The Project Gutenberg EBook of From Death into Life, by William Haslam

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Title: From Death into Life or, twenty years of my ministry

Author: William Haslam

Release Date: January 3, 2005 [EBook #14578]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FROM DEATH INTO LIFE ***

Produced by Michael Madden

FROM DEATH TO LIFE: Twenty Years of My Ministry.

BY

Rev. William Haslam,

(Late Incumbent of Curzon Chapel, Mayfair)

Reprinted by Rev. W. J. Watchorn.

This edition completes 130,000 copies.

Standard Book Room, Brockville, Ontario

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 The Broken Nest, 1841.

CHAPTER 2 Religious Life.

CHAPTER 3 Ordination.

CHAPTER 4 Antiquarian Researches and Ministry, 1843-46.

CHAPTER 5 The New Parish, 1846.

CHAPTER 6 The Awakening, 1848-51.

CHAPTER 7 Conversion, 1851.

CHAPTER 8 The Awakening, 1848-51.

CHAPTER 9 The Visitor, 1851.

CHAPTER 10 The First Christmas, 1851-52.

CHAPTER 11 Dreams and Visions, 1851-4.

CHAPTER 12 Billy Bray, 1852.

CHAPTER 13 Cottage Meetings, 1852.

CHAPTER 14 Open-Air Services, 1852.

CHAPTER 15 Drawing-Room Meetings, 1852-53.

CHAPTER 16 Opposition, 1853.

CHAPTER 17 Individual Cases, 1853.

CHAPTER 18 A Visit to Veryan, 1853.

CHAPTER 19 A Mission in the "Shires." 1853.

CHAPTER 20 A Stranger from London, 1853.

CHAPTER 21 Golant Mission, 1854.

CHAPTER 22 The High Church Rector, 1854.

CHAPTER 23 A Mission in Staffordshire, 1854.

CHAPTER 24 Sanctification.

CHAPTER 25 The Removal, 1855

CHAPTER 26 Plymouth, 1855

CHAPTER 27 Devonport, 1855

CHAPTER 28 A Mission to the North, 1855

CHAPTER 29 Tregoney, 1855

CHAPTER 30 Secessions, 1856

CHAPTER 31 Hayle, 1857-58

CHAPTER 32 Bible Readings, 1858-59

CHAPTER 33 The Work Continued, 1859

CHAPTER 34 The Dismissal, 1860-61

INTRODUCTION

This volume is not so much a history of my own life, as of the Lord's dealings with me; setting forth how He wrought in and by me during the space of twenty years. It will be observed that this is not, as biographies generally are, an account of life on to death; but rather the other way—a narrative of transition from death into life, and that in more senses than one.

I had been given over by three physicians to die, but it pleased the Lord, in answer to prayer, to raise me up again. My restored health and strength I thankfully devoted to a religious and earnest life. In the height and seeming prosperity of this, the Lord awakened me to see that I was dead in trespasses and sins; still far from Him; resting on my own works; and going about to establish my own righteousness, instead of submitting to the righteousness of God. Then He quickened me by the Holy Ghost, and raised me up into a new and spiritual life.

In this volume the reader will meet with the respective results of (what I have called) the Religious, as distinguished from the Spiritual, life. The former produced only outward and ecclesiastical effects, while the latter brought forth fruit in the salvation of souls, to the praise and glory of God.

One object in writing this book is to warn and instruct earnest-minded souls, who are, as I was once, strangers to the experience of salvation, seeking rest where I am sure they can never find it, and labouring to do good to others when they have not yet received that good themselves. They are vainly "building from the top;" trying to live before they are born; to become holy before they have become justified; and to lead others to conversion before they have been converted themselves.

A second object is—to draw the attention of every earnest, seeking, or anxious soul, to consider the Lord's marvellous goodness in first bearing with me in my religious wanderings, and then using me for His glory in the salvation of hundreds.

Another desire I have is—to cheer the hearts of believers who are working for God, by relating to them what He has done through me, and can do again, by the simple preaching of the Gospel. Here the reader will meet with narratives of the Lord's work in individual cases, in congregations, and in parishes—wonderful things which are worthy of record.

I have not shunned to tell of the mistakes I fell into after my conversion, hoping that others may take heed and profit by them; and then I shall not have written in vain.

CHAPTER 1

The Broken Nest, 1841.

At the time in which this history begins, I had, in the providence of God, a very happy nest; and as far as temporal prospects were concerned, I was provided for to my liking, and, though not rich, was content. I had taken my degree; was about to be ordained; and, what is more, was engaged to be married; in order, as I thought, to settle down as an efficient country parson.

With this bright future before me, I went on very happily; when, one evening, after a hard and tiring day, just as I was sitting down to rest, a letter was put into my hand which had been following me for several days. "Most urgent" was written on the outside. It told me of the alarming illness of the lady to whom I was engaged, and went on to say that if I wished to see her alive I must set off with all haste. It took me a very short time to pack my bag and get my travelling coats and rugs together, so that I was all ready to start by the night mail. At eight o'clock punctually I left London for the journey of two hundred and eighty miles. All that night I sat outside the coach; all the next day; and part of the following night. I shall never forget the misery of mind and body that I experienced, for I was tired before starting; and the fatigue of sitting up all night, together with the intense cold of the small hours of the morning, were almost beyond endurance. With the morning, however, came a warm and bright sunshine, which in some degree helped to cheer me; but my bodily suffering was so great that I could never have held up had it not been for the mental eagerness with which I longed to get forward. It was quite consonant with my feelings when the horses were put into full gallop, especially when they were tearing down one hill to get an impetus to mount another.

At length, the long, long journey was over; and about thirty hours after starting, I found myself staggering along to the well-known house. As I approached the door was softly opened by a relative who for several days had been anxiously watching my arrival. She at once conducted me upstairs, to what I expected was a sick chamber, when, to my horror, the