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EVE CHARLES SIMEON, MA.

late Follow of Frings College: Cambridge.

Published by L. & G. Seeley. 169. Fleet Street, Jan 1839.

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CHRISTIAN GUARDIAN

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Church of England Magazine.

JANUARY 1839.

MEMOIR OF THE REV. CHARLES SIMEON.

THE late Rev. Charles Simeon was born at Reading, September 24, 1759, being the younger son of a gentleman residing in that neighbourhood. His family were of foreign extraction, though some time settled in this country. Mr. Simeon was early admitted among the foundation boys at Eton, and after proceeding regularly through the school, became a resident of King's College, Cambridge, January 29, 1779.

While at Eton, Mr. Simeon appears to have applied diligently to his studies, and to have conducted himself with great propriety. He was indeed ardently attached to fashionable amusements, distinguished by great personal neatness and attention to dress, and foremost in games, sports, and manly recreations. He thus lived according to the course of this world, drinking deeply into its spirit, but not enslaved by its grosser corruptions.

In this state of mind Mr. Simeon proceeded to Cambridge, and before he had been long there, was informed that he would be required to attend at the Lord's Table at one of those periods when the Sacrament is uniformly administered in the College Chapels. This important subject had never before occupied his attention-he felt himself unprepared, and would gladly have been excused from JANUARY, 1889.

attending. As this however could not be allowed, he seriously applied his mind to consider the nature of the ordinance, and the due preparation for a right reception of it. These enquiries were attended with great anxiety and much alarm, he felt deeply oppressed with his sinfulness and unworthiness, but was at length gradually led to perceive that our sins were laid upon the Saviour, and that we are accepted, not for our Own worthiness, but through the merit of our great Redeemer.

Mr. Simeon's gradual attainment of light and peace is more largely stated in a sermon preached the day after his funeral, by the Rev. T. Webster, and inserted in our number for January, 1837, and which renders it the less necessary to enlarge on the same topics here. Mr. Simeon had at that time, no man like-minded with him, with whom he could confer. The society of King's College is necessarily of a peculiar character: the students commencing their residence in the first instance at detached and uncertain periods, and not as at other colleges, coming up together at one stated period, and being exempted from the usual examinations, its members are very much detached from the rest of the university. Nor should it be forgotten, that religion was at that

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time at a very low ebb. Mr. Simeon has himself stated, that he was not aware, at the time he was an under-graduate, of one gownsman who entertained the same views. He was however at length favoured with an interview with the Rev. Mr. Atkinson, then the Minister of St. Edward's, in Cambridge, from whose advice and instruction he derived considerable benefit.

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There were indeed at that time far more pious and devoted men in Cambridge, than was generally supposed. Think what a sight,' says Mr. Venn in a letter dated Jan. 1779, I enjoyed at Cambridge the week before Christmas. Eleven young men sat with great attention to hear me converse with them about the things of God. like them much, because they go on slowly, and most of them study very hard. Religion was never designed to be a cloke for idleness and ignorance.' How would Mr. Venn rejoice to witness the numerous attendance on the public ordinances and the private assemblies which now abound in the University!

In this solitary and retired path, Mr. Simeon was gradually forming for extensive usefulness. The scholars of King's College succeed in due course to their Fellowships, and soon after his degree, Mr. Simeon was ordained deacon at Ely, May 26, 1782.

Mr. Simeon was no sooner ordained than he entered heartily on the work of the ministry, and took charge of the Church of St. Edward's, for the long vacation. This church which had before been very scantily attended, was immediately thronged, to the no small annoyance of the clerk and the leading parishioners. A considerable impression appears to have been at once produced on the minds of some of the hearers, and there is every reason to conclude that Mr. S.'s early labours were in many

instances attended with a saving effect.

On Trinity Sunday (says Mr. Venn) was ordained, Mr. Simeon, Fellow of King's College. Before that day he never was in company with an earnest Christian. Soon after, he was visited by Mr. H. Jowett and my son, and two or three more. In less than seventeen Sundays, by preaching for Mr. Atkinson, in a church at Cambridge, he filled it with hearers, a thing unknown there for near a century. He has been over to see me six times within the last three months. He is calculated for great usefulness, and is full of faith and love. My soul is always the better for his visits. O to flame, as he does, with zeal, and yet be beautified with meekness! The day he was a substitute for Mr. Atkinson, he began to visit the parishioners from house to house. Full of philanthrophy was his address. I am come to inquire after your welfare: are you happy?' His evident regard for their good, disarmed them of their bitterness, and it is amazing what success he has met with.'

But a still more important field was immediately after opened by his being presented to the church of the Holy Trinity in Cambridge, in Nov. 1782, where he first preached on Jan. 4, 1783, and continued his ministrations till Sept. 1836. From the first moment of his entrance on the ministry, he determined to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified.

In adopting this resolution,' says Dr. Dealtry in his funeral sermon, it may be said, I believe with the strictest regard to truth, that he stood unsupported and alone. Others have generally some kind religious friend to whom they can repair in their perplexities: some Christian minister, who will take them by the hand and suggest, as occasion may require, consolation, and encouragement, and hope; who

will shew the vanity of what is to be renounced, the value of what is to be gained, the wisdom of not halting between two opinions; and the force and attractiveness of such counsel and such sympathy, who can appreciate too highly? But these advantages he possessed not; and it was with surprise and delight that be found at a later period a few young men whose views and characters thus far corresponded with his own, that they had determined to serve the Lord. It scarcely needs to be added that they spake often one to another: "that henceforth "they took sweet counsel together, and walked to the house of God as friends."'

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'In fulfilling these high duties, he was at all times most desirous to assign to every subject the exact place and prominence which it occupied in the inspired writings: and hence, instead of indulging that attachment to system, which has sometimes induced even eminent and good men to avoid preaching on certain passages of Scripture, or at any rate to press them into accordance with their views, it was his rule to follow out in each case, so far as he was able, the mind of the Spirit.'

The larger part of my hearers can form but little idea of the difficulties which he had to surmount in the earlier days of his ministry. Would it be believed, for instance, if we had not living witnesses to the fact, that young students who felt the value of his ministrations, were sometimes known to congregate in a body, lest if coming alone to this place, they should meet with insult by the way? Would it be believed, that within these sacred walls, disorders more than once occurred, which it required the greatest vigour and most determined resolution to repress? The fashion, and feelings, and manners of the times were against him; and without meaning to exaggerate his trials in

this respect, or to apply to him literally the words of St. Paul, I would ask those who are best acquainted with the facts, whether he might not in a qualified sense have, with much propriety, adopted that touching language," No man stood by me: all men forsook me?" And if in a country village it is not always easy to bear up against reproach, what must have been the fortitude which could enable him to set his "face like a flint;" and to determine, if necessary for the faithful discharge of his high office, to stand in the name of his Divine Master, perhaps upon the world's highest stage, and there to abide the consequences?'

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Were I called upon' says Archdeacon Hodson, 'to express in a few words my own view of the spirit which animated your late excellent minister, I should answer in the words of St. Paul to Timothy, 'God gave not unto him the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.' (1) He was singularly exempt from a spirit of fear-I mean, of course, "that fear which hath torment; or, as St. Paul expresses it elsewhere," a spirit of bondage unto fear." His views of the freeness and fulness of Divine grace, as manifested in the Gospel of Christ, filled his soul with an unusual measure of filial confidence in God. The light of God's countenance seemed to shine upon him with scarcely the shadow of an intervening cloud. Indeed he has often been heard to say, that from the time he learned the true ground of acceptance and justification, he had not a doubt of his own salvation;

and this humble assurance continued, without, I believe, any sensible interruption to the end of his life. I say emphatically this humble assurance; for no man was ever farther from a presumptuous confidence, or entertained deeper views of his own personal unwor

thiness. Indeed I should say, that one of the most remarkable peculiarities in his religious character, was the union of deep and habitual self-abasement with abiding "joy and peace in believing."

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(2.) It may, I think, with truth be said that his was a powerful ministry; powerful, not from originality of thought, or grasp of intellect, or depth of reasoning, or variety of illustration, or copiousness and strength of diction,— in these, as in some other particulars, he may have had many superiors;-but from his awakening appeals to the conscience, his clear and convincing elucidations of Divine truth, his method of illustrating one part of the word of God by other parts, and of bringing every part of Scripture in its turn to bear upon the varying character, circumstances, and conditions of men. His sermons, like his religious conversations in private, were remarkably full of Scripture. His great aim was to present the mind of the Spirit clearly and fully before the view of his hearers: and hence, I think, it was that his discourses were so forcible. The sword of the Spirit in his hand came home powerfully to the heart; not so much from the strength of the arm which wielded it, as from its being exhibited in its own native strength and energy.

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(3.) That his whole soul was possessed with the spirit of love, who needs to be reminded that ever saw his face radiant with benignity, or bathed in tears, hed his voice melting in tenderness, as he warned, exhorted, expostulated, comforted; beseeching sinners to be reconciled to God, calling back wanderers to the fold of 'Christ, cheering the drooping penitent, and urging the irresolute, timid Christian, by the mercies of God, to present himself a living sacrifice to the Lord.-Tenderness of spirit was a distinguishing fea

ture in his character.

An instance of this, and of the effect produced by it, recalled a few hours ago to my recollection, I cannot but here mention. Several years ago, when, I am sorry to say, it was too common to treat him with public disrespect, a young student insulted him by making a disturbance in the church. Mr. Simeon sent for him the next day, and insisted on his making reparation as public as his offence had been; telling him, that if he refused, expulsion from the University must be the alternative. The young man, after some hesitation, complied, and the following Sunday read an apology, dictated by Mr. Simeon, in the presence of the congregation. This being done, Mr. Simeon took him into his vestry, and in the kindest manner expostulated with him, wept over him, prayed for him. The youth was overcome by his affectionate earnestness,-his hard heart melted on rejoining his gay companions, who were assembled outside the church determined to avenge their associate's injury on the minister, he declared that he should consider insult offered him as done to himself; broke off his wicked connections and pursuits, and afterwards became, as I am told, an exemplary and devoted clergyman. I have heard at different times, many similar instances of his tender compassion towards transgressors.

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(4.) But may I, with equal truth, assert that his was the spirit of a sound mind?" His public course as a minister, and his private conduct as a man, were remarkably free from enthusiasm, properly so called. Even when he commenced his ministerial labours, he shewed a self-denying consideration for the prejudices of his hearers, and an anxiety to avoid unnecessary offence, which might have been little expected from one of his age and temperament. I have been told, that for some time

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