On his first appearance as the minister in this congregation, in the morning he expounded Genesis i. and in the afternoon Matthew i. thus beginning as it were, the world anew. He preached on Acts xvi. 9. Come over to Macedonia, and help us. "O that good," says he, "may be done to precious souls! But I am sad in spirit, lamenting my departure from my friends in Chester. And yet if they be well provided for, I shall be easy, whatever discouragements I may meet with here."
Mr. Henry conducted his ministerial work at Hackney in much the same manner as he had done at Chester. He began the morning service on the Lord's day, (as the writer has heard some of his hearers relate,) at nine o'clock. Though the people had not been accustomed to so early an hour, they came into it without reluctance, and many of them were well pleased with it. The only difference in the order of service was, that he began with a short prayer, which it is supposed had been the custom, as it is to this day. In labours he was more abundant here even than he had been at Chester, excepting that he did not now take such frequent journeys, so that he soon made it appear that he did not remove with a view to his own ease and pleasure. Though his bodily strength was abated, and some disorders began to grow upon him, his zeal and activity continued the same, in expounding, catechising, and preaching, both to his own congregation and in various other places. As he found here a larger field of service, his heart was equally enlarged. He sometimes preached the Lord's day morning lecture at Little St. Helen's, at seven o'clock, and afterward went through the whole of his work at Hackney; and frequently, after both these services at home, he preached the evening lecture to the charity school at Mr. Lloyd's meeting, in Shakspeare's Walk, Wapping; and, at other times, he preached in the evening at Redriff; after which he performed the whole of his family worship as usual. Sometimes he was employed in preaching at one place or other every day in the week, and even twice or thrice on the same day. He showed himself ready to every good work, as if he had a secret impression that his time would be short; and the nearer he came to the end of his course, the swifter was his progress in holiness and all useful services. Nor did he appear to labour in vain, for he had many pleasing proofs of success. He had great encouragement soon after his coming to Hackney, from the usefulness of some sermons which he preached, on Matth. xvi. 26. What is a man profited, &c.; many of his hearers were greatly affected, and some of them said they were resolved never to pursue the world so eagerly as they had before done. This was preaching to good purpose.
So many were the calls which Mr. Henry had to preach in and about London, and so ready was he to comply with them, that he sometimes appears in his diary to think that he needed an apology, and to excuse it to himself, that he preached so often. After opening an evening lecture near Shadwell church, January 25, 1712, when his text was Psalm lxxiii. 28. he writes thus: "I hope, through grace, I can say, the reason why I am so much in my work is, because the love of Christ constrains me, and I find, by experience, it is good for me to draw near to God."
Beside catechising on Saturday at Hackney, which he began to do the second month after his coming thither, he had a catechetical lecture in London, which he undertook at the request of some serious christians in the city, but not without the approbation of several of his brethren. Such was his humility, and his respect for the ministers in London, that he declined giving an answer to the proposal till he had consulted them on the subject; when they all expressed their cordial approbation of the design, and several of them, of different denominations, sent their sons to attend his instructions, and often attended themselves. The place fixed upon for this service, was Mr. Wilcox's meeting-house, in Monkwell-street, where his tutor, Mr. Doolittle, formerly preached, and had been used to catechise. The time was Tuesday evening, when considerable numbers, besides the catechumens, were used to attend; and there was great reason to believe that Mr. Henry's labours on these occasions were very useful to numbers of both. It may not be amiss here to introduce an anecdote which he records of a robbery, after one of his evening lectures, for the sake of his pious reflections upon it. As he was coming home,[1] he was stopped by four men, within half a mile of Hackney, who took from him ten or eleven shillings; upon which he writes, "What reason have I to be thankful to God, that having travelled so much, I was never robbed before! What abundance of evil this love of money is the root of, that four men should venture their lives and souls for about half a crown apiece! See the vanity of worldly wealth, how soon we may be stript of it, how loose we ought to sit to it."
Mr. Henry's tender concern for the best interests of young persons, made him very desirous that they might enjoy all proper means for instruction in the knowledge of divine things. With this view, he exerted himself to increase the number of charity schools, for the promoting of which he drew up the following paper: "It is humbly proposed that some endeavours may be used to form and maintain charity schools among the dissenters, for the teaching of poor children to read and write, &c. to clothe them, and teach them the Assembly's Catechism. It is thought advisable, and not impracticable." He then goes on to prove both, and produces a series of arguments at some considerable length, which it is unnecessary here to specify, and answers some objections which might be urged against his plan.
While he was thus laying himself out for the good both of old and young, in and about London, his mind was deeply affected with the state of his congregation at Chester, which was yet destitute of a settled minister; and the disappointment they had met with in their applications to several cost him many prayers and tears. When he took his leave of his old friends, he promised them that he would make them a visit every year, and spend some sabbaths with them. This his friends at Hackney not only consented to, but recommended. Accordingly, July 20, 1713, he set out on a journey to Chester in the coach, and in his diary he records the particulars of it, with many pious and benevolent remarks, and the sermons which he preached at the different places he visited. An extract may be acceptable, as it discovers his unabated zeal, and his unwearied diligence, in doing good wherever he went; in comparison with which, he says, The charge and the trouble of the journey shall be as nothing to me. "July 23. Came to Whitchurch: a wet day, but many friends met me there, to my great reviving. In the afternoon, went to Broad-Oak, and preached from Rom. i. 11. I long to see you, &c. Next day went to Chester, where my friends received me with much affection and respect. Lord's day, preached from 1 Tim. vi. 12. Lay hold on eternal life. It was very pleasant for me to preach in the old place, where I have often met with God. and been owned by him. On Wednesday kept a congregational fast. The next Lord's day preached
- ↑ Mr. Tong says, from catechising on Tuesday; but from his own MS. it appears that it was on a Lord's day evening, after preaching at Mr. Rosewell's.
