The Life And Death Of William Winters

Earthen Vessel 1893:

The Funeral 

[By Our Special Commissioner]

“On Sunday, July 23, the town of Waltham Abbey was startled by the announcement that Mr. William Winters, the well-known archeologist and pastor of the Ebenezer Chapel, had passed away.” So writes the special correspondent of the Weekly Telegraph, the local authority, and it is placed at the head of this paper to show that the people of Waltham, who knew so well and esteemed so high the departed minister and man of letters, had a sorrow that was more than mere passing wonderment. The shock fell upon the neighbourhood like the sudden booming of cannon, and neighbour called on neighbour, and with voices hushed into solemn tones whispered, “Have you heard that Mr. Winters is dead?” Yes! he who has dwelt amongst us for over half a century is dead. To those of the household and at the Baptist Church the shock was yet more acute; but in the latter, amidst the pain and sorrow, words of supreme beauty were silently chanted by angel choirs, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord.” 

The town of Waltham Abbey is, considering its short distance from London, remarkably antique. The Abbey tower attracts attention soon after leaving Waltham Cross Station; it has a boldness about it which seems to speak of having withstood many a storm and tempest; yet it is not pretty. Inside, however, there are records which, thanks to the late Mr. Winters, have become known to many thankful readers. The “History of the Lady Chapel, adjoining the Abbey Church of Waltham Holy Cross” is one of the most interesting of modern historical books. Mr. Winters was perfectly at home on this work, and so universally was it admired that two others followed, namely, “The Visitor’s Handbook of Waltham Holy Cross” and “the Queen Eleanor Memorial, Waltham Cross.” These, with his “History of Waltham Abbey,” 3s., 6d., reader the whole neighborhood alive with persons who long since have passed over the border.

These prefatory observations bring us to note that the first party to attend the funeral left London for Waltham Abbey on Thursday morning, July 27^th, by the ten o’clock train from Liverpool-street, and no record of the funeral day would be complete without reference to the aspect of the town. 

No sooner had we passed over a little bridge than we came to “the beginning of houses,” and at every few doors persons were standing evidently for the purpose of seeing the arrivals from London. A great and good man, “one known to them all” had been removed, and their lawful curiosity was raised. There was a respectful silence maintained, and the very atmosphere breathed calmness. Shops were closed and shutters were drawn, and so we made our way to the Church-yard which had been the home of the departed William Winters for so long a time and where his wife’s grandfather for forty years previously carried on the old-stablished bookselling and stationery business. It was here that Mr. Winters became noted as an archeologist, “and was frequently engaged in tracing genealogies and writing the records of distinguished families.” It is somewhat remarkable that, like his predecessor in the editorial chair of this journal, Mr. Winters spoke with a kind of loving attachment to the churchyard home.

On the funeral day a visit was paid to this churchyard home of Mr. Winters. There, under the shadow of the Abbey, with the lovely old churchyard in front and all around, stands the shop, on the faciae of which are the words in fair Roman letters—W. WINTERS.

Everything around was as quiet as quiet could be. Memory, of course, did its wor—memory was given to men for work—and it was not hard to imagine the tall figure of the now translated William Winters passing in and out of that home. But today it is like all other shops, closed. There is only this one shop here, and the Earthen Vessel & Gospel Herald commissioner took a sketch of it, with the words written on a small piece of creamlaid, “Closed for the funeral.” Turning from the Churchyard home, we made our way to the other home, where Mr. Winters hoped to have lived in greater retirement—a retirement in every way well earned. This, to use common parlance, is a “nice house in the Sewardstone-road.” Closed! There in the study the mortal remains of the good man were only waiting to be conveyed to the sepulchre. “He was not only a voluminous writer, sir,” said a gentleman, “but a great reader. Yes, he read the Holy Scriptures in the original Hebrew and Greek languages.” Dead, yet living tongues, like the good man who is silent, and yet who by his writings still speaks. “When he removed from the churchyard, what do you think his library weiged?” The answer was, “No idea.” “Five tons, sir.” “Then,” said your special commissioner, looking at the casket containing the remains of William Winters, R. R. His.Soc., in such a room, and under such circumstances, “how appropriate are the words of Longfellow:—

“Dead he lay among his books!

The peace of God was in his looks,

Ah! His hand will never more

Turn their storied pages o’er;

Never more his lips repeat

Song of theirs, however sweet.

Let the lifeless body rest!

He is gone who was its guest,

Gone as travelers haste to leave

An inn, nor tarry until eve.

Lying dead among thy books,

The peace of God in all thy looks.”

Inside The Chapel

By half-past two Ebenezer Chapel, Fountain-square, the scene of the ministerial labours of the deceased for seventeen years, was packed in every quarter. vestries and school-rooms being also full. Ministers and well-known laymen were present, among whom were Messrs. O. S. Dolbey, J. H. Lynn, O. Hewitt R. Bowles, G. Turner, G. Baldwin, A. Licence, R. E. Sears, R. Steele (who led the singing), W. Osmond, J. R. Rundle, G. Gray, W. Stringer, C. Cornwell, H. Clark, R. F. Banks, R. Alfrey, S. T. Belcher, J. Barmore, J. Hames, J. T. Bootle R. Burbridge, J. Parnell, W. Chisnall, W. Pavey, W. Samford, S. K. Bland, J. Chandler, J. Flory, J. Kingston, G. Lovelock, J. Mote (hon. solicitor to M.A.S.B.C.), H. F. Noyes, Debnam, Holton, and numerous others.

At ten minutes to three the coffin, on which were beautiful flowers was reverently placed in front of the pulpit and the thirty-five mourners were shown to their seats. The scene was inexpressibly solemn. There was not a sound for a few moments. Though in the presence of death, yet there was a feeling that “he is not dead but sleepeth.” Then the silence, which seemed so long was broken by Mr. J. W. Banks (who presided) calling on Mr. Licence to offer prayer. This was followed by a hymn, which was announced by Mr. Hewitt, of Ponder’s-end. Mr. John Hunt Lynn then read selected passages of Holy Scripture and Mr. Belcher, of Homerton-row, prayed. This concluding, Mr. Robert E. Sears of Alie-street, delivered the following address on Departed Worth. 

Address In The Chapel By R. E. Sears

Brethren beloved, I have been asked to give expression to your sorrow of heart on this “cloudy and dark day.” If Jesus wept, we too may let fall upon our brother’s bier love’s common emblem of grief. “Devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.”

We greatly lament the departure of our brother William Winters! To know him was to love him. His stirlling worth commanded the esteem of many friends. He was a love-winner, for he scattered with no niggard hand the seeds of kindness, and he failed not to reap the golden sheaves of earth’s best harvest, the love of true and faithful hearts.

But is it true that he is gone? Only on Saturday last we saw his smiling face and heard his words of cheer. During the parting prayer his voice responded many times. Yes, our parting was at the mercy-seat; but our meeting will be at the throne of glory. Yes, our dear brother Winters is gone; it is no dream, no false report. Never again on earth will that vanished hand touch us! His voice is still, and its melody will thrill us no more!

There is a time to die, and for our departed brother it was the Lord’s-day.

“His spirit with bound

Left its encumb’ring clay;

His tent at noonday on the ground

A darken’d ruin lay.”

The redeemed soul has passed into the presence of the Redeemer, the saved by grace has entered the Savior’s glory. The child is in the Father’s house, the son has taken possession of the inheritance. The sheep is safely folded on the high mountains of Israel. The traveller has reached his destination, the runner has gained the prize, and the soldier has fought his last battle, and now is more than conqueror through Him that loved him. The spirit—“the guest”—in this earthly tent has departed; the case is opened, and the winged tenant is free.

Our brother is gone! Gone from the sin and strife of earth, gone from toil, and storms and sorrows; gone from Satan’s shafts and the tribulations of this mortal life. Death has broken the fetters of mortality, thrown open the prison doors, and led the immortal spirit out into the brightness of the blissful day. 

We think of the outmatching of our brother’s soul from bondage to perfect liberty. In this tabernacle he groaned being burdened, but the tent is taken down. Here is the house, but the tenant is gone. Here is the body, but the soul is yonder. Here is the flesh, but the spirit is fled. Here is the casket, but the jewel is in the Savior’s bosom. Gone! Yes, to the better country, where sickness and sorrow, pain and death, are feared and felt no more. Gone! To meet the company of the redeemed.

“’Tis sweet, as year by year we lose

Friends out of sight, in faith to muse

How grows in paradise our store.”

Gone! To see the face of Jesus, and to dwell with Him for ever, and this is best of all. 

Your brother Winters was a Christian. The sovereign grace of God made him what he was. In his natural state he hated the doctrines of grace, but God had thoughts of mercy towards him, and the enmity of his heart was slain. Jesus was all-sufficient for him, and filled his heart with joy. When first brought to rejoice in Jesus his joy remained for some five years, and he thought his rapture would always abide.

Our brother was a cheerful Christ. He looked on the bright side, and rejoiced in the love of a happy God. With what joy we have heard him sing:—

“When all thy mercies, O my God,

My rising soul surveys,

Transported with the view I’m lost

In wonder, love, and praise.”

Our beloved brother was a consistent Christian. His life was a light. He was sound in the faith, but he was not sound asleep. He loved God, and lived a godly life. Today we praise the grace of God that kept our brother pure in faith, firm in the truth, and clean in life; so that this whole neighbourhood mourns his loss and follows his remains to their last resting place with every mark of respect.

William Winters was a Christian minister. God in His providence gave him gifts; and having an active mind, he sought by diligent study to improve himself, and to satisfy his thirst for knowledge. God called him to the ministry. Here in this place he faithfully served his God, first as a member, then as a deacon and lastly as a pastor; and not only here did he preach the Gospel of the grace of God, but all about the country the churches of his loved denomination sought our brother’s help. His sermons may not have been as methodical as some of our brethren, but they were brimful of truth, always instructive, and often sparkled with beautiful thoughts from heaven, which had not lost the lustre of the place from whence they came. Again and again the Churches sought our brother, until he became quite an anniversary bishop. The fact that no Church was satisfied with his first sermon proved that unction and power were with him. We commend “Ebenezer,” so faithfully served by our brother, to the great Head of the Church. In their trying position we sympathize with them, and on our heart we bear them before the Lord.

The literary work of William Winters was of no mean order. As a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society he has done good service to his country. Amongst these works we have “Biographical Notes on John Foxe, the Martyrologist,” “Ecclesiastical Works of the Middle Ages,” “Annals of the Clergy of Waltham Holy Cross,” “Life and Reign of Harold,” &c. Amongst his other works we have ”Is the Soul Immortal?” “The Wesley Family,” “Memoirs of Augustus Toplady, B.A.,” “Who was the Author of the ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’?” “Memorials of the Pilgrim’s Father,” &c. “Boy Life” is the result of great reading, and is full of interest.

As the editor of the Earthen Vessel and the Gospel Herald, we shall greatly feel his loss. At present it seems irreparable. Our brother had a large number of readers. Different men, different minds. His position as editor required tact, kindness, and firmness; these our brother possessed, and he did his work well. 

Cheering Words was another monthly he edited, and here he did a good and useful work. We must not omit to mention his last work, “The Sunday-school Hymnal.” This is a beautiful work, and will live for many a year to come. About one hundred of the hymns are from our brother’s own pen, and sweetly in many of them has he given expression to child-feelings.

It seems to us too sacred to speak of our brother’s home-life. Our sister has lost a loving husband. But, leaning upon her Husband who never dies, she will pass forward through the valley of weeping, to the home of song. God bless the widow. God comfort the mourning relatives.

Most of us feel that we have lost a friend. One could not be dull in his company. His genial disposition, his loving heart, his brotherly counsel, made room for him, and made him welcome everywhere. Give God the glory, our brother would say, if he could speak; and so we will praise God that He gave us William Winters, and that He spared him to us so long. God has called him home. The Master had the right so to call him, and we must not complain. We weep, but we do not murmur. And now we are going to the grave. The body is here and devoutly would we bear it to its resting-place. Farewell, dear brother! We are glad to have known thee. Home first, but we are coming after thee. We will seek for grace to hold the banner high thou loves so well. Farewell! Till the shadows flee away, and the morning cometh. By God’s free rich grace we will come to thee, and see what thou seest, and hear what thou hearest, and feel what thou feelest, and know what thou knowest. Yes, we shall live together with Him, who is our Lord and Savior, our Heaven, our All in all.” “I will appoint a place for My people Israel…that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more” (2 Sam. 7:10). 

This discourse was listened to with breathless attention, and ever and anon, as reference was made to the translated pastor, there were signs of sorrow. 

Mr. Osmond having announced the final hymn, it was sung, and the solemn service in the shape closed by prayer, offered by Mr. Charles Cornwell, of Brixton. Then all that was mortal of the pastor was taken out from his beloved scene of labours, and this placed in the funeral car, was followed by nine funeral coaches and some private broughams. 

The scene en route for the cemetery was imposing. About 100 ministers and friends walked in front of the hearse; while after the coaches there followed members of the church and congregation and a great throng of townspeople. The procession moved slowly along—the distance being about a mile. The greatest possible respect was shown from the beginning to the close.

At The Grave

Arriving at the cemetery, an immense concourse of people had assembled, and the greatest solemnity prevailed. 

A hymn having been sung, announced Mr. Baldwin, Mr. O.S. Dolby, minister of the Surrey Tabernacle, delivered the following address at the grave:

“My dear friends, we have just committed the remains of our dear friend Winters to the grave, and the words the Saviour spake to Martha, the sister of Lazarus, strike us as being calculated to comfort our hearts under the stroke that has fallen upon us. Upon being informed that Lazarus was dead, Jesus said to Martha, ‘Thy brother shall rise again.’ Even so we believe that our departed friend will be raised from the dead at the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and the living saints shall be changed. In the words the Lord spake to Martha we have a term of relationship, ‘Thy brother.’ Dropping the natural relation for a moment, we desire to look at the spiritual. William Winters was our brother in the Lord. He was related to us in a way of grace. He was born of God’s Spirit and made a part of the great family of God. As our brother, we may say he was ‘A brother beloved.’ First he was beloved of his God. The words God spake to Jeremiah the prophet, may be applied in this case: ‘Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love.’ Yes, before the foundation of the world our brother Winters was loved of his God, and with loving-kindness was drawn in time, so that all the gracious things he he experienced when upon earth arose from the unchanging eternal love of his God toward him. Again, our brother was beloved by those who knew him in the Church of God. His brethren in the ministry loved him. They loved him because of the grace of God that was in him. They loved him because of his faithfulness in the discharge of his ministerial work, because he stood fast in relation to the glorious truths of the everlasting Gospel, and the manly out- spoken way in which he made those truths known. As the editor of the Earthen Vessel and the Gospel Standard, he was beloved and highly esteemed, and the denomination of Strict Baptists do and will mourn the loss they have sustained by our brother’s removal. The church and congregation, over which our brother presided, and unto which he ministered the Word of Life, will greatly miss their beloved pastor, and we pray God comfort their hearts, and sustain them in this hour of sad bereavement. But, friends, the brother beloved is removed from us. He is no more to be seen on earth. Here in this open grave his mortal remains are lying. He has finished his earthly course. He fought the good fight, and has obtained the victory; he kept the faith which had been committed to his trust, his race is run, and now the oft wearied body is laid to rest in the silent tomb. But as we put our ears to the Holy Oracle of God we hear the heart-cheering declaration, ‘Thy brother shall rise again.’ Yes, friends, our brother shall rise again; he shall come forth from this grave; he shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and in immediate response thereto shall leave the dust of death and rise to die no more. But some man will say, “How are the dead raised up, and with what body do they come?” Bless God we are not at a loss for an answer to such a question. The dead will be raised by the mighty power of God. He who first formed the body of man will reform it, and it shall be fashioned like unto the glorious body of Jesus Christ, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto Himself. “It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. So when this corruptive shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ May God in His infinite mercy give us grace to know and do His will, and so work in us that we may be prepared to follow those who through faith and patience now inherit the promises, and to Him shall be all the glory. Amen.”

At the conclusion of this address, Mr. Samuel King Bland offered prayer.

Mr. J. W. Banks followed. He remarked that it was with difficulty some of them said “Farewell.” He who was so beloved by many had gone, but it was difficult to realise that William Winters had been called home. Personally, he could not utter the word “Farewell,” without making one or two observations. That morning he (the speaker) read that remarkable query, “But man dieth and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?” “Where is he?” With some of our fellow-creatures whom we have known, and have gone to the grave, it was a question, a doubt, but, in regard to our brother beloved there was no doubt. If any wished to know where the immortal part of their friend was, the answer was distinct—he was in heaven! Where is he? Gone to be with Jesus. It was only as recently as the previous Thursday that he (Mr. Banks) saw him, and he was strongly impressed with the hope that he (their beloved friend) would get better, that he would be again raised up to carry on the work to which he was so devotedly attached—that of proclaiming by pulpit and pen the divine love of God to sinful men. When he (the speaker) saw him on Thursday, he quoted Joseph Irons’ hymn, 459 Denham, and spoke of the inestimable value of the atonement. Mr. Banks, in conclusion, asked the assembly to take farewell of our brother till the resurrection morn by singing a hymn, the last verse of which is—

“Soon we hope to meet again,

And with Christ in glory dwell,

Death shall not for every reign,

Servant of the Lord-Farewell!”

His hope of salvation was alone in the finished work of Christ—in the atonement of our Divine Lord; the precious blood of Jesus Christ was to our departed friend the beginning and the end of salvation. Farewell, dear brother Winters (said the speaker), it is a word of earth that can but poorly express how well thou forest now; but farewell till that great day.

In the evening, a devotional service was held in the chapel, which was quite full, presided over by Mr. J. Parnell, who read part of John 14, and made some very excellent remarks on the “many mansions,” and an address couched in very touching terms was made by Mr. R. Bowles, of Hereford. Messrs. Ash, W. Pallett, Alfrey, Kingston, Lovelock, Howard, J. W. Banks, and others took part. The whole of the services were carried through without hitch, and, by the numerous items in the solemn proceedings, were not wearisome. 

Letters of sympathy and regret at being unable to attend were received from Messrs. F. C. Holden, J. Box, E. Langford, W. K. Squirrell, Hall, W. Applegate (Zion, Trowbridge), Samuel Banks, B. Woodrow. Messrs. R. E. Sears (vice-president) G. Turner (Hon. Sec.), J. H. Lynn and Steele, represented the Metropolitan Association of Strict Baptist Churches, and S. K. Bland, the Suffolk and Norfolk Association, Mr. Kingston, Mr. Chisnall and others were present from the London Strict Baptist Ministers’ Association.