. E^'P^B Hiv^ * ^^^^BB ^r ^ ^H 1 A-^2^ ^j KKSMb M v\ ^9^^H: fc 1 . k iJ^l ?|s BLedBML fl FT Km. II \ m I 1 i\ 1 ^^B& t» -. H \ K*"^- > ML* \yf S ^^HH_ J 1 ! i. , Ii j £ " "^/zafa 2>_y -KZ/Jott # J-^i/- ~J: >^u*-<jS i Aa^t^i T THE LIFE OF JAMES FLANAGAN PREACHER, EVANGELIST, AUTHOR. BY R. W. RUSSELL. HOLBORN PUBLISHING HOUSE, HOLBORN HALL, CLERKENWELL ROAD, E.C.I. TABLE OF PRINCIPAL DATES 1851. Born in Mansfield, December 18th. 1872. Converted in Bath Street Chapel, Mansfield. 1874. Became a Local Preacher. 1883. First Mission at Long Clawson. 1884. Appointed Evangelist at Melton Mowbray. 1885. Appointed City Missioner at Nottingham. 1887. Appointed Superintendent of Albert Hall Mission, Nottingham. 1 89 1. Entered the Ministry of the Primitive Methodist Church. Appointed to Trinity Street Chapel, Southwark, London. 1900. Opening of St. George's Hall, January 4th. 1902. Engaged to raise Funds for purchase of Freehold. 1905. Advocate of Home Missions. 1906. First Visit to New Zealand and Australia. 1909. Appointed Pastor of Canaan Church, Nottingham. 191 1. Death of Mrs. Flanagan, January 24th. 19 1 3. Second Visit to New Zealand. 19 14. Visit to South Africa. Superannuated 19 1 8. Died at Nottingham, March 30th. Buried April 4th. 1919. Unveiling of Memorial Tablet at St. George's Hall, November 12th. preface This brief biography of the Rev. James Flanagan has been written in response to the request of the representatives of his family and in the hope that its publication may promote the work of evangelism in the Churches. I am indebted to my friend, Mr. Denis Crane, for placing at my disposal numberless letters, newspaper cuttings, diaries, journals and manuscripts, which have been of invaluable service in my work. My acquaintance with Flanagan, which cemented into truest friendship, covered a period of at least twenty years. I was privileged during the last five years of his life to meet him frequently, almost daily, and I have endeavoured to record in this biography many of the things he told me. It has been my aim in writing to reproduce the atmosphere in which much of his work was done and tenderly to lift the curtain which concealed the incessant yearning of his big heart for the salvation and eternal welfare of his fellow-creatures. R. W. RUSSELL. June 19th, 1920. f I His life was gentle ; and the elements So mix'd in him, that Nature might stand up, And say to all the world—This was a man." Shakespeare. CONTENTS CHAPTER I. Page Early Days i CHAPTER II. Out of the Pit . ii CHAPTER III. A New Song 21 CHAPTER IV Taking Shape CHAPTER V Days of Testing 39 CHAPTER VI. Melton Mowbray 45 CHAPTER VII. A Wider Sphere 5<5 CHAPTER VIII. Nottingham 68 CHAPTER IX. Removal to London . 8i CHAPTER X. Southwark 89 viii CONTENTS CHAPTER XL Page Prospecting 108 CHAPTER XII. The Open Way 118 CHAPTER XIII. A Monument 130 CHAPTER XIV Back from the Hill 140 CHAPTER XV London in the Provinces . .150 CHAPTER XVI. 20, Patrick Road . , .165 CHAPTER XVII. Advocate 175 CHAPTER XVIII. The Dominions Overseas . 184 CHAPTER XIX. J. F 201 CHAPTER XX. Shadows , .212 CHAPTER XXI. South Africa 221 CHAPTER XXII. Farewell ...,,.. 237 The Life of James Flanagan Chapter I. EARLY DAYS " A Sensitive Plant in a garden grew, And the young winds fed it with silver dew, And it opened its fan-like leaves to the light, And closed them beneath the kisses of Night. * * * * * * * " Between the time of the wind and the snow All loathliest weeds began to grow, Whose coarse leaves were splashed with many a speck, Like the water-snake's belly and the toad's back.******* " For Winter came : the wind was his whip : One choppy finger was on his lip : He had torn the cataracts from the hills And they clanked at his girdle like manacles." Shelley. James Flanagan was born December 18th, 1851, at Mansfield, in the county of Nottingham. His father was an Irishman, fine looking and strong, with curly hair. He was a splendid B 2 LIFE OF JAMES FLANAGAN workman, well read in the history of Ireland and familiar with its industrial and social troubles, generally animated in conversation and passionately hot-tempered in dispute. Escaping from the tyranny of the uncle for whom he worked, he sought shelter in Mans- field and commenced business as a clay pipe manufacturer. At this trade, to which he served an apprenticeship, he might have made a fortune, for many times did the tide in his affairs rise high, but he failed to lift the sails and the boat lay stranded on the shore. An inordinate craving for drink shackled his genius and ultimately over- powered him. Noble qualities of mind and heart, as parental love, enthusiasm for native land and devotion to the Roman Catholic Church, were ruthlessly destroyed by wild intemperance, and he, who once had looked with feverish eyes across the restless waters of the Irish Sea in quest of freedom from his uncle's tyranny, became the slave of drink. After a profitless life, he was seized with an illness from which recovery was impossible, but by the Grace of God and the ministry of many friends, he repented and accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour and Lord. James's mother was born at Edwinstowe in Nottinghamshire, and resided with her EARLY DAYS 3 parents on the Earl of Manvers's estate. At their death the home was broken up, and she, a girl of eighteen, was thrown upon the world. She was placed with some friends at Mansfield, where she met Patrick William Flanagan and soon became his wife. The new life into which she drifted contrasted with earlier experiences. Her maiden life had been spent amidst the sweetest influences. The home of her childhood was fragrant with piety, and her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, were devoted adherents of the Parish Church. She had been reared in the lap of human kindness and cradled in a home of love. She had accompanied her father to the harvest fields and explored the distant woods. She had sat beneath the shadow of trees, making necklets of berries and weaving flowers into crowns. She had caught the song of the birds in the morning and listened for their call at night. She had known a mother's care when sick and a father's protecting arm in the lonely country- side. But at Mansfield she bade the past good-bye for ever and faced a future which was always shadowed. As the family grew from one to four, and then from four to five, the shadow deepened. Once Death entered the home, and one dear child was taken. B 2 4 LIFE OF JAMES FLANAGAN Then James was born, and yet the shadow lingered. Drink sees no angel in a child and hears no music in an infant's cry- Within a year the mother and children, including the sickly babe, were thrust upon the dismal streets, with no resting-place but a doorstep and no roof but the starlit sky. Frequent and alarming were Patrick Flanagan's drunken sprees. At the sound of his footfall on the threshold every voice was silenced and the lips of his wife were blanched. Sometimes the scanty furniture was smashed in the fury of his passion, and then at daybreak the family would wander homeless to another town. They sought assistance on the road, for the children needed bread. Some doors were closed against them, but others were opened wide, and Compassion, touched with Pity, stretched out a helping hand. It was the frequent repetition of these " tramp " experiences which influenced Mrs. Flanagan to arrange for James's stay in the house of her sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Vickers. They were kindly dis- posed towards the child and learned to love him. They nursed him back to health when, through lack of nourishment, his life was threatened. Beneath their roof James Flanagan remained for several years. It — EARLY DAYS 5 was a port in distress and a hiding-place from the numerous storms which swept furiously through his father's house. Mrs. Vickers was a typical Christian and attended the Primitive Methodist Church. Through her influence James was introduced to the Sunday School and acquired a know- ledge of the elements of religion. His school- teacher not only furnished the children with information respecting the Bible but en- couraged them to learn striking passages of Scripture, particularly those which revealed the patient love of God and the need for faith in Jesus Christ as the Saviour of the soul. It was at this time that James Flanagan learnt the Bible's Golden Text—" God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life " a passage of Scripture which he never forgot, and which, in subsequent years, led him to the enjoyment of peace. As a scholar in the school he gained distinction in reciting and singing and was duly complimented by the teachers. Such recognition impressed him. It proclaimed the dawn of the morning and the glory of the coming day. In those distant days school-festivals were great events. The annual tea was invariably 6 LIFE OF JAMES FLANAGAN associated with a procession of teachers and scholars who carried high their flags and banners and marched with song to the field of sports.