WESLEYAN-METHODIST MAGAZINE.

AUGUST, 1863.

MEMOIR OF THE REV. CHRISTOPHER NEWTON:

BY HIS SON, THE REV. WILLIAM F. NEWTON.

Ir is true of the body of Christ, that "whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it." The headship of the Saviour, the unity of the Spirit, the brotherhood of faith, the oneness of renewed hearts, the sympathy and fellowship of love, are there. There, in a word, is the true church of Christ.

Wesleyan Methodism is a privileged branch of this true church; and, as a religious system, it is happily framed to illustrate this spiritual unity and sympathy, both in the social aspects of its communion, and in its very numerous records of Christian experience and ministerial labour. Not less, perhaps, in the latter, than in the former: and, probably, not least is it illustrated in the fact, that it does not willingly suffer one of its well-tried and faithful servants to pass away from its roll of worthies, without recording its sense of the loss, and paying some tribute to the memory of the departed brother

or sister.

The present sketch is in memory of one, lately deceased, who had been a consistent and attached member of the Wesleyan church fiftyfour years, and a faithful and useful minister of the Connexion nearly forty-eight years. CHRISTOPHER NEWTON was born in the immediate neighbourhood of Caton, a village some four miles north-east of Lancaster, on the 19th of April, 1790. The story of his early years would

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prove an interesting relation of boyish adventures and remarkable providences. His own account is very concise and simple "Many dangers I escaped, without being hurt. Sometimes I was near being drowned; but the Lord, who careth even for His enemies, mercifully took care of me." "On one occasion," writes his brother, "he had fallen into a water-course, and was floating helplessly down, when seen by his watchful mother; who, with his infant brother in her arms, rushed to his rescue, and with difficulty saved him." His life was preserved for purposes of much usefulness to the church of

Christ.

Meanwhile, during this early period, the Spirit of the Lord was at work in his soul. "When I was but a child," he says, "I had many visits from the Lord, although I knew it not then." * His

* Compare 1 Sam. iii. 7 :-"Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him."-EDITORS.

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parents were at that time strict members of the Established Church; but it was not long before they were induced to open their house to the Methodist preachers; and the subject of this memoir appears to have been one of the first-fruits of Methodism in his family. He did not, however, become a member of Society, until he had reached his seventeenth year. For some time before this, however, his mind had been deeply affected about his spiritual state, especially when reading of the sufferings of Christ. He was soon led to feel his deep personal need of the Saviour, and to believe that Christ suffered for his sins, "the just" for him "the unjust," to bring him to God. He could now say, "I love Him, because He first loved me." From that hour he was the Lord's. This dedication of himself is recorded by his own hand, with his signature subjoined, bearing date of June 3d, 1807. The words of this solemn covenant are so appropriate and impressive, that we will transcribe them verbatim from his diary :

"O most glorious and incomprehensible Being! I am now taking hold of Thy strength; determining, through Thy grace, to lead a new life; to do that which I promised in my baptismal vow. I do now solemnly devote body and soul to Thee. I take Thee for my God this morning; and I resolve before Thee, as Thou hast bought me with Thy most precious blood, to serve Thee as well as I

can.

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"O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, take me for Thine own. Sanetify me wholly, and make me a vessel of honour. O, strengthen me with Thy might! Let not the world, with all its flatteries, entice me. Let not the devil, so subtle an enemy, have any advantage over me nor let my own heart deceive me. Give me Thy Holy Spirit to help me; that, being ruled by Thy word, I may come to heaven at last. Amen.-CHRISTOPHER NEWTON."

Soon after this act of solemn self-consecration, he partook of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper for the first time. It appears to have been a very precious season. His soul's language was, thenceforward, "None but Christ." His growth, from this period, in the knowledge and grace of his Saviour, must have been very marked and satisfactory: for, soon afterwards, we find him occasionally employed in the important and responsible position of leader of his class. Perhaps he could hardly be said to be ripe enough yet for the sole charge in a position such as this,-requiring so much experience and wisdom, for dealing out not only "milk" to "babes in Christ," but also "strong meat to "them that are of full age."

But the Lord was preparing him to undertake a more prominent position of usefulness in His church. After much prayer for Divine guidance and fitness, he felt he was called to exhort sinners to be reconciled to God. The way was soon opened, and God gave him "a door of utterance." He began to preach on Sunday, the 10th of April, 1808, taking for his text Hebrews iv. 6-9. This was at a village, at that time on the Plan of the Lancaster Circuit. The year following, his name appeared as a probationer on the Lancaster Circuit Plan; and, soon afterwards, removing with his parents to Ingle

white, he was welcomed as a brother by the preachers of the Preston Circuit.

It is very interesting to note, in his diary, how earnestly desirous he was to acquit himself usefully, and to the glory of God, in this new and important post. He rose early, read books, wrote often, studied the original languages of holy Scripture, and in other ways showed that he was anxious to prove a teacher of souls, and an expounder of the word of life. Nor was he neglectful of his own soul, while watchful of others. He usually rose very early,-often at four o'clock; and his first hour was employed in meditation and prayer. Many of those early morning exercises, we observe, were times of special refreshing to his soul, and could not fail to tell on his daily life and public work. He was now much pressed in spirit as to the calling in which he should "serve his generation according to the will of God." How anxiously he sought to know this will, and to do it, the humble pages of his diary at this point abundantly show. Often, from want of seeking such counsel, the Lord's servants have been made to feel they had become the servants merely of men; and have discovered, in the end, that they had rushed into paths of service for which they were unfitted ;-following what they thought a leading of Providence, whereas it proved to be a leading of self, or some other kindred influence. This was never the regret of Mr. Newton's life. He had submissively sought to know the path of duty, and it was clearly opened for him. In a worldly point of view, the inducements were strong to remain where he was; but the finger of Providence pointed to another sphere. This, in short, he felt was his calling,-to resign secular work and its prospects, and to give himself "continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.” To this step he was encouraged by his brethren; and accordingly, at the Quarterly-Meeting of March, 1813, he was proposed as a fit and proper person for the Wesleyan ministry, and passed. And, after passing satisfactorily the further ordeal of the next District-Meeting, he received his first appointment as an Itinerant preacher, and was stationed at Chesterfield, in Derbyshire.

To this, his first Circuit, he was re-appointed in 1827; and to his second, in 1825 :-gratifying proofs that his earliest labours in the ministry must have been earnest, faithful, and acceptable. Nor were they without the unction from above. He was favoured with the first seal to his ministry very soon after his appointment to his first Circuit; and over not a few, it would appear, he could rejoice in the Lord, as his glory and joy.

The record of nearly forty-eight years of faithful ministerial life and labour would not be an uninteresting and unprofitable relation; but it would certainly exceed the limits and purpose of this sketch. The writer, however, cannot help expressing his deep regret, that he can avail himself of so few memoranda written during that long period of useful service. Mr. Newton always showed a strong disinclination to speak or write much about his own personal experiences and labours. Modesty, it is well known, was a very noticeable trait

in both his public and private character. He would never proclaim, he could seldom perceive, his own worth. Hence an almost entire absence, among his private papers, of memoranda relative to his spiritual life and ministerial work. A few extracts, however, from letters written to the few who shared his confidence, will not be out of place here. They bear unquestionable proof of true piety, zeal, and anxiety to be a faithful minister of Jesus Christ.

"At present," he writes to his brother, from Cromford, February 17th, 1816, "I am well, I trust, both in body and soul. We have had a great stirring up in this Circuit; but, while we have been pleased with the kindlings of the holy fire, we have witnessed to our sorrow the casting in of some improper fuel." The great and gracious "stirring up" was due, in large measure, to the Divine unction which attended his own labouring in the word and doctrine. That unction was sought by diligent prayer, both for his own soul and his hearers. He was wont to go to the pulpit from the still chamber. The writer of this memoir entered, one Sabbath morning, a room into which Mr. Newton had retired some time before commencement of Divine service in the adjoining chapel. The invasion was not observed. He seemed in intimate converse with Heaven. That prayerful attitude that calm face-that holy breathing-will never be forgotten. It will be a holy, blessed memory, to the writer's last day.

Mr. Newton's ministry was an exceedingly unostentatious one. There was no attempt at display, in word or deed. All was so calm -yet so real, and so fervent. He waited on God for gifts, and left to God the issues. And that waiting was not in vain. The day will declare it. While he "rests from his labours," his "works do fol low him" to the great day of reckoning and rejoicing. Already, we doubt not, many a saint in glory has welcomed the now triumphant spirit of Mr. Newton to that better country, as the once faithful pastor, and spiritual father and teacher; and himself will, we believe, erelong, through God's good grace, have the joy of greeting others who thank God that ever they beard the word of life from his lips.

The matter of his preaching, it may be remarked here, was solid. He taught. Possessing more than average mental power, he diligently improved it. Study was his delight. It always was so; and he early trained himself to a habit of reading and digesting authors of the most substantial and learned class. But he was moved to this by something higher than intellectual taste. He was anxious to be "a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Study work was, therefore, felt to be both a delight and a duty. He was earnest in it. "I spend," he writes in the letter from which we have quoted, "six or eight hours every day in prayer, reading, and study; and hope to spend more when the days are longer."

Allusion has been made to a class, of which, before his call to the ministry, he had the charge. He seems to have long cherished an affectionate remembrance of its members, and an anxious concern that they might prove real Christians, growing Christians; and finally be presented faultless before the throne of Christ's glory. A long and