The Death Of Grey Hazlerigg
Earthen Vessel 1913:
The Late G. Hazlerigg
We sincerely hope the Church of Christ will be favoured with the record of the life of this faithful pastor, preacher, and editor. Our beloved brother fell asleep in Jesus on October 4th, 1912, at the advanced age of 94 years. For over three score years he was the devoted pastor of the Church meeting for worship at Zion Chapel, Leicester. We had anticipated the publication of his life and labours in the Gospel Standard, of which at one time he was the esteemed editor, but were disappointed in having but two pages in the December issue, with no indication of a forthcoming memoir.
The Church is the poorer when such faithful servants of her Lord are called home.
“He fought a good fight,” “kept the faith,” and now rests from his labours; but his works will long follow him in the springing up of the seed sown in his abundant labours. His memory is blessed, especially to those who were favoured and fed by his ministry from either pulpit or pen.
“Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth.”
Grey Hazlerigg (1818-1912) was a Strict and Particular Baptist preacher and writer. In 1873, he was appointed the Pastor of Zion Chapel, Leicester. Between 1878-1880, he served as the Editor for the Gospel Standard Magazine. He ministered to a large congregation throughout the course of his life, with twenty-four persons baptized during the last year of his life. Jospeh Philpot recounted a childhood memory of him:
“I remember him as a slim, dapper, little man with a pale, thin face and an aristocratic nose." James Popham, then Editor of the Gospel Standard in the year of Hazlerigg’s death, wrote of him—“It would seem that an archangel cannot be employed in a work so honourable, so glorifying to God, so beneficial to elect men as a true minister of the gospel can. And such a minister was the late Mr. Hazlerigg. To how many he was such is known only to God who sent him and made choice of him, that by his mouth many should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. To all such how beautiful were his feet upon the mountains of divine truths, bringing good tidings, publish ing peace, bringing good tidings of good, publishing salvation; saying unto them, ‘Your God reigneth,' (Isa. 52:7). Only those who have heard in such a way, with such power receiving the good tidings of good, can understand the sense of respect, love, and reverence which fills the heart for the messenger of peace. To speak personally, it was my mercy and privilege to so hear this messenger of the Lord once. Though it is now many years since, the memory of it is fresh, warm, and pleasant as I write this. The occasion was the annual meeting at Edenbridge. His text was Matt. 6:9: 'Our Father, which art in heaven,' etc. Powerful was the word, penetrating, assuring, comfort ing. My state of mind on entering the chapel was one full of fear of rebuke; but mercy wrought by God's servant, and effected a marvelous change. How many now in heaven, how many still struggling on their way thither, could have borne, or could bear a similar, perhaps a clearer, more powerful testimony to the glorious work of some deliverance wrought by the ministry of our departed friend! Such hearings are vastly different from the mere ‘hearing well,’ so common, bearing, alas, no fruit in the hearer, giving no comfort to a true minister.”
Grey Hazlerigg Sermons
