The Life And Ministry Of Charles Moore

Gospel Standard 1884:

Death. On July 28th, 1884, Charles Moore of Leicester, Minister of the Gospel (died). The subject of this little account was born at Leicester, in the year 1809. Of his boyhood he writes:

“During this time I had many solemn thoughts of death and eternity, and many almost sleepless nights on account of sins committed. I was apprenticed to a wool-comber, and my fellowworkmen were of a most drunken class, so that I soon became a prey to all manner of sin. The hidden evils of my heart broke out in every hideous form, and I neither feared God nor regarded man. At the age of sixteen it pleased God to quicken my dead soul, open my blind eyes, and unstop my deaf ears, and he made me feel that living and dying as I was then, hell must be my eternal portion. I could no longer find pleasure in sin, nor could I tell how to get rid of it. I now strove to lead a holy life, and attend places of worship, and by so doing hoped to produce a righteousness in which I might find favour with God; but, alas! I never could attain to it, and wherefore? Because I sought it by the deeds of the law, and as fast as I built up a Babel, so fast the Lord threw it down. This continued for about three years, and what I passed through, none know but those who have trodden a similar path; with the wrath of God in my conscience, the curses of a holy law in my soul, the sentence of death constantly working in my mind, and an eternity of misery in store for me, made me often wish I had never been born. About this time, 1829, I was hearing (see ” G. S.” May and July, 1838) Mr. Vorley preach, and he mentioned the words of Peter, when sinking in the deep, ‘Lord, save, or I perish,’ and spoke of them as being the heartfelt language of a child of God, taught by the Spirit. They came into my heart with power, and from that time they were the desire of my soul, and I believe will be to my dying day. This cut me off from all hope of heaven by my own obedience to the law. When I read of some in the Word of God who were very great sinners and were saved, I felt a little hope rise up in my soul, which encouraged me; but when I felt my sins pressing on me, I was afraid I was too great a sinner to be pardoned. The doctrine of election, too, was for some time trying to me, and I thought it hard that some should be chosen to salvation, while others were left; but, one day, these words came with power to my mind: ‘Except the Lord of Hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.’ (Isa. 1:9) This satisfied me it was a great and glorious truth, but I wanted to know my interest in it. From 1830 to 1835, I lived in the United States, and my mind was much perplexed; at times, hoping all would be well, and then calling everything in question, even whether there was any God, or such a thing as eternity.'”

My father returned to Leicester in his 26th year. I have heard him say that whilst in America, he heard very little gospel truth preached. He writes of his pleasure in returning to hear the gospel from Mr. Vorley’s lips:

“It did me good to hear there was a way of salvation opened for lost sinners, and though I could not then call Jesus mine, I believed the time would come when I should be enabled to say of him, «This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend, O ye daughters of Jerusalem.'”

“About this time, I had a great desire to unite with the people of God, for I felt that I loved the same truths, and I thought, ‘Why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?’ For four months the subject of baptism was uppermost on my mind. One Sunday the minister took these words for his text, ‘If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.’ (Song of Sol. 1:8.) The desires of my soul were so set forth that I went to him, and expressed my wish to become a member of the church, for I could say with Ruth, ‘This people shall be my people and their God my God.'”

“On April 4th, 1836,1 with four others, went before the church, and on the following Lord’s day we were baptized in the Name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Now I have to record the happiest event of my life. On the Friday previous to my baptism, the burden of sin and guilt which had distressed me for upwards of 10 years was powerfully taken away by a precious faith’s view of Christ crucified, and the Holy Spirit bore witness with my spirit that Christ loved me, and gave himself for me. I looked for my sins, but they could not be found, they were covered, blotted out, and removed as far as the east is from the west. I could say with David, ‘Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy Name.’ I was amazed at the love of God in pardoning such a wretch as I, and felt as if my trials were ended, and thought I was going to heaven without any further interruption. My joy continued for about 12 months; but, alas! the Lord left me to prove me, and this made me cry, ‘ Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe.'”

In 1838, my father married a member of the same church. About this time their dear pastor died, and changes occurred which made a removal necessary. Alfred St. Chapel was opened in 1840, by Mr. Philpot, and my parents commenced to attend there, and were amongst the first who were formed into a church in 1843 by Mr. Warburton. My father was clerk and deacon there for many years. At this time my parents were greatly tried in temporal matters. Work was scarce, and my father turned his attention to the furniture business, which he followed till 1880. In the year 1858, my father commenced preaching, and continued to supply a number of churches almost down to the time of his death. I will now give another extract from his diary:

“Oct. 24th, 1879. Having attained the age of three score years and ten, and the 54th since quickened of the Holy Ghost, I think it time to bring this sketch to a close, and to settle everything relating to this mortal life, that when the summons comes, I may have nothing to do but obey it, and like good old Jacob, to gather up my feet into the bed, and give up the ghost.”

In 1880, my father gave up his business, and came to live with me. He continued to preach in adjoining towns for some time longer, but his bodily strength began to fail perceptibly. He writes:

“I have been comforted with those precious truths I have feebly preached, and ‘ though my flesh and my heart faileth, yet God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.'”

“July 12th, 1882. This verse was very sweet to me: 

‘If once the love of Christ we feel 

Upon our hearts impress’d,

The mark of that celestial seal

Can never be erased.’ ”

“Aug. 10th, 1882. Heard Mr. A. well from these words: ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.’ A heart purged by the blood of Jesus .Christ from all sin, such see him by faith now, and in eternity shall see him as he is, and shall be like him.”

“Dec. 28th, 1883. I see more than ever the emptiness and vanity of all earthly things, and am looking forward to that time when I shall be called upon to join that happy multitude in singing, ‘Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.'”

Here my dear father’s account closes. He was confined to his bed for seven weeks: during which time his mind wandered greatly, so that profitable conversation was denied us to a great extent, but in intervals of consciousness, he spoke earnestly of his desire to be gone. He lingered till July 28th, when he died in his sleep. 

CHARLES MOORE