{"id":20139,"date":"2023-09-18T03:59:45","date_gmt":"2023-09-18T03:59:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/?p=20139"},"modified":"2024-08-06T23:56:49","modified_gmt":"2024-08-06T23:56:49","slug":"the-life-and-testimony-of-william-bright","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/2023\/09\/the-life-and-testimony-of-william-bright\/","title":{"rendered":"The Life And Testimony Of William Bright"},"content":{"rendered":"

Earthen Vessel 1860:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAbout a year or two ago one Sunday, a young man came to my house with some tracts; I asked him in; he told me he doing God\u2019s work, asked if I ever read the Bible, and many other things of the duty-faith school. I said, \u2018my Bible tells me, God would work, and none should hinder; and that his grace was saving, rich, and free;\u2019 he was puzzled, replying he did not get anything for doing it. He took his leave, no doubt thinking what a hyper he had met with; I was never asked for that tract, never was another one brought; but he was one of the Lord\u2019s little ones; so the Lord taught him. He had a grandfather, a good and precious man, who wrote to him about the truth as it is in Jesus; and the Lord made it useful to his soul, so that he could say, \u2018I was blind, but now I see.\u2019 He could not stop any longer under the ministry he used to hear; and as there was no place of truth near, he opened his own house for the truth\u2019s sake. Mr. Parker, of Twigfolly, preached the first sermon, a few were gathered; and having become agreed, we could both walk together and talk together in the things which pertain to the kingdom of Christ. I shall not soon forget his remarks one day,\u2014\u2018Well; I cannot say much; but when I think of Jesus, how he suffered and died, I do love him; and say it was for me, for sinful me.\u2019 He was every anxious that God might raise up a cause in Enfield, where he lived. He went to Ware on the opening day, and enjoyed it; he seemed somewhat poorly, and was much tried in his business; but little thought his end was so near. On Tuesday, Aug. 15th<\/sup>, he took to his bed, never to rise again; a rapid consumption, scarce three weeks landed him sade on that land where the inhabitant is no more sick. On Sunday, 26th<\/sup>, being alone with him, I asked him how it fared with his soul? \u2018Oh, he said, \u2018last Thursday I had a trying time of it; was just like that man that wrestled.\u2019 \u2018What, Jacob?\u2019 I said. \u2018Aye, Jacob.\u2019 \u2018And did you prevail?\u2019 \u2018Yes, bless God, I have felt easier since.\u2019 \u2018Well, the Lord does not afflict willingly,\u2019 I replied, \u2018so do not be cast down.\u2019 \u2018I cannot help it; I should like this little cause to go on.\u2019 A friend asking if he could lay all in his Father\u2019s hand, he shook his head, as if he could not. Many friends called to see him, to whom he gave good testimony of the hope within him. I felt from the first he was going home, though most friends thought otherwise. These words seemed fixed on my mind, \u2018Sorrowing most of all, they should see his face no more.\u2019 On Wednesday, the doctor gave up all hopes; he said, \u2018I know in whom I have believed.\u2019 Coming from Ware on Sunday evening, I walked over; on entering I was met by a brother who said, \u201cI know not how you fared at Ware; today we have had a solemn feast; the dying man has preached a sermon not soon to be forgotten.\u2019 He was now in one continual strain of ejaculations, most of which were inaudible, but at times he recognized friends around, and would shout \u2018God bless you; may his presence be with you; I am going home; yes! I am coming!\u2019 He bid his wife, mother, sister not to cry. It was a melting time. I stayed till 4 o\u2019clock on Monday morning, when he sunk quite low. I think the last words I caught were \u2018bright as angels!\u2019 I took my farewell of him, hoping to meet him in Canaan\u2019s happy land; he rested still until Tuesday morning, Sept. 4th<\/sup>, a little after 3, and fell asleep without a pang. How sweet was that promise fulfilled, \u2018they shall be mine!\u2019 They who meet in my name, that think on my home. He was only a little one; there are many such that are afraid when they come to die their names will be left out. Whom once he loves he never leaves, but loves them to the end. Our dear brother\u2019s name was William Bright; he was 32 years old, had been a loving and tender husband for 14 years; but now he sleeps, not dead but sleeps, and those that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.\u201d\u2014John Strickett<\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

About a year or two ago one Sunday, a young man came to my house with some tracts; I asked him in; he told me he doing God\u2019s work, asked if I ever read the Bible, and many other things of the duty-faith school. I said, \u2018my Bible tells me, God would work, and none should hinder; and that his grace was saving, rich, and free;\u2019 he was puzzled, replying he did not get anything for doing it. He took his leave, no doubt thinking what a hyper he had met with; I was never asked for that tract, never was another one brought; but he was one of the Lord\u2019s little ones; so the Lord taught him. He had a grandfather, a good and precious man, who wrote to him about the truth as it is in Jesus; and the Lord made it useful to his soul, so that he could say, \u2018I was blind, but now I see.\u2019 He could not stop any longer under the ministry he used to hear; and as there was no place of truth near, he opened his own house for the truth\u2019s sake. Mr. Parker, of Twigfolly, preached the first sermon, a few were gathered; and having become agreed, we could both walk together and talk together in the things which pertain to the kingdom of Christ. I shall not soon forget his remarks one day,\u2014\u2018Well; I cannot say much; but when I think of<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":315,"featured_media":20142,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1561],"tags":[1232,1198],"class_list":["post-20139","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-william-bright","tag-baptist-history","tag-duty-faith"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20139","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/315"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20139"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20139\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20145,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20139\/revisions\/20145"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20142"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20139"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20139"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20139"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}