Another great advantage in our home education was that we became interested in missionary work. Drawing-room meetings were not the fashion then as they are now, and my father and mother, without waiting for the fashion, threw open their large drawing-room to various devoted men. Thus we boys used to enjoy the no small privilege of becoming personally acquainted with many of the most devoted men of the day, as well as of being educated into an interest in missionary work.
But parental influence was not all, for one of the tutors engaged for our instruction was the Rev. R. Davis, of Queen’s College, Cambridge, a devoted young man, and deeply interested in the Church Missionary Society. It was he that enlisted the interest of my father and mother, so that I find, in turning to the report for the year 1820, the following entry, which was the sum-total of the then Hampstead Association:—
| £ | s. | d. | |
| Contributions by a few children | 2 | 8 | 0 |
| Rev. R. Davis | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| 3 | 9 | 9 |
Having been one of those few children, I remember well the interest that the subject excited in our minds; and as that interest never died out in those beloved ones now gone to their rest, and as I trust it will never do so in myself, I realise how much I owe to that young man, and I see how much may be done by a young man who carries with him wherever he goes the unceasing desire to be engaged in his Master’s service.
This home education was continued until I reached the age of fifteen, when I was sent as a pupil to the Rev. H. V. Elliott of Brighton, where my two elder brothers had been before me. Before I left home arrangements were made for my baptism. That admirable man the Rev. Josiah Pratt kindly undertook my instruction, and I used to ride down to him at his residence in Finsbury Circus. He was a remarkable man, firm in his principle, faithful to the Gospel, true to his Saviour, zealous in Missions, and of remarkable soundness of judgment. I am not sure that he was altogether the best instructor for a spirited lad, but I never shall forget the venerable man, sitting on one side of the fireplace, finding, I fear, considerable difficulty in eliciting much response from his pupil. But I learnt one practical lesson from these interviews, which has been a help to many a lad under similar circumstances:—I was at that time thoroughly in earnest about my soul, and I looked forward to my baptism with great seriousness. It was a matter for much prayer and close examination. But my dearest mother showed me Mr. Pratt’s letters respecting me, in which he said, “I hope there is something at the bottom, but I find it very difficult to bring it to the surface!” How often have I thought of these words, when I have been preparing my young people for Confirmation; and when I have seen them nervous, agitated, and with small development of feeling, I have thought of myself and of Mr. Pratt’s letters, and remembered how earnest I was at the time, although he could discover but little trace of it.
The day of my baptism was a very solemn one, my cousin, the late Sir Edward Buxton, being baptised at the same time in St. Stephen’s, Coleman’s Street, and I think it was the next day that we left our homes together and went to Brighton, to enter upon a new mode of education. I cannot say how thankful I am that my father sent me to Mr. Elliott. He was a first-rate man in all respects, and he had been the means of kindling an intellectual fire in my eldest brother, who was passing through Cambridge at the time with high distinction. He (Mr. Elliott) had a faculty for inspiriting his pupils for work. I had been an idle boy until I went to him; but I had no sooner crossed his threshold than I felt an ambition for University distinction, and lost very little time when I was under his rule. As he took only six pupils there was the same difficulty that we found at home in getting good play, first-class cricket.
But there were other great advantages. There were some very choice lads amongst the pupils, one especially whom I can never forget—namely, Henry Goulburn. He was small in stature, but of marvellous ability: for quick perception, clear understanding, for never-failing memory, and a power of seeing through a subject, such as I never saw in any man. I shall never forget his influence when he first joined us as a pupil. There was at that time a good deal of quarrelling amongst us. There was one young fellow who was rich, but very foolish, who became the butt of his companions. I remember well one day, when Goulburn had just come amongst us, and we were all like a pack of hounds upon that young fellow, Goulburn got up from the table, walked round to him, and put his hand upon him, saying, “I will be your friend.” That act of his had such a power over the whole party that similar unkindness entirely ceased. I never saw a repetition of it.
But, besides the pupils within the house, we had the immense advantage of the friendship of Mr. Elliott’s mother and sisters, who lived close by. That mother was one of the most charming old ladies I ever remember. She was the daughter of Henry Venn, Rector of Yelling, the grandfather of the late Henry Venn, Secretary of the Church Missionary Society. She grew up amongst her father’s friends, Berridge, Fletcher, and Simeon in his early days, and nothing could be more charming, more delightful, than her reminiscence of the early struggle of those devoted men. It wanted a good deal to draw me from the cricket field, but she had the power of doing it. I could not have had a greater treat than to listen for half-an-hour to her anecdotes.
Then again it was one of the privileges that we enjoyed at Brighton that we attended St. Mary’s Church. Mr. Elliott’s preaching was valuable, full of truth, and most beautiful in composition. I used to listen to it with great interest, and from it I first learnt the great and blessed doctrine of justification by faith, which I have had the privilege of preaching throughout my ministry. I never can forget one sermon of his in which he pointed out that there were three great trials of Abraham’s faith: (1) His Call (Gen. xii.); (2) The Promise given him (Gen. xv.); and (3) The Sacrifice of Isaac (Gen. xxii.). He then pointed out that the first and last of these three trials involved immediate action, but that the middle one demanded no action at the time, but required simply a believing reception of the promise of God, and it was of it that the statement was made (Gen. xv. 6): “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.”
There was a fresh blessing given me in St. Mary’s. It was there one sacred day when Robert Daly, afterwards Bishop of Cashel, was preaching, that I was led by the Spirit of God to give myself up to the ministry. I do not remember exactly what he said; but I am sure that a permanent impression may be often made without any distinct recollection always of what has been uttered. So it was in my case, while that noble man was preaching; and I there and then gave myself up to the ministry of God, as I told him many years afterwards. I said nothing about it to anybody for a year, because I wished my determination to be thoroughly tested. At the end of the year I told my father. He informed me that there was a place open for me in his Bank, but at the same time he gave his cordial approbation; and so with his full consent and that of my dearest mother, I regarded myself from that day as one set apart to the sacred ministry. That must have been nearly sixty years ago, and never for one moment have I had reason to regret the decision.