The Life And Legacy Of William Romaine

Gospel Magazine 1840:

The Life Of The Rev. William Romaine, M. A.

The Rev. William Romaine was born on the twenty-fifth day of September 1714. The place of his birth was Hartlepool, a town in the county of Durham. His father was one of the French Protestants who took refuge in England upon the revocation of the edict of Nants: he settled in this place as a merchant, and became a member of the corporation, which is a very ancient one. He was a dealer in corn, and a man fearing God and hating covetousness, of which he gave a remarkable proof in the year 1741. This country was then at war with Spain, and, either from this circumstance or from scarcity, there was “a considerable advance in the price of wheat, from six to fifteen shillings per boll, the bushel of that county, containing about two of the Winchester “measure.” Upon this occasion the people rose, and came in great numbers, a formidable mob, to Hartlepool. Mr. Romaine went out to meet them, and asked them their wants, and and was answered that they wanted corn cheaper. He put; an immediate and an effectual stop to these riotous proceedings, first by promising to sell all the corn that he had at five shillings a bushel, and then by performing his promise; for he sold to all that came, while the other merchants refused to sell any.

Such traders as Mr. Romaine was, are no losers themselves in the end, and great friends to the public in the mean time; and what is more, they are ranked among the friends of God; for, “There is that scattereth and yet increaseth, and there is that withholdeth more than than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him, but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.” Prov. 11:24, 25, 26.

This Scripture was strictly verified in Mr. Romaine of Hartlepool; for the blessing of God and of the poor rested upon him. He brought up a family of two sons and three daughters, who were all comfortably and respectably settled in this world, and taught both by the precept and example of their parents to look for permanent settlements, or mansions, in the world to come. Their father was a man of God, and consequently of strict morals, and so exact an observer of the Sabbath-Day, that he never suffered any of his family to go out upon it, except to church, and spent the remainder of it with them in reading the Scriptures, and other devout exercises, at home. In this manner he lived to the age of eighty-five, and to the year of our Lord 1757.

The surviving widow and one unmarried daughter continued in the business at Hartlepool, much respected and beloved, being noted for their attention not only to the bodily wants, but to the spiritual concerns of their fellow-creatures; for it was their custom to read and explain the Scriptures to their neighbours, which by some was called preaching; but was probably no more than domestic instruction, to which they admitted all who wished to partake of it, with a view to the mutual comfort and edification one of another; and such are deservedly ranked among those women who, says the Apostle, “labour with us in the Gospel, and whose names are in the Book of Life.” Phil. 4:3.

The Rev. William Romaine was the second son of these believing parents. His early discoveries of great talents, and an equal desire to improve them, induced his parents to send him to the Grammar School at Houghton-le-Spring, in the county of Durham, founded by the celebrated rector of that parish, Bernard Gilpin. This school had flourished much in the time of its founder; nor did it lose its credit after his decease, as a “seminary of sound learning and religious knowledge, from which many have gone to our universities, who have proved great ornaments to the Church and nation.” Among these surely may be reckoned that eminent person who is the subject of these memoirs: he was seven years at Houghton School, and was sent to Oxford in the year 1730 or 1731. He was first entered at Hertford College, and thence removed to Christ Church. His proficiency may be inferred from his early appearance as an author, and that not of the common sort, but as one who had read much before he wrote any thing; who had particularly studied the Scriptures in their original tongues, as an essential preparation for that holy function to which he was destined, and in which he afterwards excelled so much to the edifying of the Church.

He resided principally at Oxford till he took his degree of Master of Arts, in October 1737, having been ordained a year before. His first engagement, after he was in orders, was the curacy of Loe Trenchard, near Lidford, in Devonshire. He went there upon a visit with one of his contemporaries at Oxford, whose father lived at Lidford; and upon the express condition that his friend would find him employment in the way of his profession. This employment was accordingly found for him in the church aforementioned, which he served for six months, most probably, of the year in which he took his master’s degree. In the year following fie was resident at Epsom, in Surrey; in the same year he was ordained a priest. His title for orders was most probably a nomination to the church of Banstead, which he served for some years, together with that of Horton in Middlesex. At Banstead he became acquainted with Sir Daniel Lambert, who had a country-house in that parish, an alder-man of the city of London, and elected Lord Mayor in the year 1741. Mr. Romaine was appointed his chaplain, and so had a door of utterance opened to him in the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, where he delivered the second sermon that he printed, on the 14th and 15^th verses of the second chapter of the Epistle to the Romans; in which is to be found a critical and a Christian illustration of that difficult passage. Though we do not discover in this sermon the same fertile experience, use, and application of the truth, as are to be found in his later writings; yet we discover the same truth itself by which he was then made free from the errors of the day, and in the knowledge and enjoyment of which he lived and died. We discover in it the reasoning of a logical head, the writing of a classical pen, the religion of a believing heart, and the preaching of a sound divine. The point evidently pursued in it is redemption from sin by the blood of Jesus, as it was revealed from God to Adam, and through him to the Patriarchs; to Moses and the Prophets, and through them to the Israelites ; and as it was conveyed to the Gentiles before the preaching of the Gospel among them, by tradition: which is the only probable cause of their sacrifices, or appeasing the Deity by the shedding of blood, a custom so unnatural in itself, and yet so universally prevalent among them. In short, the object of this discourse is to prove that a creature, whether upright or fallen, was never made to teach himself, but to learn from his Maker; and to hold forth to men the only religion which is suited to their fallen condition; not as the religion of nature, but as the religion of grace; not as a human device, but as a divine revelation. And let the author of it be considered as having attained only to the age of twenty-seven years, and he may be thought to have discovered in it a maturity of judgment, a proficiency of reading, meditation, and doctrine, to which few at so early a period of life have attained.

The truth is, he was a believer—possessed of that unfeigned faith which dwelt in his father and mother before him, and we are persuaded that it was in him also. And that from a child he had known the Scriptures, having studied them with that proper faculty by which alone they are able to make us wise unto salvation, namely, faith which is in Christ Jesus. 2 Tim. 1:5; 3:15.

In the year 1749, Mr. Romaine was chosen lecturer of St. Dunstan’s in the West. In the person of his predecessor. Dr. Terrick, two lectureships were united; the one endowed and founded by Dr. White for the use of the benchers of the Temple; the other a common parish lectureship, supported by voluntary contributions. Mr. Romaine was elected to both, and continued some years in the quiet exercise of his office, till the faithful discharge of it raised violent clamours and opposition against him. The rector then thought fit to dispute his right to the pulpit, and occupied it himself during the time of prayers, in order to exclude him from it. Mr. Romaine appeared constantly in his place, to assert his claim to the lectureship, as well as his readiness to perform the office. The affair was at length carried into the Court of King’s Bench, in the year 1762, the decision of which deprived Mr. Romaine of the parish lectureship, but confirmed him in that founded by Dr. White, and endowed with a salary of eighteen pounds a year. Lest this should be removed from the parish, the use of the church was granted him; but as Lord Mansfield’s decision was that seven o’clock in the evening was a convenient time to preach the lecture, the churchwardens refused to open the church till that hour, or to light it when there was occasion; so that Mr. Romaine frequently read prayers and preached, by the light of a single candle, which he held in his own hand. The church doors being shut until the precise moment fixed for preaching the lecture, the congregation usually assembled in the street, and there waited for admission. The consequence was a concourse of people, collected indeed without noise and tumult, but not without great inconvenience to those who passed that way, among whom one evening happened to be the Bishop of London, Dr. Terrick, who had been Mr. Romaine’s predecessor in the lectureship. Observing the crowd, he inquired into the cause of it; and being told that it was Mr. Romaine’s audience in these circumstances, he interfered with the rector and churchwardens in their behalf, expressed great respect for Mr. Romaine, and obtained for him and his hearers, that the service of the church should begin at six o’clock, that the doors should be opened in proper time, and that lights should be provided for the winter season. From this period Mr. Romaine was established in his ministry at St. Dunstan’s, and continued quietly in the exercise of it, to the edification of many, until the end of his life. Here surely he might set up a waymark in the course of his pilgrimage, and say, “My soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my defence, I shall not be moved.” Psalm 62:5, 6.

In the year 1750 Mr. Romaine was appointed assistant morning preacher in the parish of St. George’s, Hanover-square. This office was not a settled establishment, but merely dependent on the will of the rector, and the person procured by him at his own option and expense. The rector, who both called him to this office, and removed him from it, was Dr. Andrew Trebeck. The first act originated not in personal friendship, but in the recommendation of his character; the latter arose from the popularity and plainness of his ministry. He preached Christ crucified among those who are least disposed to receive him. The church was filled with the poor, and forsaken by the rich; and that which (as a nobleman is said to have observed) was never complained of in a playhouse, was admitted as a just cause of complaint in the house of God. When notice was given him that the crowd of people attending from different parts caused great inconvenience to the inhabitants, who could not safely get to their seats, he received it in the most placid manner, and said, “he was willing to relinquish an office which he had faithfully performed, hoping that his doctrine had been Christian, and owning the inconvenience which had attended the parishioners.” In this instance, therefore, as well as in many others, he suffered as a Christian, and had reason to rejoice: for the Spirit of glory and of God rested upon him, endowing him with the meekness and gentleness of his Master, and enabling him to serve his cause by suitable conduct, when he could no longer do it by his sermons.

Mr. Romaine entered upon this office in St. George’s parish on the 1st of April 1750, and retired from it on the 28th of September 1755, during which time he preached occasionally at Bow church, in exchange with Dr. Newton, afterwards Bishop of Bristol, then rector of that parish, and lecturer of St. George’s, Hanover-square; and also at Curzon chapel, then called St. George’s chapel, Mayfair, in exchange with Dr. Trebeck himself, who was morning preacher there.

In February 1755, Mr. Romaine changed his condition by marrying Miss Price. Upon leaving his situation in St. George’s, Hanover-square, or soon after, he became curate and morning preacher at St. Olave’s, Southwark, upon which office he entered in the beginning of the year 1756, and continued in it to the year 1759; and to this congregation he dedicated his sermon upon the parable of the dry bones in Ezekiel, preached in their church, and published at their desire. He resided the first year in the rectory-house, and removed from thence into Walnut tree Walk, Lambeth. Here he had a delightful retreat, in which he spent some of the happiest of his years, and a little garden, which he dressed, kept, and planted; and as he viewed the productions of it with faith, and received them with thankfulness, he converted it into another Eden.

Mr. Romaine, after he left the cure of St. Olave’s, was morning preacher for near two years at St. Bartholomew the Great, near West Smithfield, and removed from thence to Westminster chapel, where he had the same office for six months, till the dean and chapter with­ drew their patronage and protection from it, and refused him their nomination for a licence to preach there. Nor had he any stated employment in the church, excepting the lectureship of St. Dunstan’s in the West, till he was chosen to the rectory of Blackfriars in 1764; to which, owing to a dispute about the election, he was not admitted till the year 1766, where he continued till his death.

His fatal illness attacked him on the sixth day of June 1795, and put a period to his mortal life on the twenty-sixth day of July. A season of seven weeks, in which he was exercised as a patient, instead of a preacher. As the presence of God had been with him in one state, so it did not leave him in the other.

On Saturday, the 25th of July, he was not down stairs at all, but lay upon the couch all day, in great weakness of body, but strong in faith, giving glory to God. The power of Christ was resting upon him, and keeping him in the continual exercise of prayer and praise. The night following he was restless; his decay advanced rapidly, and unable to go down stairs, he was laid on a couch in the morning, where he continued through the day, waiting his now approaching dismission. About three o’clock his beloved friend, Mr. Whitridge, had returned from town, and immediately went up stairs to ask him how he did. He replied, “Very well, through mercy, and glad to see you.” He then shook him by the hand in token of welcome, and asked if he returned to town that afternoon. He said, “No, sir, I am come to be with you, and to pray God to bless you now with the comfort of his sweet salvation, and to bring you to the blessed pos­ session and enjoyment of life everlasting.” To which he replied with earnestness, “Amen, Amen, Amen.” His dissolution now was evidently near, and his life fast flowing out. He lay waiting his dismission, and ready to welcome it. Every breath seemed to shorten—the prelude to the last. His kind friend came up again to him, and approaching him, “I hope, sir, you now find the salvation of Jesus inestimably precious to you he replied with feeble voice, “Yes, yes, yes, he is precious to my soul.” “More precious than rubies,” said his friend. He caught the word, and completed the scripture, “Yes, and all that can be desired is not comparable to him.” “Now, then,” said his friend, “he is the chief of ten thousand.” “Yes,” added the dying saint, “he is a tree of life.”

Whilst his lips could move, or his tongue articulate, he was employed in ejaculations of prayer and praise. The last words he was heard distinctly to utter were, “Holy, holy, holy, blessed Jesus! to thee be endless praise!” When his breath failed, and he could speak no more, his lips continued to move, his hands were clasped, and lifted up to God, and about one o’clock on the morning of the Sabbath, July 26, the conflict ended: he fell asleep in Jesus without a struggle or a groan, and entered into the eternal rest which remaineth for the people of God in a better world.

So lived and so died the Rev. William Romaine.