The Life And Ministry Of Stephen Offer
Gospel Standard 1854:
On May 22nd, 1854, in the blessed hope of a glorious resurrection, Stephen Offer, Fyfield, Wiltshire, who for more than 30 years preached the word of life in the village of Netheravon, and occasionally in the towns and villages adjacent, viz., Devizes, Allington, Enford, Upavon, &c., being well known and much esteemed by the children of God in those parts. Being led much into the depths of the fall, he felt much the plague of his own heart, though he was one who pondered well the path of his feet, and gained a good report among men for his candour and uprightness. A remark made by one of the villagers since his decease speaks much. He said, “Stephen was always calling himself a vile creature and the chief of sinners, but I never saw a spot in him.” He was continually abasing the creature and extolling the grace of God. Love and blood was his constant theme. In him was verified the promise, “Them that honor me I will honor;” for he enjoyed much of the Divine presence during his long affliction. His path shone brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. It was blessed to visit his sick chamber, he was so full of peace and joy in believing; beholding, by the eye of faith, the King in his beauty, and the land which is afar off, desiring, yet patiently waiting, to leave the body of sin behind, that he might praise him in nobler songs above. He said, “What a mercy for us that redemption work is finished. The covenant was entered into in the councils of eternity. In the fulness of time the Son came forth to perform the great work. Every action of his life, every thought of his heart, were all engaged for our salvation. What a life of suffering his was! And then he spilled every drop of his precious blood for us. We had nothing to do in the work; it was all settled before we had a being. If he had not undertaken and gone through with it, we must have been in hell to all eternity. It is all of grace, free grace. Neither would he give up his life till he could say, “It is finished.'” He then broke forth into singing,
“Not all the blood of beasts,
For sins could e’er atone,” &c.
“I wonder how it is I cannot praise his dear name! But the spirit cannot do as it would.” Being very weak, a cordial was brought him. He said, “How many years have we lived in this world, and every day have partaken of the mercies of God’s providence! What returns have we daily made? O I feel such a coming short.” A friend who called to see him began to talk about the doctrines of grace,—election, final perseverance, &c., and said, “These doctrines you have been preaching so many years; can you now die by them? Are they your support now?” Weak as he was, he rose up in the bed, lifted up his hand, and let it fall heavily on the bed clothes, and said, “If I had preached anything different to that, I must get out of my bed now and contradict it; but I also taught that the grace of God led men to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly,” &c. At another time he said, “We little know this side the grave what we are saved from. The devil, the world, and our own wicked hearts would pull us down to hell were not his everlasting arms underneath.” He then sang, “When I get a view of him above,” &c.
At another time he said, “I have had such a sweet visitation. ‘My peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled.’ He just showed himself through the lattice. I arose to open to my Beloved, but he was gone. It is blessed to behold him, if but for a moment! The noble army of martyrs praise thee, O Lord! The blood of the martyrs called for vengeance; the precious blood of Christ was peace-speaking blood. O what a peace! I have been thinking about the manhood of Christ. What a blessed time I once had on my way to Devizes, musing upon his manhood.” Then he spoke of the divinity shining through the humanity of Christ, when with an omnipotent power he called Lazarus from the grave after he had been dead four days. Lazarus came forth, bound in grave clothes; he could not set himself at liberty. As he drew near his end, the unwearied foe of God and man endeavored to assail his hope, but he was instant in prayer. His cry was, “That I may be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God through faith.” The darkness passed away; the true light shone again into his soul, and he shouted, “Victory! victory! through the blood of the Lamb.” His wife and daughter were by his bed-side. He took a hand of each, pressed them within his own, his eyes gazing upward, had just power to say, “Come!’ and with a Countenance beaming with heavenly joy, he fell asleep.
Stephen Offer (?-1854) was a Strict and Particular Baptist preacher. He ministered the gospel in the village of Netheravon, Wiltshire, together with the surrounding towns and villages of Devizes, Allington, Enford, Upavon, &c.
