The Life And Testimony Of John Vincent
Earthen Vessel 1871:
Mr. John Vincent,—(one of the deacons; we may also add, one of the ministers, of the Strict Baptist Church in New Bridge street, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne)—has forwarded us the following special communication. Norfolk is a county less known to us in a Gospel sense, than other counties are. We hope to know it better soon. The Cathedral city of Norwich is better off for Particular Baptist Churches than most Cathedral cities are. At Claxton, Mr. Pawson is doing a good work. Lowestoff and Yarmouth, are towns where our principles ought to be more recognized; but mental and spiritual power is wanting.
Mr. Vincent, of 17, Oxford Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, says:
DEAR Mr. BANKS,—Allow me to answer Mrs. Ann Burrell, and several others, through your Vessel. Dear Mrs. Burrell,—I received your letter 17th May, and was a long time before I could remember the writer; but, on receiving your second letter, I remembered you quite well. You ask several questions: I will try and answer them. First, I must say it is twenty to twenty-four years since I saw or heard from you. You ask, Am I that Mr. John Vincent you knew when you was at Lynn, in Norfolk? Yes, I am. Again,—Am I the son of dear old Mr. V. that used to meet at Zion chapel, Lynn, with whom you held sweet council concerning your soul? Yes. And you ask,—Is the old man yet alive? Yes, he is. And you ask,—Are you Mr. V. that you once met at St. Jarmon’s Sluice, at Mr. S. Smith’s twenty-five years ago, when you had such a blessing? Yes; I remember it well. It was a beautiful Lord’s-day; one to be remembered with many others with pleasure. That good man is gone home. What changes have we seen since then! Let us look at some. S. Smith lost his first wife, and his second too lately. Poor man! He has had a solemn bereavement in his second wife. Five weeks since, I had a letter from his friend, informing me of Mrs. Smith being burnt to death on the Lord’s-day morning. She was at home, and her dress caught fire. Mr. Smith was returning from chapel, and as he turned round the corner of his house, his poor wife came out all in flames, and was so burnt she died next day. Oh! think of him, a loving husband, seeing his dear wife burning to a cinder before his eyes! My friend, many such things await us here; but, bless the Lord, we shall soon have done with it. Poor Zion chapel at Lynn is closed, and most are gone to sleep till the great decisive day. You remember the little chapel at Tilney, St. Laurence, five miles from Lynn; and can you remember how well that was attended? Forty-one years ago that was opened. Mr. John Carter, W. Felton, Mr. Creasy, and many others used to preach there. Well, I was born at Tilney, forty-eight years ago last April, and my dear father was one of the leading-men among them in those days. I remember with much pleasure and delight, I often went with my father to chapel there till I became about twenty years old, and then I left home. My dear friend, I was much exercised about my soul when a child; and if I had any wrong thoughts the enemy would tell me all my sins were written on my forehead, and as sure as ever I went to chapel, they would all come out, and everybody would see them. I was secretly told to resist the devil, and he would flee from me. So I thought of a plan, and it was this:—To chapel I must go so I used to get there early, and hide up under the seats, afraid any one should see me. For many months I was troubled about these things, and even then the ministry was a great exercise to me, when I was only eight years of age, and it is still. But to return. I would get early into chapel, and get into the pulpit, and pray to the Lord that if I was His, there should be some token for good. I prayed that I should first be delivered from this temptation, and that I might one day be spared to stand in that pulpit to testify to the glory of His grace in delivering me from the most terrible of temptations which I dare not mention. Bless the Lord I was so highly honoured of my God in answer to prayer. Perhaps you knew the chapel had been closed for sixteen years, and it has been in the hands of another people—a people that knew not Joseph, until the 11th of June, 1871. I have been from the chapel myself twenty-eight years; but, on the 17th of last June, I had the assurance given to go 250 miles, to the place of my birth, and re-opened this very place, in answer to my prayers. You must think I was much exercised about my going so far; for you know I am only a jobbing gardener. I am not a man-made parson, and I am only a curate at our chapel here in Newcastle. I have a dear brother whom I love much; he is much my senior and much my superior in the things of God, Mr. J. C. Johnson I mean. We undertook in the name of the Lord to open a house for prayer, and the exercise of those gifts which the Lord gave us, and we have succeeded wonderfully, considering us poor things. We had only four persons to commence with; we have a goodly number attend with us now, bless the Lord. You ask, How I came to the opening of the chapel at Tilney? Well, the devil was not there, I am quite sure; I must say he did not so much as dare to squint at me all that blessed opening day. I can tell you of three that were there,—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost,—for the chapel and my soul was filled with His glory. Well, you say, What was the text? I tell you, quite another from what I meant to go on with. I went to our station at Newcastle to catch the early train. While I stood and looked at that, the devil kept bantering me. He said I was only going to make a fool of myself; so I missed the train, and I had to wait for the flying Scotchman at 10 a.m. To the station I goes again, and the devil met me with this, “Are you going?” Just as I thought of giving out, the Master came, and the devil scampered off. My text came to me in 20th chapter of Matthew, part of 4th verse,—“Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you.” I went my way to Tilney, arrived safe, and was put up at a dear friend’s house in the midst of a wood, full of crow’s nests and birds of all sorts; so I laid and spent all night in prayer; and I prayed to my God, and listened to the birds singing, as my text kept me awake all night. I got up after a long night, and off I marched to chapel. The little chapel was full, and the Lord helped me. In the afternoon Mr. S. Smith spoke; but I was so overcome with sleep I do not know where his text was. That was a sore burden to me. At half-past six, I entered the pulpit and read and prayed, and the people sung. I was led to speak from Luke 21:28,—”And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh.” Congregation was very large; chapel crowded, and all outside. I looked across to the church, and wondered how they got on there, as we must have had nearly all friends in these parts there. My dear friends, I have tried to say a word or two; hoping He will keep us very near to Himself, and we may he spent for His glory.
Yours in best bonds,
JOHN VINCENT
John Vincent (1823-1871) was a Strict and Particular Baptist preacher. He served as pastor for the church meeting at New Bridge street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne; and of Ebenezer Baptist Chapel, Spalding.
