Blanshard Life of Samuel Bradburn 1870
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This is a reproduction of a library book that was digitized by Google as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the information in books and make it universally accessible. https://books.google.com 60001 7675W ir l THE LIFE OF SAMUEL BRADBURN. 11. MOT MOCK, LONDON. The Life OF Samuel Bradburn, The Methodist Demosthenes. BY THOMAS W. BLANSHARD. " During forty years Samuel Bradburn was esteemed the ' Demosthenes of Methodism.'" — Abel Stevens, LL.D, " He was considered one oftk*«*iq^jreachers in the land for all the higher powers of persuasive elojirainetj >rJVws of Conference. ELLIOT STOCK, 62, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1870. Xto.J, 3<?o. PREFACE. THOUGH the name of Samuel Bradburn has long been a household word in Methodist circles, yet comparatively few possess any authentic infor mation respecting him. A considerable number of second-hand anecdotes of him are in circulation, which, in another generation will be forgotten, or retailed in mutilated forms by professional story- mongers — those social bores, who will doubtless infest society until the Millennium. A man who was considered "one of the first preachers in the land, for all the higher powers of persuasive eloquence," certainly deserves a better fate. Shortly after his death a volume of Memoirs* was published by his daughter, in which he was repre sented as a man of very ordinary intelligence and piety, whose life was a long conflict "with strong * Memoirs of the late Rev. Samuel Bradburn ; consisting prin cipally of A Narrative of his Early Life, written by himself; and Extracts from a Journal, which he kept upwards of Forty Years. By Eliza Weaver Bradburn. London, 1816. vi PREFACE. natural passions, with adverse fortunes, and often with the dark demon of insanity itself." Little or nothing- was said of his sparkling humour and im passioned oratory, — the heart and soul of his great popularity ; hence the book failed to give a just impression of his character and abilities, and con sequently disappointed and displeased even friendly readers. In the following -pages an attempt has been made to remedy these defects, and present an impartial likeness of the veritable Samuel Bradburn, of whose sayings and doings we have so often heard our fathers tell. The stones of this biographical structure — to use an architectural simile — have been fetched from many quarries, and have been fitted together with as little mortar as possible. To the friends who have aided him with kindly counsel, copies of original letters, &c, the compiler tenders his grateful acknowledgements. T. W. B. December 2gth, 1869. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Birth and Boyhood. PAOX Romantic Marriage of his Parents — Their sojourn in Flanders and Gibraltar — His Birth — Godly Training — Apprenticed at Chester — Joseph Guildford — Awakenings — Effects of bad Company i CHAPTER II. The Great Change. Settles with a pious Family — Religious Convictions — Be? comes a Methodist — Reformation — Triumphs of Chris tianity 12 ' CHAPTER III. Call to the Ministry. A Local Preacher — Exercises as to his Call — Visits Fletcher at Madeley — Liverpool — Takes Mr. Morgan's place in that Circuit — Goes to London to collect for Wigan Chapel — Appointed to Liverpool — Meets Wesley— Scrip tural Character of his Call 29 CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. Itinerancy. PAGE Hopper — Morgan — Extracts from Journal — Visits London again — Slander — Mother's Death — Difficulties — George Escrick — "Brought to the last Shilling" — Wesley's laconic Letter, and Bradburn's humorous Reply — Pem broke — John Prickard — Extracts from Journal — Officious Steward 43 CHAPTER V. Marriage. Limerick — Extracts from Journal — Dublin — Accident — Henry Moore — Rev. Edward Smith — Conference — Amusing account of Courtship and Marriage — Cork and Bandon — Letter from Wesley — John Hampson— Extracts from Journal — Unjustly suspected of Arianism — Letter to Dr. Coke — Christianity survives its Defenders 60 CHAPTER VI. The Loyal Methodist. Keighley — Roughness of the country — Extracts from Journal — Travels with Wesley — Wesley's Income and Gene rosity — Bradford — Small Stipend — Extracts from Journal — Birstal Chapel — Letter from Wesley — Leeds — Refuses the offers of the Independents, and resolves to live and die a Methodist — Ecclesiastical poaching disreputable and Perverts sorry game 86 CHAPTER VII. Grief and Joy. Leeds Conference — Bristol — Letter on Early Rising — Extracts from Journal — Illness and Death of his Wife — Jeremiah Brettell preaches Funeral Sermons — Bradburn's ill health CONTENTS. PAGE and Grief — Letter from Wesley — Wesley visits Bristol, and takes Bradburn with him on his preaching tour — Bradburn meets Miss Cooke — Second Marriage — Wesley's Letter to Miss Cooke before her Marriage — Removes to London — Extracts from Journal — Charles Wesley's Death — Bradburn's Letter to Bardsley — Charles Wesley's Character — Extracts from Journal .... 108 CHAPTER VIII. The Ecclesiastical Legislator. Death of Wesley — Bradburn writes a Sketch of his Character — "Halifax Circular" — Meetings of Preachers — Con ference — Thompson, President — Bradburn preaches — Effects of the Sermon — Ludicrous Incident — Peaceable Termination of the Sessions — Assists Clarke in forming Strangers' Friend Society at Manchester — Letters to Rodda — He and Benson misrepresented by Clarke — Ordinations — Conference condemns the ordinations — Two Parties — The Lot— Kilham — Bradburn wears gown and bands at Bristol — Rev. W. Embury — Disturbance in Bristol Societies — Pamphlets — Visits Wales — Debate on Sacraments at Leeds Conference — Preaches before Conference — Letter to Kilham — "Bishop's Plan" — Lichfield Meeting — Thomas Taylor's Letter — Action of Conference — Removes to Bath — Henry Moore and the Bristol Dispute — Bradburn's efforts to restore peace — Letter — Moore's Character — Manchester Conference — " Plan of Pacification " — Kilham as an Agitator — Brad burn's proposal to have Travelling Bishops rejected — Letter to Kilham — Kilham's expulsion and resentment — Bradburn Preaches — •Elected Secretary of this Conference — Rules of Debate — Leeds Conference — Elected Secre tary — Scene in a new Chapel — Bristol Conference — Elected Secretary for the third time — Extracts from Journal — Death of Thompson — Funeral Sermon — Man chester Conference — Elected President — Extracts from Journal — London Conference• — Secretary for the fourth time— Benson's Sermon — " Stick tull her, Mon." . 137 CONTENTS. CHAPTER IX. The Eloquent Orator. PAGE True Oratory — Bradburn's oratory — Appearance, Manner and Speaking Powers described by Everett, Dawson, Ent- wisle, Keeling, Adam Clarke, Watson, Jackson, Bunt ing, &c— His Naturalness — " Speak with your Mouth, Man " — Printed Discourses — " Demosthenes of Method ism " — Demosthenes and Cicero compared — Methodist Orators 185 CHAPTER X. The Gospel Preacher. Preaching Requisites — "A Prayer before Preaching " — Rules for Pulpit Preparation — Rules to be observed in Preach ing — These Rules more for Use than Ornament — Letter to a young Preacher — " Stick to your Text " — Sermon on " Equality" — Five degrees of Preachers — Remarks as to the best mode of Preaching— Preachers and Readers — Warmth of Manner— Evangelical — Usefulness — Isaac Bradnack — Had not always " a Good Time " — Benson's Remark— Solicited to publish his Discourses — Remarks . 205 CHAPTER XI. Humour and Eccentricity. Genial Disposition — " Rules for Conversation " — Bardsley — Odd mode of getting rid of a Class— Alarms a Chapel- Keeper — Drives a Drunkard out of a Class-Meeting — Effect of the Weather on Religious Experience — Shower of Soldiers from Heaven — Reproved by Wesley — Witty Rejoinder— The two Scolds — Double Sacrifice — Reproves a pompous Preacher — Cures two Ladies of Tale-bearing — Fleshy Preachers good Tempered — Singular Texts — Betty's Text — Goes in Search of Adam Clarke — Parish CONTENTS. PAGE Clerks and Church Psalmody — Argument on Existence of God — Lincolnshire Pamphleteers — Persecuting 'Clergy man defeated— Robert Robinson — Dignity — Wit and Humour legitimate when kept within due Bounds . 222 CHAPTER XII. Shadows. Danger of Apostacy — Salutary Dread of Falling — Opens Burslem Chapel — Blameworthy Conduct — Censured and Suspended by Conference — Mitigating Considerations— His Remorse and Restoration — Invited to Wakefield — The Folly of Disappointed Stewards — Extracts from Journal — "Finger on the Scar" — Scripture Characters faithfully pourtrayed — Warnings 246 CHAPTER XIII. Declining Years and Death. Bolton — Opens Bridge-street Chapel and Wrexham Chapel — Publishes the Sermon — Extracts from Journal — Wake field — Vicarof Wakefield — Extracts from Journal — Writes Preface to Hymn-Book — Bristol Conference — George Sykes — Appointed to Bath- Extracts from Journal — Removes to Bristol for the third time — Extracts from Journal — Opens Chester Chapel — " Poor old Pe " — Li verpool — Mr. Brocas — Extracts from Journal — Letter to Entwisle — Removes to London — Speaks at Formation of the London District Missionary Society — Last Entries in Journal — Illness, Death, and Burial — Sleeping com rades — Their Shout of Triumph at the Resurrection . 262 ADDENDA. Bradburn's Leather Apron — Manuscript Text and Hymn Book — Portrait by Orme — First visit to Bolton — Two of Wesley's original Letters 289 CHAPTER I. BIRTH AJ^D BOYHOOD. " A youth to whom was given So much of earth — so much of heaven, And such impetuous blood." — Wordsivorth. SAMUEL BRADBURN'S father was born at Atcham, near Shrewsbury, in the year 1719, and "was bred to the business of a gardener." His