{"id":26807,"date":"2026-09-23T16:55:41","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T16:55:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/?p=26807"},"modified":"2026-09-23T16:59:57","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T16:59:57","slug":"the-life-and-testimony-of-joseph-hatton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/2026\/09\/the-life-and-testimony-of-joseph-hatton\/","title":{"rendered":"The Life And Testimony Of Joseph Hatton"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gospel Standard 1884:<\/strong><\/p>\n

An Outline Of The Life Of The Late Joseph Hatton, Minister Of The Gospel And Editor Of The \u201cGospel Standard\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.” (Is. 57:1.) These things are continually taking place before our eyes, as one and another of the Lord’s servants are called to enter into peace, and reach their desired haven. The life they live is hidden from the world, and the death they die unheeded. But the gap they leave behind, and the breash that is made in the spirits of their sorrowing friends cannot be filled from any earthly quarter. Moses, Samuel, the prophets, and apostles died; and the church was filled with mourning. The children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days. (Deut. 34:8.) All Israel lamented for Samuel. (1 Sam. 28:3.) And when Paul was taking his last farewell of the church at Ephesus, “they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him; sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more.” (Acts 20:37, 38.) Jesus Christ himself must go away, and sorrow fill the hearts of the disciples, because they should know him no more after the flesh. (Jn. 16:5, 6.) In these times of distress, were it not for the promised Spirit, who will be the Comforter of his people, and will abide with them for ever, their strength and hope must perish from the Lord.<\/span><\/p>\n

And now, like the running brook which was appointed for a time to satisfy the thirst of Elijah and then was dried up; so, within the last few months, the Lord has dried up a channel that has long been a means of conveying his blessings to his people, in calling to himself the late Mr. Hatton, a man approved in all things as a minister of God. But his living testimony, both written and spoken, cannot die; and he, “being dead yet speaketh.” His memory is dear to many and his bereaved friends have earnestly requested some account of his personal history.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He has left a short, clear narrative of his call by grace and early years to his first deliverance from the bondage of the law. This was written many years ago, and was broken off abruptly. He afterwards added a relation of several important circumstances in his life, being led to mention them when writing on other subjects for the “Gospel Standard.” Of the rest of his days nothing can be given in his own words, besides what is contained in a few letters; and it has fallen upon his friends to supply some remaining particulars of events which marked his later years. Many of the Lord’s people will doubtless read with interest the outline of his life now before them, though but an imperfect one.<\/span><\/p>\n

His own narrative is as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n

“I have often been requested by my friends to write an account of the Lord’s dealings with me. Therefore, feeling a little disposed to do so, I how set down a few things that have befallen me in the way. May God grant me honesty and faithfulness to write in his fear; and if it should please him to make it a blessing to any of his children, let his Name have all the praise.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I was born Jan. 8th, 1821, at Warrington, Lancashire. My parents being God-fearing people, I was brought up under the sound of the truth, and in my younger days had a good example set before me, and was restrained from mixing in bad company and visiting places of amusement. For all this I heartily thank my parents, for I think it is a great mercy to be kept from the vanities of this world in any measure. My father, indeed, was a minister of the everlasting gospel, from whom afterwards I received much help. I was always fond of reading the historical parts of the Word of God, so that I became acquainted with the Bible when very young. From this it will be perceived I was moral, and had a knowledge of the truth in the letter, so far as my mind could understand it. Therefore, I have nothing particular to relate, until it pleased God of his abundant mercy to beget me again Unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Pet. 1:3.)<\/span><\/p>\n

“This took place about the year 1835, whilst I was reading the account of the children of Israel under the command of Joshua, recorded in Joshua 10. When I came to these words: ‘And he said in the sight of Israel, Bun, stand thou still upon Gibeon, and thou, moon, in the valley of Ajalon,’ they entered into my soul like an electric shock. I had been literally electrified many times before this, but I had never felt anything like what I felt now; for my whole body shook, and I was filled with fear. I can well remember bathing my eyes, and wondering what was the matter. Then suddenly the thought came: ‘You are not like that man; for he had faith even to command the sun to stand still, and it obeyed him; also, God was his Friend. But you have neither God nor faith; and living and dying without God, you will be lost for ever.’ I saw myself for the first time among the number the apostle describes, where he says, ‘At that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the common-wealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.’ (Eph. 2:12.) O what an emptiness I felt within me, a vacuum which no mortal power could fill! I felt lost, as though I stood alone, without a fellow, and realized Solomon’s words: ‘Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour, for if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.’ (Eccles. 4:9, 10.) Truly I felt alone.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I closed the book, and went out into an outhouse, where I dropped on my knees, and begged of God to have mercy on me and save me, and to be my God. I used all the arguments I could think of to persuade him to be my God; for I saw how blessed was the state of that man, both in time and eternity, who had God, the God of Israel, for his God; and how awful was the state of that man who was without him. This made me wrestle urgently with the Lord, and promise him how good I would be, and how I would serve him with all my heart, if he would but take me into his service. I got up from my knees with my mind fully bent on serving the Lord. I vowed I would watch my mouth, eyes, ears, hands, and feet, lest I should sin with them against the Lord, and so bring the wrath of God upon me; for sol knew it was written: ‘Let no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye, therefore, partakers with them.’ (Eph. 5:6, 7.)<\/span><\/p>\n

“At this time, when I was first brought to know my lost estate, I was living with my parents at Macclesfield, Cheshire. I worked with a young man who had just turned Wesleyan, who had been very wild, but now had turned very grave, and I never saw him smile. This young man I took for my pattern of life. He would often reprove the rest of his shopmates for their light conduct; but in this I could never come up with my pattern; for I could not keep my own inside clean, and I thought I must do so. Indeeds my conscience accused me for thoughts, looks, and desires. I was always coming short myself; so that my mouth was shut in the reproving system, and this proverb was continually sounding in my ears: ‘Physician, heal thyself.’ My conscience would not allow me to reprove others, while I felt as bad as they before God; nay, worse, I thought; ‘for I know better, and have vowed to be good, and broken my vows.’ Yet I took it for granted that my friend was what he appeared to be, and resolved to try to be as good as he. For this purpose I engaged to read the law of God very carefully, that I might know and do the commandments; and I vowed to pray three times a day. This was to be my rule and work; and a hard rule I found it to be.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I am persuaded that if a man has been under this rule in reality, and felt its power, he will want to find out another rule to walk by, and will prove to himself that the law cannot give life or peace. I was brought to know the truth of what the apostle says: ‘For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written on the book of the law to do them.’ (Gal. 3:10.) Truly I could not live by it; for I tried with all my might to keep it, and thought I must keep it or be lost. It is true I heard the way of salvation preached every Lord’s day; but nevertheless I thought I could not be saved while I was such a law-breaker. It is also true that I did not sin outwardly; that is, I did not live in any known sin; for I broke off my worldly companions, and would have gone to live in a wood if I could but have kept from sin thereby; so great was my abhorrence and fear of sin. It was internal evils that brought me in guilty, and so led me to try and keep my inside clean as well as my outside.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Therefore, I was in earnest, and went to work with all my strength. But I failed in my task; for sometimes I forgot to pray; and then O what guilt I felt! My rule cut me up,root and branch; and I had to pray so many more times the next day to make up my account. Yet by this method I got considerably in arrears. Besides, whenever I thought I had done my task a little better, even then I was brought in guilty for wandering thoughts and imperfection. I was found deficient, do what I would. I was sinning in word, or thought, or deed, turn which way I would. I truly felt in a confused state of mind, not knowing what to do. I wanted to please God, but could not; for I found it was written, yea, it came home to my soul with power: ‘For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.’ (Jas. 2:10.) ‘What shall I do?’ I cried. ‘I would keep the law if I could; but I cannot.’ For I found it brought me in guilty for a thought or a look that was wrong. (Matt. 10:28.) And it declared that anger without causa was murder. Thus I came to the truth of the words of the Psalm: ‘I have seen an end of all perfection; but thy commandment is exceeding broad.’ (Ps. 119:96.) Imperfection I saw was stamped upon everything. Still I was driven to keep the commandments or be lost; for I could not yet see how I could possibly be saved without keeping the law.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Then I resolved to try once more. I had no sooner begun than matters were made worse. In the midst of my legal striving, I dropped upon these words: ‘They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens, behind one tree in the midst, eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the Lord.’ (Isa. 64:17.) Although I had not committed all these abominations, yet I had some of them. And these words came upon the back of those: ‘He that is guilty in one point is guilty of all;’ and condemned me as if I had been guilty of the whole. I knew that I had tried to sanctify and purify myself; and more than that, I had eaten swine’s flesh, and must be condemned for that one point, if there were no other. But I made up my mind to eat no more; for I verily thought if I did I should be damned.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Not many days after this, there was some bacon for dinner; but I could not touch it. I trembled all over at the thought of such a thing. My parents asked me the reason I refused to eat it, as usual; but I durst not say why; I was afraid to say what was the matter with me. Indeed, I could not open my mind to any one, but kept myself as close as possible. But eat swine’s flesh I could not; for salvation or damnation seemed to hang on that piece of bacon. Thus I felt condemned and cursed in my eating and drinking, working and all that I put my hands unto. (Deut. 28:15.)<\/span><\/p>\n

“About this time I was very much tempted to work miracles. Sometimes I did try. I prayed that it might rain, to see if I had any faith in God, or whether God would hear me. I would catch at anything for a little hope. But when my prayer failed, I sank very low in my mind, being sure I was not like Joshua. Again, when it rained, I prayed for it to cease; bat this did not answer. Then Satan would accuse me of sin, and ask me what I thought of my faith. I was wretched and miserable, feeling without God, breaking my vows every day, and committing sin, either in thought or deed. Sins I had long committed and forgotten came to my mind, and brought fresh guilt on my conscience. I began to think I should never have done with sin, sorrow, and misery. Yet I desired to be as holy as God is holy. I looked at some of the old saints, and wished I was like them. They, I thought, do better than I; they were not such sinners as I was, in my estimation. O how anxiously I looked for ward to be like them, if it should please God to spare me and bless me! For a little hope sprang up now and then that God would have mercy on me, although I could not see how. Some might be ready to say, ‘But did you not know that Christ must save you?’ In answer I say that I was so much taken up with keeping the law that I could not see how I could come to Christ until.I had m?,de myself more acceptable.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Somewhere about this time my father left Macclesfield and went to Accrington, Lancashire, the church at Accrington having given him a call to be their pastor. It was here that I was brought to have my mouth shut. I felt that I would have done anything or endured anything if God would only be my God. But instead of this, he appeared to be against me; therefore I looked upon him as a hard God. One day, while thinking how hard God was not to have mercy on me, I felt anger rise in my breast towards him; when suddenly such a solemn and awful feeling came over me that I trembled from head to foot. I saw something of the majesty, holiness, and power of God, and myself a poor, sinful, black, polluted sinner. I felt something of what the prophet felt when he ‘saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.’ And the seraphims cried one to another, saying, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.’ A little of this holiness dropped into my soul, which made me cry out, with the prophet, ‘Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.’ (Isa. 6:1-5.) I felt that God would be just in sending me to hell; and I stood before him trembling with my mouth shut, with not a word to say for myself. (Zech. 3:1-3; Rom. 3:9.) God appeared so holy, just, and good ; and I so unholy, unjust, and bad, that I was ready to cry out, and say to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on me, and hide me from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?’ (Rev. 6:16,17.) At last I felt a cry spring up in my soul: ‘ 0 Lord, do save me, I beseech thee. Do not banish me from thy presence, and send me to hell, that place of misery, where they curse their king and their God, and look upward. I do not want to hate thee and curse thee. But O, let me love thee, and serve thee, and bless thy frame for ever and ever! Deliver me, I beseech thee, from going down to the pit. Yet if I must go there, grant me this one request, that I may not join with thy enemies in hating, cursing, and blaspheming thy most holy Name. Let me love thee even there.’<\/span><\/p>\n

”Immediately these words came to my mind with power: ‘How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?’ (Heb. 9:14.) This raised me to a good hope that God would be my God. It brought me suddenly to the tip-toe of expectation of obtaining the coveted blessing, ‘This God is our God.’ I also felt some joy with it, and a little peace of conscience. I was not delivered right out of my trouble and brought into gospel liberty; but I now saw all my works as dead works, and therefore polluted. This gave a death-blow to my law-keeping and trying to please God upon law terms. I saw also that it was impossible to serve God acceptably until I was washed in the precious blood of the Lamb. This brought a different scene of things. I began to wrestle earnestly with God to deliver me from the law, and pleaded the Name of Christ, and prayed for pardon, that I might be made acceptable to God. I now understood what Peter said (Acts 4:12), and could see there was no name under heaven, given among men, that could help me, but the Name of Jesus Christ. By this one passage about the blood of Christ, I learnt more of my need of him than by all I had heard or read before.<\/span><\/p>\n

“But the words I could not find anywhere in the Bible. I searched the Book of God from back to back; but nowhere could I see them. Then Satan came in like a flood upon me: ‘Ah! You are deceived; for that portion is not in the Bible. So your hope, joy, and love are all wrong.’ O how I sank in my feelings to think after all I was deceived! My old burden returned, and I began to labour afresh. But keep my trouble any longer to myself I could not. I was obliged to inquire if there was such a portion or not in the Bible; and soon I received information that there was. O how pleased I felt to know that the words were the same in that Book as had come to me without the Book!<\/span><\/p>\n

”The person I inquired of wanted to know why I asked that question. Now what I had tried to keep secret so long ran abroad. It came up; and I told him all about it. This was the first time, I believe, that I had opened my mouth to any one about the things of eternity. Often since I have wished I had never said a word about them. I have said, \u2018O that I had kept my mouth shut; for if I should be deceived, what an awful thing it will be!’ Then I would carry my burden to the Lord, and cry, ‘Am I deceived? O Lord, if I am, do undeceive me.’ “What a dread of being deceived has a child of God!<\/span><\/p>\n

“It Was a common practice with me to walk behind any that were good people, to listen to their conversation; and when they dropped a remark I understood in any measure, O how eagerly I caught it up! But I shunned being drawn into conversation with them, and kept far enough away, lest I should be asked anything about my state of mind, or why I was so attentive to hear the Word. Yet I have often been attracted by some expression, and forgotten myself, and crept a little closer, until I have been drawn into the talk, and have been refreshed by it. Whenever this happened, I had to go by myself, and look at all I had said, to see if I had spoken of anything I had not tasted, handled, and felt for myself; for my conscience was tender, and I knew that I must stand before God and not before man. And what advantage is it to be approved of men, if we have not the approbation of God? I would say, then, let every quickened soul get into conversation with some experienced saint; and he will find, as I found when I did open my mouth, the benefit of it. And in particular, let him attend the means of grace; for herein God has met with and blessed many a soul, and relieved them of their burden.<\/span><\/p>\n

“As I have stated, this portion of truth produced a great result in my heart: ‘How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?’ (Heb. 9:14.) It cut me off from all hope of satisfying the law of God; yet not experiencing a full deliverance from bondage into liberty of the gospel, I soon fell into great trouble of soul. I saw no hope but that which comes through the blood of Christ; and this I felt sensibly I had not got. Hell was before me as a law-breaker; but not a glimpse of heaven could I obtain. I attempted to pray for it; and then the law worked wrath, wrath against God too, because he would not hear me and deliver me. Thus I experienced something of the nature of what eternal wrath effects in the bosom of the lost.<\/span><\/p>\n

“In this way I went on for about two years, when one day I was crossing a street in the town of Accrington, as miserable and as full of condemnation as any poor wretch could well bear, and as soon as I reached the opposite side, these words dropped into my soul: ‘When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.’ (Col. 3:4.) I was in glory instantly in my feelings; the guilt, sin, and misery fled and were removed out of sight; and in their stead sprang up love, joy, and peace in believing. 1 adored the Lord with all my heart, and fully believed I should do so to all eternity. I know, therefore, how God speaks the forgiveness of sins by his Word, and how effectual he makes it in a sinner’s conscience, both in its power and effects.<\/span><\/p>\n

“But at length the Lord” withdrew; and one thing after another brought me to the verge of despair. For nine long years I walked in this dark path, until I gave up almost all idea of ever seeing the face of the Lord Jesus any more. These days of darkness can never be described.<\/span><\/p>\n

“After this long, dreary season, the Lord commenced a second conviction; but not like the first. This was a conviction of my utter helplessness to serve God apart from his power. I was convinced that sin could and would overcome the strongest, if suffered to do so. Here I saw that power belongeth to God, and to him only. It appeared now as though the very belly of hell was opened against everything that was godly within me; and awful floods of blasphemy were poured into my mind, so that I dared not read the Bible. Great fears of death followed me night and day, until I was afraid to move about, lest I should meet with something to put an end to my useless life. In this way I went on for some considerable time, when at length these words were savingly applied: ‘Whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.’ (Rom. 14:8.) I no w felt that I had not only passed through death in law in my former soul trouble, and a deliverance from it, but that this blessing had caused me to pass through death to all hope in self in a gospel point of view, and that it was impossible to perform vows, resolutions, or even to think a good thought, apart from the entire grace of God.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Henceforth I have been made to depend on him who is able to save, which dependence has been tried again and again; and sore conflicts have succeeded each other until desperation has called for rebukes and stripes from God. Then he has sent his Word and healed me. (Ps. 107:20.)”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After this second deliverance from long darkness, Mr. Hatton gave up his business, and began to preach the word. He seldom spoke of his call to the ministry. He was almost immediately placed over a poor, country people, where he passed the most active years of his life in peaceable retirement, and remained pastor until his death. One of his early hearers has put down the following interesting facts relating to his coming among them:<\/span><\/p>\n

“Mr. Hatton first came to Outwood about the year 1849, under an engagement to supply for three months. At the end of that period the word had the same effect as of old. Some believed; and others did not receive him; so that it was concluded for him to discontinue his labours there. Accordingly he left them, but stayed in lodgings with a Mr. Budgen; and as there were many who gladly heard the word from him, he was induced the next Sabbath to preach in Mr. Budgen’s house. When the distant friends came to Outwood chapel on the Sabbath morning, and found he was not expected there, but would preach elsewhere, they left almost with one accord to go and hear him. There were about 200 persons the first Sunday; so that they had to use a barn. This was continued for some months, the congregation meanwhile increasing; until his supporters deemed it right to try and build a chapel.<\/span><\/p>\n

“However, here lay a great difficulty. Their hearts were warmed with the love of God; but their pockets were low. But it proved that the God who had opeaed their hearts to cry unto him to make room for his servant also ruled over the hearts of those on whom he had bestowed the gold and silver. By this means a piece of freehold land was secured; and the way was opened by one here being inclined to lend them a little money; another there to let them have bricks, timber, &c.; and the farmers round carting all the materials gratis. Our aged friend, the present senior deacon, being very active in the matter, with the assistance of others, the present chapel at Smallfields was built, and opened in the year 1851.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Mr. Hatton continued to labour among us until prevented by failing health, his ministry being blessed to the comfort of many of God’s living family; and it may be truly said of many that this and that man were born there.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“H. BATCHELOR.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In these early days the congregation was composed almost wholly of poor persons; but they loved their minister, and made many sacrifices for his comfort. In later years the chapel was well filled; and families were in the habit of driving many miles to attend his ministry. He became well known to the churches in London and other places, where he paid yearly visits, and was much esteemed for the grace of God that was in him and spiritual gifts as a minister of truth.<\/span><\/p>\n

One especial season he has related when trouble upon trouble followed him closely. He was then married, and had two children. He says,<\/span><\/p>\n

“On one occasion I felt determined to give up preaching. This was a special time, when the determination ran so high that I said, ‘I will not preach again.’ The work had really become distasteful. Then some voice whispered within, ‘ How do you know you will bo allowed? That is as God wills; not as you will.’ The next day (Saturday) for the first time in my life, I was laid on a bed of affliction, through an attack of erysipelas. This held me in terror, and brought me to seek pardon. The complaint returned every ninth day for three years; and to this day may come on at any moment.<\/span><\/p>\n

“At another time, while walking down a lane, the following question was powerfully suggested to my mind; it came as quickly as lightning: ‘Should you like to know more of God and his Word?’ To this I replied, ‘Yes, Lord; most gladly.’ In about three or four weeks my wife dropped down, and died in five hours. Three weeks after my daughter had an attack of scarlet fever, and I took it likewise. Also, my son, at school, fell ill with typhus fever. His life was despaired of; but he ultimately recovered. I married again, and buried my second wife in twelve months. I then sent for a sister to come and keep house for me, and buried her in one month. Many times did I cry, ‘Stay, Lord! do stay!’ But even this was not the worst of it. I had earnestly prayed that my wife might recover, and had felt firmly persuaded that she would; but she died. Then a flood of infidelity rolled in; such a flood as only those who have felt the enemy’s coming in can form any idea of what it was. I felt and said, ‘This is a proof the Bible is not true, neither can it be God’s Word; because it is said therein, “Whatsoever ye ask believing, ye shall receive.” I asked and believed; but I have not received. Therefore, it cannot be true; neither can I ever tell the people to trust in that which has proved a failure in my own case. I have myself been deceived; but 1 will not deceive others.’<\/span><\/p>\n

“One Lord’s day after my wife’s death, I did not go to chapel; I had an excuse. But I had none for the second, and consequently was placed in a fix. Still I felt determined not to go. The reason was that I had no felt confidence in the Word. The ground seemed to be swept from under my feet. What could I say? I felt I could not cheat the people by telling them to trust in what had proved (as I then thought) a failure in my own case. But this portion of Scripture forcibly seized my mind: \u2018Recoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.’ (Rom. 12:12.) With this Scripture came this order: ‘Go, and tell them that.” I replied, ‘Never, never! It is impossible! I do not believe it; and how can I go and tell others it is a truth?’ But there might have been no other text, in the whole Book of God. I went and read the text out; but I had no sooner done so than I said, ‘If you want to know where I am, I am the very opposite to that.’ O so angrily did I say that! Quickly the rebuke of God came, which made me tremble: ‘You say that again, if you dare.’ Well, I told the people to ‘rejoice in hope,’ for all would come right at last; to be ‘patient in tribulation,’ for all would ultimately work for good; and to continue ‘instant in prayer,’ for God would surely answer prayer. This went on until I hated the sound of my own voice; for I did not feelingly believe a word of it. This pressure upon me I thought was cruelty added to cruelty. O how I bemoaned so hard a lot!<\/span><\/p>\n

“But about three days afterwards, while sitting alone, wishing for death and not finding it, suddenly the Lord came, and said, ‘Did you say, “Thy will be done,” in your prayers?’ Only those who have passed under a close examination by the Lord can form an idea of the force of his reasonings. Those prayers stood present to my view, both in matter and manner. I saw that I had not freely said, ‘Thy will be done.1 It was of no use making any excuse. There they were plain enough, as in an open page before my eyes. Then out came a most reluctant, ‘I suppose I did not. It does not appear that I did. I was afraid to do so.’ ‘ Then,’ the Lord answered, ‘ you were wrong.’ I replied, ‘I was, Lord.’ He continued,’ Did you prop your faith up, or did faith prop you up?’ This question was accompanied by a clear insight into the whole proceedings, from beginning to end. The whole appeared like an old house shored up all round to keep it from crumbling to the ground. I replied,’I suppose I did prop it up.’ But that, suppose’ was a firm conviction; and I was compelled to own that I had propped up the faith. I shall never forget the time. The Lord then said, ‘Do you not know that faith should support yon, and not you prop it up?’ I replied, ‘I do know it.’ Then the word same: ‘You see then that you are wrong, and the Word is right.\u2019 Here I fell under it, and was taught a most useful lesson thereby.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Before his second marriage, above related, owing to repeated attacks of erysipelas, he removed from Smallfields to live at Red Hill, eight miles distant. This was in the year 1863. From that time until his illness in 1881, he continued to drive to Smallfields to preach twice on a Lord’s day, returning home after the afternoon service. Having his Sunday evenings at liberty, after a time he was led to preach on these evenings and once in the week at a chapel in the Station Road, Red Hill. Here he felt increasingly his ministry was not accepted by several of the leading members, and therefore preached in bonds. Under these feelings he remained among them about twelve years. Several of the Lord’s children were gathered under him; and a lasting union was formed between himself and the poor and needy, who valued his ministry. Many are living who can testify to the life and power that accompanied the word from his lips, during these years of oppression and trial.<\/span><\/p>\n

At length a circumstance occurred which led to his leaving this chapel, and afterwards preaching to the few who cleaved to him for his work’s sake in a chapel built for the purpose. (We insert this just as it was sent to us, not knowing anything of the right or wrong of the case. ED.) A minister to whom he objected was placed in his pulpit in his absence, after he had expressed his disapproval to the church. On this account entirely, Mr. Hatton resigned his pastorate in the Station Road. The time had come for him to be released from the burden under which he had laboured so long; and such was the relief he experienced that he has often compared it to a ton load being taken off his shoulders.<\/span><\/p>\n

Several of the people and members left with him. They hired a room that he might continue to speak to them; and in a few months built a chapel at Shaw’s Corner, in the same town. It was opened in May, 1876. At this juncture the Lord manifestly put his seal on the word preached, in a marked manner, sending it home to the hearts of the hearers. One man, who was a stranger to the truth, having heard various reports in the town of the minister and people, turned into the room from a feeling of curiosity, when service was being held, and was arrested by the word. The living power which accompanied that first gospel sermon to his conscience convinced him that he was one of those described who were blind and could see no beauty in the gospel; and he has since been held fast to the truths which he heard so blessedly set forth by Mr. Hatton. And now, when loaded with reproach and forsaken, according to his own feelings, by friends, the Lord remembered his servant, and gave him a most blessed manifestation of himself, while driving to Smallfields to preach one Sunday morning. He speaks of it in the following words in a letter to the late Mr. Covell:<\/span><\/p>\n

“I had a most lovely sight of the Redeemer’s Person as I was driving to chapel on Lord’s day, April 9th. O! I felt his gracious presence to such an overpowering degree that my very flesh quivered on my bones. I am net straining it. It was too big for me to strain. It was a big blessing. I tucked up my reins, and begged the dear Lord to let me come. 0 how easy it was then to die! I think it must have been something like what the martyrs felt; for I felt anything that would send me to him would be a favour. I wept, and begged of him to let me come to him; however, he did not see fit to let me have that as well. Nevertheless the savour of it has not left me; neither do I think it ever will\u2026I felt his glory, but had no fear or alarm; no, all I could think about was, ‘Let me come; do let me come to thee.’ I did not feel that it was to get out of trouble. No, I had none; it was all gone. Jesus was present in the glory of his power; and I forgot everything and every one but him, and myself as being with him. There might have been none else in heaven and earth but us two. O what must heaven be!”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

His own narrative concludes with an account of a severe illness, which he had the following year, 1877:<\/span><\/p>\n

“Some time after this, I fell on my knees and begged God to allow me to leave off preaching. I was afraid, after all that had passed, to leave off without God’s consent. I prayed earnestly, and used strong pleadings. A few months afterwards I was awaked with blood in my mouth, flowing rather freely. The thought struck me very forcibly: ‘You may be in eternity in a few hours; how about your religion?’ I appeared to be looking about for my religion, when it seemed to come up to the front, and say, ‘I am from heaven, and to heaven I shall go.’ ‘Lord,’ I exclaimed, ‘I am ready and willing to die.’ O how easy it was then to look death in the face, and long to die! Not a speck appeared in the heavens; all was clear and bright. A few days after, when very weak, and the hemorrhage could not be stayed, these words were spoken to me: ‘ Do you remember praying to be allowed to leave off preaching?’ I replied, ‘Yes, Lord; and it was very wicked to do so.’ The response came immediately: ‘Here you are.’ \u2018O Lord,’ I answered, ‘I know thou wilt forgive the sin, for I have heaven in my soul; but I should not like to go out of the world with this between thee and me. O raise me up again, I entreat thee; and suffer me to put that matter straight. I will preach again, if thou wilt suffer it, just to put this right.’ He did raise me up; but it was no small request to have made to desire to come back and toil once more in the ministry of the Word.”<\/span><\/p>\n

From this sick bed or soon after, Mr. Hatton wrote the following letters:<\/span><\/p>\n

“My dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord, Your feeble pastor sends greeting.<\/span><\/p>\n

“It is with much regret on your account I am laid aside from my work; on my account it is better to die than to live. My sickness occurred thus: About four o’clock on Wednesday morning, March 21st, I was awaked with something in my mouth. My wife got up and struck a light; and that something was found to be blood, and it was flowing very freely. After a little it stopped for a time; and when I laid my head on the pillow, honest conscience said, ‘You may be a dead man in a few hours; how about your religion?’ My religion came up to the front, and seemed to say, ‘I am here; I am not ashamed to show myself. I am from heaven, and to heaven I shall go.’ I said, ‘Lord, I am both willing and ready to die.’ There was not a sin nor a stain; no, nor any one thing appeared between me and the Lord.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I must tell you more, if it please God to bring me amongst you again; which I think he will. I know the religion I have preached to you will take a soul to heaven. I have many times proved it to be from heaven; and now on the brink of eternity I have proved its solid foundation. May you be enabled to hold on to the truth, and the Lord help you to pray for me.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I am not able to write more. I cannot say whether I shall be able to be with you or not, next Lord’s day. Keep together, and the God of peace be with you. Pray for me.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Your affectionate Pastor,<\/span><\/p>\n

“JOSEPH HATTON.<\/span><\/p>\n

“To the Churches at Smallfields and Shaw’s Corner.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Holmthorpe, Red Hill, April 7th, 1877.<\/span>“<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“My dear Friend, I have been laid aside these three weeks; yes, it is a month to-morrow. I hope I am recovering, but feel very weak. I must not therefore think of going about any more; so I must decline your kind invitation. I have proved my religion in this sickness to be from heaven; and heaven will be my home. It is in the prospect of death where true religion appears in its full value.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I know that the religion I-have preached is of God. Still cleave, dear friend, to that which heals broken hearts, cleanses foul hearts, delivers from death, gives peace to the conscience, and is a satisfaction to the soul. Jesus is the sinner’s Friend. There are but few sensible sinners now-a-days. The Lord give you confidence in himself, and help you through this vain world, and give you peace in believing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yours in the Lord,<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRed Hill, April 10th, 1877.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“J. HATTON.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“My dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ, You will be glad to learn that I have been out once more in the open air; but I feel extremely weak and insufficient to resume my labours among you on this Lord’s day. If spared, and all goes on as up to the present, you may expect me next Lord’s day.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I cannot call my affliction a trial or a furnace, because there has been no dispute between me and my Master. All has been sweetly calm; and I can bless his holy Name for the affliction, because he has endeared himself to me more and more. It has not been a furnace; there has been no fire; but it has been love and grace, confirmation and instruction; so that I can say to you, ‘Cleave to the truth, as you have heard it from my lips. It will take me to heaven, and so it will you.’ Poor, fearful, doubting ones, he will never leave you to sink at last; no, never. The fear of missing being right proves the great desire to be right. Therefore hope on, as it is not a vain hope. ‘They who seek shall find,’ saith the Lord. “The Lord bless you and be with you through life and in death. So prays your affectionate Pastor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJ. Hatton.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Red Hill, April 15th, 1877.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“My dear Friend, I go on Friday, 1st of June, to Stamford, God willing; and on the 10th to Oakham. I hope to be at home on the 11th, and preach at Red Hill on Tuesday evening, the 12th.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I get stronger, though slowly. I have thanked God for the affliction over and over again; because I stood on the brink of eternity, and there proved my religion fit to face death and eternity. But what is my religion? Is it anything more than other people’s religion who seek the Lord? O no! I am a poor, weak, helpless worm, depending on the Lord for a supply of grace to help in the time of need. 1 cannot pray, except he gives me the spirit of prayer; nor do any spiritual act without he works in me both to will and to do.<\/span><\/p>\n

“It is a great mercy to seek the face of the Lord; and all right seeking is marked by a wanting something of him. Therefore those who seek him because they want him will never be disappointed. They must live.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yours in the Lord Jesus,<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJ. Hatton.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Red Hill, May 30th, 1877.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After this serious illness, Mr. Hatton returned to his usual labours, driving 16 miles and preaching three times every Lord’s day, as well as in the week; and has preached as often as ten times within eight days. In addition to his toil in the work of the ministry, in June, 1881, he was constrained to undertake the office of editor of the “Gospel Standard.” By this means God has been pleased to preserve in a measure, by his pen, the gracious experience of a long, active life in the service of Christ. In the Reviews, Answers to Inquiries, and other of his writings during the short time of his editorship, some valuable thoughts on passages of Scripture and many points of doctrine have been given to the church. These bear witness that he possessed a deep understanding in the Word, and was a scribe of the law of the God of heaven above many. (Ezra 7:21.)<\/span><\/p>\n

In Nov., 1881, he went to Brighton to fulfil an engagement to preach for two Sabbaths. When there, on Monday evening, the 21st, he was seized with a slight stroke of paralysis while preaching, and was obliged to return home the next day. His speech and sight were slightly affected for a few days; and he was laid aside from the ministry for several months. This illness fell upon his people as a heavy blow and a token of a worse to come. His mind continued unimpaired; but he was never again restored to his natural strength of body, and was therefore compelled to give up his journeys to Smallfields on Sundays and to decline all invitations to preach at any distance from home. In the autumn of 1882, he was so far recovered as to be able to preach twice on a Lord’s day, at Shaw’s Corner, and once in the week; or occasionally to visit Smallfields or Croydon.<\/span><\/p>\n

The following letters were written by him during the last few years of his life. The first refers to a gift of fifty-four guineas he received from his people at Smallfields, shortly after the illness above mentioned; and it shows the mutual concord that subsisted between himself and them:<\/span><\/p>\n

To the Church and Congregation meeting for Divine Worship at Smallfields, Burstow, Surrey.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Dear Brothers and Sisters, I cannot fully express my heart-felt gratitude to you as I would. First, I desire to acknowledge God in all things and join with David in saying, ‘But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? For all things come of thee; and of thine own have we given thee.’ (1 Chron. 29:14.) Thus we see that thanks are due to God both for the gift of willingness and the power to communicate; and also to you from me who have reaped so bountifully of your kind remembrance of me. I pray God to reward you manifold into your lap. I thank you as a people, as well those who gave little as those who gave much. Neither can I forget those who are not able to give anything but their good wishes.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Now, my dear friends, accept my unfeigned thanks for your kind and liberal donation of fifty-four guineas, which is a large sum for you to raise; and be assured that I highly value your testimonial of love towards me.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I commend each one to God, who is the Author of all good; equally those who have been unable to give as those who have given. “From your affectionate Pastor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph Hatton.<\/span><\/p>\n

“May, 1882.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“My dear Friend, I was very sorry to hear you had affliction in your house. These are anxieties and cares that operate painfully at times on the mind. What a mercy it will be to get safely through this world, and be safe with the Lord Jesus Christ!<\/span><\/p>\n

“No one by nature feels a need of Jesus, because they do not know him, nor yet themselves. If we feel a need of Jesus, there must be a cause for which he is needed. “We feel the need of our food, because it is required to sustain the life God has given us as creatures. Our existence and want of food are linked together by the Lord; and we are as much indebted to him for the feeling of hunger as we are for our existence. So spiritually. A felt need of Jesus to keep the life of our religion agoing is a proof of our interest in him. We cannot do without him; and if we cannot do without him, it is also true we can do with him. O! It is so great a mercy to be one that requires the Lord to keep him right! Without him we can do nothing; but with him we shall get to heaven. “Yours in the Lord,<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJ. Hatton.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRed Hill, May 28th, 1880.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“My dear Friend, Union and communion are evidently that which is desirable. To bring about a permanent fellowship in the gospel, first, as Jesus Christ is Truth essentially considered, we must begin with a union to him, which will be a personal union to the truth; and the Holy Spirit is said to be sent to lead us into the truth. A union to the crucified Saviour brings an acquaintance of our condition as sinners before God; and Jesus is the sinners’ Friend. He suffered for them, bled for them, died for them, and rose again for them. Now it is evident that if we have fellowship with Jesus as the sinner’s Friend, we must know something of ourselves as sinners. And the more we savingly know of that, the more can we, by the help of the Spirit, condole with him in his sufferings. Here is union and communion with him as the Friend of sinners.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Then it follows that persons who have been taught the same truths with respect to their own sinnership will commune one with another, because they are in perfect union with regard to that truth; and all fellowship is in the truth. On this point the communion of saints would be a mutual pleasure in self-loathing and abhorrence of all that is sinful, and delight in meditating on the cleansing blood of Christ, and every thing that speaks of his love and compassion towards poor sinners. Here the saints would be mutually at home, and enjoy their conversation together.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Next, as there is a union to Christ, the Truth, there is a love to the truth as it is revealed to their understanding. His compassion gives them hope in his mercy. His gentleness encourages them to draw near. His meekness emboldens them to speak to him; and his riches tempt them to present a petition for all they feel to need. These are said to be God’s poor. They enjoy each other’s company and fellowship when speaking together of what they have seen and known and felt of him; and there comes an ever-growing attachment to each other in the truths thus revealed. Every revealed truth in the Bible becomes the especial property of two or more saints. They hold fellowship together in those truths; so that it becomes necessary that something must be known experimentally of the truth before communion of saints can have any existence.<\/span><\/p>\n

“On this union and communion in the truth their personal union and peace in church-fellowship mainly depend. Nothing outward can be substituted in its room. The union to the truths revealed to the soul can never be severed. It remains firm in the worst and most trying condition the soul can be placed in. The fear of death and hell cannot snap it asunder; and were it possible for such a one to be lost, the union to the truth must still abide with him. So it happens, at times, when two of God’s people, both of them sunk down into the pit, meet each other and commence a conversation, their union to the truth often brings up a sweet and refreshing communion, which gladdens their hearts. The same, I believe, is real uniting power in the preached gospel. The man preaches; the person hears; the Holy Spirit seals it; and there is a communion first in the truth, and then to the preacher.<\/span><\/p>\n

“This alone must guide you in your present position; and I know no better advice to give you. I trust the Lord will make the way plain for you, and give you a satisfactory answer to all your prayers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yours for Christ’s Sake,<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJ. Hatton.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRed Hill, Nov. 9th, 1882.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“My dear Friend, I owe you many apologies for not replying to your kind letter sooner; but I have had nothing to write about, except just the bare acknowledgment. I have been helped in preaching; but it only lasted for a short time, and then left me. I felt a little more yesterday, when the thought occurred to me that God was a good God to bear with me; and upon the heel of that, I felt I really did love him. I did; yes, it was true I did love him. Then the promise came: ‘And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick. The people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.’ (Is. 33:24.) I saw we were now sick, not dead. Sick people are not dead. Every living child of God this side of eternity is sick. Sin causes sickness, and the promise runs that sins shall be forgiven, and with forgiveness comes health. These sick people cannot die of their sickness; because they are promised eternal life in Christ. So they must be healed in the end.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cReal religion, then, is a state of sickness; because there is life and sin. The professor who is never sick is dead. Any person who has never been sick is dead also. The state of sickness I know very well; it is not perfect health, neither real death. We are not dead because we have pain and sorrow. Now and then our health is renewed, and the forgiveness of sins makes us young again quickly. If we look back to the time God forgave us our sins at the first, there was good health then, and plenty of it. Health in prayer, in worship, in meditation, and in everything else. O for a little of that renewed health! The pardon of sin would bring it in a moment.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Well, the Lord does give us a little now and then and for a short time. He heals the spirit; and it goes as humble as possible in a moment; and this heals the temper, and the fretting sores caused by things going wrong get better. The cross does not hurt the shoulder so badly. The spirits revive, and we think our lot is not so bad after all. 0 what good does the remission of sins do for a child of God!<\/span><\/p>\n

“A sensible feeling of heart departures from God causes sickness. Then I wonder what sickness can many people have who are supposed to be the children of God, yet never seem to complain.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“We need do no wrong to any creature to bring on these sicknesses. A high look, a discontented spirit, or rebellion, will do it. Then we need the great Physician to send his Word and heal us. This is what all sick people need restored health.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We never forget when God first forgave us our sins. We could then sing, walk, run, talk, fight, and defy men and devils. So we could now if we felt our sins forgiven. All we need is the forgiveness of sins. Then we know all is right between God and the soul; and not only so, but we can pray healthily; and having good health, we enjoy the worship of God. But when the health of the soul is in a bad state, it cannot enjoy anything.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I wish you, then, good health of soul, to cheer you in your trying path. A rough path and much up-hill work and poor health make it bad altogether. But a wash in the fountain will help you to move along more cheerfully. Indeed I do not know what else is of any use. We have a praying spirit and a worshipping heart; but we cannot enjoy either without God’s blessing. Therefore I pray God to give you a renewing of soul, and turn night into day by his presence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yours in the Gospel of God’s Grace,<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJ. Hatton.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRed Hill, Jan. 16th, 1884.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mr. Hatton continued in his usual health, with slight variations, until his last illness, April 13th, 1884. He preached at Croydon on Sunday, the 6th instant, taking these words for his text: “Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness; the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to show them light and the way wherein they should go.” (Neh. 9:19.) He gave a full description of passing through the “great and terrible wilderness” to the following effect:<\/span><\/p>\n

“There are two essential things which God brings forth to light to his people only, not to the world; namely, what they are, and what God is to them. The world know nothing of his dealing with them as we read he deals with his people. He promised them the possession of Canaan; and into Canaan they came. Other travellers went through the wilderness, and chose the best and easiest road; but God chose Israel’s way. They were brought by him into the wilderness, where they could not depend on themselves. He gave them everything they could want. They had manna from heaven every day, and water from the Rock that followed them. The pillar of the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night departed not from them to show them the way they should go; and God went before them in the pillar. If he had gone, the pillar and water and manna had gone too. But it was a wilderness for all that. There was nothing to live upon bat what came from heaven; nothing but what he gave; no way but the way he guided them. The manna never failed; yet they often feared it would. It was of no use to lay it up in store, and of no use to sow. If he has brought you into the wilderness, it is a great mercy. You will find it will make an end of all your faith and love in your feelings, that you once thought were enough to last all the way to heaven, to serve God all your days. You thought, ‘I will serve thee.’ The wilderness will make an end of that. If you sow, nothing comes up; and you have no seed but what he gives. There is no crop there; no stock; but fiery serpents are there, and drought, scarcity and want; no fruitfulness but a little here and there; no help in yourself; none but in the Lord. It is ‘ that great and terrible wilderness ‘that consumes the life of self. What did Israel do there? They looked back to the onions in Egypt, and once in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage. The pillar was still before them, and the manna and water; yet they could not see God. He appeared not to them; and they said, ‘Make us gods to go before us.” These are the people that were cared for, watched over by God himself, who went with them. That was what the wilderness brought them to do when he was out of sight, after they had seen his power and sung his victory over their enemies. You will not wonder at them if God brings you there. There is a feeling of the irksomeness of prayer for everything; a task-pray ing; a weariness of depending on the Lord.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Once you may have thought you should get out of such want and poverty, or were out of it already; you could see the end, and eat and drink abundantly. That was a place of wells of water and palm-trees. There are spots in the wilderness where God sometimes brings his people, which they never forget. Israel never forgot Mount Sinai, the thunder, blackness, and the voice of God at the giving of the law. Another time they were brought close to the borders of Canaan; only Jordan was between it and them. Sometimes he brings his people there, close to heaven, with only death between it and them; and they are ready and willing to die. But they are still in the wilderness, and soon have to turn back, and get far away from this sweet spot. They are still where they will see more of what they are; where God will say, ‘Turn thee yet again; and I will show thee greater abominations than these.’ Still there, where they will feel as if they had sinned away God’s presence, and he is gone, and will never return. Satan says, ‘How can you expect it? You would not so much as ask him, if you could have heaven for it.’ So he stops the mouth. If you are there, you feel alone in the wilderness. But God has manifold mercies. You may have seen only the first fold; but he can turn over another. It may be that what you felt in yourself under the law is nothing to what you feel now. Bathe can turn over another fold of his mercy to match it. He can give you a sight of his mercy that is a match for every sight you have of your abominations. In his manifold mercies he will send for the fatted calf, and kill it, and eat, and make merry with his wandering child; and no sins can match that. No one can tell how manifold are the mercies he has shown to his people in the wilderness. He brings forth to light what they really are, and shows himself their great Saviour, able to save, who will never leave nor forsake them.”<\/span><\/p>\n

In the evening he spoke of the death of the righteous, telling the people how easy it is to die when the Lord is sensibly with the soul. He referred to his own experience, when he was so ill, and brought into such great weakness that he felt nothing separated him from the Lord but the bridge of death, and all his desire was to depart; when he placed the reins for the pony to go without his guidance, thinking it would only be his dead body that would reach the chapel. After the service he administered the Lord’s Supper, and spoke a few encouraging words to those present. He said that the worry and confusion which a child of God too often felt at such a time was not eating and drinking unworthily; but to partake unworthily was to eat and drink not looking by faith for salvation alone in Jesus Christ; that is, “not discerning the Lord’s body.” On Monday, before leaving Croydon, he remarked to a friend, “With me the bitterness of death is passed, whenever it comes.”<\/span><\/p>\n

On Tuesday, April 8th, he preached with evident liberty at his chapel. His subject was Eph. 3:17: “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.” He said Christ had a home in the heart in the faith of his children, and always dwelt there, whether they could see him or not, and sometimes would talk to them about it. That he dwells in the faith of his blood, that it cleanses from all sin, and nothing else can; and when the Holy Spirit takes of his blood, and shows its virtue, the soul cannot help believing. That he dwells in the faith of his almighty power to save, and sometimes talks to his people about it; and then they laugh at impossibilities, and say, “It shall be done.” That he dwells in the faith of his justifying righteousness, that no other righteousness will justify a sinner before God, but that will; and where that is felt, it makes the sinner feel fit and ready to see God with open face, and be with him. He is ready to enter the full, glorified presence of the Lord; no terror, no fear to dwell in it for ever; for he is innocent. Sometimes he will talk to his people about their innocence, and say, “Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee;” and when he does, they cannot find a spot in themselves. That Christ dwells in the heart as God’s finished salvation, and sometimes shows the sinner that the work was complete before he could receive anything from God; and when he sees that, he will say,<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yes, I to the end shall endure<\/span><\/p>\n

As sure as the earnest is given;<\/span><\/p>\n

More happy, but not more secure,<\/span><\/p>\n

The glorified spirits in heaven.”<\/span><\/p>\n

He addressed his people for the last time on Thursday evening, April 10th, at the prayer meeting. He read 1 Cor. 13; and commented particularly on the last verse: “And now abideth faith, hope, and charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” He dwelt on the difference between false faith and real; how possible it is to have a faith in the Lord as a God of providence, which he may honour, yet which is not the faith of God’s elect; and went on to show what the faith is that would take a soul to heaven. He spoke very sweetly, and some present that evening felt that much power accompanied his words, and said it was a time never to be forgotten by them. In taking up the last part of the subject, charity, he said the child of God would very soon have done with faith and hope; and then the greatest of the three, love, would really begin. What the enjoyment of heaven would be he could not tell; he knew he had felt a little of it; but words were lost to attempt to describe it. He spoke with much confidence, and closed the meeting with earnest prayer that the love of God might rest upon the people until the time, which would shortly come, when they would not see through a glass darkly, but face to face.<\/span><\/p>\n

On Friday, the 11th, Mr. Hatton preached at Chelsea from Ps. 130:7; and returned home on Saturday.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On Sunday morning, the 13th, he seemed as well as usual; but on rising from his chair after breakfast he complained of a strange sensation in his left side, and found he was unable to stand. His doctor was sent for at once; but he was suffering from apoplexy, and in a few hours became helpless. He remained sensible until about 4 o’clock the same afternoon, but was unable to speak without difficulty. Then he sank into a state of insensibility, and never again opened his eyes or moved. He had done with all consciousness of the things of time and sense, and come to those dying moments he used often to dwell upon in preaching, where, as he expressed it, “No mortality can come between God and the soul; the way to heaven is open. Jesus Christ is present to view, ‘who hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.'” He gently ceased to breathe about 8.15, p.m., on Wednesday, April 16th, in the 64th year of his age.<\/span><\/p>\n

He was buried the following Wednesday in the graveyard behind his chapel at Smallfields. Mr. Warburton and Mr. Ashdown conducted the service. Numerous friends followed him to the grave, deeply mourning for the great and sudden loss that had fallen on themselves and the church of God. M. B.<\/span><\/p>\n

[Several expressions in the above account are very obscure, especially in the letters, but as Mr, Hatton was the late editor we give them in their originality. ED.]<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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

Gospel Standard 1884: An Outline Of The Life Of The Late Joseph Hatton, Minister Of The Gospel And Editor Of The \u201cGospel Standard\u201d \u201cThe righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.” (Is. 57:1.) These things are continually taking place before our eyes, as one and another of the Lord’s servants are called to enter into peace, and reach their desired haven. The life they live is hidden from the world, and the death they die unheeded. But the gap they leave behind, and the breash that is made in the spirits of their sorrowing friends cannot be filled from any earthly quarter. Moses, Samuel, the prophets, and apostles died; and the church was filled with mourning. The children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days. (Deut. 34:8.) All Israel lamented for Samuel. (1 Sam. 28:3.) And when Paul was taking his last farewell of the church at Ephesus, “they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him; sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more.” (Acts 20:37, 38.) Jesus Christ himself must go away, and sorrow fill the hearts of the disciples, because they should know him no more after the flesh. (Jn. 16:5, 6.) In these times of distress, were it not for the promised Spirit, who will be the Comforter of his people, and will abide with them for ever, their strength and hope must perish from the Lord. And now, like the running brook which was appointed for a time to satisfy the thirst of Elijah and then was dried up; so, within the last few months, the Lord has dried up a channel that has long been a means of conveying his blessings to his people, in calling to himself the late Mr. Hatton, a man approved in all things as a minister of God. But his living testimony, both written and spoken, cannot die; and he, “being dead yet speaketh.” His memory is dear to many and his bereaved friends have earnestly requested some account of his personal history.\u00a0 He has left a short, clear narrative of his call by grace and early years to his first deliverance from the bondage of the law. This was written many years ago, and was broken off abruptly. He afterwards added a relation of several important circumstances in his life, being led to mention them when writing on other subjects for the “Gospel Standard.” Of the rest of his days nothing can be given in his own words, besides what is contained in a few letters; and it has fallen upon his friends to supply some remaining particulars of events which marked his later years. Many of the Lord’s people will doubtless read with interest the outline of his life now before them, though but an imperfect one. His own narrative is as follows: “I have often been requested by my friends to write an account of the Lord’s dealings with me. Therefore, feeling a little disposed to do so, I how set down a few things that have befallen me in the way. May God grant me honesty and faithfulness to write in his fear; and if it should please him to make it a blessing to any of his children, let his Name have all the praise. “I was born Jan. 8th, 1821, at Warrington, Lancashire. My parents being God-fearing people, I was brought up under the sound of the truth, and in my younger days had a good example set before me, and was restrained from mixing in bad company and visiting places of amusement. For all this I heartily thank my parents, for I think it is a great mercy to be kept from the vanities of this world in any measure. My father, indeed, was a minister of the everlasting gospel, from whom afterwards I received much help. I was always fond of reading the historical parts of the Word of God, so that I became acquainted with the Bible when very young. From this it will be perceived I was moral, and had a knowledge of the truth in the letter, so far as my mind could understand it. Therefore, I have nothing particular to relate, until it pleased God of his abundant mercy to beget me again Unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Pet. 1:3.) “This took place about the year 1835, whilst I was reading the account of the children of Israel under the command of Joshua, recorded in Joshua 10. When I came to these words: ‘And he said in the sight of Israel, Bun, stand thou still upon Gibeon, and thou, moon, in the valley of Ajalon,’ they entered into my soul like an electric shock. I had been literally electrified many times before this, but I had never felt anything like what I felt now; for my whole body shook, and I was filled with fear. I can well remember bathing my eyes, and wondering what was the matter. Then suddenly the thought came: ‘You are not like that man; for he had faith even to command the sun to stand still, and it obeyed him; also, God was his Friend. But you have neither God nor faith; and living and dying without God, you will be lost for ever.’ I saw myself for the first time among the number the apostle describes, where he says, ‘At that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the common-wealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.’ (Eph. 2:12.) O what an emptiness I felt within me, a vacuum which no mortal power could fill! I felt lost, as though I stood alone, without a fellow, and realized Solomon’s words: ‘Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour, for if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.’ (Eccles. 4:9, 10.) Truly I felt alone. “I closed the book, and went out into an outhouse, where I dropped on my knees, and begged of God to have mercy on me and save me, and to be my God. I used all the arguments I could think of to persuade him to be my God; for I saw how blessed was the state of that man, both in time and eternity, who had God, the God of Israel, for his God; and how awful was the state of that man who was without him. This made me wrestle urgently with the Lord, and promise him how good I would be, and how I would serve him with all my heart, if he would but take me into his service. I got up from my knees with my mind fully bent on serving the Lord. I vowed I would watch my mouth, eyes, ears, hands, and feet, lest I should sin with them against the Lord, and so bring the wrath of God upon me; for sol knew it was written: ‘Let no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye, therefore, partakers with them.’ (Eph. 5:6, 7.) “At this time, when I was first brought to know my lost estate, I was living with my parents at Macclesfield, Cheshire. I worked with a young man who had just turned Wesleyan, who had been very wild, but now had turned very grave, and I never saw him smile. This young man I took for my pattern of life. He would often reprove the rest of his shopmates for their light conduct; but in this I could never come up with my pattern; for I could not keep my own inside clean, and I thought I must do so. Indeeds my conscience accused me for thoughts, looks, and desires. I was always coming short myself; so that my mouth was shut in the reproving system, and this proverb was continually sounding in my ears: ‘Physician, heal thyself.’ My conscience would not allow me to reprove others, while I felt as bad as they before God; nay, worse, I thought; ‘for I know better, and have vowed to be good, and broken my vows.’ Yet I took it for granted that my friend was what he appeared to be, and resolved to try to be as good as he. For this purpose I engaged to read the law of God very carefully, that I might know and do the commandments; and I vowed to pray three times a day. This was to be my rule and work; and a hard rule I found it to be. “I am persuaded that if a man has been under this rule in reality, and felt its power, he will want to find out another rule to walk by, and will prove to himself that the law cannot give life or peace. I was brought to know the truth of what the apostle says: ‘For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written on the book of the law to do them.’ (Gal. 3:10.) Truly I could not live by it; for I tried with all my might to keep it, and thought I must keep it or be lost. It is true I heard the way of salvation preached every Lord’s day; but nevertheless I thought I could not be saved while I was such a law-breaker. It is also true that I did not sin outwardly; that is, I did not live in any known sin; for I broke off my worldly companions, and would have gone to live in a wood if I could but have kept from sin thereby; so great was my abhorrence and fear of sin. It was internal evils that brought me in guilty, and so led me to try and keep my inside clean as well as my outside. “Therefore, I was in earnest, and went to work with all my strength. But I failed in my task; for sometimes I forgot to pray; and then O what guilt I felt! My rule cut me up,root and branch; and I had to pray so many more times the next day to make up my account. Yet by this method I got considerably in arrears. Besides, whenever I thought I had done my task a little better, even then I was brought in guilty for wandering thoughts and imperfection. I was found deficient, do what I would. I was sinning in word, or thought, or deed, turn which way I would. I truly felt in a confused state of mind, not knowing what to do. I wanted to please God, but could not; for I found it was written, yea, it came home to my soul with power: ‘For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.’ (Jas. 2:10.) ‘What shall I do?’ I cried. ‘I would keep the law if I could; but I cannot.’ For I found it brought me in guilty for a thought or a look that was wrong. (Matt. 10:28.) And it declared that anger without causa was murder. Thus I came to the truth of the words of the Psalm: ‘I have seen an end of all perfection; but thy commandment is exceeding broad.’ (Ps. 119:96.) Imperfection I saw was stamped upon everything. Still I was driven to keep the commandments or be lost; for I could not yet see how I…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13421,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1166],"tags":[1232,1226],"class_list":["post-26807","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-joseph-hatton","tag-baptist-history","tag-gospel-preachers"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26807","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\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26807"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26807\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26810,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26807\/revisions\/26810"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13421"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26807"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26807"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26807"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}