The Life And Death Of John Vinall
Gospel Standard 1860:
Death. On March 3rd, Mr. John Vinall, of Lewes, Sussex.—Dear Sir,—I feel anxious that friends who might not otherwise hear should be informed, through the medium of the “Gospel Standard,” of the death of the late lamented Mr. John Vinall, who was 45 years minister of Jireh Chapel, Lewes, and Providence Chapel, Brighton, which event took place on Saturday, March 3rd, 1860, in the 78th year of his age. He had been paralysed on one side for 28 years; and his weakness greatly increased, especially within the last fornight of his life. During this time his mind was usually very peaceful and quiet, earnestly longing for his dismission. He said, if the Lord were to tell him to go to Scotland, and die there, he would gladly do so. The last day of his life his weakness was very great, and he said but little—that little, however, was indicative of perfect peace and composure, with the desire that he might soon be dismissed from the body. At one time during the day he was heard to say,
“Whom once he loves he never leaves;”
And on being asked if he was happy and comfortable, said, “Yes,” being perfectly sensible. He slept soundly for about four hours before his decease, his breath growing shorter and shorter, until it ceased so gently that it was scarcely discernible. He had expressed the wish very many times that the Lord would be pleased to take him in his sleep, to use his own expression, “that he might slip out of the body like a ripe brown nut from the husk.” It is, therefore, very gratifying to think the Almighty should so mercifully grant him this desire of his heart.
He preached his farewell sermon in Jireh Chapel, Lewes, and Providence Chapel, Brighton, on June 28th, 1857, from the last address of Paul to the elders and church at Ephesus, Acts 20:17-38. In this address he made the following remark: “I have no wish to shrink from any danger. If it was God’s will, I should like to die in the pulpit this night with my harness on. Death is no terror to me. After preaching for many years I am convinced that my religion will do to live and die by. I have no guilt, no fear of death or condemnation. I believe that God has loved me, personally me, with an everlasting love.” Many who heard him that day felt very sorrowful at the thought that they should hear his voice no more.
A Friend
John Vinall (1782-1860) was a sovereign grace preacher, considered to be “the last of the Huntingtonian Ministers”. While in his late teens, he came under the gospel ministries of Jenkin Jenkins and William Huntington. In 1811, he was appointed pastor of two churches—Providence Chapel, Brighton; Jireh Chapel, Lewes. After suffering a stroke in 1831, he was left paralyzed on the left side of his body, though continued in the ministry to the great blessing of the Lord’s people. Charles Waters Banks wrote,
“William Huntington has been in heaven between forty and fifty years. When he went home to glory, he left several of his own dear sons in the faith, and fellow-laborers in the ministry, who adhered closely to the faith and form of Gospel worship as contended for by himself. Among them were those good men who have also followed him to the better kingdom, such as the venerable Turner, of Sunderland, Chamberlain, of Leicester, (whose chapel we are sorry to hear is shut up), Brooks, of Brighton, Isaac Beeman, of Cranbrook, and many others. At length, the last Timothian son (John Vinall) of the venerable ‘coal-heaver,’ has also been removed from his favored ‘Jireh’ on earth, to behold the glories of ‘Jehovah Jireh,’ in the celestial world.”
Further Study
