The National Register. — London, England, 1813-08-01 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER. MINISTERIAL CHARACTER OF THE LITE REV. WILLIAM HUNTINGTON, S. S. lIF NEW PROVIDENCE CHAPEL, GRAY'S-INN-LANE. Continued fron our lust. J 1.1. ' R: veal—the man is (lead !—to worylcrinz eyes %voyie awn monster, in his proper guisc.• • • • COW PER. Then' is something accompanying death that at all times irresis tibly solemnly's the mind. Perhaps there is not more of candour than justness in the adage, often quoted, that counsels us to speak nothing except in favour of those who are deceased. It is not without unusual awe that we tread on the scarce extinguished ashes of the dead! While, therefore, the writer of these payee aims to enter fairly into the Character of the late Mr. Huntington, personally and professionally, it will, he mists. be his desire to per form this task with becoming deference to those teclings which eircomstanees unavoidably call forth, and which reflect same credit on the human heart. Anxious to please his heavenly " Master," rather than his earthly ‘• mistress," Mr. Huntington " endeavoured as much as possible to get his dame to live by faith ",—a lesson which few of the sex have hinnifity enough to learn, an!l which still fewer find patience enough to practice. If, however, he was not over-indulgent as art husband, but made an helpmate of her who was the partner of his life, this conduct might be owing less to his disposition 111:111 to his situation, which, particularly in the earlier stages of his existence, was melt as to preclude him from extending to his wife the comforts and pleasnres she would otherwise have enjoyed. He was an affec tionate father, who at one period struggled hard to rear, with scanty weans, a progeny not only numerous but unhealthy; and who !coked upon the unnatm.l avoidance of such a charge, though com mon in modern tittles, as both dishonourab!e and detestable in the sight of God. He viewed it as °nankin of the basest kind. Charity was, strange though it may seem, his failing, " For three years together," declares Mr. Huntington, when narrating the con dition of his finances on his settlement in London, " I lost ground ; for Satan waylaid me in a path which I knew to be charity." When he quitted the trade of shoe-making, and, without any present re source, began to depend wholly on preaching, he gave his " kit of tocls" to a poor cobler who lived near him ! Become more master of the purse, subsequently to his establishment in the metropolis, he was sometimes stripped of forty, and even of one 111111(11ed pounds, according to the state of his pocket, time after time, whenever his aid was solicited by any person whom he believed deserving of kindness. It forms the trait most excellent in his character, and ought to be proclaimed on the house tops, whatever were his oft.'ences, that the exptrience of necessity, instead of steeling, had softened his heart, whigt was ever alive to the distresses of those around him; and which, more especially to those whom lie supposed to be of the household of Midi, prompted him to be benevolent even to an ex cess. While thought rich, therefore, he died poor. His politics were adopted for conscience sake.' Rebellion' was, he knew, as the sin of witchcraft.' He accordingly opposed himself to such as were ' given to change,' amongst his own tollowers, with au intrepidity and disinterestedneis that did honour to his fortitude and his patriotism ; and afterwards stimulated them to contribute handsomely to the relief of those who suffered by resistance to ty ranny in other lands*. He was most loyal to the state. • When I saw what a hand the Devil made, and the advantage he gaine-d by trading with Tom Paine, my soul was grieved and my zeal inflamed against this motiopoiy of Satan ; and God tilled me with power and might, by tits Spirit, to - oppose it, &c. Never did I see so evil a *pith so rapidly. spread befure, and I hope I never shall again ! Many With all his charitableness, however, he was in some things ava. ricions ; and though attached to the state, he was disaffected - to the chinch. He has described 'dwelt - as being " abhorred of men." Hit temper was naturally imperious; his behaviour, even to some of his friends, often capricious; and he wus at no pains to conceal either what lie thought or felt. His polemical asperity had likewise • excited foes. It yet remains to investizate his religious rank, and suggest some observations in reference to this. Huntington owed much to the original obscurity from which he had emerged. The rise of some men is their fall ; since, while they strive to be more than they are, they end less than they were. The man who is born a king, must look to die but a king. Retrogradation was in Huntington's case impossible. Every step he took right, or left, led him onward ; and had the worse come to the worst with him, he then was but where he first was. He could not be worse. His belief was not proof against doubt. Though he could esteem Cod as his master, friend, and banker, and had frequently called him such, still, he tells us, whenever ,4 answers to his prayers seemed to be ss holly denied, his faith in God's providence began to fiiil." What an humiliating confession is this ! He even acknow• ledges that he sometimes left off praying, when his requests had not been promptly granted by God. Such were some of his faults, not to say his sins ton. But his merits were clearly not few. Unlike the pulpit parro of later times, the tip top ministers." as he style► them, of our day, William Huntington did not pop at once into notice, and wear the crown bi tore he had borne the cross, but was obliged to buckle on his armour, and skew himself valiant in the promulgation of that faith fur uhinh he twofessed to contend. He was conlis►a- ally durided, abused, resisted, .pelted while travelling, burned in effigy, and his lite not seldo►n endangered, till he might be said to staid in jeopardy every hour.' Madero methodism did not as yet strut in her golden slippers. Enduring all things, he had to sari. mount the opposition of decided enemies, on the one hand ; while by his successful persevering he silenced the cavillings of those who would have dissuaded him, because ." they knew not the impulse he was unier." We find him ultimately compassing both these points. He whistled friends; be silenced files. Amidst an age inclining to latilndinarianism in matters of faith, even his adversaries have him some credit for asserting the distinguishing doctrines of the Gospel. Thome who could nut brine themselves to approve of his controversial acrimony, have never. limiest; admired his theological fidelity, and given due honour to the zeal %vitt' which he so assiduously maintained the religion first du_ livi,red to the saint s. Justice prompts one to remark, on this head, that he chiefly desired to have a chapel °fins own, after lie quitted the country, in order that he might be enabled more effectually to resist and confine the heresies at that time promulgated in London_ He was not indolent at his post. He studied for the duties of tLe pu l p i t, i n w hi c h h e was ' i;l.43iit iu seastm and opt of season,' and, if success be any criterion of ability, not less eminently great, Preaching, however, %VOA With him mere. talking,---his discourses were as story-telling. There was no labour in his art. Action he had none ; except it were the habit of shifting his hmulkerchicf from hand to hand, anti thus drawing it across his mouth, and ilk, hugging the cushion as though it wer e his pillow. But his was the of the poorer suit neglected all business, and all care for their fatuities, till they brought death into the p • Wherever this spirit cam e, it 'preyed upon the very vitals if god liness Much displen7mre did I incur at work. • Some, like the Gala. dans, who would formerly have pawed with their own eyes for me, now viewed me as their greatest enemy ti►r entorcing the clearest truth; not a few hissed like n vtpe•r in the gallery, "- ence to him that bruised the serpent's he; Mr. Huntington collected a munificent of the Russian Poor. itorcing rite clearest truth; not while I was in s i st i ng on obedi- contribution towards the Relict IV4E lAi_7 011 ST .......... ___ _