The Life And Ministry Of W. M. Haydon

Earthen Vessel 1880:

The Life Of The Itinerate—The Death Of The Pastor

Some Account Of The Labors Of The Late W. M. Haydon, Sometime Pastor Of Bethel Chapel, Wharfdale Road, King’s Cross.

My acquaintance with Mr. Haydon commenced in 1861, when he would be about thirty-six years of age. At that time it wasvmy happy privilege to conduct, in turn with some Christian brethren, a united prayer meeting in Hoxton. One evening, Mr. Haydon came; something about him struck me as to his ability to express himself well. I said if he would try to cultivate the gift of speaking; I thought he would succeed. I invited him to a meeting I was then conducting in a room in Tabernacle-walk. He gave a short address with some acceptance on the following Lord’s-day evening. After this, be gave an address at a working-men’s meeting at the West-end. I proposed that he should commence an open-air preaching service in Tabernacle-square. This was a successful effort. The Lord blessed the ministry of His Word through him; souls were impressed for good; many gave living and dying testimony to the truth they had received through him to the saving of their souls.

Mr. Haydon joined (for a time) the East-end Committee for Evangelistic work. He was what was then termed—

“A THEATRE SERVICE CONVERT.”

His own account is, that passing through Hoxton one Sunday evening, and seeing the people crowding into the Britannia theatre, these words came into his mind with great force, “If you do not make haste and repent, you will be too late.” He entered and heard an address on the words, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” 

In 1864, he joined a Congregational Church; then a Baptist Church in Hackney-road. While there, he proposed a Saturday-night prayer meeting, which I believe has been continued ever since. He left Providence and joined the Strict Communion, connecting himself with brother Flack’s in Wilton-square. For some time he was pastor of a small Church in a school-room in Evelyn-street, Boxton; after which, he joined Ebenezer chapel, Hornsey-rise, under the pastorate of Mr. S. Waterer, for whom he had an affectionate regard. He preached as a supply at various churches. At Bethel chapel, Wharfdale-road, he ultimately succeeded brother Thrift as pastor, which charge, through ill health, he was compelled to resign. We believe our brother was baptized at John-street, Bedford-row, by Baptist Noel, about 1865.

During a considerable portion of the period we have briefly reviewed, he conducted a Bible-class for young persons. In this he searched out and accumulated much Scripture knowledge. He took as much pains in studying for this work, as for preaching; hence, one of the secrets of his usefulness to the souls of those whom he was privileged to instruct in the things of God.

For a time Mr. Haydon preached in a room in the Vinegar-ground, Old-street, with the special leave of Lady Charlotte Sturt. He read “Spurgeon’s Sermons” to the people, not being of course aware that he was well able to preach his own sermons. I have heard him say that he believed the Lord had some of His own children in that ground, and he had found out some of them.

The writer, an open-air speaker, has often wished that he was able to address the people with that clearness and acceptance our departed brother certainly had. When dear Haydon was once convinced of the truth of any special point of doctrine, none could turn him from it, and his listeners were made to feel that at least the preacher believed what he preached. Whatever he took in hand, whether open-air work, conducting a Bible-class, visiting, or preaching generally, there was a remarkable thoroughness and earnestness, and, withal, a persistent diligence in all that he did; whatever his hand found to do, he did it with his might. He did a long day’s work in a short time. As a friend snd counsellor I shall indeed miss him. I have talked and walked and meditated with him on divine things; as it is said, “They that feared the Lord and that thought upon His Name, spoke often one to another.” On my once remarking that if it were possible for me to get to the prison of the lost, even then I must still praise God for what He had already done, in his usual quick way he replied, “You will never get there.” One of his favourite texts was, “I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.” He believed all God’s dear children were a tried and afflicted people. He was a firm believer in answers to prayer. One moonlight Lord’s-day evening, on my parting with him after a delightful day, I told him of some particular trouble I was then in. He said, “Ask your heavenly Father to help, and expect that He will.” A most remarkable answer came in a few days.

Those who knew our brother best know how often he would quote from John 6. Four times (he would say) the Lord declares of His people, “I will raise him up at the last day.” He was often at the commencement of his Christian career exercised about the forgiveness of sins. He pondered over those beautiful passages in Isaiah, which so strongly set forth God’s promises to forgive and to altogether forget the sins and transgressions of His people.

He always insisted upon the work of the Holy Spirit in first convincing the sinner before he could seek, or even know the danger he was in. He often complained of those preachers who did not sufficiently honour the work and person of the Holy Spirit. One of his favourite texts (he used to call his “crutches”) was, “All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me,” and “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.”

A day or two before he died, Mr. Waterer, who often visited him, said, “You are going up higher. There will be no change there.” “No change there!” he replied. The day before our brother departed he wished a frame to be brought to him, on which was written the dying words of a beloved sister; it said, “Mary Ann said to me, many years ago, when dying, “I am going to step over the brink; if I am not safe now I never shall be. William, tell this to your children, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved;” a pause, and then she said, “Not the righteous, sinners Jesus came to call.”’ She repeated, “Not, the righteous, I am a sinner.'” On another frame, hung up since 1862, these words were written, “The still small voice.”

He wished a hymn to be sung over his grave, and wrote under hymn 987 in “Denham’s Selection” before he died, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord; they rest from their labours, and their works do follow them.”

W. C. W.

May 7, 1880.

[Our departed brother, the late W. M. Haydon, was a man of God whom we truly loved; yet, although he laid for many months in affliction, we never once saw him. This we painfully regret; but we never can do half that we desire. At a very comparatively early age he has left us. He had one of those choice, sweet, heavenly spirits which our Lord allows to remain here for a short time to let us know what the Spirit of Christ is, and then they are caught up.

“Well! rest thee in that silent grave,

There is no sorrow there!

Our Jesus came thy soul to save,

Then let us not despair.

“Ah! quiet in that deep-made tomb,

Beneath the dewy sod;

Soon Mercy will unshroud the gloom,

And raise thee up to God!

“Thy Spirit hath already found

Its place amongst the just;

And ’till for us the trumpet sound,

In JESUS we will trust.”

A widow, an afflicted son, and other dependencies are left behind. We increase rapidly in our list of poor ministers and true Christian widows; but we will keep our promise (D.V.) toward the widow of our departed brother, for she proved a sterling help-meet to him, and a source of much comfort as he gradually sank down into the valley. God be merciful to us who are following toward the same terminus, prays—Charles Waters Banks]