Sympathy Letters Occasioned By The Death Of Joseph Philpot

Gospel Standard 1870:

Dear Sir, I enclose a letter from the church at Stamford, expressing our sorrow and grief at the death of our late pastor, Mr. J. C. Philpot. The letter was unanimously adopted at a church meeting, held on Wednesday, Jan. 5.

It was also decided to have a marble tablet erected in the chapel to his memory. The Lord, whose faithful servant he was, highly honoured him by blessing both his sermons and writings to the establishing and building up of his people in their most holy faith, as well as making him an able disputant and defender of the truth of God against all error and heresies. His warning voice was raised at the first sound of the enemy. His reproofs, mingled with kindness and love, were felt; his counsel, in guiding the affairs of the church, was followed; but now his voice is heard no more. He is enjoying that eternal rest which was his subject the last time he preached amongst us. He was of a kind, amiable disposition; yet, when the doctrines of the gospel were attacked; those doctrines which were dear to him he wrote in a firm, decided manner, sparing neither friend nor foe, as in the case of that glorious doctrine of the eternal Sonship.

You, dear Sir, have lost his valuable services in connexion with the “Standard,” and no doubt will be some time before you find an efficient successor; but I pray that the Lord may support and strengthen you for the laborious work which lies before you; and may it please his gracious Majesty, as the harvest truly is great and the labourers few, to raise up and qualify more labourers to work in his vineyard men valiant for the truth. I am, dear Sir,

Yours affectionately, for the truth’s sake, 

Richard M. Robinson

Stamford, Jan. 10, 1870.

---

The Particular Baptist Church worshipping at North Street Chapel, Stamford, desires to record their deep sorrow at the loss they, with the church of God at large, have sustained in the death of that eminent and faithful minister of the gospel, Mr. J. C. Philpot. They especially knew, therefore greatly loved and highly prized and valued him, for he laboured amongst them and the sister church at Oakham for twenty-six years, and many can testify to the blessing of God resting upon his ministry to their souls.

His great natural gifts, learning, and ability, coupled with a mind of deep thought and research, together with the grace of God conspicuously manifested in him, made him not only an able and eloquent preacher, but a bold, fearless advocate for the truths of the gospel, in doctrine, experience, and practice; and his line of opening up and expounding Scripture, with a thorough knowledge of the evils of his own heart, enabled him to trace out the various experiences, trials, and temptations of God’s living family, which gave him a place in their hearts that time cannot efface.

Though by God’s providence removed from us, he was always welcomed upon his annual visits. His printed sermons and editorial writings kept him, as it were, always before us; so that we feel his loss as greatly as if he had still been our pastor, and he will live in the hearts of his bereaved people as long as this generation survives, and his memory will be carried down from generation to generation.

His earnest solicitude for the welfare of the poor of his flock, in both churches, was exemplified in his endeavours to obtain for those eligible, the benefits of that admirable institution, the Aged Pilgrims’ Friend Society.

We also desire to sympathize with his bereaved widow and sorrowing family, under their irreparable loss; and humbly pray that, now that he has entered into rest, the God of all mercies may support them, and graciously answer the many petitions he offered up for their spiritual and temporal welfare.

We will not add more, we could not say less, in memory of the dear departed one, whose praise is in all the churches.

Signed on behalf of the church,

Deacons—Robert Laxton, Joseph Mitton

Jan. 5, 1870

---

My dear Friend, I duly received the circular stating that the “Gospel Standard” would certainly be continued; and I have given notice to my people to that effect. I do believe that had it been discontinued it would have been a very grievous blow indeed to most of the subscribers. We all feel that we have sustained a great loss in the removal of Mr. Philpot ; and also we deeply sympathize with you under the crushing weight which has fallen upon you; but as you say the magazine was published and blessed to many of the redeemed family of God years before Mr. Philpot was the editor, so I trust and believe it will be blessed to thousands more; and I can heartily say, “Amen” to your desire, namely, that it may be made a blessing to generations yet unborn. “The Lord liveth” has been a support to my mind under these solemn bereavements; and although we may say, “Philpot is not, and Kershaw is not,” yet “the Lord liveth, and blessed be the God of our salvation.” May you be supported under all your afflictions, and encouraged by the Lord himself to go forth in the strength of the Lord, publishing the same full and free salvation, the same certain sound for which the “Standard” has from its commencement been noted and noticed, though not always approved by men of “broader views.”

Yours sincerely in the Truth,

Thomas Dangerfield

 Devizes, Jan. 21, 1870.

---

Dear Sir, Little, insignificant, and so far beneath the notice of many professing Christians as we appear to be, the few in New York and its surroundings who have been made acquainted, through the “Gospel Standard,” the “Gospel Pulpit,” &c., with the writings and labours of that honoured servant of the Lord, the late Mr. Philpot, feel, deeply feel and lament his removal by death from the field of his usefulness, at the very period when, to our poor finite comprehension, he seemed to be so much needed. Although our loss is his gain, and our better judgment tells us it is, it must be, for the glory of God, yet it is such hard work, under the circumstances, to say, feelingly and unreservedly to say, “Thy will be done.”

When I read in the December No. of your late monthly paper that it was the last No. that was to be published, I could not, for the life of me, see that the reasons assigned for its discontinuance were such as warranted it; but when, in a few days after, I received the mournful intelligence of the demise of the much-respected and beloved editor of the “Gospel Standard,” I could not but admire and adore the wisdom of our God, who so ordered it that you may be able to devote more of your attention to the “Standard.” May you be spared for a longtime yet to do so. May its banner still be unfurled as an ensign for the Lord’s living family, and may we be brought to bow with humble submission to the will of God, inasmuch as we know that 

“He cannot do but what is just, 

And must be righteous still.”

Your Friend and Companion in Tribulation,

John Axford

NewYork, Jan. 22, 1870.

---

My dear Friend, When I received your note to inform me of the death of our departed friend Philpot, I was broken to pieces, and thought, “Surely I have read it wrong;” but I found I had not. It was “Our dear editor of the ‘Gospel Standard’ is gone!” Well; I could say, “Lord, his work is done in preaching in thy name, and writing for thee. No more will his tongue move to speak out here below of the glorious Person, work, love, and blood of him who was the chiefest amongst ten thousand to his soul; no more his hand move to write for the instruction, edification, and comfort of the Lord’s tried family; no more tears dropping from his eyes; no more his heart aching on the account of the dark cloud over the church’s coldness and indifference. No, no. He is gone from all slander and clamour, toil and care, to be with his Lord, to praise the Three-One for ever. It is a great loss. We all feel it.

The first time I heard of him was when I saw your dear father in Manchester, who spoke to me about him as being one raised up by the Lord for a great work; and I have often wept when in Zoar Chapel, London, thinking of your father as the first to recommend me to them; and I have felt the same towards our departed friend Philpot, who was the first to recommend one to Eden Street, now meeting at Gower Street Chapel. His writings have been made very useful to my soul. One sermon he preached at Alvescot was so precious, I felt I could eat every word. It seemed as if it was all for me. I can say, too, I found him a kind sympathizing friend to me when I was sued for the wool stolen off my premises, at which time I felt as if my heart would break; but the dear man wrote to me in such a feeling way as was a great relief to my mind, and gave me advice how to move and wait the end, which would be for good; and this I found to be true. The end was better than the beginning thereof.

The Lord bless and take care of the widow and fatherless children. May their father’s God be their God in truth and love. Then their father’s home will be their home. But I must forbear. 

Yours in the Truth,

G. Gorton

Sandford House, Cheltenham

---

My dear Sir, The Lord’s hand is not shortened, but his arm is stretched out still. Those words have been impressed on my mind the past few weeks. On Saturday, being the day I usually get my “Standard,” I was much looking forward to Mr. Philpot’s New-Year’s Address, when, on opening it, the sad truth of his death met my eyes. I could only drop the book, retire to my bed-room, and implore the Almighty to raise up some one to take his place; when the portion just quoted came afresh to my mind. O that you, dear Sir, may be able to stand still, and see the salvation of God. While labouring hard for the comfort of others, may you receive a double portion from the Holy Spirit, in your own soul. I can with gratitude speak of the many happy hours I have spent when on a bed of sickness, frequently in reading the “Gospel Standard,” in connexion with the Bible; but with Mr. P. death was but going home, a going home of the soul.

I have occasionally been indulged with the hope of meeting dear Mr. Philpot in heaven, where there will be no sin or doubts and fears.

I hope I shall not be thought intrusive in offering my sympathy. May his own family and his immediate circle of friends be led to feel resigned to the will of God, and may we all be kept watchful, waiting to be called hence.

M. P.

Jan. 3, 1870.

---

My dear Sir, When I heard of the death of Mr. Philpot, I felt an inward weeping and grief, which I took as an evidence for me, and not against me; for John says, “We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren.”

Mr. Philpot was a daily exercised man, and was not suffered to settle down upon the doctrines or an experience of twenty years gone by. He was a man that cut up all letter trust, and it was his insisting upon the power of truth made known to the soul by the Holy Ghost that got him so many enemies. And not only him, but so it is with every minister that insists upon the same things. Still the Lord reigneth. Let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles (or churches) be glad thereof; “and though clouds and darkness are round about him,” still “righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.”

Mr. Philpot’s loss to the churches is great. If you were able to get a man with the same amount of learning, how about the same amount of grace and a daily knowledge of his own heart, with a spirit of discernment? But may the Lord guide you in the choice of an editor and what pieces you put into the “Gospel Standard.” My commission was, “Deal thy bread (Christ) to the hungry, that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house (the church of Christ); when thou seest the naked that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh.” May the “Gospel Standard” still go on to do the same thing; and may the blessing of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost rest upon its pages. This is the desire

Yours in the truth,

T. S. Swonnell

Marden, Kent, Jan. 4, 1870

---

Dear Mr. Gadsby, It has been upon my mind to write a few lines to you ever since I heard of the death of our dear, dear editor, Mr. Philpot; but I knew that you would receive so many Letters, and the additional work, together with the heavy trial, would press so hard upon you that I felt unwilling to trouble you to read my poor scribble; but I feel that I can no longer refrain from expressing my sympathy with you in the great loss you have sustained. Having been a regular reader of the “Gospel Standard,” I feel constrained to add my feeble testimony to that of thousands more to the blessing which the Lord has caused to rest upon its pages.

When it pleased the Lord first to quicken my heart to feel, and open my eyes to see my sad state as a sinner in the sight of a pure and holy God, for several years I laboured to better my state. I could not bear to hear of the doctrine of election, because it seemed to cut me quite off; but one day I called at the house of a friend, and seeing a number of the “Gospel Standard” on the table, I took it up and read the words at the head: “The election hath obtained it, and the rest are blinded.” I was so struck with the words that I exclaimed, “If that is Scripture, I will never oppose that doctrine again; for there it is, whether I am elected or not.” This was about the year 1839.

Being at that time very young, and very ignorant too, before I was established in the truth, I was sadly led astray by false teachers into error; but after the Lord was graciously pleased to manifest himself to my soul, as a God pardoning my iniquity, transgression, and sin, I began to read the “Gospel Standard.” I borrowed the back numbers up to the year 1847, when I began to take it in myself, and have continued to do so up to the present time.

For many years I was out of the reach of a preached gospel, and next to the Bible the “Standard” was my chief comfort. The writings of your dear father and Mr. Warburton were often made a blessing to my soul; but those of our late beloved editor were specially blessed, both in the way of reproof, correction, instruction, edification, encouragement, and comfort. His pieces in the “Standard” and his sermons became increasingly precious to my soul every year; so that I can truly say no other man’s writings were so highly valued by me. I once went fifty miles to hear him preach, and it was a season never to be forgotten. I have often felt condemned for not writing to tell him about it; but I shrank from doing anything which would look like trying to attract the notice of so great a man, as I esteemed him to be.

Well, the Lord gave him to us for a season; and truly he was a burning and a shining light; and now that he has taken him away, may he enable us to say, “Blessed be the name of the Lord.” He had a sovereign right to take home his beloved child to the glorious mansion prepared for him in his Father’s house above.

Dear Sir, I do feel most deeply for you in this trial; your burden must he great indeed, with your bodily and family afflictions added to this sad bereavement. But, cheer up, dear brother; the Lord of Hosts is still with us, and the God of Jacob is still our refuge. He will give you strength equal to your day, and he will give you all the wisdom needful for the great work which lies before you. It is a remarkable thing that you should have been led to give up your paper just when you did. We greatly regretted it at the time, but now see the hand of the Lord in it. You have now other work to do. May the Lord help you to do it with a single eye to his glory and the good of his chosen people. May the Lord be pleased to raise up a man who shall be both able and willing to work with you in love and union for the good of his poor tried people; and may the “Gospel Standard” long be found as a witness for God and truth in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. This is the prayer of Your unworthy Sister in Jesus,

C. Spire

Laverton, Jan. 4, 1870.

On The Death of Mr. Philpot

Dear Philpot is landed safe over the river,

No more with the cares of the wilderness press’d; 

No sickness nor anguish, for ever and ever,

Shall bow down his body or trouble his breast. 

His conflict is done,

The battle is won,

He rests from his labours in heavenly bliss.

No sorrow or pain

Shall molest him again.

We can’t wish him to return to a world such as this.

No more shall the malice of mortals annoy him, 

Nor Satan again hurl his fierce fiery dart,

To wound and afflict, though he could not destroy him; 

No more under indwelling sin will he smart.

His afflictions are o’er;

He will suffer no more.

His poor feeble body return’d to the dust,

But his free spirit soar’d

To the God he adored,

In whom was his hope, and his joy, and his trust.

Be silent, each murmur; let sweet resignation 

Submit to the will of our heavenly King;

While we humbly arise in sublime contemplation, 

To the land of the blest where the Seraphim sing.

There let us pursue him;

By faith we may view him,

Array’d in white robes at the foot of the throne;

See, see him there stand,

With a palm in his hand,

And with all the white millions relationship own.

All! Now he can gaze on his Saviour so peerless, 

Whose beauties he labour’d on earth to portray;

His glorified vision, all steadfast and tearless, 

Can bear the effulgence of heavenly day.

The vision so bright

That dazzled the sight

Of apostles and prophets he now can behold;

Can bask in the ray

Of ineffable day,

And drink heavenly pleasure with rapture untold,

“Beautiful,” beautiful, here was the vision,

Which God to his dear dying loved one reveal’d;

But ’twas better to pass the immortal transition, 

And view all the glory the mortal conceal’d.

“Praise the Lord,” he then said,

As he bow’d his dear head; 

But now he can praise without any alloy,

Can bless and adore

His dear Lord evermore, 

And drink at the fulness of infinite joy.

But O! We poor sheep in the wilderness ramble, 

Where sharp pricking thorns in our pathway oft lie;

Our feet are entangled in many a bramble, 

And we in the dark can no pathway descry.

But our heavenly Guide

Still keeps by our side,

To raise us, to cheer us, to lead us along,

Till the Jordan is pass’d

And we safe at last

Unite with the blest in the ever-new song.

C. Spire