The Life And Ministry Of Andrew Ward

Earthen Vessel 1895:

Mr. A. J. Ward, Laxfield

My Dear Brother,—At your kind request I send a brief account of the Lord’s dealings with me.

I was born on July 30, 1854, in the village of Earl’s Barton, Northamptonshire. My parents were poor, but hard-working. At the time of my birth they were not professors, but soon afterward they were called by God out of darkness into His marvelous light. I can just remember them being baptized, so from my early remembrance I was brought up to attend the house of God and to reverence the Sabbath-day. I was the subject of deep conviction very early, and the necessity of the new birth. A very distressing suicide took place in our village before I was six years old, which led me deeply to consider my state as a sinner. The Lord’s-day evening that the young person lay by the walls, I went to chapel with my dear father. It was a very dark winter’s night, too, and they sang that beautiful hymn of Newton’s, “Begone unbelief,” and when they sang that verse—

“His love in times past forbids me to think

He’ll leave me at last in trouble to sink,”

I wept and prayed that I might never be left to sink into everlasting misery and woe. I felt I deserved it, and when in the Sabbath-school many hymns were very useful to deepen the convictions, especially—

“Among the deepest shades of night,

Can there be one who sees my way?

Yes, God is like a shining light,

Which turns the darkness into day.”

And knowing God could see me as a sinner, I often feared lest I should die in my sin; but, alas! as I grew up the love of the world grew stronger, and having naturally a light heart I tried to drown these thoughts. For the sake of my dear parents I always attended the house of God, though I often wished my parents were ungodly, so that I might have my fill of the pleasures of the world.

In the spring of 1872 the Lord was pleased to bless the word to my soul through one of the supplies (Mr. G. Batchelor, of Tring). The words were, “Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by?” (Lam. Jer. 1:12). Now began a severe conflict, as I had just got my liberty, being determined to break off all restraint of my God-fearing parents and fulfil the desires of my mind. I was angry with God. O the bitter thoughts I had! I had longed for my liberty, and now I was thrust into deeper bonds. I sinned against light and knowledge. When trying to enjoy the pleasures of the world, the words would ring in my ears, “Is it nothing to you?” For six months I went from bad to worse, groaning beneath a guilty conscience, constantly vowing if the Lord would forgive me I would try and not do so again; but all my vows were in vain. The love of the world and my companions were too strong for me to resist, the inclinations of my evil heart being bound up in them. In the month of Novernber, 1872, I was constrained to go to a prayer-meeting, and there I received great help from hymn 201 (Denham’s selection), especially from the verse—

“I to Him my sins confess,

Carry to Him my distress;

And though great my evils are,

He preserves me from despair.”

One Saturday evening in January, 1873, I felt my burden so great I was compelled to leave my work and go into an outbuilding and pray that God would put an end to this trouble and confusion, or I must sink under it. I went to bed, but little sleep. I awoke in the morning; went to chapel. They sang the beautiful hymn—

“Hail, sovereign love, that first began.”

It greatly cheered my heart. The late Mr. W. Tooke was then the pastor. His text was, Song of Solomon 8:5, and under that precious sermon I felt my burden roll away. My soul was set at liberty, and I could then rejoice in Christ Jesus as my Saviour. This fulfilled one of the three desires I had from a child, that I might be a Christian. In the afternoon I went again, and they asked me to start the tunes, which fulfilled the second desire. I was baptized on Feb. 26, 1874, and received into the Church on the following Lord’s-day—viz., the 1st of March. After many an earnest prayer and anxious hours I was constrained to open my mouth to speak, which was on the first Lord’s-day in March, 1877; this was the third desire. On the first Lord’s-day in March, 1886, I was chosen pastor of Ebenezer, Glemsford, where I lived and laboured seven years; but feeling my work was done there, I resigned, and commenced my pastorate here on the first Lord’s-day in March, 1893, where the Lord has and is blessing my labours. To Him be all the glory. Amen.

Yours in Gospel bonds,

Andrew J. Ward