The Life And Ministry Of Samuel Oldacre

Gospel Standard 1867:

Died at Horsely Heath, near Dudley, on June 3rd, 1867, after about a month’s illness, Samuel Oldacre, aged 75.

He was a sound, experimental preacher, a gospel lover and walker, of a kind, generous disposition, and acceptable and useful to many churches in the neighbourhood where he resided. The following particulars are copied from a memorandum written with his own hand:

“It pleased God who separated me from my mother’s womb to call me by his grace when I was between 17 and 18 years of age, after a very shameful and wicked act in one of my frolics, as I used to call them, which I forbear to name from its repulsive nature, which brought no small disgrace upon me. The first Sabbath after this occurrence I remained in the house all day till evening, shame keeping me in. I then ventured to chapel, and seated myself in as obscure a spot as I could select. One thing I must mention. The very place appeared to me that evening so very different to what I had ever seen it before, so light, so beautiful, so attractive, that I have never been able to account for it to this day.

“The minister took his text from 1 Tim. 1:15: ‘This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.’ He appeared to preach to no one but me. He drew such a striking picture of my character and conduct that I thought some one had put him into possession of the secrets of my life. O how rebellious I felt! When the service was over, I could not, as I had purposed, visit my former haunts, but returned home with a mind deeply wounded. The more I thought and reflected, the more my disgrace increased. At the usual time I retired to rest. My crimes haunted me like a ghost, and by no effort could I get rid of them; so that I had very little sleep, nor did my prospects seem brighter in the morning. I lost all those mirthful and jocular habits which had been a snare to me, and became grave, solid, and serious, even to sullenness. Every day increased the catalogue of my crimes, and set before me the guilt of my heart and the sins of my life. I was a prisoner in chains; for I was tied and bound with the chain of my sins, nor did the night relieve me of my distress. If I slept a little, I was sure to have dreams as if I was falling into hell, or from some frightful precipice. ‘Thou scarest me with dreams and terrifiest me with visions.’ (Job 7:14.) I appeared to spring a yard from the bed with the fall, and such was my fright that I awoke my brother with my screams, which made him conclude I was going beside myself; as well he might; yet he was an entire stranger to what I was passing through.

“I continued in this state for many weeks. I gave up my companions in wickedness, which was no small task. I read my Bible and other good books, crept into prayer meetings, attended preaching, and walked behind God’s people in hope of hearing something to comfort me. I used to think what holy, good people they were; and if they knew what a polluted wretch was behind them they would order me off. I attempted to pray as well as I could, but seldom got beyond, ‘God be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I set a watch upon my lips, and abstained as much as possible from the very appearance of evil.

“After using all my efforts to improve, I grew worse and worse. My criminality and guilt were so great that I bordered on despair. My tongue cannot describe what I passed through, the sorrows, the distress, the contrition I had. I was frequently told to believe. I did believe in God; I did believe that Christ died for sinners; I believed his blood was efficacious to redeem from all sin; but this was not enough. I wanted an application of that blood to my soul.

“One day I was at my work, and all of a sudden I felt as if the ground gave way, and thought the earth was opening her mouth to swallow me. I escaped for my life as quick as possible. I ran up a pair of steps into an attic and fell on my knees and poured out my soul in earnest, fervent prayer, that God would, for Christ’s sake, have mercy upon me. I wrestled and sweat that God would pity me and pardon me. It may be truly said, I prayed all over me, with all my might. In the midst of my agony I seemed to see the cross and Christ suspended on it. My guilt fled away, my burden was gone, my fears had fled, and love, peace, and joy burned in my soul. It was a joy unspeakable and full of glory. No language can express the happy state I was in. It was heaven on earth.

“After I had recovered myself, I descended the steps, and the first person I met with was a young man. My heart was so full I could not refrain from telling him what the Lord had done for my soul. He listened to me with astonishment, and appeared anxious to get away, and when he did he went and told several persons I was certainly out of my mind.

“I now saw that all works that did not proceed from the love of God in the soul could not be accepted by him. I was now purged from my pharisaical notions, stripped of self, and made to see my deliverance was from the Lord, and my continuance was from the same source. What a death-blow this was to my supposed good works. What I thought was unto life I now found was unto death. I became conversant with my own inability to do anything spiritually aright, and lost all hope on that ground. I now saw the plan of salvation more clearly, that it was all of the Lord through what Christ had done. I also saw all I had was from the Lord, and all I had in prospect was from the same quarter; and such was my affection to the Lord that I resolved in his strength to follow him through good and through evil report.

“I was proposed as a candidate for baptism, received into the church, and never was there a more affectionate people walking in the commandments and ordinances, as heirs of the grace and kingdom of God.

“’Many days have pass’d since then;
Many changes I have seen;
Yet have been upheld till now,
Who could hold me up but thou?'”

There is no account of his call to the ministry, but his daughter has furnished the following particulars: “My father commenced preaching when he was about 25 years of age. He was pastor over the Baptist church in Stourbridge nearly five years. From thence he went to Scotland, and was pastor over a church in Lanarkshire. From thence he removed to Market Drayton, where he remained three years. For many years latterly he was not settled over any people, but supplied the destitute churches in the surrounding country. He stood a member of the church tit Oldbury, and was a most quiet and peaceful man.”

One of the deacons visited him a week before his death, when he said, “I have not been hampered with doubts and fears in this affliction as I have been in others. I have not had a single doubt; Satan has not been suffered to come near me. I have had some sweet and blessed foretastes of my future inheritance. When suffering severely, I desired the Lord to take me, but prayed that I might feel patient. I have no will at all now of my own. I am quite resigned to the Lord’s will; I am ready to go whenever he thinks proper.” He also said, “I have been looking over the truths I have preached, and I see no cause to recall one of the doctrines I have mentioned, for they are now more precious to my soul than ever;” and added, “What could a poor helpless thing like me do if it was as the professors say, that Christ merely opened a channel of salvation with certain conditions left to be performed by the creature? What conditions could I perform in my present, poor, helpless state? It is my consolation to have the assurance in my own soul that all the conditions required for my salvation the dear Lord has performed for me.”

His sufferings were of so painful a nature that he could not converse much. In reply to his medical attendant, he said, “I am not afraid of death. It has lost its sting. It will be a blessed change.”

The Lord’s day before his death, he said, “My sufferings are great. I never thought of my Saviour’s agonies as I do now, for he had no sin. It was for the sins of his people that he endured such sufferings.” His daughter replied, “It will soon be over, and you will be an inhabitant of that happy place you; have talked about so much.” He looked up in her face, with a heavenly smile, and said, “O yes. There is a mansion in my Father’s house prepared for me. I long to be gone to see my Saviour and my God.” He seemed to be asleep afterwards for some hours. When he awoke, he was in great pain, which continued until his death.

A few hours before he died, he looked up at his dear wife, and seeing she was overwhelmed with grief, said, “Try and give me up. It will not be long before you follow me.” The sun shining into his bedroom, he said, “Farewell, sun, and farewell all things here on earth, and welcome Jesus, the Sun of righteousness. Blessed Jesus, my precious Saviour.” This he repeated several times. He then said, “O Lamb of God, how long? Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.” These were the last words that fell from his lips.

He was a most loving, kind, and affectionate husband, father, and friend. May his death be sanctified to his bereaved widow and sorrowing family!

“The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.”

Hastings, July 16th, 1867

John Forster