An anxious discussion followed the reading of this letter at a Church meeting, held on the 12th of November, when the members recorded “the deep regret with which they had received from their beloved pastor the communication now presented by the deacons”; also their full appreciation of “the motives and reasons which had led him to his decision”; the “unabated attachment” which they still cherished towards him; and their gratitude to God “for the peace which had prevailed in the Church,” and the “many mercies vouchsafed” both to pastor and people.
A committee was formed to consider what further steps should be taken, and the meeting came “with the utmost regret and reluctance to the conclusion that the only course now open was to accept the resignation of their beloved and honoured pastor.” When the committee gave in their report, some members lovingly made further efforts to retain their old minister, but others equally loving saw that such efforts would be unavailing. At length all beautifully united in saying, “The will of the Lord be done.”
It was then resolved “that this meeting considers advantage should be taken of the opportunity afforded by the resignation of Dr. Stoughton, for the members of the Church and congregation . . . as well as for attached friends generally, to express their esteem for Dr. Stoughton, and appreciation of his character and valuable services in the cause of evangelical truth, by a substantial presentation to him.”
When the resignation had been sent in and accepted, a sermon was preached reviewing the past, explaining the present, and anticipating the future:—
“It is over forty years ago [said the preacher] that there lived in the town of Windsor a venerable man of God, who in early life had enjoyed only scanty educational advantages, but who, with strong common sense and industrious application to the study of Scripture and other reading, fitted himself, under God’s blessing, for the work of the ministry, and well fulfilled his course. He lived as he preached. He was a moral and spiritual power amongst his neighbours. From the king on the throne to the humblest inhabitant he was held in respect. George III. would speak to some of his servants, who attended the ministry of this excellent person, in terms of gracious approval. When years advanced and infirmities increased, he set his heart upon having a colleague, and after the congregation had listened to several students from Highbury College, they fixed on a stripling, who won the heart and warmly reciprocated the affection of the aged prophet. As a son with a father, the young man served in the gospel for about seven happy years, rejoicing in the honour paid to the elder, in whose hoary hairs he gladly recognised a crown of glory, because the wearer walked in the ways of righteousness. Many of you will recognise at once who was that aged saint, and I need hardly tell any here who was that inexperienced but attached young man. After I came here it was long a cherished dream, that if I should live to be an old man, I might enter once more upon a co-pastorate. The sunny memories I had and have of that relationship fostered corresponding hopes, and seven years ago I began to pray for and desire some one who might be associated with me in the ministry, and grow into your affection and confidence, and at length succeed me within these walls. Many and many a time have I pondered the text of this morning, and imagined how I might preach from it when the wished-for coming man should be appointed. I used to think of what would be fitting on such an occasion. ‘He must increase, and I must decrease,’ I said over and over again to myself, and not without fear that poor human nature might, under the circumstances, prove troublesome and rebellious. I endeavoured to prepare for the hoped-for crisis by meditations such as I have expressed in your hearing to-day.
“But now I preach from the words without knowing who it is that the Master destines to occupy in future years the pulpit of this place. Who shall hereafter ‘increase’ I cannot tell. I only know who must ‘decrease.’
“I did not renounce the idea of a co-pastorate until I was convinced from experience and observation that such a co-pastorate as I desired was impracticable. I remember often saying that I thought it must be an old man’s fault if he could not find, and work with, a fitting colleague. Alas, the finding has proved an impossibility, though I still incline to my old opinion of the working of the arrangement, when an appropriate colleague can be found. I am still persuaded that both for young ministers and for old ones the colligate plan is very desirable. Age tempers youth. Youth animates age. The senior with refined experience, the junior with the flush and fervour of opening life, conjoined in pastoral work, must surely to all appear a beautiful ideal. I was not brought to say, ‘What I shall choose I wot not,’ but I have been compelled to forego the exercise of choice in the matter, and to fall back on simple convictions of duty. Perhaps there is something amiss in the working of our system in relation to colligate ministries. Neither assistantships nor co-pastorates are in favour now-a-days, though in earlier Nonconformist societies they were. One minister is expected and desired to do everything, and, in a sense not intended by Ignatius, his motto finds a practical currency amongst us—widely as we may be separated from him in notions of episcopal government—‘nothing without the bishop.’”
On the 4th of April, 1875, Dr. Stoughton preached his farewell sermon as pastor at Kensington. The text was 1 Thessalonians ii. 19, 20: “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For ye are our glory and joy.” The sermon concluded with these words:—
“Perhaps the strongest of all ministerial power is sympathy in sorrow. It has been my lot to visit many in affliction, to sit by many sick beds, to witness the desolation of many a hearth, to grasp the widow’s hand, to kiss the orphan’s cheek. If I have ever shed one drop of healing balm over a wounded heart, or cast one ray of light over a darkened dwelling, I thank God for it, as the fulfilment of a ministry in which angels might have been glad to share; and sure I am that the remembrance of it, and the prospect of spending eternity together with the sons and daughters of sorrow in that world where tears are wiped from off all faces, will form no small part of my joy and crown of rejoicing in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ at His corning.
“And now, in the words of Edward Irving, let me say, ‘Brethren, I thank you in fine for the patience with which you have heard me on this and all other occasions. I have nothing to boast of, as St. Paul had when he parted with the Ephesian elders. I can speak of your kindness and of the Almighty’s grace, but of my own performances I cannot speak. Imperfections beset me round, which it is not my part to confess, save to the God of mercy. All these imperfections I crave you to forget. Fain would I continue to have a place in your esteem and love, as you have in mine; and besides this I have no favour to ask. Your kind remembrance and prayer, that is all.
“‘And now, God grant that while the roof-tree of this temple stands, and these walls resist the hand of all-consuming time, there may be no voice uttered from this pulpit but the voice of the Gospel of peace; that all who come up to worship here may be accepted of the Lord; and that we who have met so oft together, and joined the voice of our prayer and the notes of our praise together, may yet lift the voice of our prayer from beneath the altar of the living God, and minister our praise around His holy throne. Amen.’
“To each one I say, ‘the Lord bless thee, and keep thee: the Lord make His face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; the Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.’”
On the following Thursday evening a crowded meeting took place in Kensington Chapel, Samuel Morley, Esq., M.P., in the chair. Amongst those present were Sir Thomas Chambers, M.P.; Mr. Henry Richard, M.P.; Sir Charles Reed; Dean Stanley; Canon Freemantle; the Rev. J. P. Gell, Vicar of St. John’s, Notting Hill; the Rev. S. Minton; Dr. Morley Punshon; Dr. Angus; Dr. Allon; Principal Newth; the Rev. J. C. Harrison; the Rev. Baldwin Brown; and many other honoured brethren.
After addresses by the Rev. J. C. Harrison, the Rev. Samuel Bergne (intimate personal friends of the retiring minister), the Dean of Westminster, Sir Charles Reed, and the Rev. J. P. Gell, Incumbent of St. John’s,—Mr. Robert Freeman, an active and honoured deacon of the Church for many years, read an address in felicitous and graceful as well as truly Christian language, and then placed in the retiring pastor’s hands a purse containing £3,000. The whole assembly rose, and afterwards Dr. Stoughton spoke at considerable length, and in conclusion observed:—
“As I leave you to-night, I think of Gregory Nazianzan, when he took leave, one by one, of various familiar objects in his beloved church at Constantinople. I could speak to that pulpit from which I have often addressed you, and that communion table round which we have gathered in remembrance of the risen Saviour. I could pensively bid them, one by one, farewell, though I fully hope often to visit you again. I cannot forget Sunday mornings, when I have seen loving smiles and looks responding to my utterances, and I trust felt the presence of the Master so as to get very near to heaven. I shall carry these memories with me into the world of light and love.
“One word as to my position in reference to my theological and ecclesiastical opinions. There are different phases of Christian truth: the moral brought out by the Apostle James, the doctrinal by the Apostle Paul, the experimental by the Apostle Peter. One apostle above others blended these peculiarities in himself, harmonizing them all, like prismatic rays in ‘candid light,’ to use Bishop Warburton’s expression—the ‘candid,’ pure, perfect light of Divine love. I have striven to make him my model, to neglect no side of evangelical truth, but to go all round it; and if my poor teaching under such guidance has done any good, let God have all the praise. As to my ecclesiastical position, I have never shrank from expressing my opinion with regard to the Establishment principle. I am a thorough and earnest Nonconformist. There are many reasons why I could not conform; and I will now only mention this, that I could not surrender my liberty to preach the gospel in the pulpits of other communions, and to invite brethren of other communions to preach in mine. I have not seen it my vocation to join in certain movements of the day under the guidance of those whose practical application of Nonconformist principles in some respects differs from my own. I am not finding fault with them, and I hope they will not find fault with me. Let us agree to differ. One great object of my life has been rather to improve our own denomination, than to criticise and censure others; and also to cultivate loving relationship with other Churches, and it is my peculiar joy that my life aim in this respect has been generously recognised and reciprocated.”