The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-05-29 00:00:00

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FUNERAL 9 ERMON ON THE DEATH
OF JOHN PEARSON.

I On Sunday evening It a sermon was
preached in the Wesleyan Chapel of thia town,
by the Rev. It. Eyland, which had special refer-
ence to the death of John Pear:mi, to show
the respect, love, and esteem in which he was
held. Long before the time appointed for ser.
vim. every available place was occupied; benches
were placed in the aisles, the vestry AIM filled,
and a large number of persous were in the
rehool-rooms.
The Hey, gentleman took hie text from the Ist
ehapter of Phillipoiatis, 21st and two following
versea—" For me to live in Christ and to die, is
g tin; lint if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit
of toy labour, Yet what I altall choose, I wet
not fur I am In a strait betwixt two, having a
desire to depart and be with Christ, which is
fur better." The Rev. gentleman fully ponr•
trarod the charge of the Apostle Paul to the
Eilliiplans. At the close of a very eloquent
sermon he said no doubt n groat many of you
are hero to express sympathy with the bereaved,
and to testify your respect stud attention for the
dear depstrted ime, A heavy blow has fallen
upan the family. Sault a soli ;so reared of ouch
worth and prolate° and Christlau renown; and
Ito good a Isgither—rouievoil by death, Let
sympathy be excited end expressed in prayer, for
the sorrowing father and brother end sisters w'th
bleeding hearts. Or departed friend (Hr. John
Pearson) was a man of great present value, and
of still grouter prospeetive worth. Ilia friend
C. J. Cnlingworth' Esq., ancgoon, writes, "It
was ii the month of July, 135.1, that I fir•t hail
the happineas to become acquainted with my late
friend, Mr. J. Pearson. Ile entered Weal. y
C Ileg, Shietileld, that year. as a student: tb e
being at that time about IH.) !naiads. lie had
already received a very pridinainary educe.
tion, aunt hail ea isid.rahly disti ignishel himself
at Hamm. Now, liowe) e, lie fount II self in
a wider iireim, with fuller semm for t ie exeritise
of his powers. Ile soon became a conspienoca
atu lent. imil before the elos., of the year follow.
jug, Ito hail worked his way to the bead of the
college, an euvi.ablo position which lie retained
to the thins of Lis leaving at Christmas, 18.5 G:
In Cittadcs or in M ttlient.aties, in Theology or
in History, it mattered tiething what was the
sabject in baud, is acute perception and won.
derfal memory were suit that lie stood his
g,ronial securely ia all ii!ike. Need it be won•
tiered at that not mily his tutors. lint all his
sehoolfellowa looked forward to at fit•are eareer
for hint of unusual lir:Malley. MI re, if am,
whore, was sorely it youth to whoiu Umil in His
proviiionce had seen lit to entrust the " Ten ,
'lntents." Ho exerciaeil a very beneficial intim ,
mice amongst his mehudellows, sitting before 1
them an example of high moral eharacti r, and
the ileepast reveronco for the I)...Mutimees of thfi. '
gion. It was easy to trace in his pulpit
trations afterwards Vie impress which bad
left on his anodes of thought and expression by
the rich and anentoruble idsrottrses to which w.,
liiithe privilege of listening week by week from
the Rev. Dr. Voadily.

" The influences of his home were strongly
felt by him during his i.e.:bit:nee at Shettleld. mid
each nom hou Jor wee prized by him greatly in
proportion to the pleasere which he knew his
success would give to the family circle at Mom--
lane. To his intimate friends he always spoke
of ha mother in tuna which showed that the
affection and rxiating between the
mether end her con were oi no ordinary kind.
And when lie lost that beloved parent in the
year 1859, I was not surprised to loArn that ho
was almost beable himself." From another
sonree I learn " That tho ehristian solicitude of
the mother we cherished mid exhibited by that
excellent I aly the late Miss Segden. It was at
her suggestion that Mr. Levi invited him to the
alas ineethig, which invitation was at ointe
&lite& It wes ni»o his eighteenth birthday
that he took this derisive atop. Fresh trim
Col!cgo, with high hope, good social pontion.
lie thou took up the responsibility and reproach
a church membership. Denneher 188, kat
ticket, Nothing dellnite (hia elamoleader gar.)
Is known as to the Woe, place, or eireuelataneee
of ha spiritual birth hie adlption into the
, family of (lid; lint of biz posies ‘iou of olitistiao
Me there on, he 114 doubt as he frequently, ou
• Proper °condone, spoke with freedom of hi a in.
tercet in Christ, end the antlifectien he felt in
hoaxing that God wit a his reconciled futh,r. At
Shefileld Cettele it very gracions intluenee rested
on him. He cheriahed a &up anise of the prb
vileges let enjoyed, aud the isinsequent obliga-
tions under which he wits ph iced. He began to
spend in christian work the life he had derivul
front Christ. Hie waa no ostentatious piety, hut
humble PrOlCSaion COMllitild with real worth and
excellence. He became a teacher in the ?illicitly
School, where by his affable mauners and mire-
flatting titwts li won the esteem of all. Soon
it became apparent that hews destined to more
extended usefulness. In the latter end of the
year Isllo, at the earnest importonity of Mr.
Porter he consented to preach at Clout. The
text chosen Wll 2 Cor. 5, 14, •• For the love of
Christ constraineth MI; because we thus judge,
that if one dial fer nil, then were all dead : and
that he died for all, that they who live should
not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto
him which died for them, and rose again." The
sermon was a clear exposition of the passage,
delivered with great earnestness, and produced
a deep impression. His none appeared on the
printed plan of this circuit in February, 1801.
With choice gifts, eloquence and loarning, all
diligently cultivated, and with assiduous care
devoted unto Christ, his appearance either in
the pulpit or on the plettirin was always wel-
come, and led many to conclude that he was
called to glorify God by au entire separation to
the work of the ministry. liii last sermons
were very impressive, end will be long remem-
bered fur their holy unction and power.
Dr. Waddy writes, " I was much shocked to
hear of the death of Mr. J. Pearson, my old and
respected pupil. He, was one of the brightest
and most intelligent we ever bad, and turned ona
to laces gond and useful as he was clever. Ha I
he been allowed to follow his convictions he world
have made a!very eminent and influential minis-
ter. As it is, he hag been early taken to share in
the services of the higher temple, where he is for
ever with the Lord."

The Ex-President of the Conference the Rev.
John Bedford writes to his sorrowing father,
" While you have lost a son remarkable for his
many excellencies, and for none more than Li;
filial affection toward you, the christian church
of which he was so useful a member, has lost a
helper who regarded every service he rendered to
it as a labour of love, and knew no joy greater
than to promote the prosperity and the salvation
of precious souls. We can ill spare such a man
in the ripeness of his youth and usefulness ; but
our heavenly Father cannot err, and it only re-
mains for us reverently to say ' Thy will be
done.'" '

The Rev. J. Rattenbury writes, "Our dear
friend was the bright( at ornament of Methodism
in Stourbridge. His largeness of views, his
generority, his cultivated mind and superior
abilities, sanctified as all were by high christian
principle made him a distinguished blessing.
Earth seemed to need him more than heaven,
but to him Heaven is better than earth."

"Who can fill his place," writes Mr. J. Raw-
lings, "so good, so wise, so true—gone In the
In tvilh ill the sunshine of life upon him."
The Bev. B. Birl, Baptist Minister, of Bir-
mingleec, write% : The high resp,:..t in which
v aou wa, universally held, und above fill his
re 'nitride useful:writ in the church of Go,
It .1 removal felt through u very wide