The Life And Ministry Of William Trotman
Earthen Vessel 1889:
Mr. William Trotman, Pastor Of Ebenezer Chapel, Stonehouse, Devon
Dear Brother Winters,—At your request I herewith send you a few particulars of my life, and some of the leadings of a kind and gracious God in providence and grace.
I was born at Cricklewood, in the Edgware Road, on the 31st of March, 1826. I have therefore reached the sixty-third year of my earthly pilgrimage. The days have been like Jacob’s, “few and evil;” but in the midst of the evil, Divine goodness has been manifested, and with David I often say, “He hath not dealt with me after my sins, nor rewarded me according to my transgressions.” When I was about seven years old, my father removed to Holloway, and entered into business there. I remained with him until I was twenty-two years old. During that time the Lord graciously met with me, inclined my heart to seek His face, and convinced me of my sinfulness, and need of an Almighty Saviour. Under convictions of sin, I endured much heart-trouble, which none knew save God, and my own soul. The first real manifestation of mercy, I remember, was under a sermon by dear Mr. Rowlands, a blind man, at Hampstead, from the text, “Fear not, little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” I then was filled with hope that I was indeed included among the little flock, and was enabled to “rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Later on, my pastor preached from the following words, “And yet there is room,” which words were so blest to me that I was encouraged to see him, and offer myself as a candidate for baptism; and being accepted by the Church at Ebenezer, New End, Hampstead, I, in company with a dear brother and companion of mine, James Mason, now of Adelaide in Australia, was baptized and added to the Church. The text on that occasion was, “And ye are not your own;” one that has been truly verified in the after steps of my life. I endured a great fight of afflictions after my baptism, by temptations of Satan and the prevailings of sin, till I was brought into a state of mind in which I doubted everything in the past, and saw nothing but darkness and destruction in the future. I was delivered from this by such a manifestation of Jesus as I had never had before. As I walked on my way to the prayer-meeting, I saw Him, by faith, in His sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory, and with sweet assurance these words came to my soul, “All for you.” It was as if He Himself had spoken it all to me, and who shall say He did not? I dare not. The concluding words of this manifestation were, “I have blotted out as a cloud thy transgressions, and as a thick cloud thy sins; return unto Me, for I have redeemed thee.” This so satisfied my young heart (only Just over seventeen) that Jesus had indeed spoken to me, that I went into the prayer-meeting, and when called to pray, could only praise. A dear old saint came to me, took my hand in his and said, “I can see where you have been: you have been with the King.’’ I went home like the lame man that was healed, “walking, leaping, and praising God.”
The Work Of The Ministry
Some time after this, I was exercised about “telling to sinners round what a dear Saviour I had found.” I did not believe I could ever be a preacher, but I wanted to be useful to God’s people. I was staying with my friend, Mr. Mason, and after an evening spent in godly talk, he and his wife left me to rest on the sofa for the night. I took my Bible—then my only and best treasure on earth—for one more read, and I lighted on the forty-ninth chapter of Isaiah. In reading that portion I had a brighter revelation of Jesus than ever before. It was as if He were with me, expounding the mysteries of His own kingdom, centering in Himself as the covenant given, the Word, incarnate and proclaimed, the power by His spirit to do all things, so that the redemption, gathering, preserving, and ultimate coming to glory of His people, were matters wholly belonging to Him, committed to His hands by the Father. And then for the first time I saw the possibility of a poor, weak, ignorant thing as I was being used as one of His favoured ministers, and I told Him so. He pointed to the text, “That thou mayest say to the prisoner, Go forth,” etc. “What me, Lord?”‘ I said. “Yes, thee.” “But that is written of Thee.” “And of all whom I send; I send thee.” O, my heart was bursting with joy, wonder, love, and praise, yet with trembling. But oh, the sweetness of His all-constraining love! Would that I could ever live and preach in the possession of the bliss I tasted then! Suffice to say I was sealed to the afflictions, sorrows, tribulations, labours, and joys of the ministry of the Word of God, not by man, but by the witness of the Holy Ghost, and though it has been often tried, none have silenced me yet.
For months this secret was mine alone, till I became impatient, and cried to Him to open a way for me. I was walking by the way in Camden Road (near the spot where my first soul-trouble came upon me), and suddenly I was arrested with the words, “What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter.” It was enough. I began to preach to a few poor people by invitation, at North End, Hampstead. My first text was; “Go, stand and speak in the temple all the words of this life.” From thence I went to The Hyde, Edgware Road, and preached the Word in a small chapel for about eighteen months. Then I assisted Mr. Richard Ware (of Hampstead), for about six months at Potter’s Bar. Then several places, as Harrow Weald, Harrow. West Ham, Millfield Street, Hampstead, Camden Town, and Dunstable, till 1848, when I was led to Blackmore, where I remained pastor of the church for twenty-four years, having preached one year on probation. The Lord blessed the Word, and stopped every mouth of opposition. The chapel was enlarged, a new school-room built, sixty-one were added to the church, and some hundreds of children taught in the Sunday School. I used to preach at times at the chapel, and twice as a rule elsewhere weekly, which, with other meetings, was a fair amount of work. Sickness and death came to my home twice in fifteen months, taking my sister-in-law and my dear wife, so I had a cup of sorrow; this was in the first ten years of my ministry. In the second, I had married again, had a family of six children, added a business to my other occupations, and a farm of three acres of land, sold 1,000 tons of coals to the very poor at a reduced price, by the sum of £500 collected during twenty years from friends, far and near. I also received in helps by the way, £650 from friends (other than the church), from whom I received £1 a week.
Such is the sketch of my work at Blackmore. Then followed an eighteen months’ sojourn at Norwich, thirteen weeks at Mount Zion, Dorset Square. I may say the kindness I received from friends in that connection, which was not less in cash than £100, enabled me to leave B——— honourably, and to pay every debt (business debts during twenty years’ struggle) I owed there. I esteem it one of the most conspicuous interpositions of my gracious Father for me, though I have had some quite as marvellous. I have ever a grateful remembrance of those kindnesses, which I trust were in some sort the outcome of blessing received by the Word preached, during which I preached only six or seven times at Cambridge, during J. B. McCure’s illness, once in each month. A few months at Paddington, and then a seven months’ illness brings me to the last decade.
Ten years ago I came to Stonehouse, and here the Lord has signally blest His Word, and supported His servant, amidst scenes of trials, sorrows and joys. I desire to “hope to the end for the grace that shall be brought to me at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” I have not one word to say in self-commendation; I have been a sinner, and God has shown me my sins and pardoned them, blotted them out in the ocean of His atoning blood, and who can impugn His right to save whom He will? to accept, use and bless whom He will? There are hundreds who will, no doubt, be pleased to see the old familiar, the sorrowful face, upon whom he whom it represents would have joy to look. Amen.
William Trotman (1826-?) was a Strict and Particular Baptist preacher. He served twenty-two years as pastor of the church meeting at Blackmore, Essex (1848-1872); and eight years as pastor of the church meeting at Stonehouse, Gloucestershire (1879-1897).
