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MEMOIRS
or TDK
LIFE AND MINISTRY
or TBI
REV. JOHN SUMMEREIELD, A.M.
BY JOHN HOLLAND.
WITH AH
INTRODUCTORY LETTER
BY JAMES MONTGOMERY.
TOGETHER WITH
LETTERS AND REMINISCENCES NOT BEFORE PUBLISHED.
" The life of my much esteemed friend, the late Rev. John Summerfield, Is a subject
in which, according to my judgment, the Church of Christ is much interested."
Bishop M'Kendree.
" Summerfield was a most devoted and eloquent man." Dr. Raffles.
u A fervent, fearless, self sacrificing preacher, the delight of wondering, weeping,
and admiring audiences, wherever he went" Montgomery.
SEVENTH EDITION.
NEW YORK:
PUBLISHED. BY J. K. WELLMAN,
tO Spruce Street.
1845.
Southern District of New York, ss.
Be it remembered, That on the 29th day of May, A. D. 1829, in the
fifty-third year of the Independence of the United States of America,
James Blackstock, of the said District, hath deposited in this office
the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as proprietor, in the
words following, to wit :
" Memoirs of the Life and Ministry of the Rev. John Summerfield,
A. M., late a preacher in connection with the Methodist Episcopal
Church, in America. By John Holland. With an Introductory Letter,
by James Montgomery. ' The life of my much esteemed friend, the late
Rev. John Summerfield, is a subject in which, according to my judg-
ment, the Church of Christ is much interested.' Bishop M^Kendree.
f Summerfield was a most devoted and eloquent man.' Dr. Raffles. ' A
fervent, fearless, self-sacrificing preacher, the delight of wondering,
weeping, and admiring audiences, wherever he went.' Montgomery:' 1
In conformity to the act of Congress of the United States, entitled,
*' An Act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of
Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies,
during the time therein mentioned." And also to an act, entitled, l; An
Act, supplementary to an Act, entitled, an Act for the encouragement
of Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the
authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein men-
tioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the aits of designing, en,-
gfaving, and etching historical and other prints."
FRED. J. BETTS,
Clerk of the Southern District of New York.
Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1844, by
James Blackstock,
in the Clerk's office of the District Court for the Southern District of
New York.
CONTENTS.
SECTION I.
Mr. Summerfield's parentage, birth, and education goes to reside at Liver-
pool a remarkable dream. 15
SECTION II.
Removal to Dublin falls into dissipated habits occasional contrition cor-
respondence with Dr. Raffles thinks of entering the ministry among the
dissenters goes into business fresh irregularities attends the courts of
law. 28
SECTION III.
His conversion attends prayer meetings verses to the Rev. P. and Mrs.
French interesting letter to his class-leader 42
SECTION IV.
Begins to keep a diary attends Sunday Schools gives an exhortation
incessantly studies the holy scriptures attends an Irish wake filial obe-
dience falls into temptation 1
SECTION V.
Studies incessantly thinks about the Christian ministry health very deli-
cate religious experience ardent piety dreams. ... 74
SECTION VI.
Received as a Local Preacher attention to domestic duties visits for the
" Stranger's Friend Society" anxieties about his ministerial call over-
taken with a fault excessive fasting removal to Cork entire devoted-
ness to God. 88
SECTION VII.
Controversy about the Sacrament the Clones' party Summerfield becomes
a popular preacher preaches almost incessantly ministerial anxieties
travels and addresses large auditories in Ireland with great success. Ill
SECTION VIII.
Returns to Dublin popularity increases dedicates himself afresh to God
visits Cork his fervour polemical discussion falls from his horse
abundance of his labours receives a conference appointment Missionary
speech. 128
CONTENTS.
SECTION IX.
Religious experience resolves to avoid tea parties preaches at the request
of the Earl of Rosse a dangerous illness resumes his labours, and ad-
dresses large congregations exercises of spirit loyalty anxious to visit
England. 151
SECTION X.
Arrives in England, and preaches at Bristol Exeter attends conference at
Liverpool entertains thoughts of going to America embarks for New~
York. 170
SECTION XI.
Methodism in America Summerfield arrives at New- York eloquent
speech stationed at New- York speech unprecedented popularity
addresses children letters newspaper notices immense audiences at
Washington preaches in front of the capitol affection of his friends
affecting sermon. ...*.. * . 1S1
SECTION XII.
Ordained Deacon violent illness dictates a testamentary paper recovers
slowly public anxiety letters episcopal certificate to travel visits
New-Jersey created Master of Arts letter. .... 208
SECTION XIII.
Sails for France interesting letters from Marseilles. . . . 236
SECTION XIV.
Writes to the Young Men's Missionary Society Paris speech at the meet-
ing of the Protestant Bible Society of France reply of Mons. Billings
letters. 262
SECTION XV.
Arrives in England Fairfield preaches at Liverpool letters attends the
conference at Sheffield visits many other places his health but little im-
proved letters. 275
SECTION XVI.
Returns to America attends the Baltimore conference ordained an Elder
appointed a missionary within the bounds of Baltimore conference-
extracts from diary mission to the Wyandott Indians at Baltimore in
extreme debility 292
SECTION XVII.
Extracts from diary letters returns to New- York last illness death-bed
expressions -dies in the Lord public sympathy funeral monumental
inscriptions 310
SECTION xvm
General concluding observations. .337
LIFE AND MINISTRY
OF
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD.
The price of the work is as follows : In plain binding, $1,25;
splendid fancy bindings from $1,50 to $2,00. Sent by mail, in pa-
per covers, to any part of the country, for $1,00.
Agents wanted to circulate the above work, to whom a liberal dis-
count will be made.
J. K. WELLMAN, Publisher,
16 Spruce Street, New York.
N. B. We give below the opinions of the press :
We are glad to see this work again. It has often been inquired
for, and as often read with avidity and delight No youthful evange-
list ever enjoyed a more enviable popularity than John Summerfield ;
and it may still be said of him as was said in his native land : " If he
be not a star of the first magnitude, he is at least one of the first
brilliancy!" Nor are we in the least displeased that this is not a
" new life of Summerfield." Mr. Holland has done all that a bio-
grapher under his circumstances could do ; and the fact that the
" Memoirs" ran through Jive editions within two years of their first
publication, is no mean proof of the merits of the work. Christian
Advocate and Journal, New York.
The subject of this biography is fervently remembered by the se-
niors of this generation as a burning and a shining light in their earlier
years. His eloquence in the pulpit was paralleled and enforced by his
daily walk and conversation ; it was eagerly listened to and heeded,
and is still treasured in thousands of hearts and its fruits evinced in
thousands of lives ; it was energetic, unostentatious, impressive ; it
was the distillation of heavenly purity and Christian love. Deeply
attached to his own communion (the Methodist), Mr. Summerfield
won the esteem and admiration of men of all churches and the enmity
of none ; no ore regarded him as a minister of a rival church, but all
as a Christian and a brother. We are not surprised, but gratified,
to see the biography of such a man reach its sixth edition. It cannot
be read without profit by any. New York Tribune.
This volume is accompanied with a portrait of the gentle and elo-
quent Summerfield, which is of itself a recommendation. A sweeter
and more attractive countenance is seldom looked upon. The Memoir
was composed by the poet Holland, of Sheffield, who was the friend
of Montgomery, and possessed much of his excellent spirit. It
exhibits great taste, and affectionate reverence for the talents and piety
of the subject, who was in many respects one of the most remarkable '
men of modern times. The present edition has been enlarged one
hundred pages, by the publication of a number of Summerfield's .let-
ters, and the reminiscences of his oratory, manners, and piety, by
several eminent men of this country and England. The letters dis-
play the peculiarly amiable traits of Summerfield's character in a
delightful manner ; and as specimens of letter- writing possess uncom-
mon excellence.
The work is very neatly printed in large type, on fine paper, and
makes an attractive and highly useful volume. New York Evan-
gelist.
There is an odor of sanctity, a hallowed, sweet remembrance, con-
nected with the name of Summerfield, which makes it ever delightful
to recall his name. " Whom the gods love die young," though a
heathen maxim, was beautifully illustrated in the death of this pure
spirit. It is almost twenty years since his earthly career was termi-
nated a career how brief how brilliant ! Yet it seems but as yes-
terday since his persuasive voice was falling upon our ears like
music sounding even now like the rich melody of a bright vision.
It was our pleasure to read the interesting Memoir of Mr. Holland
in manuscript, before the original publication ; but we were not aware,
until the receipt of the present volume, that it had gone to a sixth
edition. This has been rendered more valuable by the addition of
copious selections from the literary remains of the gifted subject.
Commercial Advertiser.
The Life of Summerfield by Holland, with an introductory letter by
James Montgomery, has reached its sixth edition. The name of this
young man is familiarly dear to thousands and tens of thousands, and
the sweetness of his seraphic spirit lingers in the memory ol many as
the recollection of a visit from a dweller in a better land. Not like a
comet, but like the morning star, he shone for a brief season above
the horizon, then melted away " into the brighter light of heaven,"
and left behind him a memory fragrant and precious. This volume is
embellished with a striking portrait. New York Observer.
PROSPECTUS
OF THE
LITERARY EMPORIUM;
A. COMPENDIUM OF
RELIGIOUS, LITERARY, AND PHILOSOPHICAL KNOWLEDGE,
"multttm in parvo."
It has been so common to put forth in a Prospectus, promises which
have not been met in the Magazine, that public confidence has been
almost annihilated. We shall be modest, therefore, in our pretensions,
while we give as true a description of our intended course as we can, in
plain English. In the first place, light literature will find no place in its
pages, t*. e. love tales, literary trash, &c. In the second place, sectarian-
ism will not be admitted into the Emporium ; that is to say, it will
favor no particular denomination of Christians ; but we do not mean by
this that it will not advocate the religion of the Bible. It is intended
that it shall do this, and in the strongest terms. It will urge the neces-
sity not only of a change of heart, but of a virtuous and holy life, in
order to be truly happy in this world and to be prepared for that which
is to come. It is intended that its religious matter shall be of such a
nature as will be calculated to cultivate, to inspire, and please a good
and correct taste that which will inform, expand, and elevate the
mind, and also excite in the soul love to God, holiness, virtue, and hu-
manity. In regard to its literary character, it is designed to be of such
a nature as to water the thirsty soul that is studiously endeavoring to
acquire a knowledge of man in his past and present condition ; also,
some information in relation to the different sciences and arts, and the
variety of the works of nature, with such miscellaneous reading as will
invigorate the faculties of the mind, give scope to the imagination, while
it shall address itself to the good sense of all who desire to be truly ele-
vated by reading.
Each Number contains 32 pages of handsome paper and type; it also
contains splendid plates ; is published monthly, a%$l a year, if paid in
advance. One third allowed to persons who procure subscribers for the
work. Good agents wanted to circulate the Emporium. All letters,
orders, &c, should be addressed to
J. K. WELLMAN,
Editor and Proprietor, No. 16 Spruce St., New York.
ED1T0EIAL NOTICES
OP THE
LITERARY EMPORIUM.
From the Boston Recorder.
" The Liteeaey Emporium, a compendium of religious,
literary, and philosophical knowkdge. New York : J. K.
Wellman." The Numbers of this new work for January
and February have been published, and the tables of con-
tents are such as to do credit to the taste and judgment of
the editor.
From the Maine Cultivator.
This is one of the best magazines of the day. It is a
compendium of religious, literary, and philosophical know-
ledge, destitute of light literature, love tales, sectarianism,
or other trash. Its religious matter is of such a nature as
is calculated to cultivate, to inspire, and please a good and
correct taste. In its literary character, a knowledge of
man in his past and present condition will be inculcated ;
in science, the works of nature, miscellaneous reading that
shall invigorate the faculties of the mind and elevate the
character. Each number contains 32 pages, and a splendid
Elate is furnished as often as once in three months. Pub-
shed monthly at $1 per annum in advance.
From the New York Evangelist.
The " Literary Emporium" is the title of a cheap monthly
magazine, published by J. K. Wellman, 16 Spruce street,
rAice $1 : designed to be a compendium of religious, lite-
rary, and philosophical knowledge. It promises remarka-
bly well. The Number for May deserves to be commended
to youthful readers and to families as a judicious and
healthful work in the department of useful, solid literature.
It is attractive, neat, and very cheap, and pervaded by good
taste and an excellent spirit.
From the ZiorHs Herald, Boston.
We have received No. 5 of this new monthly ; it presents
a fine table of contents, and is embellished by a superior
engraving of Rev. John Summerfield.
From the Liberty Standard.
Several other numbers of this valuable monthly are re-
ceived, and well sustain the character of the first. It
should be valued in the family. Price $1.
ADDITIONAL LETTERS
Prom his Father, .
From his Father, . .
From his Father,
To Mrs. Blackstock, .
To Mr. and Mrs. Elackstock,
To " a
To Mrs. Garrettson, .
To Dr. Samuel Baker,
To Mr. , of Baltimore,
To Mrs. Suckley,
To Mr. William M. Willett,
To Dr. Thomas Sargent,
To " "
To Rev. John (late Bishop) Emory,
To Mr. Thomas B. Sargent,
To Dr. Samuel Baker,
To his Father,
To his Family,
To his Father,
To Rev. Thomas B. Sargent,
To " " "
To Rev. William M. Willett,
To Rev. Thomas B. Sargent,
To Dr. Thomas Sargent,
To Rev. Thomas B. Sargent,
To Mrs. Blackstock,
To Dr. Thomas Sargent,
To Rev. Thomas B. Sargent,
To Mr. Samuel Harder,
To Rev. Thomas B. Sargent,
359
360
361
361
367
368
369
372
375
378
380
383
384
386
387
388
389
391
394
396
398
400
402
404
405
406
408
409
410
411
To Anthony Badley, Esq. ;
To Dr. Thomas Sargent,
To Mr. Blackstock,
To Dr. Thomas Sargent,
To " "
To Mr. Francis Hall,
To Mr. , at Prince
To the same,
To Dr. Thomas Sargent,
To Mr. Francis Hall,
To Dr. Samuel Baker,
To Mr. Francis Hall,
CONTENTS.
m
#
412
, .
.
415
.
,
416
I
417
418
.
.
419
College,
.
420
. .
423
.
.
426
. .
.
427
428
428
REMINISCENCES.
By the Rev Dr. Bond, . . . ' .
By the Rev. Matthew Richey, . . ."
By the late Marinus Willett, M.D.,
Letter from the Rev. H. Bascom, D.D., . .
Recollections by Mrs. Creagh, ....
By the Rev. J. N. Danforth, ....
Recollections by the Rev. W. M. Willett,
Letter from the Rev. John (late Bishop) Emory,
Recollections by the Rev. Dr. Bethune, . : .
Extract from a letter of the Kev. Dr. Bond,
Extract from a letter of Dr. Baker, . . .
Extract from a letter of a Student at Law,
Extract from a letter of a Student of the Theological Seminary,
Extract from a letter of Dr. Townley, of London, .
Extract from a letter of Dr. Nevins, . . .
Letter from his Father, ....
Summerfield, by William B. Tappan, Esq.,
431
432
434
438
439
441
442
447
448
453
454
455
456
457
457
458
460
ADVERTISEMENT
TO THE SIXTH EDITION.
No better proof can be given of public approbation of " the
Memoirs of Summerfield by John Holland?'' than the fact, that it
ran through five editions during the first two years of its publica-
tion.
A new edition has for several years been called for, but a
combination of circumstances, not necessary to detail here, has
prevented its appearance until now.
The present edition contains nearly one third more matter
than those that have preceded it ; and that, chiefly of letters of
a highly interesting character, from the pen of the subject of
these memoirs himself ; which doubtless will be acceptable to
the reader.
J. B.
New York, January, 1844.
PREFACE.
There is no species of religious composition which forms
a more interesting line of contact between the church and
the world, than judicious memoirs of departed saints. It
is generally, therefore, no less a pious duty than a sacred
pleasure, on the part of members of a christian communi-
ty, to collect and publish the reminiscences of those holy
men who have lived and died in the faith of the gospel.
The memorials of such persons are, when compiled
with prudence and fidelity, generally well calculated to il-
lustrate the important and interesting truth, that, while on
the one hand, the exercise of a true faith in Jesus Christ,
produces uniformly the same results so far as that the
grand principles of every professor's life and testimony may
be tried by the express rules of the word of God ; on the
other hand, they shew in their subordinate phenomena,
how true is the intimation of the same scriptural authority,
that the same spirit which is the life of all christians alike,
operates nevertheless with great diversity of gifts in each.
4 . PREFACE.
"Whether the interesting individual, whose story is nar-
rated in the ensuing pages, should be regarded as merely a
distinguished ornament in a class of preachers of the gos-
pel with which our age has been peculiarly favoured, or
whether, to a certain extent, he ought not rather to be con-
sidered sui generis, are questions which, if important at
all, will most likely be satisfactorily answered in the pro-
gress of this work. One thing, however, is certain, that
talents, which procured for their possessor such distinction
in England, Ireland, France, and especially in America,
must have been, at the lowest estimate, of no ordinary
description : and when it is recollected that these talents
were all consecrated and exercised in the noblest of all
services the service of the Redeemer, by one, whose
praise was in all the churches where his name was known ;
a spirit of laudable curiosity is excited, even among those
who never saw him, to know something of the personal
history of such an individual ; while those who have
known him face to face in the flesh, and can testify of his
holy life and conversation, are justly loath to suffer so vir-
tuous an example of christian excellence to pass away,
without some fitting memorial.
It is highly creditable to the relatives of the late Mr.
Summerfield, that they should have taken such pains in
collecting the requisite materials for a biographical account.
PREFACE. 5
Indeed, so ample, consecutive, and satisfactory were the
documents accumulated with reference to this object, that
with the aid of such voluminous and authentic vouchers,
it became a question of comparatively little importance
where the work should be written. The competency of the
individual who might happen to be entrusted with the
execution of this design, was confessedly a consideration of
greater importance. There is therefore much justness in
the following extract from a letter on this subject, which
was addressed by Bishop M'Kendree to Mr. Blackstock at
New-York; the bishop, it is right to add, was in favour of
an American biographer :
" Baltimore, July 5, 1826.
" Dear Sir,
" In compliance with your request relative to the Life
of your brother-in-law, and my much esteemed frierid,
the late Rev. John Summerneld, I would say, it is a sub-
ject in which, according to my judgement, the church of
Christ is much interested ; and that it is very desirable
that his true character should be faithfully delineated in
his Life. You have in possession, most of the materials
for this valuable work, and it is with you to select u biog-
rapher, and have his life written ; and while his beloved
relatives may derive pecuniary benefit therefrom, thou-
sands of his christian friends, in common with his relations,
D PREFACE.
will long enjoy the benefit of his example, as a christian
and a minister.
" But such are the peculiarities of his character, that
very much depends on the choice of his biographer. Mr.
Summerfield was born in England, converted and com-
menced his ministerial career in Ireland, and finished his
exalted course in America.
" His literary qualifications, connected with his know-
ledge of divinity, and attainments in experimental religion,
raised him above the character of ordinary ministers.
" His sensibility was refined, his manners chaste, his
performances polished with graces peculiar to himself.
" To delineate the character of such a minister, the wri-
ter of his life should not only possess suitable qualifications
as an author, but he should be of the same religious senti-
ments; and be able, in some good degree, to accompany him
in his researches and christian experience. He should be
intimately acquainted with him in his social and private
actions his writings, his views, and his situation. He
should be a sympathizing friend, as well as a discriminating
judge. Such friends, Mr. Summerfield no doubt had, in
England, Ireland, and America."
PREFACE. 7
Having before me, and on such high authority, the list
of rare requirements just enumerated, it may well be ex-
pected, either that I should assume their possession, or give
some other reason why I appear in my present character.
Four years having nearly elapsed since the death of
Mr. Summerfield, and the execution of a Memoir having
been so long delayed by providential circumstances, a com-
munication through the Rev. Doctor Townley, of London,
the originally anticipated biographer, was made to my ex-
cellent friend, Mr. Montgomery, of Sheffield ; a gentleman
almost as generally known and esteemed, wherever the Eng-
lish language is spoken, as certainly well qualified to have
undertaken this work. Toward the project itself, he was
well enough affected, as offering an appropriate exercise for
that peculiar combination of talent and piety by which he
is so justly characterized. Other pressing engagements,
however, compelling Mr. Montgomery to decline the task,
he, voluntarily, indeed, without my knowledge, at the
time, recommended me to the friends of the deceased, in
such a manner, as to secure their .confidence, by making
himself, in some sort, responsible for a satisfactory result.
Under these circumstances, it became my duty to com-
ply with the proposals ; and enjoying, as I have long had
the happiness to do, the most unreserved intimacy with
8 PREFACE.
the beloved poet abovenamed, the papers were not only
transmitted through his hands to my own, but his ingenu
ous opinions upon their contents so far familiarly commu
nicated, as very greatly to facilitate my progress, and, at
the same time, increase my confidence of success in the
composition of this work. The Memoir being completed,
I placed the MS. in Mr. Montgomery's hands, accompanied
with the following note :
" Sheffield Park, March 20th, 1829.
" Dear Sir,
" Having undertaken, at your instance, to write this
Life of Summerfield, and as such recommendation has, in
some sort, committed your character in my success or
failure, I feel it no less a bounden duty than a high plea-
sure to submit to your perusal the accompanying MS. As
the papers out of which the authorities and illustrations of
this piece of biography have been mainly drawn, passed
through your hands, I should undoubtedly regard it as a
great satisfaction to be allowed to identify my declaration
with your testimony, that the materials alluded to have
been legitimately, would I might add, fully and judicious-
ly, appropriated. In thus seeking the expression of your
candid judgement, I confess that I am much less solicitous
of implicating your generous approbation of a work,
which must, after all, stand or fall, according to its intrin-
PREFACE. 9
sic value, than I am ambitious of accompanying these
pages to America, with some recognition on your part, of
the existence of that friendship, the enjoyment of which
I must ever regard as the highest earthly felicity of my
life.
" I remain, dear sir, yours, very affectionately,
"JOHN HOLLAND."
In a few days afterwards, I received from Mr. Mont-
gomery's own hand, the manuscript, and enclosed there-
with, the following gratifying letter, which I am allowed
to publish, and which might, perhaps, cf itself, have formed
the best and only necessary preface to these Memoirs.
" To Mr. John Holland.
" Dear Friend,
" When I named you to the relatives of the late Rev.
John Summerfieldj as a proper person to prepare a memoir
of that minister extraordinary of the gospel, I was per-
fectly aware of the responsibility which I thereby incurred ;
but 1 was also so well satisfied with respect to your quali-
fications, that 1 gladly trusted my credit on your perform-
ance of the task. I now thank you sincerely for having,
most promptly and effectually, redeemed the pledge which
I laid down for you. Without binding myself to subscribe
implicitly to every sentiment, or to approve of every form
2
10 PREFACE.
of expression in it, I can say, after an attentive perusal of
the manuscript, that according to my best judgement, you
have done justice to the subject, honour to yourself, and
service to the Church on earth, by presenting one trophy
more of the power of the religion of Jesus out of weak-
ness to perfect strength, and by instruments such as God
alone could make, and such as He alone would vise, to work
miracles of mercy in converting sinners from the error of
their ways, saving souls from death, and covering a mul-
titutle of sins.
" You know, that before I put the multifarious materials
for the intended work into your hands, I had diligently ex-
amined the whole, both for my own satisfaction, and that
I might be prepared to afford you any counsel or assistance
in my power, which you might require, in the prosecution
of your interesting but by no means easy labours. I con-
fess now, that, while my willing persuasion of the ardent
piety, the remarkable gifts, and the amazing influence of
the preaching of this young apostle upon hearers of all
classes, was abundantly confirmed as I proceeded, my
sense of the difficulty of exhibiting a portrait of the de-
ceased, nearly corresponding with the recollections of the
living minister, in the hearts of affectionate kindred and
friends, but especially of giving to those who knew him
ot, an idea which should justify, in their esteem, the
PREFACE. 11
praises that have been lavished upon him, my sense of
the difficulty of doing this was greatly increased as I went
along, and found among his remains few traces of lofty
intellect, powerful imagination, or touching pathos ; such
as would naturally be expected hi the productions of a
youth so early and enthusiastically followed and applaud-
ed. But the bulk of these, being mere journals of daily
incidents, often very minute, and of heart-experience,
never coloured either under or above present feeling, the
whole intended for his own eye only, and noted down
under the eye of his Master, as though the running title
of his pages had been, ' Thou, God, seest me,' the absence
of all curious and elaborate composition, is a test of the
genuineness of the records themselves, and rather to the
credit than the disparagement of his genius.
" In his sermons, however, something of the character
of elegant literature might be required, and would be in
place ; because the utter inartificiality which, in his memo-
rabilia of hourly occurrences, was a merit, would have
been a defect here. Accordingly I went with critical
scrutiny, through nearly two hundred sketches of these,
in his own hand-writing ; and I give it as my deliberate
conviction, that though they were very unlike what I had
anticipated from a fervent, fearless, self-sacrificing preacher,
the delight of wondering, weeping, and admiring audiences
12 PREFACE.
wherever he went, they were, in one main respect, far
superior ; being calculated less for instant effect, than for
abiding usefulness. Though but studies, they are never-
theless exceedingly methodical in plan ; and in execution,
they are distinguished chiefly by sound doctrine, exact
judgement, and severe abstinence from ornament. Such
ornament, however, as does occur, is often exquisite ; and
from being occasionally interpolated (as after thoughts) 1
cannot doubt that, in uttering these condensed com-
positions at spontaneous length, illustrations the most
lively and beautiful sprang in like manner out of the sub-
ject, when the preacher himself was full to overflowing,
yet filling the faster the more he overflowed.
" And this was the right kind of preparation, for one
who always had icords at command, but whose feelings
commanded him. He came to the pulpit, with the v/hole
scheme of his discourse clearly and succinctly marked
out in his mind. Then, when he was indeed 'in the
spirit,' warmed, exalted, and inspired with the divinity
of his theme, the chain of premeditated ideas, link by link,
in seemingly extemporaneous succession, would be develo-
ped ; while every thought, emotion, and appeal, would body
itself forth in the most vivid and appropriate language.
Then, truly, would his bow abide in strength, and every shaft
which he sent from the string, like the arrow of Acestes,
PREFACE. 13
of old, would take fire in its flight, shine through the
clouds, and vanish in the immensity of heaven. (Virg.
JEn. lib. v. 5258.)
" But as the sabbath and the sanctuary were the day
and the place of resurrection, when his closet skeletons,
thus clothed upon, became living, breathing, speaking
oracles, the retrogression into their original forms would
be proportionately to the preacher's disadvantage. Hearers,
who had been rapt towards the third heaven in the fiery
chariot of his delivery, and almost seemed to hear ' things
which it was not lawful for man to utter,' when they
afterwards became readers at home of the few, faint out-
lines, however symmetrical and harmonious, would scarcely
recognise their shadowy resemblance to the glorious appa-
ritions which had gone by, never to be renewed except
with the presence, the eye, and the voice of the preacher
himself. In fact, every attempt to present on paper the
splendid effects of impassioned eloquence, is like gathering
up dew drops, which appear jewels and pearls on the
grass, but run to water in the hand ; the essence and the
elements remain, but the grace, the sparkle, and the form
are gone.
" But Summerfield's memory needs no monument of
I lis handy work to endear and perpetuate it ; nor is it any
B
14 PREFACE.
derogation from his talents, to say, that he has left no
posthumous proofs of their power, to divide with his Maker
the glory of what God was pleased to do by him, in the
faithful exercise of them. Brief indeed was his career,
but brilliant and triumphant. Like one of the racers, in
that ancient game, wherein he who ran with the greatest
speed, carrying a blazing torch unextinguished to the goal,
was crowned as victor, he so ran that he soon obtained
the prize ; and his light, not extinct even in death, but
borne again in your hand, my dear friend, along the same
path, while you "retrace the Lord's dealings with him r
through his swift and shining course shall be a guide, a
comfort, and an example to thousands, who never witnessed
its living coruscations.
" I do now, therefore, not less heartily recommend your
Httle volume, tlie more precious, because it is a little one,
to the Christian public, as worthy of their acceptance,,
than on the former occasion, I conscientiously recommended
yourself to the esteemed relatives of the deceased, as wor-
thy to be his biographer.
" I am, faithfully and affectionately,
your friend,
"J. MONTGOMERY."
Sheffield, March 30, 1829.
MEMOIRS
OF THE
REV. JOHN SITMMERFIELD.
SECTION I.
Mr. SummerfieltPs parentage, birth, and education goes
to reside at Liverpool remarkable dream.
Although accounts of the parentage of a saint of the
Most High, unless connected with some very peculiar cir-
cumstances, are generally uninteresting, yet it may not be
improper, in the instance before us, to record the following
brief particulars.
William Summerfield, the father of that excellent
minister, the particulars of whose life I am about to nar
rate, was bom in Devonshire, April 12, 1770 ; his parents
soon afterwards removed to Leeds in Yorkshire, where
they had born to them, four other sons, and one daughter.
William, the eldest boy, was, at an early period of his life,
16 MEMOIRS OF THE
engaged as a millwright, at the works of Sir Thomas
Blackett, of Bretton Hall, near Wakefield, Yorkshire.
While in this situation, he became acquainted with Miss
Amelia Depledge, who, at the period in question, lived in
the same neighbourhood. In a short time they were mar-
ried ; and resided thenceforward about two years near
Bretton. They then removed to Manchester, where Mr.
Summer-field was engaged, during a residence of about
four years, as foreman to a considerable machine manufac-
tory in the Salford division of that town.
Here, an event occurred, of infinite importance to him-
self, and doubtless, in the issue, to many others, who sub-
sequently came within the sphere of his influence, which,
from the natural vigour of his mind, was far from being
inconsiderable. He began to attend the preaching of the
Wesley an Methodists ; joined the society, and in a short
time experienced a scriptural conversion ; which he attri-
buted, mediately, to impressions received under the preach-
ing of the Rev. Joseph Benson, at that time stationed in
Manchester. This great religious change, is said to have
taken place when Mr. Summerfield was about twenty-one
years of age. From that period, he became a zealous
disciple of his divine Lord and Master, and continued to
evince the ardour and sincerity of his religious profession
to the end of his life a life which was chequered with
more than an ordinary share of trials and vicissitudes,
chiefly arising from disappointments, but the minute!
details of which would be here entirely out of place.
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 17
It may, however, be observed, without impropriety, that
William Summerfield was one of those men, whose san-
guine temperaments, and projecting minds, are more likely
to lead them to engage in plausible speculations, than to
incline them to advance their fortunes by the slow process
of uninventive assiduity. Lancashire was at this time
exhibiting the earlier effects of that daring spirit of me-
chanical enterprise, which has almost, as it were, by the
power of machinery, transplanted successful experimental-
ists from the poverty of paupers into the opulence of
princes. Few men of persevering genius and common
industry, could witness what was then taking place around
them, without thinking that they might, nor perhaps in-
deed without feeling that they ought to, attempt the
acluevement of some such envied distinction.
xifter remaining some time with his employers in Man-
chester, William Summerfield removed, with his family,
to Preston, about 1797. Here, he commenced business as
an engineer and ironfounder, with every prospect of rising
to opulence. He was highly respected by all who knew
him, both as a tradesman, and as a member of the Metho-
dist Society ; in connexion with which body he now acted
as a local preacher : he was, indeed, particularly distin-
guished for the liveliness of his faith, his continuing instant
in prayer, and an almost unexampled spirit of self-denial.
After experiencing various reverses of fortune, arising
partly from the common casualties of business, and partly
b2
18 MEMOIRS OF THE
from being outwitted by partners, his affairs, at a time when
he had reason to think himself wealthy, became deranged ;
eo that on the breaking up of an establishment and con-
nexion, upon which he had reasonably, but mistakenly, re-
posed his all, he left Preston, and after residing about two
years in Burslem, Staffordshire, and a short time in Liver-
pool, went to Ireland in 1812, where he successively filled
situations of trust in Dublin and Cork. After a few years,
he emigrated, with his family, to New- York, in the United
States of America, where his eldest daughter had been
some time settled, with her husband, Mr. Blackstock, a
respectable cotton-broker in that city. In the house of this
exemplary son-in-law, where he had long found a home ;
and soothed by the affectionate attention of all his sur-
viving children, he expired, the victim of a violent dysen-
tery, Sept. 19th, 1825, aged 55. As his life had been
characterized by eminent religious profession, so his death
was not only satisfactory, but in the estimation of his
friends, one of the most triumphant ever witnessed. His
sufferings, during the last twelve hours, were exceedingly
acute ; but in the midst of these most trying moments, his
faith faltered not he cried out, " I have an unshaken
confidence." His frame of mind for several days before his
death, was happy beyond description bringing, in the
expressive phrase of his attendants, " heaven upon earth !"
A few nights previous to his departure, his daughter Ame-
lia was awoke by his talking aloud in Ins sleep, as with
his beloved son, John, the subject of this memoir. Be-
ing interrogated on the subject, he replied, John and he
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 19
had " much to do together." To the foregoing testimony,
the writer of these pages has the gratification of being
enabled to add, that when he visited Preston in 1828, he
did not converse with a single individual, who did not accord
a prompt acknowledgement of the religious character and
moral worth of their former friend and townsman.
Of the personal accomplishments, and christian experi-
ence, of his mother, I am unable to speak, beyond the
general fact that she was a pious woman. She died in
Liverpool, whither she had removed for the benefit of her
health, on the 9th of August, 1811 ; leaving w r ith her
friends a gratifying assurance that in her departure from this
life she was gone to that Jesus whom her soul loved. Her
remains he buried in St. Paul's church yard, in that town.
William and Amelia Summerfield were the parents of
nine children ; five sons, and four daughters ; three of
whom died in their infancy.
John, the subject of these memoirs, was born in his
father's house, at Preston, in Lancashire, January 31st,
1798. Previously to" the birth of this chilcj his father has
frequently been heard to say, that there was nothing that
he desired more in early life, than that he should have a
son ; that that son should be a minister of the gospel ; and
that his name should be called John. And truly, as he
and his wife, like Zacharias and Elisabeth of old, " were
both righteous before God, walking in all the command-
20 MEMOIRS OF THE
ments and ordinances of the Lord blameless," so likewise,
his prayer was heard a man-child was born ; and his
father, in the spirit of the venerable priest of Jerusalem,
" praised God" that he had given him a son. And it is
worthy of remark, that at the time of the birth of the
babe, his father solemnly dedicated him to the work of the
ministry. How far, when, in after life, "he was filled with
the Holy Ghost," he imitated his evangelical namesake, in
" preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of
sins," resembling him as he did in being dedicated to the Lord
" even from the womb," the history of Ins ministerial life
must testify.
John was an exceedingly interesting and amiable child.
At five years of age he was sent to school, where he had
not been twelve months, before he was accounted the best
reader ; and his mistress was so proud of him, that she
frequently pointed to him as an example for the other
children to imitate. He was much caressed and compli-
mented by strangers as well as friends ; and his manners
were so pleasing that they always attracted attention :
yet he was not in the slightest degree a spoiled child : for
however muA indulged, it appeared to have no bad effect
upon him. He was so remarkably sensitive, that he could
not bear to see his brothers or sisters corrected.
When about six years old, he was sent with his sister,
aged about eight, to a pious Methodist lady, who kept a
school in the neighbourhood of Blackpool, about twenty
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 21
miles from home ; this was the first time they had been
separated from their parents, and was the occasion of much
distress to his sister : but John, who had not only a happy
method of restraining his own feelings, but likewise of
administering comfort to others, addressed her in a style
rather of manly than juvenile consolation. " Ellen," he
would say, when his sister began to weep, "Ellen, I
really am astonished at you ; you know that our father
sent us here for our good ; but if you fret and grieve so,
you will make yourself ill ; and then you won't be able to
learn any thing. And think how sorry my mother would
feel, and how disappointed she would be, if she were to
know. You ought to be more of a woman ; besides, Mrs.
Campbell would be displeased, should she see you." Such
were the reasonings of the child, whose engaging manners
made him almost the idol of the family : and when Mrs.
C. was at prayer, he would clasp his little hands, and de-
voutly respond " Amen !"
On leaving Mrs. C, with whom he had made considera-
ble progress, he was placed under the care of Mr. Berry, an
approved master in Preston : for him he entertained a very
high regard, although he was extremely rigid. Mr. B.
pronounced him, on entering the school, the best gram-
marian he had ever met with, for his years. Here he
held a most respectable rank in the various classes ; though
it was remarked that he hardly studied at all, during the
intervals of school hours. At this period, he was exces-
sively fond of play ; indeed, he was so entirely devoted to
22 MEMOIRS OF THE
recreation, that from the time he left school, generally about
5 o'clock in the afternoon, he rarely opened his books,
until within about half an hour of school-time in the
morning, when he would begin to make preparation. His
manner of committing his tasks to memory, in so short a
time, was somewhat singular : he would lay himself
down in the cradle, and with liis feet over the sides, would
set it a-going at full swing ; he would then apply himself
to his lessons with the greatest eagerness ; after he had
gone over them a few times in this way, he would spring
up, and hasten to school, reciting, as he went, the tasks he
was expected to repeat. His mother would frequently tell
him, that she was afraid to see or hear from Mr. Berry, who
might have a bad account to give of him, as he was so
negligent with regard to his studies. The accounts, how-
ever, received of him, were most gratifying ; and his
teachers declared, that such was his aptitude for learning,
that he cost them very little trouble.
This towardness of disposition was so satisfactory to
his father, that he was determined to spare no expense in
giving him a good education. With a wise regard to the
value of religious instruction in connexion with scholastic
discipline, he was sent to the celebrated seminary at Fair-
field, an extensive Moravian establishment, about four
miles from Manchester. The master of the school at that
period, was the Rev. C. F. Ramftler, who was likewise the
resident minister ; under this gentleman, young Summer-
field not only made considerable progress in the classics,
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 23
and other branches of education, but received those religious
impressions, which it is probable were never wholly oblite-
rated from his conscience. In this school, too, he was
generally beloved ; and was especially a favourite with the
Moravian Bishop Moore, then residing at Fairfield. This
venerable prelate used to have delight in hearing the amia-
ble tyro recite religious pieces in prose and verse : this
distinction was carried so far, that he was even selected to
give these recitations in the chapel, a practice which, as it
has not been repeated, shows, at least, the estimation in
which he was held by the worthy superiors in that estab-
lishment. He remained in this delightful retreat nearly
five years, when he was abruptly taken away in conse-
quence of his father's misfortunes, in December, 1809.
During the vacations of Midsummer and Christmas, up
to this period, when lie returned home, his company was
sought, and he was caressed by the heads of several of
the first families in the neighbourhood of Burslem ; being
treated more like an equal than a mere boy, by those of
his seniors, who held him up as an example for youth,
much older than himself, to emulate. His memory was
remarkably tenacious, and this, in connexion with his
powers for recitation, before alluded to, rendered him a very
desirable companion, with his fund of entertaining pieces,
grave as well as humorous.
The following anecdote, as it exhibits the filial piety,
and precocious talents of this interesting boy, may be ap-
24 MEMOIRS OF THE
propriately introduced here. In the year 1810, at the
time when Mr. William Summerfield's embarrassments
were extremely distressing, and the nature of which led
to the employment of John in various ways, a thought
struck the intelligent lad, that it was possible for him so
to redeem a portion of his time, as to enable him to open
a night school. With him, even at this early age, to de-
vise and to execute were the same : the attempt was
made; the school was opened; and many young men,
twice as old as himself, presented themselves, so that he
had soon more applications than he could receive. The
school was continued until his removal to Liverpool, when
he parted with his pupils, amid their sincere regrets. It
is worthy of remark, that the proceeds of this school
were religiously handed over to his mother.
At this period, he seems to have cherished that spark of
religious feeling, and to have maintained the distinctness
of those divine impressions, of which he had been the
subject at Fairfield. It was, moreover, his practice to spend
much time (his friends say " whole weeks") in retirement,
for the purposes of study and meditation ; exhibiting
herein, a faint and juvenile emulation of the holy conduct
of the celebrated non-conformist divine, Isaac Ambrose,
once the minister of Preston, and whose custom it was,
once a year, to retire into a hut, in a neighbouring wood,
and there spend a month in religious contemplation.
As already stated, Mrs. Summcrfield died in 1811.
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 26
John, tb^en in his thirteenth year, accompanied this beloved
parent to Liverpool, whither she had gone for the benefit
of the sea air ; and he was the only child that was with
her during the last four months of her illness. The cir-
cumstance of her death peculiarly impressed his mind,
and he often dwelt upon the subject especially in after
life, when he hardly ever spoke of the glorified throng in
heaven, without naming his mother. This wealthy,
interesting} and thriving town, which had afforded a grave
to his mother, now became the residence of her son ; and
here, before he was fifteen years old, he filled the situation
of clerk in a mercantile establishment, being principally
employed in managing a French correspondence, the prin-
cipal being himself unacquainted with the foreign lan-
guages. He was an excellent book-keeper and account-
ant, and was prized and retained in this situation until the
failure of the house.
It was about this time, that young Summerfield had a
remarkable dream, to which he has frequently been known
to advert in after life; it is however mentioned here, not as
otherwise important, than as showing, with perhaps the
ordinary exaggeration arising from the effect of sleep, the
tenor and tendency of his waking thoughts. One night,
after he had been some time in bed, his sister was alarmed
by an uncommon noise which he made ; at this time, he
was subject to the cramp ; but contrary to expectation,
when his sister entered his room, he was fast asleep, yet
appeared very restless, and >is countenance was much
c
26 MEMOIRS OF THE
agitated. She awoke him, and inquired what was the
matter ; he replied, " did I disturb you ? It was not the
cramp : I'll tell you, Ellen, all about it, in the morning."
The next day, he was very anxious to know every parti-
cular relative to the disturbance which had caused the
alarm. " Ah !" said he, " it was a terrifying dream !
when I made that noise, and exhibited that struggle, I
thought Satan had laid hold upon me." Said he, "I found
a beaten track, in which great numbers of persons were
walking ; I therefore resolved to mingle with the crowd,
and ascertain the meaning of all this. After some time,
I discovered what I took to be the termination of my wan-
derings, yet I could not see any particular object of attrac-
tion, although many appeared to be worshipping some-
thing which I could not perceive : however, on a nearer
approach, I found the object of adoration to be no other
than Satan himself, surrounded by a prostrate multitude.
I immediately looked round, for some way by which I
might escape, determining that J would not bend the knee :
I at last discovered a narrow and winding stairway, the
ascent of which was very high and steep, yet I was re-
solved to ascend, although I had to pass by Satan to reach
the stairs. I mounted with great rapidity ; the windings
became more and more difficult, and my course was much
impeded ; with breathless anxiety, I took one look back,
and finding I was pursued, and almost within the very
grasp of the enemy, I made one desperate effort, by which
I escaped, and immediately awoke."
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 27
No part of his correspondence with his family, or others,
at this period, has been preserved at least, none has
been forthcoming. In the absence, however, of such do-
cumentary evidence as his own letters, it is certain that he
indulged, to the utmost of his means, that thirst for infor-
mation, by which he had always been distinguished,
especially a taste for oratory, which, having been implanted
with his early habits, he sought every opportunity of
gratifying, by hearing the best speakers, whether in the
pulpit, at the bar, or even in popular assemblies: amongst
the former, the Rev. Thomas Spencer, whose popularity
was at that time the ascendant attraction in Liverpool, ap-
pears to have been one of the chief pulpit favourites
of our young aspirant
MEMOIRS OF THE
SECTION II.
Removal to Dublin -falls into dissipated habits occasional
contrition correspondence with Dr. Raffles thinks of en-
tering the ministry among the dissenters goes into business
-fresh irregularities attends the courts of laic.
Towards the latter end of the year 1812, Mr. Sum-
merfield removed, with his family, to Dublin. On tlieir
settlement in that city, John evinced no disposition to pur-
sue any kind of business or profession. It is somewhat
remarkable that his associates, from this time, until he
became religious in the true sense of the term, were
generally persons from 10 to 20 years older than himself :
indeed, he had no companions in youth of his own age ;
and one of the most extraordinary features in his charac-
ter, consisted in the fluency and ability with which he
could converse on subjects, seldom attended to by one
of his years. At 15 he seemed to possess the experience
of a person advanced in life ; an uncommon knowledge of
human nature, and the rare talent of describing whatever
he had heard, or seen, in the most interesting manner.
These qualities, with a large fund of anecdote, and a
rare facetiousness, together with a disposition the most ac-
commodating, probably, however, conduced to his chief
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 29
misfortunes. His warm heart, which was truly formed
for friendship, could rarely withstand the fervour of solici-
tation. So ready was he to serve his friends, that he would
frequently, for acts of kindness towards others, perform
* acts of indiscretion toward himself, which as frequently
led him into difficulties.
His extreme sensibility was such, that a plaintive appeal
was generally irresistible ; it would call forth all his ener-
gies ; and sometimes he has had the mortification to dis-
cover, that his kindness had been, at least, ill timed, and fre-
quently, as just intimated, accompanied by serious disad-
vantage to himself. To turn a deaf ear to the complaints
of the distressed, was quite out of the question with John
Summerfield ; if his time, or his talents, were in requisi-
tion, they were bestowed with an ardour bordering on
enthusiasm : was pecuniary assistance required ? it was
never withheld, if in his power to communicate. On one
of these occasions, he was called upon by a petitioner in
distress ; but alas ! his means were exhausted ; after a
moment's deliberation, he left the person, requesting him
to wait till his return : going home, he found the silver
spoons laid upon the dinner table ; these he removed, toge-
ther with what tea spoons he could collect, presented the
whole to the person in distress, whom he had known when
in affluent circumstances, as an individual by whom his
father had lost considerable sums of money.
The company with whom he at this time mingled,
c2
30 MEMOIRS OP THE
caused him to be much from home, spending his time at
the theatre, the billiard room, or the card table; most
frequently the latter. This infatuating species of vice
so captivated his mind, that by practice, he became quite
an adept, and was led on by degrees, to emulate the more
adventurous by playing a high game. It may well be con-
ceived that these irregularities were sources of indescriba-
ble anguish to his father and family, who frequently
laboured under the most dreadful apprehensions, not
knowing where such things might end.
Remorse of conscience always followed a season of dis-
sipation : and then his sufferings were almost beyond en-
durance. On these occasions, he would remain closeted
for weeks together, engaged, not only in his studies, which
were intense, but in daily lamenting, with heart-rending
fervour, his transgressions ; seven times a day, has he been
known to prostrate himself with his face to the ground, im-
ploring the divine forgiveness for his manifold sins ! His
distress of mind, on account of disobedience to his parent,
was often almost more than he could bear. It was during
these lucid intervals of compunction and penitence, that
his father's bruised hopes of ultimately seeing his son a
minister of the gospel, used to revive ; and had he not
been a man of uncommonly strong faith, there were cir-
cumstances existing at this period abundantly sufficient to
have disheartened him indeed, to have destroyed the con-
fidence of most other men : yet he remained firm in the
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 31
belief that his prayers would be answered concerning his
son.
It has already been stated, that young Suinmerfield,
while in Liverpool, was an occasional attendant on the
ministry of the Rev. Thomas Spencer. On the publication
of the Rev. Thomas Raffles's interesting " Life of Spencer,"
a copy of the work was sent, by a friend, to our young
prodigal in Dublin ; he read it with great interest ; and
feeling his heart yearn towards the sacred profession, and
experiencing at the same time a strong desire to return to
England, he resolved to open a correspondence with the
author, in the hope of obtaining admission into the academy
of the Dissenters at Hoxton. Through the kindness of
Dr. Raffles, the first letter on this subject, in the autograph
of Summerfield, lies before me :
" Dublin, Grand Canal Dock,
Hanover Quay, Jan. 7, 1814.
" Reverend Sir,
"I am at length induced by the repeated solicitations
of a few of my more particular friends, to address you
upon a subject, which, of all others, is the most weighty.
" My name is utterly unknown to you, as well as my
person ; though I am well acquainted with both these in
yourself.
" From my earliest infancy, I have had it in contempla-
32 MEMOIRS OF THE
tion to become an ambassador for Christ ; and of late, this
has been kindled in me to a degree, so as not to leave a
doubt in my mind, but that my prayers to God to open my
way, are now answering. The other week, a friend sent
me your 'Life of Spencer,' from Liverpool: and I have read
it with such delight, that it has tended more than any
thing to increase the spark already kindling. I am but
18* years of age, not yet quite accomplished, and my
youth would be the chief hinderance to my resolution
of addressing you, had not my friends encouraged me to
write you freely, being so perfectly satisfied of your
christian temper and candour, that if you gave me nothing
to hope in my application, it would not be taken amiss.
" As this is the first communication, (though I trust it
may be suffered to be continued, yet being uncertain,
and the event in embryo,) I do not write fully, any farther
than to say, that the tenets professed by the church of
which you are the present supporter and guide, do most
coincide with my ideas and belief in the revelation of God
by Ins Son. I have had a very liberal education ; having
been brought up at Fairfield academy, near Manchester,
among that worthy people, the Moravians ; and my father,
having apparently intended me for the church, spared no
expense to render my education fit for the purpose. But
as I cannot give my mind to that church, for many rea-
* Sic in orig. but it is certainly a slip cf the pen it should
be 16.
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 33
sons, I would be more willing to list under the banners of
your church ; though God knows, it is in effect the same
as theirs, being all warriors for Christ. I enclose this in a
letter to my friends in Liverpool, to be forwarded to you,
being ignorant of your address.
" You will see how to address me, at the head of tins ;
and I would entreat your answer, if so much of your pre-
cious time can be devoted to answer so unworthy a ser-
vant ; but though unworthy, not the more unwelcome.
" I would wish to begin my race early, rim it with joy,
and end it with glory.
" This communication is with my father's approbation,
a gentleman in moderate circumstances, whose highest
wish it is to see his son settled in his course.
" Believe me, Reverend Sir,
" yours, most respectfully and devotedly,
J. SUMMERFIELD."
The Reverend Thomas Raffles, Liverpool.
The following letter, apparently in reply to the fore-
going, was written, as will be seen from the date, about
three months after it there had probably, however, been
an intermediate communication :
" Liverpool, March 28th, 1814.
" Do not imagine, my dear sir, that because I have not
34 MEMOIRS OF THE
been so quick as you might wish, and as I have desired to
be, in my reply to your communication, in which you
stated so much at length your feelings and your views,
that I have forgotten you, or that I take no interest in your
affairs. The fact is, that I have been waiting for a favour-
able opportunity of writing you pretty much at length, but
owing to the extreme press of official business, I have not
been able.
" You can form no conception of the labours of a Pas-
tor, who has two thousand souls committed to his care.
Even now, I steal half an hour from rest, for the purpose
of communing with my friends ; and I cannot prevail upon
myself to retire, though exhausted nature demands repose,
till I have, by a few lines, relieved the anxiety of your
mind.
" I have been out of town, into Wales, which is the
cause of my not having answered your letter till now. I
am very happy now to find that you have a design to
visit Liverpool ; I can talk to you upon the interesting sub-
ject of our correspondence, and say more to you, and hear
more from you, in one hour, than could transpire in twenty
letters.
" Have you friends in Liverpool ? I am sorry that I
have no house to invite you to. I am but a bachelor, and
consequently a lodger. I hope you will come either before
or after the month of May, as during that month I expect
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 35
to be in London. I should rather it was after May, as in
the ensuing month, I have no less than three journies to
make, by which, of course, my time will be very much
consumed besides much other business which will absorb
my whole attention.
" I should like, when you are here, to enjoy much of your
society; and this, at present, I fear I should not be able to
do. I forbear, in the prospect of an interview, which your
letter promises, to enter now into any further particulars
respecting your views of the ministry and praying you
to maintain a spirit of self-examination, watchfulness, and
diligence, with best respects to your friends,
u yours, very faithfully,
"THOMAS RAFFLES."
The two foregoing letters are given entire, because they
constitute the material evidence of a very interesting move-
ment in the mind and the solicitation for an arrangement,
which, had it taken place, might have been of the last
importance in the life of Summerfield. Upon the proba-
ble issue of events, had the desire he then felt been con-
summated, it would now be, at least, idle to speculate.
One question, however, naturally suggests itself, and which
it will be neither difficult nor improper to settle namely,
whether the negotiations alluded to, were terminated
voluntarily or otherwise on the part of the petitioner.
Whatever other letters might be written on tins subject
and others undoubtedly there were the two above cited
36 MEMOIRS OF THE
are obviously the first and the last that passed between
the parties ; and whether or not the intermediate ones
contained any more distinct overtures from either side,
cannot be ascertained. If it should be thought that Mr.
Raffles's communication holds out but little encouragement
to the youthful applicant ; and that the stretching forth a
little further the hand of ministerial affection, might have
brought a valuable recruit into the ranks of the Dissenters ;
it must, at the same time, be recollected, that Mr. Sum-
merfield's solicitation, although signed with his name, and
to a certain extent accredited, was virtually anonymous :
and for the pastor of a large church, thus to be expected
promptly to extend his patronage, in a matter of so much
delicacy, to an entire stranger, was in the abstract unrea-
sonable. Besides, under these circumstances, the lan-
guage of courtesy, and the proposal of an interview on
the part of Mr. Raffles, fairly entitle his conduct herein, to
ihe character of that of delicate and judicious encourage-
ment. Thus much is plainly deducible from the document
alone ; and if there was no other evidence, the legitimate
inference would be, either that Summerfield retracted from
discouragement, or that he changed his mind. His own
testimony, from a letter, written after his conversion, to a
religious friend, appears to settle the question. Speaking
of the sanguine hopes he once entertained in prospect of
this settlement, he adds : " Filial duty, however, pre-
vented, on my father's remonstrance, which arose from the
doctrines taught by many of that body, as to election, &c. ;
consequently I gave up the idea." Few persons, at all
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 37
acquainted with either the father or the son, would doubt
their sincerity in this reason : fewer still, it may be pre-
sumed, of those who witnessed Summerfield's fall into new
dissipations, would rejoice that they should have prevailed.
At the same time, many things, not necessary to be specified
here, must have been attended to before he could have been
admitted into a Dissenter's Academy. He evidently had
not the religious experience required of candidates, what-
ever his doctrinal notions might have been.
Notwithstanding all the agony which he occasionally
felt for his past misconduct; and his frequent intervals of
resolution and reform, he was repeatedly tempted into
courses of dissipation. He became extravagantly fond of
theatrical amusements ; and having no regular employ-
ment, he delighted in attending whole days in the courts
of justice, and in visiting public institutions. He would
leave home for weeks together, visiting London and other
places, with the view of gaining information his family
sometimes having no idea where he was. As already
intimated, his admiration of oratory was excessive : and
he would lose no opportunity of hearing eminent speakers.
It was all one to him, whether they were to be found in
the pulpit, at the bar, in the senate, or on the stage. When
necessity compelled him to return home, he would shut
himself up in his chamber ; and during these fits of seclu-
sion, such was his thirst for knowledge, that he made a
point of rising at 4 o'clock in the morning ; after which
D
38 MEMOIRS OF THE
he frequently remained at his studies, without interruption
until 8 o'clock in the evening, taking, during the interme-
diate sixteen hours, only two or three cups of coffee !
This irregular and intense application, was, without
doubt, seriously injurious to his constitution ; and he had
at times a very emaciated appearance, arising from mental
labour, close confinement, and great distress of mind, on
account of his past misconduct.
Young as he was, his father now began to feel a wish
to establish him in some business and selected, very
unpromisingly, as most persons will think, the Coal
Trade. In this ungenial concern, he was associated with
another individual, more experienced than himself. Pros-
pects of profit had no influence with Summerfield, to
induce his certainly elegant mind to accommodate itself to
the language of the wharf, or calculations by the chaldron.
Instead, therefore, of being found at the quay, or in the
counting house, he gave his attention to neither, but would
shut himself up in his study, or absent himself from home
altogether. Such misconduct was followed by its natural
consequences. The unsettled kind of life which he still
continued to lead, frequently incurred his father's displea-
sure ; and this conduct was aggravated, by his promises
of reform, which were not more frequently made than
they were broken, so that his derelictions became intolera-
ble. This total neglect of business, and the concomitant
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 39
money losses, led him to the exercise of a facile, and but
too often practised an expedient, for the relief of his present
difficulties : he was induced to indorse paper acceptances,
for those whom he conceived to be his friends. This in-
volved him in responsibilities, which he could not meet,
and not only brought poverty and distress into his
family, but ultimate ruin upon himself. As the climax
of his degradation, he was thrown into the Marshalsea of
Dublin.
Here a new theatre for the exercise of his ingenuity
was presented ; having a tolerable stock of legal know-
ledge, he employed himself for his fellows in confinement,
in drawing up the necessary memorials for those who were
seeking their enlargement under the provisions of the In-
solvent act. Whatever an attorney could do in this
respect, was easy to Summerfield ; and the cases which
he undertook to manage, being generally successful, his
practice in this way became considerable, and continued
even after his own liberation. His necessities compelled
him to make a regular charge, so that he derived from
this source a considerable income. In drawing up a peti-
tion, on any subject, he had acquired a facility that was
astonishing : he would commence, and continue to the
end of the document, almost without a moment's hesita-
tion, and rarely with a single interlineation. In this re-
spect, he was singularly gifted, as his letters and other
compositions evince ; for seldom had he occasion to alter
40 MEMOIRS OF THE
or erase a word ; and it may be added, that, in after life
especially, he wrote a neat and elegant hand, with great
rapidity and evenness.
Under these circumstances, it is not surprising that he
should have felt a strong inclination towards the study of the
law. At the age of sixteen, as before stated, he was wont
to spend days together in the courts in Dublin, where he
has frequently heard causes tried from beginning to end, as
well for murder, as for other crimes. After attending to
the testimony of the various witnesses, with as much
anxiety as if he were engaged as counsel, he would
closely estimate all the bearings of the case, and with
boyish enthusiasm, has been heard to say, " O, how I
should like to sum up !"
On one occasion, he was in attendance before one of
the courts of justice, in Dublin, as an important witness
against a person who was seeking to take the benefit of
the Insolvent Act. He was examined, and most rigidly
cross-examined by an eminent lawyer ; but to puzzle
him appeared impossible : he was able to recollect, without
any memoranda, the dates of a vast number of pay-
ments and receipts, sales and purchases pounds, shil-
lings, and pence, with such exactness that it astonished
the whole court. On this occasion, the judge paid him
a high compliment : " Pray sir," said his lordship, "what
is your profession ?" " I am in no profession, my Lord/'
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 41
answered Summerfield. " No profession, no profession,
Sir V " No, my Lord." The judge then said something
to the following effect : " Well, sir, I have never heard a
witness within the walls of these courts, give his testimony
in a more clear, correct, and satisfactory manner, than you
have done. Depend upon it, you'll one day or other be a
shining character in the world."
d2
42 MEMOIRS OF THE
SECTION III.
His conversion attends prayer-meetings verses to the Rev.
P. and Mrs. French interesting letter to his class-leader.
The shrewd and generous prediction of the Irish judge,
just cited, was destined to be fulfilled within a few months
after it was uttered though certainly in the way least
anticipated by the legal prophet. Summerfield was now
nineteen years of age, the last four of which had been
spent in the desultory manner already noticed. The time,
however, was now approaching, when the Lord was about
to give the distressed and praying father to see the fulfil-
ment of his most anxious desires, in the conversion of his
son and moreover, in seeing a double portion, even of the
spirit of a prophet, rest upon him. This great gospel
change, it will be seen, was not effected by any slow or
uncertain process ; much less, under such circumstances
as to leave it, for sometime, a doubtful case, whether or
not his new character might originate in the mere reforma-
tion of sentiment and manners. His conversion, indeed,
was at once signal and scriptural, and in its proximate
circumstances little agreeing with the notions of those,
who, as he used to remark, fancied " that John Summer-
field would have been converted like a gentleman !"
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 43
In the year 1817, he was brought to reflect seriously on
his past life, and on the conduct he was then pursuing.
He saw clearly that he was the cause of the distress to
which his father was reduced ; and his own prospects in
life appeared at the same time awfully gloomy : these
reflections had a dreadful effect upon his mind, and he
experienced lashings of conscience too terrible for endu-
rance. Instead of seeking or finding relief in prayer, he
felt himself a reprobate before God, and was more than
once tempted to commit suicide. He found no resting
place, amidst the " mire and clay" into which Satan had
brought his feet, and saw no escape from the " horrible
pit" of his own despair.
In this state of mental agony, he was one day wander-
ing about in the streets of Dublin, weeping bitterly, when
he was noticed and accosted by a pious man, by trade an
edge-tool maker, who, with the tact of a Methodist, and
the simplicity of a saint, ascertained his state, and endea-
voured to comfort him at the same time inviting him to
his house, or rather to his cellar, where he was about to
hold a prayer meeting. The party assembled, consisted
chiefly of soldiers from the barracks : prayer was offered
by the different persons in turn, and the case of the provi-
dential interloper,, was specially presented before Him,
with whom " the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous
man availeth much ;" and such was the fervour of the
good leader, and the soldiers, and so sincere the contrition
44 MEMOIRS OF THE
and supplication of the penitent, that he that very night
found peace to his soul.
Having found such a blessing amongst these poor sol-
diers, he became much attached to them, and resolved, if
possible, to make them some return of kindness, for what
they had done for him. On inquiry, he ascertained that
their situation at the barracks was by no means comforta-
ble, being perpetually ridiculed and insulted by wicked
men in the regiment. Hearing this, he was determined
to relieve them if possible, for on his visits, he found
them equally as bad as described utterers of profane
sarcasms, and revilers of all religion. In resolving, how-
ever, to do what he could, towards changing the characters
of these men, he hit upon an expedient which, however
successful in his case, is of too perilous a nature to be ad-
duced for imitation. He commenced his work of reforma-
tion by relating such stories and anecdotes, as he knew
would please them, endeavouring by every means to make
his company agreeable to them. In this he succeeded ;
and in time, as his visits became frequent and acceptable,
he began to check their swearing, and other improper
language. He would even occasionally condescend to
assist them in little matters, as pipe-claying their belts, &c.
At length, he so far gained their respect, and established
his own influence, that no improper language was ever
allowed, or used in his presence ; and if any thing wrong
happened to be going on at the time of his visit, the moment
that he entered the yard, some one would give the signal
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 45
" He's coming !" .and presently all became order and
regularity. He next got them to attend to reading the
bible, held regular prayer meetings among them, and ex-
horted them to seek the Lord. The number of serious
persons among the soldiers increased daily, and his plan
prospered more and more, until, to his great regret, the
regiment was removed.
He now felt at a loss for a proper sphere for the exercise
of his zeal ; at length, he bethought himself of the Old
Men's Hospital, which he visited repeatedly, but with little
success, as he found the inmates, (to use his own phrase,)
" too tough for any impression that he could make ;" and
he was often heard to say, in consequence of his experi-
ence here, that " a man turned fifty, would hardly be con-
verted."
His first class-leader was the pious Patrick French, who,
at the latter end of 1817, left Dublin, as a Missionary to
the West Indies. This gentleman presently discovered
the sterling piety, and promising talents, of the young
convert ; and before his departure from Ireland, he waited
upon one of the preachers to commend the stranger to his
particular notice. " Brother Lamb," said he, " I am going
from you, perhaps never to return ; remember now my
last request ; take particular care of brother Summer-
field : make him known to all your brethren, and he will
one day shine in the world, and in the church of God."
46 MEMOIRS OF THE
From Mr. French, whom he used to call his spiritual
father, he had received many kindnesses, and that, too,
at a time, when the attentions of a christian friend were
most necessary and acceptable. On hearing of the mis-
sionary appointment of his esteemed leader, Mr. Summer-
field addressed to him the following note and accompanying
lines :
" Dear Sir,
" Permit me to send you the enclosed stanzas, which
occurred to me as I lay in bed this morning, and which I
immediately copied ; not that they contain any of those
beauties for which the poetic muse is so much beloved,
but they will convey a faint idea of the esteem in which
you will ever be held in the breast of
" AN UNWORTHY CLASS-MEMBER.
5th November, 1817.
Verses, written extempore, on the occasion of Mr. French's
going on a Foreign Mission, by a member of his class.
1.
And must we, then, for ever ! ever ! part,
And tear asunder each from other's heart !
And must we bid a long, a last farewell !
No more to meet, till call'd by judgement's knell !
That knell which shall announce the death of time !
And sound eternity with solemn chime !
REV. JOHN SUMMERPIELD. 47
II.
And must / wander in earth's doleful shade,
Without the solace of my French's aid !
And must my throbbing heart e'er pine with grief,
The loss of him, who brought its sure relief!
Relief ! which he could draw from Heaven's store,
Which more abounded, while he drew the more !
III.
And must J walk the heavenly road alone,
Without the company of French, when gone !
How can my infant feet support the load,
The cross which daily they must bring to God !
Without thy friendly aid to guide the way,
And charm me with the views of heavenly day !
IV.
Well may'st thou mock, oh pen ! thy muse's fire !
Well may'st refuse, oh tongue ! to aid my lyre !
Nor that can write, "nor this can e'er express,
My heart-felt pangs : for language ne'er can dress
Thy grief, oh soul ! tho' she explode her mine,
To search the richest, and the most sublime !
48 MEMOIRS OP THE
V.
But kindred spirits, kindred love can feel !
Pure love ! and warm, which never can congeal !
And thou, oh French ! dost know my meaning well,
Although my simple pen refuse to tell
The poignant sorrow which pervades my soul,
At losing thee, my better half, my whole !
VI.
Yet cease, my muse, to sigh, to weep, to moan ;-
My heavenly Father calls ! His will be done !
Obedient French, how ready is thy pace !
How eager thou, to run the heavenly race !
Oh ! may my feet be always firmly shod,
With every virtue which can lead to God i
VII.
And hark ! methinks a voice now strikes my ear -
" Oh ! faithless Jacob ! what hast thou to fear !
" Though mother leave the offspring of her womb,
u I ne'er will leave thee till I land thee home !
" If ravens, when they cry, are fed by me,
" Shall I not feed, and much more care for thee !
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 49
VIII.
" My servant I have call'd to other toil j %
u I've plants to nourish in a foreign soil ; "
" Which need a more than foster-father's care,
" But which, with his, will full perfection bear.
" Didst thou but know how much one soul is worth,
" Thou would'st not murmur that I send him forth.
DL
" "Gv'n India's naked sons lift up their eyes,
" And I have heard their deep and bitter cries ;
" To dry their tears, I raised my servant up,
" And for sin's gall, to give salvation's cup ;
" That so, the glorious crown for him prepared,
" May shine with lustre bright, as his reward !"
Amen ! my Lord ! I bow with solemn awe ;
'Tis not for me to alter Heaven's high law ;
Take then thy servant ! and, like moisten'd mould,
Seal him thyself, for thine eternal fold ;
Till worlds on worlds revolving roll away;
And thou shin'st forth in one eternal day ;
Amen.
E
50 MEMOIRS OF THE
Under the same date he addressed the following vale-
dictory memento to Mrs. French :
" Dear I^adam,
" Allow me to send you the inclosed little tribute of
my affection and esteem. I know it is unworthy of your
acceptance ; but if it cause you the smallest gratification,
or cheer any of those moments which the idea of bidding
adieu to your native home, must necessarily render sullen
and clouded, my ambition will have attained the pinnacle
of its wishes.
" Believe me, dear madam,
" yours, very affectionately,
5th Nov. 1817. " a class companion."
ACROSTICK.
S ister, I call thee in my rhyme ;
I know no other name of thine,
S o let me be forgiven ;
T hough soon we leave each other here,
E ternity is very near !
R esolve to meet in heaven !
F arewell ! my throbbing heart would say,
R emember me when far away,
E v'n, morn, and noon, at mercy's throne ;
N or fear that I'll forgetful be ;
C onstantly I'll remember thee ;
H eaven is our mutual home !
REV. JOHN SUMMEKFIELD. 51
F arewell ! my lips refuse to say :
A lmighty Father ! guide their way,
R ide with them on the storm !
1 E ach blessing that thy stores contain,
W ith heaven itself, oh ! let them gain !
E ach good, in every form !
L ord ! be their guide with special care !
L ord ! may they all thy blessings share !
Amen!
The foregoing lines, regarded simply with reference to
the sentiments, are not deficient in those qualities for which
all his compositions were distinguished good sense, good
feeling, and good taste : as poetry, they merit slight praise.
It is however no disparagement to have succeeded but in-
differently, where even practised preachers have rarely
done better. John and Charles Wesley, and one or two
of their contemporaries, have written hymns of unsurpass-
able merit, and deserved celebrity ; but their successors in
the ministry, however eloquent in discourse, or fervent in
prayer, have generally become impotent, the moment they
have invoked the muse ; and it is a remarkable fact, that
though they have contributed their full share to the stock
of amateur poetry, there is not (so far as I am aware) one
popular piece of verse, written by a methodist preacher.
Summerfield, however, ought not here to be defrauded of
the higher praise, of having ever afterward (with perhaps
a single exception) let alone " the unprofitable art of verse-
making," in favour of the more sacred duty of preaching
the everlasting gospel. Nor let it be supposed, that this arose
52 MEMOIRS OF THE
from any deficiency in the perception of poetical beauty,
but rather the reverse ; it was once remarked by a very
eloquent and popular preacher in New- York, that he never,
in his life, heard a man who could read poetry, except one
and that was Mr. Summerfield.
The following extracts from a letter addressed by Mr.
Summerfield to his friend and class-leader, the aforenamed
Rev. P. French, will be read with great interest. The
writer's well known characteristics of memory, veracity,
and candour, are vouchers for the authenticity of a narra-
tive, to which providence has given a peculiar interest, and
which exhibits certain delicate autobiographical touches,
which, in the estimation of its present copyist, ought to
be sacredly preserved.
" Dublin, Lower Mount- Street,
Nov. 24th, 1817.
" My very dear SiRj
" Although you kindly promised to favour me with
a letter from London, at your convenience, yet my anxiety
to have this pleasure fulfilled, will not suffer me to wait,
without putting you in mind of this your promise, and
requesting that you would hasten that communication for
which I am so anxious. I should be quite discouraged
from attempting to write to you at this time, when I sup-
pose every moment is engaged in concerns of so weighty
a nature ; and with this idea, it gives me some pain to
think that 1 am trespassing upon any portion of that,
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 53
which must be so very valuable to you ; but when I view
you in the light of my dearest parent, in which capacity
you have not only been pleased to consider yourself by
words, but much more by your actions, I should be want-
ing in that dutiful respect which I owe you, Were I to per-
mit any consideration to prevent my paying my respects
to you, as I am bound to do by duty, but much more by
love. Hoping, therefore, for your kind pardon for this
hasty liberty, I presume to unbosom my mind to you in a
manner which bashfuhiess would not suffer me to do, when
I had the happiness of your presence here.
" I cannot sufficiently lament that I had not the delight
of your acquaintance at a much earlier period of time
than I have had ; for had I been so fortunate, I should
have been prevented from fighting against what I now see
to be the manifest openings of that kind Providence, who
says, ' your name is graven on the palms of my hands,'
who therefore marks out all our goings, if we will but
follow his dictates.
" Such was the short duration of our acquaintance, that
I do not even know, whether you knew that I was the
son of a person, with whom you had, I believe, been very
intimate, as brethren in Christ, for a long time : for my
father was for a considerable time a member of the Stran-
gers' Friend Society in Dublin, and on terms of affectionate
intimacy with you.
54 MEMOIRS OF THE
" However, as the loss I have sustained in my spiritual
state, for want of an earlier connexion, cannot now be
recovered, I wish at this time to lay before you, a very
short account of the dealings of Providence with me, and
to request you will give me such paternal advice as you
may see I so much need : but as this can only be done
when you have a moment of leisure time, let me not
intrude myself on you till that offers itself.
u I often think, that the dealings of Almighty God have
been more various towards me, than with persons much
more advanced in life.
" I shall have cause to bless the Lord, through all the
ages of eternity, that I was born of religious parents,
my father being for many years a leader and local preacher
in the Methodist connexion, and for some time a steward,
until we removed from Preston to Staffordshire. As I was
his eldest son, it was his particular wish that I should have
the best of educations, as he always designed me for a
profession. With this view, after being sent to the best
preparatory schools, I was put among the Moravians, or
United Brethren, at Fairfield, near Manchester, where I
remained nearly five years. About the close of this time,
my father received a call from the Almighty, to preach the
everlasting gospel on the itinerant plan. At this time, he
was very extensively engaged in business in Lancashire,
and estimated worth 10,0007. ; he had just completed the
building of a commodious house for our family in Preston ;
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 55
and was prospering in worldly concerns, as much as any-
reasonable person could desire.
" His heart being alive to God, and his cause, he dared
not resist the will of his great master, and prepared to quit
his business, and hang upon Providence for his future life.
For this purpose, he accepted the offer of a gentleman from
Liverpool, to become partner with him in his business,
which my father was the more willing to do, as it was his
intention to quit his business gradually, by disposing of
all he had to this his then partner. But before he could
get this accomplished, he found that he had misplaced his
choice, as the person with whom he had associated him-
self, though to all appearance a gentleman of the first
respectability, though a worldly man, was involved in a
mass of debt, from which it was impossible for him to ex-
tricate himself. In this situation, my father became liable
for these debts as his partner ; and in order to prevent
worse consequences, he was advised to assign over all his
property of every nature and kind, to this person, upon
the promise that he should receive a fair recompense for it.
My father had but two choices, either to do this, or be torn
in pieces for these debts, which might be more than the
amount of all that my father was then worth. This per-
son, however, never fulfilled any part of his agreement ;
and my father, by repeated delays and disappointments,
gave up the idea of following that call, which he has ever
since confessed it was his duty to do. It seemed as if Pro-
vidence had prepared his way, by cutting off at one
56 MEMOIRS OF THE
stroke, every worldly affair, and by now refusing that call,
which he had promised to accept, the judgements of God
have ever since hung heavy upon him. He has often
engaged in worldly matters since ; he has amassed wealth
since that time, but the Almighty never suffered it to
remain with him : he has lost thousands of pounds in
such ways as almost seemed miraculous, and he now
attributes it entirely to this one act. Though he now
enjoys the favour of God, and even his sanctifying love in
a great degree, yet he always mourns this one action of
his life, and has frequently told me, in sincerity and truth,
that the Almighty has clearly shown him that this was
the cause, and always will be a cause of temporal chastise-
ment.
" The ways of Providence have been most mysterious
to me ; and in order that I may. not frustrate the wise
designs of Heaven, I will briefly state what I have expe-
rienced.
" From the losses my father sustained, I was taken
from school very abruptly, and having engaged in several
worldly affairs, I became clerk to a merchant in Liverpool
at fourteen years of age, with whom I had a liberal salary,
though so very young, owing to my knowledge of the
French language, of which my master knew nothing.
Few, so young, had such fine worldly prospects as I had ;
but in a short time, it pleased Providence to thwart me,
by my employer becoming a bankrupt. I then removed
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 57
to Ireland with my father, where I had not been long,
when I had a strong desire to return to England, having
opened a correspondence with the Rev. Mr. Raffles, a
Calvinist minister, with a view of obtaining permission to
enter their Seminary at Hoxton, to be prepared for the
ministry of the gospel, which, if I had done, I should pro-
bably now have been a preacher of the everlasting gospel
to that people. I poured out my prayers to God ; and if
ever I felt power with the Almighty, it was then. I am
assured he smiled on me in all I did, and when I had
wept before him on the reflection of the awfulness of the
work, and my own youth, I have experienced such a sense
of his presence and promises of assistance, that I could not
for a moment doubt it was his will.
" From what I experienced at that time, I am convinced
that there are as good men in that body of Christians, as
in any other, for I was strongly rooted in their opinions,
but suffered no diminution in love to God on that account.
Since then, the Almighty, in a great measure, withdrew his
presence from me ; and when my father directed my pur-
suits to worldly objects, He thwarted me in every under-
taking.
" After being for some time with my father, he put me
into the Coal trade, in partnership with another person then
in the business. I advanced 500Z., as my capital ; before
we had been together three months, my partner behaved
to me very dishonestly ; he had my money in his hands, and
58 MEMOIRS OF THE
got himself arrested, and having spent four months in goa*,
got out under the Insolvent Act, by which I lost all my
money.
" In my soberest moments, I cannot account for these
different crosses on the scale of human mischances, as
so called ; for I was not devoid of all such prudence as
worldly men make use of. After this, my father again
resolved to continue me in the business.
" My prospects for a time began to brighten ; and with
my business my acquaintances also encreased, and I was
induced by some to accept bills for their accommodation to
a large amount, which they were to provide for. My good
nature was visited on my own head ; the bills came down
on me, and in the midst of my seeming prosperity, I was
thrown into prison for those bills which I had accepted.
There, the Almighty kept me seven long months, and I was
again plunged into poverty.
" Now, my dearest friend, what shall I do ? I hope that
God has completely weaned me from earthly things ; I
have not one wish below the sun, but to live to Him. I
am determined to submit to his Providence, and to do what-
ever he shall unfold to me.
" A thought occurred to me yesterday, in which I also
entreat your advice : I understand that the Messrs. Shaws
iiave taken your establishment ; now if you think they
w
*#
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 59
would want some person to fill the capacity which you
filled, along with Mrs. French, you might write to Mr.
Shaw for me. From my knowledge of the French lan-
guage, Music, Latin, Greek, &c. I might be an acquisi-
tion ; not to mention the inferior branches, such as Geog-
raphy, History, Astronomy, &c. &c. If it should please
God to call me to this situation, I could fill it with honour
to myself and them. But I am entirely resigned to God,
to whatever he has for me to do. I often wish that I was
in the Stranger's Friend Society, for the Almighty might
have something for me to do for Him, and I think I can
never glorify Him sufficiently. Yet, oh, my dear French,
I am like a sheep without a shepherd ; I have no one to
lead me by the hand ; I am myself a stranger yet I
would fain become a stranger's friend. If I could flatter
myself, that I could be in any degree useful, I should never
be tired in being spent for God.
" However, I sit me down, and mourn over my fate
if I may use the word ; and my misfortune in being torn
from you, at such an early stage of our connexion. You
are indeed my father in Christ ; and whatever glory may
redound to my heavenly Father, through any weak efforts
of mine, must eventually be attributed to you. I bless
God, my love to Him is daily encreasing, and I am deter-
mined, let others do as they will, I will serve the Lord. I
hope you are growing more and more to the fulness of the
measure of Christ ; and that Mrs. French enjoys a con-
tinued sense of the approbation of her great Master. If I
60 MEMOIRS OF THE
never meet you again on earth, I am certain I shall
meet you in heaven ; for thither I am* resolved to hasten,
and I am as certain you will embrace me there.
" Do not neglect to answer me fully.
" May God have you in his holy keeping, is the earnest
prayer of,
" Dear Sir,
" Your unworthy, but affectionate,
"JOHN SUMMERFIELD."
A brief note, bearing date Nov. 29, 1817, addressed
by the Rev. P. French to Mr. Summerfield, contains the
following exhortation : " Wait God's appointed time in
all circumstances. I wrote to Mr. Shaw about you : he
will, I know, do what he can. God is your best friend
trust Him when you least expect it, his promise will be
confirmed. Let prayer be your constant exercise. Value
the bible as your faithful companion. Rise early in the
morning for reading and prayer ; and frequent the ordi-
nances."
V
RK1 OHN SUMMERFIELD. 61
SECTION IV.
Begins to keep a Diary attends Sunday schools gives an
exhortation incessantly studies the Holy Scriptures
attends an Irish wake -filial obedience -falls into tempta-
tion.
The preceding sections exhibit a somewhat rapid
sketch of Mr. Summerfield's life, from the time of his
birth to the twentieth year of his age. Of the remaining
portion of his brief but brilliant career, more ample and
detailed notices will be expected : happily for the writer
and readers of the Memoirs of this most interesting ser-
vant of God, his own industry has left materials the most
abundant and satisfactory.
From the time of his conversion, until the period when
he could no longer hold a pen with some interruptions
he kept an exact Diary of his life. In projecting tins
elaborate register of his daily actions and experience, Mr.
Summerfield might justly have colloquized with himself
in the language of the most eloquent and powerful of mo-
dern British Essayists .* " The little rill, near the source
* Foster. On a man writing Memoirs of Himself.
P
62 MEMOIRS OF THE
af one of the great American rivers, is an interesting
object to the traveller, who is apprized, as he steps across
it, or walks a few miles along its bank, that this is the
stream which runs so far, and which gradually swells into
so immense a flood. So, while I anticipate the endless
progress of life, and wonder through what unknown
scenes it is to take its course, its past years lose that cha-
racter of vanity which would seem to belong to a train of
fleeting, perishing moments, and I see them assuming the
dignity of a commencing eternity. In them I have begun
to be that conscious existence which I am to be through
infinite duration : and I feel a strange emotion of curiosity
about this little life, in which I am setting out on such a
progress ; I cannot be content without an accurate sketch
of the windings thus far of a stream which is to bear me
on for ever."
This invaluable document, in a transcript of certified
accuracy, now lies before me. It appears, indeed, from an
expression in the passage presently to be cited, that this is
not the earliest diurnal record which Mr. Summerfield had
kept : whether, however, that has been preserved or not,
appears uncertain ; it is not among the papers transmitted
to the present writer.
The " Journal," as it is entitled, is thus introduced :
" 1818, January 1st. Thursday Commenced this year
in Whitefriar-street meeting house, on my knees, at the
watch-night.
.yk*ty
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 63
" I felt the presence of the Lord, and my soul was fed
with good things. Oh ! that I may prove faithful this
year. I have often dedicated myself to God on a similar
occasion, but as often have violated my engagements ; yet
this year, I am determined, let others do what they will,
I will serve the Lord.
" When I call to mind the mercies of the past year,
I am quite lost in contemplating the goodness of God.
* Where shall thJt wondering' soul begin?
The last year, was truly a year of trial, and great affliction
to our family, as may be seen in other parts of my former
diary. What this year may bring forth, I know not !
But oh, my Father ! whatever thou mayest have in reserve
for me. in the womb of thy Providence, this year, prepare
me for it. Thy will be done ! I am satisfied to pass
through poverty, if it is thy will ; only let me be always
rick in faith towards thee. If I should be entrusted with
temporal riches, may I consider myself as thy steward, to
whom I must give an account ; and keep me always poor
in spirit. If this should be a year of sorrow to me, yet
may I be enabled always to rejoice in God my Saviour
If a year of joy, yet may I sorrow that I do not love Thee
more. I am thine, do with me what Thou wilt, only bring
me to glory. "
The following entry, under the same date, refers to an
64 MEMOIRS OF THE
engagement which is the more precisely noted here, for a
reason which will presently appear : " 8 o'clock ; after
preaching, was invited by my dear brother, my class com-
panion, to come to a prayer-meeting, in Whitefriar's-street,
appointed for supplicating a revival of God's work among us
this year. Wruje on my knees, an unknown hand tapped
me on the shoulder to pray ; it was the first time I ever
prayed in public : I began in weakness, but, glory to God !
good was done, and I ended in great power. The meeting
continued till 11 o'clock."
Three days afterwards, he notices his attendance at the
Sunday-school in the forenoon ; and in the afternoon, that
he went to arrange "for our new school in Weaver's
Hall." la the evening of this first sabbath in the year,
he went to Whitefriar's-street meeting house, to hear his
" beloved Mr. Wood" preach, and where he " renewed the
covenant, with fear and trembling :" on reaching home, he
wrote, " 11 o'clock ; on my way home, I was musing upon
what I had done : saw that I had married myself to
Christ, to take him for better and worse, through honour
and dishonour ; and I saw the beauty of that passage in
the Revelations, ' behold the bridegroom cometh ; and the
bride, the lamb's wife, hath made herself ready.' Oh ! may
1 be pure, and chaste, and spotless, and worthy of this high
honour. The family were all in bed, and I had a fine
opportunity, which I improved by fervent prayer my soul
was watered abundantly."
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 65
The following evening at the class he experienced a
still more distinct manifestation of the divine presence and
approbation : he says, " though I obscured myself in a
dark corner of the meeting, yet God saw me, and I was
called upon to pray, though there were many in the meet-
ing much more able. I never experienced so much free-
dom ; I have reason to believe it was owned of God ;
three souls were set at liberty ' from the bondage of their
sins.'" At the conclusion of this day, after having
prayed three times in public, he exclaims, " where will all
this end f The next day, he was unanimously voted a
member of the " Praying Association," which engagement
required that he should exercise his gift publickly in the
chapels, as well as in private houses ; upon receiving his
appointment for Cork-street chapel, he repeats the excla-
mation, " where will this end V When the season for his
public officiation in the chapel arrived, his apprehensions
were disappointed he not only felt liberty but comfort.
This prepared him for the next turn, where, in consequence
of the local arrangements, his duty required him to ascend
the reading desk : he had never before been so conspicu-
ously elevated, and experienced in consequence a good
deal of agitation. Having a slight impediment in his
speech, he was apprehensive that he might stammer in
giving out the hymn. But he found how true was the
divine assurance, " cast your care upon me, and I will
sustain it ;" he felt no hesitation ; and much good was
done.
f2
66 MEMOIRS OF THE
He next ventured to speak his experience at a " Fellow-
ship meeting;" and on the ISthof January, at the instance
of his " dear class companion,"- he was induced to give a
brief extemporary exhortation at the conclusion of a prayer
meeting, held in Sweeney's lane. To use his own words,
" I arose with fear and trembling : it was the first time
that ever I exhorted (so formally, he means) in public or
private. Glory to God, he was my mouth, and though I
feared the impediment in my speech, I found no effect
from it I sang and prayed, and I believe good was done."
Thus, in the short space of three weeks, this sincere and
zealous disciple of the Lord Jesus, graduated from the
first public exercise of his talents in an obscure prayer
meeting, to the earliest display of those higher pulpit
qualifications, for which he became afterwards so pre-
eminently distinguished. It is a case happily illustrative
of that peculiarity in the system of Methodism, which
provides so admirably for the developement and occupancy
of whatever degrees of piety or intelligence may be pos-
sessed by any of its members.
Many persons will doubtless be inclined to regard this
rapid advancement on the part of Mr. Summerfield, either
as very presumptuous or very precocious. Some of his
slower -paced contemporaries were not slack in exercising
this prerogative : without, however, the slightest disposition
to impute improper motives to these inquisitors, it is grati-
fying to know that the subject of them was not only not
offended, but that he evinced at once his growth in grace
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 67
as well as in gifts, by the spirit and manner in which he re-
ceived (perhaps wholesome) animadversions. Those who
were fond of order in the prayer meetings, charged him
with being " too enthusiastic ;" and which grieved him the
most, professed to doubt whether he had even " experienced
the pardon of his sins." These allegations induced him to
exclaim in secret, " God, thou knowest my heart ! Thy
glory is the sole end I have in view :" and the next day,
after studying the scriptures for two hours, he adds " This
day I have been more earnest at the throne of grace, than
ever I was before. I have prayed six or seven times, at
great length, that I might not be deceived, and felt my soul
melted down in the furnace of love."
At this period, besides attending to numerous religious
engagements, and studying the Holy Scriptures systemati-
cally and almost incessantly, he was employed in various
household duties, which his past indiscretions having con-
tributed to impose, so his present humility influenced him
to perform. He likewise devoted a certain portion of each
day to the education of his younger sisters ; and withal,
attended to the settlement of various accounts connected
with his father's concerns. The adjudication of these
affairs was irksome to his spiritual sensibility, by bringing
him into contact with persons and circumstances ungenial
to the growth of piety ; and in one instance especially he
very narrowly escaped an unpleasant exposure in connexion
with the Marshalsea. His own account of this accident
is as follows : " I had this day a miraculous interposition
68 MEMOIRS OF THE
of Divine aid ; I was in a strait, owing to some error I had
committed in 's business, confined in the Marshall's,
which would have remanded him. I cried unto the Lord,
and he delivered me. He caused that the mistake was
not perceived by the officer of the court, though seven
persons were remanded for a far less trifling mistake. I
will glorify thy name, O Lord my God !" He but a few
days before prevailed upon his father to give to a person
whom he had arrested, a clear receipt against a bill of 300Z.,
for the consideration of a note for 50Z. payable in six
months.
The custom of waking with the dead, although of great
antiquity and extensively prevalent in Ireland, is so fre-
quently connected with social broils, and other circum-
stances of indecorum, that it would be much "more
honoured by the breach than the observance." This
practice, however, is not confined either to the poor or the
ignorant ; and the subjoined passage from Mr. Summer-
field's Diary at this period, will show that even such an
observance may be turned to spiritual account: "11
o'clock, I went to a wake of a dear brother, who had died
the day before in the Lord. Five of our brethren accom-
panied me ; we sat up all night : the room was filled with
a mixed society, Catholics and others : wet redeemed the
time. Having obtained the consent of the relations of the
deceased, we commenced singing a Hymn, which is a most
unheard of thing on these occasions, the time being usually
spent in mirth. I then went to prayer: after this we
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 69
spent the night betwixt singing and praying, and exhort-
ing, and religious conversation, and our little labours were
owned of God. Some were struck by his word and wept
aloud Glory to God !"
The following memorandum relative to the domestic
circumstances of Mr. Summerfield's family at this junc-
ture is affectingly interesting : " Dinner, and hearing my
sisters their lessons : my father coming home, I was desired
to go with him to buy some clothes. He expended 91.
He was in great want of clothes himself. I remarked with
joy, that the first thing he said, after buying a coat for
himself, was l now, I thank God, I can again attend the
means.' Lord, thou hast brought us very low, but thou
art again trying us with a little prosperity ; may we in
every state be faithful to Thee."
Filial obedience is a most excellent, and much too rarely
practised christian virtue. It is not only the " first com-
mandment with promise," in the law of God, but happily
one of the most beautiful and early instincts of our nature.
Alas ! how soon does the depravity of the human heart
manifest itself in rebellion against parental authority : and
it is no less a painful truth, that frequently the spiritual
children of God, fail rightly to reverence their earthly
parents. It is indeed matter of lamentation to see how
many fathers and mothers, instead of themselves obeying
the divine injunction to " bring up their children in the
nurture and admonition of the Lord," seem rather willing,
70 MEMOIRS OF THE
by their negligence, to disfranchise their offspring from
this paramount duty. It has already been shown that the
elder Mr. Summerfield was a man of God : to the utmost
of his ability he brought up his children in the way that
they should go. His son John, especially after his con-
version, not only duly reverenced his father as such, but re-
garded him as a christian professor of rare and ripe expe-
rience. He appears, however, to have inclined towards a
degree of strictness with reference to the subject of these
Memoirs, which might be partially attributable to the
past misconduct of the latter.
At prayer meetings, and other means of grace, as well
as in religious conversation with christian friends, Mr. Sum-
merfield was sometimes detained until a late hour in the
evening : this exposed him to the dissatisfaction and re-
monstrances of his father, who had generally on these
occasions to sit up, or rise from his bed to let him into the
house. While the Diary before me, contains towards the
commencement of his spiritual career, some entries gene-
rally compunctious, on this side of the question ; it pre-
sents correlatively and throughout, innumerable records
of the most delicate and affectionate expressions of filial
admiration as well as respect. " 24th January ; at family
prayer, this evening, the close of the week, my soul was
well watered. My father returned thanks most beautifully
for the mercies of the past year, which was spent in Lower
Mount-street ; and most pathetically implored Jehovah to
dwell with us in this house, not as a transient guest, but
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 71
as a stationary friend. In surveying the past year, I am
lost in thought ; the arm of the Almighty has been made
bare on our behalf, and has wrought miraculous deliver-
ances for us. We have known the want of bread last
year, and yet in this state our necessity proved the Lord's
opportunity. Oh, my Father, if my soul ever forget
Thee, may my right hand forget her cunning ! Oh ! that
all men would praise the Lord for his wondrous works,
and for his loving kindness to the children of men. For
my own part, my heart is this evening ready to burst with
a gust of his praise glory ! glory ! glory !" " 25th Jan.
Sunday. This being the first morning in our new abode,
and also the morning of the Lord's own day, my dear
parent dedicated it to His service, whose it properly was.
My soul was melted down, and I hope received more of the
heavenly mould. I remarked that my father was specially
thankful to God for afflictions nay, he even prayed to be
farther chastised if God saw it expedient, that he might
be drawn nearer and nearer to his Father. How unlike
many professors, who repine at these things and even I,
oh, what a lesson have I to learn !"
It is painful to shade so beautiful a picture of family
religion, with the following passage, referring to the evening
of the same day : " 11 o'clock, arrived home the family
all in bed. And now, a scene occurred, which stole from
me every blessing I had got to day. Satan truly presented
himself to me as an angel of light in this temptation.
My father reproved me for being out until so late an hour,
72 MEMOIRS OP THE
and threatened the consequences if I continued in the
practice. It was suggested to my mind by the author of
all evil, that I was suffering for the cause of Christ!
The bait was well gilded I I swallowed it ! With this idea,
I returned some very improper answers to my dear parent,
which wounded him in the tenderest part : he not knowing
that I was connected with any prayer meeting."
For the first time since his conversion, he retired to rest
without prayer ; and rose at seven next morning, " but
could not pray !" He felt that he had grieved the Holy
Spirit, and saw that he had fallen : and his compunctious
visitations derived an additional pang from the fact, that
although it was his duty to have apologized to his father
his father almost apologized to him. His mind was in
a most abject and distressed state ; he felt he had suffered
loss in his soul ; and could not even bring his mind to
go to his class in the evening, but early retired to bed. In
a dream of the night he was particularly impressed with
this passage : " If any man sin, we have an advocate with
the Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous." He rose
early next morning, convinced that this was a monition
from God ; took courage, and instantly set about recover-
ing the happiness he had lost. He attended the Soldier's
prayer-meeting in the evening, " and again tasted that the
Lord was gracious."
On the 31st of January, he writes thus : " This is my
birth-day. When I take a survey of the mercies of my
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 73
past life, and consider my poor returns, I am sunk in the
deepest humility before my God and Father. But I now
give myself anew to his service; I feel I am not my own;
and as I am this day at that maturity which the world
calls of age, when we cease to be children, I am fully deter-
mined to cease to be a child of the devil's any longer.
My father gave me most loving advice to day. Oh ! may
I improve by so good precepts."
74 MEMOIRS OF THE
SECTIOX V.
Studies incessantly thinks about the Christian ministry
health very delicate religious experience ardent piety
dreams.
The man who illustrates by his own practice, a mode
of cultivation by which two acres of ground may be made
to produce twice as much as they did before, is really a
greater benefactor to mankind, than he who shall discover
an island of two thousand acres extent, with but little
prospect of its ever being cultivated to any good purpose
at all. So, the individual, whose religious experience ex-
hibits most explicitly and successfully the progress of
that growth in grace, and the manifestation of those
" fruits of righteousness" that " peace and joy in the
Holy Ghost," which are expected to distinguish every
true believer in Christ Jesus, such individual does more
towards recommending the cultivation of evangelical vir-
tue among mankind, than he who presents unsuspected
peculiarities of christian character. In the moral as in
the material world, there exist, doubtless, immense tracts
of terra incognita ; but hot h, in a certain sense, appear to
have their limits : and it is as frequently the case that great
men are the creatures of circumstances, as that they are
the voluntary creators of their own high destinies. If
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 75
Summerfield had been born in the dawn of Christianity,
he might have been an apostle ; a century or two later,
and he might have won the crown of martyrdom ; the
contemporary of Luther, and he might have been a refor-
mer : on the other hand, had Columbus been the contem-
porary of Cooke, he might, like him, have circumnavigated
the globe, and, with him, have discovered sundry groups
of islands in the vast Pacific ; a hundred years later, and
he might, with Parry, have penetrated towards the pole.
It is said might, in the foregoing assumptions, because in
both cases the spirit was the same, but its operation was
limited as well as modified by circumstances. A greater
than Columbus may be born, but the world probably does
not contain an unexplored tract large enough to immor-
talize his discovery : a greater than St. Paul may be con-
verted, but (and with reverence be it spoken) Christianity
has not an untilled field equal to that which lay before the
apostle of the Gentiles.
These remarks are suggested, perhaps gratuitously
enough, by the acknowledged fact, that the Diary of Mr.
Summerfield, although rich in the memorials of happy
experience, must nevertheless be regarded as comparatively
poor in incident. This lack of what the world looks for
as " spirit-stirring" matter, is abundantly compensated to
the christian reader, by the very circumstance of its details
consisting mainly of what may be deemed the every day
trials of faith and patience, and overflowings of love and
gratitude, which self observers, who converse much with
76 MEMOIRS OF THE
their own hearts, know well how to appreciate in one
another. Nor is it perhaps either quite fair to the subject,
nor absolutely required by honesty, to concede even so
much. Events, which, from their rarity or romance of
occurrence, or the magnitude of their operations, are so
absorbing in many narratives of merely worldly interest,
have nevertheless, in most cases, but a fugitive impression ;
while in that little world of thought and feeling, which
lies within the circumference of every human heart, there
are incidents perpetually transpiring, unobserved by the
great world without, but which are of universal interest,
either as developing moral phenomena, or as connecting
generally with the hopes, the fears, the joys and the sor-
rows, the aims and the enterprises of all mankind.
It has already been intimated, how assiduously and
unremittingly Mr. Summerfield, at this time, applied him-
self to the systematic study of the Holy Scriptures, in con-
nexion with the usual expositors of sacred literature.
Under the date of Feb. 12, 1818, he writes "This day,
I purpose getting a flint and steel, as my fire is so often out,
that I am obliged to lie in bed till day-light, as was the
case this morning." On what small things frequently
depend our convenience, our happiness, nay, the most im-
portant issues of life itself ! The purchase of a flint and
steel, for a few pence, added at least two hours to his day,
during the winter months. Time je often cheaply sold,
sold for nought ; here it was cheaply bought ; the value
of the bargain to Summerfield, he now knows far better
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 77
than he did at the time, highly as he prized it ; for every
moment well employed on earth, hd!s its record and its reward
in eternity. How much his usefulness on earth may have
been improved by this recovery of time, (the most precious
talent, next to the grace of God to use it well,) it is vain to
speculate now. But let nobody who reads of this simple
incident, despise it ; let nobody be afraid or ashamed to go
and do likewise, to go and buy as much time by the sa-
crifice of sixpence, or the sacrifice only of an idle habit, or a
mischievous indulgence, as will purchase much temporal,
spiritual, and eternal enjoyment. It appears that he was
now in the habit of rising between four and five in the morn-
ing to his studies, and rarely retiring, until near midnight.
" Feb. 13. ( After private prayer, house matters, an hour
and a half studying Romans.) Read Young's Night
Thoughts till ten ; breakfast, &c. till quarter past ten,
when I resumed studying Romans unceasingly till half
past 12. Recreated in domestic affairs till one o'clock.
Resumed and continued unremittingly until a quarter
before three ; dined, &c. <fcc. ; half past three again resum-
ed the Romans, at which continued until half past five,
with an intermission of half an hour, during which time my
beloved John, my [class] leader, visited me. Half past five
to half past six, prepared to go out, domestic affairs, and
private prayer ; then went to the soldier's prayer meeting ;
from which I returned a quarter before eight : then supper,
and from half past eight to half past ten studied Prideaux's
Connexions, vol. 3. My father not come home, alarmed
g2
78 MEMOIRS OF THE
me, and so unhinged my mind, that I could read no more ;
I sent the children to befl, and spent an hour in prayer to
God, and serious self-examination. About half past eleven,
my father came in, and at twelve I went to bed. I watered
my pillow with tears of love to my sweet Jesus, and closed
my eyes as if in his arms." The foregoing is a fair sam-
ple of his diurnal occupations at this period, especially if we
add to it, the reading of Boss's Antiquities of Greece, and
such items as the following : " My father then came in ;
dined, and spent an hour in conversing with him on 7th
Romans."
Amidst these notices of intense study, of almost every
spare moment gathered up for communion with God ; at-
tendance at preaching, and prayer meetings, at regular
seasons, or when opportunities occurred, it is painful still
to learn, that he " came home (at half past ten) and was
censured again for late hours." At the recurrence of such
entries, this question .naturally obtrudes itself : Did not his
father yet know that he was connected with the prayer
meetings 1 If he did why is the son so often censured for
being so much, and so long, and it may be supposed, so
profitably engaged in them ? If he did not know, did he
not inquire how his son spent his evenings out till such late
hours ? Perhaps we ought to allow a father so peculiarly
circumstanced, the benefit of a hope, that if he erred in
being too strict in this matter, it was an error on the side
of christian as well as paternal prudence.
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 79
The aspirations of Mr. Summerfield's mind were almost
exclusively turned towards the work of God, and his ardour
in devotional exercises was so absorbing, that the interven-
tion of merely secular duties was not only cold and uninter-
esting, but frequently regarded as damping his spiritual
enjoyment. Indeed, the following entries shew with what
reluctance he engaged in worldly conversation. " Prayer
meeting in Park-Gate street ; Jesus was as good as his
promise ; we were all blessed. When I came home, my
father chid me for my neglect in and 's business :
my mind was so unhinged, I could not study for some time ;
however, we had family prayer," &c. " Went over to the
Marshal's, where I was detained on business till near one. I
then called on Wm. in street, and was pressed
into the parlour, where were two ladies, in whose company I
spent two hours I feel it was wrong my soul suffered
loss by it." How tender was his conscience ! Few persons
could see any sin in spending two hours in respectable so-
ciety ; nor perhaps was it otherwise wrong, than as he felt
it so much time lost from communion with God. How
few even of his fathers in the gospel would have manifested
such sensibility ! and to how many who might be disposed
to chide him for it as a weakness, might the young disciple
reply, in the words of the Saviour, when twelve years of
age, " Wist ye not that I must be about my father's busi-
ness ?" March 1. In the morning, after having spent
three hours in self-examination and prayer, he writes, "I
look for a special blessing from heaven to day." In the
forenoon " My soul is like liquid gold this morning : it is
80 MEMOIRS OF THE
softened by love, Oh ! Father ! now lay on thy blessed
seal!" At 11 o'clock, "went to Sunday school, which I
opened by prayer came away along with and ,
but I find an unspeakable loss in my soul in consequence
their conversation was of that loose and almost indecorous
nature, that I find I have lost my centre by mixing with
them, and [am] quite unfit for religious duties." Again :
" Went to 's, on business for my father ; they are an
ungodly family ; I have lost by my visit ; a lady was there,
^vho compelled me to write an acrostic extempore, I was
to blame for yielding." Next morning he exclaims, " Oh,
that I had not paid that worldly visit last night." Thus
anxious was he to respect that excellent rule of Methodistic
discipline : " Be serious ; let your motto be Holiness to the
Lord. Avoid all lightness, jesting, and foolish talking."
At this period his health was very delicate ; and he was
especially subject to a grievous head ache : this, united
with the intensity of his studies, and the apparent necessity
that existed for him to set about helping his father in some
way, induced him to think of giving up the management
of prayer meetings ; and, for some reason which docs not
so clearly appear, his attendance at class also ; still, how-
ever, he resolved to continue to pray that he might know
the will of God concerning him, and especially with re-
ference to the ministry.
Having experienced considerable relief to his head, in
consequence of following the example of Mr. Wesley, who,
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 81
under similar circumstances, consented to have his long
hair cut off he still continued his usual attendance at the
means of grace. In one instance, he observes, " I gave the
whole five shillings [part of which was borrowed] to my
class ; whether right or wrong, I know not ; but my poor
heart pitied Zion Only six members attended it. I was
quite dispirited, and got no blessing under the means my
mind is now, on this account, fully removed from all
thoughts of the Ministry ; and I informed my father that
I was bent on assisting him at his business." This is,
apparently, the first time of his naming the ministry as an
object of contemplation with him ; but it is evidently a
memorandum of only one of the conflicts in his mind on
this point, and the desponding result of many a previous
one. God, however, whose thoughts are not as our
thoughts, and whose ways are not as our ways, so far from
being about to desert his faithful servant to the errors of
his own imagination, appears rather by this process to
have been humbling him preparatory to the display of
more distinguishing spiritual revelations.
On the Sunday following, he went to the fellowship meet-
ing in Gravel Walk ; " a better time was never remembered ;
several were set at liberty ; I sang, prayed, and exhorted,
my cup did indeed run over." Next evening he adds
" Went to my class ; I am astonished at the goodness of God !
He makes my cup run over : I concluded by prayer, and the
Lord owned me wonderfully ; many declared it was the best
class we ever had. God can raise up stones to praise him."
82 MEMOIRS OF THE
Mr. Summerfield, from his childhood upward, manifested a
disposition the reverse of stoical, and this he mainly inhe-
rited from his father. Strong feelings were familiar to
him. High enjoyments or deep distress. His cup running
over with sweetness, or with bitterness. These very
frames, so exquisitely quick to feel and to be moved by
every touch of joy or woe, gave his whole subsequent life
(especially in his ministerial labours) its peculiar character,
and constituted him the preacher, who could, by sympathy,
raise the most powerful and passionate emotions in his
audiences.
The exercises of his mind were at this time very vio-
lent, feeling, as he did, a desire to be devoted wholly to
the service of God, and, at the same time, a necessity laid
upon him to give more of his attention to some kind of
secular labour. Still, however, he clung close to the rock
of his help : toward the middle of March, he thus records
his lamentation and his resolution : " How little have I
studied in the past week ! I am resolved to give new edge
to my exertions."
" Ask, and ye shall receive ; seek, and ye shall find,"
is the language of Him who holds the dispensation of all
spiritual blessings ; and Summerfield was not one who
pleaded coldly or unbelievingly for any of the precious
promises of the gospel ; and on this occasion, especially, he
experienced a new and deep baptism of the Holy Ghost.
Being on a Sunday afternoon, with a few other religious
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. S3
persons, at the house of a friend, he writes: "I was
never in my life possessed of such feelings. While sitting
in silence, the words, ' I have loved thee with an everlast-
ing love,' flashed into my mind in so sweet a^paanner, that
I could not contain ; I burst into tears ; all wondered at the
cause ; a Hymn book was handed me ; I sung and
prayed ; and that night I received an unction from the
Holy One ! Glory be to Jesus !" When he awoke next
morning, he "found the fire alive within -the love was
burning." At half past six he went to the prayer meet-
ing, where, says he, " my soul was so overpowered with the
love of Jesus that I wept amain. I was often inclined to
go out, that I might roar out the pantings of my soul.
For the first time, dear brother M'Dowall called on me to
pray. I scarcely could utter words for weeping ; but my
heart was full full full ; many will remember the
morning."
The habitual tendency of his soul towards the object of
its supreme love, is strikingly indicated by such entries
as the following : " Being alone, I snatched the oppor-
tunity, and spent half an hour in secret intercourse with
heaven. Oh ! that I could pray always ! 3 to 5, unceas-
ingly studied Taylor's Key. Being again left alone, I.
snatched another half hour to converse with my Beloved."
" My sisters went out, and Jesus did certainly spend
those three hours with me." What blessed oppoitunitie3
were these to him, when the members of the family were
all absent, and he was left alone yet was ho not alone,
34 MEMOIRS OF THE
for Jesus made his sweetest visits to him then ; as himself
testifies : " My sisters are gone to spend the day out,
and I am alone with Jesus."
*
Summerfield watched lay in wait, as it were for
special opportunities for private devotion, when he could
uninterruptedly cry aloud in prayer to God. How much
have they to answer for to their own souls, who never enter
into their closets, shut to the door, and then pray to their
Father which seeth in secret ; or if they do, slink from
secular engagements to this duty as to a task, and come
away, not lightened of a burthened conscience, but as
released from a necessary penance to keep conscience quiet
under its burthen. O what a mercy it is to feel that burthen
intolerable ! to lie down under it at the Redeemer's feet,
like the woman who was a sinner, and though we speak
not a word for shame and sorrow, determine never to rise
again, till he says, "Thy sins, which are many, are forgiven
thee :" at least, never till we know that we are sincerely,
and with our whole heart, asking the blessing, and believing
that we shall have it according to our faith, in the Lord's
time. That time indeed is now for all his time is now,
who is " the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever," but
sometimes ours is " not yet." Even then when he comes
to deliver, He may say to us, with the rebuke of kindness,
" O ye of little faith, why did ye doubt ?"
A few miscellaneous entries from his Diary at this time,
may be with propriety introduced here. " Spent two
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 85
hours in reading Clarke, and discoursing on it with my
father, from whom I received more light than from the
Doctor." This able commentary was a great favourite
with him, and " unceasingly studied" at this time. The
truly spiritual writings of Fletcher, however, were still
more deeply interesting to him, and it is not too much to
suppose, that his whole soul and character received a very
powerful bent from the contemplation of the personal as
well as the polemical sanctity of this able and pious author.
He devoted some time to the " learning of short hand,
trusting that it might be of use," and likewise "exercised on
the Piano." His taste for music had been cherished, if
not contracted, at the Moravian seminary; and might
justly be so, as an accomplishment not without many
advantages to a preacher. With reference to stenography,
he appears either not to have studied it successfully, or to
have abandoned it as inconvenient in practice, as no traces
of it are observable among his papers a circumstance of
no regret to his biographer, who, whatever be his opinion
of its utility in many cases, feels glad that he is absolved
from the task of decyphering it in this. " March 22,
went to Werberg's church, and for the first time, received
.he memorials of the death of my Lord. It was to me a
most solemn occasion, and I could indeed feelingly say
with the poet :
' My Jesus to know, and feel his blood flow,
; Tis life everlasting 'tis heaven below.' "
H
86 MEMOIRS OF THE
Being invited to take breakfast out, he observes : " As I
purposed this day to, mortify the body, I took two cups of
tea ; afterwards was called on to pray all the family were
assembled." At noon, he adds, after studying for two
hours Clarke on the Hebrews " The family then going
to dine, I walked out pursuant to my design, and went to
the Park; having found a sequestered spot, I wrestled
with God till neat 4 o'clock, and was greatly blessed.
Returned home, and after domestic matters, I went to the
Soldiers' meeting, where I sung and prayed." After read-
ing the foregoing memorial of his fast, and when we re-
collect that his retirement to the Park was in the cold
month of March, we cannot, without being affected, meet
with the following item about a fortnight afterwards:
" April 12 This is my dear father's birth day, aged 48.
Dined on cdcoa, as we had no money. It is much better
than we deserve."
" April 10. I have had a strange dream about the
preachers, in which and were concerned I regard
it as a mission from God to me ;" the night following,
"I dreamed that Mr. Cobain came to me, and remarked that
it would be better, if I would get a coat, &c. of a more
suitable colour for the work of God. What can I do ? I
have no means, but Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Jireh."
Nearly all persons dream at one time or ( another, and
there are perhaps but few who do not pay some attention
to such dreams as are very remarkable. It would, indeed,
as little argue wisdom in a man of God, altogether to dis-
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 87
card, as implicitly to observe, every impression made upon
the mind during sleep ; wise and good men have never
acted exclusively, either on one side or the other. Sum-
merfield, therefore, is not to be blamed for paying some
attention to that phenomenon, which patriarchs, prophets,
apostles, and confessors in all ages, have acknowledged as
one of the modes chosen by the Almighty for the com-
munication of his will. " For God jpeaketh once, yea
twice, yet man perceiveth it not. In a dream, in a vision
of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slum-
berings upon the bed ; then he openeth the ears of men,
and sealeth their instruction."* The fantastic frivolity of
dreams in general, need no more prevent a holy man from
attending to any good communication which may be made
to him in his sleep, than the folly of the waking hours of
those around him, ought to deter him from an attempt to
counteract their evil communications; because, being "asleep
in their sins," it may be emphatically said " they know
not what they do."
* Job xxxiii. ver. 14 16.
88 MEMOIRS OF THE
SECTION VI.
Received as a local preacher attention to domestic duties
visits for the " Stranger's Friend Society" anxieties about
his ministerial call overtaken with a fault excessive fast-
ing removal to Cork entire devotedness to God.
We now come to contemplate Mr. Summerfield in hi9
introduction to that high and important office, which had
so long been the object of his holy ambition, as a member
of the Methodist society. As a prayer leader as an ex-
horter as a visiter of the sick as a Sunday school teach-
er as a speaker at the conversation meetings of Christian
brethren as a class leader as a rich and fluent scriptu-
rist, and above all, as a young man of fervent piety, and,
considering his years, of deep experience, Mr. Summerfield
was justly esteemed by those of his friends who were best
acquainted with him, as the possessor of gifts and graces far
above the ordinary rank. While, therefore, his youth, and
the official responsibility of his elders, justified the pru-
dence exercised toward him ; his own conduct, from the
period of his conversion to the termination of his life, never
afforded a single incident to lead any individual to suspect,
much less to say, that his elevation had been too precipi-
tate, or his progress too rapid.
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 89
It is well known to persons acquainted with the admirable
economy of the Methodist society, that between the de-
scription of persons, whose engagements are intimated above,
and the regularly itinerating ministers, there is an impor-
tant class of labourers, designated local preachers ; individu-
als of accredited piety, whose mouths God has opened to
call sinners to repentance, and to declare to them the sal-
vation that is in and by Jesus Christ. These men, un-
learned as they often are, deserve not only to be regarded
with honour " for their work's sake," but with astonishment,
on account of the original talents and uncommon experi-
ence which many of them possess. . Philosophy or even
philosophical religionists, would often be justly surprised to
hear, on the Sabbath day, men who, during the other six
days, labour incessantly for the bread that perisheth, to
hear such men eloquently declare from the pulpit the won-
derful works of God.
In this rank of preachers, therefore, Mr. Summerfield
took his place; and it was while graduating therein, that
his pulpit ministrations attracted toward him such unwont-
ed popularity. It may, however, be interesting to notice
some of the steps by which he ultimately, as a regular
preacher, ascended to the sacred desk.
He had frequently delivered brief, and occasionally more
lengthened exhortations at prayer meetings, and elsewhere,
as well as expatiated upon given passages of Scripture, at
religious "conversation meetings;" but he had never spoken
h2
90 MEMOIRS OF THE
publicly from any text, until Thursday morning, April 23,
1818, when, being at the six o'clock service at Gravel
Walk Chapel, in Dublin, he was called upon to officiate
in a more formal manner : but his own statement of the
case, made only for his private information, and in the
simplicity of his heart, will be acceptable : " Mr. M'Dowall
commenced by singing and prayer, then called me forward
to read and exhort; I never spoke before from any passage
in the word of God ; this, then, was my first attempt. I
read part of the 4th chapter of Paul's second Epistle to Tim.
My master was with me ; I spoke fluently, and though I
have a defect in my speech, I felt nothing of it I take it
to be a token of good from God. ' Whatever thou hast
for me to do, oh ! prepare me for it ; only make me a holy
Christian !' " His second attempt was on the Monday fol-
lowing, at the same chapel. " I had," says he, " to carry
on the meeting alone I sang twice, prayed twice, and ex-
horted for about half an hour, on the 13th and 14th verses
of 1st chapter of Ephesians ; this is my second attempt,
though this was more immediately in the form of a sermon.
I felt great liberty, and I hope good was done." After a
few days he repeated the experiment at the same chapel,
preaching from Rev. chap. ii. ver. 1-7.
That this auspicious advent of Ins highest hopes, was
not unaccompanied by corresponding trials, will sufficiently
appear from the following passages from his diary. " April
15, wrote yesterday to Mr. Jones, applying for a situation
in his concerns this I did at my father's desire I am
REV. JOHB SUMMERFIELD. 91
perfectly resigned; I have made it a matter of prayer; I
am in the hands of God : my body and soul are both his
own let Him do what seemeth Him good." Again ;
" April 30, my father came home, having left Jones's em-
ploy: what has God now in store for us? Is his fatherly
hand about to use the chastening rod again ? Father, if it
be possible, avert the cup ; if not, thy will be done ! Amen.
He has appointed me to go in the morning to Newtown
park." Again ; " May 1, I went to Newtown park with
my father, and returned at half past 6 this evening. This
is my first day's work for many years."
As the family were in very straightened circumstances,
while they resided in Ireland, an emotion of surprise may
be excited during the perusal of the first year and a half
of these diurnal entries, that amidst all the memorandums
of morning, noon, and evening meals, and devotional and
studious occupations, he seems to have followed no regular
employment, as a clerk or otherwise, though he often
speaks of being occasionally so engaged ; as for instance :
" June 8th, from the 18th May to this time, I have been
more or less concerned every day in worldly business, and
could not get disentangled therefrom." Was he, it will
naturally be enquired by some, all this time a burthen of
expense (in no other respect could such a man be a bur-
then to those who loved him best) to his father ? To this
not unreasonable enquiry, it may be replied, first it is
certain that upon his father devolved mainly the necessity
of supporting his son ; which, however, there is no reason
92 MEMOIRS OiyTHE
to believe he at this time felt to be burthensome. Secondly,
as they appear to have kept no servant, and his sisters
being too young to be entrusted with housekeeping, he
seems not only to have attended to their education, but
to have managed entirely the domestic affairs of their
little establishment innumerable proofs of his being thus
engaged daily while at home occur in the diary. Thirdly,
he did, moreover, occasionally at least, employ himself in
writing, &c. as noticed before. Fourthly, and this is very
important so far from being idle, in any sense of the
word, he was indefatigable as a student of the Holy Scrip-
tures, and of works of Theology ; and Fifthly, he had
a strong, an abiding, and a reasonable presentiment, that
God had designed him for, and would in his own time and
way, bring him into the ministry. These remarks are
not made with the view of justifying at all a similar course
in any other individual ; much less for the purpose of in-
ducing any other young man to adopt a like conduct ;
but merely for the requisite purpose of showing, that if
Mr. Summerfield was led by his peculiar circumstances to
pursue a line of conduct in this respect, which, according
to the usual arrangements of providence, some might
regard as an exception to the general rule, the result, in his
case, justified the experiment.
It is pleasant, however, to turn from these onerous ex-
tenuations of his conduct in one particular relation, to the
gratifying fact, that having found access to the pulpit, and
acceptance among the preachers, he resolved to devote
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 93
himself with double diligence to secure the richer and
more abundant outpourings of the spirit of God upon his
own soul. For instance : " May 6th, rose at 5, and retired
into the garden for meditation and prayer, which occupied
me an hour. I find I should grow in grace more, if I
prayed in private more ; all the public means of grace will
not compensate me in this respect. By the grace of God,
and relying on his divine aid, I purpose beginning from
this day to pray in private five times every day." How-
ever improbable it may be that he should have long kept
such a resolution, or questionable the propriety of having
vowed to keep it at all, it appears from subsequent allusion,
that it was observed by him at least for some time with
religious scrupulosity, and corresponding advantage.
Every thing done faithfully to the Lord hath its peculiar
reward.
They who have most largely experienced the influences
of the grace of God, and consequently discovered most
deeply the innate corruption of their own hearts are
alone able to understand what is meant by those tempta-
tions from the world, the flesh, and the devil, to which a
spirit seeking to increase in holiness is peculiarly exposed.
To such only, will the following sentence be at all intel-
ligible, occurring, as it does, amidst notices of prayer, almost
literally " without ceasing," and the most unremitting ex-
ertions for the salvation of souls: "Unceasing meditation
on the word of God Private prayer and self-examina-
94 MEMOIRS OP THE
tion in the presence of God Oh, my sins of Omission,
Omission, Omission.
'Lord, grant me mercy for the past,
And grace for time to come.' "
Such was the daily practice such the ingenuous confes-
sion of the conscientious John Summerfield, when a chris-*
tian of little more than twelve months standing. " Who
then is that faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord
when he cometh shall find so doing ?" that he shalt not
have occasion, not only to say, " I am an unprofitable ser-
vant, I have done only that which it was my duty to do,"
but rather to cry " Omission, Omission, Omission !"
Sunday morning, June 14th, half past 8, " came home
(from preaching ;) my mind was in an unusually happy
frame this morning ; I could weep all the day long ; I fear
some temptation is at hand I could scarcely restrain my
feelings under family prayer. I retired immediately to
the garden, and such a sweet powerful time of prayer I
don't remember." This is a very touching scene of per-
sonal experience : but still, amidst this rush of happy feel-
ing, a still small voice whispered, " Rejoice with trembling :"
he was so happy, that he feared some temptation was near.
These are delicate but perilous feelings ; and we shall often
be discouraged if we measure our love and faith by the
sensible measure of peace that passeth understanding, and
joy unspeakable and full of glory, which are permitted
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 95
only as occasional antepasts of heaven, while we are tra-
velling through thorns and briars in a world yet under the
primal curse, though, wherever that curse hath reached,
blessed by the footsteps of the second man, the Lord from
heaven, who is with his servants alway and every where,
even to the end of the world, when they preach the
gospel.
Candour, however, requires that it be added, that the day
alluded to at the commencement of the preceding paragraph,
terminated with an incident much less pleasing than that
which characterized its beginning. After a day spent in
religious duties, he remained with a pious friend until near
11 o'clock, after which he returned home, and "was locked
out Lay at an Inn this night." Allusion has been pre-
viously made to a mischance of this kind there is how-
ever no subsequent instance of its repetition. Tt was
indeed an early hour, at which to be locked out. Such
strict family discipline within doors could hardly be right
in this case, since it exposed those who were unfortunately
out of doors when the key turned, to inconvenience, ex-
pense, temptation, danger, and perhaps scandal as professors
of religion. It would be unjustifiable to blame the father
for this exercise of parental authority but oh ! what
would many fathers, who have not such sons as Summer-
field, give to open the door to their children of dissipation
at no later an hour ? Three days afterward, in accounting
as usual for all his time, he incidentally writes : 10
o'clock, "came home and staid up for my father till 11
96 MEMOIRS OF THE
o'clock and retired, after private prayer to my God."
Amongst other pious engagements which about this
period occupied the attention of Mr. Summerfield, was
that of taking appointments on behalf of the " Stranger's
Friend Society." This praise- worthy institution, so admi-
rably calculated to exercise the gifts and graces of a
zealous convert, was established in Dublin by Dr. Adam
Clarke, in the year 1790, for the purpose of visiting and
relieving strangers in distress, as well as the resident in-
dustrious and sick poor of every denomination throughout
the city and its vicinity ; and of accompanying their visits
with small gifts of money, religious instruction, and prayer.
The Society continues in operation to this day, and its
agents are all members of the methodist society, and con-
sist of three classes, viz. Local Preachers Exhorters and
those who have the gift of public prayer. By the sub-
scriptions and donations of the public to this work of mercy,
the managers are enabled to distribute about five hundred
pounds per annum sometimes more. The field of labour
opened by this society attracted Summerfield soon after
his conversion : " I, who am myself only a stranger in
Dublin, am anxious to become a stranger's friend," said
he ; and the salutary discipline which he therein experi-
enced, quite justified the following sentiments in a letter
from his esteemed friend and class-leader Patrick French :
" I am very glad that you have taken occasional ap-
pointments for the Strangers' Friend Society. I know
REV. JOHN SUMMERPIELD. 97
them well. They were my best friends, and from experi-
ence, I assure you, that being directed by them, either
directly or indirectly, will secure you the means of enjoying
the approbation of God. When I joined that society, I was
a stranger to all in Dubjin, with a few exceptions but
having given myself to them, and their work, I met with
some crosses, many blessings, and abundant consolations.'"
It may here without impropriety be noted, that " Social
Meetings" for religious conversation, at which the members
of the various societies in Dublin took breakfast, or after-
noon tea, together, are still kept up, and in them is main-
tained a general and profitable religious conversation, which
is made a peculiar blessing to the persons present. These
interviews were very interesting to Summerfield, and* fre-
quent allusions to them occur in the Diary : the following
exhibits a delicate trait : " attended our social meeting.
Arranged for the ensuing breakfast It is my turn to
invite I will therefore invite my father, as we expect
William Bunting, Mr. Gaulter, &c. to it, and I know I
could not give lnm a higher gratification."
On the 23d of June, he made the annexed memoran-
dum, which appears too interesting to be omitted: "Mrs.
Campbell has desired my father to let me spend the entire
of this day with her dying son. May I go filled with
the spirit of prayer ! I went, &c. I staid there to break-
fast, and remained till 2 o'clock. He is very happy ; I
read Baxter's dying thoughts for him, and commented
98 MEMOIRS OF THE
thereon : I prayed with the family my own soul was
watered also." After dinner, he adds, " Mrs. Campbell
has desired me to spend the whole night with William.
I am very unwell myself ; yet if it be the will of my Mas-
ter, I will go notwithstanding this." He went accordingly,
but found his friend, " no more a man ! he was now be-
come an angel ; 1 remained with the beautiful clay all
night Oh ! that I was landed as safely beyond the
stream !" How short a time sufficed to realize this ardent
aspiration !
The precision with which he notes the various emotions
connected with the composition and delivery of his pulpit
discourses ; and his record of the slightest intimations of
approbation or otherwise, expressed by the preachers, all
tend to illustrate the undoubted fact, that he very carefully
watched every movement of the finger of God in this
momentous affair. Indeed it is evident, from several
incidental expressions, that his mind was labouring from
day to day, in anxious suspense, as if he waited for some
providential change, some call from God, which should
decide the future course and complexion of his life. He
seems loss to have aimed at a distinct object consciously
at least, than to have expected some such manifestation as
should decide for him : it is indeed abundantly evident, that
with heart, soul, mind, and strength, he had been preparing
for the ministry, and longing to be clearly and effectually
brought into it, not of his own will only, but by the will
of God : indeed, the former appears to have been so reso-
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 99
lutely submitted to the latter so conscientiously sacrificed
to it that he was hardly aware of its survival in himself.
This perfect resignation accounts, too, for that absence of
anxiety, so nearly resembling indifference, with which he
regarded any prospect of a permanent situation ; for in-
stance, after naming an individual, he says " He proposed
for my acceptance the probability of a situation in
of 60 or 701. pe# annum. Judging that this might be of
God, I told him that if it offered, I would not refuse it if
it be thy will, my Lord ! open thou the way." The way
however remained closed God had other work for him
to do.
Under July 13th, he writes: "Heard Gideon Ousely, on
loving God with all the heart, mind, soul, and strength.
Came home, and after sweet private prayer, retired. I
was much blessed under Gideon Ousely, and very near
the attainment of the blessing I so much desire. My mind
was kept in a sweet frame all the evening. Is a fall, or
even a deep temptation, at hand ?" Next morning, he con-
tinues, " found Jesus remarkably present ; I could scarcely
do any thing this morning but pray and weep. I don't
know when I was in so happy a frame : my head was a
fountain of tears, my heart was broken, and the healing
balm began to flow into my soul. I fear I shall slip : this
happy frame, is to me a presage of a sore temptation
watch and pray."
100 MEMOIRS OF THE
A powerful temptation icas at hand. Satan, who had
laid a snare in the way of a secular engagement, into
which, much against his inclination, Mr. Summerfield had
to enter the following afternoon, was but too successful in
bringing his conscience into bondage. The enemy having
so far succeeded with the temptation, then came in as a
flood upon him. " I felt (says he) the conflict between
conscience and Satan, and in two attacks I gave him the
repulse : he renewed the effort, and mji will consented.
Oh, the mercy that God did not strike me dead !" He
felt unutterable pangs of conscience, at the recollection of
this fault, (having while settling an affair of business, been
induced to take a part of a pint of porter, which, as he
was unaccustomed to it, affected his head,) and when he
reached home, he indeed knelt down in his agony, but
instead of that sweet intercourse with heaven, which he
had experienced on the preceding evening, he could not
even speak in prayer ; his strength had departed, and
amid bursting sighs, and with a heavy heart, he retired to
rest.
The following morning he rose at half past five, and
attempted to pray ; " but oh ! (he exclaims) how dead was
every power of my soul Father, forgive, forgive !" In
the evening, he preached to the old men, at the hospital,
from James, chap. iv. 8 10. " Draw nigh to God, and
he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners ;
and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted,
and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned ,o
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 101
mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves
in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."
Whatever may have been the advantages of this sermon
to the hearers, the preacher appears to have experienced
the blessing promised in the text : " I had (says he) no
power in myself ; however, sinful as I am, I put the
Lord to his promise, and found him faithful my natural
impediment (of speech) was gone, and I never spake so
free from it before. It was a blessed time, and I myself
was refreshed. Strange to say, after the meeting, I lost
this liberty of speech, and could not speak three words
together." He then, in connexion with a subsequent en-
gagement and blessing on the same day, makes the fol-
lowing curious remark with reference to a peculiar affec-
tion in the muscles of his tongue, which he occasionally
mentions. " Was at Gravel Walk prayer meeting I
was called to the desk, to conclude the meeting ; I never
was in such a state before : I could not even speak ! This
is truly my thorn in the flesh. However, I raised my
heart and eyes to heaven, and gave out, l Salvation, oh ! the
joyful sound !' &c. I cast myself into my Saviour's anns,
and began to pray ; but oh ! wonderful to tell ! my tongue
was loosed ; the Holy Ghost came down ; nothing but
loud weeping, and echoing amens, were heard in all parts
of the house, and my own voice lost. The power was
evidently of God, and not of man I believe many will
have cause to remember it."
As this is the only instance of his being so overtaken,
i2
102 MEMOIRS OF THE
which occurred in the whole course of his christian life, it
may be thought by some of the readers of these memoirs,
that the strictest fidelity in a biographer hardly required
the introduction of such a comparatively trifling incident.
If, however, any individual who may happen to peruse
these pages, should be so unhappily constituted, as to
derive any, even the slighest, motive for exultation in this
" fault of his brother," let such an one remember, that
the foregoing circumstance is mentioned, not even to gra-
tify an idle curiosity, but rather as the only proof I shall
henceforward be able to produce, on the ground of any
overt defalcation in his religious conduct, that Mr. Sum-
merfield, amidst all his excellencies, was " a man of like
passions with ourselves." On the other hand, if any
young man of sanguine temperament, should in some
unguarded moment have sinned " after the similitude of his
transgression," let him imitate this penitent disciple of
the Lord Jesus, in seeking pardon, and like him he will
find it.
It will be no trespass on the reader's patience to notice
another entry, made on the evening of the day last men-
tioned : " Came home, and after much fervent prayer, in
which I found Jesus ready to give me the kiss of peace,
but yet some hinderance in me retarded it I retired to rest,
and sensibly felt I should close my eyes under the protec-
tion of Heaven. Oh ! for a thousand tongues ; a thou-
sand, thousand tongues !" It may not be uninteresting
just to remark, in reference to a striking phrase in the
MEMOIRS OF THE 103
preceding extract, that in the Moravian " Reception Litur-
gy," as it is called, there is a Hymn, beginning,
" In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord !"
This is sung on the reception of members into the con-
gregation, and contains the following line :
"May He give you his kiss of peace."
The phrase is evidently a recollection of Summerfield's
school exercises at Fairfield, and is used by him, as well
as among the brethren, to denote pardon, acceptance, and
fellowship with the Lord Jesus.
After mentioning with great humility the fact, that at
one place in the country there had been but five hearers
on the preceding sabbath, but that he had a congre-
gation of twenty, and moreover, that one of the friends
complained, that as some of the young men who had been
sent out there were not such as they liked, they would
only receive three ; he adds, " Lord ! make me more hum-
ble I was one of the three !-Thou, oh ! my God, shalt
have the honour ! I will put the crown on no head but
thine ! Have I a gift ? Thou bestowedst it ! Oh ! grant
me more grace /" After preaching in the evening of the
same day, (July 19,) he thus writes in the diary : " It
was a season of blessing here also. Go where I will, if in
the true spirit of sincerity, I meet my Master God won-
104
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD.
derfully subdued the thorn in my flesh I never spoke
with such fluency and ease to myself. Bless and magnify
thy God ! oh ! my soul. I am now fasting thirteen hours ;
I have walked many miles, and twice preached till I am
quite hoarse ; yet I am neither weak nor weary ; I could
go again, if called to it, to hold a third meeting. He won-
derfully supports my body on these occasions ; though I
want bodily food, yet having fed my soul, I feel no lack."
It is not quite clear from these words, whether the pro-
tracted abstinence to which they refer was casual or volun-
tary ; but from Mr. Summerfield's practice, the latter is
rather to be apprehended. If so, what are we to say about
such fasting, and labouring, not with the spirit only, in
agony of prayer, but with all the bodily powers in preach-
ing ? This is a delicate question ; and though I shall
neither dispute nor dogmatize in a matter where the ex-
ample of our Saviour, the practice of the Christian Fathers,
the rubrics of the Church of England, and even the notifi-
cations of the Methodist Society, are express I cannot but
observe, at the same time, that to the slow but eventual
substitution of unscriptural austerities against nature, for
the fruits of grace in the soul, may be attributed, as much
as to any other cause, the demoralization ar\^ downfall of
the Romish Church. Fasting must, however, be good, if
it is done with simplicity of heart, and discretion as to the
time and measure of the exercise. After all, it is a penance,
and may be a snare ; for a tender conscience may mistake
a yoke gratuitously taken up, and violently enforced
MEMOIRS OF THE 105
against nature, for a cross imposed by our Saviour. There
is indeed no command in the Gospel to fast ; but divines
have generally concurred with the idea, that as Christ
mentions it with alms-giving and prayer, which are un-
questionable duties, and moreover as he may be said to
have given directions concerning the right performance of
it, in his sermon on the mount, it is a salutary, if not a
necessary discipline. It is a " voluntary humiliation," and
though it may be profitable, yet they must be well per-
suaded in their own minds who use it, lest they bring
themselves under condemnation when they neglect it. It
may perhaps be laid down as a general and safe rule, with
few exceptions, that fasting, in the less severe acceptation
of the term, as implying a partial abstinence from custo-
mary food, the better to prepare the spirit for devotional
exercises, is a sacrifice acceptable in the sight of God ;
whereas, perpetual maceration, or other injurious treatment
of the body, is neither to be practised nor recommended ;
for such a course we have no authority from Christ, neither
from the Church. It is rather, however, to be feared that,
at present, the chief danger lies in the opposite direction.
The Methodist Conference in England authorizes what
are called " Quarterly Fast" days ; the observance of
which, however, is either very lax, or totally disregarded,
among the society.
Mr. Summerfield is now to be viewed, as labouring in a
new section of that extensive field of usefulness providen-
tially opened for him in Ireland. His father had been for
106 MEMOIRS OF THE
some time engaged by Mrs. Barnes in the management of
the general machine manufactory, in Miller-street, Cork ;
to this city, at the call of his father, this youthful, lovely,
and zealous apostle of our Lord Jesus, instantly repaired.
He left Dublin for Cork on the 23d of July, 1818, and ar-
rived at the latter place on the following evening, and con-
trary to his expectations, no worse in body, next morning,
although he had ridden on the outside of the coach, and
been thoroughly drenched with rain. He thus notices his
reception by his father and Mrs. Barnes : " Went to Han-
over-street Foundry, to seek my father, but was sent from
there to Miller-street, where I found him in good health,
and experienced from him another token of that love,
which he has always manifested towards me. At 9 o'clock
I was introduced to Mrs. B., the lady on whose business I
came here. I breakfasted with her, and was most wel-
comely received. This day I employed in settling myself
in my new lodgings at her house." In the evening, he
continues " Mrs. B , my father, and I, set off in the
steam packet for Cove, where her family have lodgings
for water advantages. I was highly charmed with my
new travelling machine, and with the surrounding scenery :
but alas ! ' This is not like my God,' and yet my heavenly
Father made all these."
The next day being the Sabbath, he piously and ap-
propriately remarks : " This morning I had that leisure,
which I could not before meet with since I came to Cork.
I bought up the moments, and earnestly dedicated myself
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 107
to God in this novel country ; I besought his grace to
enable me to walk circumspectly before all, and preserve a
conscience void of offence. I scarcely recollect so great a
sense of the divine presence. May I watch the finger of
Providence in this my call to this part of the country, and
trace his hand in all the events of my life !"
The divine hand for it was manifestly no other soon
pointed out a way of employment, very different from that
which was the more immediate object of his visit to Cork ;
for although he entered promptly upon Mrs. Barnes' busi-
ness, and sundry entries occur of his diligence therein,
yet his talents and piety being discovered and appreciated,
he was presently almost exclusively engaged in preaching
for one or other of the Methodist ministers, who really
appear to have had too little consideration about his deli-
cate frame, upon which he had no mercy himself ; while
the people exercised still less forbearance in the mode and
measure of their approbation of his pulpit labours. These
things find their solution perhaps their apology in the
fact, that the uncommon fervour of his discourses, was
generally accompanied by abundant manifestations of the
divine presence.
The following naive entry occurs, under Sunday, Aug.
2nd : " This promises to be a high day with me ; I found
Jesus truly precious in my morning prayer. 10 o'clock,
went to Patrick street heard Mr. Waugh on Peace in all
things, by all means, &c. and now, how can I describe my
10S MEMOIRS OF THE
feelings, when, after morning worship, Mr. Stewart rises
up, and publishes these words : c Brother Summerfield,
from Dublin, a member of the Strangers' Friend Society-
there, will preach at 5 o'clock this evening at Douglas
Brother Summerfield from Dublin,' he repeated. I knew
not whether I was sittmg or standing : I was thrown into
such a state of perturbation He mistook me ; I am no
member of that society ;" [not perhaps in the strict sense
-^-but he had often preached for them ;] " and to invite
immortal souls to come to hear me ! and this my first regu-
lar sermon, exceeded the powers of my mind to bear under ;
I hurried home, and found the way to my closet and
found my God there Glory to Him !" At five o'clock, he
repaired to the preaching house, which was crowded to
excess. After casting himself by private prayer into the
arms of his blessed Master, he gave out his favourite Hymn,
" Oh ! what shall I do, my Saviour to praise," and then
preached three quarters of an hour from Romans, viii. 32.
He felt great liberty in the pulpit, and probably regarded
the whole service as a happy presage of his future destiny,
for he thus writes concerning it : " Thus have I com-
menced on this (to me) memorable day. And now l I'll
praise my Maker while I've breath :' my heart warms in
the work, and I am determined to lay myself out for God."
How emphatically he acted upon this determination, the
subjoined entry, relative to his engagement on the follow-
ing Wednesday, will partially show: "7 o'clock, I set
off to Blackpool ; the place was again crowded to excess.
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 109
Oh ! my God, did I speak, and did they hear, for eternity !
I was as wet with the heat as if I had been dragged
through water. I exerted too much, and preached near
an hour ; besides the singing and prayer : but who could
forbear ? If I injure my body, I cannot restrain : I hur-
ried home ; muffled up as well as I could, and got to bed."
Well might his record, next morning, be, " I find myself
very unwell from last night ; and therefore (he continues)
obtained a respite from further labour, the remainder of
this week ; which time I employed, as good George Howe
says in mending my net nay more, in employing the
aid of Him, who can direct me how to let it down on the
right side of the ship." A day or two afterwards, when
called upon to pray at the public bands, a kind brother
whispered in his ear, " take care lest the sword cut the
scabbard." This metaphor, which is proverbial, is yet
hardly a correct one. Of what use is the sword in the
scabbard ; by rusting there it may consume it but the
body is something more to the soul than the scabbard to
the sword ; the metaphor, however, though it will not ex-
actly "go on all fours," is sufficiently expressive of the
danger to be apprehended to the delicate form of our young
preacher, when his " soul was sharpened," to use his own
words, by a sense of the presence of his Master.
It was ever Mr. Summerfield's solicitude to avoid not
only the evil communications of those, who were evidently
the corrupters of good manners but likewise all unneces-
sary conversation with the professors of religion at times
K
110 MEMOIRS OF THE
or on topics not convenient. The following item is quoted
for the purpose of accompanying it with a remark which,
although it may be disregarded, need not be taken amiss :
" after preaching was over, I hurried home to my closet,
lest I should lose the blessing by conversing with any
one." Would that christians in general, and Methodists
in particular, had in them a disposition to " do likewise."
How frequently are the good desires, and holy feelirlgs
derived during divine service, dissipated by that frivolous
conversation or at best, that semi-religious twattle,
which is so often heard on the breaking up of our congre-
gations. It is stated in the Life of the well known Mr.
Henry Longden of Sheffield, that, in consequence of a re-
mark once made to him on this subject by a worthy Qua-
ker, the man of God, just named, always made it a rule
with himself and family to depart directly, and in silence,
from his place of worship to his home.
RET. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. Ill
SECTION VII.
Controversy about the Sacrament the Clones party Sum-
merfield becomes a popular preacher preaches almost inces-
santly ministerial anxieties travels and addresses large
auditories in Ireland with great success.
A little before this period, an important question, which
had previously distracted the Society in England, and
which was amicably settled in America in the year 1784,
was legally mooted in Ireland ; I allude to the disputed
propriety of administering the Sacrament of the Lord's
Supper in the Methodist chapels, and by ministers not re-
gularly ordained according to the formula of the church
of England. I have no disposition, in this place, to go
over the grounds, or into the merits of this really perplex-
ing question ; suffice it, however, here to observe, that it
assumed so serious and agitated an aspect, that bad men
rejoiced, and good men were alarmed, at the prospects of
Methodism in Ireland. Two parties being thus unhappily
created, that which originated in a mere question of dis-
cipline, soon became a matter of property, and ultimately
of law : for as the chapels were generally settled upon trust
deeds, although at the same time in connexion with the
112 MEMOIRS OF THE
Conference, the major sentiment of the trustees inclining,
in different places, respectively to one side or the other,
brought the subject into the justiciary courts of Dublin.
Although the trials, which lasted some time, were con-
ducted against the Conference, with equal talent and acri-
mony, it was eventually ruled, that the jurisdiction of the
English Conference had been established in Ireland, by
the recognition of a delegate commissioned therefrom, as
president of the Irish conferences. Here, however, the
matter did not end ; the waves of opposition had rolled
too boisterously, to subside in a moment : a new party was
formed, designated indifferently from Clones, the head
quarters of the opposers, or from Mr. JLverill, an influential
leader thereof. I would willingly have avoided all far-
ther allusion to this unpleasant schism, were it not material
to notice, First, the peculiar circumstances in which Mr.
Summerfield was placed, from the frequent contact into
which he was brought with the seceders, by the intersection
of their respective spheres of operation ; and moreover,
the fact, that he was not only tempted by various indirect
means to join the Clones' party, but actually solicited by the
leader to enrol himself amongst them. Secondly, because
it was the opinion of a large proportion of the Society in Ire-
'land, and by implication apparently of Mr. Summerfield
himself, that he was raised up by God, especially at this
juncture, to counteract the mischievous consequences of
such a division : and it must be admitted, that, when every
thing is taken into the account, it was neither presumptu-
ous in him, nor fanatical in his friends, to come to such
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 113
a conclusion. With reference to his v means of judging the
merits of the case, it may be observed, that while the trials
were going on in Dublin, he was an anxious and sedulous
attendant at the courts ; so that he was thoroughly inform-
ed of all the legal evidence on both sides. Of his respect,
forbearance, and prudence toward the opposers, let them-
selves be the judges, or let the pages of his diary testify ;
though I shall introduce as few of the entries relative to
this topic, as may be compatible with a delineation of his
ministerial progress.
His popularity at this time, and under the above named
circumstances, placed him between the horns of that
dilemma, upon one or other of which a sensitive man's
feelings are sure to be impaled, even if nothing worse
befal him. In consequence of some slanderous remarks
which had been made concerning him to Mr. Stewart, he
resolved to lay aside his public labours in Cork, for the
present, and even to give up an engagement to preach,
which he had made there ; this was August 28th. Next
morning, while travelling on the steam boat to Cove, he
observes, " my mind was much led out into the case of
Jonah ; like him, I was fleeing from the Lord's work, in
which I should have been engaged to-morrow, being
appointed for Douglas. I prayed that my God would
pardon this my sin; I would gladly have returned to
Cork, if I could have done so ; however, I vowed to Him
that I would not again shrink from the cross, and anew
committed my soul and body into his hands."
k 2
114 MEMOIRS OF THE
A few days afterwards he was distressed by the injudi-
cious affection of several of his friends, who, when he had
done preaching at Passage, "dragged him in different direc-
tions," and as he could not go with all, some were offended ;
but, as he justly exclaimed, " what could I do ? If I could
leave an arm here, and a leg there, &c. I would. My
God, keep me very, very, very humble ! I told them that
I feared they would ruin me, by making me think of my-
self above measure, and begged, if they loved me, they
would desist." Let the friends of popular young ministers
affectionately consider this. If it might not with truth be
affirmed that Summerfield was absolutely insensible to
such adulation, it cannot be denied that he was as little
improperly affected by it, as perhaps any human being, in
his circumstances, could be.
His dislike of participating in any engagements, which
were not exclusively spiritual in their object or tendency,
has been repeatedly noticed. On the 1st of September, after
mentioning the kind entertainment which he met with in
a respectable family, he adds " After breakfast, spent a
good part of the forenoon, in singing, and playing sacred
music. But oh ! how unlike the song of Moses and the
Lamb !" In the afternoon, he was induced, much against his
inclination, to join a boating party, which had nearly been
connected with fatal consequences ; I use his own words :
" I am not fond of this kind of amusement ; but I could
not refuse. We were sixteen in number ; and were most
providentially preserved from a watery grave ; being
REV. JOHN SUMMERF1ELD. 115
thrown into the most imminent danger, and glad to get to
the shore, struggling through the water on a bank of mud
and quicksand, which nearly destroyed us :
' O ! how shall I with equal warmth,
The gratitude declare,
That glows within my ravished heart? 5 "
He was now frequently placed in the way of the Sepa-
ratists, sometimes visiting at their houses, and even hearing
their preachers. In allusion to one of them, occurs the
following remark : " He speaks with the tongue of an
angel, and I am afraid to say with some, that God has
not sent him ; perhaps it is to provoke our Conference
preachers to more zeal and earnestness. After supper at
Mr. Coxe's, I prayed with the family, and we parted." It
may be proper to take this opportunity of mentioning the
fact, that numerous references to kindnesses received in
the family of the gentleman last named, especially from
Miss Coxe, occur in Mr. Summerfield's diary about this
period.
The following day, he was invited to meet an eloquent
Clones preacher at the house of a friend. On his arrival,
he found thirty persons present, himself and one lady
being the onby adherents to the Conference. " The moment
I entered the room," says he, " Mr. rose to salute me.
1 perceived that I had been the subject of discourse before
I came, and was fully expected. After a pause of a few
116 MEMOIRS OF THE
minutes, Mr. commenced his discourse to me on the
subject of the separation, and wished to convince me, that
I was not a friend to the establishment.
' Oh what a strife about a name !'
I fear the substance is lost by many, while they pursue
the shadow. I was much disappointed in Mr. . How
unlike John Wesley ! No serious discourse, no Christian
experience, no edification." Alas ! to how many ministers
of the Gospel, besides the one in question, are these regrets
applicable.
He was now engaged almost incessantly, at one place
or another, preaching the word with increasing acceptance ;
but the struggles of his mind respecting the probability of
his receiving a call to the work of the ministry in the re~
gular manner, and his providential situation at this time,
were strong and frequent. He was, indeed, placed in a
most delicate and difficult predicament : Conscious, that
while he pursued his present course, he was neglecting, in
some degree, his duty to Mrs. Barnes, who however treated
him with great liberality, and at the same time anxiously
looking for some opening whereby God would bring him
more fully into the ministry that blessed work for which
his ardent soul panted to be entirely given up ; '''- Ok my
God !" says he, " willing as I am to be spent in thy
service, thou knowest I often cry out ' send by whom
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 117
thou wilt send, but not by me' and yet thou hast replied,
' my grace is sufficient for thee !'"
He had a great unwillingness that his father should hear
him preach, and had given up one appointment on that
account. On the 15th of September, he preached in
Blackpool Chapel, from Rom. viii. 32. Messrs. Waugh
and Stewart sat with him in the pulpit. But, on this occa-
sion, he remarks, " I never was so embarrassed as I found
myself I never disliked my own discourse more ; I hid
my face afterwards, and almost vowed, I would never
again stand up to preach." Oh the infirmity of man !
unwilling to be humbled dissatisfied if he cannot please
himself in serving God ! The congregation was large ; and,
addecl to the perturbed state of his feelings on this account,
what was his surprise to learn on his arrival at home, that
his father had been one of his hearers ; this discovery, and
the recollection of his defects, abashed him a good deal.
His father, however, assured him that he had been profited ;
and a pious man, to whom he mentioned his temptation to
desist from preaching, warned him in God's name not to
do it. Next morning he went to preach at Patrick-street
Chapel. Here he exemplified the danger of relying too
much upon present " frames and feelings," without taking
into the account other evidences of the divine favour. The
following, and several similar statements, prove in Mr.
Summerfield's case, as in many others that might be men-
tioned, how emphatically it may be asserted, that he who
has " abundance of revelations," needs no other needs no
118 MEMOIRS OF THE
sharper thorn in the flesh no messenger of satan more
tormenting and harassing than this the perpetual buffet-
ing of the temptation to seek his own glory, while he is
promoting God's. But to quote the entry referred to "If
ever the enemy was permitted to buffet me, surely this was
the time. I had my thoughts taken from me, and in this
state I began to roam, I know not where : I would have
given all the world to have been out of the house ; and
after I had concluded, I remained till all the people had
retired, that I might escape home unperceived. My God,
is this from thee ? Oh ! my Father, send by whom thou
wilt send, but not by me ; I cannot I cannot preach I
Perhaps God has withdrawn his light from me ; I know
I might have been more faithful ; but oh ! my God ! yet
bear with me. I did dedicate myself to thee ; but if thou
hast nought for me to do, remove me out of this world
altogether ; I only wish to live to promote thy ci*use !"
Surely these agonies of anxiety ought to have been some-
what allayed, by the consideration, that his preaching was
accompanied, not only by the power of God, but by the
applause of men, and abundantly rewarded by the affection
of the people of God indeed sufficiently so to tempt the
vanity and ambition which is in every human heart.
That Summerfield had a sincere desire to .do the work of
an Evangelist in simplicity, was abundantly evident to
others but he did not know himself fully at this time.
" Who can understand his errors ? Cleanse thou me from
secret faults !" Psal. xix. 12. It may be proper to add
an item relative to his very next sermon : " I preached to
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 119
a large congregation, on these words, ' Come now, and let
us reason together,' &c. Isaiah i. 18. God wonderfully
assisted me ; he again returned to my help, and it was a
season of blessing to all our souls Glory to God !"
Every incident that reminded him of the venerable
founder of Methodism, seems to have excited in his mind
strong desires to emulate the labours cf that illustrious
man. In a collection of wax figures which he was taken
to see at Cork, nothing interested him so much as " that
man of God, John Wesley." Again, in the subjoined
graphic sketch : " I could not help thinking how like a
travelling preacher I was just then : a boy, whom I had
hired, walked before me with my travelling bag, like a
preacher's portmanteau, and I was hurrying after to meet
immortal souls, who were waiting for me. John Wesley
rushed on my mind. Oh ! that I had his spirit, his zeal,
his piety, then indeed I should be a burning and a
shining light in the world." Again : " I have now preach-
ed six times this week ; and yet what is this to the zeal
of a Wesley or a Coke ?" Surely, when we regard the
" more abundant' labours of this devoted man, there was
much propriety in the designation, " Young Wesley" which
was frequently applied to him at this and an after period
of his career.
In connexion with a previous remark relative to his diffi-
dence in the presence of his *ather, (himself au occasional
preacher.) I cannot forbear transcribing the following pas-
120 MEMOIRS OF THE
sage : " For the first time, I took up a cross which I had
not before borne ; namely preaching where my father
was, to my knowledge, a hearer ; he walked with me to
the chapel, and I could not refuse his request. He sat just
under the pulpit, and I observed that he wept all the time."
Some sons make their fathers weep bitterly, but these
were tears of joy and love.
So interesting was the appearance and so fascinating
the eloquence of this young evangelist, that many persons
who had never heard a Methodist preacher, and probably
would not have been prevailed upon to hear any other,
attended the preaching of Mr. Summerfield in the neigh-
bourhood of Cork. Whether, however, these were Church-
men, or Catholics ; persons bigoted against Methodism, or
mere men of the world ; all were delighted and edified by
the fervour and simplicity of his sermons. While he
laboured to acquit his conscience in speaking faithfully to
all who heard him ; with the meekness of wisdom he
sought to turn to profitable account even the slanders of
foolish or wicked men : " May I never," says he, on one
occasion, " forget the caution which a false accusation
from the Clones' party has given me. Oh ! how happy
we should be, when we hear our faults from our enemies ;
our friends seldom tell them to us ; too seldom."
Under the date of 28th September, there is an entry which
seems to point to the anniversary of his spiritual birth-day:
" I recollect it was this ni"[ht twelve months, that I
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 121
joined the Methodist Society ; and so God has kept me
one year ! Oh ! how unfaithful I have been ! My God
forgive forgive the past ! Oh ! may I be more faithful
in time to come ! one year ! oh ! eternity ! This evening
I renewed my covenant with God ; may He who could
keep me one year, keep me for ever P One year only,
since he became a member of the Methodist Society yet
such a preacher, that he even dreams (as he did a few
nights previous to this) that he is before the Lord Lieu-
tenant and his Lady, in a Palace or a Cathedral ! But
oh ! how truly and sincerely self-humbling are his acknow-
ledgements this day. He is now alone with his God, and
the tempter does not dare to disturb him on tins occasion.
On the following morning, he took his leave of the con-
gregation in Patrick-street, from these words : " Keep
yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our
Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." Jude, v. 21. He then
wrote in his diary " This day is the beginning of a new
year with me ; the morning of this new year I have been
found in the service of my Master. Oh ! my God, where
shall I be in the morning of my next year ! But above
all, where shall I be in the morning of the resurrection ?"
Towards the beginning of October, he visited Fermoy,
and preached in the Court House to the largest congre-
gations ever seen in that place. On his arrival, he repre-
sents his soul as having been in the happiest frame he
ahnost ever remembered ; indeed, great grace seems to
have rested upon him day by day ; and yet such were the
humbling views which he had of his own weakness and
L
122 MEMOIRS OF THE
darkness, that in the midst of blessings from above, he
writes, " Read Mr. Wesley's sermon, ' The Almost Chris-
tian' my own experience !"
Clonmel and Waterford were next visited by him ; and
during the week which brought him to the latter place, he
had travelled on horseback seventy miles, and preached
seven times. He was really itinerating now. Sir Walter
Scott has somewhere observed truly enough " that no
person, whatever be his condition, who rides a horse, ought
to be either unable or unwilling to rub him down, &c. in
the lack ' of a groom." This sentiment is far from being
inapplicable to the case of Methodist preachers ; at all
events, it is pleasing to find, that although a novel, it was
not, when necessary, a repugnant duty with Summerfield.
In one instance, occurs this item : " Cleaned down my
horse." It would be difficult to say, whether that finical-
ness of manners, which unfits some preachers for driving a
nail, or dressing a nag, if necessary, or that thoughtlessness
which allows some of their entertainers to neglect these
and similar little duties, is most reprehensible.
He was received at Waterford by the Rev. W. Stewart,
the highly esteemed superintendant preacher of that place.
To this man of God, in whom Summerfield found a true
friend, he soon became ardently attached, and numberless
are the expressions of regard and endearment which, in
connexion with his name, occur in the diary. This affec-
tion, so characteristic of Summerfield's attachments, was
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 123
reciprocated by his friend ; and I am happy, that a com-
munication from Mr. Stewart, while it affords me an op-
portunity of expressing personal obligation and respect,
furnishes, at the same time, the following interesting notice of
Summerfield's introduction at Waterford. " He came from
Cork recommended to me," says Mr. S. "as a local preacher,
by the late Rev. W. Copeland, who was then stationed at
Cove ; and who remarked,, in reference to Brother Sum-
merfield's talents for the ministry, that if he were not a
star of the first magnitude, he at least promised to be one
of the first brilliancy. We were much delighted with him
in Waterford. He preached for us several times ; and his
sermons discovered a depth and extent of scripture know-
ledge, and Christian experience, much beyond his years.
This, together with his manner, style of delivery, and very
youthful appearance, attracted great congregations, who all
seemed edified* and impressed ; and retired, wondering at
the grace of God manifested in his person, his preaching
and his prayers ; and readily re-echoing the common sen-
timent respecting him ' He is a prodigy P"
Besides the crowds of ordinary hearers attracted by his
popularity, many persons of rank and influence went to
hear him ; and in one instance, the Rev. Mr. Fleury, son of
the Archdeacon of Waterford, sat with him in the pulpit, a
mark of respect not often shown to the Methodist preachers :
but, above all, Cod was eminently present in 'he congre-
gations.
124 MEMOIRS OF THE
It must be regarded as a felicitous circumstance for Mr.
Summerfield at this time, that while he was in the habit
of receiving numerous letters of invitation, and indeed ol
commendation, from ministers of the gospel, his corres-
pondents were men of experience in the ways of religion,
able and willing to give him the best advice with reference
to his spiritual prosperity. Letters lying before me, written
by the Rev. Messrs. Hamilton, Cooper, Robinson, Matthews,
Cobain, Stewart, &c. all breathe the same spirit. Brief
extracts from the two last will exhibit the bearing of the
whole : Rev. E. Cobain " Oh ! what shall I say to one
I love so dearly ? Lie at the foot of the Cross Keep close to
the Bible sit loose to the praise of men If any good be done,
sink in the dust before God, and give him all the glory.'' 1
Rev. W. Stewart " If I had only one advice to give you
on the subject, of preaching, it would be preach Christ
and him crucified, and a free, full, and present salvation,
through faith in his blood ; whether you preach to chil-
dren or grown persons, to the rich or to the poor, to saints
or to sinners, to the crowded auditory or the humble few,
let this be your theme Jesus and his salvation salvation
from sin," &c. &c.
On Sunday, the 8th of November, he preached at Cove
his first Missionary Sermon. He undertook the duty with
fear and trembling, but God aided him, and the collection
was larger than on any previous occasion. On the fol-
lowing Sunday, he preached for the same purpose at
Waterford, and notwithstanding that it rained heavily at
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 125
the time of service, the collection was double the amount
of the preceding year.
After preaching at Ross, one evening, to a .large congre-
gation, he thus alludes to an unpleasant interruption : "the
devil did not like my sermon ; he annoyed us by a drunken
maa, who threatened to pull me down; some of the hearers
dragged him away, and Satan was disappointed." A very
proper representative of his Satanic majesty, a drunken
man ! But the devil himself, though he sometimes chooses
to be thus " disguised in liquor," is always sober within ;
would that all Ms subjects were ; then would there soon
be fewer of them : indeed, his kingdom would be in
greater danger than by the extinction of any single sin ;
for this is the " mother of thousands," to borrrow for it the
trivial name of one of the most beautiful little wild-flowers*
that grows on the rocks of Matlock in Derbyshire. How
often has a similar scene been presented in a Methodist
chapel ! a brawling, staggering, hiccuping drunkard, half
blind, and more than half mad, threatening to pull down
the preacher ! Is there a breathing animal in human shape
so great in his own eyes, or so contemptible in the eyes
of others, as a drunkard in his glory 1 If he could see
himself with their eyes, he would be fit to pluck out his
own, that he might never again look them in the face.
Having left "Waterford, he visited successively Carrick,
* Antirrhinum Cymbalaria.
L2
126 MEMOIRS OF THE
Piltown, Clonmel, Cashel, [where he went to look at
"that wonder of art, the rock of Cashel, where heathenism,
and afterwards popish idolater, held sway"; the great Dr.
Coke trod the same ground before him, and he felt peculiar
emotions on the reflection that the doctor's footsteps had
been where he had the honour to tread :] Thurles, Tem-
plemore, Roscrea, Shinrone, Birr, and Mountrath, -and
arrived at his father's house in Cork on the 23d of De-
cember ; having travelled more than three hundred miles,
and preached, on an average, seven times a week, since he
left home. He was most cordially received at Cork by
his " well beloved" friend the Rev. S. Wood, who three
months before had wished him "God speed," and parted
from him with a " farewell kiss" at Waterford ; and who
now intimated to him that he should not let him be idle.
This section may with much propriety be closed with
the reflections with which Mr. Summerfield himself con-
cluded the year 1818 : " This is the last day of the old
year. Oh ! what shall I say to my God for all his goodness
to me in the past year. I am at a loss for expression. My
heart is too full. In this one year, I have first prayed in
public, and begun to preach, and preached in the metro-
polis of Ireland, in our largest chapel, and at the most
public time ! Oh ! my God, may I grow up into Thee
more and more, in all my ways. May I be spent for
Thee, who wast spent for me may I glorify Thee con
tinually. Attended the Watch night. I was to have ex-
horted, but I did not feel my mind free to do so, and hid
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 127
myself in the chapel. Mr. Doolittle spoke suitably on
watch nights, and mentioned three in the Bible the
Egyptian watch night, when the Jews were delivered
our Lord's watch night in the garden Paul and Silas's
watch night."
138 MEMOIRS OF THE
SECTION VIII.
Returns to Dublin popularity increases dedicates himself
afresh to God visits Cork his fervour polemical dis-
cussion falls from his horse abundance of his labours
receives a Conference appointment Missionary speech.
The year 1819, found Mr. Summerfield in Dublin, the
friend and favourite of all the influential Methodists in that
city, as well as of many others, his popularity just setting
in with all the fulness and freshness of its spring tide.
Under these circumstances, it is no wonder that the excite-
ment occasioned by his labours during the day, should
aJect his imagination by night ; and accordingly, as before
observed, he was liable to dream about those things which
so unceasingly occupied his waking hours. Notices to this
effect, repeatedly occur among his memoranda : the follow-
ing has reference to January 7th : " I had a dream to night,
to warn me not to be high-minded, but fear." This dream
may be thought at least a very seasonable one, when con-
sidered in connexion with the fact, that three days before,
he had preached to two thousand five hundred persons,
and " felt no fear of man." Great men and good men
have experienced very opposite emotions when standing in
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 129
the presence of their auditories. Perhaps, generally
speaking, the spectacle of an immense multitude to one
who can speak to them, is only so far overawing as to ren-
der the sublime exhilaration of spirit more intense by that
sweet and solemn restraint, under which the mind rises,
instinctively, in proportion to the pressure upon it ; while
the effusion of itself, with all its burthen of thoughts and
feelings, into the bosoms of thousands, all eye, and ear,
and heart, is better ordered and more effectual, than if it
broke loose, and flooded them, and lost itself, for want of
regulating bounds and controlling influences.
On the 9th of January, he again left Dublin to fulfil
several pulpit engagements ; at the end of the first week
he found himself at Newagh, having travelled ninety-six
miles, and preached ten times. Ninety-six miles, and ten
sermons, in seven days ! He went with the speed of a chariot
wheel down hill, till the axle catches fire and it did catch
fire, and consumed the vehicle at last. On the 20th, after
speaking three hours, he observes, " I now for the first time
lost my voice ; the groans and cries for mercy were beyond
description ; I could say no more, so I dismissed them with
a promise to preach in the morning may God help me."
Notwithstanding, therefore, that his voice had been thus
taken from him in mercy, the next morning found him in
the pulpit at 8 o'clock ; and in the evening he was at Pallas,
where, after speaking for two hours, he was obliged to
desist ; and moreover constrained to confess, " I never was
so ill in my life." According to his promise, however, ill
130 MEMOIRS OF THE
as he was, he preached the following morning, though his
" body almost refused its functions," and he rather " cried
aloud," than spoke as he was wont : it would be painful
here to detail the sufferings which constituted the natural
sequel of such agonies of extacy.
Now who would have dared to have quenched such a
spirit ? yet to those who may be seduced to follow his ex-
ample, it may not be improper to give a word of caution.
This confessedly is delicate ground ; but why not make a
stand upon it in the fear of God 1 whilst the cause and
glory of the Redeemer was most emphatically the primum
mobile of Mr. Summerfield's zeal, yet might there not be
something of himself in these preternatural exertions ? it
could not all be of the Lord. It would be wrong to speak
dogmatically on so tender a point ; but such is the opinion
of one of the most pious and judicious individuals with
whom I am acquainted ; who however observed, that he
should almost fear to utter such a sentiment, lest it should
be mistaken, or misrepresented, or abused. "Who, after
reading the accounts above, can help thinking, that on
such occasions, if amidst the whirlwind, and earthquake,
and fire, he could for a moment have covered his face, and
in the silence of his spirit have listened, he might possibly
have heard a " still small voice," saying, " who hath re-
quired this of thee V
And yet, amidst all these labours, he records his resolu
tion : " I am determined to begin this week with living
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 131
more in my room, and in my bible ; I have lost much in
this respect ; and I am too apt to walk out, and trifle my
precious precious time !' : He had a few days before
laudably "made up his mind against Sunday dinners from
home."
It is matter of satisfaction to transcribe the following
passage, although somewhat diffuse, from the entry which
he made in his Diary on the 31st of January. It shows
how his whole soul was on the stretch, to be entirely de-
voted to God. " This is my birth day ; oh ! what matter
have I for shame and confusion of face ! When I look back
on myself, I see great cause for self-abasement I see that
ever since I began to preach, my time has not been im-
proved ; occupied in visiting, (the destruction of some of
our young preachers whom I could name.) and travelling
from place to place ; mixing necessarily with various com-
panies of people, and not being guarded against that levity
which creeps inadvertently upon me ; all these combined
have produced a dislike to closet duties, meditation of the
.vord, and prayer. Though I feel with shame my short
comings, yet I am thankful that God has not given me
over to hardness of heart ; my conscience is not yet seared
as with a hot iron. I find, that if I look for, and expect
my God to own my labours, I must live a life different
from most of our preachers, for whom my heart melts.
Oh, Zion ! oh, Heaven ! thy cause ! thy cause ! thy
great concern ! and yet how little it seems to occupy their
attention ! With regard to many of them, it seems to
132 MEMOIRS OF THE
have become a trade, a mere form ! My young heart has
been led astray ! I thought to have found among them
self denial, gravity, piety ! But ah ! where is fled the spirit
of my Master ? If I expect God to bless others under my
ministry of the word, I find I must not be conformed to
them I find it necessary to swim against the stream.
Too many of them preach what they never practice. Oh,
my Father ! enable me from this day to dedicate myseli
afresh to thee
' Here's my body, spirit, soul,
Only Thou possess the whole.'
For the regulation of my future conduct, the following is
the plan I lay down, which I intend by God's grace to put
in practice I will first try it for a day ; if my God enable
me to keep it a day, he will for a week ; if for a week, a
month yea, continually.
tl Time. As 1 find a natural sloth attaches itself to all
my powers, winch is, I believe, common to all men, 1
think there can be no better way of guarding against it,
than in observing how every moment is spent ; and as I am
persuaded I never grew in grace so much, as when I was
thus employed, as in the former part of this Diary, when I
accounted for every hour, so I intend renewing the same
plan, and commencing to-morrow, please God. Thus my
conscience will accuse or applaud at the close of each day.
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 133
according as my time is employed ; and on that account, I
shall peruse it every night.
" Allow myself no more time for sleep than necessary.
u Prayer. As I believe no growth in grace will take
place unless there be regular stated seasons for private
prayer, I purpose attending to three such seasons at least-
Before I leave my room in the morning before I retire in
the evening and at 12 o'clock at mid-day ; be where I
may, this must be attended to ; and I must go home to
perform it, as if to meet any other person. Besides this,
twice family prayer, and visits to the sick, &c. ,
" Studies. All my studies and learning to turn intd'
the channel of the glory of God ; to read nothing but with
a view to his work ; and all my researches to be subser-
vient to the Bible to be ' homo unius UbrV Visit none,
except for God's glory, and stay no longer than barely
necessary guard the door of my lips guard against
levity be much employed in ejaculatory and mental
prayer, while lying in bed, night and morning, before I
sleep, and before I get up to employ myself in self-exami-
nation, and this only. Take with me every day a text as
a motto, to be employing myself upon while walking, or in
my leisure moments and this day by day.
" Never speak ill of an absent person, except the glory
of God require it : in short, to do all with singleness of
134 MEMOIRS OF THE
heart, so that my rejoicing may be, that ' in sincerity and
godly simplicity, I may have my conversation in the world.'
May my God enable me to be more circumspect ; and as
I commence anew in preaching, more from study than
from art and memory, may my life be commenced anew ;
and may I die in the service, and reign with him for ever !"
How just are the foregoing remarks how pious the wri-
ter's determination ! There may, however, be excess, and
consequently danger, both ways, for ministers. They must
not be ascetics, any more than they ought to be merry compa-
nions, wasting their animal spirits, and losing their gracious
fears, even in the society of religious people. " It is not good
for man to be alone" even as a minister, and a stranger to
his people in every other character ; nor is it good to have a
plurality of associates, so as to dissipate the affections in
their diffusion ; but there may be something like wedded
love in the ministerial office, a family circle, in which he
may move, and shine, and lead the way to heaven ; ex-
emplifying, as our Saviour did, his doctrines in his life,
and making things lovely in reality, which in pulpit repre-
sentation appear repulsive and bard to flesh and blood.
Oh, how good and how pleasant it is to "adorn the
doctrine of God our Saviour in all things !"
The absolute distribution of his time, compels this
objection against its imitation by others, that its exempli-
fication was soon found impracticable, even by so rigid a
devotee as the conscientious Summerfield himself. If men
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 135
will make such fetters for themselves, they ought to make
them at least loose enough to correspond with Christ's own
easy yoke, and not binding and galling like the ceremonial
law, which " neither we nor our fathers were able to bear."
There are sins enough both of omission and commission,
into which the most watchful christian will be hourly in
danger of failing, without making occasions for sin, by
voluntary obligations which become involuntary from usage,
and from which the prisoner who has thus bound his own
hands and feet, like Agabus with Paul's girdle, cannot dis-
entangle himself, without bringing not guilt perhaps
but certainly darkness and confusion into his mind.
His determination to choose a text every day, as a motto
for meditation, was a most profitable and easy obligation,
in which there need be no snare to entrap the tenderest
consciences. He borrowed this from his Moravian recol-
lections. In the congregations of the Brethren, there are
two texts, and lines from certain hymns, appointed for
meditation every day in the year.
The following extract from a letter addressed to Mr.
Summerfield by his father, will show how devoutly his
beloved parent participated in the common satisfaction of
his son's ministerial success. The letter is dated from
Cork, February 4th, 1819." Take care to dwell in the
divine bosom ; be faithful in heaven's first concern ; be a
firm friend to her bleeding interests ; live much in the
closet and you will be useful in the pulpit. Fol-
136 MEMOIRS OF THE
low the God-Man as your example in all things ;
keep company with a Fletcher, a Wesley, and a Bax-
ter, who will shine as stars in the firmament for ever.
In you, God has {riven me my heart's desire ; and my first
concern on earth is, that God may be honoured in the
accomplishment of his grand design, in bringing to glory the
lost posterity of Adam ; and my daily prayer is, that you
may be the honoured instrument in turning thousands
and tens of thousands to himself ; this is not too much to
ask of bleeding love."
i
Although his constitution was at this period much shat-
tered, his labours were unremitting. On the 9th of Fe-
bruary, amidst notices of floods of heavenly light poured
upon certain portions of Scripture, and uncommon sweetness
in his noon-tide devotions, he incidentally remarks, " My
bodily frame is quite decayed ;" and yet ten days after-
ward, he notes that in the preceding week he had rode
forty-one miles, and preached ten times ! If a man will set
his house on fire, and employ himself as long as he can.
in throwing his most precious furniture into the flames, what
can he expect, but that all will soon be reduced to ashes ^
On the 14th of February, he preached a missionary
sermon at Birr, and collected treble the amount of any
former occasion. On the following day, he addressed a
large congregation of children at the same place, and
pleased them so well, that at their own desire a collection
was made, and they gave I. He often addressed
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 137
auditories of young people in after years. Among the
Moravians, he had been accustomed to those services,
which are very frequent with them, under the denomina-
tion of " Children's Meetings," and in such meetings, no
doubt, the seed was sown, which on this very 15th of Fe-
bruary was producing good fruit in his own heart and
life, and enabling him, having as a child " freely received"
of the good word of God, " freely to communicate" of the
same to little children ; aye, and to obtain an earnest in
hand, that it would produce ripe fruit in due season in
some of then hearts.
On the 27th of February, he arrived safe at his father's
house in Cork ; and declined an invitation to preach on
the following day, because his " body required some rest."
And well it might : as on the preceding evening he thus
sums up the amount of his labours : " I have preached
now fifty times, since I left Dublin this time ; which is
seven weeks since : and I have in that period travelled
three hundred and sixty-two miles up to Cork." A man
may be prodigal of God's spiritual gifts, as well as of pro-
vidential ones, and in both instances want must follow
waste, or early exhaustion be the consequence of reck-
less profusion. Let any learned and experienced chris-
tian minister say, whether a young man twenty-two
years of age, and scarcely twelve months old as a preacher
did right to spend and be spent after this rate. Travelling
three hundred and sixty-two miles, and preaching fifty
times in seven weeks ! " a frame of adamant, a soul of
m2
138 MEMOIRS OF THE
fire," would be worn out with such perpetuity of feverish
excitement ; what then could a frail body, with a hectic
constitution, do or rather, what must it suffer, in such a
case ? To adopt an elegant simile from my friend Mont-
gomery, elicited by a perusal of the forementioned entry :
I have seen fire carried in a handful of dry grass, hastily,
lest it should burst out into flame, to light a heap of stub-
ble, in autumn, and I have seen it instantaneously con-
sumed when applied to the materials thus collected. Sum
merfield so carried his life in his hands, and though he
was enabled to kindle heap after heap, at last and
long before his time, as man would say he was compelled
to let it drop it fell to ashes for it was but tinder at the
first. Let others be warned, who like him have the holy
flame in their hearts, wrapt round with the weeds of the
body, lest that which burns within, consume that which is
without ; and thus become itself extinct (on earth at least)
for lack of fuel. It ought to be cherished, not opened to
the whole atmosphere at once, any more than suffocated
by being too closely prest." But this devoted young man,
upon whom rested so much of '*' the spirit and power of
Elias," although he lived a dying life, experienced in the
sequel as little of death as could consist with a translation
from life to immortality ; indeed his progress from earth to
heaven all but resembled the ascent of the prophet of
mount Carmel ; in faith, in labour, in devotion he " went
up in a chariot of fire ;" who in England Ireland
America, hath caught his mantle ?
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 139
Being now at home, he was frequently engaged in busi-
ness for his father ; this, and other engagements, led him
frequently to lament his defective performance of many ot
his birth-day resolutions. Indeed, the task was impractica-
ble to him, as he was circumstanced : and he who attempts
to do more than he can, frequently in reality does less, be-
cause he spends much of his strength for nought, and
wearies his spirit with fretting and remorse. To these
chances the susceptible subject of these pages was inevi-
tably exposed ; hence his frequent complaints of losing or
mis-spending time, in company, on a journey, or in his
father's house.
A few passages indicative of his spiritual state at this
period will be acceptable. Feb. 28. " I grew this day in
grace and knowledge ; the sacred page had new beauties
and ideas to my soul." March 4. " My mind has been
sweetly exercising faith in Jesus this day, and I see the
dawn of day." March 7th. " My Jesus was precious to
me this morning ; my heart was melted down, and he
gave me a sweet foretaste of the good things of this day."
March 8. " I am quite hoarse to day, after yesterday's ex-
ertions ; but my Jesus has paid me for it all, by a sweet
sense of his love, which I feel upon me." March 10. " My
mind is truly dejected ; for these last two days I have been
in Gethsemane I long for the time of refreshing Come,
my Lord, come quickly I cried unto the Lord ; he heard
me, and delivered me from all my troubles. I seldom had
such a pouring out of the divine glory ! Bless the Lord,
140 MEMOIRS OF THE
oh ! my soul ; magnify his great name ! Applied myself
to reading principally in the book." Next morning
" Commenced my Bible again my mind is much happier
this day than yesterday I have a little faith, a little love,
a little labour oh, my Lord, do thou increase it?" There
i3 nothing more exemplary in Summerfieid's preparations
for ministerial labours, than his devoted attention to the
Holy Scriptures he drew water for himself from the well-
springs of salvation, and he drew it with joy, that he
might refresh his own soul, before he went to call aloud
to others " Ho, every one that thirsteth," &c.
Toward the latter end of March he was seriously indis-
posed ; violent pains and retchings of the stomach, accom-
panied with other alarming symptoms, led him and his
friends to apprehend that danger was at hand. Ill, how-
ever, as he was, he neither remitted his studies, nor forbore
his pulpit labours, while he could attend to either. He
had no mercy upon himself; nor, as it appears, were any
of his counsellors merciful unto him. There is but too
much truth in the following extract of a letter, addressed
to him by the Rev. S. Steele, dated April 2d : " I am
sorry to find that your health is worse than it was when
you were here. Preaching so often in the week, to large
congregations,' is too great an exercise of body and mind
for your constitution but you will learn to be wise, when
it is too late. There are many of the Methodists, who in
their godly zeal, would encourage you to preach, until you
would drop down dead. But remember, neither God nor
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 141
man will thank you for what may be called religious
suicide.'" And yet the main object of this very letter was
to solicit his services at Roscrea !
On the 13th of April, Mr. Summerfield attended the
annual meeting of the Sunday School Association, in Dub-
lin, Mr. Sheriff White in the chair. On this occasion he
delivered what himself calls his "maiden speech," for
although he had prepared his mind to speak at a missionary
meeting some months before, a change in the resolutions
prevented him from saying what he intended indeed
what he had prepared for draughts of both speeches are
lying before me from the latter of which, especially, I
would gladly transcribe a specimen, if it were possible so to
translate the abbreviations, and follow out the hints, as to
present the writer's idea : it would not, however, especially
in this instance, be proper to attempt the experiment.
I am sorry, that among the hundreds of interesting en-
tries in this diary, to which economy of space compels me
to omit all allusion, must be ranked the names of many
places and persons, which the writer has mentioned with
affection. To omit the following, would resemble injustice
towards both parties : " April 28. We arrived at Mr. Per-
rin's, (at Wicklow,) where we were most cordially received.
This family spoil me with too much kindness ; Mrs. Nolan,
the eldest daughter, is the most loving companion I ever
met with ; indeed, I know not whom to admire the most j
Mrs. Perrin is a mother indeed."
142 MEMOIRS OF THE
Polemical disquisitions are rarely introduced throughout
the whole of ithe voluminous diary to which reference has
been so often and so complacently made. This remarkable
absence of allusion to disputed topics, arose neither from any
defection or looseness in Mr. Summerfield's religious creed,
nor from any want of ability in him to comprehend or to
maintain the beneficent doctrines held by that great body of
Christians, with which he was united : but rather, I. That
as his education had not been regularly scholastic, he had not
been made to fight his way from error to truth or rather,
perhaps, from one region of truth to another, over the de-
batable ground of metaphysical distinctions ; and, II. That
as the conversion of his own soul, and a participation of the
divine favour, had been experienced by him in consequence
of his own simple belief in the record which God has
given of his Son ; so he, immediately beginning
w To declare to all around,
What a dear Saviour he had found,"
at the same time exhorting others to flee from the wrath
to come, and, as he had done, to lay hold on eternal life
had, in consequence, little opportunity, and less inclination,
to enter into disputations about " things not revealed."
That he would not shun the discussion of these dogmas,
when imperiously challenged thereto, and when to have
shrunk might have exposed him to the imputation of
cowardice at least, is evident from the following extraordi-
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 143
nary transaction, the account of which, as it is necessarily-
derived from, will therefore be best introduced in, his own
words : " May 3. Monday, 7 o'clock, morning, preached
again, [at Hacket's town,] and a gracious season we had
indeed; the Lord gave us a new week's blessing. After
visiting some of the brethren, Mr. Waugh and I proceeded
to Baltinglass, eight miles.
" Mr. Walker, the great Calvinist preacher, had been
here, and indeed was here when we arrived. He had
preached in the town, and much injured the minds of our
people ; some weak ones nearly turned aside by the decrees.
With pain we heard this account ; and having obtained
the sessions-house from Captain Stratford, I preached at 7
o'clock, to an immense crowd, an Anti-Calvinist sermon ;
the Lord gave me great power and liberty, and I was re-
quested to preach again in the morning."
" May 4. I again preached on the same subject. The
weak ones were confirmed, and my Lord shook the strong
holds of Calvinism, and maintained his own truth.
" A challenge was sent me by that party to dispute on
the doctrines ; I accepted it, in the name and strength of
my God, and for three hours we debated it. They were
quite vanquished by the sword of the Spirit, and we left
Bal'inglass in great prosperity."
This, of course, is an ex parte statement : there is, how-
144 MEMOIRS OF THE
ever, no occasion to question its fidelity, because the writer
was incapable of wilful misrepresentation. Besides, the
entry was made for his own private use merely ; for Sum-
merfield must have known very little of Calvinism, as it is
called, had he ever published to the world the triumph in
which he appears to have indulged on the above occasion.
He may have vanquished the men with whom he had to
fight and this is what he means for if he had indeed,
with the sword of the spirit, cut the knot of God's un-
searchable decrees, and explained the eternal secret of the
freedom of the human will, still bound to choose what it
approves surely he ought in mercy to good men, whether
Methodists or Calvinists, to have revealed it, and saved
millions of millions of pangs and anxieties to say nothing
of time saved from vain disputation on the subject, in all
ages to come, as in all ages past, to such characters. How
easy it is to make men of straw, and draw them on hur-
dles, and hang them, and burn them, either as Methodists,
or Calvinists ! Yet these autos da fe, on both sides, are as
impotent as the Guy Faux executions of children on gun-
powder plot day, but they are not so innocent. These
remarks must not be tortured into any thing like a re-
pudiation of Arminianism, the distinguishing tenets of
which the present writer subscribes to, from his heart ;
much less must they be regarded as an attempt to relax
the sternness of theological truth. It did, however, ap-
pear a Christian duty to embrace this opportunity of ex-
horting those who profess to draw their weapons from the
same armoury the Holy Scriptures instead of using
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 145
them against one another, to turn them against the com-
mon enemy.
On the 13th of May, he had a narrow escape with his
life, in consequence of a fall from his horse, just as he en-
tered Dublin ; that he was not killed on the spot, nor his
horse injured, he gratefully ascribes to the providence of
God. Had he been half as much in fear of himself, as he
was of his horse, on this occasion, he might have escaped
with his life much longer, and not have died, as he did,
by a fall from himself. 9
Notwithstanding this misfortune, by which he received
serious internal injury, he preached on the fourth day
afterwards, to a large congregation, for the benefit of a
Female Orphan Asylum. The effect of this sermon will
not soon be forgotten by those who heard it. He called to
mind the affection of his own mother, and the motherless
state of his two younger sisters ; the current of emotion
thus drawn out of his own bosom, flowed into the current
of feeling which his description drew from the hearts of
others ; and the impression became so powerful and general,
that utterance failed him, and he sat down, beckoning the
children to stand up and finish the plea for their cause with
silent eloquence ! He sat bathed in tears, and expectorating
a quantity of blood, which had collected on his lungs since
his accident, and which, in connection with his unremitting'
exertions, brought him, as we shall presently see, to the
very gate of the grave.
N
146 MEMOIRS OF THE
In addition to all that has been said on the subject of
"making rules to live by," see the following reflections, at
the close of May 18th : "I see I have of late neglected my'
time in an alarming way, and I find that when time is loi-
tered away, grace is declining in the heart. I was much
struck with an advice in a magazine, ' to live by rule' I
have often resolved, and often broken ; in the strength of
Christ 1 will begin again. I am resolved to be in bed at
10 o'clock every night, and rise at 4. 4 5 in the morn-
ing ; 12 1 mid day ; 5 6 evening, shall be hours sacred
to God ; for prayer, meditat<jpn, and reading his word no
less a proportion of time will do for me : and half
past 9 to 10 before retiring. The remainder of my time
to be regularly accounted for, and dealt out with circum-
spection," &c. What premeditated though unconscious
suicide is involved in these resolutions ! Yet who could
have forbidden the self-offering to the Lord ! but after all,
as already intimated, it is as " a living sacrifice, holy and
acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service ;" we are
besought " by the mercies of God," to surrender our bodies
emphatically our bodies, (including our souls with all
their powers and affections,) because when the body is burnt
out, the sacrifice is complete, as was the case with the
victims on the altar in the temple ; whatever service
may be required in the temple not made with hands, from
the spirits of just men made perfect, it will not be sacrifice.
The sacrifice on earth, then, ought to be made as perfect
as long in endurance as possible. It will be in vain to
say in defence of such self-immolation as Summerfield's,
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 147
that the " fire from God" descended and consumed the
holocaust at once, like Elijah's on Carm} ; for even if
this were evident beyond doubt (which it is not) in his
case, let others beware lest they destroy themselves as
early, by a conflagration from sparks of their own kindling.
But what does this example say to those who sacrifice no-
thing of themselves or at best, bring oblations of no value
to the Lord's altar ?
At the close of the month of May, he proceeded, accord-
ing to invitation, to Waterfbrd, " where," says he, " the
friends were glad to see me, and none more so than my
beloved brother W. Stewart ; he is an Israelite indeed, in
whom is no guile." At this place, he was seized with a
profuse spitting of blood, to which, indeed, he had become
alarmingly subject. His friends were justly frightened,
(though himself " felt happy under the affliction,") and
called in an eminent physician, Dr. Poole, who blooded
him for the first time, and interdicted him from preaching :
this was on the Saturday ; and yet, as Mr. Stewart informs
me, he was with difficulty restrained from appearing in
the pulpit on the following day !
An event of great importance in the settlement or
rather, as it turned out, the unscttlement of this heavenly
minded man, in after life, occurred at this period. Having
in the month of March preceding, been formally proposed
to travel as a preacher in the Methodist connexion ; and
having satisfactorily answered the questions, usually put
148 MEMOIRS OF THE
to candidates for the ministry ; Mr. Summerfield proceeded,
with his frienc^Mr. Stewart, from Waterford to attend the
Irish Conference, held in Dublin, at which city they
arrived in safety on the 30th of June. His case was now
officially, and anxiously considered ; and it appeared, after
very mature deliberation, that the delicacy of his health,
at that time, and the consequent improbability of his being
long able to endure the difficulties and fatigues of itinerancy
in Ireland, forbade the experiment of appointing him
forthwith to a circuit. And the Conference was thus
induced to suspend the execution of their eager wish of
sending him to travel, for another year, hoping that his
health might in the interim be restored. Meanwhile, he
was appointed to fill Mr. Maynes' place in Dublin, till that
preacher should return, with the other Irish delegates, from
the British Conference. "Alas ! alas !" says he, on
receiving this appointment, " I know not how I can bear
this burden ! oh ! Lord, my God, be thou my strength."
During the Conference season in Dublin, the Annual
Meeting of the Methodist Missionary Society was held
there, and at which the Rev. J. Edmondson presided. On
this occasion, Mr. Summerfield, in moving a vote of thanks
to the English committee, made a speech, winch not a
little confirmed to the English preachers present, the reports
which they had heard of his piety and his talents. On
this, as on a previous occasion, I might remark upon the
difficulty, not to say the impropriety, of giving, as a speci-
men of a speech, any portion of memoranda merely made
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 149
to assist the speaker's memory. I shall however give a
passage, which refers to a name consecrated in Missionary
annals ; it is merely the radical idea, and was beautifully
unfolded in passing through the speaker's lips, but I con-
fine myself to the words of his incipient draught : " The
idea of christianizing the Asiatic world was one which
seemed too great for human conception. Yes, sir, the
very idea was one which could only have had birth in
an apostle's mind ! But yet there was found a man
among the tribes of our spiritual Israel, possessed of a
mind which conceived the grand design : to the earthen
vessel which contained the deposit, men gave the name
of Coke ! heaven will reveal his true name in ' that
day !' In. his devotedness to the service of his God, and
the best interests of mankind, he was equalled by few
surpassed by none ! At the feet of his Master, he laid his
wealth, his ease, his honour, his character, nay, his
life itself ! He sacrificed all ! he was the slave of slaves !
unwearied in the work of heaven, no dangers could in-
timidate no allurements seduce him from his one pursuit
he was like Paul like Wesley, a man of one business !
Ceylon had long been the object of his contemplation, and
the fulfilment of his wishes and his prayers seemed now
accomplished ; preparations made, and standard bearers
obtained who were willing to carry the banners of the
cross, he quits his native shore ! You, sir, followed him
well nigh to the beach, and little thought to see his face
no more ! But he is not ! for God took him ! Not far
distant from the promised land, his Master called him
n2
150 MEMOIRS OF THE
to a higher mount than Pisgah's top, to view the goodly
shore : he heard Him say, ' Come up hither ;' welcome
summons to his waiting soul ! The body of this Moses
has indeed been hidden from us ; but we dispute not
concerning it, for we sorrow not as those without hope :
we take the Bible in our hands, and inscribe beneath his
name, ' pleasant in life, and in death not divided !' The
dispensation seemed severe to human ken ; to him it was
merciful ! His death seemed without pain; his frame was
not worn with disease, nor his features distorted with agony ;
and his body sunk in the flood, as it will arise in the morn-
ing of the resurrection with a blooming, heavenly
countenance ! He shall not be forgotten ; for in the day
when Christ shall gather up his jewels, Coke shall be col-
lected from the ocean's bed, a diamond of the purest
water ! Pardon me, my brethren, I dwell on his name
with pleasure; I loved the man I love his memory still;
you knew his worth, you know his great reward ; and.
though no marble urn can boast of concealing his remains,
his name is engraven upon all your hearts ; and while
unadulterated goodness, ennobling talent, genuine worth,
and sterling piety, shall find one lover among men, the
name of Coke shall be preserved from the ravages of time,
and finally displayed with all its glories in the archives
of the upper and the better world !"
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 151
SECTIOX IX.
Religious experience resolves to avoid tea parties preaches at
the request of the Earl of Rosse a dangerous illness re-
sumes his labours, and addresses large congregations ex-
ercises of spirit loyalty anxious to visit England.
Mr. Summerfield, like most, other good men who have
large experience of the things of God especially when
possessing temperaments as fervent as his own was sub-
ject to many, and often very painful, fluctuations of re-
ligious feeling. These variations of the devotional tempe-
rature, so to speak, are probably much less uncommon
with strong or susceptible minds, than ordinary persons are
willing to suppose ; but few, very few indeed, have the
faculty to distinguish with that accuracy, or would have
the courage to record their discoveries with that fidelity,
which characterizes the precious autobiographical sketches
of the heart of this interesting individual. Summerfield,
while all his labours might seem to be wrought amidst the
tempest of an enthusiasm, at once irresistible to himself
and his hearers, was, at the same time, in his " inner man,"
an exquisite spiritual barometer, graduated with surprising
delicacy through the entire scale of religious experience.
152 MEMOIRS OP THE
To those professors of religion, (if so they may be called,)
who are content to live at the zero of orthodoxy, his
language must sometimes appear strange indeed ; but to
others, who have known something of those " deep things
of God," which pertain more or less to every true member
of the body of Christ, these alternate elevations and de-
pressions, through all their degrees, are neither unintelligi-
ble nor strange. The most exalted spirit, while com-
passed about with the infirmities of the flesh, must never
expect to enjoy a perpetually unclouded vision ; much
less, an invariable beatitude of feeling. A few passages
from the Diary shall be given.
" June 17. My soul was still more strongly led out after
God this morning than of late Oh ! that I knew where I
might find him. I view myself as the most abandoned of
all sinners ; I am tempted to wish that I was openly pro-
fane, as being in a more likely way to obtain the salvation
of God, than in my present state. I know not what to do !
Lord, pity me in my low estate ! Oh, make thyself known
unto me !" Here he was beset with a horrible tempta
tion, and appeared surrounded with the blackness of dark-
ness itself ; but, lo ! the very next day, the cloud is dis-
persed: " I think," says he, "I seethe dawn of eternal
day upon my soul ; but I anxiously cry, oh ! when will
he fully appear ? However, by his grace, T am determined
to persevere." And presently perseverance had its reward
in the following passage " the true light shineth :" " June
20. Tliis has been one of my happiest days ; I have been
\
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 153
greatly blessed !" On a review of the dealings of God
with his soul, he thus strikingly expresses himgelf on the
16th of August : " Many are the consolations, which, in
the last three weeks, I have experienced ; but my expe-
rience is still variable one day on the mount, another in*
the garden ; one day, hardly knowing whether I am in
the body or out of it ; and perhaps the very next, ready to
give up the beginning of my confidence, and fall from the
grace of God ; but I bless the Lord that his grace is suffi-
cient for me, and in his strength I am determined to follow
on to know the Lord !"
During Mr. Summerfield's temporary appointment in
Dublin, notwithstanding that he preached nine, seven,
and Jive times a week, he was a good deal engaged with
visiting, as must generally be the case with a favourite
preacher, especially in a large city. This practice was not
only opposed to the rules which he had laid down for the
government of his time, but really injurious in its tendency.
" I always feel," says he, " that tea parties are as so many
fungi to my soul." On the commencement, therefore, of a
fresh volume of his diary, he resolved " to turn over a new
leaf and accordingly entered on its first page the follow-
ing resolutions :
" 1. Never to go out to breakfast This squanders all
the forenoon away, which is the most valuable part of my
time.
154 MEMOIRS OF THE
" 2 With regard to dining abroad ; as I purpose rising
at 4 in the morning, and remaining in my studies, &c.
all day till dinner time, it may not injure me to relax my
mind, but always take care to bring Jesus with me, and
guard against religious dissipation.
u 3 Never to breakfast, dine, &c. abroad on Saturday.
11 4 Always to return home after preaching, and never to
go back to the family with whom I dined, &c. This
does no good ; keeps the family up, and injures my own
health.
" 5 Avoid all tea parties, as they are called, as much
as possible : they seldom do good."
It was his practice, wherever he visited, to seek the
spiritual edification of all present, and he always considered
the time as worse than lost when this had not been the
case. He several times visited, at her special request, the
Hon. Mrs. Butler, in Richmond place : but even here, he
resolved to leave a savour of his sacred character behind
him ; to which end, he not only recommended family
prayer, but set them an example, which there was reason
to believe was not in vain.
The following little incident is affecting : he was at the
quarterly meeting of the Strangers' Friend Society ;
" While calling over the names as they lay in the list, I
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 155
was much struck, when Mr. Tobias named John Smith
a silence ensued, and brother Tobias added, ' before
the throne of God ;' he died in the last quarter Oh, may
I work while it is called day." The brief significant
phrase <: before the throne of God," comes like a voice
interpreting the silence that went before.
On the 15th of September his engagement in Dublin
was terminated, by the return of Mr. Mayne from Lime-
rick. He next visited Roscrea, Birr, and Parsontown ; on
his arrival at the latter place, he found the family of the
Earl of Rosse had made a request that he would preach
at 2 o'clock, in the court-house. With fear and trembling
he complied ; the bell-man was sent round to announce
the service ; and at the appointed time, he preached to a
vast assemblage of the nobility, gentry, and others many
of whom had never before heard a Methodist sermon.
At first he was somewhat overawed, but casting his care
on the Lord, he felt his usual liberty, and several of his
friends afterwards declared, that they never heard him
preach with greater pathos and energy. Although the
congregation was so large, and composed of all ranks and
sects, the most profound attention prevailed, and many
appeared much affected. He preached in the evening at
the chapel, which was so crowded* with strangers, that the
regular hearers, and friends, stood on the outside all the
windows being taken out that they might hear.
On the 10th of October, he again arrived at his father's
156 MEMOIRS OF THE
house in Cork ; after having been thoroughly drenched
with a day and night's rain on the outside of the coach,
which had broken down twice during the journey. He
was justly alarmed at the anticipated consequences of this
unwonted exposure to the cold and wet, delicate as he then
was ; he therefore willingly availed himself of the invita-
tion of his old friend, Mr. Edwards, to spend a short time
at his delightful residence on Hop Island. He had, how-
ever, only been domiciled in this retreat a few days, when
the disorder, which had long been growing upon him, in
consequence of excessive labour and fatigue, (certain glan-
dular obstructions,) came to its crisis. Symptoms of this
complaint had for some time appeared ; " but," says he, " I
knew not from what they proceeded ; a curling in my
tongue, which was a spasmodic affection, often troubled
me ; this I have named in other parts of my diary, calling
it ' a thorn in my flesh,' which indeed it was ; but this, I
never mentioned to any one : all that I remember was,
that my tongue doubled in my mouth ;* my mouth itself,
and face, were awfully distorted toward my left ear, my
* Several entries occur of a similar import with the following:
" an unaccountable anxiety from a nerve in my tongue which
sometimes prevents my speaking." This singular affection,
while it sometimes hindered utterance, was often in a singular
manner taken away, seeming to justify the scripture phrase, "the
string of his tongue was loosed ;" as though there were a bind-
ing nerve, that, by restriction or relaxation, prevented or allowed
of speech.
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 157
breath stopped, and reason forsook her throne; I was just
enabled to venture my soul on Jesus, and saw death staring
me in the face ; I expected nothing else than dissolution."
On coming to himself, he found his feet in a crock of hot
water ; the room filled with friends, and amongst them his
father, who had been sent for to see him expire. He
had however brought with him a physician, who after
taking two and a half pounds of blood from the arm of
his patient, ordered his head to be shaved, a blister to be
applied, and other medicines to be used ; for sometime
convulsions succeeded one another, with alarming violence,
and it was not until the following morning, that the
balance which had seemed to weigh life and death against
each other, perceptibly preponderated on the side of hope :
his numbered days were not yet come to an end, and in a
short time convalescence was apparent. It would be injus-
tice to the kind family which nursed him in their house at
Hop Island, were I not to record his gratitude in his own
words : " Sunday, October 17th, with the permission of
my physician, I rose from my bed ; but dreadfully weak
and emaciated ; my father and family, with some kind
friends, spent the day with me. Throughout the whole,
the attention of Mr. and Mrs. Edwards were beyond all
description, nor could they be equalled by any other,
except Mrs. Cole ; her love to me was wonderful may
the Lord repay them a thousand fold !"
So great was the anxiety created by the report of his
indisposition among his Cork friends, that public prayer
o
158 MEMOIRS OF THE
meetings (of the men and women separately) were held
on his account : their supplications were heard, and the
lease of his brief life was again renewed. For himself,
he says : " I believe this affliction will have the most
blessed effect upon me ; I see the brevity and uncertainty
of human life ; I feel more set upon heaven and heavenly
things ; my access to the throne of grace is with greater
boldness, and my soul is truly melted before the Lord.
Oh, that he would now stamp on my softened heart, his
own most heavenly image."
Many were the letters, which, after this affliction, he
received from different parts of Ireland, praising God for
having again raised up his servant : this description may
serve to characterize generally the contents of the whole
bundle. A passage in one of the Rev. W. Stewart's
letters contains the following seasonable advice : " Preach
seldom, that you may preach often preach short, that you
may preach long and let comparatively few hear you now,
that many may hear you hereafter." Amidst, the expres-
sions of grief and sympathy which his illness called forth,
it is painful to know that there existed in some bosoms,
emotions of a different character. The " Clonites," who
regarded Mr. Summerfield as one of the most influential
of their opponents, not only several times announced his
death ; but complacently attributed his affliction to a
judgement from God, because he had been expected at
Waterford, where one of their preachers had been likewise
announced. It was, however, a little thing with him that
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 159
he should be thus judged of man's judgement : his record
is now, with himself, before the throne of God, and
even in the pages of his diary, abundant testimony may
be drawn, that he did not so judge concerning his
enemies.
On Sunday, November 7th, he resumed his pulpit ex-
ercises. After preaching in the evening, he says : " I felt
my soul borne above the world ! it soared very high ! and
I sat with Jesus in heavenly places." And at the conclu-
sion of the following Sabbath, he remarks, " for the greater
part of this week, I can say of a truth, that my peace had
flowed as a river."
Although now on the Conference list of reserve, and
therefore filling his several appointments as a preacher, he
still considered it his duty to assist his father, in writing for
the concern of which the latter had the management;
nevertheless, wishing to be entirely devoted to the work of
God, he considered book-keeping " as all lost time" to him ;
" but," adds he, with exemplary propriety, " I remember at
the same time, that, ' honour thy father,' is a command of
him whom I wish to obey :" this was, however, nearly his
last implication with "counting house business."
Throughout the whole of December, and even during the
following month, the state of his mind within, appears to
have resembled in some measure the aspect of nature
around him ; sometimes gloomy and lowering, the clouda
160 MEMOIRS OF THE
hung about his soul, and intercepted his comforts, com-
pelling him to exclaim, " dark dark dark ;" at other
times, his mental atmosphere was bright and clear, and
the sun of righteousness shone out with full lustre. It
might appear, indeed, sometimes a little difficult with un-
scriptural readers, to reconcile the heavenly manifestations
of the love of God in Christ Jesus, which he generally en-
joyed, with some of his dark and terrible conflicts and fits
of despondency. As before observed; however, there was
nothing in his state, (however singular to himself,) beyond
what thousands have experienced, and must experience,
who look much and closely at the fluctuations of feeling, in
hearts not made perfect in love. A macerated body, united
with a spirit of extraordinary intensity, exposed him in a
peculiar manner to those besetments which are not uncom-
mon with men of a similar temperament. He was often
very unnecessarily distressed by dreams, which, however
regarded by himself, were doubtlessly the phantasmagoria
of a fevered brain. Another evident cause of his painful
depressions, was the absence of spiritual manifestations
not of the nature, but in the measure, which his soul desired
for at this period, all the feelings of his mind, all the ac-
tions of his life, were not of the nature of the " old man,"
which he had long put off, with his lusts but of the " new
man," which he had put on, and whose works were right-
eousness and true holiness.
On Sunday, the 19th of December, Mr. Summerfield
preached on behalf of the Methodist Missions, at Tralee ;
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 161
on Tuesday, he spake at great length at the half yearly
meeting of the Bible Society ; and on the following evening,
at the missionary anniversary. His addresses, on both
these occasions, were well received ; and, judging from the
sketches extant, deservedly so.
It may with propriety be mentioned here, that about
this period he embraced several opportunities of enlarging
his stock of ideas, by attending lectures on natural, intel-
lectual, and moral philosophy.
-On the first Sunday morning in the year 1820, he
preached in Cork to a large assembly : " I was peculiarly
affected," says he, " under the first prayer ; the Lord gave
to my eyes refreshing tears ! and I could only sob my
petition to His throne. He caused all Ins goodness to pass
before me, and revealed to me his name ! I felt him
passing by ! He put his hand on me, and then revealed
his glory ; he covered me ; I was lost in the ocean of his
goodness." -And yet the very next day he laments that
he " felt no gracious impression," at the Covenant meeting.
How little were these vacillations of rapture and agony to
be taken as proofs that he was in the favour of God or
rather that he was otherwise : indeed, in such a case, how
can a person be sure that these are of God, and those of
Satan or of his own mind, or rather of his own body ?
How wise, and yet at the same time how simple, is the test
of the divine acceptance laid down by Mr. Wesley, in the
old methodistic syllogism : " He that now loves God,
o 2
162 MEMOIRS OF THE
that delights and rejoices in him, with a humble joy, a
holy delight, and an obedient love, is a child of God : But
I thus love, delight, and rejoice in God ; therefore, I am
a child of God."
We may unhesitatingly apply to Mr. Summerfield's
case, the above rule of sound judgement, which he appears
not to have applied to himself though he could apply it
to the case of others. For instance, after saying of him-
self, " I am miserable, miserable, miserable !" he goes on
to state how he continued to preach, and how God blessed
the word to the experimental salvation of the souls of others,
while he himself either had not, or imagined that he had
not, such experience ; and if experience of this kind is to be
the oly test of reality, and he had it not, does it not follow
that he was under the curse of God as an unpardoned sinner,
and must have gone from preaching to perdition had he
died at the time ? Summerfield was undoubtedly in a state
of justification before God, and moreover, was evidently seek-
ing to be sanctified wholly, for there is no middle state be-
tween guilt and pardon, in which a man may thus serve, and
fear, and love God, as he appears really to have done, and
have visitations even of joy unspeakable and full of glory,
as he says that he had, and as we must believe ; and yet
all this time be under condemnation, and every moment
in danger of hell fire ; such hypotheses were equally absurd
and unscriptural.
He appears on the whole to have sought his religious
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 163
exemplar in the celebrated Fletcher, and to the spiritual
attainments of that eminently holy man his soul per-
petually aspired. " Oh what a saint ! I would but
scarcely dare, aspire to his attainments ; and yet, Jesus
kindly whispers to my inward ear that He has the residue
of the Spirit ! Oh shed it abroad ! come Lord from above !"
Such is Summerfield's ejaculation on reading the life of
his pious predecessor : and in allusion to whom he says,
in another place, " I never met with any experience so
much a counterpart of my own : I mean his experience
just at the eve of his stepping into gospel liberty I took
courage I kneeled down I cried to God ! He drew
near I set the seal of my faith to his promises of pardon
through the death of his Son ; I now wait the seal of his
spirit to be applied to my heart Lord ! I must I must
believe, and now !"
The 31st of Januar)^, as the reader is already aware,
was the anniversary of Mr. Summerfield's birth-day ; on
a single page under that date, in the present year, there
occur in the diary two entries of so conflicting a character,
that they can only be reconciled by the extreme probability
that a slight mistake may have occurred in dividing the
matter under the date ; even this supposition, leaves diffe-
rent entries singularly contemporaneous. After mentioning
some conversions which, the day before, had taken place
under his preaching, he adds " But what shall I say of
myself ? despair begins to lay hold on me, and for some
days I have left off [private] prayer. My hell increases !
#
164 MEMOIRS OF THE
and yet, sometimes, I have a beam of hope ; in the in-
stances I have mentioned above, it seems as if the Lord
mingled encouragement amid my despondencies ; and he
seems unwilling to give me up Oh, that I knew where I
might find him !" This evidently refers to the 30th, for
in the next paragraph he writes " This is my birth-day !
so twenty-two years of my race are accomplished ! I have
felt a good deal of the divine presence with me to day; and I
have solemnly offered myself to Him again." After de-
voting himself anew to God, he adds " I feel enlivened ;
this next year of my life will be the auspicious year, in
which I shall be introduced into the kingdom of grace, or
of glory ; which ever it may prove, c thy will be done.'
Amen ! J. Summerfield." Still, in the review of his state,
he writes bitter things against himself. It may justly be
asked If he was not already in the kingdom of grace,
where was he 1 It would be blasphemy to say that he
was in the kingdom of darkness, and under the power of
Satan ! What was wanting to him ? evidently nothing
but some more sensible manifestation that he was in the
kingdom of grace. To multitudes, undoubtedly, such
manifestation is given, and is given according to their
faith ; but. there must be other evidences, or a person may
awfully deceive himself, as well as harass his spirit to
despair, if he has it not in the degree which he himself
expects and prescribes, or in which others have it. It is
difficult to avoid yielding to a conviction, on the whole,
that much of Mr. Summerfield's misery arose from bodily
disease, some probably from satanic temptations, and more
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 165
than either, and overruling both the former, for his good
eventually, from the striving of God's Holy Spirit with
his spirit, to bring him, by a necessarily severe discipline,
to an entire surrender of himself to the Lord for, followed,
and admired, and flattered, no doubt as he was, young,
inexperienced, and sanguine, there was continual peril of
his being a castaway, after preaching to others, because
there was continual temptation to preach himself, as well
as Christ Jesus the Lord, and to glory in his talents as
well as in the cross.
So deeply and steadily flowed the rivers of peace and
blessedness from the throne of God into his soul, at the be-
ginning of February, that he writes, " If all my days were
spent in as close a communion with God as these were,
methinks the change which death would introduce would
scarcely be felt. I find I can trust my Father for all things ;
I can cast my soul on his promise, made^ through the blood
of Jesus, even though the seal of the* Spirit should seem
long delayed ; I know and sensibly feel, that I am not
worthy to be a son of God ; and if he see fit, for wise pur-
poses, to retain me so long in the character of a servant,
His will be done. I have prayed with the prodigal, 'make
me as one of thy hired servants ;' this he has exceeded ;
he has made me a domestic. He will then increase in me
all the good pleasure of his will. He will yet set me on
high, even among the princes of his people." Here a
blessed " trust and confidence" in the faithfulness of God,
takes place of those "hard sayings," in which he had so
166 MEMOIRS OF THE
frequently of late indulged against himself. Indeed, it is
plain that he was more in his right mind, more calm,
collected, and resigned to the will of God, and less impa-
tient though not less earnestly longing for full redemp-
tion : and for his satisfactory assurance of which, nothing
seems to have been wanting but " the seal of the Spirit."
The deed of his adoption was no doubt ratified in heaven ;
though the roll, such as Bunyan's Pilgrim, Christian,
received at the foot of the cross, and which others have
received there, was not yet given to Summerfield.
No occasion has heretofore occurred, requiring the
expression of any sentiment in connexion with Mr. Sum-
merfield's feelings as a British subject ; nor would the
opportunity of making any allusion at all to this matter,
have been regarded in these pages, but for the occurrence
of a passage in the diary of this devoted individual, which
it would be the most manifest injustice to his memory to
omit. The writer of these pages would indeed as certainly
secure as he would assuredly deserve, the scorn of every
honest American, were he, as an Englishman, to cloak or
dissemble the fact of Mr. Summerfield's loyalty to his
sovereign to that sovereign who was, undoubtedly, in his
personal character, the "most religious king" that ever
sat on the throne of Great Britain. George III. departed
this life on the 31st of January, 1820. On the 15th of
February, the pious diarist writes : " I cannot but remark
on the political state of the times in which I live ; the
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 167
prospect for several earthly kings is very gloomy, and
yet I fear it will not drive them to seek after a kingdom
in the heavens, or a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
And so the British throne hath changed its monarch!
George the 3d is counted among the leaves of Autumn !
My heart even yet says ' God bless him ;' I trust to meet
him in my Father's house, sheltered from every piercing
wind of keen adversity. His son was proclaimed king, in
London, on my birth-day.
" The Duke of Kent has also put off the coronet ; he
died a few days before his father, and was buried on the
Saturday preceding ! When death speaks from palaces,
surely subjects should take the warning. And is England
alone thus visited ? No : the heir of the French throne
has been assassinated by another Ravaillac ! Never did a
darker cloud impend over any nation, than this and France
at this moment : may I watch the Providence of God !
Some Pella will be provided for them that love Him. My
father urges me to go to America ; he thinks it would
greatly improve my health ; if I thought it was the will
of God, I would not hesitate ; but I have no light on this
subject."
The destruction which Summerfield, as well as some
other good men, anticipated, did not come upon our Jerusa-
lem; and therefore the saints were not " scattered abroad"
by persecution, though many were " thrust out," by a
168 MEMOIRS OF THE
better spirit, into the wilderness of this world ; and in the
sequel, his own way was opened to that mighty field of
labour which God had prepared for his servants in the
new world : there he was, in due time, hailed and heard
in his " father language," as a messenger of good tidings
to those western churches, who acknowledge with their
brethren all over the world, one spirit one faith one
baptism.
From the month of February until toward the middle
of May, his labours were divided between Cork, Mallow,
Cappaquin, Youghall, Limerick, and Fermoy. To his
exertions, must be mainly attributed the acquisition of the
site of the Chapel at the latter place ; as the interviews
and arrangements with Mr. Walker, the landlord, devolved
entirely upon Mr. Summerfield, who had the satisfaction
not merely to win the esteem of the gentleman with whom,
on the part of the Methodists, he negotiated, but likewise
to see the leases perfected, signed, sealed, and delivered,
for a charming plot of ground, fifty feet by forty, at a pep-
percorn fine and rent for ever.
In consequence of the intensely painful exercises of his
mind, he now anxiously longed to visit the land of his
nativity, " not to preach, but to be instructed in the way of
salvation." " I am (says he) like Apollos; 1 want to know
the way of the Lord more perfectly." " I long," says he,
in another place, " to be in England, where, unknown, I
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD 1G9
may, without reserve, communicate my almost indescriba-
ble state to some one to whom my gracious Lord may
direct ! Oh, may he open my way if it please Him I" This
prayer was heard and answered.
170 MEMOIRS OF THE
SECTION X.
Jlnives in England, and preaches at Bristol Exeter attends
Conference at Liverpool entertains thoughts of going to
America embarks for New-York.
On the 12th of May, 1820, Mr. Summerfield bade adieu
to Ireland, and expected presently to set his foot on the
English shore ; the vessel, however, in which he sailed,
and which was bound for Bristol, being detained by ad-
verse winds at Markstown, he embraced the opportunity of
once more visiting Cork, and hearing Mr. "Wood preach.
On the 15th, he re-embarked at Cross-Haven, to which
place he was accompanied by his father, who " loaded him
with blessings :" "Such a father he is only surpassed
by another, and that is the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ !"
This detention in the Channel, afforded him leisure to
reflect upon the time he had passed in Ireland, and the
objects of his visit to England. In the preceding eighteen
months, he had not only preached four hundred sermons, but
had been blessed with good ministerial success ; and he
and iiis congregations had often experienced times of re-
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 171
freshing from the presence of the Lord. In reference to
the unhappy division to which I have before alluded, he
observes : " The Methodist Society in Ireland was rent
in twain from the top to the bottom ; and, forced out, as I
was in these times, it was my object to assist in sewing up
the rents which had been made. To the glory of God I
would record it, that I believe my labour was not altogether
in vain in the Lord." With sincere pleasure, may be
added to this record, the following testimony of a reverend
gentleman, who had many opportunities of judging on the
subject : u He preached practical Christianity, in most
lively colours ; and his ' sweet persuasive tongue' so re-
commended i brotherly kindness and charity,' entreating
his brethren, even weeping, to ' fall not out by the way,'
that all appeared to be carried away by his eloquence to
spiritual union, and heavenly peace ; and he was made a
general blessing, at that time of strife and division in the
church."
Mr. Summeriield's popularity was too great, not to
create envy in little minds. Upon the latter clause of the
subjoined review we must drop a tear, but (here exists no
valid reason for suppressing it : " In the various circuits
I have travelled, I have met with many trials ; many of
the preachers received me gladly ; I believe I was beloved
by those whose love I most highly prize ; and in this page,
and in this number, I would record names ever dear to
me Tobias, Wood, Steele, W. Stewart, A. Hamilton,
sen'r, T. W. Doolittle, H. Dury, S. Harpur, E. Cobain, F.
172 MEMOIRS OF THE
Russell, P. Rogers, J. Matthews, &c. Others I found
among my brother preachers, who received me with not
coolness or reserve, (this I care nothing about,) but marked
dislike. They would rather, I do really believe, that I
were cut off, than preserved among them. I know them
God knows them ; I love them truly, and would be glad
to be their lowliest servant in any capacity."
On the 16th, the wind was favourable ; the vessel stood
out fairly for her destination, and as the green bills of the
land of his spiritual nativity receded from his sight, the
anxious voyager ejaculated in broken accents of affection
"Farewell! my sweetest friends ! Farewell ! Ireland, thou
concealest all that I love dear on earth ! yet I give you all
up ; the cross ! but then the crown ! I leave a land of
friends I fly to a land of strangers ! Cease, fond nature
cease thy strife ! It is for Jesus ! Farewell ! Adieu !" On
the 19th, he landed at Bristol.
It may here be repeated, that the object of his voyage
to England was threefold. 1. To attend to some business
for his father ; 2. The prospect of benefitting his constitu-
tion ; and, 3. A resolution to converse unreservedly with
some one on his spiritual state ; and, therefore, to remain
for sometime unknown to the brethren. Providence had
otherwise ordered concerning him.
Immediately on his arrival at Bristol, as he was passing
along one of the streets of the city, in the loose blue coat
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 173
which he had worn aboard, and his head so reeling from
the motion of the vessel, that he had occasionally to cling
to the palisades, to prevent himself from falling on the
pavement ; he saw a number of children playing at mar-
bles ; of these he inquired the way to the Methodist
Chapel. Thither he repaired, and found that " a stranger"
was expected to preach that evening. Having taken his
seat in a pew, he sat, " unknowing and unknown," with
the rest of the congregation. When they had waited
nearly half an hour beyond the time appointed, and no
preacher making his appearance, nor any person attempt-
ing even to give out a hymn, the people meantime begin-
ning to go away, it was strongly impressed upon Mr. Sum-
merfield's mind, that he must himself be "the stranger,"
thus providentially appointed. After reasoning a short
time with flesh and blood, he at length broke the snare,
and inwardly replied to what he considered a call from
God "Lord, here am I not my will, but thine, be done !"
He then ascended the pulpit, and under a sweet sense of
the divine presence, gave out the hymn, beginning, " God
moves in a mysterious way." He felt a little trepidation
at first, but in a few minutes this text came to his mind
" Fear not, for I am with thee ; be not dismayed, for I am
thy God ! I will strengthen thee ; yea, I will help thee ;
yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my
righteousness." He preached with his usual freedom and
unction ; and thus singularly commenced his ministry in
England.
174 MEMOIRS OF THE
A few words will explain the circumstance which thus
opened Mr. Summerfield's way to a British pulpit, so con-
trary to his expectation and even to his wishes : the
District Meeting, which had that week been held in Bris-
tol, had terminated only the day before, and this, in con-
nexion with the anniversary of the local Methodist Mis-
sionary Society, had brought a considerable number of
preachers to the spot ; publication had therefore been made
for " a stranger" on the evening in question ; but no name
was mentioned, as it was hardly to be doubted, but that
when from.forty to fifty preachers were present in the city,
some stranger might reasonably be expected. No other
stranger, however, nor any other preacher, could be found,
though many of the friends actually went from the
chapel to seek one.
Having, in consequence of the above incident, and con-
trary to his intentions for the present, been induced to show
the letters of introduction with which he had been furnished
by Mr. Wood, at Cork, he was received with much affection
by many of the English brethren then in Bristol. While
in that city, he was kindly entertained by John Hall, and
Edward Jones, Esqrs. Mr. Hall carried him in a chaise
to Bath, where he met with, and was affectionately recei-
ved by, that truly apostolic man, (now in glory !) the
Rev. Walter Griffiths.
On the 22d, he set off to Exeter on the business with
which his father had charged him in England : this nego-
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELO. 175
tiation. however, terminated inauspiciously. So, says he,
" my dear father is again disappointed ; he thought that
the providence of God was removing him to England,
but all is closed ! I wrote to him the day following, to com-
municate the unpleasant result ; and endeavoured to
encourage him to trust in the Lord. Indeed, my dear
father has no continuing city here. God, in his mercy,
removes him from place to place, and shows him that this
is not his home ; but he has given him a title through
grace to a kingdom ! a kingdom which cannot be moved."
His visit to Exeter at this juncture, was, however, intei
esting to himself as a Methodist preacher : the District
Meeting was assembled, and the anniversary of the Mis-
sionary Society of the District was held ; and as Mr. Sum-
merfield was just come from Ireland, he was not only
allowed, but required, to take a prominent part. Some of
the preachers were very shy on this occasion ; and one of
them had even the indiscretion to say to his colleagues, " be
cautious how you mix with the Irish brethren ! ; ' This
conduct deterring the resident preachers, he was not
invited to occupy their pulpits ; until at the kind solicitation
of Mr. Kilpin, the Baptist minister, he had preached for
him in his* Meeting house. He was then, on the following
Sunday, asked to preach in Exeter, not however by the
superintendent, but by Mr. Overton, the junior preacher.
He had promised to be in Bristol that day, but lest his
motives in leaving a place where he had not been well
treated, might be misconstrued, he apologized to his Bristol
176 MEMOIRS OF THE
friends, and preached on the Sabbath at Exeter with great
power and acceptance.
Sunday, June 3d, he preached again at Bristol Mr.
Roberts reading the church service before sermon ; this
was quite new to him, as was also the appearance of the
chapel, being, as it is, adorned with marble monuments
affixed to various parts of the interior. On the following
Sunday, he preached twice in St. Philip's chapel, and
between these services assisted Mr. Waddy to administer
the sacrament. This also was new to him it was more-
over the first time that he had communicated in a Metho-
dist chapel : so, after preaching in King-street chapel, Bath,
he observes: "As I am always meeting with something
new in England, I may observe, that this was the first chapel
in which I had met with an organ ; the hymns were played
on it in a delightful manner, and produced good effect."
While in Bristol, he had a pleasant interview with Mr.
Thomas Exley, the ingenious mathematician ; he likewise
saw several Moravian friends, and amongst them two of his
Fairfield preceptors, Rev. Messrs. Ramftler and Mallalieu.
Having, soon after his arrival in England, written to the
Rev. Thomas Thomson, his old friend, companion, and
fellow-labourer, then stationed at Framlingham, in Suffolk,
he received a letter in return, from which it may be inter-
esting to make the following extract : " Your dear father,
(whom, as long as recollection endures, and a spark of
gratitude exists in my heart, I shall love and respect,) has
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 177
now got, what from your childhood he most anxiously
desired, and what / know he has prayed for, hundreds of
times. Yes, my dear John, your dear father knows what
it is to wrestle with God, and he knows what it is to prevail.
I have for the last eleven years, in which I have been an
itinerant preacher, seen numbers of men who possessed
deep piety, but one who had greater influence with hea-
ven more power with God, than your father, I have not
seen."
It does not appear that Mr. Summerfield kept any jour-
nal of his feelings, or his proceedings, from the period of
his leaving England for Ireland* nor, in fact, until his
arrival in America : indeed, the very latest entry in the
foregoing country, occurs under June 28 ; when reviewing
God's dealings with him, he remarks, " and here, I have
been abundantly blessed ; my heart nas been sweetly
* Mr. Summerfield returned from England to Cork, in August,
1820, little improved in health. His time was variously employed
as before, viz. in writing for the establishment of which his father
was manager, and occupying the pulpits in the different chapels
in Cork and its vicinity ; until the 19th of October, when he
was again most alarmingly attacked with the same disorder
which brought him to the verge of the grave at Hop Island
the very same day of the previous year. In a few weeks, he
was so far convalescent that his physicians advised a sea voyage ;
which was promptly acceded to by his father, who had long
contemplated the removal of the family to America.
J, BlacJcstock.
178 MEMOIRS OF THE
drawn out after the fulness of the blessings of the gospel
of Christ ; and I believe I can say, I feel more truly alive
ro God, and have nearer access to him, than for some
time past." He adds " of the kindness of Mr. Hall's
family (of Bristol) I cannot speak in any just terms God
bless them !"
While at the Conference held in Liverpool, he became
acquainted with the Rev. John Emory, the representative
of the American Conference. The interviews which Mr.
Summerfield enjoyed with so respectable and influential a
member of the Methodist church in America, though they
did not originate, may reasonably enough be supposed to
have thrown an halo of new interest around that project
of emigration, which Providence seems at this period to
have forced upon the attention and choice of his father
and the family. How long and on what accounts chiefly,
thoughts of America had occupied the minds of Mr. Sum-
merfield and his father, may be gathered from the follow-
ing extracts of letters, written, as their dates will show, in
1819, and addressed by him to his eldest sister and her
husband Mr. and Mrs. Blackstock, of New- York, in
which city, as already stated, they had for some time
resided :
" Temporal affairs have not answered our expectations :
I believe it was not the will of heaven, that I should be
buried in a secular calling ; I was given to the Lord from
my mother's womb, and because I refused the surrendering
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. J 79
of myself to the ministry exclusively, I have been scourged
beyond measure ; but I at last came in, and I never mean
to quit the temple service of the God whose name is Holy."
* * * * " We have long talked of removing to America ;
if my father should not make up his mind to settle in
Cork, in July next, he will certainly conclude to go without
further delay ; and with regard to the rest of us, we can
have no objections, notwithstanding the dangers of the
passage, when we have such attractions already on that
side the water." April 19th, 1819. He thought right,
however, to modify the phrase, " we can have no objec-
tions," by adding " Perhaps I spoke hastily ; with regard
to myself, perhaps my best friends would not consent that
I should remain in America ; but at all events, they could
not deny me the indulgence of the heartfelt pleasure of
seeing you."
At the conclusion of a long letter to his sister, descriptive
of his religious experience, he says " I often tell my
friends in this country of my desire of going to America ;
they will not listen to it for a moment. I do indeed desire
it, if it were the Lord's will, but not otherwise I long to
see you, that I may be filled with your company ; if it
is his will, he will open the way." April 19th, 1819.
America appeared to be his providential destination.
All things were duly arranged for the voyage ; Mr. Sum-
merfield, his revered father, his elder brother William, and
his two sisters Amelia and Anne, sailed from Cork, on the
180 MEMOIRS OF THE
12th of December, 1820, in the ship General Lingan,
bound to New- York. The vessel being only ballasted,
after a not unpleasant sail of fifteen days, touched at St.
Ubes, a Portuguese harbour, about fifteen miles south of
Lisbon, to take in a cargo of salt. After staying at this
place some weeks, and receiving every civility from the
resident British and American consuls, they again set sail.
The captain of the vessel was a most gentlemanly officer,
and did every thing in his power to make the passengers
comfortable : added to this, the young ladies had their
piano in the cabin, so that the time passed very agreeably
on shipboard ; the more so, as the breezes of the Atlantic
appeared to have a favourable effect upon Mr. Summer-
field's health. On the 17th of March, 1821, they landed
safely at New- York.
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 181
SECTION XI.
Methodism in America Summerfield arrives at New-York
eloquent speech stationed at New-York speech un-
precedented popularity addresses children letters news-
paper notices immense audiences at Washington preaches
in front of the Capitol affection of his friends affecting
sermon.
Methodism, which,as most persons are aware had its
rise with the preaching of the celebrated and Rev. John
Wesley, in England, about the year 1730, flourishes in
America to a greater extent even than in Europe. Its
introduction to the United States, is traceable to Philip Em-
bury, a local preacher from Ireland, who in the year 1766,
began to preach in the city of New- York ; where, in a
very few months, he united with himself in church
fellowship a number of his own countrymen, as well as
citizens, and thus laid the foundation of the society.
In the same year, Thomas Webb, a gentleman holding
a captain's commission in the British service, and who had
a military station in the city of Albany, visited New- York,
and several other places, attracting large crowds, who
Q
182 MEMOIRS OF THE
wondered much to see the pulpit occupied by a man in
the uniform of a soldier. Almost simultaneous with these
operations, was the arrival of Robert Strawbridge, another
Irish local preacher, who settled at a place called Pipe
Creek, in Maryland, where he began to preach, formed a
society, and built a leg chapel. In the course of three
years, the people had so increased, and the prospects of
the society were so encouraging, that in answer to the
prayer of the Society in New- York, Mr. Wesley sent
Messrs. Boardman and Pilmoor, who were the first regular
preachers appointed by Mr. Wesley to this country.
Meanwhile, the first Methodist chapel was built in New-
York, and things went on so prosperously, that at the latter
end of the year 1771, Rev. Francis Asbury, and Rev.
Richard Wright, joined the brethren above named.
There was at this period a general deficiency of vital re-
ligion in the Church of England in America, as well as
in the mother country, the people being in many places
even destitute of the Christian sacraments, as several of the
clergy had forsaken their churches. In this lamentable
state of affairs, the preachers and members of the Methodist
Society in America, requested Mr. Wesley to take, in their
behalf, such measures, in his wisdom and prudence, as
would afford them suitable relief in their distress.
In consequence of this representation, that venerable
man, who, under God, had been the father of the great
revival of religion now extending over the earth, by the
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 183
means of the Methodists, determined to ordain ministers
for America. Accordingly, on the establishment of peace
in 1784, Mr. Wesley sent over three regularly ordained
clergymen Dr. Thomas Coke, Richard Whatcoat, and
Thomas Yasey, vesting them with ecclesiastical powers to
constitute the American Methodists an independent Episco-
pal Church. Having fixed upon this mode of Church
government, he solemnly set apart, by the imposition of
his hands, and prayer, " one of them, viz. Thomas Coke,
Doctor of Civil Law, late of Jesus College, in the Univer-
sity of Oxford, and a Presbyter of the Church of England,
for the Episcopal Office ; and having delivered to him let-
ters of Episcopal orders, commissioned and directed him
to set apart Francis Asbury, then general assistant of the
Methodist Society in America, for the same Episcopal
office ; he, the said Francis Asbury, being first ordained
deacon and elder. In consequence of which, the said
Francis Asbury was solemnly set apart for the said Epis-
copal office, by prayer, and the imposition of the honds of
the said Thomas Coke, other regularly ordained ministers
assisting in the sacred ceremony. At which time, the
general Conference held at Baltimore did unanimously re-
ceive the said Thomas Coke, and Francis Asbury, as their
Bishops, being fully satisfied of the validity of their Epis-
copal ordination."
Thus originated the Methodist Episcopal Church in
America, into the bosom of which, not merely as a servant,
hut " as a brother beloved in the Lord," Mr. Summerfield
184 MEMOIRS OF THE
was now to be received, and under whose authority and
direction, we are henceforward to behold him spending and
being spent.
Presently after his arrival at New- York, in March, 1821,
he commenced his ministerial labours, though he was in a
very indifferent state of health.
The Fifth Anniversary of the American Bible Society
was held at the City Hotel, in the city of New- York, on
the 10th of May. The chair was filled by the President,
the honourable and venerable Elias Boudinot, LL. D.
then in the eighty-second year of his age. At this
meeting, Mr. Summeifield made a speech which produced
a wonderful effect, and added much to that popular estima-
tion in which he had been rising ever since he preached
his first sermon. The following passage may be quoted
from the report of the Society : " In seconding the motion
of thanks to the venerable President, I am assured of the
consentaneous feeling of every heart around me. When I
beheld him enter the room, I felt a thrill strike through my
soul, but which I cannot describe ; I believe it was the
generous throb of every individual here present, at the
sight of Boudinot ; it was sympathetic, and every heart
vibrated in perfect unison with my own. My imagination
involuntarily recognized in him a resemblance to pious
Jacob ; and ' finding the time draw near when he must
die,' I fancied that lie had said in his heart, ' Gather your-
selves together that I may bless you before I die !' And
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD.
when one told Jacob, and said, ' Behold thy sons come
unto thee, Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the
bed,' and said, ' Hear ye sons of Jacob, and hearken unto
Israel your father.' Instead of urging upon you any thing
as a motive to your unanimously seconding the motion, I
leave it to yourselves, and the best feelings of your hearts ;
nor am I at all apprehensive for the result. At the same
time, you will present your thanks to Almighty God for
having raised up such a father to your society, for having
put it into his heart to ' come to the help of the Lord
against the mighty,' and as the best way of expressing
your gratitude to this servant of the Lord, remember him
sincerely at the throne of grace, and pray that whenever it
shall please the Head of the Church, and God of the Bible,
to remove him hence, his last hours may be peace ! pray
that God would speak to his heart the word which once
cheered the fainting mind of Israel of old ' Fear not to go
down into Egypt ; I will go down with thee into Egypt,
and I will also surely bring thee up again ;' and that
borne up under this assurance, he may be ' able to say to
his surviving friends, with a heavenly smile, ' whither I go
ye know, and the way ye know.' "
He attended the Conference held at Troy, in the State
of New- York, in the month of June, and was admitted
into the connexion, upon what he justly regarded as libe-
ral terms ; for having left Ireland somewhat suddenly, he
had not with him a single letter of recommendation from
that country. This difficulty as it might have proved
Q 2
186 MEMOIRS OF THE
was obviated by a letter which he received from the Rev.
John (now Dr.) Emory, who thus in the most friendly and
affectionate manner, interfered in Mr. Summerfield's behalf,
from a knowledge of his standing in Britain. Being thus
received, he was stationed in the city of New- York ; the
term of probation required being calculated from the
period of his joining the connexion in Ireland, which left
one year only for trial, previous to his admission to the
office of a deacon.
After his return from the Troy Conference, he thus
writes in his diary : " Having been appointed for New-
York city, I have sought to ratify the same at the Throne of
Grace ; I feel as if God would be with me this year ; He
has given me good earnest of it, and I enter upon my
arduous duties, relying upon his strong arm alone." After a
few days, he adds " I find that my ensuing year's labours
will be double my expectations" " I feel as if this year
would terminate my mortal existence ! my body is perfect
weakness ! my soul sympathizes too often with my body,
and wants that lively vigour and energy I so much need
but I feel that Jesus will do all things well."
On Sunday, June 10, he preached the anniversary ser-
mon of the Marine Church in New- York, and on the fol-
lowing Wednesday, delivered an address in Dr. Romeyn's
Church, on the first report of the institution. Few readers,
probably, at this time, either in Europe or America, re-
quire to be told that public attention to the spiritual desti-
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 187
tution of sailors, was first attracted by a singularly gifted
individual, residing as a Baptist minister at Cornwall, in
England.* A brief outline of Mr. Summerfield's speech
at the first anniversary of the Bethel Union, is preserved, a
few passages from which will not be unacceptable to the
reader in this place. Having noticed the indifference which
the Christian world had so long manifested towards sailors,
" He recollected that this neglect had been from time im-
* Amongst the memorials of men raised up in this age of re-
ligious institutions, and which have occupied the public attention
of our contemporaries, posterity will not willingly allow either
detraction or demerit to erase from the scroll of Christian wor-
thies, the name of the Rev. G. C. Smith, of Penzance. I am not,
of course, unaware, that to speak thus of the gentleman in ques-
tion, will be regarded by some persons in England as a species
of charitable heterodoxy. To the labours of this indefatigable
and interesting man, whom no dangers could daunt, and no ob-
loquy confound, and who having been in the service himself, has
been long and justly known as the " seamen's friend," in the best
sense of that phrase ; it is due, at least, to acknowledge that his
intrepid Christian spirit, and unwearied personal exertions in
London and elsewhere, led to the establishment, though they
might not absolutely give birth, to all the institutions now existing
for the promotion of religious information among sailors. With
the subordinate details of his personal history, (the grounds of
so much misrepresentation,) however erratic, I have nothing at
all to do ; but I gladly embrace this opportunity of leaving an
honest and gratuitous testimony to the extent and importance of
his public labours.
1S8 MEMOIRS OF THE
memorial ; and that the opinions of the wise and learned
sages of antiquity (although in many of them but learned
ignorance) had tended to perpetuate this practice still more
and more. Plato had declared that the sea was the school
of vice ; and of course, seamen were regarded as scholars
of wickedness themselves, and teachers of it to others.
But this was not the lowest opinion formed of them by
the ancients. When Anacharsis was asked whether he
supposed that the number of the dead exceeded the num-
ber of the living, he .replied, ' first inform me in which of
these classes seamen are to be placed V implying, that
though they had c a name to live,' they were considered
virtually dead, and of course, not worthy of any labour
which would tend to meliorate their condition.
" The opinions of our christian ancestors were not much
more exalted on this subject. He was reminded by a pre-
ceding speaker, who had alluded to the great and good
John Flavel, of the sentiment of the good puritan with
reference to seamen in his day. The same, said he, may
be applied to them, which was said of an ungodly minis-
ter, then living, whose pulpit discourses were so superior
to his daily practice, that it were a pity he should ever
leave the pulpit, for, when mounted there, he was as near
to heaven as ever he would be ; so, says the honest divine,
may it be said of seamen : when tossed upon the waves,
they mount up to heaven,' as the Psalmist expresses it,
thai, it were a pity they should ever descend again ; for
it was as near as ever they would be.'
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 189
" Mr. S. observed, he could not recollect that any fa-
vourable notice had been taken of seamen by the christian
world, except that they were included in the prayers of
the church of England by the petition for ' all who travel
by land or by water :' But alas, in this case sailors might
in some sort apply the reasoning which had been used
with reference to the Catholic priest, who would willingly
give the poor man his blessing, but not a sixpence of his
money : which led the suppliant to remark to the ecclesi-
astic, that as it was evident he would not bestow it, if it
cost him but sixpence, so he would dispense with it ! Until
the present day, seamen might retort upon the christian
world in similar language. We have prayed, but have
not laboured for their welfare ; we have talked a good deal,
but have done nothing, until the formation of the Bethel
Union Society. But now the stigma is removed ; and,
said Mr. S., although I must turn my eyes from the chair
to express it, lest a forbidden look should chill the declara-
tion I am proud to make : there are not wanting christians,
who give more than their prayers on every sabbath day ;
who give their wealth, their time, their every thing, in this
labour of love ; and who would not count their own lives
too dear to sacrifice' in the cause of Him, c whose they are,
and whom they serve.'. * * * *
" The disregard which seamen are thought to manifest
for the sabbath, and every religious observance, is generally
owing to a similar cause, the disrespect which their cap-
tain's manifest to these things. The couplet, which sea-
190 MEMOIRS OF THE
men have learnt, as expressive of the Egyptian rigour of
their task-masters, is in a great measure true :
' Six days thou shalt work and do all thou art able ;
On the seventh, thou shalt scour the decks, and then wash
the cable.'
" But let the captains and owners of ships shew a vene-
ration for the Lord's day, and seamen will respect it more.
It was therefore with pleasure that Mr. S. seconded a re-
solution of thanks to those captains and owners who had
dared to be singular, and whose example he trusted would
be followed by many others."
His popularity now became unprecedentedly great ; peo-
ple of all denominations crowded to hear him : it was no
uncommon thing for multitudes to surround the church,
where he was expected, awaiting the opening of the doors,
so that before the time of service, hundreds have had to
return disappointed, being unable to gain admittance.
And repeatedly these crowds have been so dense, that he
had to get to the pulpit through the windows. Weak as
he was, it was his practice to preach on an average three
times a week ; besides delivering addresses on various
occasions.
It had ever been his delight (an uncommon merit with
men so eminently gifted) to address juvenile auditories ; he
now made it a point to preach once a month to the chil-
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 191
dren,, taking up, at the same time, a collection for the Mis-
sionary Society. In these addresses, the children were
delighted by his method of instruction : the simplicity and
familiarity of his manner soon won the attention of his
youthful hearers ; and then did he impress upon their
susceptible minds the truths of the gospel, illustrating his
remarks by the most striking metaphors, and by interesting
and appropriate anecdotes. On these occasions he never
forgot the parents ; for, as he used to say, he liked to
preach to the children, because it afforded him an oppor-
tunity of speaking through them, plainly and affectionately,
to their parents.
The subjoined copy of a letter, addressed by Mr. Sum-
merfield to a pious lady, whose name it is not material to
mention, may close, with much propriety the notices of f
the present year :
"New-York, 28th Oct. 1821.
Mr dear Sister,
For such, I trust, you will allow me to call you ; I
can assure you it is with feelings of no ordinary kind that
T now sit down to address you ; but I feel as if I needed
no introduction you will meet me with the salutation, 'how
beautiful are the feet of them that publish glad tidings of
good things.' Believe me, the day has not often gone by,
in which I have not thought of you, and prayed that the
God of all grace would cause you to abound in every good
and perfect work ; that he would perfect in you that which
192 MEMOIRS OF THE
is lacking, and cause you to be steadfast, unmoveable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord. *****
Startle not at difficulties ; I have in general marked, that
when they have crossed our religious path, at our setting
out, we have become more confirmed thenceforward in our
professions ; winds and storms have always the effect of
causing the tree to strike deeper root, and adhere more
firmly to that into which it has been planted : and again,
those trees whose roots strike deepest, are more upright in
the tendency of their growth, and out-top the trees of the
forest. Oh, that this may indeed become the case with
you ; that you may sink deeper into the love of God, and
rise higher in the attainment and enjoyment of holiness of
heart, the mind which was in Jesus straight and upright,
always tending heavenward, and attracted thither con-
tinually by the influence of the sun of righteousness. I
trust, my dear sister has learned the happy art of fleeing to
the strong for strength that she has often opened the
treasury of heaven by the key of prayer ; and by the hand
of faith received out of his fulness, grace upon grace.
Never forget that 'man shall be blest, as much as man
permits' that the invitation is, ' Come, for all things are
now ready : ask what you will, and it shall be given you ;
and whatsoever you ask the Father in my name, it shall be
done for you ;' but mark ask in faith, nothing doubting ;
remember, the condition remains ever this, ' if thou canst
believe, thou shalt see the salvation of God' whatsoever
ye ask in prayer, believing that ye receive them, ye shall have
them ; for ' all things are possible to him that belie veth.'
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 193
Seek, however, the present belief for a present blessing ;
though it is promised that you ' shall see the salvation of
God,' yet, it is if thou canst now believe. Oh, then cry
out, { Lord, I do believe' I do now believe ; help thou mine
unbelief. Believe that God has given you eternal life, and
that life is in his Son :
{ See all your sins on Jesus laid
The Lamb of God was slain ;'
" And then,
' Believe, and all your sins forgiven,
Only believe, and your's is heaven.'
" May God open to you the mystery of faith ; give you
eyes to see that he has given you every thing in the gift oj
Jesus pardon, and holiness, and heaven ; believe that they
are your's, and your's through the right of Jesus, and your's
now ; and you will soon receive the seal of his spirit, as
the witness of your adoption into the family of his dear son.
Write me fully and freely, and T will from time to time
communicate such advice as the Lord shall enable me.
Meantime, with many assurances of Christian brotherly
affection, believe me your sincere well-wisher,
J. SuMMERFIELD."
The year 1822 is one of great importance in Mr. Sum-
merfield's ministerial life, and the bundle of documents
relating thereto, is rich in interesting and, I am sorry to
add melancholy memorials ; as, however, his journal
R
194 MEMOIRS OF THE
(with an exception hereafter noticed,) was intermitted for at
least twenty months, I shall introduce ample extracts from
his correspondence.
In a letter to his father, dated New- York, January 12,
1822, he says : " We are doing well here in our Church
concerns ; the Lord has graciously poured out his spirit on
the late festival occasions, and numbers have been con-
verted to him. I preached on the watch night in John-
street, and the word was indeed accompanied with power ;
it was the best season of the kind ever remembered in this
city ; but particularly on last Sabbath the Lord visited his
people. I preached in the evening in John-street, and
after preaching, I renewed the Covenant, as we do in
Europe. It was altogether new here. It was accompanied
with a great blessing, and between twenty and thirty souls
have been added to the Lord in consequence besides,
there is a great deepening of religion in the hearts of om
people, and we have peace and love in all our borders."
The following extract is from a letter to Mr. Blackstock,
dated Baltimore, March 5th, 1822 :
" On Friday morning I left Philadelphia at 6 o'clock, and
travelled without any intermission, except about two hours,
till near six o'clock on Saturday evening, when I arrived
in Baltimore, jaded indeed. The road was good, except
about fifty miles of it, which was indeed intolerable.
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 195
However, I am in good health, thank God, and quite re-
cruited.
"My reception here has been highly grateful to my
feelings as a Methodist. The attention shown me by all
ranks, is more than I can well bear ; but the Lord supports
me. Indeed, I feel in a very unpleasant situation, in a
certain degree ; when I came to New- York, I was un-
known, and whatever favour, therefore, the Lord gave
me in the eyes of the people, was more than was calculated
upon ; but here, fame has preceded me, and blown a very
loud trumpet indeed ; many expect from me, I almost
think, something more than human, and as all such must
inevitably be disappointed, I stand upon very unequal
ground from my situation in New- York there, they ex-
pected nothing; here, they expect every thing.
" I preached on Sabbath morning in Light-street Church,
to a great multitude, although my fatigues from travelling
were great.
" On Friday morning, I intend to set off to Washing-
ton, in Mr. Foxall's carriage ; he is here with me, and is
indeed a kind father to me. I shall be absent from here
the two following Sabbaths, visiting Washington, George-
town, and Alexandria, and return on the Thursday fol-
lowing : the next day I have to attend the meeting of the
Bible Society here, and in a few days after, that of the
196 MEMOIRS OF THE
sabbath schools as soon as possible afterwards, I go on
to Annapolis, to brother Emory.
" You need not be apprehensive concerning me, for I
assure you I have found a father in brother Rozsell : he is
the presiding elder in this district, and will not permit me
to preach oftener than three times a week ; so that I can
shelter myself under his authority, and avoid all extra
solicitations.
" I am at present at brother Harden's ; he is indeed a
kind man, and receives me with an Irish welcome."
To those who heard this devout and eloquent " messen-
ger of the churches," preach during the progress alluded
to in the foregoing paragraphs, no description can be
necessary to recall him in their hearts and memories.
Others, however, who had not that privilege, will be gratified
to have their conceptions aided by the following passages,
extracted from long newspaper notices, published at the
time and on the spot.
" It has often been asked by those who have not enjoyed
the pleasure of hearing Mr. Summerfield, in what the
peculiar character of his preaching consisted 1
" The youth, and apparent debility of the speaker ; the
deferent and solemn maimer in which he performed the
initiatory offices of divine worship ; and, above all, the
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 197
chaste and fervent simplicity of his petition to the Eternal,
swept aside all prejudice, and opened every heart and every
eye to the truth and { beauty of holiness.'
" His sermon was, beyond comparison, superior to any
thing the writer ever heard, although he has enjoyed op-
portunities of hearing, with no careless ear, many faithful
and able ministers of the word. Tt was not of that
declamatory kind which is calculated to excite the feelings
of a promiscuous assembly ; nor of that subtle and meta-
physical texture which involves the most vigorous intellects,
and perplexes the plainest truth. It was, on the contrary,
a happy union of argument and entreaty : seeking to con-
vince, and c persuade men' of propositions distinctly stated,
cogently enforced, and happily illustrated by natural and
felicitous imagery. It was the outpouring of a full heart,
seeking to disburthen itself of the awful responsibility of
its station, and to give vent to the ' glad tidings' of the
gospel, as the spirit gave it utterance," &c. &c.
PoulsorCs American Daily Advertiser.
Speaking of his services in Light-street church, the cor-
respondent of another local paper, among other remarks,
says "It is unnecessary here to mention the text he took to
expound, or the manner in which he applied the words of it
in elucidating his discourse \ it is sufficient to say, that the
forcible, energetic, and masterly manner, in which he
addressed the congregation the chastity and harmony of
his language the beauty and elegance of his whole dis-
r2
198 MEMOIRS OF THE
course the deep knowledge he displayed of theology, not
only reflected honour upon his head, but evinced, in an
eminent degree, the purity and goodness of his heart as a
christian and minister of the gospel. Nature has, indeed,
bestowed upon him the noblest faculty that can be given
to man, combining in itself all the force of reason, the
cogency of argument, and the propriety of delivery for
such is eloquence," &c. &c.
Under the head of " the modern Whitfield," the " Dela-
ware Watchman" gives a long letter from a correspondent
at Philadelphia. " The discourses of this wonderful man,"
says the writer, " are not formed upon the model of orators,
ancient or modern. They are not made up according to
the prescriptions of rhetoricians of great or lesser name ;
they owe nothing to the magnificence of words, or the
studied graces of manner but they are deeply imbued
with the living spirit of thought, and are dependent for
their influence alone upon the omnipotence of truth, and
the irresistible energy of genius. His gestures are with-
out affectation few, but fearless, and appropriate. His
words spring free and spontaneous from his thoughts, and
these gush on with one continued flow from the deep and
unfailing fountain of a spirit, whose source is in nature and
God," &c. &c.
However gratifying it might be to go on with these
transcriptions, which might be extended through several
pages, from other papers, the foregoing may be sufficient
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 199
as specimens of the whole at least in this place : it may
suffice, therefore, to add the following, from a Philadelphia
print : " Mr. Summerfield, a clergyman from England,
of the Methodist persuasion, has lately delivered several
sermons in this city, which have been attended by most
unexampled congregations, of all denominations of chris-
tians. He is truly powerful both in argument and
eloquence. He is an able and strenuous advocate of the
doctrines of Christianity. His last discourse, previous to
leaving our city, was delivered yesterday morning, in Dr.
Wilson's church, Washington square, in the presence of
most of the clergy, and a concourse of at least four thou-
sand persons." Like a true evangelist, he embraced this
signal opportunity of expounding to his hearers one of the
most vital topics of revelation : " Seeing then that we
*
have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens.
Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession."
Heb. iv. 14.
While this tumult of popular feeling was excited by,
and around him, how seasonable was the following
monitory clause in a letter to Mr. Summerfield at Balti-
more, by his friend, the Rev. Joshua (now Bishop) Soule :
" Amidst the mighty crowd, I trust your single eye is
fixed-on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. All
your honours, all your trophies, you will hang upon the cross,
knowing nothing but c Him crucified." 1 Watch thou in all
things, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of
thy ministry holding the faith of which some have made
200 MEMOIRS OF THE
shipwreck. Let others attempt to eclipse the glory of
Emmanuel, God with us, and limit the perfections and being of
the divine ^y<>s ; but ours be the pleasing task to preach
1 Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to day, and for ever.' "
His further progress will be best described in his own
words. Writing to Mr. Blackstock, from Georgetown,
under date of the 13th of March, he says : " I left Balti-
more on Friday in Mr. Foxall's carriage, Mrs. F. accom-
panying us ; the distance between Baltimore and Washing-
ton is but thirty-six miles, yet we made it a two days jour-
ney ; so that you may infer there was not much fatigue
attending it. On Sunday morning, I preached in the
Foundry chapel in Washington, to an overflowing congre-
gation, notice having been inserted in the newspapers.
Although it was the sabbath of Mr. Ryland's appointment
in ordinary to preach before the Congress ; yet, in conse-
quence of his having engaged a gentleman of the Presby-
terian church, early in the week, to supply his place there
on that sabbath, before he knew of my coming down, I
had not that opportunity. However, there were about fifty
senators, and members of the House of Representatives,
present, filling round about the altar inside, and in the
pulpit ; and among the rest, John Qiiincy Adams, secretary
of state, (since President of the United States,) Calhoun,
secretary of war, and others. As you may suppose, I
directed my attention to subvert the principles of Unitari-
anism, which have unhappily found their way into Con-
gress, through the ministry of Mr. Sparks. I had unusual
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 201
liberty and boldness, with great freedom of speech ; the
Lord stood by me, and I shunned not to declare all the
counsel of God with what effect, I know not ; I leave
that unto the Lord. * * * * Yesterday, for the first time,
I visited the Congress ; I received many marks of distin-
guished attention from members of both houses; their
kindness was very great, and of course, very grateful to
my feelings as a stranger. I am requested to preach in
the House of Representatives, on next Sunday ; it is a
most spacious hall, and will contain far more than the
members of both chambers."
The " Metropolitan and Georgetown National Messenger"
thus describes the preacher as he appeared in Dr. Baltch's
(the Presbyterian) church : " Mr. Summerfield is a young
gentleman of no ordinary capacity, and his oratorical
powers render him an object of deep and livery interest.
When he becomes animated, he appears as if the very
breathings of the Spirit were on him ; and his countenance
is lighted up with a fire, bright and holy, like that which
appeared to Moses on Mount Horeb. His action and
enunciation are chaste his voice is rather weak, but is quite
melodious, and its intonations inconceivably fine his face
wears the aspect of a youth not out of his teens, but is
modest and unassuming. We think Mr. S. is every way
calculated to do good in the vineyard of his divine Master."
To suppose that Summerfield was himself insensible
amidst all this excitement, would be absurd : he must have
202 MEMOIRS OF THE
been more or less than a man to have experienced no
peculiar emotions under such circumstances ; . it is enough
to assert, that his native modesty and christian humility
remained unchanged. How properly he estimated the
flatteries of the press, (honest and valuable as they un-
doubtedly were,) may be inferred from a pleasant passage in
the letter about to be quoted. Addressing Mr. Blackstock,
and of course, with him, all the members of the family in
New- York, he writes :
"Annapolis, Maryland, March 25th, 1822.
" My dear James,
" I promised to write to you to day, and agreeably
thereto, I sit down for the purpose. My last was from
Georgetown, which place I left on Wednesday last. I
suppose I need not inform you of any particulars concern-
ing my stay in that place, and Washington, as you have
probably seen my movements in the newspapers of this
part of the country. Newspaper editors have not much
to do at present, and therefore any novelty affords them a
subject for scribbling ; however, they are all favourable,
extremely so ; in opposition to my Newark friend, one
extols my gesture, as being truly chaste and correct ;
another speaks of my voice, as perfect harmony ; and
another says, that its intonations are inconceivably fine ! !
Dear me ! what will they say next ? I wish I was out
of the way of all this fussbuss, and returned to New- York.
I only mention these things, because I know they will only
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 203
produce in you, the same effect they do in me, exciting a
pleasant smile.
" On last Sabbath I intended to have preached in the
Capitol at Washington, but when I went, the crowd was
so immense, that I took my stand on the lofty steps in
front of the House, and preached in the open air. I can-
not tell you how many were assembled on foot, but the
sight was very imposing, being flanked in by several lines
of carriages filled with company, who retained their seats,
and listened with great attention, so that I infer that I was
heard to the extremity. The wind was somewhat in my
face, and rendered the exertion greater, and I contracted
some hoarseness consequently ; but am now pretty well.
" On Monday I rode to Alexandria, eight miles from
Washington ; I had intended to proceed to Mount Vernon,
the sepulchre of Washington's remains, but having to
preach that evening, I declined."
The text upon which he discoursed, from the platform
at the eastern front of the Capitol, was, " We preach Christ
crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks
foolishness." "If we are to form an opinion of his merits,"
says the Washington City Gazette, " by his popularity as a
preacher, the eagerness to hear him has scarcely been
equalled since the days of his pious predecessor, George
Whitfield." Summerfield, however, was not well calcu-
lated to address out of door-multitudes ; in voice, he pos-
'
2D4 MEMOIRS OF THE
sessed neither the stentorian depth of the apostle of
Georgia, nor the sonorous compass of the founder of
Methodism.
He now turned his feet homeward ; having experienced,
during his visit to the places above enumerated, unpa-
ralleled tokens of affection ; indeed, he observes in a note
to his friends, that he found the kindness of the good people
of Baltimore " increase to so painful a degree, that I longed
to tear myself away ;" and so many presents did he re-
ceive of various kinds, that he had to get an extra trunk
to contain them. In the month of April, he arrived in
New- York, from which place, on the 25th, he wrote to Mr.
Samuel Harden, of Baltimore.* The following is an extract
of the letter, which is one of a series of seventeen, addressed
by Mr. Summerfield to this gentleman : " Oh that my
gracious Lord would cause all the plenitude of his grace
to abound within your soul ; it is yours ; it has been pur-
chased, claim it through the right of Jesus ; and take all
the fulness of that which heaven waits to pour into the
heart of him who asks, believing that he has the very
petitions which he asks through the name of the advocate
with the Father. I will endeavour to multiply words at
* A more devoted friend than Mr. S. Harden was to my dear
brother-in-law, I have not known. He is an extensive merchant
in Baltimore, a member of the Methodist church in that city,
and a man of great influence in the Society.
J. BlacTcstoch
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 205
the throne of grace in your behalf, that you may enjoy all
the fulness of the blood-bought salvation. Tell R
she must take care that Martha does not turn Mary out
of the house altogether ; or, in other words, that while she
is so busily employed in the Missionary cause, for the
benefit of others, she must not neglect the one thing which
is so essential for herself."
The exalted opinion which the public entertained of Mr.
Summerfield's eloquence, at this time, was not only abun-
dantly confirmed, but exceedingly heightened, by a Sermon,
which he preached on the 7th of May, in the Reformed
Dutch Church, Nassau-street, in behalf of the New-York
Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb. The
text upon which the discourse was founded, was Luke vi.
36. " Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is mer-
ciful ;" and the following were the concluding sentences
although the very words of the preacher, those only who
heard them in that great congregation, can conceive of the
fervour with which they were uttered : " But I transfer
these children now to you. Behold them !* they now
stand before you, as you must stand before the judgement-
seat of Christ ! Dare you on this occasion say,
* The preacher dropped his handkerchief on the platform,
and the objects of the charity stood up in the presence of the
congregation. The effect was electrical.
s
206 MEMOIRS OF THE ' ^ ^
1 The mercy I to others shew,
{ That mercy sliew to me :'
Do you realize that day ? You must stand stripped of every
earthly treasure naked before God ! While you plead for
mercy, cast all earthly treasure from you now : these
now plead with you, as you will plead with God : hear
them ! I do not mock you ! Silence like their's is
eloquence. The hand of God has smitten them, but the
stroke which blasted, consecrated them ! Heaven has cast
them on you : if you withhold, 'tis sacrilege ! Will a man
rob God 1 Are you still passing by on the other side ? Still
griping, with a miser's fist, the pelf of earth ? Father of
Mercies ! palsy not that hand ! wither not that eye which
can gaze on these objects, and not feel affected ! On me
be the wrong ! I have failed to affect them these children
have failed. Thou canst move them ; Oh, descend as
with cloven tongues of fire! and find thou an entrance
into every heart ! But I can no more !" The sermon
being concluded, the collection was taken up, which
amounted to something over one thousand dollars, a gold
necklace, and several rings ! This Sermon, the only one
ever published by Mr. Summerfield, was printed at the
request of the Directors, and two editions sold for the benefit
of the Institution. It may be added, that on the 18th of
April, 1822, a law of the Legislature of the State of New-
York was passed, entitled, " Jin act to provide for the Indi-
REV. JOHN SUMMERPIELD. 207
gent Deaf and Dumb within this State ;" thus transferring
the maintenance of these institutions for the destitute
from the charity of individuals to the resources of govern
ment.
208 MEMOIRS 07 THE
SECTION XII.
Ordained Deacon violent illness dictates a testamentary
paper recovers slowly public anxiety letters Episcopal
certificate to travel visits New -Jersey created Master of
Arts letter.
In the month of June, the Conference of that section of
the American Methodist Society to which Mr. Summer-
field belonged, was held in the city of New- York. He
attended the sittings daily, though evidently labouring at
the same time under indisposition. Having fulfilled his
probation, he was now, according to the usage of the
church, ordained Deacon. The following is the Cer-
tificate :
"Know all men bt these presents, That I, Wil-
liam M'Kendree, one of the Bishops of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church in America, under the protection of Almighty
God, and with a single eye to his glory, by the imposition
of my hands and prayer, have this day set apart John
Summerfield, for the office of a Deacon in the said
Methodist Episcopal Church ; a man whom I judge to be
well qualified for that work : and I do hereby recommend
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 209
him to all whom it may concern, as a proper person to ad-
minister the ordinances of Baptism, Marriage, and the
Burial of the Dead, in the absence of an Elder ; and to
feed the flock of Christ, so long as his spirit and practice
are such as become the gospel.
" In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this second day of June, one thousand eight
hundred and twenty-two.
"W. M'Kendree. [Seal.]
" Done in the City
of New- York."
A few days after this ordination, he proceeded with his
venerable Bishop, M'Kendree, to Philadelphia ; the fatigue
which he endured on this journey, (short of 100 miles,) was
more than his weak frame could bear, and on his arrival
he was taken with a violent hemorrhage of the lungs ; and
so severe was the attack, and so reducing the consequent
treatment, that he was brought down to the verge of the
grave. On the 11th of June, he was given up by the
physicians, and it was thought that a few hours would ter-
minate his life. At this crisis, he declared himself to be
fully vi spared for the change which seemed to be at hand,
and said that he felt " inconceivably happy," requesting Ms
brother, who was present, to have " his mind made up."
He then desired that his writing desk might be placed by
his side on the bed, and although so feeble that he could
s2
210 MEMOIRS OF THE
hardly move his eye, he wrote the following directions
with a facility truly astonishing :
" June 11th, 1822. I the subscriber, being about, as far
as human calculation can determine, to leave this world
for a better, being unable to speak sufficiently to convey
my last wishes on certain matters dependent upon my
death, do hereby advise,
" 1st. That my body be decently interred in Philadel
phia, where it now is, without pomp or parade.
" 2d. That if it be the wish of the physicians, they
are at liberty to open it after my decease, to ascertain the
nature of my complaint ; this may serve others ; and as I
have wished its strength and vigour to be devoted for the
good of man, I am willing that the corpse be also so applied ;
not desiring either to live to myself, or die to myself.
" 3d. I have little effects remaining : I entered not into
the ministry of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, from
pecuniary considerations, and had only a provision of food
and raiment ; owing to the benevolence of dearly beloved
brother and sister Blackstock, and my kind friends, the
sum allowed me for food has not been expended ; there
will be found, therefore, two hundred dollars in the writing
desk in my room at Dr. Beekman's, in a red pocket-book ;
this sum is in two promissory notes of the Methodist Book
concern the money being lodged there at interest ; it
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 211
is my desire, that this be preserved for my two poor girls,
Amelia and Anne, (his sisters,) as a farewell token of my
love for them ; to be received by, or for them, at any
after period of their lives.
" 4th. I earnestly beseech my good brother Waldo, in
Pine-street, by all the love he ever shewed me, to give my
portrait to brother and sister Blackstock ; and I beg they
will accept of it as a farewell gift.
" 5th. It is my charge that my pocket volumes of MS.
sermons, &c. be retained by Mr. Blackstock. This charge,
is in trust for either of my brothers, Joseph, or William, in
case the Lord should call either of them into the work
of the ministry ; they may then avail themselves of my
labours.
" 6th. With regard to my Theological books and
pamphlets, Mr. Blackstock may retain them for the same
purpose as above : all my other books, I give to Mr.
Blackstock ; as also my Theological ones, in case of
failure of my hopes with regard to either of my brothers.
" 7th. There is in the writing desk in Dr. Beekman's,
also, eleven dollars in notes, and a ten dollar gold eagle ;
this sum is for the Young Men's Missionary Society, of
which I am President, being ten dollars from Dr. Beek-
man for his son, ten dollars from Mr. Bethune, and one
dollar from Mrs. Wallace, as a donation.
212 MEMOIRS OF THE
" 8th. I owe to Mr. Brown, the tailor, eleven dollars "
The document was here abruptly broken off, at the
request of his brother, on perceiving that the sufferer was
completely exhausted,Sn consequence of the effort he had
made to write thus far. The writing apparatus being
removed, he laid down in bed, and immediately fell into a
sound sleep, from which he did not awake, until after a
lapse of sixteen hours ! During this repose, the natural
energy of his shattered constitution had made a vigourous
effort, and when he awoke, a change for the better had
evidently taken place. He continued to improve daily ;
and in a week was able to write home the following
letter :
" Philadelphia, June ISth, 1822.
" My dear James,
' "I suppose you will not expect more than a line or two,
when you see it is from me ; and when you know that I
am writing, while on my back in bed. I still continue to
improve, and have had no return of the bleeding ; Ellen
(Mrs. Blackstock) says she is better, and will write to-mor-
row ; my father and she unite with me in love to you, and
William, and my poor girls Amelia and Anne. The Lord
bless you all !
"J. SUMMERFIELD."
Such was the intense solicitude which the report of Mr,
Summerfield's illness produced in Philadelphia and else-
where, that something like bulletins, announcing his conva-
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 213
lescence, were published in the newspapers. One of them
observes, " there is no better proof of the lofty estimation in
which this gentleman's character and talents are held, than
the intense anxiety which has been manifested for his
recovery. We recollect no instance of the kind, in which
public sympathy has been so warmly engaged, or in which
the danger of one individual has produced so lively a sen-
sation upon the general mind."
From several letters received by Mr. Summerfield,
after his recovery, it appears how sincerely his fathers
and brethren in the ministry sympathised with him.
Passing by others, the reader will be gratified with the
perusal of a passage from a letter addressed to him by
the venerable Freeborn Garretson, a man who was emi-
nently revered among his colleagues, and whose name is
not confined to America he died in 1827. The letter is
dated Rhinebeck, July 5th, 1S22, and commences
u Mr DEAR AFFLICTED YOUNG FRIEND,
" I received a letter from two of our general superin-
tendents, advising you and myself to journey and labour
together, part at least of this summer, if health, and a
willing mind, permit I hope ever to stand ready to con-
tribute my little mite to promote the good cause in the best
way possible : I cannot converse on paper with that cer-
tainty, as if we were face to face, and knew each other's
feelings, &c. However, I will venture to speak, and judge
ye j Rhinebeck is a healthy place, and if your health or
214 MEMOIRS OF THE
strength will permit, 1 think you had better come up as
soon as you can ; and then we shall know better how to lay
plans for future usefulness. My dear young friend, you
may be sure of this, that I shall be far from pressing
labours on you ; perhaps there has been too much of that
already. It is possible, with care and attention, you may
be restored to health, and a long useful life ; which no
doubt is the prayer of thousands.
" The great Head of the church knows what is the
best for his creatures. Some he spares long, and others
he calls away in the bloom of youth, though intrusted
with splendid talents and signal usefulness. This at once
may show us, that God can do without us, and that we
ought to sit at his feet. God bless you, my son, and
make you every thing he would have you be. Pray
for me.
Your's, affectionately,
"F. GARRETSON."
Mr. Summerfield recovered so slowly, that in one of his
letters, he says concerning his health " I begin to enter-
tain serious apprehensions it will improve no more. I
think I have the prospect of a lingering decline, not
unlike that of my dear mother. I wish I could add, that I
had also the prospect of the same triumphant end ! On
this subject I am very low." At the recommendation of
Dr. Physic, and in the hope of salutary effects from the
air and water of New-Mills, he took a journey to Jersey ;
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 215
his health, however, improved " but slowly :" and in a letter
from Burlington, dated August, 1822, he speaks of his
state in these measured terms : " my health is not worse
than when I last wrote to you, but I think I may say, it
is somewhat improved."
His affectionate and sensitive mind was at this time
exposed to an experiment of a very painful kind, by the
tidings of the death of an eminent physician, whom he
greatly loved, and whose house used to be Mr. Summer-
field's home, when in Baltimore. In a letter dated from
Burlington, 19th of August, he says : " On Saturday I
received the distressing news, that my dear friend, Dr.
Baker, of Baltimore, is an inhabitant of another world !
You know he wrote two letters to me during my illness,
and was then in perfect health ! at that time, I was, as
you saw me, hanging between time and eternity, insomuch
that the letters were kept from me ; yet how soon is the
scene changed i he is laid low, and I am spared ! Gracious
God ! how mysterious are thy providences ! I know not
why I was spared, for truly I am an unprofitable piece of
lumber, a burthen to my friends and to myself. Oh, that
the design for which I have been spared, may have its
full accomplishment in me." This report turned out to be
unfounded ; Dr. Baker had indeed been near death, but
recovered. What had been the exercises and temper of
Mr. Summerfieid's spirit on this occasion, and how sincerely
he rejoiced in the restoration of one of his best friends,
will appear from the following tender letter :
216 MEMOIRS OF THE
" Burlington, August 21st, 182&
" My dear, doubly dear Doctor,
" While I write to you, I scarcely believe myself
awake ; it seems a pleasant dream. To me, you are as
one risen from thS dead ! On Saturday last, I beard that
Dr. Baker was no more ! I wept I prayed I painted
the whole picture of his bereaved family before my mind ;
and often have I put the question to myself since that
time, what will become of the fatherless children ? 'Tis
true, I had some cordial in the cup, for I anticipated that
my dear friend departed in the full triumph of faith ; I
fancied the feelings of the moment, when the last thread
was cut, and he
c Clapt his glad wings, and soared away, t
To mingle with the blaze of day :'
and under these views, I had said, { Their loss is his infinite
gain.' But again, I had thought of the bereaved partner,
and poor Mrs. Dickins, and Eloisa, and I wished I was
in Baltimore, yet dared not trust myself to bear the scene.
But my friend lives ! glory, glory be to God ! I am
revived ; my spirits have risen, all is well. Oh, my dear
Doctor, I am partly beside myself, and I know not what to
write ; but I shall recover myself, and my Father which is
in heaven, must be the only witness of the feelings which
now throb in my heart.
' I'll praise Him while he lends me breath P
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 21?
" And now that I have received my dear friend again from
the dead, now that Lazarus has risen after being four days
in the grave, shall the love of Martha or of Mary exceed
the gratitude which I should feel 1 And will not my dear
friend join me in this, that He whose word maketh whole,
hath a right to ail the revived powers we now possess !
We are similarly circumstanced, and shall we not be
similarly excited ? ' While I live, I will praise the Lord !
I will praise Him as long as I have any being.' And will
not dear Dr. B. take up the same resolution ? Oh, help me
to praise the Lord ! I am lost lost lost in goodness ; I
am out of depth ! It is past finding out;
" Will not my dear friend join me in this entire consecra-
tion of my renewed existence ? Come now, say the words
I feel them ; and may our common Lord accept the
sacrifice we now make :
' If so poor a worm as I
May to thy great glory live,
All my actions sanctify,
All my words and thoughts receive ;
Claim me for thy service ! claim
All I have and all I am !
Now, my God, thine own I am !
Now I give thee back thine own !
Freedom, friends, and health, and fame, %
Consecrate to Thee alone !
Thine I live ! thrice happy I !
Happier stiD, if thine I die ! '
T
218 MEMOIRS OF THE
" Now are we sanctified set apart to God ! Oh, for a
greater measure of the influence of the sanctifying blood !
It is yours it is all yours, and it is all mine ! May we
ever wash and be kept clean till the day of eternal
redemption.
" My health is recovering, but at present, it is a pain to
me to write, having at this moment a tartar plaster on my
breast, to create an artificial sore; 'this must excuse the
scrawl I send you, which I query if you will be able to
read. Remember me very affectionately to Mrs. Baker ;
I have for some days offered up this petition for her : : O
my Lord ! be thou the husband of this widow ! marry
her to thyself !' The former clause may now want a little
alteration ; but I trust she would make none in the latter.
Oh, that she may ever choose the Lord as her spiritual
head, maintain her garments pure, that she may be worthy
of a seat at the marriage supper of the Lamb. I trust
that Mrs. Dickins has had frequent opportunities of proving
during your late illness, the faithfulness of that promise,
1 as thy day is, so shall thy strength be.' Tell her, I often
connect her with myself in these words, which raise my
heart on many occasions
' Our sufferings here will soon be past,
And you, and I, ascend at last,
Triumphant with our Head !'
" Present my kind regard to Eloisa, and my love to all
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 219
the little ones ; Oh, that the lover of little children, may
gather all your little ones as a hen gathers her chickens
under her wings ! Remember me to Mr. William Wilkins,
and to any who inquire about me. Farewell farewell
my pain tells me I must conclude To God I commend
you all.
"J. SUMMERFIELD."
Several letters, written daring his absence from home,
to various members of his family, might with propriety be
quoted here, did not the fear of prolixity forbid it. While
at Burlington, it was the concurrent sentiment of his phy-
sicians, that the restoration of his health would be most
materially promoted by a voyage to some of the West
India Islands. He therefore wrote to the Conference, then
assembled at Marietta, in the state of Ohio, for permission
to make the visit, and likewise for official testimonials.
From the seat of this Conference, he received, under date
of September 10th, 1822, an episcopal permissive letter, of
which the following is a copy :
" My dear Brother,
" Your kind favour of the 28th ultimo, was duly
received yesterday, and its contents marked with the atten-
tion their importance demands.
" I rejoice greatly to hear of your returning health, and
hope that it may be fully confirmed. It certainly is a duty
we owp. to our friends, the church of God, and to ourselves,
220 MEMOIRS OF THE
to use every means within our power to preserve, restore
and perpetuate our health. The course recommended by
your friendly physicians is probably the best calculated to
obtain the desirable object of your pursuit.
" Having consulted Bishop George on the subject, we
both approve of the plan recommended by your friendly
physicians, and hereby give you full liberty to visit the
West India Islands, for the ^ benefit of your health, and
strengthening of your constitution. As soon as your con-
veniency may point out the way, and prudence justify your
return, we shall be happy to see you, at any of the
Southern Conferences, or elsewhere, as a kind providence
may open your way to return to us again.
" The business of this Conference has progressed in
great peace and harmony ; this is a large conference, sta-
tioning this year, one hundred and five preachers ; and in
addition to its ordinary business, it superintends the mission
to the Wyandott Indians ; that mission is both important
and prosperous. Three of the chiefs attended the Confe-
rence : they had an interview with us in the Conference,
through the medium of an interpreter ; and on the sabbath,
one of them addressed the congregation, by way of exhor-
tation. He was very impressive and affecting, and spoke
much to the purpose. He gave great satisfaction to the
hearers, and there were many tears shed. It was a
pleasing scene to behold there our red brethren of the
forest unite with us in religious and devotional exercises.
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 221
" The prospects of the missions are pleasing, and we
hope they will increase in number and extent. Subjoined,
is your recommendation. And may the blessing of the
God of land and sea be your support in sickness and
health, in time and eternity. Adieu, perhaps forever as to
time !
" I am your friend and brother, in Christ,
(Signed) "W. M'KENDREE.
" Marietta, Ohio, September 10, 1822."
With the foregoing letter was transmitted the subjoined
certificate :
" The Rev. John Summerfield, the bearer hereof, is a
minister of reputable standing in the Methodist Episcopal
Church in the United States of America, and is travelling,
by the advice of physicians, for the benefit of his health,
and is hereby recommended to the particular attention of
all our worthy brethren and friends, with whom providence
may place him.
(Signed) " W. M'KENDREE.
"Marietta, Ohio, September 10, 1822."
His visit to New- Jersey brought him into contact with
several gentlemen connected with Princeton College ; and
the senatus academicus of this establishment resolved to
shew their sense of the piety and talents of Mr. Summer-
field, by creating him a Master of Arts. The following is
the Diploma:
t 2 4
222 memoirs or the
Prases et Curatores Collegii Neo Cesariensis.
Omnibus et singulis hoc scriptum lecturis y
Salutem in Domino sempiternam.
Cum gradus academici eum in finem instituti fuerunt, ut
viri ingenio et doctrina praediti titulis praeter caeteros insig-
nirentur, eo ut ipsis prosit, et inter homines scientiae et vir-
tutissstudium augeatur,cumque nobis exploratissimum sit
Johannem Summerfield, virum ingenuum, moribus incul-
patunij de Uteris humanioribus variisque studiis honestis
optime meritum esse.
Nos igitur, Praeses et Curatores antedicti, praefatum
Johannem Summerfield magistrum in artibus renunciavimus
et constituimus, eumque, virtute praesentis diplomatis, sin-
gulis juribus, privilegiis et honoribus ad istum gradum qua-
qua pertinentibus frui et gaudere jussimus.
In cujus rei testimonium nostra nomina subscripsimus,
et sigillum collegii nostri huic membranae apponi fecimus.
Isaac H. Williamson, Prases.
Andrew Kirkpatrick,
R. Stockton,
Carolus Ewing,
Samuel L. Southard,
Samuel Miller,
Datum Aulas Nassovicse, GEORGE S. WoODHULL,
Octavo .Kalendas Octobris, JoANNES VaNCLEVE,
Anno Domini MDCCCXXII. RoBERT LENOX,
Curatores.
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 223
In the month of October, Mr. Summerfield once more
embraced his family and friends in New- York. From
that city he wrote the following letter to his youngest
sister, then on a visit at Rhinebeck. The spirit of frater-
nal affection which breathes through every line, must
render any apology for its introduction unnecessary.
" New- York, October 24th, 1822.
" My dear Anne,
" If you are as anxious to receive a letter from us as we
are to see you again, you must be very impatient indeed ;
I have undertaken to write to you myself, and I really
am vain enough to think you would rather receive a letter
from me than any of the family beside.
" I had anticipated for a long time the pleasure of paying
a visit to Rhinebeck, but one thing after another occurred
to prevent me, so that I now despair of accomplishing
my wishes in this respect ; however, as I do not expect
to sail for the West Indies before the middle of next month,
I hope to see you here, as I suppose you will be frozen
out of Rhinebeck before that time.
" I trust that my dear Anne conducts herself in all
respects worthy of her brother, and increases daily in
favour with God and man ; you know I often talk of
you as a child of my own rearing ; therefore, never bring
my glory to shame. Fear God and keep his command-
ments ; do not neglect any seasons of private prayer which
224 MEMOIRS OF THE
present themselves, but call upon the Lord every day while
you have any being.
1 A flower, when offered in the bud,
i
Is no mean sacrifice.'
" 1 have full confidence in my dear Anne, that she will
do even more than I say ; never let a day pass without
reading a portion of God's word ; so you shall be made
wise unto salvation, and dwell witH*me, and your elder
brother the Lord Jesus, for ever and ever.
" All that I have said to you, applies to my dear Catha-
rine also ; give her my best love, and tell her she must
be in this respect of one heart and one mind with you,
that so your intimacy may be continued in heaven, after
each of you have bid adieu to every earthly scene. Oh,
my dear Anne, think often on these things ; converse
frequently with death and the grave ; and pray to Him
who tasted death for you, to
' Teach you to live, that you may dread
The grave as little as your bed.'
" I have had a peep into the grave lately ; and assure
you, it is not so dark as fallen nature views it with the
eve of sense.
" Remember me affectionately to Mrs. Suckley, Mary,
**
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 225
and Sarah ; also, to Mr., Mrs. and Miss Garretson, and
thank them very cordially for their kind wishes that I
should come to Rhinebeck ; I fear they would have spoiled
me with extravagant kindness, if indeed that is not
already done.
" Farewell, my dear Anne, be good, and you will be
happv,
u Your loving and affectionate
" JOHN."
226 MEMOIRS OF THE
SECTION XIII.
Sails for France interesting letters from- Marseilles,
The state of Mr. Summerfield's health, requiring that
he should try the effects of a change of climate, it was
settled, as we have already seen, that he should for a while
leave North America and visit the West India Islands.
This projected trip, however, for which arrangements had
been made, was ultimately abandoned hi favour of a voy-
age to Europe, one great object of which, is clearly exhi-
bited in the following extract of a letter, written three
days before he sailed, to his " ever valued friend," Doctor
Baker :
" While you are reading this, I am sailing on the deep ;
lift up your heart, and say, l the Lord be with thy spirit ! :
the vessel is the fine new ship Six Brothers ; her desti-
nation is Marseilles, where we hope to arrive in forty-five
days. Our captain is every thing I could wish, and we
have one passenger, who will be one heart and soul with
me. I have been appointed a delegate from the American
Bible Society to the Protestant Bible Society of France,
whose Anniversary I shall have to attend in April next :
rev. john summerfieId. 227
with my credentials, I carry letters of the most flattering
kind to the Marquis de Jarcourt, peer of France, Mr. Gal-
latin, Marquis de la Fayette, American consuls, &c. and a
fry of letters of introduction to ministers, merchants, and
private gentlemen ; my ennui, therefore, in a strange
country, will be greatly relieved ; but the best of all is,
' God is with me' His favour is better than life itself !
Earthly pageantry fades away, when brought into compe-
tition with Him. Remember me at a throne of grace,
and expect to meet me there. It may seem a little strange,
that having sent two prints of my portrait to your city,
one to Mr. Soule, and one to Mr. Harden, I have not sent
a third to my good friend in Light-street : the reason is, I
have reserved the ' better thing' for you ; should I be
spared, and ever remove to Baltimore, I shall personally
present you with the original painting, from which the
print has been taken. And now, my dear Doctor, I com-
mend you and your's to Him who is able to keep you. My
time is short ; you shall hear from me when abroad.
" Farewell ; ever your's,
"J. SUMMERFIELD."
On the 25th of December, 1822, he took his departure
from New- York, in the ship Six Brothers, Captain Mason,
bound to Marseilles. It is due to Captain Williams, one
of the owners of the vessel, to state, that he generously
gave Mr. SummerfieId a free passage to the port of their
destination ; this kindness, added to the liberality of his
friends, enabled the beloved invalid to remain abroad a
228 MEMOIRS OF THE
longer time, and with greater comfort, than otherwise he
might have done.
A selection from a highly interesting series of letters may
appropriately be introduced in this place, exhibiting as they
do, in the most striking manner, the movements, engage-
ments, and feelings of the writer.
[To Mr. Blackstock.]
Marseilles, 28th January, 1.823.
Mr dear James
"I know not whether you will have heard of our safe
arrival before this letter reaches you, but at all events, / do
know that you will be very anxious to hear ; and I antici-
pate the pleasure which these lines will produce, while you
read them, one after the other, father, brothers, and sisters
and T know not who besides. Yesterday, we dropped our
anchor in the port of Marseilles, safe and sound. Bless the
Lord of winds and seas ! Oh praise the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his holy name together.
" Our passage has excited much wonder here for truly
it was an uncommon one. On the third Sunday after our
departure we sailed past the Azores, the first European
land ; and so regular were we in all our movements, that
we reckoned to a day our time, and it was done unto us
' even as we would,'
" We appointed m our arrangements, that on the fol-
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 229
lowing Sabbath we should pass the straits of Gibraltar,
and it wens even so ; on the evening of that day we were
clear entered the Mediterranean. We again continued
our confidence in the goodness of Him who ' holds the
winds in his fist,' and reckoned our arrival at Marseilles on
the following Sabbath ; it was even so, that on the night
of that day we were riding in the bay, and the next day
arrived a pilot on board, and so made the harbour on the
thirty-second day at least a fortnight before our most
sanguine expectations.
" As this is merely a letter of advice of our arrival, I for
bear to enlarge on any other subject. By the first vessel
that leaves this place for the United States, I intend sending
a letter to each of you, making half a dozen, and also to
some other of my New- York friends. This letter I
send by the way of Liverpool, and this must be a
sufficient apology for not writing to any other by this
conveyance." *****
[To Mr. Francis Hall.]
Marseilles, 6th February, 1823.
My very dear Friend
" Before this shall reach you, you will have been ap-
prized through Mr. Blackstock of the good speed we made
upon our voyage. I think I never experienced more settled
peace of mind than during that time, and it was as perma-
nent as it was perfect ; like that steady sunshine of which
our Wesley sings, when
u
230 MEMOIRS OF THE
'Not a cloud doth arise to darken the skies,
Or hide for a moment my Lord from my eyes.'
I was a wonder unto myself the word of the Lord seemed
sealed upon my heart, ' Thou wilt keep him in perfect
peace, whose mind is stayed upon thee, because he trusteth
in thy word !' I had not a moment's uneasiness concerning
the happy termination of our voyage ; I felt that Jesus was
with me in my little state room, l in the hinder part of the
ship,' and partially confined to it, as I was, by reason of the
wet weather, I found by experience that
' Prisons can palaces prove,
If Jesus but deigns to be there.'
" Whenever I threw the reins upon the neck of my
imagination, which I frequently did by way of relaxation
from severer studies, I found my thoughts involuntarily to
lead me back to New- York, instead of presenting me with
any airy speculations of the pleasure I should meet with
in my native land, while tramping up and down again the
scenes of my boyish, but my happy days ; truly, if the
wind had veered round, whenever my fancy took this turn,
and our vessel had sped its course in the same direction,
you would never have heard from me at ' Marseilles? I
found, that though America was but lately to me a land of
strangers, my heart my affections all said it was now
my '-HomeP and thus, in a subordinate sense, where my
treasure was there was my heart also. And indeed, when
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 231
I consider the friends that the ' Strangers' God' had raised
me up, and then dwelt upon the ten thousand acts of kind-
ness which those friends have showed me for ' His sake,' I
could only wonder, love, and praise.
" Among this crowd, my dear brother Hall holds no
second place, and it is only in acknowledgment of a vast
debt of gratitude, which I can but confess but never pay
that I write to him by the first conveyance this country
has presented me with, in a vessel bound to Boston. I
had hoped for an interview on Christmas morning, but our
ship hauled away too early to permit it ; I had not taken
my leave in Walker-street the evening, previous your
kindness was at that time too oppressive to admit of it ;
but perhaps it was well for I know not how long the
1 farewell !' might have hung upon my tongue, and lin-
gered on my lips ; but I thought of you that morning,
though I saw you not, and sent more than one petition to
the Throne of Grace, that a ' prophet's reward' might be
yours, multiplied as much beyond the recompense promised
to a cup of cold water, as your substantial gift exceeded
that in value. May the hearer of prayer realize to you my
heart's desire, and fill you with all the fulness of his holy
love."
[To his Father.]
' Marseilles, 7th February, 1823.
" My dear Father
My health is somewhat better than when ]
232 MEMOIRS OF THE
left you ; indeed, considering the dampness of a sea atmos-
phere, rendered still more so by the rain which fell every
day, more or less, until we entered the straits of Gibraltar,
it is remarkably so. I am now reaping the advantage of
the voyage, more than I was able to do at sea ; my appe-
tite is uncommonly good, but I only gratify it in the
plainest food. The soups of France are just what answer
me ; in most of them, no animal food whatever enters into
their composition vermicelli, and other Italian pastes,
twisted in the shape of little worms, or rounded like a pea
or bean, form the substantial part ; the liquid appears to be
chiefly sweet oil, which is here very fine, and for which I
have acquired a high relish. My cough is much softer
than it was, and I expectorate with great freedom ; this, I
attribute in some measure to the drying up of the issue on
my breast the other, on my arm, is also healing ; so that
I will try the effects of this measure. I found they had
always the effect of making the cough hard and spasmodi-
cal, carrying off the mucus which was secreted within,
without removing the radical disease.
" I take little or no medicine, endeavouring to produce a
change by diet and exercise. With regard to the latter, I
live methodically, and arrange to walk at least eight miles
every day, dividing it into four different times, to render it
more agreeable. In short, I have solemnly joined hands
with God, to preserve my life, and restore my poor and
feeble constitution ; I have devoted myself to Him afresh,
{ and promised in a sacred hour, for God to live and die.'
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 233
I can indeed say for I really feel it to be true this world
has no attractions for me,
* There's nothing here deserves my joys,
There's nothing like my God.'
I have therefore no desire to live but for Him ; and I can-
not, my dear father, disguise the feelings of my heart, foi
I confess to you, I am rather unwilling to go away so soon
after entering the lists against 'the god of this world,'
although I have a sweet foretaste that when I shall be ab-
sent from the body, I shall be present with the Lord ; yet
I feel as if I could endure this privation from His presence
for some time longer, that I may come down like a shock
of corn full ripe in its season, ' filled with the fruits of
righteousness, which are by Christ Jesus, unto the glory
and praise of God the Father.' When I reflect on the
word in which I trust, ' that they who turn many to
righteousness shall shine as the stars,' &c. I feel fired with
a holy ambition, which consumes me with its fervour. I
hunger and thirst after this, and I feel a cleaving to earth
that I may finish the work which I believe is given me to
do. If I could only live to see ' many sons bringing home
to glory,' whom I might present to the Captain of our sal-
vation, I could then say, ' now lettest thou thy servant de-
part in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have
seen thy great salvation !' You know, my dear father,
and I know, and God knows also and I blush even now
while I write it that much of my life has run to waste ;
u 2
234 MEMOIRS OF THE
in the former part of it / lived to myself, and not to Him who
loved me, and gave himself for me ! I will not I cannot
forgive myself no, never But I want to make some
better return to my dying, risen Saviour I wish to beai
the burden, and heat, and toil of a long laborious well
spent dew ; I wish to serve my generation by the will of
God, and then to fall asleep ! Oh, that God would grant
me my heart's desire and prayer But if not if my
spared life would not conduce to His glory I could
gladly lay me down and die ! ' Lord God ! thou seest the
end from the beginning ! do with me as seemeth good in
thy sight.' "
[to his second sister.
"Marseilles, February 10f/j, 1823.
" My dear Amelia,
" In writing a letter to you, in common with the othe^
members of the family, I not only do myself a real plea-
sure, but I discharge, in some measure, at least by
acknowledgement a debt of gratitude I owe you, and
which has been long accumulating, by your thousand name-
less iittentions to my thousand nameless wants and anxie-
ties ; the remembrance of them is much more lively at
this distance of time and place, than when I received them
nearer, resembling some of those finer scenes of nature,
which we only accurately estimate when viewed in per-
spective, and at a distance. Nor are there wanting dark
spots in abundance on the scene, to serve as shadows in
setting off the lustre of the foreground ; I mean in the
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 235
indifference with which I too frequently received many of
those attentions, not considering that they derived their
value from the motive which actuated them, rather than
from their intrinsic worth. However, ' forgetting that
which is behind, and reaching forth to those things which
are before,' I trust yet to have years of opportunity, to
assure you of my sincere esteem and affection, during
which time, and till death shall make the separation finai
as to this world, I desire, and command you always to
regard me not merely as a brother, but as a friend ; ' a
friend' sometimes ' sticketh closer than a brother ;' at
least there is such a friend, and I have made him mine ;
I would fain recommend him to you ; ' if you seek him
he will be found of you' and with special reference to
your time of life, He says, ' I love them that love me, and
they that seek me early shall find me.'
" After writing the preceding page, and reading it over,
I find I have been almost involuntarily led to a subject
which lies near my heart, with respect to you and Anne,
I have long felt it a duty I owed to you, to discourse seri-
ously upon it, but somehow or other, there is such a
backwardness to say that to one's relations, which can be
easily discoursed upon with mere acquaintances, that I
have put it off again and again, frequently to my great
condemnation. At your age, my dear Amelia, you must
be fully sensible that this is the time to form your character
in the world ; I say in the world, for it is not enough
that your family are acquainted with your regard for
i
236 MEMOIRS OF THE
religious men and things ; there must be a profession
made of this your attachment, and a union formed with
some people who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.
" Perhaps you would wish my advice on this subject, as
to what church you ought to make choice of ; if left to
me, I would unhesitatingly say, l follow my example
herein,' for although I see many things among the Metho-
dists which I could wish to be otherwise, yet I sincerely
believe, take them as a body, they are the excellent of the
earth, and have most of the life of God among them.
" Do, my dear Amelia, consider this matter with serious-
ness and prayer to God for wisdom to direct you, and let
me hear from you in answer to this, with your mind in
full. Whatever objections you might find to talk to me
abcut these things, you can have none to write to me
about them. I wish you also to lay the matter before
Anne ; she is old enough to serve the Lord, and T do
trust, that so far from her being a hinderance, she will be a
help to you.
" May the Lord enable you to lay it to heart ! May he
bless you, and keep you in his favour, fear, and love, all
the days of your life, and may I meet you and embrace
you among those who will stand with the Lamb upon
Mount Zion, after the heavens and the earth are fled
away.
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 237
" Farewell, ray dear love, from the warm heart of your
affectionate friend and brother,
" JOHN."
[to his youngest sister.]
"Marseilles, February 12th, 1823.
" My dear Anne,
" As I promised in my letter to Mr. B to write
to each of you, your turn now comes on ; and yet what
have I to say more concerning my voyage than I have
already said to the rest of the family? You will only
expect the gleanings ; and as you are the least, you will be
satisfied with little things. On the ninth day after we
sailed, we picked up at sea a little passenger, that had
lost its way, and would certainly have been drowned in a
few minutes, if no help had arrived : it was a snipe, a
land bird that inhabits the swampy ground. We were
then about five hundred and fifty miles from the nearest
land, the coast of Newfoundland, and so exhausted was
the little creature, that it perched upon our rigging, and
suffered itself to be caught without resistance. The flight
of birds is very rapid, and they can bear up on the wing
much longer than you may imagine. ' The surprise, there-
fore, which this little straggler may occasion you, will be
much reduced, when I inform you, that birds called pigeon-
carriers, are employed by the Emperor of Turkey to con-
vey intelligence to him from the most distant parts of his
empire, and they ordinarily perform a journey in thirty-
six hours, which it would require eight days of cou-
238 MEMOIRS OF THE
rier-despatches to accomplish. The plan is this : A quan-
tity of these birds is kept in the seraglio of Constantinople,
and from this aviary, a basket-full is occasionally sent to
distant governors, according as they are wanted. These
governors, on any urgent occasion, affix a letter of des-
patches to the legs or neck, or under the wings, of one of
them, and let it fly ; thus released, it ascends the air to a
great height, and by its powers of vision, which are incon-
ceivably acute, it then directs its way to the aviary at Con-
stantinople, nor ever misses its destination. All this is
performed without once alighting to rest itself. To return
to our little companion : it appeared to have been blown
off shore the preceding evening, in a squall of wind, and
missed its way in the darkness of the night. We all agreed
to give the little fellow his passage free, and find him in
sea stores likewise, intending to release him at the first land
we should reach. For this purpose we put him in a large
wooden cage, and gave him his supper ; but alas ! alas ! in
the course of the night Miss Pussy found her way to his
apartment, and jealous of a rival, she broke all the laws of
hospitality, and tore him in pieces ! Thus, he only escaped
a watery grave, to find one in the stomach of the cat.
" Besides the above incident, we had two other visiters
during our passage, but neither of them remained long with
us : two flying fishes alighted on our deck and lo ! our
black cook, imitating the bad example of the cat, seized
them, and put them in the frying pan. I was too sorry
for their fate to partake of them, when served up at table,
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 239
and could not help reflecting, that just such is man ! He
lives upon his fellow man, and lives upon the lives even of
his species ; and lie is in general accounted the cleverest
fellow who rises to most eminence upon the most numerous
overthrows.
" I know not that any thing of importance occurred ex-
cept the above. I was a little surprised that we saw no
other fish on the whole voyage except these unfortunate
ones not even a whale, a porpoise, or a dolphin ; and ex-
cept that now and then the cat would march proudly into
our cabin with a poor mouse in her mouth, we had the
dull uniformity of getting up in the morning, eating three
times in the day, walking the deck a little interspersed
with intervals of reading, and let me not be ashamed to
add, intervals of private prayer also and then going to
bed at night.
" At the time of our departure, we had on board a couple
of pigs, which shared a better fate than those on board the
General Lingan ; they lived and grew large, and are still
alive and well ; besides them, a sheep, but the cook's knife
entered his throat in the course of the voyage and he is
no more ; in addition to these, a very handsome goat
completed our stock of four-footed animals ; she supplied
us with milk all the passage, and was very playful, and
indeed very mischievous also : she would pay me a visit in
my state room, at midnight, and eat the herbs and garlic
which were in the box under my birth ; but poor Nan
240 MEMOIRS OF THE
took sick about three days before we arrived ; from some
Spanish whiting which she ate, and we feared she would
have gone the way of the sheep, only by a natural process ;
however, I administered to her a bolus of sulphur and
butter, which had the desired effect, and by the time that
we arrived at Marseilles, she was well again. I received
the honourary title of Doctor, in recompense for this piece
of service, but now that I have left the ship, I have lost
the title ; it seems this is my sea title only ; however, I am
not so ambitious to preserve it as to take up the seafaring
life as my profession. I would gladly let go every title,
and remain on terra firma.
" I have thus filled you a sheet of paper, or rather spoiled
a sheet with useless stuff; but it afforded me a little amuse-
ment in writing it and indeed much pleasure, when I
fancied myself conversing with my dear Anne. I expect
she will write to me in return ; you must not say you
have nothing to say, for you see I have filled up a letter
from nothing, and this will show you, that the most
trifling subject may be made to spread and expand itself
much beyond its first appearances.
" I have written to Amelia on subjects more important
than these, and I expect she will show you the letter ; I
conclude, therefore, this medley of incongruous matter,
with the assurance of the sincerest affection of,
" My dear Anne,
" Your affectionate brother,
" JOHN."
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 241
[To Mr. Blackstock.]
"Marseilles, February ISth, 1823.
" My dear Mr. B ,
" The subject of this letter will agitate you in various
ways, for iUis of an uncommon kind ; that I may give
you the more particulars, I have taken a large sheet of
foolscap. Before I begin, I must premise, that before your
eyes are saluted with the intelligence, or your feelings
affected by it, all (he scene which follows will have passed
away. Bead it therefore, and converse about it only c as
of a tale that is told, or a shadow that disappeareth, or a
dream that passeth away when one awaketh.' I do not
think I should have touched upon it at all, considering
what a sensitive plant you are, and how soon any impres-
sion which is made on me reaches to yourself, but that I
have mentioned it in some other of my letters to friends ;
and if I left you in the dark about it, you would conceive
the most alarming apprehensions, and raise a thousand
ghosts to haunt your mind by day and night. To keep
you no longer in suspense, therefore :
" As I have already informed you, we arrived here on
Monday, 27th of January. Having sailed from a port, in
which the yellow fever prevailed during the previous sum-
mer, we were not permitted to touch the holy ground of
France that day ; on Tuesday, the Board of Health sat
upon our case, and mercifully determined (you know ' the
tender mercies of the wicked are crueV) to quarantine us for
five and forty days ! No French Consular certificates
IV
242 MEMOIRS OF THE
with which the captain had provided himself, attesting the
health of his crew and passengers, and the city of New-
York in general, were of any avail ; it was enough that
the fever had been there, and that we sailed from the in-
fected city ; the laws of the Medes and Persians were not
more irrevocable !
" Mr. Cimningham and myself, the only passengers,
obtained favour in their sight, and concerning us it was
decreed, that if we chose to confine ourselves or rather
be confined, for it was involuntary on our part. in the
prison of the Lazarretto for thirty days, we might be then
at liberty, and permitted to walk upon this land of freedom.
We deliberated upon the matter for a short time, and made
choice of it, on account of the shortness of time it pre-
sented, when compared with the former ; and the next
day, Wednesday, the 29th of January, we were removed
under a guard, in an open boat, and conducted hither,
where we still remain in ' durance vile V The same day,
Captain Mason had to sail out of the port to a small barren
island at some miles distance, cut off from all human in-
tercourse, there to ride out his quarantine, exposed to every
wind that blows; he is now moored with three cables
ahead, and two astern !
" As our little boat approached this dreary spot, I felt
myself inclined to ' play the woman ;' I could have shed
tears, while my mind ruminated in silence over the pros-
pect which lay before us. I said to myself, l is this the
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 243
reason why I came to France ? was it for this I left a com-
fortable home, and crossed the mighty deep, to be incar-
cerated in a French bastile ?' But I broke the spell, and
kept the fountain of my eyes sealed up ; I remembered
I was in His hands, who had said ' all things shall work
together for good, to them that love God ;' and ' the
very hairs of your head are all numbered !'
"We were placed in a small apartment five yards
square, with two dark chambers leading from it for our
bed rooms, about three yards square each ; the whole is
exactly on the plan of your garret, and the two rooms
leading out of it, only that our chambers had no light but
what they received from leaving open the door. The
entire was unfurnished, nothing but bare walls, cobweb-
hung, and stained with the smoke from an old fire-place,
which our sitting room (your garret) alone contained. We
immediately encouraged each other as well as we could,
though my companion was considerably chop-fallen ; and
set about to furnish it in the best way in our power. Hav-
ing a guard placed over us, who watches us with an
eagle's eye both day and night, and sleeps in the sitting
room, (for so I must call it for distinction's sake,) we dis-
patched him to a hotel, so called, (where all our victuals
are prepared ; it is within the prison walls ;) and ordered
furniture : we received a deal table, and two old chairs,
all of which appeared to have been used from the founda-
tion of the building 1667 and three or four deal planks
to sleep on, with two iron bearers to carry them ; however,
244 MEMOIRS OF THE
as this promised very hard fare for sleeping accommodations,
we afterwards procured for money (for any thing can be
had even here for money) two sacking bottoms and frames,
much like your cots ; we had the precaution to bring beds
and bedding from the ship, Captain Mason having kindly
offered the privilege, and thus we escaped the company of
those midnight vermin, with which similar articles in this
place abound. Having thus furnished our apartments, (which,
by the bye, have cold brick floors, both sitting room and
bed chambers.) we turned our attention to the side-board,
or rather to our little three shelved cupboard, which stands
on the right of the fire-place, and is the only fixture in the
room, except two pieces of iron let into the hearth-stone,
by way of andirons. This we furnished with two tea
cups and saucers, two or three white plates, a couple of
knives and forks and spoons, a salt and a pepper cellar,
and a candlestick, all of earthenware, except the knives,
&c. We also obtained an earthen jug in which we boil our
water for tea, and a smaller one to serve for a cream ewer
rather a milk pot but which necessity obliges us to con-
vert to sundry other purposes, such as boiling our washing
dishes water, serving as a shaving mug, &c. &c.
" I believe I have given you a list of our furniture in
all its departments ; necessity, however, the mother of in-
vention, compelled us to increase this inventory by several
little articles, which we manufactured at our leisure : such
as a pair of snuffers, by a piece of wood prepared in the
form of a clothes peg, this we use by pressing the open
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 245
ends together : a set of fire irons, by two sticks, which serve
either as pokers, when used separately, or tongs, when
held in each hand, and applied together, &c. &c. ; in short,
we have found out many improvements in housekeeping,
which may benefit us in after life. Our mode of living
would amuse you, were you behind a curtain, and observ-
ing us ; our dinner, we receive from the hotel whatever
we order, but our breakfast and tea we make ourselves.
Our tea-table is spread much as follows : a white teacup, and
saucer, and spoon, on each side ; a plate with butter, and
a plate to hold the loaf, stand at the extreme end ; a salt
seller occupies the middle spot, to season the butter, which
would be otherwise unpalatable ; a blue paper js then
opened and laid on the table, containing our sugar, and
a similar one opposite to it, with our tea ; a couple of
knives complete the whole. Having taken our seats, and
thus put into requisition every article in the room, we take
each a spoonful of tea, and putting it into our cups (having
no tea-pot to draw it in) pour the water on it, &c. &c.
using our lingers for sugar tongs and other things, as like
need requires : and I do assure you, I have made many
a pleasant meal within these walls, and felt a grateful
heart !
" You will excuse the pleasantness of the manner in
which I have described these things ; it is not my usual
style, but I feared you would droop under the view of our
privations, had I chosen any other. We know not yet
what the expense may be for each of us, but we suppose
w2
246 MEMOIRS OF THE
it may be about ten dollars a week ! Enough and to
spare !
" I shall now give you an account of the caution with
which our intercourse with our guard and others is carried
on. Every one, you must know, views us as infected with
the yellow fever, and acts accordingly ; if any have to pass
us by, they take the windward side, for " our very breath
breathes pestilence !" If we have occasion to send a letter to
town, to any of those friends to whom we were introduced
from New- York, it is received from us, by a long pair of
tongs, held by a man at full stretch ; this letter, he plunges
in a vessel of vinegar, till it is thoroughly soaked, and for fear
of contagion inclosed, he pierces it through with four holes
by a mallet and a sharp iron applied to it on a block ; it is
then fit for use, and is despatched accordingly. Indeed, if
you would form a correct idea of the abhorrence connected
with our persons, and the distance observed by every one
who spies us in his path, you will best conceive it by
remembering the treatment of lepers under the Jewish
law. A rattlesnake is not more shunned than we !
" When we first came here, our restrictions were much
greater than at present ; we were confined to a walk in
front of our cell, which is eighty-seven yards long by four
wide ; up and down this, I generally exercised myself in
promenading eighty times a day, equal to eight miles,
this I perform at four times ; to this little space we were
confined for the first fifteen days ; ihis expired the day
*
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 247
before yesterday. We are now allowed a much larger
field of action, though still not without the accompaniment
of our guard. After we had been six days in confinement,
we were closeted in our little cell, and stoved with burning
brimstone, similar to the mode of destroying bugs ! I
thought I should have been suffocated ; I flew to the door
for air, but it was held by an officer outside ; it threw me
into a paroxysm of coughing, which shook me to my
heart's core but, thank God, it had no worse conse-
quences. Tn nine days more, namely, the fifteenth of
our confinement, we underwent a second stoving in the
same way, together with all our clothes, trunks, &c. every
article being spread upon lines drawn across our sitting
room ; after this, finding no spots, black, blue, green, or
yellow, to break out upon us, we were considered as half
cleansed, and had our promenade privileges extended ac-
cordingly. I believe we are only to have one other appli-
cation of the fumes of brimstone, namely, on the day of
our departure ; this 1 shall look upon as a genteel turn out
but whether after so much smoking we shall leave the
place sweeter than we entered it, is a matter very doubtful
with me.
" Amidst it all, I enjoy my health excellently well, and
fill up my time by writing and reading several hours a
day ; added to this, the exercise of making up my bed-
chamber, sweeping the rooms with a birch broom, making
the fire, boiling our earthen kettles, preparing breakfast,
&c. &c. and writing to my friends altogether, makes my
*
248 MEMOIRS OF THE
time go pleasantly along, nor was my flow of spirits ever
better in my life.
" We have a little Catholic Chapel at the end of our
promenade, and here I find seasons of retirement for con-
versing with Him who seeth in secret, and knows my
situation in all its secret parts with Him who directs all
things, and does all things well ; and here, though pros-
trated before a crucifix, and a host of images, calculated to
sink the soul to earth's inmost centre,* I enjoy that fellow-
* In a long letter to his valued friend, Dr. Baker, dated five
days earlier than the one cited above, occurs the following pas-
sage in reference to his devotional exercises in the little chapel
alluded to : "I often feel at a loss to say, ' whether in the body
or out of the body !' I had a sweet season there this morning,
and I find ray hour is again drawing nigh there I will remem-
ber you and yours, and not only praise on your account, but
strive to pray that you may be 'overwhelmed with all His weight
of love /' Oh, this weight of love. It was this which constrained
our Fletcher to cry out, ' Lord, hold back ! forbear thy hand !'
He feared the vessel would break ; but will you not permit me
rather to say, ' Lord, expand the capacity, enlarge the measure,
make Thyself room, and fill fill fill the holy and the
holiest place, till all their souls be love ." Amen and Amen !"
How ardent were his spiritual aspirations in this little oratory !
And with what interesting associations do we recognize this de-
voted preacher, while here excluded from the city on suspicion
of being infected, manifesting that entire consecration of himself
to God, which is said to have characterized " Marseilles' good
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 249
ship with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ, which
the world knows nothing of. There, also, I remember
each of you by name, from my dear parent down to Anne
and oh, how sweet those moments are ! I trust you all
remember me. Pray for me that I may soon be restored
to you all in health of body and vigour of mind to part no
more, till death shall do his office.
" Farewell, my dear James.
" Ever affectionately yours,
"J. SUMMERFIELD."
The following extract is from a letter addressed by Mr.
Summerfield to a young man, a near and dear relative,
who had imbibed sentiments, or perhaps rather adopted a
course of conduct, unhappily but too prevalent with many,
whose immature talents are so sharpened by unholy dispu-
tation, that they find it indifferently easy to defend or op-
pose religious doctrines.
"Marseilles, 16th February, 1823.
" Permit me to warn you of one rock on which
many have split, and round which you often delight to
play I mean the arguing against that which you (not
withstanding) believe to be true in its nature, and that en
Bishop," who remained so heroically with his people during the
great plague, that he is poetically said to have drawn
" purer breath,
When Nature sickened, and the gale was death !"
250 MEMOIRS OF THE
tirely for the love of opposition. You may think yourself
safe, and smile at the concern which you have thereby
caused to your opponent you may think, { I have done no
harm, I firmly believe that you are right, though I have
taken the opposite side for the sake of argument' but I do
assure you, and experitnce will prove it to be too true, that
this disposition indulged in, will so put you upon seeking
out objections to those doctrines which you inwardly ac-
knowledge, that in a short time you will have per-
suaded yourself into the belief that they are mightier than
the evidence of truths which you have not yet been equally
careful to collect, and which you begin to think you re-
ceived from the prejudice of your nurse, or of education ;
this will lead to the preferring error to truth, although in
time you may appear to be sincere in this preference, and
please yourself with thinking you have equally weighed
both sides, and given an impartial decision ; the old adage
will nevertheless be found correct, that ' truth lies at the
bottom of the well' ; it may be covered with error and
ignorance, which are always found near the surface.
" To bring these general remarks to a particular bearing,
let me intreat you first of all to satisfy yourself of the Divine
origin of the sacred Scriptures, if indeed you have any
serious doubts thereon. Its evidences flow in upon you
with a flood of light, if you seriously connect prayer to the
Father of Lights for his superintendence and direction. As
to human productions, I recommend to you the first volume
of Home's Introduction to the Study of the Holy Scriptures,
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 251
&c. &c. Having ascertained the Bible to be the Word of
God, you should implicitly obey all its contents. Your
belief should not be rendered easy or difficult by the pro-
bability or improbability of the subject, by its plainness or
its abstruseness but be always simply determined by the
authority of the Revealer ' the mouth of the Lord hath
spoken it,' therefore I receive this doctrine, and credit that
fact. This obtains even with regard to human testimony ;
and if we believe the testimony of men of undoubted in-
tegrity and truth, the testimony of God is greater. To
believe no more of God, or of His Word, or of His works,
than we can comprehend, or reduce to some of our modes
of knowledge, is not to honour the authority of God at all !
yea, 'tis actually a reflection on His wisdom and veracity
on His wisdom, as if He could tell us no more than we
know on His veracity, as if He were not to be trusted if
He could. In short, my dear , the word of God is
not matter of opinion or speculation, when its divine authen-
ticity is ascertained ; it is judgement settled law decided
truth; it reveals in the way of judgement, or decision, that
man is fallen, is in danger of hell-fire, and can only be
saved through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, co-equal
and eternal with the Father ! It is useless to oppose these
truths they must be submitted to ; the Gospel commands,
not proposes it must be obeyed !. ' Repent, and believe
the Gospel !' May God speak this word to you with
power !"
On the 27th of February, Mr. Summerfield was allowed
252 MEMOIRS OF THE
to leave the Lazaretto, " in good health and with a grate-
ful heart." In a letter to his father, he says, " My mind
was not free from uneasiness on this subject during the
whole time of my confinement ; for if I had been taken
unwell in any way, I could have had no relief, but by
being sent to the Hospital ; and any complaint with which
I might have been afflicted would have been regarded so
suspiciously as a sprout of yellow fever, that the time of qua-
rantine would have been prolonged, and my fellow passen-
ger would have suffered in the same proportion."
[To HIS BROTHER WlLLIAM.]
"Marseilles, March 1st, 1823.
" I have been too short a time at liberty to say any
thing of the country ; what little I have seen is not pre-
possessing : you will not expect that / should view it very
minutely in any of its bearings but those which are con-
nected with a religious point of view : on this subject, the
scene is awful ! If the jest were not too serious a one,
some christian Diogenes might parade the streets of Mar-
seilles at noon day, with a lighted taper in his hand, in
quest of one religious man ! I dare not enter into particu-
lars,- that must be matter of conversation when we meet."
" I am as anxious to arrive at Paris, as I am to quit Mar-
seilles; I received a letter from there yesterday, which may
be compared to one of ' those delightful resting places,
whose freshness meets the longing eye, and satisfies the
wearied limbs of wayworn travellers amid the burning
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 253
sands of the desert of Zaara : I expect to write to some
of you from that city. Meantime, with kind remembran-
ces to each and all of you,
" I am, my dear William,
" ever your affectionate brother,
"JOHN."
[To HIS BROTHER WlLLIAM.]
" Marseilles, March 30th, 1823.
" This city is the most ancient in France, having been
built 600 years B. C, which brings it to 150 years after
the building of Rome. It was founded by a colony from
the ancient city of Phocia in Ionia, and its inhabitants are
still proud to preserve their original name of Phocians ;
its importance increased so rapidly, that it soon became an
ally of the Romans, an honour not allowed to every ap-
plicant for that distinguished privilege.
" The arts and sciences appear to have flourished here,
as much as military accomplishments, if the ancient motto
of the city be to be depended upon ; it reads thus in Eng-
lish, in * which language I prefer to give it to you, as I
do not know that you pretend to much knowledge in
French ' Massilia, the daughter of the Phocians the sister
of Rome the terror of Carthage, the rival of Athens. 1 So
much concerning its ancient splendour. Its modern ap-
pearance makes a very sorry figure in the contrast ; for
although Strabo, the ancient geographer, speaks of it as
one of the most superb cities in his time, no traces what-
254 MEMOIRS OF THE
ever are to be found of its former grandeur ; all that
remains even of its antiquity that I have seen, are a few
columns of an ancient temple of Diana, which now form
some of the buttresses of a modern temple of Mary, the
wife of Joseph the carpenter. There are also some old
columns, standing outside the city upon a site once occu-
pied by a temple of Apollo, but which have not been con-
secrated to any modern deity, I suppose the partiality of
the catholics runs in favour of women, and the transition
was not great between Diana and Mary, whom they have
put in her stead ; indeed, nothing is to be seen in their
temples throughout the city but shrines for the devotees of
the modern goddess.
" I have remarked that these are the only remains I
have met with of the antiquity of this city ; and of its
splendour and former magnificence, I have discovered none.
So long as it remained a free city, such as Hamburg, Bre-
men, &c, I believe it flourished beyond any other co-
temporary ; but subjugated as it now is to royal authority,
it presents the same contrast with its former greatness,
which those cities present with their neighbours in the
petty states and sovereignties by which they are surround-
ed. Marseilles first lost its liberties in the close of the
twelfth or beginning of the thirteenth century. In 1226,
the citizens repurchased it, and maintained it with all that
spirit which liberty inspires, against the Counts of Pro-
vence, &c, till the time of Louis the 14th, when that
mighty monarch brought them under the yoke, deprived
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 255
them of all their ancient rights and liberties, and fenced
them in with fortresses and citadels, which yet remain the
wonder of the present day. This was in 1 660, ever since
which time it has languished under the weight of royal
imposts, &c. So that you can hardly decide whether it is
a living or a dying city. Its harbour is the only source of
its present importance in the scale of French cities, in
which it ranks the fourth Paris, Lyons, Bourdeaux, and
Marseilles, being the order in which they are classed ;
its population is from 120 to 130,000 inhabitants.
" In the year 1720, the plague was imported from
the Levant, and most terribly it ravaged the whole
province of Provence ; in this city alone it slew from
fifty to sixty thousand inhabitants. This is the rea-
son of the severe quarantine to which I have been sub-
jected, and may in a great measure plead the excuse for
that barbarity. The narrow lanes of tins city for streets
they are not, and the high houses, five or six stories,
every apartment of which contains perhaps an entire
family, would afford fine riot for that dreadful disease,
should it again obtain admission : I speak now especially
of the old city ; the new part is not so constructed.
" There is not perhaps within the Mediterranean, so
fine and secure a port as this. It lies in the heart of the
city, surrounded by high hills, so that no wind, not even
the Euroclydon, which is spoken of in the Acts, and which
was the cause of St. Paul's shipwreck, could have any
256 MEMOIRS OF THE
effect upon the vessels that enter here. The port is very
spacious, but the entrance so narrow that two ships could
not pass : on each side of this entrance is a strong fortifi-
cation, which would render the place impregnable ; they
are the work of Louis the 14th. There is, however, one
disadvantage connected with it ; there is no river or stream
V>wing into it, and the water is therefore never changed ;
the tide does not raise it more than six inches, and carries
away no part of the ancient filthiness. It is much like
the Old Dock in Liverpool and you may conceive what
that would be, if it were not cleansed at certain seasons ;
this is worse inasmuch as there is no possibility of emit-
ting the old water : in the heat of summer, I am told it is
scarcely possible to walk near it ; indeed, when we were
approaching it from sea, a slight breeze meeting us from
the mouth of the port, conveyed with it so filthy an odour,
that I could scarcely endure to keep on deck ; and yet,
sweetened as we were by the Atlantic breezes, we were
not thought pure enough to enter the cleanly harbour of
this noble city ! you see I cannot forget my quarantine.
This is a busy season here ; last week presented strange
sights to me ; what processions ! what profusion of lighted
candles carried about at noon-day, as though to put out
the sun's glare with their superior splendour ! what saints
on canvass and wooden angels did I not behold ! what
ridiculous dresses did the priests assume ! what singing,
sighing, shouting, in every part of this christian city
during the solemnities of the Passion week ! and then
on Good Friday, Oh ! my soul sickens T am truly sick
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 257
at heart ! O Lord, arise ! help, and deliver, for thine ho-
nour ! Yes, rny dear William. I have seen Popery in its
dress its finest dress ! May I live to see it in its nakedness
or at least till its skirts are cutoff! It must come down
the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it !
'And terribly shall Babel fall !
And never more be found at all !'
But I forbear ; you will say I am running into my old
strains ; well, if they are old, they have improved by
age ; the more I try the power of heart religion, the
better I like it. That my dear brother may experience it
in all its vigour, is the constant prayer of his affectionate
and sincere friend and brother,
"JOHN."
[to his youngest sister.]
"Marseilles, March 30th, 1823.
" My dear Anne,
" I have every disposition to gTatify you, although
the matters upon which I may make observations to you,
are only fit for such little Tarry-at-Home travellers as
yourself. If I were to detail every thing which I meet
with in the manners of this nation, you would think them a
vastly strange people ; it is necessary therefore, that I must
forewarn my dear Anne against rash judgement herein,
and caution her against supposing that English or Ameri-
can manners are any standard for any other people than
Englishmen or Americans. Frenchmen would smile as
y2
258 MEMOIRS OF THE
much at some of our customs as we do at theirs, and
indeed go farther, even looking upon us as semibarbarians,
in raising food to our mouths by means of a knife ; they
substitute a large silver fork in its stead, which they dex-
terously manage in their right hand, &c. &c. but what
of' all this? If they think that an egg ought to be broken
at the small end first, and we think it should be at the
broad end, let both parties laugh if they like, at each other's
supposed ignorance, without knocking their heads together.
In one word, my dear Anne must ever consider that cus-
tom is arbitrary, that is, as any people may choose for
themselves ; and except it opposes the laws of nature, or
the settled and prescribed rule of the oracles of God, we
have no right to condemn it.
" Wtiat, for instance, would you tliink, if you saw the
lower class of Frenchmen wearing wooden shoes, and
horse cloth stockings drawn over their pantaloons halfway
above the knee 7 and yet I see this every day. Or again,
what would you think if you saw the women acting as
porters to carry loads, &c. while the men are lounging
about or sitting under a sunny wall side 7 and yet you
would see groups of thirty or forty at many parts of the
city, with great baskets, &c. waiting to be hired. Al-
though both these examples which I have given do not
recommend themselves as any improvement upon our own
habits, yet there are some others in which the French
appear to have the advantage. For instance, great com-
plaint is made in New- York respecting the adulteration of
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 259
milk, and lacrometers have been invented to ascertain the
extent of the fraud ; but here it is effectually prevented ;
the milkman or woman brings the cow to your door, and
there milks her for the quantity you take, going round
with her in the same way to all the customers. The
greater part of the milk, however, is obtained from goats,
and truly they are the finest breed I ever saw : we have
nothing like them in America. They are very large, and
their fine shaggy hair reaches almost to the ground ; these
are brought into this city in companies of ten or twelve
under one person, and this every morning; they know
their rounds so well, that the herdsman has no trouble, and
they go tinkling along with their little bells about their
necks, and stand at the doors where they are accustomed
to be milked. They are so docile, that the keeper has
only to call the one by name that he wishes to milk, and
the little creature skips upon the steps and wags her tail,
as if proud to be thus picked out from her companions,
who stand by all the while, till the operation is performed.
They are not timid like sheep ; for if a dog no matter
how large, comes near them, they run at him with their
horns, and if he does not make the best of his way from
them, he will come off with the worst of if. Again, the
industry of the lower and middling classes of women is
much more than the same in America ; (how it is with
the higher classes I do not know, but I suppose they are
much the same as their kind all the world over ;) you will
see these same female porters I spoke of before, employing
their time in knitting, till they have a job, and it would do
260 MEMOIRS OF THE '
you good to see them squatting down on their baskets as
busy as bees ; those in the middling class, who come to
market, to sell their little farm productions, (for observe
this is all done by women,) are busy knitting all the way,
riding upon their ass or mule upon tlie market panniers ;
indeed this is their only mode of conveyance, as very few
horses are to be seen in this part of the country. I have
often been delighted with these signs of industry : if a
woman is carrying a load upon her head, her hands are
not dangling by her side, but she knits as she trudges on ;
if she is driving home the market-cart, sitting on the front
ridge, you see her employed in making bass mats all the
way ; and even if you stop to talk with one, she will be
working all the time she is talking with you. Surely in
these respects, although in other matters we may smile,
we might learn a useful lesson for our fair ones in Ame-
rica. Believe me, my dear child, ever your affectionate
friend and brother,
"JOHN."
Such was the style of elegant playfulness, in which his
affectionate mind condescended to indulge for the purpose
of beguiling that anxiety, which his absence, under such
peculiar circumstances, created in the family circle. His
soul, however, was entirely absorbed in the grand purpose
of his life " If there is a scene within the universe of
God, (says he in a letter from Marseilles,) calculated to lift
our minds to heaven, if there is a scene calculated to
bring down the heavenly host to earth, it is that which
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 261
pourtrays in anticipation, the final triumph of the ' Gospel
of the Grace of God ;' yes, the Gospel must ultimately
and universally triumph ! well may we exclaim, ' what an
object is this !' It is the fairest scene which the pencil of
heaven, dipt in the colours of its own rainbow, can deline-
ate ; and even the great voice, issuing from the eternal
throne, can utter nothing more exhilarating and sublime,
than the consummation of this event, ' Behold the taber-
nacle of God is with men !' "
262 MEMOIRS OF THE
SECTIOX XIV.
Writes to the Young Men's Missionary Society Paris-
Speech at the meeting of the Protestant Bible Society of
France Reply ofMons. Billing Letters.
The reader is already aware, that besides the quest of
health in a more mild and salubrious climate, Mr. Sum-
merfield's visit to France was as the bearer of the official
congratulations of the American Bible Society, of which
he was a Director. He had likewise been solicited, pre-
viously to his embarkation, to draw up the Annual Report
of the New- York Young Men's Missionary Society, of
which he was President. This he consented to do, in the
prospect of having much time on his hands during the
voyage. Contrary, however, to the expectations of all par-
ties, they made the passage so quickly, and the motion of
the ship was so great, that he was prevented from accom-
plishing his design. Instead of the Report, he transmitted
from Marseilles, under date of February 20, 1823, a very
pleasing letter, which was read at the current anni-
versary in John-street Church, on the evening of the 21st
of April. Those who were present on that occasion will
r>Qt soon f or2 r e t the impression which the encouraging words
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 263
of one so dear to them spoken as they were from " a far
country," and under such peculiar circumstances made on
the minds and the hearts of the meeting.*
On the 5th of April, Mr. Summerfield arrived in Paris,
(via Lyons,) after a fatiguing journey of six days and
nights his health, on the whole, but very little, if at all,
improved. On the 16th, the Anniversary of the Protestant
Bible Society of France was held in Paris. Oq this occa-
sion, the address which he had prepared, and which had
been translated into French by the Dutchess de Broglie,
was delivered by Mr. Wilder ; the author's diffidence of his
ability to speak elegantly a language, in which, neverthe-
less, he was a proficient, deterred him from pronouncing it
himself.
The following is the address. It was published in the
American papers as a translation, (from a translation;) I
suspect, however, that it is the original :
" My Lord It is with unaffected humility that I rise
to address you upon a subject which has now become too
vast for human description, and far removed above the
eulogy of human praise. The Bible Cause has attained
such a glorious lustre, that it is like a mirror polished by
* This address is printed in the Fourth Annual Report of the
Young Men's Missionary Society, auxiliary to the Missionary
Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, New- York, 1823.
264 MEMOIRS OF THE
the hand of heaven, and the breath of the earth-born worm
who attempts to point out its beauties, rather sullies than
correctly delineates them. Still, humiliating as this con-
sideration is, and strange as the paradox may appear, we
approach it with a degree of confidence, for the very reason
that it is the Bible Cause, firmly persuaded, that although
no tongue is adequate to the description, yet it cannot
suffer in the weakest hands ; for the testimony concerning
it is so supremely excellent, as to dignify, any kind of lan-
guage in which it may be conveyed.
" I have the honour, my Lord, to represent upon this
occasion the American Bible Society, by whom I have been
delegated, to congratulate the Sister Society of France on
Ler past success, and to assure her, that the place which
she holds in the sympathies and affections of her elder
Sister in the West, is second to none ! I would that
another and a worthier Representative had been chosen,
or that my head were frosted with the winters of threescore
and ten, that weight of years might have combined with
the warmth and zeal of youth, to express the ardency of
her affection and esteem ; but since, by the grace of God,
I am what I am, I dared not suffer any consideration of the
weakness of the creature, to interfere with the promise of
Him, who ' out of weakness can make strong, and call
forth things that are not, as though they were.'
"The statement which has been read has briefly
sketched the leading outlines of the last Report of the
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 265
American Bible Society ; and yet 3 exalted as must be the
views of all who heard it, concerning her great success. I.
am proud to say, that were your Lordship to visit our
happy shore, you would find cause to exclaim with the
queen of the South, when beholding the glory of Solo-
mon ' the half was not told me !' Truly, my Lord, ' the
word of God has free course among us' ' it runs,' it out-
strips the wind ' and it is glorified !' Opposition, which
for a time shewed its hideous shape, and rroteus-like, as-
sumed another and another form, has now quitted the
field or, if objectors still remain, they are like the scat-
tered fragments of a broken enemy, hanging on the care-
less outskirts of the victorious army by whom they have
been conquered, for the mere purpose of teasing by cow-
ardly and fruitless annoyance those whom they cannot
overcome. Every anniversary is with us a jubilee ; we
then indent another and another to the thousand triumphs
with which the monument of its far-spread fame is
covered !
" There was a phrase, my Lord, in the statement I
allude to, with respect to America, to which I would offer
a brief remark. You have been pleased to style it a, free
country; it is so; but, my Lord, the liberty which reigns
there is not peculiar to America ; it is the privilege of king-
doms as well as republics and the British and Foreign
Bible Society, 'which is the mother of us all,' has demon-
strated, that the more the people are acquainted with the
sacredness of the relation in which they stand 'to the
z
266 MEMOIRS OP THE
powers which be, and which are ordained of God,'
the firmer are the pillars of that authority under which
they are governed ; this relation can only be truly made
known by that very gospel which it is the sole object of
the Bible Society to disseminate. The bible, my Lord, the
bible, I repeat it, is suited to every political meridian;- to
the towering spirit of the high minded republican it holds
up no sceptre, but the sceptre of that monarch, whose
1 kingdom is not of this world ;' while to the subjects of
royalty it proclaims the first law of the throne, ' render
unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's.' In the camp, it
softens the rage of war by the sweet command of peace,
' love your enemies ;' while in the cabinet it mollifies the
asperity of national pride, by that injunction of eternal
justice, l do unto all men as ye would that they should do
unto you.'
" The report of the Protestant Bible Society affords a
pleasing testimony, (if testimony were yet needed,) that
the Bible Society is the cause of God ! I shall return to
the land from whence I came, with a heart warmed with
what I have seen and heard to day, and there, in a lan-
guage with which I am more familiar, communicate the
glad news, that in France notwithstanding the torrent of
infidelity which has been poured forth within the last
thirty years, and which threatened to deluge the land a
spark still survived which ' many waters could not quench ;'
and that noio there are more than l seven thousand men
who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal !' 1
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 267
shall tell them, my Lord, that in France there are men
who, not affected by the giddy pinnacle upon which high
descent and noble birth have placed them, have laid their
honour, their reputation, their wealth, at the foot of the
cross, counting it their greatest honour to bear * the burden
and heat' of this glorious day, in which the Sun of Right-
eousness is shining in His strength ; in a word, my Lord,
I shall tell them, that in France there are kindred souls to
those which dwell in transatlantic bosoms, and that many
a heart is tuned in full accordance with the angel's mes-
sage, ' Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,
good will to men !'
" Mention has been made in your report of the decease
of our lamented Boudinot, the late President, of the Ame-
rican Bible Society. You have sympathized with us in
our loss. Although time has lent its mellowing hand to
alleviate our grief, yet still we mourn ! He was, in a sense,
one of you ; he became one of us ; but God has put in His
claim against us both, and has taken him to himself ! He
has been removed to a brighter scene, to a higher mount
than Pisgah's top, from whence he may behold the pro-
gress of that cause which was the pabulum of the last
years of his life, and kept him above the power of death !
But I dare not trust myself to enlarge on this tender
theme : you will meet him, my Lord, after you have ceased
from your work and labour of love, as he has done from
his ! J, too, look forward to that scene ; till then I have no
expectation of seeing your lordship more, nor this august
268 MEMOIRS OF THE
assembly over whom you so worthily preside ; but there
we shall meet again ! Oh, that we may all be found faith-
ful at that day, and counted worthy to be crowned with
glory, and honour, and immortality, and eternal life ! Then
shall we join the song of the redeemed, 'unto Him that
loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
and made us kings and priests unto God and his Father ;
to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen.' "
At the conclusion of this address, which was received
with enthusiastic applause, Mons. Billing, one of the
Secretaries of the Society, rose, and replied as follows :
" Sir, A more eloquent tongue than my own should
have responded to the affecting address which has just been
read in your name by our beloved colleague, Mr. Wilder ;
but the worthy assesseur, who expected to perform this
duty, being prevented by his official engagements from
attending our anniversary, the office devolves on me ; from
this circumstance, you, sir, and the audience, will excuse
the brevity and imperfection of my address.
u The Protestant Bible Society of Paris, cannot but feel
deep emotion, to see among the number of distinguished
characters that have honoured this anniversary with their
presence, a young preacher of the word of God, who has
crossed the Atlantic ocean to offer to us the expression of
brotherly affection in behalf of the Bible Society of the
United States, a Society, which from the immense ter-
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 269
ritory it embraces, the number of its auxiliaries, and the
success that has crowned its efforts, occupies one of
the first places in that vast system which now encom-
passes the whole globe, and which, by deriving from the
wonderful art of printing every possible aid for the dissem-
ination of the bible, promotes the taste for reading it
among Christians, and publishes it in their native tongues
to the nations, now plunged in the darkness of idolatry.
" The sacred scriptures were conveyed to the shores of
your continent, by the nation by whom it was first dis-
covered, and in part conquered. The horrible circumstan-
ces, under which the gospel was first presented to the
monarch of the Mexican empire, we need not now call to
inind. They were the fruits of human passions, let loose
by war, and by the thirst for conquest. Let us beware of
attributing them to religion. The spirit of genuine Chris-
tianity is mild and tolerant ; it forms the basis of civilized
society, and its propagation among idolaters, never had,
and never can have, permanent success, but when esta-
blished in a manner worthy of its heavenl)- origin.
" Your happy country, sir, was peopled by Europeans,
who fled their native land to avoid religious persecution.
France has furnished her share of this population. You
bring this to our recollection, in naming the pious Boudinot,
the first President of your society, to whose memory we
have already paid a just tribute. The times are changed
in France, as well as in England, and, to speak only of
z2
270 MEMOIRS OF THE
our own country, you now behold us, sir, re-established in
all our rights, civil and religious. Under the sceptre of
the august dynasty, to which the destinies of the kingdom
have been for so many ages confided, we not only enjoy
our peculiar worship as publicly as Christians who profess
the religion of the state, but also all those institutions
which spring from freedom of religious worship, and
among others, the one, on whose anniversary we are this
day assembled ; where we hear what is doing throughout
the world for the increased diffusion of the Holy Scriptures,
and have opportunity of contributing to it according to our
means. The situation in which our government places
us, by the laws of the kingdom, is not less favourable
than that of Protestants in other countries of Europe, where
the Royal Family and the majority of the subjects profess
a different religion, and in which the progress of know-
ledge is not so far advanced as in our own country. Pub-
lic opinion, we dare believe, is in our favour, for our object
is simple ; it seeks no concealment ; we discuss our mea-
sures publicly ; we meddle not with political questions.
We are humble agents in the advancement of His king-
dom, who repeatedly declared, ' My kingdom is not of this
world,' and who taught his disciples to pray to their hea-
venly Father, ' Thy kingdom come.'
"Our prayers, sir, accompany you to your country.
May this voyage have the happy effect on your health,
which you anticipated in undertaking it ! May you live
long to exercise the sacred functions of the office you have
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 271
assumed; and may your countrymen realize the great
expectations excited by the commencement of your mi-
nistry !
" Permit me here to add my expressions of regard for
your countryman, Mr. Wilder, who has on this occasion
presented your address, and who, after a long residence in
France, is about to revisit his native land. It is with the
most lively regret that we lose the co-operation of a man
so zealous for every thing that tends to advance the inte-
rests of piety, and who knows how to proportion his con-
tributions not only to his fortune, but to the wants of the
numerous institutions which he has aided us in forming ;
a christian, in whom simplicity of manners, and all the
domestic virtues, are in harmony with the doctrines which
he professes and propagates. In whatever place he may
hereafter reside, we assure him that we shall ever remem-
ber him, and shall each, in the particular sphere in which
we act, strive to be imbued with the spirit which animates
him, and to imitate his conduct."
The following extract from a letter addressed to Doctor
Marinus Willett, in New- York, just before Mr. Summer-
field quitted Paris, will be interesting in this place.
" On Wednesday last, was celebrated the fourth anni-
versary of the Protestant Bible Society of France, and a
more pleasurable sensation I never experienced ; no, not
even in America. The commission with which my bre-
i
272 MEMOIRS OF THE
thren in that country had honoured me, placed me in a
much higher situation than either they or I could ever
have calculated upon ; and truly I was loaded with ' many
honours,' as St. Paul's phrase is. For a moment, I fancied
myself in New- York, and could not but dwell upon the
similarity of my situation when I first addressed the Bible
Society tJiere, and my present. I remembered that I had
just arrived, a stranger in a strange land, unknowing and
unknown ; and yet from that very hour, what friendships
did not the Providence of God lead me to form ! friendships
which will run parallel with the days of eternity ! Here
I was in a land still more strange, with whose very lan-
guage I was not familiar and yet to tell you of those
Christian hearts who immediately mingled their flames of
love with mine, and formed one common glow, would be a
pleasing task indeed, but one, with the particulars of which
I should not like to gratify my friend, lest it might feed one
latent spark of that dreadful vice which was the condem-
nation of the devil, and which may yet remain alive in
my poor heart, although I assure you I am unconscious of
its existence. The manner in which these anniversaries
are conducted in France, is far different from ours but
the advantage is greatly on our side. Such is the jealousy
of the Catholic interest, that a mandate has been issued,
requiring each speaker to write his address, in order to its
being submitted in propria forma, to an inquisitorial com-
mittee duly appointed ! You may conceive my situation
and my feelings ; however, though thus cramped up into
the space of a nutshell, I complied, and endeavoured to
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 273
prepare something that might not be obnoxious : it was
poor work indeed, and afforded no opportunity for that
lively discourse which an unshackled privilege would
have produced. The Dutchess of Broglie, daughter of the
late Madame de Stael, kindly undertook the translation of
it into French ; and at the time appointed, not caring to
read it myself, on account of my ignorance of the
Parisian accent, as it is called, Mr. Wilder favoured me
with his services, whilst I stood beside him like a statue.
It was received in a way highly flattering to my American
feelings, and a very neat address was delivered in reply by
one of the Secretaries."
Notwithstanding, however, that Mr. Summerfield was
on this occasion "flattered even beyond sufferance" to
use his own phrase and met with the most affectionate
treatment from many Christian friends, he was not at all
in love with the French capital. Besides, in his opinion,
Paris was not the place for an invalid ; indeed, he doubted
" whether a sound man could find any thing like home in
it." In a letter to his father, he says : " My health is much
as when I last wrote you ; my cough, though somewhat
better, yet remains ; indeed, soon after I arrived at Mar-
seilles, the weather took ah unfavourable turn, and it has
been excessively cold. I have often said, ' Oh, that I had
the wings of a dove, then would I fly away to New- York,
and never think of seeking a fine climate in France again.
I do not think that the weather is worse with you, than it
is at this very time, and Paris is the dampest place I have
274 MEMOIRS OF THE
oeen in for a long time ; this, with the keenness of the air,
is killing however, 1 will not terrify you by saying any
more about it." Political affairs, too, wore a gloomy aspect
in France, " and every body," says he, " appear to be
seeking refuge in their native land, especially if they have
been so favoured as to call that land England or America."
Happily for Summeffield, he had ties of kindred in both
countries ; having therefore received official documents for
the President of the American Bible Society, he hastened
to revisit once more the land of his nativity.
REV JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 275
SECTION XV.
Arrives in England Fairfield preaches at Liverpool let-
ters attends the Conference at Sheffield visits many other
places his health but little improved letters.
Mr. Summerfield, on his arrival in England, sought the
Moravian settlement at Fairfield, near Manchester, at
which place, as already stated, he had spent five happy
years at school, and where one of his uncles continued to
reside. Here he found one of his cousins, a young man
twenty-one years of age, lying in the last stage of a con-
sumption. Delicate as was his own health, he devoted
himself assiduously to administer such friendly assistance
and spiritual consolation to his dying relative, as the nature
of the case required. For a full fortnight he tenderly
watched the death-bed of his beloved cousin ; nor did he
leave him till death had closed his eyes. It was the only
instance, during his ministry, in which he had been called
upon to see a person die, raid his feelings, as may be sup-
posed, were exercised a good deal on the occasion.
In the month of November, 1828, the writer of these
pages paid a visit to Fairfield, in company with his esteemed
276 MEMOIRS OF THE
friend Mr. J. Everett, of Manchester. Interesting as this
tranquil retreat of such an exemplary church community
as the United Brethren, must have been to the visitors
under any circumstances, yet on the present occasion, the
genius loci derived its principal charm from its association
with the history of Summerfield, in whose memory they
felt mutually interested. There was the school-room, in
which he had been taught, with the book containing the
records of his entry and departure as a scholar ; and a num-
ber of happy tyros "disporting on the margent green" of the
enclosure, as he had done in his day. There was the
chapel with its fine organ the tones of which he had so
much delighted to accompany with his juvenile voice
for he was ever fond of singing. There, in one of the
dwellings, were more touching memorials of his later
visit an engraved likeness the couch beside which
he knelt, while reading to, and praying for his cousin
Joseph his little American pocket testament left behind,
with a leaf still turned down at I Corinthians xv. ; and
the presence of his uncle himself, who, with his eyes
overflowing with tears, referred to the incidents of this
last earthly interview. And lastly, the neat sequestered
cemetery, so remarkable for its simplicity, where (to adopt
a single line from the poet, whose description of the bury-
ing place of the patriarchs in " The World before the
Flood," is supposed to be delineated from a Moravian grave
ground :)
* The little heaps are ranged in comely rows."
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 277
and over one of which the surname of " Summerfield"
was inscribed.* This visit, so interesting from these asso-
ciations, was rendered yet still more so by the courteous
affability of the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Pohlman, the resident
minister and his lady.
Mr. Summerfield was invited, and actually announced
to preach in the chapel at Fairfield, (a distinction never
conferred upon a methodist preacher before,) and a large
congregation assembled accordingly ; but the arrival of an
official visitor at the time, and the death of the resident
bishop, Moore, prevented this,
[To Mrs. Blackstock.]
"Fairfield, near Manchester, June lltk, 1823.
* f My dearest Ellen,
" Your long and grateful letter came to me this morn-
ing ; it had been left at Fairfield by Mr. Congreve, yester-
day, although I lost the pleasure of seeing him, having
gone to Manchester. Last night, I spent an hour or two
with Mr. Sands ; he proceeds to day to Sheffield and Leeds,
where I expect also to be in ten days or a fortnight, but must
first proceed to Liverpool to-morrow. In Amelia's letter,
I have mentioned the afflictions of my uncle's family : it
calls to my mind my own, and especially on this very day
last year. Mr. B. will never forget that day, when stand-
* Joseph Summerfield, departed, June 8th, 1823, aged 21
years."
2 A
278 MEMOIRS OF THE
ing by my bed in Doctor Sargeant's chamber; every
moment I expected my change, and having no power
to speak, on account of the incessant bleeding from my
lungs, I made signs for a writing-table, and being bolster-
ed up in bed in a sitting posture, I wrote the enclosed
paper ;* it was never seen by any other eye, and in giving
it to you, it is not for any other reason, than to put you in
mind of that day ; and to excite your gratitude and thanks-
giving to Him who held my head above the water floods,
and again said ' Live !' Oh that it may be to his honour
and glory !
" With regard to my spared life, I can say little as to
its long continuance ; certainly I shall never see threescore
years and ten : I am only anxious to live to the Lord
while I live, and die to Him when I die, that living or
dying I may be the Lord's."
On Sunday the 22d of June, he preached in Leeds-
street chapel, Liverpool. " It is," says he, when writing
home, " the first time since my arrival in England ; and
yet, although I name this to show you that I am not quite
dead, you must not infer that because I have begun I shall
continue ; no ; it will be very, very, very, seldom repeated,
and I shall always inform you when it is." His journal
was altogether neglected during the year of his sojourn
in England ; but it is gratifying to learn from the follow -
* This letter inclosed the testamentary paper given page 210.
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 279
ing extract indeed from his correspondence generally,
that while his body was confined by .the weakness of the
flesh his soul was at the same time "progressing" in
holiness.
[To Dr. Samuel Baker.]
" Liverpool, June 23d, 1823.
" My dear Friend and Brother,
" I know you will expect to hear something concern-
ing myself, and this is the cross which my friends com-
pel me to bear daily ; I would rather write on any other
subject. Well, then, I find that Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday, to-day, and for ever ! He is my unchangeable
friend. He is my all and in all; of late He has been tem-
pering down the natural hardness of my heart, that it may
receive some deeper impressions of the mind which was
also in Him ! I mourn over the baseness of the material
upon which this is to be wrought, but still I do feel that
the more I contemplate and behold the glory of my Lord,
the more I am changed into the resemblance of the origi-
nal, by the spirit of the Lord. But what have I said ?
And yet is not this the very perfection of our dispensation ?
Oh that we may press after the fulness of the stature
of a man in Christ Jesus ! I have lately dwelt much on
those inexhaustible words of the apostle John : Beloved,
now are we the sons of God ! and it doth not yet appear
what we shall be V I cannot grasp them, there is a world
of meaning in them ! ' It doth not yet appear !' It is not
280 MEMOIRS OF THE
yet made manifest : but it shall appear, and the world
which now knoweth us not, shall witness the manifestation
of the sons of God ; for conformed to our Head, ' we shall
be like Him !' what can this mean ? utterance fails
the heart cannot conceive
' We fall before his feet,
And silence heightens heaven ."
" As regards my poor body, it is yet compassed about
with infirmities ; my general health is tolerably good, and
except this cough of which I complain, I am as I have
been since I knew you ; my cough is of a singular cha-
racter, for although I expectorate considerably with it, no
weakness is produced, and my natural strength is good ;
I can walk for hours without fatigue, and eat my
food abundantly, and with good relish. I am living with
a physician in this town, with whom I have been asso-
ciated from my childhood, and brought up at the same
school, and almost fed at the same table. Yesterday morn-
ing I preached for the first time in England in one of the
largest chapels in this town, and felt no inconvenience
consequent.
" Remember me affectionately to all my friends in Bal-
timore, and first of all to my friend, and brother Soule ;
upbraid him for not having written to me, and yet this
would come with no weight from you, seeing you are in
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 281
the same condemnation^ Mrs. Dickins, Mrs. Bakery
Eloisa, and all the children, share my love.
" Believe me to remain,
" my dear Doctor, ever your's,
" J. SUMMERFIELD."
At the " physician's house" alluded to in the preceding
letter, " I had," says the Rev. W. Stewart, " the pleasure
of meeting my beloved Summerfield ; I was greatly
affected at witnessing his pale and emaciated appearance ;
I inquired of the Doctor, in his absence ' Do you think
it possible, Mr. S. can recover ?' the Doctor replied, ' with
great care, he may live two years, but he cannot possibly
live longer.' In this the Doctor manifested his consummate
skill, both with reference to the case and constitution of
his friend. My very heart sighed, and said c alas ! my
brother.' "
[To Samuel Harden, Esq.]
" Liverpool, July 10th, 1823.
" My health is much as when I last wrote ; the Good
Physician still holds me in life, though with a slender
thread : I do not yet know the end of his dealings with
me in this respect ; but, he is too wise to err, and too good
to be unkind, He, will do all things well. I cannot pro-
mise myself long life, as far as human reasoning directs,
though with God all things are possible. All my desire is,
that I may yet stand before Him in his sanctuary a little
2a2
282 memoirs or the
longer to point poor sinners to the scene on Calvary ihe
bleeding Jesus
'Happy, if with my latest breath,
I may but gasp His name ;
Preach Him to all and cry in death,
Behold, behold the Lamb !'
"My heart was much rejoiced yesterday by a circumstance
little looked for : a man called upon me, to acknowledge
me his spiritual father, of whom I had not the most distant
recollection ; he lives in Arklow in Ireland, and having
heard that I was in England, he set off for no other pur-
pose than to lay his eyes on me, as he said, once more.
He informed me that four years ago, as I was preaching
in that town, in the open air, ' for no other place was large
enough to contain the multitude,' God. converted his soul,
and gave him a clear evidence of his acceptance, which
he has since retained. He reminded me of the text on the
occasion ' They that sow in tears shall reap in joy ;' and
I found that he had the sermon almost written upon his
heart. These are comfortable results of our weak labours ;
we see not now the fruits ; it is often not until after the
labourer has fallen asleep, that the seed springs up ; and the
death of the minister has often given birth to many pre-
cious souls, who had been heretofore only hearers of the
word ; may this thought comfort us continually, and may
we know the application of the Apostle's words, in more
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 283
than their primary sense, l for me to live is Christ, but to
die is gain. 1 "
In a letter to Mrs. Blackstock, dated Liverpool, July 10th,
1823, occurs the following passage, " your second letter of
the 13th is almost exclusively devoted to the subject of my
health and my return home ; I know they are both inte-
resting subjects, and often mix themselves with the fireside
conversation, and often afford a theme to break the silence
which sometimes exists in the chief seat of the table.
My health ! and my return home ! I feel myself growing
dull, or rather sorrowful ; home is a word which has a
spell in it, and I am now operated upon by it almost to a
momentary melancholy. Sometimes I view the distance
so great, and so measure the ocean that rolls between us,
that I start and say, shall I ever see that place again !' At
other times, I am so buoyant, that I consider it but as two
steps, by one of which I take my foot off Europe, and by
the other, set it on America ; T believe, however, both these
ways of viewing it are erroneous they are the extremes ;
may God help me to overcome all difficulties, and bring
me to the desired haven !'' His letters to his younger
sisters, to his father, and to Mr. Blackstock, breathe similar
sentiments.
On the 30th of June, the British Conference opened at
Sheffield, at which place it is sexennially held. At this
celebrated mart of cutlery, Mr. Summerfield spent about
a week, during which he wa3 domiciled with my worthy
2S4 MEMOIRS OF THE
friend Thomas Branson, Esq. partaking the elegant
hospitalities of this gentleman's house with his old and
valued friend Dr. Townley, and the Rev. Mr. France, who
having travelled at Preston, was not unknown to the
family. His appearance was very unhealthy ; his counte-
nance, formerly so fair and delicate, appeared to be puffed
up, and slightly cadaverous in its hue : he complained
chiefly of a pain in his side, which was so violent one
night, that he told Mrs. Branson, (who nursed him with a
mother's care,) in the morning, that he had with difficulty
refrained from calling them up, in order to obtain the
assistance of a surgeon to open a vein.
At this Conference, to the sittings of which Mr. Sum-
merfield was freely admitted, and treated with great
respect, the Rev. Messrs. Richard Reece and John Han-
nah were appointed to proceed to the United States, to
reciprocate the friendship of the American Conference,
which had been expressed four years before, by their re-
presentative, the Rev. John Emory. It was agreed that
Mr. Summerfield, on his return home, should accompany
these gentlemen to America. Ultimately, however, this
arrangement was overruled by unforeseen circumstances ,
and I am happy in being able to account for an incident
unpleasant to the feelings of both parties, in the words of
Mr. Hannah himself : " That Mr. Summerfield did not
accompany Mr. Reece and myself in the same ship, was a
source of great disappointment to us ; but it arose entirely
from a private cause. Mr. S. was waiting for his brother,
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 285
who had been spending some time I think in Prussia ; and
when he found that he was unable to sail so early as we
intended, he expressed a wish that we would wait a fort-
night longer. This it was impracticable for us to do, as
our arrangements were fully fixed. We were, therefore,
f under the necessity, though with painful reluctance, of
taking our departure without him."*
After his return from Sheffield, and having visited,
among other places, Frodsham, Birmingham, Manchester,
Liverpool, and Runcorn, he took up his residence with
Anthony Badley, Esq. a gentleman of piety and fortune,
then residing at Weston Hill, near the latter place. Wliile
under the roof of his kind entertainer, a portrait was
painted of this "in every respect, extraordinary young
man" as Summerfield is justly designated by Mr. Badley.
This picture, which the worthy owner regards as a " beau-
tiful likeness," has been by him courteously transmitted
for the author's inspection : may Mr. Badley be long spared
to contemplate this precious memorial of such a friend in
his present residence Llanrhydd House, in the far famed
and beautiful vale of Clwyd, North Wales.
Towards the latter end of the year, he opened a hand-
some new chapel at Bilston in Suffolk ; it is to a print of
this house, that he refers in the last clause of the following
extract of a letter to his youngest sister : " I have of late
* Ex Epist. J. H. penes me, Feb. 28th, 1829.
286 MEMOIRS OF THE
more resembled the wandering Arab than the domestic
European, and have literally had no certain dwelling place.
However, lest you should imagine, that like the Arabian, I
have been dwelling in tents, and not in ceiled houses, I send
you an engraving of one of my visiting places and a
most lovely one it is, as ever you saw."
[To Dr. Samuel Baker.]
"Liverpool, October 24th, 1823.
" The climate of England has been more congenial
to me in every respect, [than France,] and I rejoice to say
that my inner man is renewed day by day ; I love my
Master, and I love his work ; I love his wages, and I love
his servants ; and if I hate any thing, it is my own life,
for I count not my life dear to me, that I may finish my
course with joy, and the ministry which I have received
of the grace of God. As respects my bodily health, it is
greatly improved, and T now look forward, with some well
grounded hope, that I shall be restored again to your
prayers, if it be but for a little season.
" I am now directing my face toward America ; God
is my record how greatly I long after you all ! Early in
the year I hope to take my departure, but you shall hear
from me before that time, so as to know my final arrange-
ments. I have just returned from Birmingham, where I
have spent a month most delightfully ; I was a good deal
with Mr. and Mrs. Foxall, who are both well, and now
travelling among Mr. F's. relations in Wales."
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 287
The following letter was addressed to Captain Williams,
a member of the Baptist Church, who generously gave
Mr. Summerfield a free passage from America to Mar-
seilles, in the fine ship Six Brothers, of which he was the
owner :
" Runcorn, December 22d, 1823.
" My dear Captain Williams, my christian friend and
brother, whom I love in the truth.
" At this season of the year, it is natural that I should
have you much upon my mind ; not that I have ever
forgotten you, for God is my record, that I have good
remembrance of you in my prayers ; but at this time
especially, when I am reminded of my departure from my
family and friends, as on this week, a year ago, I cannot
but connect with this recollection, the grateful feelings
which pervade my whole soul towards you. I have never
thought of you, but with affection ; and I have wondered
what could have moved your unmerited kindness to me,
who was altogether a stranger to you ; it was not the
{ friendship of the world,' this induces every man to look
on his own things only, and weigh accurately the profit
that would accrue from every transaction ; but your dis-
interested kindness bears a higher stamp than nature ever
impressed, I see in it the counterpart of an apostle's
doctrine, c loving Him that begat, we love them also that
are begotten of Him :' and unworthy as I am to be ac-
counted a disciple of our common Lord, yet you have done
288 MEMOIRS OF THE
what you have done in regard to this relationship. I can
only endeavour to heap blessings on your head ; thanks is
a poor return, and I should mourn over my poverty much
more in reference to my friends, if I did not remember
who hath said, { a cup of cold water even, given to a disciple
in the name of a disciple, shall not lose its reward.' I can
boldly, therefore, transfer my debt to Him w T ho has promised
to repay ; I feel confident that my God will supply to you
all my lack out of His riches in glory by Christ Jesus !
Thanks to you, my dear friend, again and again ; and
may the Incarnate Immanuel, whose advent into this lower
world we at this season commemorate, take up His resi-
dence within your heart, and sanctify you throughout
body, soul, and spirit ! This is the will of God concerning
you. and faithful is He that hath called you, who also will
do it ; be strong in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ,
hold fast that which you have attained, and press on ; that
when you fail on earth, you may be received into ever-
lasting habitations ! Amen and Amen.
" If you see Captain Mason, remember me affectionately
to him ; he was every thing to me that I could w T ish, a
father, a nurse, a servant ; and with all the trouble I gave
him through my weakness of body, he never seemed
weary of serving me, to the utmost of his power. May
God reward him a hundred fold ! Farewell.
" Your affectionate friend and servant,
'J. SUMMERFIELD."
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 289
In a letter to his father under the same date as the
preceding-, Mr. Summerfield wrote as follows and the in-
telligence was melancholy indeed, with reference to a gen-
tleman who had shown him no small kindness in the
United States : " When I reflect upon the loss of many
of my friends and acquaintance in the past year, who pro-
mised a long long term of. years I am lost to know
why I linger here below. This morning I have received
the intelligence of the sudden death of Mr. Foxall ; he
was fully calculating on returning to America with me
and brother Reece ; a few weeks ago, I parted with him,
full of health, and now he is no more ! ' Be ye also
ready,' is sounding in my ears ever since."
On the 10th of February, 1824, he wrote to his old
class-leader, the Rev. Patrick French, then a Wesleyan
Missionary on the island of Antigua, in the West Indies.
" Runcorn, near Liverpool, February 10A, 1824.
" My ever beloved father and friend, whom I unceaa
ingly love in the truth !
" What shall I say unto you ? not that the difficulty
arises in the want of matter, but in the selection from that
abundance of it which now presses upon my mind, the
moment I undertake to write to you.
# # # *
" Although I have been in England ever since the
month of May last, I have not been able to visit Ireland ;
2b
290 MEMOIRS OP THE
I thought I perceived an unwillingness on the part of the
Irish preachers ; indeed I scarcely think they have from
their hearts forgiven me for leaving them : but the autho-
rity of a parent and that a pious one, compelled the
change, and I am now satisfied that the good hand of
my God was with me. He has prospered me in America,
above all that I could have asked or thought ; but I dare
not trust my own heart to enter into particulars, ' the
day shall declare it.' In reference, however, to my much
loved Ireland, I am now quite relieved by two letters I
have received within the last week, from my best friend
in all that country my dear William Stewart; I only
regret that I cannot now accept his invitation to come and
receive at the mouths of many, the welcome of their
' inside hearts,' as he calls it. But alas ! with all this,
there is mingled the intelligence that brother Steele is gone
to his reward ! O that we may ever stand with our loins
girded up, ready to follow the bridegroom whenever He
appeareth !
li I am, as ever,
" your's in the best of bonds,
"J. SUMMERFIELD."
His friend Mr. Badley having removed from Weston Hill
to Linacre, to avoid the winter's blast, to which the former
situation was exposed, Mr. Summerfield accompanied him
to this new residence, and, says he, (January 29th, 1824,)
" a more delightful spot I could not have chosen." " Since
my last," he observes, " I remain much as usual ; indeed,
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 291
I am like a ' creaking gate,' whose hinges are half con-
sumed, but yet hangs on." From this retreat, he wrote
again to Mr. Blackstock, " 14th of February, 1824 Va-
lentine's day." This letter, in which he " mourns over
the unmethodistical conduct" of some of the members of
the American Society, was the last he wrote from
England.
292 MEMOIRS OF THE
SECTION XVI.
Returns to America attends the Baltimore Conference
ordained an Elder appointed a Missionary within
the bounds of Baltimore Conference extracts from
diary mission to the Wyandott Indians at Balti-
more in extreme debility.
Mr. Summerfield had now been fifteen months absent
from America, and although the latter moiety of that period
had been spent in England, the land of his nativity, and
amidst generous friends and Christian brethren, who
evinced towards him the greatest respect, he felt neverthe-
less that he was from home. His bowels yearned towards
his father, his brothers, and sisters, whom in recollection,
as well as in imagination, he saw assembled about the do-
mestic hearth, the happiness of which he knew suffered
some diminution on account of his absence ; and where,
as an invalid, he could not but fancy he might find that
repose which appeared still to be so necessary for the re-
establishment of his shattered health. But above all, he
sighed to be again engaged in that blessed work of calling
sinners to repentance, to which his whole soul was so en
tirely given up.
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 293
His return to America had, as before intimated, been ex-
pected by a packet vessel which sailed in February ; and
how cordial a welcome awaited him from one who is now
a Bishop of that church of which he was a minister, will
be seen from the following extract of a letter written by
the Rev. Joshua Soule, from Baltimore, March 25th, and
addressed to Mr. Summerfield, at New- York : " I re-
ceived information through the Commercial Advertiser, of
the arrival of the packet, and the names of the passengers,
the morning previous to the receipt of your letter, and I
shall not attempt to describe my feelings, when I read the
names of Messrs. Reece and Hannah, and found not
yours but my painful apprehensions were but for a day ;
and I assure you when I ascertained that the cause of your
delay was not sickness, or any peculiarly adverse provi-
dence, I rejoiced with thanksgiving. "Welcome ! thrice
welcome, my dear John, to the shore of my native, and
your adopted home !"
On the 16th of March, 1824, he bade farewell, alas ! a
final farewell, to England, and embarked on board the
Orbit, Captain Tinkham, and on the 19th of April, ar-
rived in New-York " contrary to all my expectations, with
a slight degree of improved health." Three days after his
arrival, he attended the Anniversary of the Missionary
Society ; and on the Sunday following, he preached at
Brooklyn, New- York, to an overflowing congregation.
On the 1st of May, he proceeded to the General Con-
2p2
294 MEMOIRS OF THE
ference held in Baltimore, halting by the way to preach at
Philadelphia. His emotions may be better conceived than
described, on being thus permitted once more to hold forth
the word of God in the city, where, two years before, his
life had been despaired of. Great as had been his former
popularity, he still found the Philadelphians his " unchange-
able friends f his reception was equal to his expectations.
He attended the sittings of this Conference, and on the
19th of May he was ordained Elder. The Rev. Richard
Reece, from England, preached the preparatory sermon,
and Bishop M'Kendree presided; Bishops George and
Roberts were also present. " I was presented," says he,
" by my valued friend and brother now my Bishop
Soule, and he, with Mr. E. Cooper, F. Garrettson, Josiah
Wells, assisted in the laying on of hands. To describe my
feelings is impossible it was a day never to be forgotten !
I renewed my vows unto the Lord, in the presence of the
most august assembly I ever expect to meet on this side of
heaven !"
The following is the Certificate of ordination :
" Know all Men by these Presents, that I, William
M'Kendree, one of the Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal
Church in America, under the protection of Almighty God,
and with a single eye to his glory, by the imposition of my
hands and prayer, (being assisted by the Elders present,)
have this day set apart John Summerfield for the office
of an Elder in the said Methodist Episcopal Church, a man
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 295
whom I judge to be well qualified for that work ; and I do
hereby recommend him to all whom it may concern, as a
proper person to administer the sacraments and ordinances,
and to feed the flock of Christ, so long as his spirit and
practice are such as become the Gospel of Christ.
" In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this 19th day of May, in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and twenty -four.
" Wm. M'Kendree. (Seal)
" Conference Room, Baltimore"
In consequence of the precarious state of his health, and
the advice of physicians, he was appointed by this Confe-
rence a Missionary within its limits for the ensuing year.
The following letter, signed by the presiding Bishop, will
most clearly illustrate the scope of the instructions of his
Christian fathers and brethren. The recommendation
with regard to Sunday Schools is honourable to the as-
sembly from whence it emanated. An attention to the
" spiritual and eternal interests of the rising generation," is
an object worthy of Episcopal commendation ; and happily
we have lived to see the day, when the dignitaries of Ame-
rica, Methodist and otherwise, are not alone in their atten-
tion to this important duty of the Church of Christ.
" Baltimore, May, 1824.
" Dear Brother
" I herewith acquaint you with the determination
which has been made on the subject of your appointment
296 MEMOIRS OF THE
for the ensuing year, in the fulfilment of which you are
to hold yourself amenable to the Baltimore Conference.
You have been nominated a ' Missionary within the
bounds of this Conference,' similar to the arrangement
made in your case last year, but which your absence from
the country prevented from going into operation. Con-
formable with this arrangement, it will be your duty to
visit as many of the principal places within the bounds of
the Baltimore Conference, as may be practicable, having
a special reference in all your journeyings to the promotion
of the interests of our Missionary cause : this may be ac-
complished by forming auxiliary branch societies, holding
anniversary meetings, and raising collections at all conve-
nient opportunities : in short, by every means exciting
among our people a missionary spirit, worthy of the wide
and greatly extending work among us. Closely connected
with this, are our sabbath school institutions ; and I ear-
nestly desire that you will do all in your power to promote
the spiritual and eternal interests of the rising generation.
But superior to all these, I trust you will ever keep in view
in all your ministrations, the great design which we believe
that God intended to accomplish in the world, in making
us ' a people that were not a people,' I mean the know-
ledge not only of a free, and a present, but also a full sal-
vation : in other words, a salvation from all sin, unto all
holiness !
;t Insist much on this, build up the churches herein, and
proclaim aloud that ' without holiness no man shall see the
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 297
Lord :' under the guidance of the Spirit of holiness, this
doctrine will be acknowledged of God: ' signs will follow
them that believe,' and press after this uttermost salvation,
and our people will bear the mark of their high calling, >
becoming \ a holy nation, a peculiar people.' Never forget
that no doctrine which we have ever preached, has been
more owned by the Head of the Church, and I doubt not,
but the success of your Mission may mainly depend, on
your zealously holding forth this great salvation.
" But although the arrangement within will confine you
officially to the Baltimore Conference, to attend to which
will be your first concern, yet from conversations I have
had with Dr. Baker, Dr. Wilkins, and other friendly
physicians, I deem it adviseable that you should be allowed
the privilege of extending your range of travel according
to the seasons of the year, in order that your health may
become permanently re-established.
" I therefore permit you to visit any part to the north of
this Conference in the summer season, and to the south
in the winter season, as may be recommended to you by
your physicians : at the same time urging upon you to have
special regard to all the preceding objects of your mission,
in every place whither you may go : sincerely praying that
the Head of the Church may acknowledge your labours,
not in word only, but in deed and in truth.
" Your's, affectionately,
W. M'KENDREE"
298 MEMOIRS OP THE
May 29th, Mr. Summerfield returned to New- York,
" exhausted in body, depressed in mind, but confiding in
the God of Providence and Grace." And in a letter to
Dr. Baker, he remarks, " we had a tedious journey of it,
and although I rested at home the whole of yesterday, T
still feel the effects ; my sister was still more jaded, and
prefers staying on the island to accompanying me into the
city ; however, after the fatigue is over, as to its effects,
I hope we shall both show that the kindness of our friends
in Baltimore has produced ' marrow in our bones.' For
my own part, my friends here speak very flatteringly of
the change in my appearance ; I hope it may be perma-
nent, and that my future stay among you may tend to the
prosperity of my body and my soul."
He preached in Brooklyn at the dedication of a new
Methodist church, on the 6th of June : the Rev. J. Han-
nah from England preached on the same occasion. And
on the following Sunday, he occupied the pulpit in John-
street Church, New- York ; in connexion with this service,
he remarks, " I never remember so gracious a time
under my feeble ministry !"
After corresponding with Dr. Baker on the propriety or
impropriety of his visiting the city of Baltimore in the
middle of summer, he resolved, in accordance with profes-
sional advice, and in the company of a gentleman from
New- York, to make a Missionary excursion northward.
He was at thi* ^me so feeble, that he dreaded to under-
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 299
take the journey, and yet, says he, " I was fit for nothing
else." He took the steamboat to Albany, at which place
he joined his companion, in whose carriage they proceeded
through New- York state, into Vermont, and to Middlebury,
where they arrived on the 31st.
To those who knew, and loved as he deserved, the sub-
ject of these memoirs, it cannot be uninteresting to trace
his progress through the brief remnant of his ministerial
career. The very names of the places which he visited
will form memorials, interesting to the recollections of
many who will delight to recall, with the pious memory of
the preacher, the scenes and circumstances which distin-
guished his ministrations. To avoid tautology, and at
the same time to identify Mr. Summerfield himself as
much as possible with the progress of his mission, it will
be best generally to quote from a very laconic diary, which
he kept after his return to America, such entries as may
appear interesting.
" August 1st, 1 824. I preached in Middlebury on Sab-
bath morning, and was so exhausted in consequence,
that the remainder of the day was indeed a burden to me ;
but the Lord blessed my soul !
" 4th. I preached in the Presbyterian church, taking up
a Missionary collection for our Indian Missions, amounting
to twenty dollars a great thing for Middlebury.
300 MEMOIRS OF THE
" 8th. Sunday. I preached again in our church. ; and
never did I experience so great an increase of health and
vigour, as in the past week. My health seems renewed
like the eagle's !
" 10th. I preached in Burlington, in the court house,
to a polite audience: and spent an agreeable afternoon,
at the house of the Governor :" he was a brother of Judge
Van Ness, of New- York.
" 11th. I proceeded as far as Montreal in Canada; even
here I found many friends.
" 12th. I addressed the anniversary assembly of the
Montreal Bible Society.
" 15th. I preached this morning in the Methodist
chapel ; our Society here, is supplied by missionaries from
the British Conference.
" 16th. I visited the Indian settlement of Cochnawaga
a Catholic priest resides among them.
" 18th. I preached again in Montreal in behalf of the
Lancasterian Free School, and collected one hundred and
ten dollars.
" 20th. I preached in the Socinian church, (Burlington,)
at their earnest request. I bless God that I had courage
REV. JOHN SUMMERPIELD. 301
sufficient not to prevent me from keeping back any part of
the counsel of God- They were offended, and refused to
come to hear me again.
" 22d, Sunday. I preached in the Presbyterian church,
and raised a collection of thirty-four dollars in aid of our
Missions.
" 23d. Departed from Middlebury, and arrived safely at
Pleasant Valley, in New- York state, on Friday following,
where I preached the same evening, to such a congrega-
tion as we could raise.
" 29th. I preached at Poughkeepsie twice. This is the
first venture of the kind I have made since my hemorrhage
in 1822. I found myself so far improved by this my
journey, that I was less fatigued than I had been by
preaching once on the first Sabbath at Middlebury. In the
afternoon, I accepted the offer of the Reformed Dutch
Church being the most spacious in the town. Next day
I took my departure for New- York, where I arrived safely
on Tuesday, the 3lst inst. after an absence of five weeks.
My health is now better than it has been for some years,
so that I am persuaded this journey was of God."
[To Dr. Samuel Baker.]
"New-York, 6th /September, 1S24.
" My Dear Doctor
" In labouring more abundantly than I have
2c
202 MEMOIRS OF THE
done at any period since my affliction in Philadelphia, I
have been supported by the great Physician of body and
soul, and while strengthened in the inner man, I have found
also that the tabernacle has undergone considerable repair,
and that my health is much improved ; how long this
mercy may be continued to me, I know not ; I wish to
improve it to its full extent, and work while it is called to-
day. I feel that I hold life by a very feeble tenure, and I
wish therefore ever to be found in the spirit of sacrifice.
' I rejoice to learn that your tour has been no less bene-
ficial than my own, particularly in reference to her on whose
behalf it w T as mainly undertaken ; may she be long con-
tinued to you, to be blest and to be a blessing. I now look
forward to my return among you with less painful fore-
bodings the gloom which hung around the horizon of
Baltimore, whenever I turned my eye in that direction, is
now considerably dissipated, and I anticipate a brighter
scene, if God permit.
" On Thursday next, the 15th inst., I leave this city for
Philadelphia, so you see I am now inclining my steps
towards your little Bethany, where I hope ere long to
mingle with ' Martha and her sister, and Lazarus,' and oh,
that your household may have as distinguished a character
as that of Martha, ' and the family whom Jesus loved.'
" Believe me, my dear Doctor,
" Ever yours, in truest affection,
" J. SUMMERFIELD."
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 303
On Saturday the 18th, he arrived in Philadelphia, and
on the following day preached to an immense multitude.
Ten days afterward, the Missionary board of the Philadel-
phia Conference appointed him to travel within the states
of Pennsylvania and New- Jersey, for one month, to form
auxiliary societies, and to take up collections in aid of this
institution. In a letter to Dr. Baker, he says " My health
remains good good for me; I still labour a little for Him
whom my soul loveth, and for whom I would gladly spend
and be spent. I have indeed been considerably disap-
pointed by my long separation from you, to which nothing
would have reconciled me, but a belief that I was not out
of the line of duty. I think I can positively state the
time, please God, when I shall be with you but then it .is
a period so distant that I am afraid ' hope so long deferred
will make the heart sick.' And yet, what is a month a
little month? Agreeably with Bishop M'Kendree's re-
quest, I have made my arrangements to devote a month to
travel within the bounds of this conference, for Missionary
purposes. To-morrow I depart, in company with my
dear Thomas (Rev. T. Sargeant.) I have made my calcu-
lations, and determined to leave here on Monday, the
first of November, arriving in Baltimore the following
morning."
He accordingly preached, with reference to making col-
lections, and forming auxiliary Missionary Societies, at
Westchester, Springfield, Churchtown, New Holland,
Strasburg, Lancaster, Columbia, Harrisburg, Mariet'"
304 MEMOIRS OP THE
Reading, Joanna, and on the 15th of October, he returned
to Philadelphia. After visiting New- York, where he re-
mained till the 27th, he again set out on his mission.
" November 1, 1824. Met the Committee of the Mis-
sionary Board of the Philadelphia Conference, and delivered
my Report. The whole amount collected was three hun-
dred and fifty-eight dollars, and six auxiliary societies es-
tablished. They apportioned me one hundred and eighty-
five dollars, of which I gave Thomas fifty dollars ; travel-
ling expenses were thirty dollars, so that it left me one
hundred and five dollars clear. This is the first church
property I had received for two years, and I disbursed it all
upon my dear father in his affliction.
"2d. Proceeded to Baltimore. 4th. Preached in Light-
street, for the first time since my return. I am now com-
fortably settled here ; nothing can exceed the kindness of
Dr. Baker and his family ! Their love to me is wonderful !
My God, do thou remember them !
" 1st December. Preached to the children in Light-street.
9th. Preached again to the children, and collected from
them eighty dollars, to remit to my dear Brother Finlay,
who writes to me most plaintively to raise him fifty dollars.
The gold and the silver is God's." The autograph ac-
knowledgement of this devoted apostle, who was then
labouring among the Wyandott Indians, lies before me. It
is written from Upper Sandusky ; and I will not wrong
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 305
Jie character of the living, nor the memory of the dead, by
leaving where I find it the following extract, the interest of
which will not be diminished by its simplicity : ' Dear
brother, above all, I want your prayers, and the prayers of
all the good people of your city. Sometimes I feel lone-
some, and yet I am not alone if I have but the prayers of
the saints, and the comforts of God's Holy Spirit. I often,
when lying in the woods, on a piece of bark, taken from
some lofty oak of the forest, think how many of God's
people are now praying for me, and sometimes I am so
overwhelmed with a sense of the goodness of my most
precious Jesus, that I cannot contain myself. Glory be
to God ! I feel a sacred flame this moment burning with
gratitude to him who never sleeps. Nor does He despise
the day of small things. Oh, that I was more holy, that
I might be more useful to my fellow mortals, and be able
to spread my Saviour's name through all the tribes of the
forest. Your son* John is a fine boy, learns well, and
promises to make a smart, and I hope, a most useful man.
As he is not in need, I do not think it necessary at the
present time for you to send him any thing. If you had
an opportunity to send some small present, to let him know
* An Indian boy, named John Summer -field , at the request of
the Juvenile Missionary Society at Baltimore. A certain sum, I
believe one hundred dollars, entitles them to the privilege of
naming a Boy or Girl. At the anniversary alluded to they
named John Wesley, R. Whatcoat, F. Asbury, Mary Fletcher^
W. M'Kendree, and John Summerfield.
39
306 MEMOIRS OF THE
that you had not forgot him, and some advice, which is a
great thing amongst our children from their friends, it
would be of benefit to him, and let him know that you
heard that he is a good boy ; and that as he has become your
son, you wish him to continue to be so, and to learn his book,
&c. Give my love to all my juveniles in Baltimore that
you see, and tell them that their children are doing well ;
to all my acquaintances, and to all that love the Lord Jesus
in sincerity. I am, with every sentiment of esteem, your
suffering brother in the bonds of the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ,
JAMES B. FINLAY."
The following entry in Mr. Summerfield's diary will
show that the imposition of his name was not confined to
the Wyandott boy above mentioned : " December 16th,
1824. Went to open the < Summerfield Chapel,' at Elk-
ridge landing, accompanied by Mr. Nevins, and other
friends. The Lord was graciously with me, and suffered
not his word to fall to the ground."
While at Baltimore, in the month of December, he sub-
mitted to a course of salivation ; that this would be bene-
ficial, was alike the opinion of Dr. Baker, with whom he
now dwelt, and of the physician with whom he resided
some time while in Liverpool. Of the favourable result
of this severe experiment, his friends as well as himself
were very sanguine. Writing to Mr. Blackstock, he says :
" It is expected that in the spring I shall fatten up after
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 307
it, and visit you with a renewed constitution. My mouth
is very sore with the mercury, which I rub on my right
side every night, and yet I am well able to preach, al-
though I moderate myself to once a week, viz. on Sun-
day morning, and occasionally exercise at public anniver-
saries on the week days, Bible Societies, Bethel Unions,
Sunday and Free Schools, Missionary Societies, &c. all
appearing to fall due just at this time. You need not,
however, be uneasy ; I am in kind hands under Dr. Baker,
and he will not suffer me, even were I inclined, (which I
assure you I am not,) to do any more than is quite con-
sistent with my circumstances. I stay in always in the
evenings, and have determined not to go to any tea parties,
except to weddings, for I have begun to marry others,
though I have no prospect of such a change for myself, so
that I am sure you will commend my prudence."
Weak as he was, he still continued to preach : after
service in Light-street on Sunday morning, although he
found his Master's promise, " Lo, I am with you alway !"
graciously fulfilled ; yet he remarks " My physical
powers are very weak, and I have seldom been more ex-
hausted than at the close of this exercise I had to retire
to bed. O how should I value a sound constitution, were
it the will of God ! But it appears to me, I am appointed
to halt upon my thigh all the days of my life. Well !
these light afflictions are not worthy to be compared with
the glory which is to be revealed !" How meekly resigned
308 MEMOIRS OF THE
to the will of God ! Content to " halt upon his thigh,"
after long wrestling with the angel, and having obtained
from Him the blessing which in Ireland he so often and
bitterly agonized to find. The day following, he writes :
" My affliction is so increased, that a consultation of
physicians was held to-day. I am interdicted all public
labours ! I am the subject of constant fever. { Lord, thy
will be done !' "
On Christmas day, notwithstanding his general debility,
and that his mouth, from the recent effects of the mercury,
was almost too sore to allow him to speak, the absence of
Mr. Nevins left it almost imperative upon him to take an
appointment. " I have resolved, therefore, (says he) to hold
out to the end of the year, and then rest: if not, I shall
soon be carried to my rest in the grave I preached this
morning, (December 25th,) to the coloured people in
Sharpe-street, and the word came with great power we
indeed realized the hymn we had been singing :
' O would'st thou again be made known,
Again in thy spirit descend !
And set up in each of thine own,
A kingdom that never shall end !
Thou only art able to bless,
And make the glad nations obey ;
And bid the dire enmity cease,
~a hn W the whole world to thy sway !'
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 309
The poor Africans appeared to be let into heavenly places ;
every heart was full !
u Sunday, 26th. Heard Mr. Bascum in the morning, and
preached myself in the afternoon, at Mr. Nevins', from
1 Cor. xvi. 22. My strength now seemed entirely gone !
" Monday, 27th, with a view of fulfilling my final en-
gagement for this year, unwell as I was, I submitted to be
carried to Mr. Henshaw's church, to address the anniver-
sary meeting of the Young Men's Bible Society. During
the meeting I sat in great pain, and as soon as I had done,
was obliged to be carried home. For the remainder of the
week, I was confined to the house, and lost the enjoyment
of all the sanctuary services with which the old year
usually closes among us.''
310
MEMOIRS OP THE
section xvn.
Extracts from Diary letters returns to New- York
last illness death-bed expressions dies in the Lord
public sympathy funeral monumental inscriptions.
" Towards the close of any book of biography, in
which we have been peculiarly interested, there is some-
thing of apprehension experienced, as we approach the
last pages ; we know the catastrophe which consummates
every work of the kind, because the same is the consum-
mation of every human life. Whose heart has not palpi-
tated 7 whose hand has not trembled as if it felt a feebler
pulse at turning over leaf after leaf/ and whose eye has not
keenly, eagerly, yet afraid and revoltingly, glanced on to
the very line in which the last agony is described, as
though it saw the dying look of one, who had been ' very
pleasant in life,' and from whom, even ' in the volume of
the book/ it was hard to be divided ? Yea, and we read,
with prophetic anticipation, the record of the last moments
of our endeared companion, as one warning more of our
own being so much the nearer than when we first became
a acquainted, though it were but a few days ago."* The
* Montgomery's Introduction to Memoirs of Mrs. Susau
Huntington, of Boston.
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 311
foregoing passage, so characteristic of the authority whence
it emanated, is not more striking than true ; and no reader
having the common sensibilities of our nature especially
if those sensibilities are refined and exalted by religion,
pure and undefiled can have proceeded to this point in
the affecting narrative of Mr. Summerfield's earthly course,
without feeling something of the touching presentiment
above referred to.
We perceive with certainty how soon some fondly in-
dulged hopes will be disappointed, and how shortly and
surely some forebodings will be realized. This species of
knowledge seems almost to annihilate the scope and indul-
gence of anticipations, that owe their existence to that un-
certainty with which the good providence of God has so
mercifully overhung the contingencies and duration of every
human life. As the final period advances, the incidents of
many past years appear to crowd their recollections into
the brief remnant of weeks or days that are behind ; and
in the records of the life of a good man, the memorials
become increasingly precious to the heart, as they diminish
in bulk to the eye not so much from any difference in
their nature, as peculiarity of situation. They are, as it
were, the key-stones of that arch of existence, whose span
extends from time into eternity, either segment of which
the dimly receding past, or the invisible future appear
alike to owe their connexion, if not their stability, to
that which forms the point of contact
312 MEMOIRS OF THE
Under the date of February 11th, 1825, Mr. Summer-
field, weak as he was, and yet residing at Baltimore, re-
commenced his diary. " I am," says he, in the introduc-
tory paragraph, " truly a mystery to myself! The old.
year has rolled away, and the new year is fast following
it, and no record of the dealings of God with my soul ! O
tell me why
1 Why, my cold heart, art thou not lost
In wonder, love, and praise !'
The temptation of postponing all attention to my diary to
a more convenient season, still haunts me, and by yielding
thereto, I am continually brought into darkness. My af-
fliction of body is urged as a reason ; and indeed since the
year commenced, I have been greatly afflicted : but then I
may never be otherwise, and thus while vowing for to-mor-
row, to-night I die ! Painful, then, as it is to flesh and
blood, I am resolved again yes, again, often as I have
done it before, that, God being my helper,
' I'll praise Him while he lends me breath !'
and henceforward record from time to time, more faithfully,
what he hath done for my soul.
" My mind has been for some time in great darkness !
I seem to have gone clean out, of the way ; I have no light.
The new year opened propitiously to many, but ah me !
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 313
that day was as the former." Here is distress and fear
again. The dark lantern of the body often obscurfs the
light of the soul clear shining within, so that it is hidden
even from him who possesses it yet, yet, it will, it will
break out at lucid intervals, and cast its bright beams, not
on himself alone and his path, but upon all things and
persons around him.
And accordingly, in the very next entry, when speaking
of preaching in Light-Street Church, from 1 John i. 9. he
says " Never do I remember to have been more greatly
blessed myself, or made a more general blessing to others ;
for a short season, even all that day, I was in the suburbs
of the heavenly city O that I could have remained there
without ever descending !"
" January 31st. This is my birth-day. Time strikes a
solemn knell this day to me ; it may mean, ' this year thou
shalt die P I am truly surprised that I am so little alive to
this interesting season ; my birth-day was always an un-
common event in my estimation, and my feelings were pe-
culiar but oh, how my spirit groans beneath a cumbering
load of weakness and affliction, and how little are my spiritual
enjoyments ! O Lord ! revive thy work !
" February 6th. Sunday. I preached in Eutaw-street
Church, on 'What shall. I render to the Lord,' &c. After-
wards the communion was administered to a multitude
beyond any number I ever saw in that solemn ordinance ;
2d
314 MEMOIRS OF THE
the serving of the tables occupied an hour and a half but
O, the Master wa3 there ! and the spirit was willing and
enabled to endure the fatigue.
" February 11th. This day I have been greatly blessed
in reading Wesley's Sermons on the Wilderness >State,&nd
Heaviness through Manifold Temptations. My clouds
are beginning to break away ; I have determined to live
nearer to God than ever, that like Him I may know no dark-
ness at all ! Lord, lift thou upon me the light of thy coun-
tenance.
" February 13th. Sunday. Preached this morning in
Caroline-street Church, on Isaiah 1. 10. I believe it was
made a general blessing. This evening I had a most pro-
fitable fire-side conversation with the kind family with whom
I reside ; their love to me is wonderful ! Lord, remember
them for good !
u February 14th. Received the intelligence of the decease
of Brother Ross (of New- York) on Thursday evening last ;
he was interred yesterday afternoon. Father of the father-
less ! remember his orphans, and his poor afflicted widow !
One of the lights of our Church, and one of the hopes
of our Israel, is extinguished in this event. He was a burn-
ing and a shining lamp ! And I am yet alive !
" Yesterday afternoon I heard a profitable discourse from
brother Wells, on ' Consider one another to provoke to love,'
REV. JOHN STJMMERFIELD. 315
&c. His remarks on the words ' consider one another,' I
hope never to forget. Consider the age, the constitutional
temper, the educational impressions, &c. &c. O if we
considered one another more, how it would lead us tenderly
to caution, advise, reprove one another in love ! and how
little of ^evil speaking would there be, were these solemn
words always impressed on us ' with what measure ye
mete] <*c. God will fulfil this to us ; 'tis awful !"
This was the final entry ; the last string of the breaking
heart seems here to have sounded ; and it is remarkable
that this is a caution against " evil speaking," of which he
had tasted often the wormwood and the gall, even among
reUgious people.
[To Mrs. Bethune, of New- York ; written a few months
after the death of her husband.]
" Baltimore, January \kth, 1825.
" My dear Mrs. Bethune.
" Must not suppose for one moment, that my silence
for so long a time has arisen from any abatement in my
affections, or forgetfulness of her claims upon me. I
thank God, that I have often had good remembrance of
you in my prayers night and day, and often hav e com-
mended you to Him who is the Judge of the widow. But
truly I have been a child of much affliction, and though
my spirit has been willing, the feeble state of my health
has retarded me ; not that the bare writing of a lette',' is in
316 MEMOIRS OF THE
itself a task of so great magnitude under any circum-
stances but the mind sympathizes so acutely with the
' weaker vessel,' as to render it at times almost impossible
to surmount its sensibilities. Some time ago, I wrote to
Mr. H., and therein I made mention of you, with a desire
to know how you are ? and where you are ? Mr. H. did
kindly favour me with a few lines in reply, merely to
acknowledge the receipt of my letter, with a promise to
write at full length in a few days : those few days are
multiplied into many, and I have become the more anxious
on his account also to know what is transpiring among
you ; for 'God is my record, how greatly I long after you
all in the bowels of Jesus Christ !' A few days since I
dined in company with the Rev. Mr. M. a son of the
Doctor, and from him I ivas pleased to hear a favourable
account of your beloved son George, and that he manifests
much seriousness, and devotedness to the sacred character
to which he is preparing himself, for future life. O is
this the case ? I wish he would write to me.* I keep up a
sweet correspondence with Princeton College but strange
to say, I have no correspondent in the Theological Semi-
nary^ although I sometimes think that there are several
youths there upon whom I have some claim to be remem-
bered.
* Most gladly was this request complied with by Mr. G. B.,
but alas ! the rapid decline of Mr. Summerfield's health did not
permit him to reply.
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 317
" I trust that the mellowing hand of time has in some de-
gree dried up the tears of your lonely widowhood. Whither
he is gone, ' you know, and the way you know ;' he shall
not return to you, but you shall go to him : remember the
gulf is not between heaven and earth but heaven and
hell ; and now that he is absent from the body, he is present
with the Lord ; that Lord whom he loved when he saw
him not, and whom he now sees face to face.
1 Where all the ship's company meet,
Who sailed with their captain beneath !'
And oh, my God, shall I be there ! and shall you be
there ? yea, saith the Spirit ! yea, saith the Saviour, for
1 where I am there shall my servants be !' yea, saith the
Father, ' It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the
kingdom !' Let us comfort one another with these words,
and then ' to die is gain !'
" Farewell, my dear madam. Give my love to our
mutual friends ; and believe me sincerely and affection-
ately yours in christian love,
" JOHN SUMMERFIELD."
[To the Rev. Joseph Tabor.]
" Baltimore, January \Uh, 1825.
" My dear Friend,
" What an age is it since we last saw each other !
and which of us had the most distant idea when wo
2d2
318 MEMOIRS OF THE
separated [in Ireland] of our being so near together as the
space between Pittsburg and Baltimore ! [Then occur
many references to European affairs, in which they were
mutually interested.]
" And now I think it is time I should say something
about yourself. I have learned with regret that success has
not attended your removal to this country according to
your expectation ; you know how opposed I was to it ;
however, this is poor comfort ; nevertheless, I rejoice to
know that you have not fallen into the snare of too many
of our poor Irish brethren, whom I have met with in Ca-
nada, and elsewhere, who have in the same proportion as
they lost ground on earth, given up their hope of heaven,
and departed from the living God ! I trust that your
mountain still stands strong, and that you yet know that
you have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.
As for myself, with much weakness of the body, with
which I have had to contend, I am yet honoured with a
name among the living in Jerusalem ! In this country my
labours have been indeed more abundant, and I have not
been permitted to labour alone ! having obtained help of
God, I continue unto this day. My soul is in my work, and
the zeal of the Lord's house is as a fire within my bones ;
the Lord has honoured me with many honours ; and at
the same t.-me has taught me the art of hanging them all
as trophies on the Cross of Christ. My health is im-
p oving, and I pray that my days may yet be lengthened
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 319
out, that I may bear witness of the great salvation to
children yet unborn ! Farewell, my dear friend.
" Your's, in Christian affection,
J. SUMMERFIELD."
*
[The following letter was written to the widow of the
late lamented George Warner, Esq. who died on the 1st
of January, 1825, known and beloved by thousands in the
city and state of New- York, of whose legislature he was
for many years a member ; and who, for more than half a
century, was eminently distinguished for his zealous and
unceasing exertions in the cause of Christ.]
" Baltimore, February 15th, 1825.
u My dear -Mrs. Warner must not suppose, that, because
I have not broken silence until now, I had no sympathy
with her under her late bereavement. Job's friends ' sat
by his side upon the ground seven days and seven nights,
and none spake a word unto him ; for they saw that his
grief was very great.' But then surely there is a fit time
when the 'minister of peace' should break the seal of his
commission, and fulfil its mandate, ' comfort ye, comfort ye
my people, saith your God !' It would indeed be imperti-
nent in any other than the ' Prince of life,' who was about
to give back to the disconsolate widow her greatest earthly
treasure, to say ' weep not ;' oh no ! it is permitted to us
to weep, and even to sorrow many days ; but then ' let
us not sorrow as do others ; for if we believe that Jesus
died and rose again, even so also, them that sleep in Jesus
320 MEMOIRS OP THE
shall God bring with him ;' ' he is not dead then, but sleep-
eth ;' and Jesus will yet awake him out of sleep. He has
long known that his Redeemer liveth, and that in the lat-
ter day, He should stand again upon the earth and see
Him eye to eye, Him whom he loved, though he saw
Him not, and in whom he long rejoiced with joy unspeaka-
ble and full of glory.
" Oh how I should have desired to have been with him,
when the shadows of time were flitting away, and the
glories of eternity bursting upon his open vision ! O how
I should have longed to have witnessed in him, with what
peace a christian can die ! I might have learned a lesson
which is now lost to me for ever. But you witnessed it ;
nay, you were the witness of his life, which was a daily
lesson ; the last chapter of which might be summed up
in one line, c I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.'
He felt that for him to live was Christ, but now he finds
' that to die, is gain. 1 Happy soul ! thy days are ended.
He will not return to us, but we shall go to him ; he has
gained the prize before us ; but then, although we have it
not as yet, ' there is laid up for us a crown of righteous-
ness, which the Lord will give at that day.' And though
we should long be kept out of the possession of it, rust
will not corrupt it ; it is a crown of glory that fadeth not
away ! Oh that you, and yours, may gain the blissful
shore as safely as he has done, without any shipwreck of
faith and of a good conscience ! and oh, my God ! remem-
ber me ! When your feelings will permit, I should be glad
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 321
to hear some particulars of the last moments of my much
beloved and never-to-be-forgotten friend. He was among
the first of my friendships in New-York, both as to my
early acquamtance with him, and the value I placed upon
his disinterested kindness to me ! I am bereaved indeed ;
one after another is summoned away, and I am left to heai
tales of woe. It sounds like a knell unto myself, ' be ye
also ready, for at such an hour as ye think not, the Son of
man Cometh.^ Farewell, my dear friend, and may He
who knows how to comfort them that are in trouble, pour
in the oil and the wine into your broken bleeding heart.
" Your's in the Lord,
"J. SUMMERFIELD."
In the month of March, 1825, Mr. Summerfield return-
ed from Baltimore to New- York, in consequence of the
alarming indisposition of his father ; on his arrival at the
latter city, he fully expected soon to be called upon to close
the eyes of his beloved parent, at whose bedside he re-
mained day after day, little calculating upon the mournful
alternative, which in the order of Providence was soon to
take place.
At this time, while he was residing with his family in
the country about four miles from New- York, a physician
who called to pay him a friendly visit, observing his delicate
state of health, and believing the situation was too cold
for him, ordered him to the town. He accordingly remo-
ved to the house of his kind friend Dr. Beekman, in the
322 MEMOIRS OF THE
city, where he was confined to his room and bed about a
month, after which he go far recovered as to be able occa-
sionally to ride or walk out. During this short interval
of temporary convalescence, he was employed, with several
of his brethren in the ministry of different denominations,
in the formation of The Amercan Tract Society, of
whose committee he was a member. His last public act
was an address at the first meeting of this flourishing
Society,* about a month before his death. A few days
* The day after (Thursday) was the anniversary of the Ame-
rican Bible Society. Mr. Summerfield, with several distinguished
strangers and members of the Society, was invited to dine with his
esteemed and highly respected friend, the Rev. Doctor Milnor.
This invitation occasioned the following note, in which there is a
peculiar interest, when we reflect that it was the last he ever
wrote ! On the Monday succeeding, he took to his bed. /. B.
[To the Rev. Doctor Milnor.]
" May 12th, 1825.
" Rev. and Dear Sir,
" In the anticipated pleasure, which your invitation to din-
ner to day inspired, 'memory lost her seat ;' I forgot that my
diet is simply bread and milk, and that I had not tasted animal
food of any kind for some months.
" At your table I know I should see ' as it were a great shee'i
let down at the four corners, containing' ' all that was plea-
sant for food ;' but then no accompanying voice would address
me, ' arise, Peter, kill and eat.' Unwilling, therefore, to appear
singular, and fearing it might put you to inconvenience, I beg of
you to excuse me, till we can enjoy ' all things in common.'
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 323
after this, he went to pay his father, who had in some de-
gree recovered from his attack, a visit prior to his return
to Baltimore and little did he or his father think that this
would be the last time they should see each other in the flesh !
On this very day his physician was consulted with respect
to his intended journey ; he apprehended from appearan-
ces, that amidst a complication of complaints, his most for-
midable disease was a dropsy ; this unexpected diagnosis
was fully confirmed, when next da) r he took to his bed
never again to rise from it !
During this last sickness, such was the violence of the
disease, and the consequent effect of the anodynes which
were necessarily administered, that he had but few lucid
intervals. Notwithstanding this, his ideas were at times
exceedingly sublime ; obscured as they frequently were
by the inability to express fully what he meant to convey.
The bent of his mind was very evident ; the leading
features of his remarks were, the glory of the church !
the prosperity of Zion ! themes upon which he had dwelt
with delight, while in health. " The glory of the church !
the glory of the church of New- York !" he exclaimed :
" her walls shall be salvation and her gates praise !" He
" I could not make my way into the City Hotel this morning
or I would have spoken to you.
" With kind regard to Mrs. M , believe me, very affection-
ately, yours,
"J. SUMMERFIELD."
" Thursday, 3 o'clock."
324 MEMOIRS OF THE
attempted to illustrate the union subsisting between Bible
and Missionary Societies, by the most chaste and beautiful
metaphors. One morning, while enduring great bodily
pain, he exclaimed,
" Cease, fond nature, cease thy strife,
Let me languish into life !"
Throughout this severe illness, his mind generally ap-
peared engaged about heavenly things : on a subsequent
morning, he drew the bed curtains aside, and said to a
friend who stood by " Shew me the throne ! where is the
throne?" He would often speak on the fellowship of
saints ; and sometimes, he appeared engaged at a sacra-
mental feast.
In a conversation which took place about ten days after
he was laid sick, he remarked to his kind friend Mrs.
Doctor Beekman, that her " infirmity of body was not
less than his own ; but," continued he, " had you my
mental sufferings to contend with, in addition to your
weakness of body, perhaps you would hardly bear it."
He expressed a great desire to be raised again, if it were
the will of God " affliction," said he, " is not joyous,
but grievous; for example, even Christ himself prayed,
that if it be possible, ' let this cup pass from me ;' " After a
pause, he emphatically said, " Nevertheless, not my will, but
thine be done /" A deep sense of his unworthiness seemed
to oppress his mind : " having lived so long," he said, " and
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 325
to so little purpose : oh !" he added, " if I might be raised
again how I could preach ! I could preach as I never
preached before / have taken a look into eternity !" Dur-
ing this conversation, the distressing hiccup, from which
he had had little or no relief for some days and nights,
was converted, into a most affecting sob. On its being re-
marked to him that he suffered himself to be too much
cast down by this deep sense of his own unworthiness,
as he expressed himself, a friend spoke to him of the
numbers that had been blessed under his ministry, some
of whom were themselves preaching the gospel, and others
promising fair to commence the work in due time; besides
many of whom we shall never hear. " Oh !" he replied,
" say nothing on that subject :" and then he sobbed out,
" Well ! 1 have been a labourer for seven years :" he
paused for a few moments, and then with emphasis added,
"bless God! I have at least served an appi enticeship :"
after a little time taken to recover himself, he continued,
' I know not how it will end with me in this sickness,
death is not so near to me, as I could wish it to be were
this to be my last sickness :" raising his hand, he said, " I
wish to have eternity brought before me as nea/ to my
view as that ; (looking at his hand ;) this not being the
case, I have thought it a presentiment that God will again
raise me : 'tis singular to remark," continued he, " that
the last time I sat down to prepare a sermon, my mind
was led to these words ' Having a desire to depart, and to
be with Christ, which is far better :' the sermon just filled
up the last volume of my sermons, and after closing the
2e
326 MEMOIRS OF THE
book, I was led to make use of these words l my work
is doneT yet if it were God's will, I should like to
preach it !"
It is worthy of observation here, that during his severe
illness of 1822, when in Philadelphia, and when no hope
was entertained of his recovery, that this text of scripture
was much upon his mind " Having a desire to depart,
and to be with Christ, which is far better nevertheless, to
abide in the flesh is more needful for you." After dwelling
upon this for some time, the latter part of the text
1 Nevertheless to abide," &c. was so fixed on his mind,
that he said to a friend in a confident manner, " this sick-
ness is not unto death" The same friend being with him
a night during his last illness, while in conversation, Mr.
Summerfield said " Thomas, do you remember I told
you in Philadelphia how much those words ' Having a
desire to depart, 1 &c. were impressed upon my mind 1
you recollect with what confidence I informed you that I
should recover, from the latter part of the text fastening
upon me in so peculiar a manner, ' Nevertheless, to abide
in the flesh,' &c. ? Now," continued he, " it is reversed ;
the latter part I have nothing to do with ; the former is alto-
gether on my mind."
On one occasion, when a cup was handed to him to
take a drink, he looked round upon his friends, many of
whom surrounded his bed, and smiling upon them severally,
he said :
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 327
" On you, on me, on all be given,
The bread of life, which conies from heaven."
About ten days before his death, he was visited by his
much esteemed friend, Bishop Soule. The interview was
a most affecting one. He had just obtained relief from
very violent suffering. When the Bishop entered the room,
he fixed his eyes upon him ; the Bishop took him by the
hand. For a few seconds they silently gazed upon each other,
when the Bishop said, " I trust, John, all is peace." Being
much overcome, and after giving vent to his feelings, the
suffering saint replied, " J have a hope ofichich I trust I need
not be ashamed." The Bishop put up a most fervent petition,
to which Mr. Summerfield responded in a deeply devout
manner. When the prayer was concluded, he said, " Bless
the Lord, all within me shouts his praise ;" he added,
" great is the weakness of my body." The Bishop ob-
served, " Well, my dear brother, you have been doing the
will of the Lord, now you are suffering so that in doing
and suffering, you are serving the Lord." To which he
replied, " I bless God ! the will of the Lord be done."
Then taking a valedictory salutation, he said, " Bishop,
farewell ! if I do not meet you again on earth, meet me in
heaven !"
At another time, he said, " I doubt not but many will
expect a dying testimony, but I know not how this may be
with me ; I would, however, give the answer of Whitfield
to a female friend : when she asked him what his dying
328 MEMOIRS OF THE
testimony would be, Whitfield replied, he had preached
Christ, a living testimony."
A few days before he breathed his last, he had been
taking a little porter and water, when he requested that no
anodyne might be administered whenever it should appear
that the time of his dissolution was approaching. " Admi-
nister nothing," said he, " that will create a stupor, not even
so much as a little porter and water, as I wish to be per-
fectly collected, so that I may have an unclouded view"
" Oh !" said he, " I fear not so much the consequences of
death, but nature's last struggle flesh shrinks, when we
contemplate that when the spirit is separated from the
body, it stands, it stands, after the dislodgement, trembling
and quivering Oh ! it is that, it is that convulsive struggle
which harasses the mind !" On being told there would be
grace sufficient, he replied, " Well yes well all is well"
After expressing his obligations in the most affectionate
manner to all his friends, many of whom he named, and
remarked on something peculiar in each of them, he spoke
of one for whom he felt more than common interest. " Oh,"
said he, " how much that dear friend has been the subject
of my prayers ! With respect to the things of this life, my
God will reward him I believe he will never lack in the
store nor in the basket 1 trust he will meet me in glory
this is the subject of my prayers for him." He then said
to his sister Blackstock " Ellen, my dear, we have been
much separated ; we have not seen much of each other ;
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 329
my time has been greatly occupied without my being able
to enjoy much of your society but absence has never
banished you from my mind ; God is my record that you
are daily borne in the arms of faith to the footstool of his
mercy I plead there for each one of you by name."
Within the last three days of his life, he appeared to be
no stranger to approaching dissolution. On the 11th of
June, he requested that his sister would have mourning pre-
pared. The day before he died, he wished to change his
position in bed : he pointed toward the bedside, and spoke
of the grave he was at the same time exceedingly rest-
less, and said, " I wish for a change ;" when asked what
he meant, he replied, " I want a change, a change of form
a change of every thing." Among his last articulate ex-
pressions, was an attempt to quote a passage of scripture
which he left unfinished. It was delivered with much
hesitancy " Al though sin has entered " Shortly
afterwards he called his brother to his bedside, took his
hand, and requested that he would stay by him.
About five o'clock on the evening preceding his death,
he called out in a surprisingly audible voice for his sisters,
each by name " Anne ;" being told that she was not
there, he called " Amelia" she was also absent, attending
her afflicted father ; he then called " Ellen," his eldest
sister, who was present. She took him by the hand, and
reminded him of the necessary absence of his sisters : he
330 MEMOIRS OF THE
replied, " Well tell Amelia tell Anne tell them all's
PERFECTION."
In the course of the evening, his sister, thinking that he
was much more comfortable than he had been for a few
days past, (little did she think he was so near his end !)
embraced the opportunity of visiting her anxious parent,
who was confined to his bed in the country. She returned
about ten o'clock in the evening, with a message from him
to his darling son. She said, "John, my dear, your father
sends his love to you : he desired me to say, that you are
the subject of his prayers night and day" to which he
made no reply ; his eyes appeared fixed, but there was
no apprehension of his immediate death. She added,
" John, my love, is that right ?" He answered, " Certainly,
oh ! certainly." Observing that his cough was very trou
blesome, she said, " My dear John, you must have taken
cold from the windows being open :" he said, " very possi-
ble." She then gave him a drink, which was his last, as
she was about to retire to rest for a few hours. She gave
him a kiss, and said, " good night," to which he replied,
" good night /" these were his last words.
From this time until about four o'clock in the morning,
he appeared in a comfortable sleep, when a change was
first discovered to have taken place ; his friends were then
collected, and remained around his bed, until, without a
groan, or one convulsive struggle, his spirit departed at
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 331
twelve minutes past eleven in the forenoon of the 13th of
June, 1825.
Thus lived, and thus died, John Summerfield ; a man
whose name is not only written " in the Lamb's book of
life," and his piety recorded on high ; but one, the fra-
grant memorial of whose virtues deserves to be cherished
by the church below, as exhibiting in a high degree the
spirit which characterized his evangelical namesake, men-
tioned in the gospel even "that other disciple whom
Jesus loved."
The sensation which the news of this event produced,
wherever the deceased preacher had been known, was
deep and general ; and testimonies of his piety, his elo-
quence, and the attractiveness of his entire character, im-
mediately appeared in many of the newspapers of the
United States. To have transcribed these spontaneous
effusions of respect in many instances, the more valua-
ble as coming from individuals not to be supposed to have
any favourable predilections toward the body to which Mr.
Summerfield belonged would have been a pleasing task;
but that which constitutes a chief excellency of the docu-
ments in question, forms at the same time one main objec-
tion to their repetition in this place : they are almost
uniformly couched in language at once laudatory to the
memory of the deceased, and honourable to the feeling of
the writers, while the choicer epithets and illustrations
which they contain, are not unfrequently implicated with
332 MEMOIRS OF THE
obituary notices of considerable length. Collectively
therefore, they would occupy more space, and present less
variety, than might be deemed compatible with the design
of the present work.
On Tuesday, the 14th of June, the funeral took place.
The procession being formed, moved from Dr. Beekman's
house in Courtland-street, at a quarter past four o'clock in
the afternoon, in the order following: Members of the
Young Men's Missionary Society, of which Mr. Summer-
field was President Ministers of various denominations,
six of whom were pall bearers the mourners, and a long
train of the friends of the deceased. The streets through
which the procession passed, were greatly crowded ; a
degree of seriousness marked every countenance ; indeed
the public sympathy could hardly have manifested itself
more than it did on this occasion : the loss of a great and
good man appeared to be sensibly felt by all classes of the
community.
Arriving at John-street, the corpse was taken into the Me-
thodist church, which was filled to overflowing ; an eloquent
and impressive discourse was delivered by the Rev. T.
Birch ; and the service concluded by a solemn and affect-
ing prayer from the Rev. Henry Chase. The procession
was then again formed, and proceeded to the steamboat
ferry ; where it crossed over to Brooklyn, Long-Island :
here the corpse was again taken into the Methodist church,
when the Rev. Nathan Bangs read the 1 5th chapter of
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD.
333
L Corinthians, and concluded by reading the burial ser-
vice, after which the body was silently committed to the
grave. His voice, while living, had often been heard in
this temple, and there " his body, precious even in death,
sleeps near the spot where the doctrines of the Christian
denomination to which he was attached were first preached
in America : there, it will await that morning of which
he loved, when living, to speak, and of which he some-
times spoke in entrancing language the morning of the
resurrection."
The tombstone over the grave of Summerfield bears
the following luminous inscription, written by the Rev.
J. N. Danforth, of Newcastle, a minister of the Presby-
terian church :
Sacred to the Memory
of
THE REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD, A. M.
JEt. 27.
A Preacher, of the Methodist Connexion, born
in England born again in Ireland ;
by the first a child of genius, by the second a child of God
called to preach the Gospel at the age of nineteen.
In Ireland, England, and America,
himself
the spiritual Father of a numerous and happy family.
At this Tomb,
Genius, Eloquence, and Religion, mingle their tears.
334 MEMOIRS OP THE
Holy in life, ardent in love, and incessant in labour,
he was
to the Church a pattern, to sinful men an angel of mercy ;
to the world a blessing.
In him were rarely combined
gentleness and energy of character ;
by the one attracting universal love,
by the other diffusing happiness around him.
Singular sweetness and simplicity of manners,
inimitable eloquence in the pulpit,
natural, graceful, and fervent,
rendered him
the charm of the social circle, and the idol of the popular assembly.
Upon the lips that moulder beneath this marble,
thousands hung in silent wonder :
his element was not the breath of fame, but
the communion and favour of God.
He closed a scene of patient suffering, and slept in Jesus, in the
city of New- York, on the 13th day of June, 1825.
By faith he lived on earth j
in hope he died ;
by love he lives in heaven.
Besides the above memorial, another monument has
been dedicated to the memory of the lamented Summer-
field. This is a beautiful cenotaph, which the Young
Men's Missionary Society of the Methodist Church, has
erected to commemorate the virtues of their late President,
and their love for him. It was executed by Messrs. Dixon
and Oatwell, and is placed in the front of the church in
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 335
John-street, near the western corner. The tablet is of black
marble, finely polished, in the shape of a cone, and insert-
ed in the wall of the church. Near the base of this, an
urn is affixed, standing upon a pedestal, with a few vo-
lumes of books on either side. From one side of the
urn a mantle hangs down in graceful folds, and at the
right of it is a scroll half unrolled. These are elegantly-
sculptured from a block of very fine and beautiful white
marble. Upon the tablet in the centre, the following
tribute, from the pen of Bishop Soule, is inscribed :
SACRED
to the Memory of the
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD, A. M.
" A burning and a shining light."
He commenced his ministerial labours in the connexion
of the Wesleyan Methodists in Ireland :
but employed the last four years of his life
in the itinerant ministry
of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States.
His mind was stored with the treasures of science.
From a child he knew the holy scriptures.
Meekness and humility,
united with extraordinary intellectual powers,
exhibited in his character a model
of christian and ministerial excellence.
His perception of truth was clear and comprehensive ;
his language pure,
and his action chaste and simple.
336 MEMOIRS OP THE
The learned and the illiterate attended his ministry
with admiration,
and felt that his preaching was
in the demonstration of the spirit and of power.
Distinguished by the patience of hope,
and the labour of love,
he finished his course in peace and triumph.
Born in Preston, England, Jan. 31st, 179S.
Died in this city, June 13th, 1825.
Beneath the ^ablet, upon the base of the black marble
ground work, is the following inscription:
u This monument was erected by the 'Young Men's Missionary
Society,' of which the deceased was President, with sincere
prayer that the ardour of his zeal in the cause of Missions may
live in his successors, when this marble shall moulder into dust."
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 337
SECTION XVIII.
General concluding observations.
The foregoing narrative will, it may be presumed, have
but little ambiguity, as to most, if any parts, of Mr. Sum-
merfield's character and proceedings. Open, indeed, and
transparent as were all his actions, there are no difficulties
to be reconciled, no doubts to be cleared away ; and happily
it may with equal truth be added, that so obviously and
continually was the spiritual purity of his motives reflected
in his private as well as public life, that candour does not
impose on his biographer the ungracious task of seeking, by
extenuation or apology, to colour a single particular of his
ministerial career. If apology be necessary in any quarter,
the present writer feels that it is rather due from himself to
those venerable men, ministers and others, who may hap-
pen to peruse these pages, for his remarks incidentally
made on the details of Mr. Summerfield's religious
experience.
This is delicate ground, and the writer trusts he has
trodden it as delicately, as circumspectly, and at the same
time, as scripturally, and methodistically, as possible. The
2p
338 MEMOIRS OF THE
susceptible subject of these memoirs undoubtedly received
in Ireland, that clear sense of pardon, justification, and ac-
ceptance with God, to which he ever afterwards referred
as his spiritual birth ; and yet, in the further and future
work of sanctification, the light of spiritual illumination in
him (whatever may have been the case in others) did not
uninterruptedly shine " brighter and brighter unto the perfect
day ;" but clouds and darkness frequently intercepted the
rays of that sun of righteousness, which had so evidently
arisen on his soul. Indeed, the Lord seems to have led
his servant, not with the shadow by day, and the glory by
night, of the pillar of cloud and fire, but alternately amidst
perpetual natural gloom, presenting to him the light of the
flame that cheered the Israelites on the verge of the Red
sea, and the darkness behind, that frowned upon the Egyp
tians, their pursuers. But God, who is " love," was equally
present in the splendour and the terror to him in the
hidings as in the revealings of his face and by that mys
terious dispensation, we cannot doubt, led him, as the best
mode of guidance, through the sea and the wilderness,
over Jordan to Canaan and Jerusalem, which is above.
Perhaps the movement least explicitly accounted foi,
especially as to the suddenness of it, may be Mr. Summer
field's emigration from Ireland to America. I have re-
served for this place, in preference to interrupting the nar
rative elsewhere, the introduction of a passage from his
diary, written at Marseilles, in February, 1823. After
some solemn reflections upon his removal from Europe, and
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 339
settlement in the "new' world," which he observes will
not only operate upon the whole of his future exis-
tence in time, but with respect to himself, run into eternity,
he proceeds :
" Circumstances of various kinds, and a strange coinci-
dence of events, which could only be resolved into the
leadings of a providential hand, fully confirmed in my dear
and honoured father, a conviction he had long experienced,
that America was henceforward to become our home. My
eldest sister's having married and removed to that country,
several years before, had always since that time been re-
garded by him as an earnest, or rather a pledge, that the
removal of the whole family would succeed sooner or later.
"Having in the autumn of 1820 finished his engage-
ment as the manager of a certain establishment in the
city of Cork, and finding no opening into which he might
enter in that city, and thereby provide things honest in the
sight of all men although he sought for it with all dili-
gence, connected with incessant prayer by night and day
he paused, and began to consider this as the time to which
he had so long looked forward. Having exercised the
strictest economy over all his domestic concerns, since
his engagement in that city, and thereby recruited his im-
poverished circumstances, he now found that he was pos-
sessed of the means, and but barely the means, of transport
ing us to the United States ; and fearing that these means
would so consume away by much procrastination, as to
340 MEMOIRS OF THE
render it impracticable perhaps during the remainder of his
life, he immediately concluded, after agonizing prayer to
the Father of Lights to direct him, to prepare to quit his
native land. A vessel having put into the port of Cork by
stress of weather, presented an opportunity which seldom
occurs there. As the place of her destination was the re-
sidence of my brother and sister in America, we regarded
it as the last preparatory step by which the kind providence
of God had led us on. Preliminaries adjusted, we bade
adieu to Ireland, and to Europe, on the 12th of December,
1820, and arrived in New- York the 17th of March follow-
ing, having first sailed to Portugal to take in cargo. Our
numbers were, two sons, two daughters, my dear and only
parent, and a servant-maid.
" As regards myself, independent of a father's com-
mands, which were laid upon me, I too regarded the con-
nexion of preceding events, which transpired in my
ministerial labours, as no other than the leadings of the
same God, who
' Plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm !'
* My public duties in Ireland, for the two years previous,
had greatly impaired, if not totally ruined, my health my
journal for that period will bear ample testimony thereto ;
this, added to the general humidity of the country, rendered
some change necessary, if my life was to be preserved.
REV. JOHN SUMMERF1ELD. 341
For this purpose, among others, I visited England in May,
1 820, and remained there till after the Liverpool Confe-
rence in the July and August following ; my hope was,
that through the interference of many of the English
preachers, with whom, in the interval I had become ac-
quainted, I might be removed from Ireland to the air of
my own country, and that the change would have a
favourable effect upon my constitution ; as also that my
labours would be greatly reduced, a measure which my
situation at the time imperiously demanded. But notwith-
standing the efforts which were made, and the petition of
the Manchester Society for me to be sent to them, the
Irish representative, brother Tobias, refused to give con-
sent to my removal, without which consent, the British
Conference could do nothing. At the same time knowing
how tender and affecting were the ties by which I was
bound to the scene of my past labours, and my past afflic-
tions too, Tie foiled not to use every persuasion with me ;
in this lie succeeded too well, I gave up my intention, and
returned to Ireland, to the city of Cork, where the Confe-
rence of the If ish brethren had stationed me at their pre-
ceding session during my absence in England."
It is a striking proof of Summerfield's sincere devotion
to God and his cause, tliat (in obedience to his father's
commands, as appears above) he cheerfully accompanied his
parent to America, leaving all his prospects in Ireland and
England behind, though he had arrived at perilous popu-
larity in the former, and was most temptingly pressed to
2f2
342 MEMOIRS OF THE
settle in the latter country, the fields, in which ambition
in. the shape of Methodist preaching, would choose above
all the world beside, to shine, in its own vain glory ; nay,
in which the honest and conscientious man of gifts and
graces, might justifiably deem that he would be the most
usefully employed. This, then, was forsaking all, deny-
ing himself, and taking up his cross to follow Christ.
It will have been observed that, throughout the preceding
pages, every allusion to Mr. Summerfield's father recog-
nises him as a professor of that vital godliness, which so
remarkably distinguished his son. He was, however, a man
of warm feelings and sanguine temperament ; and these,
as I have already intimated, led him frequently to miscal-
culate the results of his own upright intentions, when they
failed to accord with that worldly prudence which is so
generally, and in most cases so justly the parent of success
in temporal affairs. But that his moral integrity, or his
religious sincerity, were justly impeachable, I have yet to
learn ; and therefore, as the biographer of the son, who
constantly blesses God for such a father, and whose filial
obedience is one of the brightest jewels in his crown of
holiness, I should hold myself utterly unworthy of having
been intrusted with the delineation of his character, did I
not express my conscientious conviction, that the maai
from whose diary the following extracts are taken, is wor-
thy of being remembered in the parental relation witla
him to whom they refer :
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 343
" May 26th, 1825. For the last three days my mind
has been kept in peace, resting in God according to his
word ; though at times awfully concerned respecting John's
affliction, which I fear is unto death, and lest his mind
should not be happy in God. I was much relieved this
morning ; being informed that brother W had visited
him, as I had requested, and had been a great comfort to
his mind. Thanks be to God for this !
*.-
" May 30. My mind, in general, has been at rest, as
much as could be expected, considering my dear John's
affliction; he being now upon the eve of time in the
midst of the most promising usefulness. How mysterious
are the ways of God ! but he sees the end from the be-
ginning, and does all things well.
" Dear Doctor Baker and his wife have come all the
way from Baltimore to see my dear John ; how kind their
hearts ! God bless them, and all his friends.
" June 7th. There is a prospect of John's recovery,
consequently I am more composed oh, that this severe
affliction may be sanctified to his good, and that of all my
family the Lord deals kindly with me, in my affliction
being made tolerable.
ll June 17th. For the last ten days, my mind has been kept
In hourly suspense. My dear John departed this life on
Monday, the 13th of June, and was interred the next
344 MEMOIRS OF THE
day beside his friend the Rev. W. Ross. From the ac-
counts I have received, I have every reason to thank God
for his safe arrival in heaven, where I hope to meet him
soon, and all my dear children that are left behind : I
thank God for giving me such a son ; may his death
speak louder than all his preaching. Lord, prepare me to
follow him to thy kingdom !"
Few ministers in America ever attained a higher degree
of popularity than John Summerfleld ; and no man ever
courted it less : it commenced with his first sermon, and
continued to the end of his short life. It would be worse
than affectation to insinuate that he was insensible to, or
even that he undervalued the homage paid to his talents j
but really when we reflect upon his youth, it seems little
less than a miracle that he should have been so wholly
preserved from the pernicious influence of popular praise.
Modesty and humility were prominent traits in his cha-
racter ; this was universally admitted : the Rev. W. Nevins,
of the Presbyterian church, Baltimore, says in a letter, " I
have been astonished that in all my intercourse with Sum
merfield, I never heard any thing from him, even by acci-
dent, that savoured of vanity ; he was literally clothed
with humility, nor was the garment scanty. What po-
pular preacher but he, ever passed before the world, with-
out being at least accused of affectation 1 That he was, I
never heard."
He liked to preach in a church where there was a ves-
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 345
try, into which he could retire immediately after service ;
where that was not the case, as often happens in America,
he has sometimes felt it severely, and been so discomposed,
and dissatisfied with himself, as to wish that there was
a trap door in the pulpit through which he might escape.
If he attended the preaching of others, he preferred an
obscure place among the congregation, as he did not like
to attract observation. It was a pleasing trait in his cha-
racter, that he would willingly listen to any advice that
might be given by a friend and some would undertake
to find fault with little things ; for instance, when he arri-
ved in America, he wore a gold seal to his watch, which he
soon found was an eyesore to some ; he therefore promptly
laid it aside ; and the like of a plaid cloak which he got,
as he would not, he said, offend one of the weakest of his
brethren.
The preparation which he generally made for the pulpit
was as follows : he would draw a rough outline of a ser-
mon on a sheet or half sheet of paper ; and after preaching
it, determine whether or not it was worthy of being tran-
scribed into his book of sermons ; if it satisfied him, he
would enter it into his book the next day. Many persons
would doubtless expect to meet, in a work of this nature,
with some specimens of those discourses which produced
such wonderful effects : nor should they have been disap-
pointed, had it appeared that the present writer, by copying,
or filling up one or more of the sketches left by the preacher,
could have done any thing like justice to that extraordinary
346 MEMOIRS OP THE
felicity with which his own viva voce eloquence filled up
the prescribed outline. Such an attempt, however, would
only exhibit a gratuitous failure ; indeed, to a certain ex-
tent, the utmost fidelity of the pen, even of the author him-
self, would have conveyed as inadequate an idea of the
fascinations of his tongue, and the overflowings of his
heart, as an indifferent reporter might happen to do of
either. He has indeed left one published discourse, which
as little invalidates the latter, as I fear the present work
may the former clause of the following remark : " I almost
compassionate the biographer of Summerfield, however
great his graphic talents may be," says Mr. Nevins, " for
I anticipate that the best written memoir of him, will be to
the living, speaking, and acting Summerfield, very much
what his best printed discourse was to the unwritten elo-
quence that he used to pour forth from his heart, in his
most ordinary sermons for the eloquence of our friend was
pre-eminently that of the heart. It was the oratory of
nature and I have often remarked, that in any age, in
any country, in any language, and under all circum-
stances, he would have been the same magic master of the
human heart, that we felt him to be."
Let it not, however, be hence inferred by any who never
heard him preach, that the sermons which delighted and
edified such unprecedentedly large congregations, were
deficient in theological excellency quite the reverse. I
have before me one of the precious volumes of manuscript
sermons, above alluded to ; it is a beautiful autograph of
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 347
his piety and industry, and many of those happy combina-
tions of thought, those luminous expositions of the doctrines
of the gospel, and those judicious illustrations of the faith
and practice of Christianity, which formed the substrata of
his eloquent discourses. But, however crowded and intel-
ligible the contractions in the writing, it will readily be
conceived that sketches is a proper epithet to designate a
collection of the outlines of one hundred and seventy-six
sermons, comprised in seventy-four post 8vo pages.
To the question which may naturally occur here what
then were the predominating qualities of Mr. Summerfield's
mind? The answer ought unequivocally to be, good
sense, and good taste qualities most rarely found in
combination w T ith fervency of feeling, and a spontaneous
eloquence. To say that he was not a man of genius, in
the true import of the term, would be to deny the whole
testimony of his life ; while to assert that that genius was
of the very highest order, would be to substitute exaggera-
tion for fact. I have before me the following sentence in
the hand-writing of Mr. Montgomery : " Summerfield."
says the poet, " had intense animal feeling, and much of
morbid imagination ; but of poetic feeling and poetic imagi-
nation, very little at least, there is very little trace of
either in any thing that he has left, beyond a few vivid but
momentary flashes in his sermons."
His personal appearance, although not particularly
striking on ordinary occasions, was allowed by universal
348 MEMOIRS OF THE
consent to be extremely fascinating in the pulpit. His
countenance, when in tolerable health, was one of the
most lovely description, yet had it at the same time an ex-
pression of calmness and solemnity not common with one
so young. The Rev. J. Danforth, a Presbyterian minis-
ter, in a generous, judicious, and eloquent obituary notice
of his friend, observes : " But he had his inspiration ; and
then it [his discourse] was not splendid, nor magnificent,
nor overpowering but simple, pure, gentle, and heavenly,
even to a degree of sublimity, and certainly to such a de-
gree as I believe is rarely connected with mortality. His
eye, which, like his countenance, possessed, on your near
approach to him for the first time, nothing positively
agreeable, assumed a dark hue in the pulpit ; and as to
the rest of his face, if you wished to see meekness itself
embodied in human form, there it was in Summerfield, as
he stood in the sacred desk, the messenger of the Lamb of
God in his face, and attitude, and manner in every
smile of rapture that lighted up, and every shade of melan-
choly that passed across his features. He never used notes
in the desk, and even smiled sometimes at the practice.
He was, however, systematic, and was continually inter-
weaving ScriDture, in the most natural and graceful man-
ner, with the thread of his discourse. His mind seemed to
be stored, his very spirit to be imbued, with the word of
God. It dwelt richly in him in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding. He preached from fifty minutes to an
hour too long for his feeble and wasting frame."
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 349
It has frequently been said, that no person ever did so
much in the United States towards destroying sectarian
bigotry, as Mr. Summerfield. Every sincere preacher of
the gospel was to him a brother ; and those of almost
every denomination invited him in turn to preach for them.
Immediately on his arrival, on one occasion, at one of the
principal cities, he was waited upon by a number of gen-
tlemen of the Protestant Episcopal Church, to express a de-
sire that he should preach in one of their houses. With
this request he stated his willingness to comply, provided the
consent of the Bishop could be obtained. The Bishop was
consulted, but declined acquiescing observing, that he
greatly regarded Mr. Summerfield as a man, and esteemed
him as a miuister, but that the canon of the church pre-
vented his consent, however much he might himself be
pleased to hear the young man preach. Being informed
of this, Mr. S. pleasantly replied " Well, it matters not ;
but I have always thought it was usual to spike the can-
non in times of peace."
The following letter from the Rev. Dr. Abercrombie, an
eminent minister of the Episcopal Church, to Mr. Summer
field, is equally honourable to the writer and the receiver.
It is dated Philadelphia, June 1st, 1822 : " Rev. and dear
Sir : The very powerful impression which the exercise of
your ministry in this city has made upon the hearts of
many of your hearers, induces me thus to express a most
ardent wish on their behalf, that you would soon indulge us
with another visit, that you may confirm and render inde-
2g
$50 MEMOIRS OF THE
lible that happy effect. Much of the good seed has fallen
among thorns, and will, I fear, become choaked, and un-
fruitful, unless invigorated and nourished by your refresh-
ing agency. Your exertions among us, Sir, have been
blessed with great success in awakening many sleeping,
and alarming many careless professors of Christianity ;
and as a brother labourer, though a very feeble one, in the
vineyard of our heavenly Master, I can no longer resist
addressing to you the solicitation given to St. Paul ' Come
over into Macedonia, and help us' your ' heart's desire
and prayer to God for sinners, is, that they may be saved,
and as the talents intrusted to you have been happily irr>
proved among us, I trust that you will be permitted by
divine providence to establish the good work which you
have begun, and carry it on to perfection. Your sincerity
and zeal as a Christian, and your urbanity as a gentleman,
will, I am confident, induce you to pardon this intrusion
upon your time and attention. As it is generally known
I enjoy the pleasure of being acquainted with you, I am
frequently asked, when will Mr. Summerfield favour us
with another visit? How, my good Sir, shall I answer
this question ? With unfeigned respect and esteem, I am,
Rev. and dear Sir, your affectionate friend and brother in
Christ, James Abercrombie."
It may not be improper here to introduce an anecdote,
which has frequently been repeated, from versions more or
less correct. It is substantially as follows : While Mr.
Summerfield was lying in bed, during one of his illnesses,
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 351
he was visited by two highly respectable clergymen, one of
whom, commiserating his early subjection to such extreme
suffering in consequence of his ministerial labours, inquired,
" how old are you !" To the astonishment of the divine,
the suffering saint replied "I was born at Preston, in
England, in 1798, and born again at Dublin, in Ireland,
in 1817." The visiter expressed at once his surprise and
curiosity, at what to him was so strange a declaration.
Mr. Summerfield. no less excited, with great propriety, ex-
claimed in the language of Jesus to Nicodemus, " Art thou
a master in Israel, and knowest not these things?" and
then related to them the history of his own conversion.
The sequel is gratifying : The reverend gentleman, after
departing, inquired of his clerical companion whether or
not he knew any thing about this strange doctrine, and
finding that he too was a subject of the same happy
change, set himself to obtain the like blessing, with a sin-
cerity and success of which his subsequent ministrations
bore satisfactory testimony.
Summerfield was commendably particular with regard
to his person ; plain, but remarkably neat ; indeed, care-
lessness in any respect did not belong to him he equally
disliked slovenliness and finery in a minister of the gospel,
justly holding that every thing ought to correspond with the
dignity and importance of his office.
In private life he was as much beloved, as he was ad-
mired in his public character. " There was," says a minis-
352 MEMOIRS OF THE
terial friend, "something unearthly about the man and
yet he was a man, and as affable and condescending, as if,
to use his own expression, he was ' the servant of all.' Any
one who was disposed to complain of his being too much
the subject of conversation, (justly or unjustly,) or of his
being a youth unworthy of such premature celebrity, forgot
it all after sitting down a few minutes in his company."
There was something so endearing and truly affectionate
in his manners, that it was no wonder his company was
courted by all ranks.
In conversation, he was chaste, lively, and sometimes
facetious ; prolific of anecdotes and remarks of a religious
tendency. He had, in astonishing perfection, the faculty of
remembering names ; it mattered not how large a family
he might visit, should there be a dozen children, he would
inquire the names of each, and would ever afterward re-
member them by name, even to the servants.
Mr. Summerfield, as before noticed, was fond of preach-
ing to children, and in these services his manner was pecu-
liarly engaging. It was a delightful scene, to witness his
appearance on these occasions : himself like a boy among
his juniors, leaning gracefully over the pulpit, in a manner
best comporting with the familiar and affectionate style of
his address his juvenile auditory occupying the body of
the church, and listening with the most steady attention to
their ingenuous teacher. Occasionally he put. questions to
them, and would encourage oral answers, and tell them
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 353
what his next subject would be, that they might be pre-
pared to reply to his interrogatories. His scope and illus-
trations, were sometimes so happily appropriate, that the
children would remember nearly a whole sermon. After
enforcing most sweetly, on one occasion, the text " They
that seek me early shall find me," he said " are there
any of my dear little hearers who will pledge themselves
to meet, me to-morrow morning at the throne of grace ?"
several immediately replied, " I will." He endeavoured to
excite a missionary spirit in the children, and introduced
among them the " 'Tis But" box, that they might save a
few cents for so good a cause. In 1822, he wrote an in-
genious juvenile speech, which was delivered by an interest-
ing boy, eleven years of age, proposing a missionary resolu-
tion, (which Mr. Summerfield himself seconded,) the little
fellow presenting at the same time, as the representative of
the other children, the sum of four hundred and ten dollars.
In his love of children, he resembled Mr. Wesley : it
was pleasing, on some occasions, to see the little ones
crowd about the altar, before leaving church, each anxious
to be noticed by him. He would sometimes from the pul-
pit invite them to call upon him at his lodgings, to which
they repaired in groups, when he would leave his study
and spend some time familiarly with them. Children
from all parts of the city, would bring their little Hymn
books, for him to insert their names, which he usually did,
accompanied with some suitable remark or motto. Among
2g 2 45
354 MEMOIRS OF THE
the numerous instances of his attention to the lambs of
Christ's flock, occurs the following : a boy, about eleven
years of age, after one of the sermons to children, remain-
ed till the congregation had nearly dispersed, when he
attracted Mr. Summerfield's notice ; stepping forward, he
eaid, " my little boy, do you Avant any thing with me ?"
he appeared overcome with his feelings, and could only
say " Mr. Summerfield" " Well, my love, what do you
want with Mr. Summerfield?" the boy, encouraged, said
he wished Mr. Summerfield would call at his mother's : on
inquiring where his mother lived, the name of the street,
and the number of the house, were given. " What is your
name?" " John Brown," replied the boy : " Well, John
Brown, to-morrow, at 11 o'clock, I shall pay you a visit."
Accordingly, at the time appointed, Mr. Summerfield
waited upon him ; he found John busily employed sweep-
ing and fixing the fire, and preparing for his visiter.
" Well, John, here I am, according to my appointment."
John requested him to take a seat, until he had found his
mother she was a pious woman, and said that her son
had heard him preach, whenever he had addressed the
children, and that his mind had been much impressed in
consequence. Mr. Summerfield knelt down and prayed
with them ; and before he went away, encouraged John,
and gave him some good advice ; entered his name on the
list of those for whom he felt a peculiar interest, and told
him that he should keep his eye upon him ; requesting
him to come and speak to him whenever he had an oppor-
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 355
tunity, that he might ascertain what progress his little
friend John Brown was making. Carping criticism, or
cold philosophy, may despise these little traits, but minis-
terial wisdom will not.
After Mr. Summerfield's severe illness in Philadelphia,
in 1822, when he had just so far recovered as to be able
to ride out, he stopped to visit a pious presbyterian lady,
who, like himself, had been on the threshold of eternity.
In the course of conversation, she inquired " Mr. Sum-
merfield. what were your peculiar views and feelings at
that solemn moment, which it was thought would be your
last ?" Mr. Summerfield said that he felt an indescribable
peace, subduing peace " If (continued he) I had at that
moment given utterance, it would have been peace ! peace !
I felt as though the spirit were waiting for the word
' come 1 as though it were soaring ! I looked back upon
the earth, and I discovered that there Avere two slender cords
which held me the church and my family but I felt that
even these could give way." After a pause, he added,
" perhaps it may be thought strange, but I have never
desired that mine should be the triumphant end ; singulai
to say, I have ever coveted the end of peace peace
peace ,
/
Before he left Baltimore the last time, and but a few
weeks previous to his death, Mr. Summerfield was waited
upon by a committee of ladies from the Orphan Asylum
356 MEMOIRS OF THE
requesting him to plead the cause of their institution. He
informed them that the state of his health was such as
to preclude him from many duties connected with his
own church ; at the same time expressing much regret at
not being able to comply with their earnest solicitation.
One of the ladies thereupon said " Mr. Summerfield,
promise that on your return from New- York, in the course
of the spring, you will suffer us to have a claim on you ?"
raising his eyes heavenward, and clasping his hands
he replied, " before that time, I expect to be in glory."
This remark produced an electrifying shock upon the
minds of his friends in Baltimore ; and has often been
adverted to since his death, as appearing somewhat pro-
phetical.
It may justly be a subject of gratitude with his friends,
and with the members of that church, with which he was
more especially connected, that short as was the life, and
interrupted the ministerial career of this ardent champion
of the cross, that he not only left but in no slight degree
contributed, to make America better than he found it.
His last appearance and efforts in public, were, as already
stated, to witness, and with his brother ministers, to cele-
brale, one of the triumphs of Christian charity, which it
had ever been his aim to promote. At the first public
meeting of the American Tract Society, he was present
though on the verge of the grave, to present the follow-
ing resolution, which he had himself drawn up : " That
REV. JOHN SUMMKRFIELD. 357
as all permanent good cometh down from the Father of
lights, we do give ourselves continually to prayer for his
blessing on this institution, and do urge it upon all the lovers
of our Zion, to aid us herein by their devout supplica-
tions." TL:s resolution he advocated in a strain of pious
fervour, which well ' became one who was so soon to join
in the songs of the blessed. " Hume, Voltaire, Paine, and
other infidels," said he, " have predicted the downfall of
Christianity. I would they could be present to witness the
exercises of this day, and the growing prosperity of the
religion which they affected to contemn and despise I
would they could see the triumphs of the cross, and par-
take of the blessings which they slighted." He declared,
that of all the anniversaries of benevolent institutions,
which he had attended, in Europe, in Canada, and in the
United States, there was not one in which he had seen a
spirit of brotherly love, and christian affection among dif-
ferent denominations, more manifest. This he felt was
to be attributed to the presence of a divine influence. His
own sense of the goodness of God, and the spectacle he
then witnessed, affected him to tears again and again
during the course of the meeting, for he felt that the
spirit and atmosphere of heaven filled the room : but he
looked so pale, so cadaverous and emaciated, that his
friends could hardly suppress a tear at his appearance. He
had finished his course ; and Providence, as if to render
more affecting the completion of the circle of his minis-
terial labours, so ordered, that his last faltering accents in
358 MEMOIRS, &C.
public, should be heard in the very same room, in which
a few years before he had first publicly opened his lips
in his adopted country, when, in the Bible Society, he held
the audience in rapt surprise, astonishment, and admira-
tion.
ADDITIONAL LETTERS.
The three following letters are introduced in this place to
show how deeply interested Mr. Summerfield's father felt in
the ministerial success of his son :
" Cork, Nov. 10, 1818.
" Mr dear John
* * * * "In the mean time do all you can in the most
glorious of causes, and see that you rob not God of his own.
Remember you have all to learn, and He only is able to teach
the science of himself. Wrestle much in prayer believe all
his revealed truth walk in the light as he is in the light, and
the blood, the life of Jesus, will cleanse and keep clean from all
sin. Daily remember me as I do you, as well as that family of
which you are a part, that God may be honoured in all our lives.
Go forth, as David before Goliah, in the name and strength of
Almighty God, and the end of your life will be answered. Let
me rather see you in your grave than that you should depart
from the holy commandments. Remember the cross is linked
with the crown. God bless and prosper you, is my ceaseless
prayer for you.
" Your affectionate father,
"WILLIAM SUMMERFIELD."
360 LETTERS OF THE
[Extract from a Letter to Mr. S from his Father.]
" Cork, Jan. 29, 1819.
" My dear John
* * * * " Let me beg that you will at all times be sen-
sible of the immense importance attached to your present call-
ing ; that is, in being a minister of the Most High. I expect
you will always live the truths you preach, otherwise all you
can say from the pulpit will be as sounding brass, &c. You
will never be honoured of God unless you live the life of faith,
receiving the substance of Divine truth, uniting you to a oneness
of life in Christ, as he is one with God, and as the branches to
the vine. To obtain this, all God's precepts must be obeyed:
however painful to poor human nature, without this, the Chris-
tian character, much less the Christian minister, will be defec-
tive. In the complete Christian character stands the man of
God, and when called to be the mouth of God to man, he can
say, follow me as I follow Christ. For want of this the world
is in ruins. We never wanted faithful labourers more than we
do now. I pray God you may ever be found faithful, or shut
your mouth in silent dust. INever preach for filthy lucre. I
repeat, copy Him who for the joy set before him endured
the cross, despising the shame, that he might sit down at the
right hand of God. There look for your reward only, and
seek to be the morning star of Him who walks among the
golden candlesticks. He can make you excel in the displays
of the latter-day glory. * * *
" Your affectionate father,
"WILLIAM SUMMERFIELD."
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 361
[Extract from a Letter addressed to Mr. S by his
Father.]
" Cork, April 26, 1819.
* * * * u Now, my dear John, remember, 'the honoured
of the Lord walk in wisdom's ways.' Lay at the feet of the
Most High. Learn his mind by an inseparable union with Him.
Be aware of high-mindedness, or He will cut you off. Be the
least of all. Ever view yourself as the greatest sinner, and
this will preserve you from danger. ' Blessed is the man that
feareth always.' Ever learn to know who rnaketh thee to dif-
fer. Seek only to honour thy God, in bringing to his knowledge
lost man. Copy none but the only perfect pattern of all virtue.
Be as a star in his right hand. Ever seek a perfect conformity
to Him, and be dead to all human comfort ; that is, live conti-
nually in the spririt of self-denial. ' Know nothing but Jesus
Christ and him crucified,' is the prayer of
" Your affectionate father,
" WILLIAM SUMMERFIELD."
[To Mrs. Blackstock.J
" Cork, Dec. 6th, 1819.
" My dear Ellen
" Having just been informed of a vessel bound for New York,
in this harbour, being about to sail in a day or two, I can no longer
deprive myself of the gratification I always feel in addressing
you ; 'tis true this has been seldom of late, but I promise you
it shall be more frequent if the Lord spare me ; and though my
correspondence has been in time past very scanty, my mind has
often wandered across the mighty deep and brought me to close
the circle of your social hearth ; I am satisfied of your kind
assurance that you have a vacant seat for me, if Providence
2h
362 LETTERS OF THE
should direct my steps to visit you ; and as to the share I have
in your affection, I can measure it by no other rule than that by
which my own is measured out for you ! time and space tend
but to increase it ; not to diminish it ; and if I should never
have an opportunity of giving proof of it upon earth, I hope to
be able to do so at that place where kindred spirits meet and
blend themselves together in joy which is unspeakable !
" You request me, in your valuable letter of 9th June, to give
you a particular account of whatever has occurred with regard
to myself since I last wrote you ; this would require a volume,
but as I know the interest you feel in my welfare, I will endea-
vour to give you an outline ; I have my diary now open to
assist my memory, and I will extract a few of the most striking
incidents that have occurred to me.
" If my last was dated the 19th April, I must at that time have
been in Dublin ; perhaps I informed you of my being invited
thither from Cork to preach a charity sermon for the Public
Sunday Schools of that city ; this I did to such a multitude as
I could scarcely give you any conception of; my Lord and Mas-
ter lent me his aid, for if he had not, such a child as I am could
not have addressed the thousands assembled on the occasion ;
the Lord Mayor and High Sheriff, &c, &c, came in state, and
among the collectors were many of the rank of the city the
collection exceeded all our expectations ; next morning a dep-
utation from the Female Orphan Asylum waited on me with a
request to preach on behalf of their institution as early as con-
venient ; I appointed it for the following month, and meantime
made a tour through the delightful county of Wicklow ; never
had I been in this county, since the time we all visited the Dar-
gle ; oh ! what were my sensations ! thou, God, knowest ! Not
visiting it at this time on a pleasurable excursion, but preaching
the word of the kingdom of God ! So great was our number
of hearers, that I was obliged to preach in the open air ; the
Lord sowed the seed plentifully in many hearts, and I believe
fruit will be found from it in the day of the Lord Jesus ! But I
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 363
can't dwell on many particulars; the Honourable Mrs. Tighe of
Rosanna, whose son was member of Parliament for that county-
till his death, opened her house for me ; it was a home indeed !
I spent a short time in her delightful mansion, and quitted it
with regret, amidst her earnest solicitations that I would spend
the summer at her happy retreat. Thank God, though the Holy
Ghost has declared that not many noble are called, He has not
said not any; I believe she will prove a trophy of the Re-
deemer's death !
"I returned to Dublin; but what will be your feelings when I
tell you that on entering the city I was near being killed on the
spot ! In the midst of life we are in death ! I had rode almost
twenty Irish miles that day, and my horse was a good deal
jaded ; just as I was riding down Stephen's Green, something,
as I suppose, startled him, but before I was aware I was clashed
off his back and thrown over his head a considerable distance,
pitching on my head on the pavement. When I came to myself
I found I had suffered no material injury; my hat being new,
and keeping on my head, broke off the dreadful percussion in
some degree, or my brains would in all likelihood have been
dashed out I felt a pain produced in my left side, but did not
mind it, hoping it would wear away ; this was on a Tuesday ;
the Sunday following I ventured to preach for the poor Orphans 5
they were female orphans ! Never did I preach with so much
effect ; I was enabled to paint their loss in liveliest colours ! I
spoke from nature ! Amelia and Anne were before my eyes,
and the remembrance of a mother's loss operated on my own
feelings most powerfully ; the impression was general ; the
emotion thrilled through every heart ; I could say no more,
I beckoned for the little dear ones to stand up and plead their
own cause in silent eloquence ! I sat down and pleaded for them
with my tears ; I need not tell you the effect ; however, the
exertion I had made increased my pain that night ; the Tuesday
following the effects of my fall and exertion subsequent were
perceived ; I began to throw a quantity of congealed blood off
364 LETTERS OF THE
my lungs ; and after this was removed the fresh blood began to
flow up my throat profusely ; it was found that I had broken a
blood-vessel on the lungs ; however, it ceased toward night,
and I hoped all would be well. Wednesday I set off in the
mail to Waterford ; it had been published for me to preach a
charity sermon there the following Sunday, and I was unwilling
to disappoint ; but the motion of the coach brought on the vomit-
ing of blood and I arrived very weak in that city; after a night's
rest it staunched, and I ventured to speak the following evening.
I know you will blame me ; but, oh my dear Ellen, could you
but enter into the feelings of a minister of the Gospel, you would
at least pity, if not forgive. The love of Christ constrains us.
1 hardly need tell you the effect which this brought on me ; I
was completely exhausted ; took to my bed, had doctors attend-
ing me, was blooded, took medicines, was laid under a regimen,
&c, and thus suffered till Conference ! The plans I had for-
med were frustrated, I had made appointments to preach, on
the behalf of the Foreign Missions, in the South of Ireland, say
Cork, Bandon, &c, but was unable to go anywhere. Little
did my dear father know the state I was in ; however, God
blessed the means, and I recovered a little ; I went to Con-
ference, but was unable to preach before them during the whole
of their sittings ; Mr. Edmondson was the President ; you re-
member he was in Burslem when we lived there ; he was
delighted indeed to see me, and invited me to his pulpit in
Birmingham with all the warmth of a brother and a friend.
During the Conference we held the anniversary of the Hibernian
Missionary Society ; our chapel was crowded to excess ; Mr.
Edmondson was called to the chair ; we had some delightful
reports read and speeches delivered on the occasion ; after the
Rev. Mr. Marsden of London had addressed the Chair, I was
called forward and a motion put into my hand ; I rose and spoke
after my worthy friend as well as I was able ; I was followed
by some others ; indeed I never witnessed so delightful a public
meeting.
REV. JOHN SUMMKRFIELD. 365
" My plans were arranged for my returning to England with
Mr. Marsden ; but my health was yet very bad ; added to this,
Mr. Mayne (brother of Judge Mayne), who had been appointed
for Dublin during Conference, was obliged fo be absent for some
time ; the Conference therefore made a request that I would
remain in Dublin till his return; this I complied with, and
preached in that city for three months; the duty was very
severe for me in my weak state ; the weather was so very
warm, and the congregations so overflowing, that it was at the
hazard of my life ; however, God was with me, and he suffered
not a hair of my head to perish ! blessed be his name ! Mr.
Mayne arrived near the middle of September and I thought now
to have had rest, but the work of God called me to Parsons-
town, Roscrea, &c, &c, for a few days; and when God calls
I dare not disobey. While in these parts I remained only seven
days, I preached eleven times and travelled one hundred and
sixty miles ; but it was indispensable ; the Earl of Rosse, whose
residence is Parsonstown, had been very kind during my last
visit there, and gave us a most eligible plot of ground for a new
place of worship, the former one being quite too small ; he paid
us marked distinction during this my second visit, and at his
request I preached in the Court House for the accommodation
of his family and those of the surrounding nobility and gentry
I believe the word of truth cut its own way ; I trust those noble
ones too will be among the number of the few rich who are
called to eternal life.
" I returned to Dublin, and was about setting off on a northern
tour through this country ; but a letter arrived from Cork, from
my dear father, calling me to come to him immediately. He
had heard of my exertions and feared for the event ; I came to
Cork : it was well I did ; perhaps if I had not come here, I
might have been in my grave ! The exertions I went through
in Dublin, Parsonstown, &c, with the fatigues of excessive
travelling, came to a crisis in my constitution ; an inward obstruc-
tion was produced, and when returning to Cork in Mr. Edwards'
2 h 2
366 LETTERS OF THE
carriage, at whose hospitable mansion in Hop Island I had been
on a visit ever since my arrival in these parts, violent spasms
came on reason left me and when I came to myself I found
my feet in a vessel of hot water, myself stripped, a physician by
my side bleeding me to excess, a man shaving my head pre-
paratory to the applying a blister, &c, &c.
" But the interval was short ; the spasms returned and succeeded
each other all the day and night, during which I was delirious.
My beloved father was sent for express ; he came, as he
thought, to see me die ! Blessed be the God and Father of all
my mercies, I felt no fear ; I believe that if I had died it would
be to be for ever with the Lord. My life was for a long time
despaired of. For a month I remained at Hop Island, and now
I am fast recovering, and am likely to be better than ever ; the
physician thinks that my illness will renovate my constitution ;
hov/ever, my dear Ellen, do not be alarmed for me, I will take
more care for time to come : experience is the best of teachers.
" I have again commenced to preach ; last night we had an
immense congregation, while I delivered all the words of this
life. The Sunday preceding I was in Bandon, where I was
kindly received and entertained by the Governor of the town :
1 hope to be able to continue preaching, but am limited to once
a week ; this will not distress me.
" I shall now remain with my father till after my next birth-
day 31st January and then go to England; Bristol, London
and Liverpool will be my halting places, and I purpose returning
to Conference with the Rev. Joseph Benson ; I cannot yet say
where will be my final destination ; when I write again I can
inform you. My father has written you, so that I need say
nothing on the affairs of the family I suppose he has done this.
A.nd now, my dear Ellen, believe me to be, with increasing affec-
tion for you and James,
" Your loving brother,
"JOHN."
THE REV. JOHN SUMMEKFIELD. 367
The two following letters preceded Mr. Summerfield and
family's arrival in America.
[To Mr. and Mrs. Blackstock.]
" St. Ubes, Portugal, 28th Dec. 1820.
" My dear Brother and Sister
" By favour of a vessel now in the harbour bound for New
York, I embrace this opportunity to give you certain intelli-
gence of an event to which we long looked forward, but of the
realization of which I had almost given up every hope.
" I am at this moment surrounded by my father, William,
Amelia and Anne, all sitting in the cabin of the ship General
Line/an, on our passage to New York, to which port she is
bound. We sailed from Cork on the thirteenth inst., and had
rather a tedious, though not unpleasant, voyage to this place,
fifteen miles south of Lisbon. Our touching here is to take in
a cargo, being at present only ballasted. We arrived here last
night, and are put under quarantine till to-morrow, when we
undergo an inspection ; so that, though in the harbour, we have not
been allowed to put our foot on shore ; after this shall com-
mence operations, and expect to leave this port in a fortnight.
" You will be able to calculate as well as we at what time
our arrival may be expected ; the captain intends running south
as far as the Tropic, in order to meet with the trade winds ;
I should think, however, under the blessing of heaven, our
voyage may not be longer than six weeks ; so that in two
months we hope to touch the land of our destination.
" We are all very well except myself ; I cannot say much of
my state in this respect : a severe illness which befell me in Cork
is not wholly removed, but I calculate much on the effects of a
sea voyage. Our situation on board is very agreeable ; our
captain is one of the most gentlemanly men I have met with
in his profession, and studies to make us comfortable ; he pro-
368 LETTERS OF THE
vides most abundantly, and furnishes our table with fowl, &c,
puddings, pies, and other luxuries so grateful to sea passengers.
" Amelia and Anne have their piano-forte in the cabin ; they
play alternately, while the captain accompanies with his flute
and we sing, so that you may have some idea of our situation ;
indeed, were it not that we see water on every side we could
almost cheat ourselves with the fancy of being on shore. * * *
" I cannot compress within the limits of my paper all the
affectionate remembrances which I am desired to make ; you
must therefore accept the will for the deed, and give us credit
till we arrive. Believe me, my dear brother and sister, with
the most affectionate regards,
" Yours most sincerely,
" For self and family,
" JOHN SUMMERFIELD."
[To Mr. and Mrs. Blackstock.]
" St. Ubcs, Portugal, Jan. loth, 1821.
" My dear Brother and Sister
" This is the second letter I have addressed you from this
place, but as we are doubtful concerning the fate of the vessel
which first sailed, bound to Baltimore (on account of the very
bad weather we have had ever sincej, it is judged better to
write again, although the Camillus is bound to Savannah ; if, how-
ever, we should have favourable weather for taking in the ship's
cargo, we may be with you as soon as the letter, and if so, 1
know we should be much more welcome.
" My last would have informed you that we expected to
have sailed hence before this time, but the weather has been
truly extraordinary ; we have had an earthquake here during
our stay ; and for a fortnight after, one continued squall and hur-
ricane ; it has now cleared up, and we have now two-thirds
of the cargo on board ; the captain expects to leave here on
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 369
Saturday ; however, on account of this delay, our expectation
of being with you so early as 1st March will hardly be realized;
it may be the latter end of that month.
" We all continue well except myself; I know not yet how
it will go with me, but I trust my good Lord, who has the issues
of life and death in his hands, will yet spare me a little longer ;
I only want to live for Him who died for me, to declare his
name to children's children, and I feel a confidence in Him that
I shall yet recover strength for this purpose ; I calculate great
things on the probable effects of this voyage which has already
served me more than I can express ; I think I feel better and
better day after day, and hope to arrive to you with the flush of
restored health.
" We have enjoyed the neighboring scenery of this place
very much, whenever the weather has permitted us to go out.
Yesterday we visited some of the orange groves, and were
highly gratified ; we have permission from the American and
English consuls to go to their gardens whenever we please and
bring away whatever fruit we desire. We avail ourselves of
this, and live more on oranges, limes, nuts, &c, &c, than any
other food. * * *
" With sincerest affection, yours,
" JOHN SUMMERFIELD."
[To Mrs. Garrettson.]
" Brooklyn, 20th September, 1821.
" My dear Mrs. Garrettsox
" Will you indulge me with the privilege of gratifying
some of the best feelings of my heart while I converse with you
a few minutes in the way of letter correspondence ; not that I
have anything peculiarly interesting to communicate, except
a recital of the mercy of God on some particulars which have
370 LETTERS OF THE
affected me since we parted at the throne of His mercy. I have
been labouring under a very severe affliction for some time
back, and this is the first day that I have risen from my bed
since yesterday week ; while the Lord was overshadowing my
dear friends at Rhinebeck with the pillar of fire, and baptizing
them with the Holy Ghost, He cast darkness around my path,
and overshadowed me with the cloud ; I must confess ' I feared
while entering into the cloud,' that I should never see you
more, and I was rather wishful to remain here a little longer
for the ' furtherance and joy of faith' of many whom I love
* in the bowels of Jesus Christ.' My expectation and hope
was to have been at your camp meeting, but an unexpected
application from Trenton arrived, of such a nature, that my
brethren here judged it better that I should accept of that invi-
tation ; I feared to suffer my own will to preponderate, and
accordingly yielded to their opinion. The day after I arrived
there, I was attacked with a complaint, novel to me, but ex-
tremely afflictive ; it proved the dysentery ; it was not, however,
so bad as to prevent my preaching on the next Sabbath ; that
evening medicine was administered in the hope of checking the
complaint, but in vain. I was enabled by my good Lord to
preach again on Monday and again on Tuesday this was quite
enough, and I returned to Brunswick on Wednesday, thence on
Thursday to New York ; considering the pain I was in, and the
nature of the complaint, I wonder how I arrived home ; I did
not walk but crawled to Brooklyn. I took my bed immediately,
and this is the first morning I have quitted it ; my complaint
has yielded to the influence of bleeding, blisters, &c, &c, and I
do now expect that it will have proved of the utmost benefit to
my constitution. As it respects the inner man, I felt much of
the supporting power of Him who yet ' bears our griefs and
carries our sorrows ;' I am persuaded that
1 Behind a frowning Providence,
He hides a smiling face.'
REV. JOHN SUMMEEFIELD. 371
tie saw the furnace preparing, He watched the moment when I
entered in, He walked with me in the flame, nor suffered a hair
of my head to be singed ; yes,
' I flourished, wnconsumed in fire !'
I have very often had to say with David, ' it was good for me
that I was afflicted.' I think my illnesses have in general the
effect of making me sink deeper into that mould which is im-
pressed with my favourite motto * humble love /' The more
frequent the blasts, the firmer does the tree bind itself to
that into which it has been planted ; planted as we have been
into the likeness of the death of Christ, our affections strike still
deeper, while the adverse winds of His appointment strike upon
the trunk, and shake us to the very root ; Oh ! to feel at that
time that we are steadfast and immoveable, and that neither death
nor life can separate us from His love ! Oh ! that this late dis-
pensation may have an increasingly salutary influence upon my
future life and conversation,
' My sole concern, my single care,
To watch, and tremble, and prepare
Against that fatal day !'
" Enough of so unworthy a creature as self. How is it with
my kind friends at Rhinebeck ? nay, I call you not friends
my relations my fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters
I feel we are one in Christ Jesus; one family in Him, we
meet and feel the bond divine. Do let me hear from you or
Mrs. Suckley ; indeed this letter is as much hers as yours ; to
her and you all things are common ; if her stay in the country
should be protracted I will write to her when I am a little more
able, for I even now feel pain owing to my state of health being
so weak however, she is not jealous with me ; she is assured
of my love.
" I should be anxious to hear how the work of God proceeds
372 LETTERS OP THE
with your neighbours ; here, the Lord is doing wonders I be-
lieve seventy souls have been added to our society here within
the last month, and many of them added to the Lord. In New
York we have the cloud rising out of the sea ; it was but little
as a human hand, but it is expanding ; I believe between fifty
and sixty have been brought in there in the same time ;
' Lo ! the promise of a shower !
Drops already from above,
But the Lord will shortly pour
All the spirit of His love " Amen and Amen.
" I hasten to a close ; I am quite tired ; this is my apology
for a scrawl, in my weak state, almost unintelligible to myself.
Give my respects to Mr. and Mrs. T ; I hope he fell in love
with the altogether lovely at your camp-meeting. Oh ! that I
could hear that he was love-sick. You will be sure not to for-
get to remember me affectionately to all my dear friends, &c.
" Yours, &c.
" J. SUMMERFIELD."
[To Dr. Samuel Baker, of Baltimore.]
" New York, April 25th, 1822.
" My dear Doctor
" ' Hope deferred maketh the heart sick.' I trust that my
dear friend has not realized this in the present case. Indeed, I
would immediately begin to apologize, if I knew that a moment
of leisure had been afforded previous to the one I now possess,
in which to converse with those I love. My time has been
consumed even to ashes since I arrived here ; so many anniver-
saries, public meetings, &c, &c, &c, that I have scarcely had
leisure to sleep by night or by day. However, having now a
breathing time for a day or two, I have concluded to write to
you by way of relaxation, although obligation and gratitude
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 373
imperiously demand it, even if no pleasure no heart-felt plea-
sure were connected with it.
" With what member of your family shall I commence ? for
you are every one before my mind, and every one within my
heart. My precious Mrs. Dickens how is she ? Still hold-
ing on the even tenor of her way ? Looking out ? sometimes
inclining to say with the Psalmist, ' Lord, how long ?' or with
an apostlr, 'I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ,
which is far better.' Tell her never to forget that a thousand
years are with the Lord as one day, and with him therefore
there is no delay : he will come quickly ! He has spared her
till supper time, and will bring her down in a good old age :
this is the best meal in heaven the supper ; the marriage sup-
per ! and soon may she hear Him say, ' sit down.'' Oh! that
her heart may ever realize the expressions of our poet
' His chariot will not long delay!
I hear the rumbling wheels, and pray,
Triumphant Lord, appear !'
And your dear partner, my Mrs. Baker oh ! how she afflicted
me when I examined the token of affection which she gave me !
I was too far from her at the time to chide her, and since then,
my anger is gone by. My dear sisters uttered many pretty
things about the unknown donor of their little presents, and say
they wont be satisfied with knowing her name, but hope to know
her person also. I have made half a promise that in the ensuing
spring, if God permit, I will bring one of them down to Baltimore.
I suppose you will hear from them frequently before that time.
I can only say to my dear friend, I thank you sincerely ; we all
thank you heartily ; but how poor a return is this ! But we
will remember her at a Throne of Grace, and when we meet at
a Throne of Glory, we will assist her to tune her harp to the
highest note of the redeemed ; higher and yet higher that
she may vie with them in giving glory to Him who sitteth upon
the throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever.
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374 LETTERS OF THE
" And Miss Dickens is she well ? I don't know that I can
write her name correctly, or I would address her more fami-
liarly. Does she remember her promise ? The month has not
yet gone by. I hope she does not find it long ; to me it seems
a little month indeed !
" My little sons and daughters how are they ? What a
long letter you will have to write me, when you give me all
particulars ! Tell William I expect great great things from
him, and trust he will not disappoint me.
" Remember me affectionately to Mr. and Mrs. Wilkins and
their family.
" When any of you see poor Mrs. Gough rich Mrs. Gough
(for she is an heiress of the Kingdom) give her my warmest
affection.
' Her sufferings here will soon be past,
And she shall then ascend at last
Triumphant with her head !'
" Remember me to Mrs. Carroll also. Thank her most
affectionately for her little treasure, and say, I am sorry she
kept it back until I had not an opportunity of expressing my
gratitude in person. There are many other members of that
family to whom I should wish to be remembered, but as you
know them all, you can make up the deficiency.
" But I have not told you anything about myself. Why, I
don't feel as if I were worth consuming a line upon. How-
ever, as you expect it, I may say my health is pretty good, but
not so good as when at Baltimore. I found the difference in
the air immediately on my return ; there is a sharpness in it
which oppresses me a good deal. It may be owing to the con-
tiguity to the sea ; however, by and by I may get used to it
again. We are not always on the Mount with regard to the
body, no more than with the soul. But the Lord will do all
things well.
" And now, my dear Doctor, receive my poor expression of
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 375
thankfulness for all the kindness you showed me whm in your
friendly mansion. What shall I render unto you for all your
benefits toward me? I will call upon the name of the Lord,
that he may rank you among those who have given a cup of
cold water to the least of his brethren. You have done more
than giving a cup of cold water. May He do for you and
yours exceeding abundantly above all that you and I can ask
or think ! Amen and amen.
" Permit me, my dear Doctor, to subscribe myself, in truth
and sincerity,
" Your affectionate friend and brother,
"JOHN SUMMERFIELD."
[To Mr. , of Baltimore.*]
New York, April 26th, 1822.
" My dear Friend and Brother
" My long silence may have given occasion to many un-
fruitful speculations as to the reason of it ; but I hesitate not to
sav that your own heart has made a hundred apologies for me,
rather than entertain for a moment the idea that I was either un-
grateful, or forgetful. One hurrying scene after another has
presented in quick succession, and hitherto prevented my doing
as I had wished, insomuch, that yesterday and to-day are the
first seasons of leisure I have had since I saw you last in Bal-
timore.
* This letter was addressed to a highly esteemed friend in Baltimore.
Mr. S was in the habit of wearing a coat of the ordinary cut and
fashion, and his friend, though not a professor of religion, yet one who
greatly respected it, and loved, and entertained its ministers, believing
the dress of the Methodist preachers should as far as practicable be uni-
form, presented him with a single-breasted coat such as was generally
worn by them in the days of Wesley.
376 LETTERS OF THE
" Your very agreeable present, and the manner in which it
was received, will never be forgotten ; it is the first ' jeu
d'esprif of the kind I have ever met with. I regret that it was
not in my power to acknowledge your kindness personally before
I left your city ; but what shall I now render to you for this
benefit ? I have, I confess, scarcely anything within my gift.
If I could transmit to you the garment of salvation, I should in-
deed be able to recompense you fully ; though, not half so fully,
as if you received it from the Author of Salvation ; this is a gift
which is enhanced by the dignity of the Giver ; and He has
therefore reserved it to himself to bestow it. This gift, how-
ever, will not be yours in the same way that your gift became
mine, for He requires that you shall ask in order to receive it,
and has only promised His Holy Spirit to them that ask Him.
My coat indeed becomes me well ; it fits me better than any
coat I ever had, and its texture is super-excellent : but, my dear
friend, the garment I would recommend to you would become
you still better, and would fit and adorn you more than any
garment you ever wore. As to its texture, it is emphatically
said to be ''fine ;' not comparatively so, but positively l fine,
and that alone is ' fine, clean and white.' I could have
dispensed with your present, inasmuch as my former dress
would have fully answered all the purposes for which it was
intended ; but my dear friend cannot dispense with the garment
I am recommending him, for the man who has it not will be
turned out from the marriage supper, and cast into outer dark-
ness ! My friend went to great expense to procure me this sub-
stance, and after all it is perishable, as he will perceive if I
should live to see him again. But the garment of salvation is
as new after fifty years' wear as on the first day ; it is of imper-
ishable materials; and it will, notwithstanding, be given without
money and icithovl price I Indeed, if God were to fix a price
upon it, that very price, no matter how great, would lessen its
value ! It is said of one of the ancient painters, that although
he bestowed immense labour on every one of his productions in
REV. JOHN SUMMEBFIELD. 377
the fine arts, he always gave away his performances ; and being
asked the reason of it, he replied, ' They are above all price !'
This is indeed the case with the gift of God. He gives away,
lest his blessings should deteriorate in the eyes of the pur-
chasers, by the value annexed thereto ; but although he gives,
he gives freely, and is much more willing to give than we are to
receive. He bestowed immense labour to perfect for us this
finished work. 'The agony and bloody sweat, the cross and
passion, the death and burial, the glorious resurrection and as-
cension, and the coming of the Holy Ghost !' The former of
these, the price ; the latter, the purchase ; and now he gives
the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him !
' Oh, Lamb of God ! was ever pain,
Was ever love like thine !'
" But, my dear friend, why do I thus carry on the figure ? Suf-
fer me to speak freely, sincerely, lovingly, on this subject. What
is the cause why, amid all that kindness that you ever show,
and delight to show to the meanest of the servants of my Lord,
why, oh why is it, that you have not so fallen in love with the
' Altogether Lovely,' as to give Him full possession of your heart ?
You give him your money, you give your tongue to speak
upon his goodness ; your feet are employed in tracking the way
to his sanctuary* ; and you delight to be seated among the flock
of Christ. But then, your heart ! - Oh ! my son, my son,' says
God, 'give me thine heart!' Seek the kingdom of God first,
rather, and bring ever}* other consideration into a state of inferi-
ority. Let me ask you, my dear brother (for such I call you
in anticipation and from my very soul) is He not worthy of
your heart ? The language of angels is, ' Thou alone art
worthy' He has purchased you at the price of blood, and he
claims you as his own. Will you continue to resist the claim?
Has he not long been striving with you to yield yourself a willing
sacrifice ? Though he could force, yet he prefers submission ;
he would honour you by proposing himself to your choice. He
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378 LETTERS OF THE
is an honourable lover ! He woos, he entreats, he supplicates, he
stoops, to ask your love ! Can you keep him out any longer ?
Oh ! no ! jour heart says no ! Then answer him this moment
' Come in, come in, thou heavenly guest,
And never hence remove !
But sup with me, and let the feast
Be everlasting- love !'
" Oh ! yes, when you have once tasted his love, you will want
it to be everlasting. May the Lord God encourage and incline
you in this pleasing surrender, and may He hear my prayers on
your behalf !
" Do let me hear from you at a leisure moment, and believe
me to be, my dear friend,
" Yours, sincerely,
"JOHN SUMMERFIELD."
[To Mrs. Suckley.]
"Philadelphia, July 30th, 1822.
v " My dear Mrs. Suckley will have almost given up all
expectation of hearing from me again ; ' hope deferred maketh
the heart sick,' but as this kind of sickness is not unto death, I now
send you a recipe for its complete cure, and that is, ' Read this
letter thank the Father of Mercies that all is so well and
close by a prayer for the writer.'
" Your very welcome favor pained, as well as pleased, it was
written from a sick chamber ; this I should have known from
the perfume it brought with it, even though you had been silent
on the subject. Oh ! what ' fruits of righteousness" 1 do these
afflictions yield ! I have just finished a meal on peaches, but
their odour is lost when put in competition with that fragrance !
Some of the choicest plants of God's right hand planting never
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 379
give forth their odour with half their sweets, till he presses them
with his afflicting hand ; and hence the world has always been
filled with the rich perfumes of his suffering saints ! May you
ever be counted ' worthy to suffer ^ ,' remembering that this also is
the gift of God ; for ' unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ,
not only to believe, but also to suffer ;' Keep in view the ' eter-
nal weight of glory,' and then you will reckon ' that these
light afflictions which are but for a moment, are not worthy to be
compared therewith !'
" With regard to myself, if indeed it is worth while to say
anything of one who appears to be laid out of sight, like useless
scaffolding, I am in better health than I have been since I left
you ; I trust I recover a little and a little from day to day, ex-
cept when I suffer those drawbacks to which all persons in my
poor state are subject, and which cannot be traced to any as-
signable cause. I do not recover fast, but I hope it maybe the
more sure : I neither run, nor walk, nor creep ; I crawl ; and
like the poor snail carry my tabernacle along, so slowly, that I
' often groan, being burdened.'' Were it not for this burthen,
how soon should I be with you ! perhaps you doubt this, and
rather suppose that then
' My soul would soar away,
And mingle with the blaze of day !'
Still, however, I trust I should often be permitted to, accompany
the angels who are hovering around you, and perhaps privileged
to be one of the ministering spirits to an heir of salvation.
" Much much have I desired to see you, but that seems
further off than before ! My physicians had a meeting yester-
day morning, and strongly advised me to give up the idea of re-
turning to New York for three or four weeks ; the reasons they
assigned convinced me of the propriety of this measure, although
380 LETTERS OF THE
from their medical character I could not easily impress you
with them. * * * *
" Ever your truly affectionate friend,
"JOHN SUMMERFIELD."
[To Mr. William M. Willett.]
" Philadelphia, Sept. 22d, 1822.
," My dearest William
" Think not for one moment, I beseech you, that in all my
long silence since we parted, there was ever any other feeling
in my heart toward you, than unbounded anxiety for your wel-
fare. I thank God that I have often good remembrance of you
in my prayers by night and by day ; and up to this moment, my
heart's desire and prayer for you is, that you may stand com-
plete in all the will of God. Circumstances, however, over
which I had no control, and a series of complex afflictions, roll-
ing over me like so many billows, have conspired to retard my
writing to you, and even now I venture on it in a situation as
distressing as ever, having a blister across my breast at this very
moment ; still, and although forbidden to write, I have ventured
to assure you in this manner, even were it but in half-a-dozen
lines, that I love and esteem you, and hold myself sacredly bound
to watch over your spiritual interest for good.
" And is it so, my dear William, that your mouth has been
opened on the behalf of him whose heart was opened by the
soldier's spear for you ? What shall I say ! I am lost in wonder,
love, and praise ! May the Lord give you the tongue of the
learned that you may speak a word in season in his great
name ! And all this change within a year ! a little year !
My own heart cries out, what shall I render unto the Lord for
all his benefits toward you ?
" I'll praise him while he lends me breath !
And when my voice is lost in death,
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 381
Praise shall employ my nobler powers !
My days of praise shall ne'er be past,
While life, and thought, and being last,
Or immortality endures !'
" When I last wrote to Bishop McKendree, I communicated
to him the pleasing intelligence of what the Lord had done for
you, and he rejoices with me for the consolation.
" But oh ! my dear William, if my anxieties were ever
directed to you, they are increased now a hundred fold ! ' I
long to be with you now and charge my voice.' c I am jealous
over you with a godly jealousy ; you have begun well but oh,
my William, there is an end, as well as a beginning ; oh that I
could but see the end of your course ! I am ambitious for you
beyond measure, that you may walk worthy of Him who has
called you unto His kingdom and glory ! Is your eye upon the
goal ? Do you frequently anticipate that welcome sound,
' Well done ! Well done ! good and faithful servant ! enter thou
into the joy of thy Lord !' Do you frequently realize the end
of your race in the words of him who was faithful unto death,
' I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I
have kept the faith ." If this would not be the issue, I declare
to you, my dear William, with all my affection for you, I would
prefer to follow you to your grave now, in the bloom of life,
while you bear the mark of him, ' whose you now are, and
whom you now serve !* Pardon me for thus expressing my
anxiety ; I am not afraid of you if you keep your eye upon the
Captain of our salvation ! Never take it off for a moment to
look upon the multitude who may hail you with their plaudits,
but with steady step urge on your course, looking unto Jesus!
If the bubble of human applause follow you, thank God for it,
it may make your word the more successful ; but never do you
follow the bubble ; you will lose your time, and perhaps your
soul too. Live for eternity, and in reference to this only, follow
after glory and honour, and immortality, and eternal life.
382 LETTERS OF THE
" But, my dear William, don't suppose that your only danger
lies here ; you will not always find the path strewed with
flowers. Branches of palm trees will not always be cast in
your way, nor the cries of the multitude, ' Hosanna in the high-
est,' accompany you to the temple of the Lord ! Think it not
strange if these same voices should sometimes exclaim, ' Cru-
cify him, crucify him !' Remember the servant is not greater
than his Lord ; and if these things have been done to Him, be
not surprised if you are called to walk in his footsteps ; yea
count it all joy, and rejoice in that you are counted worthy to
suffer shame for the sake of Him who loveth you. You maybe
evil spoken of many mouths will now be opened, and your
motives and actions may be misconstrued some, perhaps,
whom you now call ' brethren,' may deal deceitfully with you
clouds and darkness may thicken about your path, and Satan
who delights to fish in troubled waters, may tempt you to draw
back, and suggest that you have deceived yourself; but, oh,
William, let none of these things move you ! Endure hardness
as a good soldier ! Suffer no man to despise your youth ; allow
him no opportunity for scandalizing you by word or deed ; be
kind, humble, loving to all ; be gentle even to the froward, and
put on the spirit of meekness. In every Satanic temptation ^/fy
to the throne of grace ; never reason one moment with the
enemy ; appeal to God in your closet for the sincerity of your
intentions ; keep clean hands and a pure heart, and God will
put Satan under your feet, and give you the final victory !
William, ' keep that which is committed to thy trust.' Fare
thee well ! Write to me speedily, and be assured of the
prayers and affection of your fellow-servant in the kingdom and
patience of Jesus.
" J. SUMMERFIELD."
BEV> JOHN SUMMEKFIELD. 383
[To Doctor Thomas Sargent.]
" New York, Oct. 25th, 1822.
" My dear Doctor
" It seems an age since I left you, and, indeed, I can hardly
convince myself that it is no more than two little weeks. I
had been favoured for so long a time with a daily visit from you,
after I had been previously conversant with you face to face almost
all the day long while in the bosom of your family, that I sensi-
bly feel my loss. Indeed, it is no great wonder if my spirits flag
in the course of the forenoon, when I have no prospect, as here-
tofore, of a visit from one whose presence generally revived me
like a cordial, when in the most melancholy mood. However,
I do feel a momentary relief when conversing with you by a
letter ; the distance between us appears to be overcome, and I
can almost fancy myself in my lovely chamber at the house of
my estimable friends in Eighth street. My dream, however,
will be as short as it is illusory, and when I wake up from my
reverie and seal my sheet, I shall again find myself alone.
" You will readily conclude, my dear Doctor, that the me-
grims have taken hold of me ; but not so. The time of separation
from my friends is drawing near, and the nearer it approaches,
the greater coward do I discover myself to be. At a distance
of time from the afflicting moment, I was all buckram and
swagger about my West Indies adventures. I dipped the live-
liest pencil of my imagination in the colours of the rainbow, and
painted many an animating picture ; but now the rainbow is
vanished, and blackness and gloom have spread over every line I
drew. My feelings when I first approached the shores of these
favoured states were not to be described. I rejoiced in hope !
But then I had no friendships formed no other loves had min-
gled with my own all was untried ; but now, how changed
the scene ! So soon to be driven from the fond embrace of
those who ' received me as an angel of God, yea, as Christ
384 LETTERS OF THE
Jesus,' from those who f would have plucked out their own
eyes and given them to me!' Oh ! Doctor, it is too much !
Forgive me if I pause a while.
" But, come we shall meet again. We will not sorrow as
those who have no hope. All will be well. To live is Christ,
to die is gain ; living or dying we are the Lord's ! Look up
there remaineth a rest oh, the rest the rest ! There the inha-
bitants no more say, ' I am sick !' God bless you, my dear,
dear Doctor ! your love to me was wonderful ! May my
Lord do that for you which I am too poor to do, reward you
a hundred a thousand fold ! God bless you and all your house !
" I know not where this strain would lead me. It makes
me play the woman ; but Jesus wept at parting with his friend,
even in the full prospect of an immediate reunion. With me
that is uncertain ; but we will hope : ' we are saved by hope.'
***** And now, my dear Doctor, pray for me, that I
may be restored to you by the will of God, and that we may
yet have joy together, according to the days wherein we have
had sorrow. Farewell !
" Your affectionate friend,
"JOHN SUMMERFIELD."
[To Dr. Thomas Sargent.]
" New York, 6th Dec, 1822.
" My dear Doctor
" It is probable I may take my passage in a vessel to sail
in about ten days for Leghorn in Italy ; this would bring me im-
mediately into a warm latitude ; instead of. going to Havre in
the north of France, and thence proceeding southward, with the
prospect of measuring the same ground back again in the approach-
ing spring, I should now go directly south, and advance northward
through France as the cuckoo shall invite, and the bud of vege-
tation expand from one degree of latitude to another. We
REV. JOHN SUMMEKFIELD. 385
should remain four or five days at Gibraltar, and expect to arrive
in Italy about 1st February.
" Although I cannot say concerning myself what the Almighty
said to Job concerning the war-horse, ' he swalloweth the
ground' in his intenseness for the goal of destination, and makes
no account of all the space between, yet I have often rambled
on the classic soil, and tramped the pathway to the Three
Taverns, where Paul discovered that Jesus Christ had been in
Rome before him, thanked God, and took courage.
" But you will think me too sentimental if I say more ; suf-
fice it that my mind, amidst all the pleasurable scenes which
fancy paints before it, fixes upon none with half the intensity
that it rests upon the picture of its return ; it is only this that
reconciles it to a temporary remove ; the scenes of France and
Italy exist but in my imagination ; but other scenes have left an
indent upon my heart.
" Please make my respects to Mr. and Mrs. Comegys ; I receiv-
ed the letter Mr. C- was kind enough to forward me by
Jacob, but without seeing him ; I understand he passed on the
same day ; if matters of business were the cause of his speedy
departure I could scarcely excuse him, as none but a royal
courier need be so expeditious ; ' the King's business is urgent ;'
but being able to account for it on the ' principles of attraction,'
and those being a part of the law of nature, I felt quite recon-
ciled.
" What has become of Thomas ? Does he keep his residence
continually on Mount Parnassus among the demi-gods of Greek
and Roman origin ? If you ever see him, if he occasionally
visits the ' vale below,' tell him that I should be glad if he
could obtain a dispensation from Messrs. Homer and Virgil for
a little time to write a line or two at least. My best respects
to Mrs. S., &c. &c.
" Believe me ever
" Your affectionate friend,
" J. SUMMERFIELD."
2l
386 LETTERS OF THE
As everything relating to this lamented youth is contemplated
with interest by the lovers of piety and admirers of genius, we
submit the following extract from his correspondence with the
Rev. John (late Bishop) Emory.
New York, Dec. 19th, 1822.
" My dear brother Emory
" Your truly affectionate letter came to hand and was in-
deed a treasury of comfort and consolation, under the severe
stroke which had been applied in the tenderest part in which
the providence of God could have afflicted me. But my dear
my only parent still lives ! He lives to ask for blessings on
his child ! I have been Benoni in time past, but now he calls
me Benjamin. Oh, that I may not only be the son of his right
hand, but held as a star in the right hand of Him who illuminates
the churches ! My dear father is fast recovering ; his limbs have
resumed their vigour, and his speech is gradually, though
slowly improving. My mind is now at rest ; if he live, I
know he will live unto the Lord ; and if he die, I have full as-
surance he will die unto him ; life or death is gain ! I sincerely
sympathize with you in your loss* her gain : and yet why
mourn we ? ' How happy are the faithful dead !' If we be-
lieve that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which
sleep in Jesus will God bring with him ! Comfort we one ano-
ther with these words, not only in the loss of relatives and
friends, but in prospect of our approaching change ; for though
1 An angel's hand can't snatch us from the grave,
Legions of angels can't confine us there !'
Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ." JEmory' > s Life, p. 139.
Alluding to the death of Mr. Emory's mother.
REV. JOHN SUMMEKFIELD. 387
[To Mr. Thomas B. Sargent.]
" New York, Dec. 22, 1822.
" My dear Thomas
" This letter will announce to you my departure to a foreign
and far-distant shore. To-morrow, and I am gone. This can-
not, I am sure, be matter of grief to my friend. Your eye will
pierce the cloud which envelopes this dispensation of Provi-
dence, and you will see all things working together for good.
Now that I am at last gone, you will begin to anticipate my
return. I regret that it is not in my power to antedate the
months, and thus accelerate even the rapid flight of time : but
if we continue to pray for one another, and that without ceas-
ing, many a long and otherwise tedious term will be overcome ;
for the words of the poet will apply to the fleetness as well as
sweetness of the moments thus employed. Talcing the liberty,
therefore, to alter the first word of the stanza, let us sing,
1 Swift the moments rich in blessing
Which before the cross we spend.'
Meet me there, my dear friend, day by day ; let us blend our
prayers together, and may our common Lord fill us with like
precious faith, like glorious hope, like perfect love!
" When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith, which
dwelt first in thy father and mother, and I am persuaded in
thee also, I cease not to give thanks for thee in my prayers
night and day ; wherefore, also, I put thee in remembrance,
that thou stir up the gift of God that is in thee. Preach the
Word. Be instant in season, out of season. Do the work of
an Evangelist ; make full proof of thy ministry. Reprove, re-
buke, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine. Let no man
despise thy youth, but be thou an ensample to the believers, in
word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
Oh ! my dear Thomas, keep that which is committed to thee.
388 LETTERS OF THE
giving thanks unto God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, in that he counted thee faithful, putting thee into the mi-
nistry, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which,
is committed to thy trust. Grace be with thee ! Amen and
amen ! * * * * *
" Having so little time, and so much yet to do, I bid you a
sweet farewell.
" Ever sincerely and affectionately yours,
"J. SUMMERFIELD."
[To Dr. Samuel Baker.]
"Marseilles, 8th Feb., 1823.
" My ever-valued Friend
* * * * " You will have heard previous hereto of my
safe and speedy voyage. Its despatch exceeded all that I could
have hoped for in the most sanguine moments of my anticipa-
tion. It has, I am persuaded, called forth your thanksgivings
on my behalf ; for I feel I am remembered in your approaches
to Him who seeth in secret. Do help me to praise the Lord !
Let us exalt his holy name together !
" It cannot be supposed that a residence in this country of
but a few days, and those spent in the confined precincts of a
lazaretto, can afford anything interesting to communicate. In-
deed, were it otherwise, I should scarcely indulge on any other
than my own progress or retrograde in health and strength, with
their attendants ; nor should I fear the charge of egotism from
you, as I believe I could not interest you more than by confining
myself principally to this topic. But independent of the rela-
tion of friend, in which you stand endeared to me by many
ties, your professional character will in some degree be my war-
rant for enlarging on this subject more than any other, and will
sometimes also be my excuse for making some remarks there-
on fitted for no other eye than your own.
RfcV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 389
" Since leaving the ship I have improved more than during
the whole voyage. Indeed, I seem now to be reaping its bene-
ficial effects ; and although, as I have already hinted, I am at
present incarcerated in a French lazaretto, I am daily improv-
ing in health of body, and what is much better increasing l in
love and in power, and in a sound mind.' Indeed, in my ap-
proaches to a Throne of Grace, I am generally so carried out
of myself, and lost in the ' fullness of Him who filleth all in
all, 1 that I have to endeavour to call to mind afterwards what
petition I had presented to Him who says, 'ask what ye will.'
Often am I unable to remember that I presented any request
whatever. Prayer has been converted into continued praise,
and 'tis only afterwards that I have found ' I had asked nothing.'
I find that, even here, earth can be transformed into heaven.''''
[To his Father.]
" Marseilles, 28th Feb., 1823.
" My dear Father
" Although this letter can be esteemed little more than a
wrapper to the enclosed pacquette, yet you will, I am persuaded,
set more value upon it than it deserves on account of the rela-
tion which the writer of it bears to you."
" a chief reason why I preferred to write by
the Argus, was, that I might be able to inform you of my hav-
ing left the Lazaretto, which I did yesterday, in good health, and
with a grateful heart." * * *
" The circumstance of my deliverance herefrom, under such
favourable auspices, will, I am persuaded, be matter of thanks-
giving to the God of all comfort and consolation, in your
approaches to His mercy seat ! He has numbered the hairs of
my head, and spieth out all my ways ! I shall not leave this
city for at least a fortnight, until Captain Mason leaves his qua-
2l2
390 LETTERS OF THE
rantine, as I wish to see him meantime, I purpose visiting
Montpelier for a few days, and returning here again, and after-
wards going to Nismes and again returning here ; this will
occupy me till that time expires. My chief object in going to
these two places is to make a visit to two clergymen who have
been spoken of to me as the flower of France, and from whom I
have received warm solicitations to spend some time before I
proceed Northward. I have also been favoured with some truly
Christian letters from Paris, while confined here ; I anticipate a
warm and cordial reception when I arrive in that city, although
it may ba said to be in many respects ' the place where Satan's
seat is :' yet there are ' a few names even there, who have not
defiled their garments.' I do not expect to arrive there much
before the anniversary of the Paris Bible Society, which falls on
the 16th of April ; meantime, I have forwarded the documents
with which I was honoured by the American Bible Society.
Early in the month of May I hope to arrive in England." * * *
" The few lines which I received from my friends in Walker
street by the Virginia, contained intelligence of so afflicting a
nature as to need no enlargement ; indeed I almost wished that
the vessel had not arrived. The continuance of your illness has
been matter of grief indeed to me, separated from you as I now
am, and likely to remain for a short time longer ; but I know
there is One who will be better to you than all my fears ! I
hesitate at the very onset of my endeavour to administer any
consolation ; nothing that / could say would be new to yow,
and I shall therefore only make known my requests on your be-
half to Him who is the daily witness of my prayers and thanks-
givings.
" Yes, my dear father, all will be well ! Life or death is
gain ! You have a strong arm to lean upon, 'tis not an arm
of flesh !
" Now 'tis for you to comfort yourself with the same comfort
which you have often administered to others ; nay, I cannot
doubt, but you are comforted of God ! My constant petition is
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 391
that we may both be spared to meet again in the flesh before
we go hence to be no more seen of men ; everything else I sub-
mit to Him who knows what is best, and who is too wise to err
too good to be unkind but this petition I present without
ceasing, and to this I cannot yet say ' but if not thy will be
done !' Oh, no ! let us meet again, and then, whether it is I
or you who may be hence removed, we will endeavour submis-
sively to say, ' now lcttest thou thy servant depart in peace !'
Oh, my dear father, death is treading upon our heels yet
' death is ours, for we are Christ's !'
" I will write to you again by my next conveyance ; mean-
time remain,
" Ever your affectionate child,
" JOHN."
[To Hi3 Family.]
" Marseilles, 4th March, 1823.
" My dear Family
" Although I sent you all letters by the Otter on Saturday
last, and by the Argus on Sunday, and this is only Tuesday, yet,
hearing of another Boston vessel which sails hence to-morrow, I
cannot deny myself this opportunity of sending at least one letter ;
and when I send only one letter to America, to whom should I
so naturally address myself as to you ? Embracing each and
every of you in my warmest affections, I address you all, and
sincerely pray that grace, mercy, and peace may be multiplied
toward you from God our Father, and Jesus Christ our Lord !
" This day I have removed to my new lodgings, of which I
spoke in my last, and Mr. Cunningham is still my chum. They
appear very comfortable indeed, and have much more the
appearance of home than the ' Hotel des Empereurs.' They are
situated in a square similar to Merrion square in Dublin, but in
many respects superior ; at the upper end there is a delightful
392 LETTERS OF THE
play of water spouts upon a little island made by an artificial
canal round about, and a great variety of figures through which
the ' jets d'eau' are conveyed ; chiefly, however, through the
mouths of a number of large artificial frogs, placed on the bank
of the canal, &c. I can give you no just description of the taste
which the French display in their water-works, they are in-
deed fine to a proverb, and this city is full of them. Our apart-
ments are in what is called the neio city, which is as much supe-
rior to the old as Westminster to London ; indeed, I cannot
tell you how much I am pleased with them ; we were obliged
to take them for a month, as the lady would not dispose of them
for a shorter time, so that it is not unlikely I may remain here
till the 1st of April ; indeed if I continue to do as well as I have
done, I shall think my time is as well employed here as else-
where. I have not yet commenced horse-riding, but expect to
do so in a few days.
" As I have nothing of importance to add to my last letters, I
may as well describe to you everything connected with our new
arrangements ; it will serve you for chit-chat round your fire-
side.
" We have a very comfortable sitting-room, and two large
bed chambers, all furnished in a very neat, though not extrava-
gant manner ; we have three side closets, in addition, for our
pantry and clothes rooms. For all these we pay eighty francs
per month, which is considered very cheap ; we also pay eight-
een francs per month to the servant for attending us, mak-
ing up our apartments, &c. Our plan is, to make our own
breakfast and tea ; we are furnished with all necessary appa-
ratus, and boil the water, &c, at our own fire the servant
bringing us in groceries, &c, &c. We dine out every day at a
' Restaurateurs;' the variety which is presented to us there
affords us an opportunity of selecting soups, meats, desserts, &c,
at a much less expense than we could obtain them any other
way. This is indeed going upon the most economical scale,
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 393
and does well for both of us for we both find that our purses
are not without a bottom.
" By this plan, also, we have the advantage of eating at our
accustomed hours, which are much mere pleasing than those of
the French ; their hour of breakfast is one, and of dinner seven
whereas, we are generally dining in the same apartment with
many who are but at breakfast.
" I have now spent one Sunday in Marseilles ! I say Sun-
day, for it ought not to be called a Sabbath the heathen
name is much more fit to be applied to it in this city ! In the
forenoon I went to the Reformed Protestant Church ; it is the
only one of any other kind here except Roman Catholic ; it is
not Episcopal, but Presbyterian in its government : but how
shall I picture to you the scene ! I will not attempt it ; but I
sincerely fear that our Lord's words to the woman of Samaria
may be applied even to them. ' Ye worship ye know not what !'
They had no afternoon service ; I therefore walked after dinner
to the Catholic Church of Notre Dame, situated on an immense
eminence outside the city; I cannot tell you its height now, but
I shall learn it before I leave the place ; its difficult access has
rendered all prayers and penances said and done there doubly
efficacious, as we were informed by a great placard affixed at its
entrance by the Vicar General ; among other things he tells us
that the Virgin Mary has peculiarly owned the place, and
granted innumerable favours to those who have worshipped her
there ; a list of indulgences was affixed to the document, of
which I think the least was, a remission of tico hundred days in
purgatory to any one who says five Ave Marias on five succes-
sive Saturdays, and that this remission can be transferred for the
relief of any soul in purgatory whom they wish to serve by this
post mortem deed ! ! And can any be so imposed upon at this
enlightened day ? Yes it is too true ! Many were there
prostrated before the image of the beast ! My very heart
ached 1 heaved a sigh, and turned back to this unhappy city
unhappy, indeed, amid all the natural advantages with which it
394 LETTERS OF THE
is so richly furnished. In the evening the theatres were open,
and the people flocked there to crown the devotions of this
sacred day !
" Oh, how I long to meet a people who love and fear God !
If I had the wings of a dove, I would fly away and be at rest.
England should soon find me on her happy shores. I shall want
more powerful help than this to bring me back again to you ;
but when the ship shall spread her stouter wings, and I turn my
face to that city where my affections still are, I shall pray that
the winds of heaven may fill every sail, and bring me to the re-
newed embrace of those who still retain in their affections the
remembrance of their friend and brother,
" JOHN."
[To his Father.]
" Marseilles, 23d March, 1823.
" My dear Father
# # # * -phg painful intelligence of your continued
illness so absorbs every other consideration that I have almost
lost sight of my own, and had nearly concluded to return to
New York without proceeding any farther : I however expe-
rienced some relief from Ellen's letter, which speaks more
favourably. * * *
" In the midst of all my grief, however, I have endeavoured to
cherish a hope that you are now improving ; and the more I
bring the matter before the throne of Grace, the stronger is my
confidence that we shall be spared to see each other in the flesh
once more, before our final meeting among the general assembly
and church of the first-born which are written in heaven ; this
reconciles me to continue my journey to England, and as far as
I have light upon my path, I believe I have the accompanying
blessing and presence of Him whose I am, and whom I serve.
I trust, my dear father, you have not found the fiery trial too
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 395
strong a test of that sure hope and confidence in ' Him who doeth
all things well,' which I know you have long experienced ; the
furnace has been heated seven times hotter than usual, if, as Mr.
B. says, ' all your former afflictions were not to be compared to
this' but still you have not walked through it alone ; the Son
of Man has entered with you
1 He knows what sore afflictions mean,
For he hath felt the same !'
Oh, what seasons are these to admire the relation in which the
Saviour of men stands to us ! He is a High Priest, who is
touched with our sufferings, because he was made in all points
like unto us ; bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh. He does
not speculate upon our afflictions, but from His own experience
knows how much we can bear, and is careful that no greater
trials shall befall us than such as we are able to bear, ever
promising us 'My grace is sufficient for thee !' May you,
my dear father, experience the strength of the Mighty One resting
upon you ! ' Blessed is the man that endureth temptation !' for
when he is tried, he shall receive a crown of life a crown of
glory which fadeth not away ! A few more sufferings, and the
cup will be emptied ! Oh, my father, though you have drunk of it
deeply, yet do not stop at the dregs do not turn your head
aside from the nauseous sediment which remains ; it will soon
be over ; rejoice that you are counted worthy to suffer, and as
we have seen in your example what it is to live, let us also learn
what it is to die. But, oh that this lesson may be kept back for
many seasons yet to come ! May we still be spared together,
to reap joy for every scene in which we have felt sorrow and
at last all brought home in the same chariot to Elijah's God, to
be ever with the Lord ! *
" Very affectionately, my dear father, your
" JOHN."
396 LETTERS OF THEi
[To Rev. Thomas B. Sargent.]
" Paris, 17th April, 1823.
" My dear Thomas
" Your sweet letter arrived before I left Marseilles, and
was as refreshing as a water spring in a dry and thirsty land. I
intended to have opened the way by first writing to you, and
had already appointed to do so from this city ; but you have
the pre-eminence ; I do sincerely thank you for this renewed
token of your love, and in return salute you with all the warmth
of Christian affection of which my poor heart is susceptible.
" I was glad to find that you had anticipated my wishes in
furnishing me with so many and so interesting particulars re-
specting yourself: never forget, my dear Thomas, that I expect
you always to be the hero in all your correspondence, as much
as Eneas is in Virgil ; every other person, matter or thing, may
come in by way of episode, but I cannot permit that I should
lose sight of you by any long digressions. I have rejoiced,
yea, and luill rejoice, that your Providential path shines brighter,
the more you follow and observe His hand,
' Who points the stars their course,
Whom sun and moon obey !'
" I follow you through every scene, and sympathize with your
every feeling ; the kindness of brother B is not more than
I expected from what had passed between him and me respecting
you ; but, my dear Thomas, you know the friendship of Him
who sticketh even closer than a brother ! He invites you to all
the sweets of this holy relation, ' the friend of God P 'Tis the
tenderest 'tis the most exalted to which mortal can be raised !
It surpasses the privilege of a son, though that entails the inherit-
ance, for ' if sons, then heirs ;' it is the manhood of a child of
God ! it is the privilege of admission into the secret chambers
KEV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 397
of the King Invisible ! Oh, my Thomas, it is and yet I cannot
utter it ; but lfeel it ; examine the principles of the friendship
which subsists in kindred souls, say David and Jonathan,
refine it of its earthliness, and cast away the dregs of selfishness,
don't be afraid that it will volatilize into ether too pure to
realize, a precious essence will remain ; now make ' the High
and Holy One' one party, and see an earth-born worm the other .'
What ardour of mutual love ! What openness, what ingenu-
ousness, what frankness, what confidence, on the part of the
creature ! What complacency, what stability on the part of
the Creator ! While the one exclaims in the midst of human
weakness, ' Lord ! all I am is known to thee !' the other calms
the rising fear with the sweet response, yet all Jam is thine!
" But I arrest myself ; I am getting into depths which I can-
not fathom, and yet into which I delight to plunge ! Oh, the full-
ness the bottomless abyss the depth ! Does my Thomas
often here
' Bathe his weary soul V
' Does he thirst, and faint, and die, to prove
The greatness of redeeming love V
1 He shall be filled'' The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it'
" I regret to read in your letter the ill state of health of my
dear friends in Eighth street ; still in the furnace ? and still
unconsumed ? surely the Son of man is with them ; their heav-
enly Father would now teach them deep things ! Though the
chapter of afflictions contains many things hard to be understood,
yet this should not discourage or make us faint therein ; it is
one of the finishing lessons, for even 'Christ was made perfect
through sufferings !' I confess we are naturally fond of turning
over, like a schoolboy, and beginning a new page ; but ' the old
is better;'' with regard to myself, I often fear that I have
thumbed it so much, as to render illegible some of the lines, and
2 m
398 LETTERS OF THE
that I am kept at the old place till I spell them out ; may the
Lord help me by His spirit to commit to heart these deep things
of God ! And may my dear Mr. and Mrs. C , out of weak-
ness be made strong, and know with me that
'Afflictions from His sovereign hand,
Are blessings in disguise !'
" My health will be inquired after among your friends : well,
I find myself gaining strength every day ; I find the rouge of
nature returning to my livid cheeks, and I think if I were weighed
I should be many pounds heavier ; but (and these ' buts^mar
everything) my cough continues, yet that is somewhat im-
proved ; at times I think that it is the door through which my
spirit will ere long take its flight : it is an open door, and unless
Providence should close it, I cannot hope for long life I am in
His hands ; He will do all things well ! * *
" Remember me to your father most affectionately, as also to
your good mother, yours, and mine ! Oh, that my dear Thomas
may never need the attentions of a stranger as I did in Race
street, when his own mother is no more ! and yet, should such
need require it, may he find some stranger's hand to bear him
up, and cheat him off a mother's loss ! as I did at that awful
hour ! Remember me to your brothers and sisters, also to any
other friends that may inquire.
" Ever sincerely and affectionately yours,
"J. SUMMERFIELD."
[To the Rev. Thomas B. Sargent.]
" Liverpool, 24lh June, 1823.
u My dearest Thomas
* # # * a j mus t now stop. I see I have filled one-third
of my letter with the cases of a personal pronoun ; I was going
to say with the declensions of one, but perhaps it is rather an im-
proper term. * * * *
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 399
" And now, my dear Thomas, I come to you, though last,
not least, and yet I am pausing what to say ; indeed, I want
words for matter. And so you are now fully employed, that
is, as much as your other duties will permit, in making known
to men the word of reconciliation. Oh, had I the wings of a
dove ! With what delight I could now sit under your shadow
at the foot of the pulpit ! Your image is ever before me, nor
do I need any limner to remind me of every feature ; but then
I never properly saw them lighted up by the shining forth of
the candle of the Lord within you when standing in the charac-
ter of ambassador of God !
Oh ! my dear, dear Thomas, I have sweet remembrance of
you in my prayers, being mindful also of your tears ! I am
filled with joy ! yea, I am very full of comfort ! My Father
who is in heaven has mingled no such sweet in my cup as that
which you afford me ! 'I live, if you stand fast in the Lord !'
; Happy, if wilh my latest breath
Thou may'st but gasp His name !
Preach Him to all, and cry in death,
Behold, behold the Lamb !'
" Yes, my dear Thomas, exalt the Lamb ! ' He is worthy !'
Hang every spoil you have gained from the enemy upon His
cross, and lay every honour you may receive from men at his
feet. I do long to see you ; nor will any one thing in America
tend to hasten my return more than to be ' somewhat filled with
your company.' I shall see you now with other eyes; no
longer the keeper of the sheep-fold, but the anointed of the
Holy One, to bear His name among the Gentiles. Walk worthy
of thy high calling, and great shall be thy reward in heaven.
" Write to me again and again and again. Remember me
to my foster mother. Put her in mind of the eleventh day of
this month last year. I thought of her on that day, for I read
400 LETTERS OF THE
in her anxious face at that time, ' there is but a step between
thee and death.' God bless her a thousand fold !
" Present my respects to all, and believe me my dear Tho-
mas,
" Thine till death,
"J. SUMMERFIELD."
[To the Rev. William M. Willett.]
" Liverpool, 10th July, 1823.
" My dear William, whom I love in the truth
" It is but a few days since I learned, by letters from
America, that you have now put on the harness of the Chris-
tian minister. To describe to you my feelings on this account
would be impossible I When I read the intelligence my heart
fluttered in such a manner that I knew not which was the
greater exciting cause, joy, or hope, or fear. Even when the
passions subsided, I thought I could find more of anxiety in the
preponderating scale than of any other feeling. Oh ! my dear
William, wbat shall I say ? I am not painfully fearful concern-
ing you, but I am inexpressibly anxious for the result. I have
confidence in you in all things ; but then you have entered upon
an unbeaten path, a path which yon never trod before. You
have commenced a warfare, not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities and powers, against the rulers of darkness
of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. You
have now left the ranks and become a leader under the Captain
of our salvation ; and honourable as is the step you have taken,
yet it cannot be disguised from you, that by this step you have
set yourself as a mark to the powers of hell, who will direct
against you instruments of warfare and modes of temptation,
which, as a private member of the church, you might have for
ever remained a stranger to. The god of this world is well
aware that if he can produce the fall or defection of the stan-
dard-bearer, the people will flee, every man to his own house,
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 401
and, panic-struck, never again rally under the banner of the
cross. He knows that when great limbs are severed from the
tree, many twigs will fall with them ; or, in plain language, the
falling away of him who has preached to others, is more calcu-
lated to destroy the flock of Christ than all the open warfare
which the devil or his agents could maintain against them.
" But I check myself. Write I these things to hinder you ?
Nay, but as my beloved son I warn you ; and if I have suc-
ceeded in casting you down for a moment, it is that you may
know where your place of safety lies. The cross, my dear
William, the foot of the cross, must be your resting-place ;
the crucified must be the object ever before your mind ; ' with-
out thee I can do nothing f must ever be on your tongue, and
that from unfeigned lips ; and every honour which the Head of
the Church may put upon you, must be hung as a trophy on
his cross, while ' not unto me, not unto me, but unto thy name
be all the glory,' must be the language of your heart. If you
walk by this rule, and mind this same thing, the gates of hell
will not be able to prevail against you ; you will stand forth in
all the might of an ambassador of God ! Your word will be
with power ; shaking and trembling will seize the sinner, while
the believer will recognize in you an apostle, not of men, neither
by the will of man, but of God the Father, and Jesus Christ
whom he raised from the dead. -May the Lord give you un-
derstanding in all things.
" I trust that the hardships of the circuit to which you have
been appointed will be no stumbling-block to you. It is nothing
compared with what I endured the first two years of my minis-
try in the various parts of Ireland, by night and by day ; and
if ever I grew weary and faint in my mind, I applied to the
Strong for strength, and thus always found that his grace was
sufficient for me, and that he caused strength to be imparted to
me proportioned to my need. My dear William, keep eternity
full in view, and the recompense of reward, and you will find it
2 m2
402 LETTERS OF THE
the best antidote either against all the treasures of Egypt, or all
the afflictions you may be called upon to suffer. Remember
you are in a warfare, and seek not for ease ; and may God give
you grace to acquit yourself as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
" My paper fills up, and my heart is not at all discharged of
its burlhen. I have much, very much to say ; but I will not I
cannot do it with paper and ink. Soon I hope to see you face
to face. Meantime, get ' Clark's Letter to a Young Preacher ;'
make it your own by digesting its invaluable contents : it is in
our book room, and is worth its weight in gold !
" Farewell ! May God bless you, and ever have you in his
holy keeping.
" Affectionately your fellow-servant,
"J. SUMMERFIELD."
[To Mr. Thomas B. Sargent. J
" Liverpool, 10th July, 1S23.
" My precious Thomas
" Although I used you as the vehicle of communication to
two families (your own and that of Mr C. ), in the last let-
ter I addressed to you, yet I again take that liberty, from the
conviction that it is not disagreeable to you, and cannot be
judged ill by them, on account of your nearness of relation to-
wards the one, and tenderness of attachment to the other : and
moreover, I know you so well, that if any jealousy should be
excited, one look and one smile and one word from you would
put all to rights again. I confess to you it is a relief to me to
adopt this plan ; for I feel it to be a severe tax to write so con-
stantly as I am obliged to do, not only to America, but Ireland,
France and England ; 1 say a tax, but I mean to apply it only
to my physical powers, and the bearing it has on my health ;
with this aside, it is a real mental gratification. *
" I should have been glad to have heard from you after the
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 403
Philadelphia Conference, anxious to know what preachers you
have amon (r you. From New York I have received intelligence
respecting that city ; among the rest, that William Willett has
been appointed to the east end of Lond Island. I cannot but
regret this, as I fear the breaking in will be too severe ; I have
written to him by this packet to cheer him up ; I trust that God
will support him, strengthen his hands, and confirm his knees,
and hold him on the even tenour of his way. I am fond of pleas-
ing myself with the conjecture that perhaps Thomas is also thus
employed, and that the reason of his silence is the bustle of pre-
paring for his outgo ; such as getting saddle-bags, horse, whip,
&c, and packing up his linen, with Wesley's hymns and pocket
Bible. Well, should it not be, the time may come, and if you
prevent not, mill come ; I believe that God has certainly called
you to be a minister in the gospel of His dear son ; be not thou
disobedient to the heavenly call, and be thou faithful therein,
neither receive this grace of God in vain. The fathers are passing
away, and breaches are daily making in the ranks of the
standard bearers ; oh ! that God would raise up a host of pious
youths ardently waiting to catch the standards ere they fall from
the veterans of the cross ; that instead of the fathers may be the
children, and yet the children's children.
" Remember me affectionately to my friends. I see I have
forgot to say a word about myself. Well, I will close with it.
My health is much as when I last wrote, and my soul is athirst
for all the salvation of God ! Last Sabbath I assisted in ad-
ministering the Lord's Supper to about six hundred people ; the
Lord supped with us, and made our feast a little heaven. Fare-
well, my dear Thomas ! Still remember me as I also do you.
" Ever affectionately yours,
"J. SUMMERFIELD."
404 LETTERS OF THE
[To Dr. Thomas Sargent.]
" Liverpool, 1 5th Aug., 1823.
" My dear friend
" Having promised you the earliest intelligence from the
English Conference, which was concluded but two days ago,
and from which I have just returned, I lose no time in forward-
ing it to you by the packet which sails to-morrow. The ap-
pointment has devolved upon Mr. Reece, and a second has also
been appointed to accompany him, Mr. John Hannah, a junior
preacher of six or seven years standing, but a young man of re-
spectable talents ; they take their departure in March next. *
# # # #
" I look forward with great solicitude to our approaching
General Conference ; I hope much, but I fear more : I am
anxious that the report borne back by our English brethren may
establish that high character of us with which Mr. Emory's
talent and worth and piety possessed them, and that their affec-
tion to America with which he re-inspired them, may be-
come confirmed and durable ; but then this long agitated ques-
tion that it were buried in the bottom of the sea ! and it
may, if there should be a sea an ocean of love among us at the
time : let us begin to pray for an outpouring of the spirit of
meekness, of brotherly kindness, and at the same time of heaven-
ly wisdom ; that while we possess the wisdom of the serpent,
we may connect with it the harmlessness of the dove ! Remem-
bering that Jesus is yet the Head of the Church, let us spread
the case before Him ; He has long held us in his right hand, yea,
in the hollow of His hand ; soon shall we see that
' His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour,
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.'
REV. JOHN SUtoMERFIELD. 405
" A very serious and awful occurrence took place at the open-
ing of Conference, and had a solemnizing effect during the whole
of its session : a coach in which were seven preachers on their
journey to this annual assembly was overturned ; only one es-
caped unhurt ; one died in a few hours, his name was Sargent ;
a second died on the second day, and others are lying danger-
ously ill, mangled and bruised to a frightful degree. Oh ! how
mysterious ! Surely ' He plants his footsteps in the sea ;' we
cannot track his design herein ; may it preach to each of us, ' be
ye also ready, for in such an hour as you think not the Son of
Man cometh.' Farewell. * * * #
" Ever affectionately yours,
"J SUMMERFIELD."
[To Rev. Thomas B. Sargent.]
" TAnerponl, 24th Oct., 1823.
" My dear Thomas
" It is now a month since I wrote to you, but 'tis an age
since I heard from you ; I suppose you are reserving all your
o-ood sayings until I can receive them fresh from your own lips ;
and yet I still think that you have such an abundance of them
that the stock would bear a considerable reduction without any
sensible diminution ; surely you might inclose me if it were
but half a dozen feelings of your heart, made tangible in the
form of words ; and I promise you, if you knew how I prize
them you would do so.
" My own letters to America are now drawing to a close ; early
in the year 1 hope, by the good hand of my God upon me, to
embark for my much loved home ! My health is so much im-
proved that I preach about once a week, and find moderate
exercise in this way beneficial. I am aware that in the bare
mention of this I am rousing all your anxieties, but then, though
I can keep nothing from you, I assure you, at the same time,
that I am much more prudent than I have ever been, and your
406 LETTERS OF THE
fears are groundless. I confine myself to preaching on Sunday
morning, never choosing an evening appointment ; indeed, I
generally house myself after five o'clock, and enjoy my friend
and his fire-side : tea-parties I have altogether laid aside, and my
friends know they need use no importunity to prevail on me.
By this means, and extreme care in my clothing, regularity in
my exercises, and great attention to my diet, but, above all,
through His blessing concerning whom we sing
' Except the Lord conduct the plan
The best concerted schemes are vain,
And never can succeed.'
through His blessing I am what I am, and to him shall be
devoted all that life he bestows, even to its latest moment of
existence. O that he would make me fully conformed to
the image of His Son !
" T trust my dear Thomas is growing in grace,- striking his
roots deeper into that rich soil of humble love in which all the
graces of the Spirit thrive ; and while he is feeling after these
depths, I trust he is also overtopping the tallest cedars of Leba-
non, and clustering on every bough with all the fruits of righte-
ousness, which are by Christ Jesus, unto the glory and praise of
God the Father.
" Remember me affectionately to your dear parents ; I write
to them through you ; may my dear Thomas ever be worthy of
them! * * * *
" Ever yours, &c,
"J. SUMMERFIELD."
[To Mrs. Blackstock.]
" Runcorn, Bee. 20th, 1823.
" My dear Ellen
" If I were to have sat down immediately on the receipt of
your last, dated 7th Nov., and replied to you under the influence
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 407
of my first feelings on reading it, I scarcely can conjecture what
I might have said. O why this strain ? One tissue of scolding
runs through the whole of it, mixed up with a jealousy, which
you say is ' the offspring of love.'' O, my dear Ellen, love is not
the mother of jealousy : love is too tender to produce anything
so harsh in all its features ; will you bear with me if I moralize a
little ? I know you sometimes natter me with thinking that I
am capable of instructing you in some things ; if I am, it is only
because I have been more conversant with men and things. True
friendship, which is indeed the purest form of love, is unsus-
picious ; it hopeth all things ; it never faileth. Young has
beautifully said concerning it, that ' distrust destroys it :' it has no
surmises; it thinketh no evil. Now if I could only prevail on
myself to copy some paragraphs in your letter, for the sake of
bringing them to this standard, there would appear a strange dis-
crepancy ; but then I will not ; I know you have only given
loose to your feelings, through the adoption of that false maxim
that jealousy is the offspring of affection ; "'tis no such thing : or
if it be, it is like Milton's description of the monster that kept the
gate of hell, whose detested brood fed upon the vitals of their
mother.
" However, my arrival in America, to which I now look for-
ward in a few weeks after you receive this letter, will dissipate
all your fears, and you will find that I shall return as I left you, in
a state of single blessedness ; O yes,
'My thoughts on other matters go;
I've had no wedding day, I know.'
" I am glad you keep up so friendly a correspondence with
Philadelphia and Baltimore ; I have written to both places by
this packet." * * *
" And now, my dear Ellen, in expectation of soon seeing you,
408 LETTERS OF THE
and renewing all those kind acknowledgments which your atten-
tions have laid me under, believe me,
" Sincerely and affectionately,
" Your loving brother,
" JOHN."
" P.S. I had forgotten to say one word about myself! My
thoughts are in America ! Thank God I continue as well as
usual ! O bless the Lord with me, and let us exalt His holy
name together.
[To Dr. Thomas Sargent.]
" Runcorn, near Liverpool, Dec. 22d, 1823.
" My dear Doctor
" I was just preparing to write my final letters to America,
and thinking of the congratulatory season of the year, and
reflecting upon all its mercies, when I received such a letter
from a friend in Birmingham, as perfectly astonished me ; my
intention of writing to my dear Thomas, and others, was aban-
doned ; they must excuse me ; I have not recovered from its
paralyzing effects. The following is an extract.
" ' We have lost two of our preachers, Messrs. Banks and
Hulme, of Dudley, also your very kind and worthy friend, H.
Foxall, Esq. Miss Percival called at my house and gave me
the information ; poor Mrs. F. is almost inconsolable ; he died
rather suddenly.'
" I know not what to say ; my mouth is shut ! I stand dumb
before the Lord ! A few weeks ago I left our friend in excel-
lent health and spirits, and fully expected that he would accom-
pany me to America ; last week 1 wrote to inform him of my
arrangements ; but tbe hand of death has smitten him !
" I stand on the brink of the grave tremblingly alive, not
knowing when I may become inclosed myself, or what other of
my friends I may yet live to see drop in. O that we may stand
REV. JOHN SUMMERF1ELD. 409
ready, with our loins girded ! The Judge is at the door ! ' Lo,
I come quickly.' I can say nothing more. Every other subject
must give place. Farewell ! still remember in your prayers,
" Your affectionate friend and brother,
"J. SUMMERFIELD."
[To Mr. Thomas B. Sargent.]
" New York, April 26, 1824.
" My dear Thomas
" I suppose you have long thought it was high time for me
to write to you, and indeed so it is ; but if you knew how much
I have been occupied since my return, you would at least palli-
ate the offence, if not altogether exculpate. You have been
much on my mind, in my heart, and on my tongue ; my heart's
desire and prayer to God for you is that he would open your
way, exalt the valleys, bring down the mountains, make the
crooked places straight, and the rough places plain, and thus
clearly mark out for you the path in which He would have you
to go. Remember that difficulty is a word which has no mean-
ing when applied to Him : it is not in heaven's vocabulary ;
power belongs to God! Look out of yourself, and altogether upon
Him : let your heart ever say, ' Lord, here I am ! what wouldst
thou have me to do V Ever feel, that though in yourself all
weakness, you ' can do all filings through Christ which
strengthened you.'
1 I do, believe my dear Thomas, that the Lord will yet hold
you like a star in his right hand, by which he will illuminate the
churches ! Oh ! that I may live to see it ; then, indeed, will
my very heart rejoice. My dear Thomas, seek to lose yourself
altogether in the will of God ! Have no choice of your own ;
neither hope nor desire, but according to the will of God. If He
will do you will ; if He nill do you nill ; mark his finger in
everything relating to you ; remember your hairs are all num-
bered ; and if he regard these, no circumstance which can hap-
2n
410 LETTERS OF THE
pen to you is too trivial for Him to overrule to your eternal wel-
fare. Take up every cross never turn aside to avoid one : you
will always find two in the place of it go into every open door,
and cry unto Him continually to be endued with power from on
high ! Let your religion, like the apostles, be summed up in
this comprehensive expression, ' God, whose I am, and whom I
serve :' make an entire surrender of a whole heart to a perfect
Saviour ; thus will you realize the first part of this sentence,
' whose I am'' the second part will follow as a consequence ;-
feel yourself the servant, dovXog, the slave of Jesus Christ ; this
was the highest character ever aspired after by the great apostle
of the Gentiles ; at the feet of his Lord he had laid his character,
reputation, talent, nay, his life itself; in this respect our Wesley
also imitated him ;
' Take my soul and body's powers !
Take my memory, mind, and will !
All my goods, and all my hours !
All I know, and all I feel !
Ml 1 think, and speak, and do/
Take my heart ! and make it new !'
Thus indeed will you become a new creature : old things will be
passed away, behold all things will become new * * * *
" Ever your very affectionate friend and brother,
" J. SUMMERFIELD."
[To Mr. Samuel Harden.]
" New Yorh^ April 30th, 1824.
" My dear Friend and Brother
" I fear that your high expectations respecting my health
will be humbled by our interview ; but I am alive, and why
should a living man complain ? My only anxiety on the sub-
ject is connected with the church of God. I wish to be fully
efficient, that
' All my powers, with all their might,
In her sole glory may unite.'
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 411
However, I am in his hands who can hold me up, and make my
bow abide in strength, my heart ever cries out
' O for a trumpet voice
On all the world to call !'"
[To the Rev. Thomas B. Sargent.]
" Baltimore, 17th May, 1824.
" My dear Thomas
" I don't know what you have thought of me, but I have
thought hardly of myself for suffering your favour of the 12th
inst. to be so long unanswered ; and yet truly, my dear Thomas,
if you could only see through a telescope with power sufficient
to reach this place, you would see me all fuss and bustle from
morning to night. I am heartily tired of it, and yet submission
is my resource ; for fifteen days I have engagements for every
meal, including all last week and all the present ; beyond Satur-
day next I have refused to make any others ; I am run off my
feet. At seven I breakfast, go to Conference at eight, rise at
one, then proceed to the place where I have engaged to dine,
then to preaching at four o'clock tea at some other end of the
town preaching again at eight, and then as soon as I can, I
retire to bed, well fatigued with the occurrences of the day ; this
is an ordinary day ; but there are extraordinaries ; to-day I am
acting as amanuensis to Bishop McKendree ; at four o'clock I
have to go into the country to baptize a grandchild of Colonel
Howard's, and at seven we hold the anniversary of the ' Juve-
nile Finleyan Missionary Society.' However, I am determined
to write by this mail, lest you should think me at all unkind or
inattentive. Indeed I confess I am not pleased that you do not
come on ; many ask after you, and I do really wish you were
here." * * * *
" Many of the Committees have reported ; that, on the Epis-
copacy, recommends the ordination of at least two Bishops ; I
412 LETTERS OF THE
guess they will lay hands on Brother S and Brother B , of
the West. As yet, things go on pretty well ; there have been
trials of strength on several motions, and the votes have some-
times been carried by Brother 's side of the house ; he is all
alive ; but tormentingly loquacious ; he was called to the chair
on 's trial, and I think he made more speeches even from
the chair than any member in the house.
" My ordination took place at my own request on Wednes-
day afternoon last ; it was kept as secret as the case could be,
and was done at the close of a sermon preached before the Con-
ference by the Rev. Richard Reece that afternoon ; Bishop K
stayed only a few minutes after the service of preaching con-
cluded ; the ordination scared him off. The elders assisting
Bishop McKendree were . Brothers Soule, Wells, Garrettson,
and Cooper ; it was the most solemn season I ever witnessed ;
my vows were again publicly plighted, and I resolved more
than ever to spend and be spent for Him who has counted me
faithful, putting me into the ministry. May God help me so to
do. Give my love to your father and mother and all friends, in
Eighth street.
" Believe me, my dear Thomas,
" Ever affectionately, yours,
" JOHN SUMMERFIELD."
[To Anthony Badley, Esq.*]
" My dear Friend
" I now address you, agreeably to my promise, by the
English delegates who are expected to depart hence in a few
days. The last despatch, which would inform you of my safe
arrival, has, I trust, been received. In that I stated that I was
on the eve of setting out to the General Conference at Balti-
* A gentleman at whose house in the vicinity of Liverpool Mr. Sum-
merfiold had resided for several weeks, during his stay in England,
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 413
more. I returned from thence two days ago, and am now about
preparing for the duties of the coming year.
" It will please you to learn that my health is so much im-
proved that I shall not be a supernumerary. The work which
has been assigned me is very extensive, and yet it has been ar-
ranged with a most paternal regard to my feeble constitution.
" In order to secure to me the advantage of travelling, I have
not been appointed to a station (as we call it) such as Liverpool
or Warrington would be called, independent of the circuit at-
tached to thenij nor have I been appointed to a circuit in which a
regular duty would be expected, but have received permission
to travel through the bounds of the Baltimore conference (an
extent equal to your little island), on a missionary tour, to form
auxiliary societies, hold anniversaries, preach missionary ser-
mons, and by every means excite among our people a missiona-
ry spirit, in answer to the loud calls for help which are made to
us from the Indian tribes on our western frontiers. My commis-
sion extends still farther, for the bishops have given me the
privilege of travelling on the same account northward, as far as
Canada, and southward as far as Florida, according to the sum-
mer and winter seasons of the year ; that by every means they
may conduce to the perfect re-establishment of my health ; for
such is the felicity of situation in this highly favoured land, that
it includes within itself every zone and every climate. I feel
truly grateful for my privileges, and trust that I may be crowned
with abundant success.
" The work of God in this country is extending and widening
on every side. We have had to increase the number of our an-
nual conference from twelve to seventeen, and to ordain two new
bishops at the general conference, so that we have now five
superintendents. I know not where it will stop but God for-
bid that it should ever cease until the knowledge of the glory of
the Lord shall cover the whole earth !
" I trust that the report which Mr. Recce will be prepared to
make to the British conference will fully realize my warmest
414 LETTERS OF THE
anticipations. I believe that both he and Mr. Hannah have
been more than satisfied. ' The half had not been told them.'
As it regards themselves, they have given universal satisfaction.
" At their parting with us at the General Conference at Bal-
timore, I never saw a more affecting scene ; the Conference
stood up, while the bishops, on behalf of the whole church, gave
them the right hand of fellowship, and bade them a long fare-
well. Mr. Hannah joined in solemn prayer before they with-
drew, and was responded to with groanings which cannot be utter-
ed. Our senior bishop, now grey with age and broken down
with care, followed him, and reciprocated in fervent petition all
the super-abundance of spiritual blessings on the English con-
nexion which the former had supplicated for the American
church ; it was a struggle for the mastery ; but love was the
contest, and each was in turn the conqueror and the conquered.
"We again stood upon our feet, while our venerable apostle
pronounced the benediction ; but I cannot describe the scene
every eye was suffused with tears business was suspended
silence reigned, except when it was disturbed by the breaking
forth of feelings which could not be suppressed. They left us,
never to return ; and the senior bishop accompanied them to
the ship, sorrowing most of all that we should see their face no
more. Oh ! I felt at that moment, and we all felt, that the
spirit of Christ lives among us. I felt, and we all felt, that
Methodism is one wherever it is found that like seed produces
like fruit. Oh ! I felt, and we all felt, that
' Mountains may rise and oceans roll
To sever us in vain !'
I saw that the prayer of ourGreat High Priest had prevailed
'that they may all be one !' I was abundantly satisfied.
" But it is now high time to express my anxieties concerning
my friend in Linacre. May I hope, to hear from you ? Oh, favour
me with this additional token of your love : how are you pros-
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 415
pering ? I mean in spiritual riches for in this world's goods
the Great Proprietor of all has given you richly all things to en-
joy. But the true riches the unsearchable riches the gold
tried in the fire : are you abounding in these ? Abounding !
yes : for He has said, ' Ask what ye will, and I will do it for
you.' With Him it is only ask and have ; but then ' ask in
faith, nothing doubting' they are all yours purchased by the
precious blood of Christ, promised to all who come unto God
by him offered by the Holy Spirit without money and without
price ! O, my dear friend, put in your claim for the fulness,
the whole fulness honour God by believing, for the accomplish-
ment of his uttermost salvation, and you shall be saved with all
the power of an endless life .
" Yours, with all sincerity,
"JOHN SUMMERFIELD."
[To Doctor Thomas Sargent.]
" New York, July loth, 1824.
" My dear Doctor
" You may well wonder what has become of me ; the trial
on which I was detained was only terminated on Thursday
last." * * * *
" Well, I have done with law all hail the gospel ! I am
not ashamed of this, thank God. Soon I hope to see you, but I
have been very unwell for ten days past the same complaint
which afflicted me at your house about the time of my recovery
from the hemorrhage.
" 1 am now recovering, but am exhausted much, though I
preach every Lord's da} r I await some letters and instructions
from Baltimore, and shall organize some Juvenile Missionary
Associations among us here before I leave the city.
" Where is Thomas ? How is your city for health ? Is it
safe for me at this season, or should I rather first make the tour
of Boston and the East ? Do favour me with a line and a
416 LETTERS OF THE
longer one than my time will permit me to send you. With love
to all yours, and any inquiring friends,
" Believe me, my dear Doctor,
" Ever yours, in sincerity,
"J. SUMMERFIELD."
[To Mr. Blackstock.]
" Montreal, 16th August, 1824.
" My dear James
" I address you from this place, an important station in His
Majesty's dominions.
" On Tuesday night, at 12 o'clock, Mr. S and I took the
steamboat on Lake Cham plain, and about 10 o'clock the next
morning we entered the confines of royalty. English soldiers
never looked more attractive than those we saw on duty upon
the boundary ; Ave landed for about fifteen minutes upon the
Isle of Noir, to view the fortifications, &c, which are carrying
on by the British at an immense expense ; the Island guards the
navigation of the Lake, and is considered the key of Canada.
We left the steamboat at St. John's, which is the head of the
navigation of the lake, and came sixteen miles by stage to La
Prairie ; here again we embarked, and crossed the great river St.
Lawrence, landing at Montreal about four o'clock in the after-
noon of the same day.
" Intending to remain here only until the next day, we took
up our quarters at the Exchange Coffee House ; but we had not
been in town an hour before we were discovered ; messengers
having gone to every hotel in the place to inquire for us. I
found they had traced us by country newspapers, &c, and even
knew to a day when we were to be at Montreal ; ten days
before a paragraph had been inserted in the papers, that I might
be expected in company vnth Dr. Milnor, to attend the anniver-
sary of the Montreal Bible Society, which they had postponed
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 417
from time to time, to Thursday evening, the day after I arrived
here ; finding all this ado, I could not well leave the town till
after this meeting, and therefore arranged accordingly." * *
* " Indeed, after preaching here yesterday forenoon, I
found it impossible to get away without pleading for the British
and Canada Schools in this Province ; this is appointed for
Wednesday evening ; on Thursday, I set off to Burlington, &c,
&c." * "I hope to find you all as much bene-
fited by staying at home, as I trust I am by roving abroad ;
meantime, remember me affectionately to my father and each of
the family, and believe me,
" Ever yours in love,
" J. SUMMERFIELD."
[To Dr. Thomas Sargent.]
" JVeie York, Sept. 6th, 1824.
"My dear Doctor
" I daresay you have often wondered what has become of
me and indeed, not without reason, but my long silence was
owing to my being on a Northern tour for five weeks, from
which I only returned on Tuesday last. I cannot say that I
have preached the gospel in places where the name of Christ
has not been heard, though I have travelled into the Lower
Province of Canada; but I have laboured abundantly to make
His power known, and I rejoice to testify that ' the Lord stood
with me.' My health has improved considerably amidst the
fevers of repeated excitements, and I feel more strengthened
than at any time since my afflictive mercies in your city.
" I am now bending my course to your little Bethany. My
intention is to leave here on Thursday week ; how I may be
delayed on the road I cannot tell ; but you may expect me by
Saturday night, please God. I know nothing of the movements
of Thomas, but I should rejoice to meet him in the city when I
418 LETTERS OF THE
arrive ; if he should be on his mission, perhaps you would write
to him to invite his return, if consistent with his engagements ;
I long to see him that I maybe comforted together with him by
the common consolation. I have passed through various trials
since I last saw you, and my heart has often sickened." *
" Remember me affectionately to all, and, believe me, my
dear Doctor, ever
" Your affectionate friend and brother,
"J. SUMMERFIELD."
[To Dr. Thomas Sargent.]
" Lancaster, 7 th Oct., 1824.
" My dear Doctor
" We promised to write to you once a week during our
absence, and as it is a week this day since we left Philadelphia,
we come within the engagement. We have arrived here within
a few hours, safe and sound and as to health, ' moving.'' Thomas
would have written, but as he preaches this evening, and is as
usual a good deal in the ' dithers'' till it is over, I have under-
taken the matter. We are travelling; in a gig. The weather
has been very unfavourable, and although there has been con-
siderable rain, yet we have been favoured as the Jews were in
the rebuilding of their temple the rain fell all in the night so
that our work, like theirs, has not been impeded thereby.
" I can give you no particulars as yet of what we have done ;
in Strasburg we suffered much in our collection for the want of
due notice having been given, which the cross post prevented
us from doing ; we have been among Germans, and you know
what a difficult task it is to coax money from them ; it comes like
drops of blood from their fingers' ends.
" I hope, however, that we shall not disappoint the expecta-
tions of the Committee, although I do think neither of us would
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 419
covet such a begging Mission again. With love to all your
family, in which Thomas unites, I remain,
" My dear Doctor,
" Yours, as ever,
" J. SUMMERFIELD."
[To Mr. Francis Hall.]
" Baltimore, Jan. 1st, 1825.
" My dear Friend
" Last Sunday closed my pulpit labours
for a short season, until I am recruited ; I knew not how to stop
earlier, for such a begging time as I have had, week after week>
exceeded anything heretofore ; our success was also encourag-
ing ; on one occasion when I preached, we collected three hun-
dred dollars, which was considered a large collection.
" I am glad your Missionary Board have determined to orga-
nize a Juvenile Society. To give you another instance, if in-
deed it were needed, of the great advantage we should derive
from engaging our children, I may mention an occurrence which
transpired since I last wrote to you. I before informed you of
the letter I had received from Brother James B. Finley, begging
for fifty dollars, for sundry purposes, not exactly connected with
the funds of the Mission, and yet important for its prosperity ;
in full confidence of receiving it from our children, I wrote to
him to draw on Baltimore for the amount ; the week after, I
preached to some thousands of them, and read his feeling letter,
and commented on every paragraph, and then told the children
that I would preach to them again on that day week, if they
would pay me fifty dollars for my sermon, which I would remit
to Mr. Finley ; universal approbation followed, and on that
occasion I collected about one hundred dollars, so that I had to
write Mr. Finley to double his draft
" This collection has nothing to do with the Finleyan 3Iite
Society, which is auxiliary to the New York Parent Society.
420 LETTERS OF THE
" I merely state this to show what a resource we have in our
children, and what a powerful auxiliary of good to the Church
they may become." * * *
[To Mr. of Princeton College.
" Baltimore, December 8th, 1824.
" My very dear friend and brother * * * must not suppose
for one moment, that because he has not received a line from
me since our interview in the summer, he had no longer any
place in my remembrance. no ! ' God is my witness, whom
I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of His Son, that without ceas-
ing I make mention of you always in my prayers !'
" Your first letter was received, though out of date ; perhaps
you have heard that about that time I made a tour through
several of the New England States, and the lower province of
Canada, everywhere preaching the Word. Immediately on my
return to New York, I was appointed to travel through the State
of Pennsylvania, and partially through Jersey, which filled up
every niche of my time till early in November, when I arrived
here, where I am now fulfilling the duties of my regular station ;
and scarcely had I become settled, before your second favour
was forwarded to me from Philadelphia, where it had been di-
rected. I greatly rejoiced in the consolation which its contents
afforded me, and I do most earnestly covet another and another,
' that I may be comforted together with you, by the mutual
faith both of you and me.'
" While I sincerely mourn with you, that out of so large a
number of the rising generation which your college brings to-
gether, so few, comparatively, are wise to understand the things
which belong to their everlasting peace, yet I thank God and
take courage, that there is still ' a remnant according to the elec-
tion of grace ;' and while I consider your own circumstances, in
your present situation, like those of the ' greatly beloved' Daniel,
in the land of his captivity, and in the house of bondage, yet like
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD, 421
him also, I anticipate concerning my greatly beloved friend, that
he shall ' stand in his lot at the end of the days.'
" I am not able to ascertain from the tenour of your letter,
whether or not Satan is tempting you ' in the wilderness' with re-
spect to your call to the ministry, or whether he has ' departed for
a season.' You express, however, in both your letters, the com-
fort you have received from the individual application which you
have been enabled to make of Isa. vi. 6, 8. It is indeed a pas-
sage very full of comfort, and although you confess that the lat-
ter part of the chapter is dark and appalling, yet it need present
no such horror to you. While the qualifications for the ministry
(circumstances apart) must be essentially the same with those
of the prophet, yet the tenour of the commission which is entrust-
ed unto us, runs in a sweeter strain ; ' God hath committed unto
us the ministry of reconciliation, to wit, that God was in Christ
reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses
unto them ; now then we are ambassadors of Christ, as though
God did beseech by us, we pray men in Christ's stead that they
be reconciled unto God.' O what strains are these \
' 'Tis mercy all, let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more !'
Our great theme is ' Jesus Christ crucified ;' our great business
is, to set him forth to men, ' evidently crucified before their
eyes ;' our great glorying is, ' the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto us, and we unto the
world." Oh, it is his name which gilds the page of our commis-
sion ; it is his name which throws such a halo of glory around
every part, as to absorb all within its beams ; it is his name
which contains the charm to drive away the evil spirit out of
man :
' For devils fear and fly.'
' Happy if with your latest breath,
You may but gasp his name,
Preach him to all, and cry in death,
Behold ! Behold the Lamb !'
2o
422 LETTERS OF THE
" I doubt not, my dear friend, that, rather than refuse the offer-
ed privilege, you would sacrifice your all. I doubt not but you
have laid at his feet your health, your property, your reputa-
tion, your life itself ; and that you have determined to be the
servant, or rather, as you know the term is, the slave of Jesus
Christ ; and that nothing now is wanting to your being unre-
servedly given up to the service of your condescending Master,
but the solemn imposition of hands, to which you look forward
with so much solicitude. Continue to live in the spirit of sacri-
fice ; those things which are gain to you count loss for Christ.
##########
" May the Spirit of the Father and the Son lead you into al]
truth ! may he be your sanctifier, as well as comforter ! may his
unction ever abide upon you : and when that solemn hour shall
arrive, when the hands of the presbytery shall mark you out as
the devoted victim of the daily cross, may his baptismal fire
descend and take up his abode within you, purifying your heart
to be the sanctuary of God, and a holy of holies for his abiding
habitation! * * * *
" My dear yoke-fellow, yours in Christ Jesus,
" J. SUMMERFIELD."
"This letter was received when Mr. Summerfield was rapidly
declining under that complication of disorders, which, in the
month of June next succeeding, removed him from us. The
remarks which follow, upon extemporary preaching, are very
highly deserving of notice, as coming from such a source. All
who ever heard this eminent pulpit orator, will readily ac-
knowledge that he approached to perfection in fluency, aptness,
arrangement, and choice of diction : that is, in what constitutes
the highest praise of an extemporary speaker."
KEV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 423
[To THE SAME.]
" Baltimore, January 4th, 1825.
" My very dear friend
" For a fortnight past I have been interdicted all exercise
of any kind, mental or bodily, and I am still confined to my
chamber. My physicians are beginning to relax their restric-
tions, and I am permitted to correspond, to a certain extent, with
the friends of my heart.
" That you may not be uneasy with regard to the nature of
my present indisposition, I would simply state that it is but
temporary, and is the effect of artificial causes. I have been
submitting to a course of mercury, at their recommendation, and
the process of salivation having arrived at its highest state, my
debility was extreme, and I had no rest out of my bed. That
course is now suspended, and I am slowly recruiting ; very fa-
vourable results are anticipated, and when I shall see you in
the spring, by the will of God, I hope you will find them real-
ized. * * *
" I very sensibly feel alive to the confidence your letter
reposes in me, and I feel thankful also that you let me so
fully into your inside heart. I see its workings, and how trem-
blingly sensitive it is on the great subject to which all the energies
of your mind are bending. Will it be any relief to my dear
friend to assure him that these anxieties are the counterpart of
my own, even unto this present hour ? Yes, for I will not
scruple to disclose it, that although I am now in my seventh
year of ministerial labour, the agony with which I entered upon
it is unabated. I still feel it a crucifixion, a martyrdom, a dying
daily.
" Human sciences may become familiar by incessant applica-
424 LETTERS OF THE
lion, and practice may make perfect ; but the science of salva-
tion passetk knowledge :
' I cannot reach the mystery,
The length, the breadth, the height !'
Angels themselves are represented as desiring to look into these
things ; and yet, with all the might of all their bending minds
united, they fail to comprehend them, and join us in the apostles'
cry, ' O the depth, the depth /' And it ever must be so ; so long
as we retain the spirit of our commission, our dependence upon
the Holy Spirit will continue to be as sensibly felt in our last
sermon, as in our first, unless we have learned to preach with-
out him ; and then we shall be sounding brass and tinkling
cymbals, noisy instruments of no value. But let not my dear
friend be therefore weary, and faint in his mind ; be not un-
willing to harbour the incessant cry within your breast, " Who
is sufficient for these things ?" and let the faith which moves
the mountain triumphantly rejoin, ' My sufficiency is of God, /
can do all things through Christ strengthening me.' Ever lean
upon the promise, of the Great Head of the Church, ' Lo, /am
with you always.' And you also shall find, even if your record
be that of the brightest luminary of the Christian Church, ' no
man stood by me, but all men forsook me,' ' nevertheless,
the Lord stood with me !' 'Be not thou therefore moved at the
afflictions of Christ, but endure hardness as a good soldier.'
Remember the recompense of the reward.
" In reply to your remarks on extemporary discourses, I am
glad to find your own soul in such perfect harmony with mine.
You very much magnify the difficulty of it, but you have not
yet been called to grapple with it ; and I am fully persuaded,
that even in your infancy as a minister of Christ Jesus, you will
strangle the serpent ; such is my decided impression, from the
views you have already taken of the subject. And yet you cry,
' Hie labor, hoc opus est ." I do not know that anything I could
suggest would be applicable to your circumstances, because the
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 425
mode of training for the ministry in our church differs so totally
from yours.
" On admission into our church, each member is put into a
class (so called) composed of a dozen persons, more or less ; this
class is under the care of a judicious man, well experienced in
the things of God ; we call him the class leader : it is his busi-
ness to meet his class collectively once every week, and speak
to each member in relation to his Christian experience. This
method gives a young man at the outset a facility in describing
his own views and feelings without embarrassment, and he is
improved by hearing his class-mates speak their experience in
like manner. Thence he is appointed to be a leader himself,
and this affords a facility of addressing a word of advice to others.
Thence he is advanced to be a leader in a prayer-meeting, then
an exhorter, &c, &c. ; and finally, upon full trial, he enters the
ministry, with much less embarrassment than the man who is
launched out from scenes in which everything is prepared with
labour, and made the subject of severe criticism.
" In your case I should recommend the choice of a companion
or two, with whom you could accustom yourself to open and
amplify your thoughts oa a portion of the Word of God, in the
way of lecture ; choose a copious subject, and be not anxious to
say all that might be said ; let your efforts be aimed at giving a
strong outline, the filling up will be much more easily attained.
Prepare a skeleton of your leading ideas, branching them off into
their secondary relations ; this you may have before you. Digest
well the subject, but be not careful to choose your icords pre-
vious to your delivery. Follow out the idea in such language
as may offer at the moment. Don't be discouraged if you fall
down a hundred times, for though you fall, you shall rise again :
and cheer yourself with the prophet's challenge, ' Who hath de-
spised the day of small things ?'
" To be a correct extemporaneous preacher, you will need to
write a food deal, in order to correct style, and prune off the
exuberance of language ; but I would not advise you to write on
2o2
426 LETTERS OF THE
the subject upon which you intend to preach. If you fill up on
paper the matter of your text, you will contract a slavish habit
of cambering your mind with the words of your previous com-
position. Write on other subjects, and leave your words free
and spontaneous for pulpit exercises.
" If I were near you, I would show you my plan of skeleton-
izing. As 1 hope to have that pleasure in the spring, I will then
let you into my plans, if you think them of any value. I never
preach without having prepared an outline, but I never write a
sermon out at length.
" May the Lord direct you in all things ! Write me again
and again.
" Yours, in love,
J. SUMMERFIELD."
[To Dr. Thomas Sargent.]
" Baltimore, \th Jan., 1825.
" My dear Doctor
" This morning I received a letter from the Committee of
your Missionary Society, on the subject of the anniversaries of
the branch societies, formed by Thomas and myself in the fall ;
may I be permitted to answer it through you ; and through the
same medium, to present my thanks to the members of that
Committee individually, as in their official capacity, for the
affectionate regards they manifest towards me, and the religious
pleasure they had contemplated for me as their associated dele-
gate with my former yoke-fellow.
" You are not unacquainted, my dear Doctor, with the ail-
ments under which I am labouring ; I am subjected to a course
of calomel which keeps me very low, and has precluded my pub-
lic labours for the last three weeks ; I had given up the exter-
nal use of the ointment, &c, but am now laid under a slight
course of internal application, taking five grains every other
night ; it has had a favourable effect in exciting my liver to a
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 427
better action, but it is very weakening ; and with the prospect
of my continuing it some time longer, I dare not say that I could
enter into the views of your Committee, much as I desire to
manifest my readiness to comply with their request.
" I am aware that you design to have the auxiliary anniver-
saries previous to your Conference, so as to meet your annual
report ; but I really think it a pity that the most inclement sea-
son of the whole year should be fixed upon, viz. the middle of
February to the end of March, when travelling will be next to
impossible ; could any other plan be adopted I should be
pleased but I suppose that the arrangement for this year at
least, is permanent." * * *
" Remember me to all the family, and believe me,
" My dear Doctor,
" Ever yours in love,
" J. SUMMERFIELD."
[To Mr. Francis Hall.]
" Baltimore, Jan. 21st, 1825.
" My dear Friend
" I received your welcome favour, and also the former
one, to which I should have replied, but was waiting the second
as promised. Shall I say you have done well in that you have
ministered to my necessities ? Nay, you have done more ; the
great Apostle of the Gentiles could only acknowledge the minis-
trations of his friends at Philippi, ' once and again," 1 but you
have supplied my need more than this ; acknowledgment is all
the return I can yet make, but oh, ' it is more blessed to give
than to receive ;' I assure you I feel the humiliation connected
with it, to which circumstances only could constrain my submis-
sion ; but my God shall supply all your need out of his riches
in glory by Christ Jesus !" *
" Yours affectionately,
" JOHN SUMMERFIELD."
428 LETTERS OF THE
[To Dr. Samuel Baker.]
Bloomingdale, N. Y., Tuesday, March 3d, 1825.
" My dear Doctor
" I fear that the delay of one day in writing may cause you
some uneasiness, and yet that day has elapsed ! I arrived
here safely yesterday evening after dark, and, being too much
fatigued to rise early, Mr. B. set off to town before I was up ;
so that the mail will take its departure to-day without bringing
you any intelligence. My journey was, upon the whole, per-
formed with as little suffering as I could have expected ; and,
indeed, it is well that I am here, for the weather has again
become so stormy and rainy this morning that if I had not com-
pleted it, I must have been detained on the road.
" I found my dear father much better than I had expected :
I see no particular change, except that he has taken to his bed
permanently, which seems the precursor of his approaching
change. He told me that his feelings indicated that he should
be carried off suddenly ; he speaks of his approaching change
as though he had long accustomed his mind to be familiar with
the scene, and taught himself to die daily ; we wept and rejoiced
together. The remainder of the family are quite well, and all
desire to be affectionately remembered.
" I need not tell you how anxious I shall be till I hear from
you ; especially in reference to Mrs. Dickens ; she is ever before
my mind and upon my heart ; as for myself ', I am unusually
well, with an appetite greatly improved by travelling.
" Commending you all to my Father and your Father, to my
God and your God, and praying that you may all be preserved
until my coming again, I conclude in haste but with much
affection
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD. 429
" Kind remembrance to all friends, love to Mrs. Dickens,
Mrs. Baker, Eloisa, and all the children from William, the first
fruits to little Blossom, not forgetting Alfred.
" Yours most truly and sincerely,
" JOHN SUMMERFIELD."
[To Mr. Francis Hall.]
" Baltimore, 2d Dec, 1824.
" My dear Friend and Brother
"Although but a month a little month has elapsed since I
parted with you, it seems an age. You have often been on my
mind ; and I suppose it is because I have you in my heart and
therefore I can call you out of my hiding-place whenever I
please. But, why do you keep silence ? Are you so ceremo-
nious as to look for me to commence the conversation ? Well ;
/am not so. I don't care which of us breaks the silence, so
that it introduces us into conversation ; and I give you the pre-
sent proof of it.
" My time has been so filled up, since I came here, that I have
scarcely had a spare niche in it. Mr. Blackstock, to whom I
have written to-day, can tell you how busily I have been en-
gaged ; at the same time, that I am now considerably afflicted
by a general salivation over the whole system, which induces a
languor and sluggishness not easy to be laid aside, even with all
the reviving influence which I feel when corresponding with my
friends.
" Is it too late ? Oh, no. Never too late to acknowledge kind-
ness. Well, then, I sincerely thank you for your token of love
at our parting ; and yet I can unaffectedly add, ' not that I de-
sire a gift, but I desire fruit which shall abound to your account.'
I am humble enough to confess that it was of essential service
to me ; but, never repeat it again. I would not that others should
be eased, and you burdened. I have told the matter to my Lord,
and 1 believe, unworthy a servant as I am, He will register it
430 LETTERS.
among those gifts which he will acknowledge as done unto Him-
self. May He repay you, even here, a hundred fold !
" How is it that I hear nothing from Mr. L. ? I cannot think
that my affectionate advice to him and his dear wife, on things
which make for their eternal peace, can have given them
offence. What would you have me to do ? Let me soon hear
from you, and give me such information on church matters as
you know I should feel interested in if unpleasant tidings, let
me know them, and we will sympathize together.
" I have long thought of writing to Mrs. B. I will do so in a
few days ; at present, I have at least a dozen letters on church
affairs, from the East, West, North and South, which are all lying
unanswered. Two days since, I heard from honest Finley. He
begs, as if for his life, that I would send him fifty dollars, for
certain purposes, which are not strictly allowable out of his mis-
sion funds. I know he is not a seeker of loaves and fishes, and
when he complains, he must be far gone, indeed for he has
counted the cost. I am going to send it to him to-day, in faith
that I may collect it at a children's sermon next week, which I
am going to preach with reference thereto.
" Yours, unalterably,
"J. SUMMERFIELD"
REMINISCENCES.
The Rev. Doctor Bond, in his introduction to " Summer field's
Sermons, and Sketches of Sermons ," writes :
" His discourses did not strike one by the novelty of his opi-
nions, or by the erudition they displayed. There were, it is true,
in all his sermons, ' thoughts that breathed and words that burn-
ed ;' but, for the most part, they presented only ' what oft was
thought, though ne'er so well expressed.' What, then, was the
irresistible charm in his preaching ? We honestly confess we
cannot say. We have some vague idea of it, but cannot embody
it in words. There was, however, one peculiarity which could
not fail to strike the hearer : it was what is called, by common
consent, simplicity. The truths he dwelt upon he had felt in all
their power, and he presented them in the simple, chaste, and
forcible language of unsophisticated feeling. The hearer who
participated in his religious enjoyments, responded instinctively
to the very spirit of the preacher ; and one who knew nothing of
such experience, felt that it was the most important want of his
nature, and his whole soul went out in cravings for the posses-
sion. It was this simplicity of style which never failed to make
its way to the heart, as certainly as pompous diction, and parade
of language and learning, shuts up every avenue to the feelings.
" But, though there was much in the clear perception, and
the personal experience of the truths presented, and much, too,
in the simplicity of the style and language in which they were
432 REMINISCENCES.
clothed, it must be admitted that there was something in the
manner of the preacher, which greatly added to the effect of his
preaching. But who can describe this manner ? It was not
the gracefulness of his attitudes and action, though these were
perfect. Every movement, whether of body or members, was
not only exactly correct, but intuitively expressive of thought
or feeling, appearing to obey some immediate impulse of the
soul. There was nothing theatrical, nothing studied, nothing
which gave the slightest suspicion that it was done for effect.
All seemed to come unsought, the immediate, spontaneous
sympathy of a body, which lived and acted in obedience to the
promptings of the soul within it. Yet this was not the peculiar
charm, however important an auxiliary it might be. It was not
even the first, or the strongest impression made on the auditory,
though it could not fail to be taken into the account. But that
which we remember to have struck us most forcibly in the
manner of Mr. Summerfield was the meekness, the humility, the
lowliness of heart, which appeared in his whole deportment,
bringing forcibly to the mind, the language and the example of
Him who said, ' Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart.'
Every one saw personified, the Saviour of men in the act of
washing the feet of his disciples, and the soul clave to the min-
ister who bore the image and superscription of his Lord. It
was this that so prepossessed you, as to subdue and shame every
previously-formed intention to criticise the coming sermon.
The affections were surrendered at once, and the decisions of
the judgment were anticipated by the suffrage of the heart. * *
* * Mr. Summerfield possessed extraordinary powers
in the use of the pen ; he wrote with a facility and accuracy
that was truly astonishing ; apparently with as much ease and
facility as he spoke. He has left seven post octavo volumes of
pulpit preparations, containing between three and four hundred
sermons and skeletons of sermons. They are written in a style
of elegance hardly to be surpassed ; an erasure or an inter
lineation is rarely to be found in his voluminous manuscripts
REMINISCENCES. 433
" His indefatigable application to the study of the Holy Scrip-
tures must have been with p in in hand, as he has also left two
large books, one a counting-house ledger, containing a vast
amount of notes or comments on the Scriptures, written so ex-
tremely fine, and the words so abbreviated, that it is difficult to
decipher them without a glass ; and, what is remarkable, an
immense amount of these notes are written with a fine lead-pen-
cil. Doubtless he discovered that he could make the pencil
move faster than the pen. It is supposed, from the arrange-
ment and character of this labour, he must have contemplated
writing a commentary on the Bible."
Rev. Matthew Rcchey remarks " of this admirable and la-
mented young minister, whom the Great Head of the Church
made a polished shaft in his quiver, and in whom he was greatly
glorified :"
" At the age of twenty-three, Summerfield's mind exhibited
a harmony and an expansion which very rarely anticipate the
meridian of life. The unearthly invigoration of the love of
Christ, affords the only satisfactory solution oi the rapid develop-
ment of his uncommon mental energies. Though a diligent
student, time had not permitted him to attain full maturity of
scholarship ; but he possessed in a high degree all the attributes
of a mind of the first order. His understanding was clear, his
judgment discriminating, and his imagination so vigorous and
susceptible, that it cost him no effort to fling the hues and tints
of vitality over the abstractions- of truth, and thus to impart to
the most common-place topic all the freshness and interest of
originality. The natural erfect of his thrilling eloquence was
materially aided by a person and manner the most graceful, and
an aspect of angelic benignity : its moral charm was the demon-
stration and power of that Divine Spirit
* "Who touched Isaiah's hallowed lips with fire.'
Summerfield v as an extemporaneous preacher, so far as it is
proper for any young minister to be so. His sermons indeed
V 2P
434 REMINISCENCES.
were anything but unpremeditated effusions. Having enjoyed
the rare intellectual luxury of poring over his manuscripts, we
are prepared to state, that his preparations for the Pulpit evince
the full concentration of all the powers of his mind, and the best
use of all the resources of knowledge within his reach, on the
subjects on which he expatiated. But though rich in thought
and logical in their arrangement, the composition (purposely it
would seem) is left unfinished. Definitions and exegetical re-
marks are generally written out with studious accuracy and
precision ; but the occurrence on almost every page, of broken
hints, followed by a significant dash of the pen, indicates the
orator's impatience of the trammels and tedium of previous
composition and the stirring of deep emotion within the breast,
that could find full vent only amid the hallowed excitements of
the Sanctuary. He did not ' offer to God of that which cost
him nothing ;' but it was the altar that sanctified his gift, and
the fire that enkindled his sacrifice issued immediately from the
propitious heavens.
" Whoever would form or exhibit a just appreciation of this
incomparable youth, must, like him, be decidedly Wesleyan in
his creed and predilections, in soul an orator, and in piety a
saint.
" ' O nate, ingentem lucrum ne quaere tucrum ;
Ostendent terris hunc tantum fata, neque ultra
Esse sinent.' "
Reminiscences by the lath Marinus Willett, M. D.
" The first opportunity I had of seeing Mr. Summerfield was
on the platform of the City Hotel, on the anniversary of the
American Bible Society, in the year 1S22. On that occasion,
the venerable Judge Boudinot excited a deep interest ; but
among the excellent and distinguished men present, a youth of
lovely expression and interesting form, attracted my particular
attention. Many hours were occupied in listening to the report
REMINISCENCES. 435
and to the addresses ; the audience began to evince strong symp-
toms of weariness ; when this youth arose, instantly every eye
was fixed upon him. The first burst of eloquence was followed
by a second, which raised the hearers from their seats ; this was
soon succeeded by a third, which produced loud and universal
applause ; such a mode of expressing feeling, on any similar
occasion, had never before been witnessed in our city : a most
striking proof of the power of eloquence." *
* * # # * * #*##*
" From the similarity of Summerfield's career to that of
Whitefield, it has been suggested that, as a preacher, he must
have resembled that distinguished orator. I heard a very aged
gentleman, who often enjoyed the opportunity of hearing the
latter, and entertained a most exalted opinion of his merits, and
who, prior to his hearing Mr. Summerfield, was rather offended
at the suggestion that his talents must resemble Whitefield's on
hearing Mr. Summerfield, for the first time, this gentleman re-
marked, ' I must candidly confess that there is an interest in the
preaching of the latter, which surpasses that of the former.
There is the same faithful exhibition of the truth ; the same
earnest appeals to sinners ; the same evidence of a holy heart,
most solemnly impressed with the value of the soul, and the
same ardent desire to save it from eternal wo. But, there is a
richer and a more delightful eloquence in the presentations of
the truth an expression of countenance a charm of manner
a simplicity and grace of gesture a sweetness of voice, and a
clearness of thought, which certainly makes Mr. Summerfield,
on the whole, a more interesting preacher.'
" It was the custom of Mr. Summerfield to rise early. He
often quoted the remark of Wesley, that a man could not make
great attainment in the Divine life, who refused to commence
the day with this act of self-denial. On the morning of the
Lord's day, he was particularly solicitous to have a large por-
tion of time for devotional exercises. The influence of this
practice upon his heart, I have had the opportunity of remark-
436 REMINISCENCES.
ing in the savour of his conversation, on his way to the house
of God. He had evidently obtained a peculiar blessing. This
was manifest by a deep sense of the Divine presence a most
exalted view of the honour of being an ambassador from God a
solemn sense of his responsibility in the faithful delivery of his
message and so earnest was his desire that the sinner should
be saved, that he occupied the time of a long ride in giving
utterance to thoughts expressive of these sentiments. So seri-
ous and devotional were these occasions, that I shall always
remember them as the most interesting of my life.
" Few persons, of any seriousness, will forget his morning
services in the house of God, which were invariably set apart
for Christians; the evening, for the promiscuous assembly.
Having, in his early closet devotions, obtained so great a bless-
ing for himself, we cannot be surprised that he should commu-
nicate a great blessing to his hearers.
" His popularity was greater, with all denominations of Christ-
ians, than that of any preacher we have ever had in this city,
and it never waned.
" Mr. Summerfield possessed, in an eminent degree, the talent
of parlour preaching. In whatever society he was placed, he
did not fail to use this talent in his Master's service. So rich
and abundant were his resources, that the conversation never
flagged : he maintained it with an interest and vivacity that
charmed and edified every hearer. He possessed a great fund
of wit, in the use of which he occasionally indulged ; but it was
with much caution and restraint. On one occasion, we spent
half an hour in company with a political gentleman of distin-
guished talent, who had great skill in repartee, but was entirely
destitute of piety. Mr. S. met him on his favourite ground, and
opposed him with remarkable shrewdness, and a display of
talent which was really delightful ; at the same time, he did
not omit to impress solemnly on his conscience his duty to his
God." **********
REMINISCENCES. 437
' : We spent a few days together at the house of Mr. G s,
at Rhinebeck. Every person acquainted with that devoted
family, will appreciate the influence felt by all who came within
their social circle. Mr. Summerfield's presence excited and
drew forth, with unusual power, the spirituality and devotional
feelings of all. Mr. S. preached, in their house, to the family
and neighbours. He also preached in the Methodist Church ;
but, so great was the crowd, that few, comparatively, were
accommodated. This induced them to make suitable prepara-
tions for a sermon in a wood. The day was extremely propi-
tious ; a large multitude assembled ; the silence and attention
of the people the youth, eloquence and solemnity of the
preacher the fine effect of the solemn service amidst the trees
of the grove produced an impression long to be remembered.
" Mr. Summerfield proceeded to Albany, for the purpose of
preaching a sermon and making a collection, towards paying the
debt of the Church in that city. On this occasion, Dr. Lacy,
of the Protestant Episcopal Church, with a singular generosity,
offered the use of his church ; and, though the service was held
on a week-day evening, the church was crowded to overflowing.
His text was, ' Seek ye first the kingdom of God,' &c. At the
close of the discourse, he seized the opportunity of alluding to
the change which had taken place, within a few years, in the
sentiments entertained by persons of different denominations,
towards each other. He described a large vine, whose branches
extended in several directions ; the different vine-dressers had
built their walls around their branches. If you enter the sepa-
rate enclosures, and taste the fruit, you will find the various
modes of culture and training have produced a difference in the
flavour ; by and by, the Great Vine-Gatherer will come and
collect all the fruit from these many enclosures, and press them
in the common wine-press ; then, it will be impossible to distin-
guish any difference. A few years ago, he said, these party-
walls were so high, that he could not look over them ; but now y
he had absolutely leaped over them.
2 P2
438 REMINISCENCES.
" From Albany he went to Troy, and was entertained at the
house of an Episcopalian of that city so eager were persons
of all denominations to manifest their respect for one whose
character was so well calculated to win their friendship and
admiration. He was anxious to promote every good work. He
took a deep interest in the formation of the ' American Tract
Society.'' He embraced the liberal opinion that, as the points
of difference between true Christians are very few and probably
of trifling importance, a combined effort of all denominations, in
preaching the gospel, by means of the press, to the millions of
our land, may be expected to produce the happiest results ; an
anticipation that has been most fully realized." * * *
[Letter from the Rev. H. B. Bascom, DC, to the Rev
Samuel K. Jennings.]
" Pittsburg (Pa,), June 20th, 1825.
" Dear Doctor
" I have just learned that our friend Summerfield is no
more ! I read the obituary notice of his death with mingled
emotions of regret and admiration. I regret, most sincerely,
that the church and the world have sustained a loss of such
magnitude, but am forcibly struck with admiration, when I
learn the manner in which our friend encountered death, his
' final foe.' He has, doubtless, exchanged the toils and duties of
time, for the rest and rewards of eternity ! In my estimation,
John Summerfield exhibited a rare union of talent and piety
of ability and worth. He certainly possessed a mind of no
ordinary mould, and a heart of no common virtue. As a man
and a minister he was unquestionably 'one of a thousand.' If
we have among us those who possess equally discriminating
minds, there are few, indeed, who can lay claim to the same
exquisite culture and discipline of thought and feeling. I
sincerely wish the world may be furnished with some specimens
of his admirable skill as a preacher.
REMINISCENCES. 439
11 From his known habits of study and preaching, I think he
must have left behind some valuable manuscripts. It is a
thought, in my opinion, worthy the attention of his friends and
a generous public. Would to God I were the favoured Elisha
destined to share the benediction, and catch the inspiration of his
mantle ! It is a dispensation of Providence in which few will
acquiesce without feelings and expressions of the deepest regret
and disappointment. It requires more of the Christianity of the
New Testament than most of us possess, to say, in such cases
of affliction and bereavement,
' Perish the grass, and fade the flower,
If firm the word of God remains.'
Summerfield is dead but his ' blossom has not gone up like
the dust' Long will he live and flourish in the memory of
thousands !"
Recollections of Summerfield, by Mrs. Creagh.
" It was in the year 1820 when residing in Fermoy, Ireland,
tnat I first became acquainted with the late Rev. John Sum-
merfield. At that time an intimate friendship commenced,
which continued ( except during short intervals of local separa-
tion; until his death.
" It was my happiness to be entrusted with a large share of his
confidence and affection ; by which I became familiar with the
sweetness of his disposition, the tenderness of his feelings, the
purity of his heart and the elegant refinement of his mind : all
which, in connection with his other rare, endowments, made him
an object of special interest and regard.
" This early acquaintance afforded me an opportunity of hear-
ing him preach some of his first sermons before his fame had
preceded him ; and I can confidently say that even this incipient
440 REMINISCENCES.
stage of his ministerial career was strongly marked by indica-
tions of that elevated style, charming eloquence, and chastened
imagination, which shone ' more and more unto the perfect
day,' and which captivated wondering thousands in both hemis-
pheres, who hung with rapture upon his lips.
" His entrance upon the work of the ministry was not to him
' a cause of small import.' This, not only the expressions of
his lips, but the struggles of his heart, amply testified. Fre-
quently have I been pained in witnessing those unutterable
emotions within him, which seemed to say in language which
none but an ambassador of Christ can fully understand, ' who
is sufficient for these things V
" But in ' doing the work of an evangelist, and making full
proof of his ministry,' it was made manifest unto all, that his
' sufficiency was of God, who had made him an able minister
of the New Testament,' and by whose all-inspiring Spirit the
' letters of his commendation' were written and sealed upon
many, many hearts.
" Soon after he was thus engaged in his Master's vineyard, a
correspondence between us commenced ; from which I learned,
that incessant demands were made upon the time and services
of this incomparable youth : for quickly his ' praise was in all
the churches.' Indeed, so numerous and pressing were the in-
vitations from all quarters, that my fears were soon excited lest
his feeble tenement should early fall beneath the weight of his
abundant labours. For while the listening multitudes were
charmed and transported with the exhibition and development
of such extraordinary powers, they apparently forgot that the
treasure was deposited in an ' earthen vessel' that so rich
and rare a jewel was encased in so frail a casket.
" His letters were always welcome visitors : they bore his own
' image and superscription' the impress of his mind and heart.
The former, original, vigorous, expansive, and liberal the lat-
ter, holy, humble, fervent, and heavenly breathing forth, under
REMINISCENCES. 441
the influence of burning zeal and ardent love, ' Glory to God
in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men.'
" The easy, fascinating style of his letters, their freshness of
thought, their fruitfulness of incidents, together with the spirit
of piety with which they were so richly imbued, still live in
my fond remembrance, and bring to mind, that the writer of
them ' lived and moved and had his being ' in the pure element
of living faith and holy love.
" In private life he was no less pleasing. Affable, courteous,
cheerful, and instructive, he was the happiness of the social cir-
cle. The aged sat and wondered at the wisdom which fell from
his lips ; while the young, rejoicing in his presence, delighted
to honour him as their instructor and friend.
" His first visit to my house made impressions on my heart
which have never been obliterated ; and, ever after, his expected
coming was regarded by every member of my family, to whom he
became individually endeared, with heartfelt pleasure and delight.
" In fine, ' he was a burning and a shining light, a brilliant
star in the right hand of his Redeemer ; and though no more
seen in the moral firmament of the visible church, reflecting the
glory of his living Head, he has not ' fallen from heaven,' but
is, doubtless, ' shining forth as the sun in the kingdom of his
Father.'
FROM THE REV. J. N. DANFORTH.
" Summerfield could tell a pious anecdote, and with equal ap-
parent ease and no alteration in manner, before one person or three
thousand, with such a grace and amiable dignity, united with ap-
positeness and impressiveness, in a word, with such a manner as
was the property of no other person I ever saw. He abounded in
anecdotes at public meetings for benevolent purposes. In this,
like the religious part of the nation from whence he sprang, he was
ahead of us. I have seen some feeble attempts among our good
countrymen to walk in the same track ; but, though well enough,
442 REMINISCENCES.
they were poor indeed when compared with the graceful, fluent,
and unhesitating manner of the youthful Summerfield. He has
sometimes been facetious in a meeting of a Marine Bible
Society, or a Missionary Society, to such a degree as to make
the whole audience shake with laughter, while his own lovely
countenance relaxed only into a gentle smile ; but then if he
thought the humorous chord had been too violently swept by him,
he would by no very slow process touch the pathetic one, and
then every smile would flee away, and the tears would begin to
course down, not merely the delicate cheek of female beauty,
but the rough visage of the hardy sailor, or the uncouth
labourer. And as he just assumed the mastery (what power
has real eloquence !) over all that came in the limit of his voice,
rousing or hushing such passions as he pleased, he was careful
that the last passion excited should be a serious one, and
endeavoured in general to leave a solemn impression at the
conclusion."
RECOLLECTIONS OF SUMMERFIELD, BY THE REV. WM. M. WILLETT.
" As I mournfully cast my eye over dates, notes and letters
connected with the memory of Summerfield, I find a long lapse
of sixteen years to have intervened since he first appeared to
me, a mere youth, as a legate from the skies. Never shall I
forget the Sabbath morning when I first saw him stand up in
the holy place as an ambassador for Christ. His address the
preceding week at the Anniversary of the American Bible Soci-
ety, borne on a thousand tongues, had spread the rumour of his
unrivalled eloquence through the city. Great was the eager-
ness to hear him. Along with the crowd I entered the Metho-
dist Church in Duane street. The Church was already nearly
filled, though the hour for preaching had not arrived. Expec-
tation was depicted in every countenance, and frequently was
the eye directed to the door with anxious curiosity. At length
he entered ; my eye followed him intently along the aisle. He
REMINISCENCES. 443
walked with a slow, graceful step his eye fixed upward. Ab-
sorbed in the emotions of his own heart, the congregation did
not appear in the slightest degree to attract his attention. He
appeared, intellectually and spiritually, to soar, like the eagle,
far aloft above all low and common thoughts. In a very especial
manner, upon this occasion, though the remark will indeed
most justly admit of a general application, ' he preached not
himself, but Jesus Christ and him crucified.' Full of the love
of Christ gazing on his glory self was forgotten ; human
applause, though not to be undervalued, was a bubble.
" In the pulpit, before he commenced, his manner was rever-
ent, meek, unaffected. After a brief, silent prayer, he rose. He
read one of the Psalms, then a hymn with uncommon beauty
and force. The tones of his voice were low and remarkably
sweet but the enunciation was so clear and distinct as to fall
fully upon the ear of the most distant hearer. The prayer
which followed was distinguished for simplicity, fervour, beauty,
pathos. The text who that listened to this discourse can ever
forget it was Heb. xii., 1,2: ' Wherefore, seeing we also are
compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us
lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset
us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith ; who,
for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising
the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of
God.' It is impossible for me to describe the sermon. I felt
the power of an impassioned, heavenly oratory, but I was not
prepared to analyze, it. This belonged to a cooler head, and a
heart less absorbed than mine was at the time.
" I need not say that the favourable impression produced by his
oratory was universal. From this morning crowds filled every
church in which he preached ; and though he did not always
soar with an equal flight though his wing would now and then
droop yet, upon the whole, who that heard him is not ready,
with a sigh, to say, ' We ne'er shall look upon his like again.'
444 REMINISCENCES.
" I enjoyed the privilege of accompanying Mr. Summerfield
on his first visit to Trenton, N. J. His original intention was
to proceed as far as Philadelphia, but his health obliged him to
return direct from Trenton to New York. On the steamboat
between New York and Brunswick, surrounded by a few
friends, his conversation was very attractive and interesting.
He abounded with anecdote, and possessed a happy art of
telling a story. But though exceedingly entertaining as a com-
panion, yet he never not in a solitary instance degenerated
into levity. His fund of anecdote and narrative were happily
rendered subservient to the great interest of religion. Though
you might listen to him for hours with unflagging attention, yet
at the close you felt no disposition to that sort of mirth which
is like the ' crackling of thorns under a pot.' The fancy might
be entertained the curiosity excited a chastened cheerfulness
might prevail ; but with all, the heart was purified and refreshed.
" We spent the night at Brunswick. The next morning, hav-
ing a little leisure before the stage left, he visited several fami-
lies r praying in each , and leaving behind the unction of a holy
conversation. To pray in the families he visited was his inva-
riable rule. He never overlooked little children.
" On our way from Brunswick to Trenton, in the stage, Mr.
S. occupied with two others the middle seat. His pale, youth-
ful countenance, with his general appearance, led an elderly
respectable gentleman, who occupied the front seat, to take him
for a student of Princeton College. Under this impression, he
requested him, rather peremptorily, however, to change seats.
Though struck with surprise, rather perhaps at the manner in
which the request was made, than at the request itself, after a
momentary hesitation during which his pale cheek was tinged
with a momentary flush he changed seats without a word.
Of all those in the stage, not one, on the ground of health
{which was the reason assigned aflenvards for making the re-
quest), required accommodation as much as Mr. S. As it was,
the change of seat affected him considerably. I am happy to
KEMINISCENXES. 445
add, however, that the gentleman having arrived in Trenton, and
discovered his mistake, took the earliest opportunity to apolo-
gize to Mr. S., and by the greatest kindness endeavoured to
remove any unpleasant feelings which he might inadvertently
have occasioned. The meek spirit of his master, with which
Mr S. was imbued, led him at once to forget the occurrence,
and to cherish the most sincere gratitude for all the after kind-
ness of this gentleman, with whom an interesting correspond-
ence was kept up.
" We reached Trenton rather late on Saturday afternoon.
Greatly fatigued with his ride, he retired early to rest. He,
however, slept but little, and rose with the dawn next morning.
He had not taken tea the previous evening, and he scarcely
tasted any breakfast this Sabbath morning. His mind was evi-
dently labouring under a heavy burden the message he was
about to deliver. He scarcely spoke at the table. The rest of
his time, till service began, was spent in his room, in prayer and
meditation. He preached his first sermon in Trenton, in the
Methodist Church, which was small and awkwardly con-
structed. I do not think this morning he preached with his
usual effect. Having been invited to occupy the Presbyterian
Church, he preached successively Monday and Tuesday even-
ings, to verv laro-e, and exceedingly interested audiences.
" The greater part of Monday and Tuesday was occupied by
numerous calls. His society was eagerly courted, not simply
on account of bis eloquence as an orator, but from the charm
his conversational powers threw around the social circle. From
Trenton he returned to New York, to be laid immediately on a
sick-bed.
" I heard the first sermon he delivered after his recovery from
this sickness. It was preached in John street Church, Sabbath
morning, Sept. 30, 1S21. The text on this occasion was Ps.
cxvi. 12, 13, 14: ' What shall 1 render unto the Lord for all
his benefits toward me ? I will take the cup of salvation, and
call upon the name of the Lord. J will pay my vows unto the
2 Q
446 REMINISCENCES.
Lord now, in the presence of all his people.' The Church was
crowded to excess. The walls in the gallery were darkened
with people, pressed high up against them. Great anxiety was
expressed by the congregation, lest they should be disappointed ;
and this evidently increased as the hour hand of the clock ap-
proached nearer and nearer the time to begin. But precisely at
the hour, he entered, his countenance, if possible, paler, and
less earth-like than usual. An increased interest was thrown
about him this morning, by his recent recovery from a sickness
which it was generally feared would have terminated his short
but useful and brilliant career. His own heart overflowed with
gratitude to God ; his countenance sparkled with a holy joy.
The sermon, as the text indicates, was adapted to the occasion."
In the spring of 1822, Mr. Summerfield made his first visit to
Baltimore to speak at a missionary meeting ; as much was
expected from him, the church was crowded' to excess. The
Rev. John (late Bishop) Emory concluded a most interesting
speech by introducing Mr. S. somewhat as follows : " I will not
detain you longer, I know the anxiety of the audience to enjoy
the rich feast that is to follow, and I wish to enjoy it with them ;
we have reserved the best wine to the last."
The youthful Summerfield, perfectly cool and collected, arose ;
he cast his eyes over that immense cono-reo-ation and then
exclaimed " What means this flourish of trumpets ? Who is
this John Summerfield whose name is bandied through the land ?
a lad a mere lad of yesterday, with his ' five barley loaves and
two small fishes, and what are they among so many ?' But the
gentleman says he has reserved the best wine till the last this
is inverting- the order of the feast : ' every man at the beginning
doth set forth good wine, and when men have well drunk then
that which is worse' but I have not the worse wine to offer
you, mine is mere water ; but if the master of the feast should
deign to touch the water and turn it to wine it may be the very
REMINISCENCES. 447
best wine, but recollect, my friends, the excellency would not
be of man but of God." Mr. Summerfield then proceeded, says
Dr. Bona, in his usual inimitable manner
Shortly after the meeting above referred to, Mr. Emory (late
Bishop) wrote to a friend as follows :
" I heard brother Summerfield preach last night at Eutaw, to
one of the most crammed congregations I ever saw. The clergy
generally, I believe, were present, and, as far as I have heard,
all were greatly pleased. Dr. Glendy, to whom I was intro-
duced, said to me, ' Well, we have had a gospel feast, and in
the first style of elegance.' I have just come from dining at the
Rev. Mr. Nevins' in company with ten clergymen, Methodists
and others, including Mr. Summerfield. Poor fellow, he is caressed
and run after, almost beyond measure; I wish he may have grace
to bear it. I think him an amiable young man, and admire him
far above any of his age I have ever heard. He has promised
to go with me to Annapolis on Friday to spend the Sabbath
there." This Mr. Summerfield accordingly did, and thus speaks
of his visit in a letter written to Mr. Emory some time afterwards :
" I bid you farewell with a grateful remembrance of the kind-
ness you showed me at Annapolis, and the solicitude you mani-
fested to administer to my many wants, and add to my abundant
comforts. This is no paradox to you ; while my body was weak,
my spirit was refreshed day by day, and as iron sharpeneth
iron, so did the face of my friend my first friend in this strange
land refresh my heart."
Allusion is here made to the fact, that on Mr. Summerfield's
arrival in this country, Mr. Emory, having previously become
acquainted with him in England, was enabled to relieve him
from a very embarrassing situation in which he was placed for
want of the usual testimonials of his ministerial standing at home,
which he had not brought with him, because he did not expect
to remain in this country. Life of Emory, page 138.
448 REMINISCENCES.
RECOLLECTIONS OF SUMMERFIELD, BY THE REV. DR. BETHUNE.
" The portrait of Summerfield* [in the Memoirs] , though
much too healthful, is perhaps the best likeness imitative skill
could give of that most apostolical young man. It is impossible
to impress upon canvass or steel the holy sweetness, which
they, who had the privilege of knowing him, remember irradiat-
ing his pale, worn features, when he talked of the love of Jesus
from the pulpit, on the platform, or by the fireside. Much less
can the cold pen describe the charm of his eloquence, so simple
that you could discover in it no rhetorical art, or of his manner
so mild, and from bodily weakness often so feeble, that the
entranced hearer knew not how he was so deeply moved, or so
irresistibly carried away. The secret of his power was undoubt-
edly his sincerity, his earnest delight in the truth as it is in
Jesus, and his zeal to win souls from eternal death for his Mas-
ter's glory, and also, the peculiar efficacy with which the Holy
Spirit, who inspired that truth he loved to preach in such
pureness, unfeignedness and charity, accompanied the labours of
one so devoted to his work, whose course on earth was to be
so brief.
" His discipline, by the Providence of God, was severe.
Like the apostle Paul, ' he had a thorn in the flesh,' a painful
and, as he had reason to believe, an incurable disease. He knew
that his life could not be long. With eternity ever before him,
'he endured as seeing him who is invisible.' To him, as he
' died daily,' the world's applause and the pleasures of this life
were little worth. He was continually looking at ' the things
which are not seen and eternal.' He felt that there was nothing
left for him, but to crowd into his few remaining days as much
usefulness as was possible through the permission of God upon
whom he relied. The usefulness he desired, was the best
usefulness, the edification of saints and the conversion of sin-
ners. The means he employed, were the very best means, the
* See Frontispiece.
REMINISCENCES. 449
pure word of the Gospel, ' the wisdom of God, and the power of
God.'
" It is said, ' he was a man of prayer,'' but he was in no less
eminent degree a man of the Bible. He appeared to lose him-
self entirely in the preacher. He was free from what is fre-
quently little better than tricky conceit, ' textual' divisions.
He struck immediately at the main thought. He gathered his
argument from the connection, or that of parallel passages. It
was his text preaching, rather than himself. His language was
very scriptural, his definitions and his illustrations were, with
scarce an exception, from the Bible. He may not have been a
classical scholar in the stronger sense of the term, though it was
not difficult to detect a familiarity with good authors, and an
occasional reference to their elegance in his style, but he hal-
lowed all with that ' unction from the Holy One,' which can
only be received on our knees before * the living oracles.' With
little of their quaintness, he bad all the naturalness (the
naturalness of a better nature) that characterizes the older
English divines. Ever}' sentence of his that I remember, is pure
Saxon, the English of our beloved English Bible. He turned
his sweetest passages, or gave them epigrammatic point, by a
scriptural phrase at their close. The flock of Christ, under the
guidance of the stripling shepherd, were led in the green pas-
tures and beside the still waters where his own soul had been
fed. They felt safe under his instructions, for they saw the
land-marks which God has set. His metaphysics were not
laboured and abstruse, for he found his philosophy^ sitting at the
feet of him who preached his Gospel to the poor.
" Summerficld was too honest to check the exclamations that
rose flowing from his heart to his lips, at the gracious wonders
of divine truth. Like the ardent Paul, the name of Jesus, a sight
of the cross, a glimpse of the glory that shall be revealed, made
him cry out in subdued and holy ecstacy. Or, as the thought of
souls perishing in sin pressed upon his soul, he would break his
order with an earnest ejaculation. ' Would to God !' ' that
2q2
450 REMINISCENCES.
God !' ' God grant !' were frequent from his lips, not care-
lessly, but with an emphasis of devotion none could doubt,
Indeed, he not only prayed before he preached and after he
preached, (for he went to the pulpit from his knees, and to his
knees from his pulpit), but he seemed to be praying while he
preached. Prayer was so much his breath, that as Gregory
Nazianzen says of the true Christian, the breathing went on
whatever he was doing, not hindering him,but necessary to him.
The hearer felt that it was the preacher's heart, as well as his
mind and voice, that was talking to him ; and that that heart
was invoking blessings for, while it pleaded with, sinners and
saints.
" He had also an easy wit, which upon fitting occasions played
gracefully, but never sarcastically. He was too kind-hearted to
be sarcastic, too devout to be jocose.
" The first time that I heard him (and perhaps the second time
he spoke here in public) was on the anniversary of the American
Bible Society, then an infant institution. I recollect the vener-
able President, Elias Boudinot, leaving the chair to seek some
repose from the excitement too severe for his aged frame. The
speaker,who preceded Summerfield was a divine then and long
afterward highly esteemed and admired for his strong sense, his
elaborate finish, and his Ciceronian dignity. His address was
truly a masterpiece, profound in argument, accurate in logical
analysis, and very impressive in its conclusions. A clerical
gentleman (since gone to his rest) , who was kind enough to take
an interest in a lad like myself, was frequent in his expressions
of delight and admiration ; calling my attention to his gesture,
his pithy sentences, and his elegant elucidation. The orator
closed amidst murmurs of applause, and the chair announced
' The Rev. Mr. Summerfield from England.' ' What presump-
tion !' said my clerical neighbour ; 'a boy like that, to be set up
after a giant !' But the stripling came in the name of the God
of Israel, armed with 'a few smooth stones from the brook' that
REMINISCENCES. 451
flows 'close by the oracles of God.' His motion was one of
thanks to the officers Of the Society for their labours during the
year ; and of course he had to allude to the President, then
reposing in another part of the house ; and thus he did it :
" ' When I saw that venerable man, too aged to warrant the
hope of being with you at another anniversary, he reminded me of
Jacob leaning upon the top of his staff, blessing his children
before he departed.''
" He then passed on to encourage the society by the example
of the British Institution. ' When we first launched our untried
vessel upon the deep, the storms of opposition roared, and the
waves dashed angrily around us, and we had hard work to keep
her head to the wind. We were faint with rowing, and our
strength would soon have been gone, but we cried, " Lord, save
us, or we perish ! When a light shone upon the waters, and we
saw a form wallcing upon the troubled sea, like unto that of the
Son of God, and he drew near the ship, and we knew that it was
Jesus; and he stepped upon the deck, and laid his hand on the helm,
and he said unto the winds and the leaves, ' Peace, be still,'' and
there was a great calm.''' Let not the friends of the Bible fear,
" God is in the midst of us." " God shall help us and that
right early." ' In such a strain he went on to the close. ' Won-
derful : Wonderful !' said my neighbour, the critic, ' he talks
like an angel from heaven.'
" The next time that I heard him, was in the John Street
Church. The only method by which I could see him, from
among the taller crowd, who filled every accessible space, was
by climbing like Zaccheus, not a tree, but a huge church stove,
that stood in the north-eastern corner. I can give you no part
of the sermon, but I well remember a fact that will show the
intense power he had of riveting the attention. We had all
been crowded in the church at least an hour and a half before
the time of service, and among those in the front of the gallery
opposite to me, was a group of the most fashionable women
then in New York ; one of whom was remarkable for her
452 REMINISCENCES.
beauty, but still more famous for her wit, that defied all restraint
of time, place, or person. Before the service commenced, she
was endeavouring to change her very uneasy position for one
more comfortable, but in vain. French hats and Methodist
bonnets were jammed closely in almost inextricable confusion.
Miss F 's posture was still most painful ; but the moment
Summerfield began to preach, her eyes were riveted upon him,
and with her lips slightly opened, and at times twitching con-
vulsively, she listened without moving until he ceased; when
she heaved a deep sigh, as if only then permitted to breathe.
What effect, other than this, the preaching had upon her, it is
impossible to say, but wherever Summerfield was to speak, she
was to be found. . May we not hope (for she has long since
gone to her account) that some seeds were sown in her heart
which are now bearing fruit in heaven.
" Preaching one morning in the Allen Street Methodist
Church, upon Romans viii., 38, 39, he wished to define and
illustrate Christian confidence ; he did it in this way : ' You
remember Peter, when he was imprisoned, chained between
two soldiers. The Church Avas praying in tears, wondering
what would become of them if their strong champion was taken
from them. Th" enemies of God on earth, and the devils in
hell, were rejoicing, that they had Peter in their power. The
angels in heaven, ever intent upon the mysteries of Providence
in redemption, were sending down to see what the Lord would
do with Peter. When heaven, and earth, and hell, were think-
ing of Peter, what were Peter's thoughts ? What was Peter
doing ? Peter was asleep ."
" The sermon for the deaf and dumb, as printed, is nothing
like what it was when delivered, either in thought or language.
Summerfield himself wrote it, but after it was preached. He
could not catch his own ' winged words.' The pen trammelled
him. One striking sentence, which thrilled through us all, is
left out altogether. ' Turn awa}^ from these children of afflic-
tion,' said he, ' and when the Lord says, " Inasmuch as you did
REMINISCENCES. 453
it not unto the least of these, you did it not unto me," you too
may be dumb, speechless in shame.''
" He evidently took his last fatal cold at the laying of the
corner stone of the Tract Society House, in Nassau street, from
standing on the damp earth which had been thrown up to make
room for the foundation. But that morning, at the meeting in
the City Hotel, he had made one of his most delightful speeches.
' Thomas Paine,' said he, ' boasted that he would root up every
tree in Paradise. Would to God,that he had laid hold of the
tree of life !'
" Such are a few instances of his eloquence. It was peculiar
to himself. Sweet as was his voice to us then, it is sweeter
now. May we all hear it in heaven ! ' Though dead, he yet
speaketh' in many hearts. There is one heart that can never
forget him the heart of the writer.
" Philadelphia, September, 1843."
[Extract from a Letter from Rev. Dr. Bond, dated Bridge-
port, June 22d, 1842.]
"Our Baltimore friends will rejoice, who listened to the urgent
applications of the Rev. Mr. H. some years ago, for aid in build-
ing a house of worship for this little flock. They have now a
very neat and sufficiently commodious house of prayer. Perhaps
I shall be pardoned for relating an incident in reference to this
matter, which will call to their recollection one whom they
dearly loved. Brother H. was at a friend's house with the late
brother Summerfield. He was diligent in his business, and was
urging the necessities of his little flock at home. Brother Sum-
merfield had heard and felt the story at other places many times.
Mingled with the most sincere piety, there was an innocent
playfulness about him which rendered him one of the most
agreeable, as well as one of the most profitable companions that
ever smoothed the pathway of life. On this occasion parodying
one of our hymns he said. ' Brother H. it seems to be
454 REMINISCENCES.
' Your sole concern, your single care,
To gather money here and there,
To build a church at Bridgeport. 1
" Mr. S., in speaking of two most devoted friends, both conspi-
cuous and influential members of the church, said, " there is a
great difference between the two One is always to be found in
his closet at midday ; although actively engaged in the duties
of his profession, this service he would not omit ; but the other
suffers the world to engross too much of his attention, and con-
tents himself with giving the clippings and parings of his time.
Oh ! how much more nobly does he live, who is strictly observant
of his sacred appointments with his God !"
[Extract from a Letter of Dr. Baker, dated Baltimore,
May 20th, 1836.]
" With regard to Summerfield he may be said to have been
one of those rare gifts which heaven has occasionally lent to
earth. He was truly one of the salt of the earth, and always
carried with him a holy savour which diffused its happy influences
wherever he went.
" The amenity of his manners and the suavity of his deport-
ment endeared him to all who enjoyed the privilege of his
society. In him were most happily blended the virtues of the
Christian with the accomplishments of the gentleman, and per-
haps I do not say too much when I say, that in him were person-
ified the graces of our holy religion.
" But let us view him in the pulpit ; here he shone most
conspicuously in the service of his master. Here in sweet and
flowing accents he exhibited the beauty of religion, and such
were the attractions that he threw about her, that almost all
who heard him were constrained to say, ' Oh ! that I were a
Christian' but when he was about to place the diadem on the
brow of the dying saint, so brilliantly did he deck it with the
gems of the New Jerusalem, that it disarmed death of his terrors
and made it appear a privilege for the Christian to die."
REMINISCENCES. 455
[Extract from a letter addressed to Mr. Summerfield, May 13th,
1823, from a young gentleman, a student at law, novo a minister
of Christ.']
* * " I sensibly feel, that in the hands of God, you were
the one who instructed me in the very first principles of religion ;
for, before I attended your ministry, I was as little acquainted
with the doctrines of the new birth, and of Justification by Faith,
as if I had been born and educated in a Heathen land. Though
suffering under a painful sense of sin, its present heinousness,
and the future punishment which awaited it ; yet I was walking
daringly forward in my career of vice when I heard you for the
first time from Heb. xii. 1. : my feet seemed riveted to the
floor. From that morning my convictions of sin, which had for
some time past been occasionally severe and poignant, became
more and more frequent, and yet more and more terrible to bear.
But notwithstanding I had become a more uniform attendant
upon public worship, still I did not relinquish my former pur-
suits in a hurry. Satan was yet my master ; and though, through
the assistance of the Spirit of God, I was struggling hard to
emancipate myself my immortal soul from his destructive
power, yet he held me fast bound in the chains of sin and death ;
I continued to walk in the downward road, if not with equal
zest and delight, as in former days, yet with a more awful pre-
cipitancy, a far greater degree of desperation. On every return-
ing Sabbath, however, conscience failed not to rise up against
me with renewed strength, crying aloud, ' Turn ye from your
evil ways !' But so deeply fixed were my old habits, that it
seemed like rooting out the seeds of life from the ground of the
heart, wholly to abandon them. Nevertheless, after a long and
agonizing struggle, I was enabled by the grace of God wholly to
abandon them ; and though I cannot to the hour mention when
the burden of sin and death was removed, vet. T humbly trust. I
456 REMINISCENCES.
can say, I know I have passed from death unto life, because I
love the brethren ; and also from that mysterious, though entire
revolution which hath been effected in my feelings, my senti-
ments, and my pursuits.
" My song, now, day and night, is praise and thanksgiving to
my Redeemer." * * * *
[Extract from a letter dated Dec. 4th, 1822, addressed to the
Rev. J. Summerfield by a young gentleman, a student of the
Theological Seminary, Princeton, now a minister of the Pro-
testant Episcopal Church^]
# * # * u t s } 10U id d injustice to my feelings did I not take
this opportunity of thanking you for the kindly interest you have
ever taken in my spiritual welfare. I shall ever have reason to
bless God that I have heard you ; for it was through your in-
strumentality, under the blessed God, that I was first led to turn
my attention to those subjects which belong to my eternal peace.
It was under your preaching that I first was brought to see my
danger as a sinner exposed to the curse of a broken law. I felt
that I had never answered the object of my creation, the glory
of God ; but I raised my puny arms against the authority of
the Most High ; and the language of my heart and actions has
been, ' there is no God. 1 You preached Christ and him cruci-
fied, and offered a Saviour willing and able to save to the utter-
most. I felt my need of such a Saviour, and, as I trust, accepted
of him as my portion, as my all in all. I am now a professed
follower of the meek and lowly Jesus, and have determined,
relying upon his grace to support and strengthen me, to devote
myself soul and body to his service. I feel more and more the
great importance of the work for which I am preparing, and its
awful responsibility. ' Who is sufficient for these things ?' I
trust, my dear friend, that you will pray for me that my faith and
love and all my Christian graces may be in lively exercise."
REMINISCENCES. 457
[Extract from a Letter from Rev. Dr. Townley to J. B.,
dated London, Oct. 20th, 1S25.]
" I am well convinced that ' take him for all in all, I ne'er
shall look upon his like again.' His deep piety, unassuming
yet. most amiable manners, uncommon talents, and susceptible
mind, endeared him to his friends and gave an ardour to their
attachment bordering on enthusiasm, and rendered him the object
of universal esteem and unbounded popularity."
" Summerfield," says the poet Montgomery, " was not a man
of every day ; there is yet fire enough in his ashes to kindle a
flame that will be much longer lived than himself."
Dr. Nevins, in a letter, says of Summerfield
" Simplicity, artlessness and fervour were among the charac-
teristics of his eloquence. It has been said by some that there
was art in it if there was, it was the absolute perfection of art,
for it succeeded in concealing its own existence it was the art
of nature, if I may so express it.
" In conversation he was often brilliant and always interesting.
His sweet spirit of piety diffused itself through all that he said
but the pulpit was his stronghold, and in the simple preaching
of the gospel lay his great talent."
Mr. Summerfield was fearless in the Pulpit. To quote an in-
stance. At the time when Queen Caroline's (wife of George IV.)
name was expunged from the Liturgy, of course all denomina-
tions omitted her name in prayer Mr. Summerfield preached in
Brunswick Chapel, Liverpool, when, to the astonishment of the
immense congregation present, he offered up a most fervent
and eloquent prayer for the Queen.
458 REMINISCENCES.
Letter from Mr. Summerfi eld's father.
The following touching letter was written under the most
afflictive circumstances, three weeks before the death of Mr.
Summerfield. Mr. S. was laid very low at the house of Dr.
Beekman, in Courtland Street, N. Y., and his father was confined
by severe illness at the residence of his son-in-law at Blooming-
dale, four miles apart.
" Friday Evening, May 20lh, 1825.
" My dear John
" The mysterious providence of our being separated by
severe affliction, I sincerely feel ; and were I not supported by
the assurance that all things shall work for our good, my spirit
would fail ; but here I rest.
" My dear John, you are surrounded by friendly physicians
who are deeply concerned for your bodily health, and probably
so much so as to prohibit the access of God's people. But
remember, my dear, they cannot stand for you before God ;
therefore, any of His people you may wish for, send for them.
My prayers and tears are continually sent to the Mercy seat on
your behalf.
" I know not how this our affliction will end ; but it will be
our highest wisdom to lay hold of God, as he is revealed in his
word according to our wants, through our right in the atonement
by Jesus Christ.
" Your afflicted and affectionate father,
" WILLIAM SUMMERFIELD."
On the 13th of June, the day Mr. S. died, a friend immedi-
ately proceeded to Bloomingdale to communicate the mournful
intelligence to his afflicted parent. On the gentleman's enter-
ing Ins chamber he raised his head from his pillow, and was at
REMINISCENCES. 459
once convinced of the cause of the visit, " So, Mr. Sands, I per-
ceive you are the harbinger of melancholy tidings to me my
dear John is no more !" After a solemn pause, he raised his
eyes heavenward, and with pious resignation exclaimed
" The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away" deeply
agitated then added " blessed be the name of the Lord."
NOTE.
The new church in Sands-street, Erooklyn, erected in the
year 1843 a large and beautiful edifice extends over the re-
mains of the lamented Summerfield and those of his revered
father ; consequently, they now lie immediately under the pul-
pit. A neat tablet is inserted in the wall inside of the Church.
The cenotaph to Summerfield was placed on the outside of
the old church, in John Street, and on the erection of the new
church, in 1840, the Trustees evinced their affectionate regard
for his memory, by having it more appropriately placed on the
wall inside
460 REMINISCENCES.
REV. JOHN SUMMERFIELD
BY WHLlAJl B. TAPPAN, ESQ.
I saw the Evangelist of God ascend
The holy place. He stood in the beauty
Of meekness. He spake, and on my heart
Fell accents glowing with the prophet's fire.
1 heard thee, mighty one ! and was afraid,
Yea, trembling, listened ; for methought no voice
Of mortal mould could thrill my bosom thus.
Oh, sweet as angels' music, were the tones
That breathed their gilead on the wounded heart ;
Strengthen'd the weary bade the broken come
To Siloa's fountain, and in faith be whole.
I wept o'er blighted hopes but thou didst draw,
A willing captive, my admiring soul
With thee, to brighter regions, where the dream
Of full fruition lives, nor is unreal.
I feared Death but thou didst deck the foe
In lovely garb; with softest beauty clad
I saw him beckoning to the narrow house
Of rest, where spicy odours balm the air,
And resurrection's halo crowns the dead.
God speed thee, favoured one ! Thy diadem
Is wreathed of gentleness, and thick bestrown
With pearls of nature's forming they are tears,
Yea, tears of rapture, holy, and untold.
i In.
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