323 MEMOIR OF THE LATE REV. THOMAS HAWEIS, LL.B. & M.D. FIFTY-SEVEN YEARS RECTOR OF ALDWINCLE, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE; CHAPLAIN As the Father of the South-Sea Mission,* and a clergyman who endured many sacrifices on account of his firm attachment to evangelical doctrine, Dr. Haweis is eminently deserving of a record among a race of men, who not only espoused the cause of Christian missions, but who were valiant in their day for the truth of God. He was born in 1733, and died Feb. 11, 1820. His descent was both honourable and ancient; his family having resided on the estate of St. Coose, in the county of Cornwall, and having been well known by the appellation of the Haweises of that place.† * Many highly respectable and well-informed persons hold the opinion, that Dr. Haweis was the originator, or founder, of the London Missionary Society; and he is so described on his sepulchral tablet in the Abbey Church at Bath. The writer of this memoir has not been able to find evidence to substantiate this claim; though there can be no question that the venerable deceased was the suggester of the Society's first mission. If it can be shown, however, that he was the father of the society itself, no one will more readily yield to the force of evidence than the Editor, who entertains for the memory of so good and amiable a man a profound respect, and willingly acknowledges the great and disinterested services rendered by him to the London Missionary Society. In a letter, just received from the excellent widow of the deceased, there occurs the following sentence:-" There may, I acknowledge, be many Founders, but there can be only one Father or originator, and that one assuredly was Dr. Haweis." † His mother, Miss Bridgeman Willyams, was the only daughter of John Willyams, Esq., of Carmanton, by the youngest daughter, and co-heir of Colonel Humphrey Noye, whose father was Attorney-General to Charles I. Her mother was a sister of the last Baron Sandys, of the Vine, on whose death, without issue, the title fell into abeyance among his sisters. Mr. Willyams, of St. Coose, the father of Mrs. Haweis, was unhappily conspicuous for his enthusiastic attachment to the sinking fortunes of the house of Stuart, and many curious facts are yet on record touching the persecutions, or at least hardships, which he endured on account of this strong bias in his political creed. During the reign of William and Mary, he was stripped of his honours as a magistrate of the county, and was not restored to the commission of the peace till the reign of Queen Anne. About the middle of the last century, when the old family mansion was taken down, a fine picture of James II. was found curiously concealed in the roof. This relic of Jacobite zeal is carefully preserved among the family paintings at Carmanton, to the present day, Hester, the eldest sister of Lord Sandys, already named, was granddaughter and heiress of Lady Sandys, daughter of Edmund Bridges, second Lord Chandos. She was Descent from men of noble blood, however, was neither the highest honour nor the fondest boast of Dr. Haweis. He belonged to that heavenly aristocracy, of whom it is testified, that they are "born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." His conversion to God took place in early life; though it does not appear that he was favoured with a strictly religious training while under the parental roof. While a boy at school, he was as full of folly and gaiety as the rest of his companions, and chose as his particular friend young Foote,* who afterwards became a celebrated actor, and who was the author of a wicked farce, entitled "The Minor;" the sole object of which was to ridicule the Methodists. "Of this miserable piece of buffoonery," observes the intelligent author of the Memoirs of Lady Huntingdon, "it may be enough to say, that he (Mr. Foote,) and the agents employed at the Tabernacle and Tottenham-Court Chapel to procure materials, were so shamefully ignorant of the inspired writings, as not to know that what they took for Mr. Whitefield's peculiar language, was that of the word of God. On leaving school, young Haweis was, by his own choice, the great-grandmother of Dr. Haweis, and her direct descendant was Davies Giddy, Esq. (afterward Davies Gilbert, F.R.S.), late M.P. for Bodmin, who was co-heir to the barony of Sandys, of the Vine, in Hampshire. John Oliver Willyams, a cousin of Dr. Haweis, married Charlotte, daughter of Chauncey Townsend, Esq. M.P. for the City of London, sister to Mrs. Biddulph, whose son, Mr. Biddulph, has been long and honourably known as the faithful minister of St. James's, Bristol. Another of his cousins became the wife of Lord James O'Brien, brother to the Marquis of Thomond. She died at Clifton of consumption, leaving no issue. The foregoing sketch of the family of Dr. Haweis is copied from "The Life and Times of Selina, Countess of Huntingdon." 2 vols. 8vo.; one of the most remarkable pieces of religious biography that has issued from the press in modern times. * "Foote," observes the author of The Life and Times of Selina, Countess of Huntingdon,' "was a native of Truro in Cornwall, and in early life a schoolfellow and companion of the late Dr. Haweis. His father was a justice of the peace, and his mother the sister of Sir John Dinely Goodere, who was murdered by his brother, Captain Goodere, in 1741. He had a most amazing talent for imitating, even to the very voice of those he intended to take off. For this species of amusement he had several actions brought against him, and was cast in heavy damages. One of his biographers tells us, that 'very pressing embarrassments in his affairs compelled him to bring out his comedy of The Minor, in 1760, to ridicule Methodism; which, though successful, gave great offence, and was at last suppressed.' His talent for ridicule ultimately proved his destruction. In 1776, he drew a character of the celebrated Duchess of Kingston, then much talked of, who had influence enough to hinder his play from being represented. He then threatened to publish, and endeavoured to extort a considerable sum of money from the Duchess. The affair ripened at length into a legal charge, and the shock he received from this disgraceful exposure is believed to have had a fatal effect upon him. After a life of great vicissitude and irregularity, he died at Dover, in 1777." Vol. I. p. 208. apprenticed to a gentle nan in the medical profession residing at Truro, in Cornwall, with whom he remained till the period when his articles closed. While residing in that town, he was introduced to the acquaintance of the late Rev. Samuel Walker, B.A., and under his faithful ministry received the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. Encouraged by Mr. Walker, who perceived with delight his eloquent and energetic address, Mr. Haweis's views were directed to the Christian ministry; and instead of walking the hospitals, at the termination of his apprenticeship, he sought and obtained the consent of his friends to enter the University of Oxford, as a student and gentleman-commoner of Christ Church; from which he afterwards removed to Magdalen Hall. He was one of a class of young men who at that time laboured earnestly to bring about a reformation of religion in the University, and who stood forth, in the midst of abounding reproach and hostility, on behalf of the much-neglected doctrines contained in the Articles and Homilies of the Church of England.* At the period when Methodism began to show itself in this country, as Dr. Haweis well observed, in his Church History, "the nation was sunk down into corruption, and the church erected a feeble barrier against the fashionable pursuits of the age. The life and power of godliness fell to a very low standard, and only here and there an individual cleaved to the 'faith once delivered to the saints,' and dared to be singular. By the labours of these indefatigable men (referring to the Methodists), a flood of gospel light broke upon the nation. At first they were wholly confined to the Church of England, as their attachment to it by education was strong; and had they been fixed in any settled station, they had not improbably lived and died good men, useful men, but unnoticed and unknown. A series of providences had designed them for far greater and more extensive usefulness." Dr. Haweis entered college with a deep sense of religion on his spirit, and soon became very useful to many of his fellow-students; a circle of whom, desirous of improving their knowledge by intercourse with one so well instructed in the Scriptures, were wont to assemble and drink tea in his room. They read together the Greek Testament, conversed on subjects of theology and Christian experience, and closed their meetings with prayer. The late Mr. Wills, of Silver-street, a native of Truro, had been introduced by letter to Dr. Haweis, and became one of the little band who met in his study. The first time he had ever knelt in a prayer-meeting was in the cloisters of Christ Church. His surprise was very great on finding that the young men could pray so fully and fluently without book, See Life and Times of Lady Huntingdon. Vol. II. p. 54. Dr. Haweis was one of those who "dared to be singular;" and he had to pay the penalty, through a large portion of his public life, for the temerity thus evinced by him; though we doubt not he had the testimony of a good conscience that he pleased God. His college-life was one of strict piety and devotion; and it is not a little remarkable, considering the spirit of the times in which he lived,* that, on completing his studies, he was ordained to the curacy of St. Mary's Church, Oxford, where his ministry commenced under the happiest auspices, and where his preaching was both acceptable and useful for the lengthened period of seven years. His removal from this sphere of labour, by Dr. Hume, late Bishop of Oxford, will always be recorded to the deep discredit of that prelate, who had no other fault to find with Mr. Haweis, but that he attracted an immense audience, and that a spirit of serious godliness began to manifest itself among several of his hearers. As the expulsion of Mr. Haweis was the result of a mere stretch of arbitrary authority in the bishop, he referred his case to Dr. Secker, then Archbishop of Canterbury, soliciting a fair investigation of it, and offering to submit to his grace's inspection three hundred of his manuscript sermons; at the same time courting full and impartial inquiry into his life and conduct. The only reply which this appeal drew forth from the primate was:-"Sir, whether you gave the offence, or they took it, I shall not take it upon myself to determine." In one of his visits to Bristol, Mr. Whitefield heard of Dr. Haweis's truly promising state of mind; and having seen a letter of his to a friend, which impressed him most favourably respecting his character, he determined to open a correspondence with one who was making so noble a stand for the truth of God, and addressed to him the following letter in consequence. MY DEAR SIR,-For so I must address myself, having had you in a peculiar manner upon my heart, ever since I saw and read a letter that came from you some months ago. It bespoke the language of a heart devoted to the ever-living, ever-lovely Jesus. Mrs. Bevan confirmed me in this opinion yesterday, and withal told me, she believed you would be glad of a line from me, who am indeed less than the least of all saints, but willing, if I know anything of my own heart, to spend and be spent for the good of Dr. Haweis was refused ordination by Dr. Lavington, bishop of Exeter, though his testimonials were signed by Mr. Walker of Truro, Mr. Penrose of Gluvias, and Mr. Mitchell of Veryan. The reason assigned by the bishop was, that as these clergymen " PREACHED FAITH WITHOUT WORKS, THEY WERE NOT WORTHY OF CREDIT !" soever. souls. They are redeemed by the blood of Jesus, whose cross, blessed be his name, hath been made delightful to ine for some years. I thank God that I am cast out for my Master's sake. Indeed, my dear Sir, it is preferable to all other preferment whatIt is the way to the crown. Glory be to God that there are some young champions coming forth methinks I could now sing my nunc dimittis with triumph and joy. Though I decrease, may you, my very dear Sir, increase. O that you may be kept from conferring with flesh and blood! O that you may be owned and blessed of God! I believe you will, and never more so than when you are reviled and despised by man. It is a fatal mistake to think we must keep our characters in order to do good; this is called prudence-in most, I fear, it is trimming. Honesty I find always to be the best policy. Them who honour Jesus, he will honour. Even in this world, if we confess him, his truth, and his people, we shall receive an hundred-fold. To lose all, in this respect, is to find all. But whither am I going? Excuse, my very dear Sir, the overflowing of a heart that loves you dearly for the glorious Redeemer's sake. I am here preaching his cross, and expect to stay over Sunday. Next week I have thoughts of being at Bath and Westbury. I lead a pilgrim-life; you will pray that I may have a pilgrim heart. Ere long I hope my heavenly Father will take me home. I am ambitious; I want to sit upon a throne. Jesus hath purchased and provided a throne in heaven for me. That you may have an exalted place at his right hand, is and shall be the earnest prayer of, reverend and very dear Sir, your's most affectionately in our common Lord. Bristol, May 20, 1756. G. WHITEFIELD. Deprived of his curacy, without offence and without redress, Dr. Haweis was followed, for some time, by acts of clerical oppression. While employed as preacher at the Lock Chapel, the large Episcopal place of worship in the Broadway, Westminster, became vacant, by the death of Mr. Briant, whose widow was anxious to let it to Dr. Haweis. Regarding it as a sphere of extended usefulness, the doctor applied to the Dean of Westminster, then Bishop of Rochester, of which the chapel was a peculiar, for a license; but this request was peremptorily refused, for no other reason but that Dr. Haweis had been unjustly deprived, by the fiat of a bishop, of his former curacy, and had ventured to make his appearance in a place of worship, then under the brand of Methodism. "In vain did Dr. Haweis remonstrate; he had been oppressively driven from Oxford, and had preached at the Lock Hospital. These were his crimes; and an abuse of authority was thought justifiable, in order to crush him. Happily these repeated insults moved him not one jot from the line chalked out for him, nor did he cease to proclaim the glory of that God and Saviour in whom he trusted." If we take into account Dr. Haweis's unblemished reputation, his popular talents, and his influential family connections, we cannot but be struck with the extreme enmity which obtained against evangelical truth, at a time when such anomalous severities could be practised on its friends without rousing feelings of public indignation towards those who were guilty of them. |