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The Life And Ministry Of David Smith
Dear Brother,—At your request I am penning a brief outline of my life and connection with the cause at Broad-street, Bilston, to accompany photo in the Earthen Vessel & Gospel Herald. Our family record makes known the fact that I was born in a village called "the Lye," in the county of Worcester, March 25th, 1859. When quite a child, I remember my grandmother taking me to the Primitive Methodist Chapel, where she stood a member; the excitement, varied exclamations, and attitudes of the worshippers, filled my infant mind with dread, imagining some fearful calamity was about to happen. It was with difficulty I could be persuaded to accompany her again. Some time after, however, my parents removed to Bilston, and attended the newly formed…
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The Life And Ministry Of B. T. Dale
Dear Brother,—According to your request, I send you a few particulars of my life. I was born on March 3rd, 1853, and as the Scriptures affirm, and which I fully believe, born in sin, as my after-life goes to prove, although I thank God I was never left to enter into any open sin which the world could point to with the finger of scorn. Yet I can say with the Psalmist, "My sin or mine iniquities are great," and have more than once felt the truth of John Bradford's words when he saw a man walking up to the gallows, "There goes John Bradford but for the grace of God." Twice in the course of my boyhood have I been preserved from death, which…
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The Life And Ministry Of William Tooke
My dear father was born on the 7th of March, 1823, in the parish of Hackney, being the youngest son of Samuel and Sarah Tooke, who, I believe, were members of the Church at Homerton-row for forty years, the former occupying the position of deacon of that Church for a long period. In his youth he sat under the ministry of the late Daniel Curtis, but as far as I know there did not appear to be a work of grace began until he was twenty-one years of age. To use his own words: "I was kept very strictly at home, and determined that when I was of age I would have my fill of the pleasures of this life.'' Accordingly, one Lord's-day morning he…
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The Life And Ministry Of W. E. Thomsett
Mr. W. E. Thomsett was born at Dover, Jan. 15th, 1821. Some years afterwards he was removed in Providence near West Drayton, where he resided for awhile with his parents, and attended the Baptist cause meeting in Angel-lane, Hayes. He was baptised at the age of 18. As regards his call by grace, or to the ministry, he was often wont to tell us "that had not God began with him he would never have begun with God, as He had arranged and managed all without him having any hand in the work," so that in the heaviest trials he dare not reason but rather look up, saying, "Blessed Master, Thou knowest all things, that I love Thee, and all things do work together for…
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The Life And Ministry Of Samuel Ponsford
The late Samuel Ponsford was born at Moretonhampstead, Devon, Oct. 23rd, 1801, of poor but respectable parents. He had only a faint remembrance of his father, being quite a child when he died. His mother was a godly woman, and a member of the little Baptist chapel at Moreton, where the late Mr. Garrett was pastor. The years of his youth, from 10 to 21, were spent in a farm-house, after which he went to Exeter, and was occupied as a market gardener. At the age of 23 he married. The influence of his mother's teaching made an impression upon his mind, which abode with him until he reached the age of 25, when it pleased God to reveal his sinnership to him, and by…
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The Life And Ministry Of John Smart
The subject of this short sketch had the great privilege to be born of godly parents. His father was a member of the Church worshipping at Providence Chapel, Bath. His mother, though a godly woman, was one of those, "who through fear of death are all their lifetime subject to bondage," and only enjoyed deliverance at the eleventh hour. Concerning her end her son writes, that, when near the close of her pilgrimage, her husband asked her how it was with her, she replied, “Dark! Dark!" Mr. Burns, who supplied the pulpit at Providence, was brought to see her by her husband, and read and prayed with her, but it was still “Dark, Dark,” she said. The adversary so sorely tried her, while her husband…
