In the spring of 1825, Mr. Mortimer visited his London friends, one of whom writes as follows:—
“Your dear brother appeared so full of love and tenderness, and, at the same time, so interested himself in everything that appeared to interest us, that we could not help wishing for a much longer enjoyment. I heard him preach but once: his sermon was truly edifying. I will transcribe a brief outline of it, as you may find it a word of consolation in some season of sorrow. Matt. xv. 28, ‘O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.’ The advantages resulting from strong faith were pointed out in four important particulars; viz.—I. It yields to no discouragement. II. It bears and even overcomes the most humiliating discoveries. III. It receives the strongest marks of the Saviour’s approbation. IV. It is put into eventual possession of every needful good. Each of these points was marked out as strikingly illustrated in this affecting and interesting narrative.”
His brother, the Rev. Thomas Mortimer, has kindly furnished me with the following communication respecting the same sermon:—
“On Sunday, the 27th March, 1825, my beloved brother preached for me at my lecture at St. Olave’s, Southwark. I shall never forget that sermon. Being the only church at that time usually open in the Borough for Sunday evening service, there was generally a large attendance, and that evening the church was crowded. On entering the pulpit, my brother’s diminutive figure excited attention; and, in some, produced a smile. When, however, he had composed himself in the pulpit, his fine countenance, beaming with intelligence, evidently inspired some with respect, who, at first, had looked up with indifference, if not with scorn. His announcement of his text was most solemn and yet most tender; ‘O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.’ From that moment the silence of death reigned; and, after a few minutes, every eye seemed fixed upon the preacher, and every ear listening to his voice. The scoffer soon discovered that the preacher was no ordinary man: the candid inquirer felt interested in the subject: the timid and weak believer took courage: and the mourner drank in the water of life, with the eagerness of the thirsty soul. Many a time, during subsequent years, have the tenderest and most grateful reference been made to that sermon by those who were accustomed to converse with me on the great concerns of their souls. Though nearly twenty years have rolled away since that memorable night, the recollection of my beloved brother, of the touching words that fell from his lips, and the ‘unction of the Holy One,’ which evidently attended them, is still vivid and delightful, and will, I doubt not, accompany me to my grave.”
Intimation has already been given, in a letter to his brother, of Mr. Mortimer’s entertaining thoughts of leaving Madeley, owing to the declining state of his health. The following several letters refer to that event and to arrangements for filling up his important post in that parish.
TO THE REV. JOHN COOPER.
Yardley, near Birmingham, Sept. 12, 1825.
My dear Friend,
Your very kind and acceptable letter reached me three or four weeks since; and I should have answered it much earlier had I not been in some uncertainty as to my proximate movements; and I thought I would wait till something definite should have transpired. I have been here very nearly seven months, and was thinking of returning to Madeley in about a month from the present time; but it is now arranged that we should continue here till the middle of February. From what you mention in your letter, I should suppose that you have been informed that I had left Madeley altogether, but this is not the case; I have only exchanged duties with the vicar of this place, who has been, like myself, out of health for some months past, and who thought that a complete change of sphere and situation would prove beneficial to him. He and his family, therefore, reside in the vicarage at Madeley, and myself and family here; both of us having left our furniture, library, &c., &c., for each other’s accommodation. The duties in this place being light, as compared with Madeley, and the air exceedingly salubrious, I have found great benefit from the change, and am pretty nearly as well as I was before I began to fail; the whole of my family, also, have found their health considerably improved; so that in this point of view we have reason to be thankful for the exchange. And I hope, also, that the change of ministrations will be beneficial to both our parishes. I hear of an increased attention being produced at Madeley, and I ought to acknowledge with gratitude the acceptance with which I am favoured here.
You mention in your letter that your engagement in your present curacy will terminate early in 1827. I read that part of your letter to Mr. Gwyther (the gentleman with whom I have exchanged duties), who was over here a few days ago, and he said, “Could we not contrive between us to keep the curacy open for Mr. C. till he should be able to take it?”