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Rev SAMUEL BOTTOMLY.

Scarborough.

Published by T. Chapman, 151 Fleet Street Dec 11798

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TH

FARNHAM, SURRY.

CHURCH AT

HE Reader must not expect an enumeration of many important events in the fhort life of fo young a minifter, as the fubject of this article. Mr. John Savage was born at Ipswich, in Suffolk, March 21, 1775; and brought up under the eye of his parents. In April, 1786, his father died, and in January 1789, he came to London, to be employed in the counting-houfe of a near relative, who studied his intereft with the folicitude of a parent. With him, and his family he regularly attended the preaching of the Gofpel. They took frequent opportunities of converfing with him on ferious fubjects; and, the Lord inclining his heart to attend to thofe kind inftructions, his foul was foon drawn to love the ways of God. Through what various frames of alternate hopes and fears our young convert paffed, may be learned from his own language: "I was very gradually led into a difcovery of the evil of my heart, and to a feeling fenfe of my abfolute need of the Lord Jefus Chrift, as the only Saviour. After a variety of exercifes, hope and fear as to my ftate alternately prevailed; and having for fome time fuftained the character of the labouring and heavy laden, I was enabled by faith to come to Chrift, and in him found reft and peace for my foul."

Mr. Savage was intended by his friends for fecular bufinefs; but the Lord evidently defigned him for another employment. His mind having been enlightened by divine grace, now began to be impreft with a ftrong defire to en

VOL. VI.

3 X

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ter into the miniftry. It being nearly two years before he communicated his thoughts on this fubject to any one, he fuffered greatly in his mind, and prayed much, before he came to a determination to dedicate himself to that important office. His own words are thefe: "After having for a while known the goodnefs of the Lord, and finding Chrift increasingly precious to my foul, I felt a defire to be ufeful in proclaiming the riches of his mercy to others. But, though I believed it was the will of God I should be employed in his fervice, a fenfe of my unfitnefs for the work kept me back. I had much to ftruggle with, but being encouraged by minifters and other Chriftian friends, I was at length, after much prayer and deliberation, enabled to go forward."

Until this period Mr. S. enjoyed remarkable health; but, in confequence of the extreme folicitude of mind occafioned by his new profpects, he became fubject to a moft diftreffing affliction in his head, which frequently unfitted him for ftudy, and afterwards interrupted his pulpit labours. His conftitution was hereby undermined, and it is conjectured, that his fatal difeafe (fubordinate to the plea-. fure of an all-wife God) was laid in his great anxiety to promote the honour of Chrift, and the falvation of fouls.

In October, 1793, he began his academical ftudies, under the direction of the reverend W. Bull, at Newport Pagnell, Bucks: but he quitted these pursuits fooner than he wished to have done, from a conviction, after much and frequent prayer, that it was the Lord's will, and an evident call of Providence, that he should fettle at Farnham, over a fmall congregation there. While at Newport Pagnell, Mr. S. was occafionally called upon to exercife his talents, in fupplying neighbouring villages and churches, in conjunction with his fellow ftudents. It was, however, with peculiar anxiety of mind that he made thefe primary effays in preaching; and it is moft probable that the fubject and text of the first fermon' which he delivered in public, at Newport Pagnell, Nov. 17, 1793, from Plalm xlii. 5, were dictated to him from the fenfations of his own mind in the profpect of his work.

He spent an occafional' Sabbath (Aug. 2, 1795,) at Farnham, and was requcfted to vifit them again in January, 1796, which he did; and having preached with acceptance, was invited for fix months, at the expiration of which time, he received an unanimous call to the paftoral office. This he faw it to be his duty to accept; and on April 7, 1797, he

was

was publicly ordained; having, a fhort time previous to this event, met with an amiable and pious partner in domestic life, in the perfon of Mifs Eliz. Chandler.

Having entered on his public work, Mr. S. preached with acceptance to his flock in general, and with peculiar ufefulness to several individuals. If many were not added to their number as a congregation (which was fometimes a caufe of grief to him) there were fome, at least, who attribate their converfion to his miniftry, fubordinately to the grace of God. Others have been united together in love, and established in the truth and experience of divine things. That he was very earneft in his defires to promote the glory of God and the falvation of fouls, was evident in all his public miniftrations. The devotional exercises and fermons of this "meffenger of grace," were peculiarly folemn, fervent, and affectionate, the genuine effects of a divine unction upon his heart. But this facred fire did not burn only on the public altar of the fanctuary, it was the fame in his family and in his closet. He ftudied the word of God with meditation and with prayer. This, however, did not always furnish him with a fermon, nor even with a text; for, fometimes, after having ufed the neceffary application, he was obliged to go into the pulpit, trufting fimply on Him, who is a very prefent help in time of need." He was generally refigned on thefe occafions, and confidered them as means the Lord was pleafed to ufe to teach him more experimentally his own infufficiency without divine affistance. Many know the heart of a minifter at fuch feafons as thefe, from their own painful experience. Let them do as this young brother did. He went from the throne of grace in his clofct to the pulpit; and from the pulpit to his clofet again, to pour out his heart in prayer and praife. Not only, did Mr. S. preach publicly, but alfo from house to houfe; for he used to fet apart one day in the week for vifiting fuch of his flock as he could at their own houses; having previously implored a bleffing on this practice. Another day in the week was appropriated to fee thofe at his own house, whom he could not conveniently vifit. He had a memorandum paper to record fome circumstances of those occafions, inferibed with thefe words: "Be thou diligent to know the ftate of thy flocks." (Prov. xxvii. 23.) He was alfo folicitous to promote the knowledge of Chrift in village preaching, by his occafional labours, fo far as his health and opportunities permitted. The following teftimony, from the pen of his venerable tutor, is fo pleafing and

honour

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