MEMOIR of MR. JOSEPH HALLAM, Preacher of the Gospel, a By Mr. JOHN FURNESS. MR. R. JOSEPH HALLAM, the fubject of the following Narrative, was born at Stoney-Middleton, in Derbyshire, in July 1774. He received his education in the fame town, and was brought up in a ftrict adherence to the doctrine and mode of worship of the Church of England. Nothing particularly worthy of notice occurred in his life, until he attained to the age of eleven years: about which time the Methodist preachers, who had before occafionally vifited Stoney-Middleton, formed a fmall fociety in that place. Among the members thereof, were two of his firft coufins, young men, and very zealous to promote the fpiritual interefts of their neighbours, and especially of their relatives. Thro' their perfuafion, Mr. Hallam's mother was induced to attend the preaching of the word, and occafionally the Clafs-meetings. Having herself received much fpiritual benefit, from the ufe of thefe means, fhe judged it proper to take her children with her, in hopes they alfo might reap fimilar advantage from them. About this time a gracious revival of religion took place at Stoney-Middleton; which was principally carried on by means of prayer-meetings. Mr. Hallam attended one of thofe meetings, and altho' only in the eleventh year of his age, was powerfully awakened, by the Divine Spirit, to a fenfe of the importance of things eternal. This led him to cry, and feek for mercy, and altho' he was fo young, mercy, it seems, was not fought by him in vain. But his Father, being at that time, a ftranger to real religion, and oppofing his fon's attending the meetings, the child's refolution was fhaken, fhame (as he related to me upon his deathVOL. XXX. Sept. 1807. bed) bed) took place, and the good impreffious and defires he had received begun to be erafed from his youthful mind and to die away. In this ftate he continued till he attained the age of fixteen years; when, under a fermon preached by Mr. Benfon at Eyam, a neighbouring place, from Dan. v. 27, "Thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting," he was again brought under a concern for the falvation of his foul. This difcourfe, as I well remember, was very alarming indeed: and its influence was vifible in the reformed conduct of our brother, in whom was now produced once more a fervent defire to work out his falvation with fear and trembling. But alas! neither were thefe impreffions lafting. They alfo, like those experienced before, became by and by, like the morning cloud, and early dew; they paffed away. On this head, in his affliction, he fpoke to me as follows: "You know that I was naturally of a volatile turn of mind, and fond of finging. My voice, at that time, being rather mufical, caused my company to be fought by thofe of a fimilar inclination, and the influence of their bad example, joined with my own unwatchfulnefs, quenched my good defires, fo that I returned again to my youthful follies." The unftable conduct of Mr. H., at that time, was an inexpreffible grief to his affectionate and indulgent mother. Yet it does not appear that he fell into any grofs or fcandalous fin. But his turn of mind induced him to affociate with light, trifling, and jovial companions, whofe converfation and behaviour foon eradicated all his ferious impreffions. In this ftate of carelefs inattention to the one thing needful, Mr. H. continued until he was about the age of twenty-one, when it pleased the Wife Difpofer of all events, to call his mother, by a very fudden affliction, from this vale of tears. If my recollection do not deceive me, the dropped fuddenly down by her bed-fide, and only furvived the ftroke a few hours, without being able to fpeak one word to any of the family. This unexpected difpenfation of divine Providence was fanctified to the whole family. Soon after the demife of Mrs. H. her hufband faid to his children, who were all prefent, "Children, I have "been promifing the Lord, that thro' his divine affiftance, I and "my houfe will ferve him: Will you join me herein?" (adding) "Nothing will give me equal fatisfaction to this, that I and my "houfe fhould all ferve the Lord." The fcene became now truly affecting. The father wept over his children, and the children wept with their father, each promifing to join in the worfhip and fervice of Almighty God, in hopes that they fhould join the fpirit of their departed mother in a better world. About this time, a remarkable revival of religion took place in the the town of Sheffield, which foon fpread into the country parts of that Circuit, and among the reit, to Stoney-Middleton, and the adjacent villages, which all felt the beneficial effects of that work of God. Mr. H. begun now to manifeft a great concern for the knowledge of falvation by the remiffion of fins; and therefore, diligently attended the preaching of the word, the prayer-meetings, and other means of grace ufed by the Methodist Society. In the ufe of thefe he found his refolutions to ferve God ftrengthened; his defires after him inflamed; and his hope of finding mercy, more and more enlivened. He did not feek the Lord in vain. One evening, after preaching, Mr. William Bramwell, according to his ufual cuftom in thofe places where a revival had taken place, called upon a few friends to join with him in prayer, previously obferving, "All of you, who are come "to wait upon God, may be bleffed this night." Mr. H., on hearing this, faid to himfelf, "Then, Lord God, if all may be bleiled, by thy grace, I will." Thus faying, he devoutly kneeled down, and railed his heart to him, who hath promifed," Where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them." Thefe words, according to the faith of our humble fupplicant, were that night verified: and the forrow that had arifen in his mind from a sense of his finfulness and guilt, was turned into joy, fo that he could adopt the language of the Royal Pfalmift, and fay, "Blefs the Lord, O my foul, and all that is within me, praise his holy name." Soon after this pleafing change had taken place in his mind; he entered into a partnership in the Hardware-trade in Sheffield. Hitherto he had lived free from the cares of the world; but having engaged in a bufinefs, the nature of which he was a stranger to; a multiplicity of unexpected cares and trials came upon him. However, religion was to him a fource of confolation which the world could not take away. Altho' this partnership involved his mind in many cares, yet, on the other hand, refiding at Sheffield, he found himself placed in a fituation wherein he enjoyed an increafe of gofpel privileges. This proved very profitable to him in his prefent ftate of mind. Thefe privileges were greatly prized by him, efpecially the prayer-meetings, many of which were held in Sheffield and places adjacent, and in which he begun to exercife the gift which the Lord had given him for praying in public. The following circumftance contributed much to bring our friend into public notice in this way. Mr. Edward W. Miller had been preaching in Norfolk-ftreet Chapel in Sheffield, and after he had concluded his fermon, requested that fome friends would join with him and the congregation in prayer. Immediately Mr. Hallam, for the first time in fo large an affembly, broke forth in prayer, The ardour of his zeal and devotion, to 3 C 2 gether |