The Life And Funeral Of Edward Carr

Gospel Magazine 1920:

The Late Rev. Edward Carr, Of Bath

The name of the late Rev. Edward Carr, Pastor of Providence Chapel, Bristol Road, Bath, is well known to many of our readers. After a ministry extending over forty years he was called Home at the age of 68, on January 10 last. During our own ministry at Bath we frequently met Mr. Carr and enjoyed occasional happy intercourse with him. Many of his congregation were known to us. Shortly after the war broke out, there being no service at Providence Chapel; a large number of Mr. Carr’s people attended Kensington Episcopal Chapel, on the occasion of a special intercession service in relation to the war. Mr. and Mrs. Carr were called to pass through deep sorrow by the loss of two of their sons in the great war. We remember receiving a letter from him during the war, in which he said that Psalm 57, the first verse, was his special comfort at that period. The words are, “Yea, in the shadow of Thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.” On the same occasion he drew our attention to the last two verses of the ninth of Revelation as illustrating the absence of repentance in our own nation, despite the heavy chastisement of the war. Mr. Carr wrote a long series of articles entitled, “The Loveliness of Christ,” in the Gospel Magazine many years ago. More recently we have had occasional articles from his pen. Many volumes were written by him, and “no fewer than 666 articles upon various Biblical topics had appeared in The Sower from his prolific pen. Providence Chapel was crowded on the occasion of his funeral, and two of his favourite hymns sung at the service were, “Fountain of life, who gavest us breath,” and “Immortal honours rest on Jesu’s head.”

The funeral sermon was preached on the Lord’s day following the funeral by Mr. Champion from 1 Cor. 15:55. Our warm Christian sympathy is felt for the widow and the family of our departed friend. We have much pleasure in appending the following “In Memoriam” notice from the pen of our esteemed friend, Pastor J. R. Huntley, of Widcombe Baptist Chapel, Bath, who visited Mr. Carr during his illness. Mr. Huntley writes as follows:—

“Mr. Carr was born at New Cross in 1851. His father was a gracious man, and one of the deacons at the Surrey Tabernacle during the ministry of Mr. James Wells. When only eight years of age he was awakened to a sense of spiritual need. His favourite hymn was that which sweetly describes the blessedness he sought:—

“How high a privilege ’tis to know 

Our sins are all forgiven;

To bear about this pledge below 

This special grant of heaven.”

But like John Bunyan and many others he passed through deep exercises of mind and a long period of much darkness of soul. These are recorded in ‘Chronicles of a Chequered Pathway’ published by him in 1895.

In 1869 the word of power was spoken to his heart and he wrote,  ‘I do not think I have ever sunk into the same kind of bondage and hopelessness I was in before.’ He was much helped by the preaching of Mr. Warburton, Mr. Hemington, and Mr. Covell. Presently there sprang up in his heart a desire to be used in the ministry, but like William Gadsby, while drawn to it, he yet dreaded the responsibility of the work. On August 23, 1870, he wrote, “I have two wishes. The first is a desire and longing for the manifestation of God’s love to my soul. The second is a desire for the ministry of the Gospel.” For upwards of fourteen years the thought of preaching scarcely left him night or day. It was in 1877 at Waltham Abbey that his mouth was first opened to preach the Word of Life. His first pastorate was at Sleaford. His second at Leicester. In 1893 he was called to Bath, and here for twenty-seven years he fulfilled a ministry that God greatly blessed to the flock at Providence Chapel.

His services were in great demand in London, Manchester, and many other places. The writer was privileged to have very sweet communion with him during his long illness, and the savour of those conversations remains. His great desire was to be granted recovery that he might resume his ministry, but God provided some better thing for him. The evening before his death he spoke of the happiness of his home life notwithstanding many trials, and acknowledged the devotion of his dear wife. Afterwards he conducted, as he was wont, family worship, though with great difficulty, and retired to rest. Next morning, early on January 10, he passed away in his sleep. His funeral was largely attended by friends from Leicester, Devizes, Trowbridge, Bradford, Blackpool, and London, and also by many Bath citizens.

Mr. Champion of Chippenham (who had been greatly blessed under Mr. Carr’s ministry) conducted the service, assisted by Mr. Champkins, of Trowbridge, and Mr. Wiles, of Devizes. The interment took place in the Lyn Wid Cemetery. His four sons lowered the coffin into the grave, which can be seen from the study window where so many hours had been spent by our dear friend in the study of the Word.

The loss to his family and also to the Church is very great, and they may well mourn. But for him, what gain!

“O child of God, O glory’s heir, 

How rich a lot is thine!

A hand Almighty to defend 

An ear for every call,

An honoured life, a peaceful end,

And Heaven to crown it all.”

J. R. H.

Bath