BY JOHN STOUGHTON, D.D AUTHOR OF “ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY OF ENGLAND,” “STARS OF THE EAST,” ETC., ETC. London HODDER AND STOUGHTON 27, PATERNOSTER ROW MDCCCXCIV Printed by Hazell, Watson, & Viney, Ld., London and Aylesbury. THIS VOLUME OF RECOLLECTIONS IS DEDICATED TO MY LIFE-LONG FRIEND THE REV. JOSHUA CLARKSON HARRISON, WHOSE WISDOM HAS AIDED ME IN PERPLEXITY, WHOSE SYMPATHY HAS CHEERED MY SORROWS AND ENHANCED MY JOYS, AND WHOSE CONSTANT FRIENDSHIP HAS BEEN THE PRIVILEGE OF MY FAMILY AS

More than forty years ago I edited the autobiography of the Rev. W. Walford.  This book, which fully answers to its name, is a remarkable production, entering into the secrets of the author’s soul, unveiling the struggles and sorrows of a mysterious experience. The work now published is of a very different kind.  It really relates to others more than to myself, and brings within view some incidents of religious history and aspects of personal character more interesting than any confined to my ow

I was born in the parish of St. Michaels-at-Plea, Norwich, November 18th, 1807.  My father was in some respects a remarkable man.  For his great integrity, he won the name of “the honest lawyer”; he would undertake no cause, if unconvinced of its justice, and declined the office of coroner because its duties would have shocked his feelings.  Of strong understanding, and fond of reading, after living a thoughtless life, he became an earnest Christian, and worshipped with Methodists, chiefly from

My most distinguished fellow-student for intellectual power and literary attainment was Henry Rogers, afterwards a large contributor to the Edinburgh Review .  Some of the articles he wrote for that periodical have been published as essays in three volumes.  His feeble voice stood in the way of his being an effective preacher; but his learning and ability eminently fitted him for the duties of a professor.  In that capacity he rendered high service at Spring Hill, Birmingham, and next, at Lancas

When I first saw Windsor in the winter of 1830–31 how different the town appeared from what it did afterwards!  All about Thames Street and Castle Hill was crowded with old houses and shops on both sides of the way, and the walls bounding Lower Ward were hidden from view, except where the Clock Tower, which stood in advance, looked down upon the passers-by.  A large plain brick mansion, called the Queen’s Lodge, long since removed, occupied the right hand of the road leading to York and Lancaste

Being disposed beyond immediate pastoral duties to help in religious work outside, I found ample opportunities for doing it.  Sir Culling Eardley was at that time zealous in the furtherance of village preaching.  Coming to Windsor, he offered to help us in purchasing a tent for services in the neighbourhood.  It was procured and employed, but with less success than had attended his enterprise of the same kind in Hertfordshire.  I undertook, at his request, a fortnight’s tour in that county, and

I was quite satisfied with my position at Windsor and had no thoughts of leaving it, when Dr. Vaughan of Kensington accepted the principalship of Lancashire College, and at the same time overtures were made by his Church to me that I should succeed him in the vacant pastorate.  I can truly say that my desires were on the side of remaining where I was.  I only wished to know the Divine Master’s will.  I felt unwilling to accept what looked like preferment; but after visiting Kensington and preach

The year 1850 opened with a storm of religious excitement, owing to a division of England by Papal authority into Roman dioceses, at the suggestion of Dr. Wiseman.  It came to be called “The Papal Aggression.”  Some thought more was made of it, at the time, than circumstances warranted; but, looked at through the medium of history, it seemed to aim at a territorial authority over England, inconsistent with our repudiation of Papal supremacy.  The way in which it was taken up by some good people

On April 4th, 1854, I started the first time for Rome, provided with letters of introduction to Gibson, the sculptor, Penry Williams, the landscape painter, and two Roman Catholic dignitaries, one a Monseignor, the other president of the English College.  All these gentlemen were polite and helpful to me. My companions were Dr. Raffles, Dr. Halley, the Rev. Spencer Edwards, and another friend.  The first of them was wonderful for relating stories, which he always told secundum artem .  He kept u

The year 1862, being the Bicentenary of the Bartholomew ejectment, was largely given by English Nonconformists to a remembrance of the confessorship and heroism which marked the ejectment of ministers in 1662.  A meeting was held in the spring at St. James’s Hall, Piccadilly, when papers were read, bearing on the commemoration.  The preparation of one of them fell to my lot; but I was taken ill at the time for its delivery, and it had to be read by my friend, the Rev. Joshua Clarkson Harrison. 

In the year 1867 I published the first volumes of my “Ecclesiastical History of England”; this calls for explanation of what preceded and prepared for it. Immediately after I left college, and settled at Windsor, I commenced the study of Church history with much earnestness; and the first fruit was a course of lectures on the subject to my congregation, delivered on week evenings.  When I had completed them they were sent by me to my revered tutor, Dr. Henderson, for criticism and advice.  He en

The sixth General Meeting of the Evangelical Alliance had been fixed for the year 1870, in New York; but, owing to the war between France and Germany, it was postponed to the autumn of 1873.  Canon Leathes, Mr. Harrison, and myself, received invitations from the American committee, to attend the assembly; and, accordingly, we started for our destination in one of the Cunard steamers at the close of the month of August.  With the exception of rough weather in the earlier part, we had a fine passa

In the year 1874 I lost my old friend, Thomas Binney.  His pre-eminent position amongst Dissenters was attested by copious notices in newspapers, and, by the scene at his funeral.  That position arose from several causes—his character, abilities, pulpit popularity, and personal appearance, manifold and far-reaching sympathies, and a genial nature, characteristic of the best Englishmen.  His influence in the Congregational denomination throughout the country was aided by the central position of t

In my last chapter I brought together two celebrations—one in honour of John Bunyan, the other in honour of Richard Baxter.  Another celebration now claims attention, not of an English Nonconformist, but of a Protestant Reformer, whose fame covers the world—Martin Luther.  English commemorations of his character and work were held late in 1875 and early in 1876. Before I mention any particulars respecting the Luther celebration, I repeat what I have said elsewhere: “There is no other man of a si

Need was felt for some change after my sad bereavement; so in March, 1880, my daughter and I started for Italy.  We tarried on our way a week at Cannes with my friend, Mr. Prust, of Northampton, an old fellow-student, who had a villa in the Riviera.  I greatly enjoyed the climate and scenery, and felt soothed by walks and drives on the shores, through the cork groves, and round about to more distant places of interest.  Old affections sprang up anew between my friend and myself as we talked of a

At this period I was engaged in the preparation of “The Spanish Reformers,” and to give vividness to the work, with regard to local scenery and circumstances, I resolved in March 1883 to visit the Peninsula, where I might gather what was possible for the accomplishment of my purpose. My daughter was my companion, and had been studying Spanish to render me assistance.  We travelled through France on our way to the north-east of Spain. We halted at Lyons: in the neighbourhood of it persecution occ

This year I paid my third and last visit to Rome.  A comparison of the city and neighbourhood as they were during my first visit with what now appeared, was very striking.  Formerly it retained much of the appearance it had in the previous century.  There were narrow streets, bad pavements, old-fashioned houses; monks and friars of different orders, white, black, grey, thronging thoroughfares; cardinals’ coaches with liveried servants, in gay coats and cocked hats; the Pope, driving down the Cor

In completing this volume I propose to take a survey of what I have seen and noticed, amongst distinct religious denominations, during seventy years. I.  To begin with the Church of England.  I remember hearing a sermon by the late Bishop of Manchester, at the reopening of Chester Cathedral, when, in no measured terms, he dwelt upon ecclesiastical abuses, as they existed during the last century, and the earliest part of the present.  He exposed the nepotism of bishops, the worldliness of clergym