Memoir of William Bailey 1844

From the Baptist Magazine, November, 1844

MEMOIR OF THE REV. WILLIAM BAILEY,

LATE PASTOR OF THE BAPTIST CHURCH, DATCHET, BUCKS.

"THE memory of the just is blessed." This is equally true of the departure of those whose limited but well filled sphere of usefulness obtains for them but slender notoriety, as of those who, by the publicity of their Christian virtues, necessarily acquire renown. Among the former of these it is that the revered subject of this memoir must be classed.

William Bailey was born at Bourton, in Gloucestershire, May the 18th, 1771, and was one of six small children who, by the death of their father while they were yet young, were left wholly to the care of the surviving parent, from whom they received a religious education, "owing to which," observes the deceased in a letter, "I was kept, by the grace of God, from many snares and temptations to which others have been a sacrifice." William, after serving an apprenticeship with a grocer and draper at Bedworth, Warwickshire, removed to a situation at Gosport, where he was privileged to attend the stated ministry of the word, and by the blessing of God on the labours of Mr. Bogue of that place, was brought to a saving knowledge of the truth, although by his own account the discovery of this fact was not made apparent to his own mind, until some time afterwards, when the more matured development of Christian principle enabled him to trace it to this period. From Gosport the providence of God removed him to Henley, from whence he visited the metropolis, where he was baptized by Mr. Smith of Eagle Street, the 9th of October, 1796, being then at the age of twenty-five. He did not, however, unite himself to that church, nor is it known to the writer whether he joined the baptist denomination at this period at all, no documentary trace of his life existing until the year 1811, when, moved by a weakly state of health and a growing sense of the importance of eternal things, he began to record many of the exercises of his soul, and keep a strict watch over his heart. He makes mention of a seven years' course of domestic happiness and a prosperous run of business, with unfeigned thanksgiving; but expresses much concern lest these should lead him astray. Upon this subject he thus writes: "Through the blessing of a divine providence I am much increased in temporal good, as appears by my stock-book. The profits of last year, including all expenses, were nearly £1000. Great cause for thankfulness, and great cause for watchfulness, lest pride arise."... "What a great work remains for grace to effect in my heart, to remove all enmity from it, and fill it with a supreme love of God and subordinate love to all." Again, on the return of his birth-day, he observes, "I have lived on the bounties of providence forty-one years this day, nearly twenty of which were spent in a state of ignorance of God and in the service of sin; but, oh, to grace how great a debtor! The Lord has convinced me of my state by sin, and directed me, not to the law, but to Jesus Christ, the end of the law for righteousness." Various and frequent are his complaints of an evil heart of unbelief, and consequent leanness of soul.

It was in this year that our departed brother first felt conscientious scruples to continuing in communion with the independent church at Windsor. On the 30th of May in this year he thus writes in his diary:-"My mind is not satisfied in continuing at Beer Lane; my judgment and practice seem at variance. I am well satisfied as to the scriptural doctrine of adult baptism, and as far as I am acquainted, with the mode of church government among the baptists, unless in the prohibition of communion with churches of other persuasions;" and about two months subsequently he adds, "I sent in my resignation as to my communion with the church at Windsor." This step, nevertheless, did not at all dissolve or weaken his friendly intercourse with the members of that church or its esteemed pastor, Mr. Redford. "I pray God," he says, "for direction how to act. I pray, if I am right, that God would keep me so; if I am wrong, and he wishes me to know it by these afflictions of my body and mind, may the Lord be pleased to direct me into his way either at Colnbrook or Datchet; here I am, O Lord, do with me as thou pleasest." To the latter of these he repaired, and was received into the present baptist church then under the pastoral care of Mr. John Young, the 16th of June, 1811; over which also, in the following year, he was chosen a deacon.

From incidental remarks in his diary it would seem that our departed brother very occasionally exercised himself in public speaking, about this year, 1812: "I am contemplating Micah vii. 7, to speak from it if called on," from which period he seems gradually to have come out, addicting himself to the ministry of the word as opportunity afforded; and from the year 1815, when Mr. Young was laid aside through illness, for four years consecutively supplied the pulpit at Datchet, prior to his ordination over that church, which took place the 29th of August, 1819; and thus having used the office of a deacon well, he purchased to himself a good degree.

To the foregoing statement it is perhaps hardly necessary to add, that Mr. Bailey had not enjoyed the advantages of a classical education, much less of any academic preparation for that which he had not till late in life contemplated; viz., the charge of souls. It is true he now relinquished the cares of business, having, by the blessing of a bountiful providence, been enabled to secure a retiring competency for the remainder of his own and Mrs. Bailey's life; but it is rarely that untrained minds can, at the age of fifty, undergo the severity of study. It fell, therefore, to his lot rather to sustain, by acquired Christian experience, the faith of those committed to his charge., than to enlist new converts to cultivate rather than to plant; and this not from a defective exhibition of truth, but as being peculiar to rural districts; whilst it belongs to our populous towns and cities to concentrate the vigour and erudition of the ministry for the work of aggression and conquest. The place in which the church at Datchet assembled for worship was, and for several succeeding years after Mr. Bailey joined them, continued to be of very humble origin, having been, like the birth-place of the King of kings, a stable; and although transformed for nobler use, had latterly become, from age and dilapidation, little more than a bare shelter from wind and rain. The condition of its humble worshippers, however, rendered it a thing impossible for them to amend, and so it must have remained till the present day but for the benevolent aid and exertions of the deceased, who eventually raised the present neat Gothic structure at a cost of upwards of £400, for the half of which he stood responsible, after having borne, almost alone, the previous expenses of worship, and for a whole year defrayed, at the cost of a guinea a week, the finding of supplies. These, however, were but a few of his many acts of benevolence and love for the cause of Christ, on account of which the blessings of many came upon him. To the poor around him he ministered not the gospel only, but much of his substance, as he refused no case that was recommended by the Saviour's name. At home, where all was harmony and love, a generous hospitality welcomed the stranger; and abroad he not only had no enemy, but was greeted with universal respect, whilst with his brethren, the neighbouring ministry, he lived upon the most friendly terms of intercourse. It is due to the incumbent of this parish to say, that the independence of the poor is not interfered with to deter their attendance at the baptist chapel, as is too frequently the case; indeed, Mr. Bailey obtained from the vicar himself £2 towards the new building. In 1832 he wrote the association's annual epistle.

Although our deceased brother felt the intimations of declining health some time previous to his death, it did not seriously interrupt his ministerial duties until December, 1843, when he felt assured his course was nearly run; and from this period his one great desire was to see with his own eyes, and hear with his own ears, and approve from his own heart, his successor. In this desire he was most signally indulged, having, for upwards of four months previous to his death, had the satisfaction of making the acquaintance of their present pastor, Mr. John Tester, whose unanimous choice he cordially approved, and formally announced at a church-meeting (the last he ever attended) held in his own house on the 11th of June.

At this period, in all nine weeks prior to his decease, he was confined by paralysis to his house, but not to his bed, being able to come down stairs to the last. On the night preceding his dissolution he retired as usual to rest, unconscious that the heavenly messenger was so near at hand, and slept comfortably until about two o'clock, when a fit of coughing came on, and he said to Mrs. Bailey, "I feel as I never felt before." She immediately perceived a change in his countenance, and that the hour of his departure was come. He said, "Pray for me," which were almost his last words, as he soon after breathed out his soul into the hands of that Redeemer whom he had so long served. This took place on the 30th of June, 1844, in the seventy-fourth year of his age, and the twenty-fourth of his ministry.