights as well, and also his pastoral visits to the poor and afflicted, which his diary testifies. The Monday evening before his death he was at the prayer-meeting, and was very cheerful. His friends remarked it. Next morning, after a comfortable night, he was seized with asthma, but seemed again to recover, and said he was better. He then turned on his right side, and, as I thought was quietly sleeping, but it was the sleep of death.

“His Maker kissed his soul away, and laid his flesh at rest.”

He always slept after the attacks of asthma had passed off. He read Psa. 62 at the prayer-meeting, and gave out the hymns from Dr. Watts as follows: hymns 47, 48, 62, and Psa. 61. These notes were written down soon after my dear husband’s death. A friend, one of the deacons called in last night, and told me they were in correspondence with you. Friends are very kind. 

With kindest regards, 

I am, dear Sir, 

Yours very truly, 

Sarah Bull