DEATH OF THE REV. JABEZ BUNTING, D.D.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 104, 19 October 1858, Page 4

DEATH OF THE REV. JABEZ BUNTING, D.D.

(Ei-om ihe Illustrated Neivs, 22nd June). Dr. Bunting, the most distinguished man amono- the. Wesleyan Methodists since the { d?ys of John Wesley, died on Wednesday, June 16th, in his eightieth year. His parents belonged to the middle class; and it is said that, before his birth and during a time of great mental anxiety, his mother' derived so much consolation and encouragement from listening to a Methodist preacher's discourse, founded- on pertain words in the first book of Chronicles—"And. Jabez was more honorable than his brethern: and his mother called his name Jabez," &c.—that she called her first child Jabez in grateful commemoration of the occasion. After receiving a liberal education in Manchester, Jabez was placed with a well known physician in that city, Dr. Percival, who showed him the utmost kindness, and with whom he remained until 1799, when he entered upon his duties as a Methodist preacher, in what was called the Oldham circuit. Here he became immensely popular, and afterwards in other provincial circuits, until he reached London in 1803, where his great talents commanded general admiration of himself, and respect for the people to whom he belonged. Up to this period Methodism had everywhere been a by-word and reproach. Mr. Wesley, whose zeal and success are now beyond all dispute, was regarded, even to his death, by the great bul^of the population, as little better than a fanatic; and the terrible convulsions which 'threatened to destroy his societies, almost before his grave was closed, had led to the general' belief that his system was unsound and ephemeral, and would soon become defunct. That belief exists no longer. Under the fostering and skilful hands of Jabez Bunting and his contemporaries Methodism had gradually developed its power, and assumed its present shape. And we now find, from* the Census returns and other reliable sources, that, in point of numbers and appliances for good, it stands, as a religious organization, next to our venerable Establishment, towards, which, indeed, it has always maintained a most friendly attitude. Since the commencernet of the present century English Methodism has instituted a great missionary agency, for which it supplies a yearly income of £120,000. It has established two large theological schools for it young ministers; a great training school at Westminster for masters and mistresses of day schools; and has raised, in purely voluntary subscriptions, for .thesupport, consolidation, and enlargement of its operations, not less than twenty-five millions of pounds. And during the whole of this period it has been chiefly indebted to the far seeing, the comprehensive action, the untiring energy, and the consummate tact of the late Dr. Bunting, who, from the moment that he adopted Methodism as the church of his choice, devoted himself with remarkable ardour to the furtherance of its interests. Dr. Bunting was early elected to the highest offices in the Methodist Conference —the governing power in Methodism. That Conference consists of a hundred ministers, first chosen by Mr. Wesley, and subsequently chosen, when vacancies occur, ! by themselves, from among their own brethren. But it is a rule with the Conference that no minister shall be admitted into their number, or shall fill the office of president or secretary, until he has exercised his ministerial functions for fourteen years, and that no president shall be re-elected to that office until after a lapse of eight years. Dr. Bunting, after repeatedly filling the I duties of secretary, became the president of the Conference in 1820; and from that date up to within.a few years of his death, when extreme weakness prevented him from any longer attending to his duties, he may be said to have taken the lead in the Methodist connection by the general and willing consent of the whole body. He was elected president four times. But it was not among the Methodists alone that Dr. Bunting was known and esteemed. In other religious communities his help and his council were frequently sought. | He was one of the earliest and firmest friends of the Evangelical Alliance. His attachment to the Bible Society was intense. And few religious movements of a public nature have taken place within the last fifty years with which his name has not been associated. In political circles also he was well known, and was frequently consulted by the statesmen of the day. He strongly advocated Catholic emancipation, the abolition of slavery, and national education by means of Government aid; and on all matters relating to our colonies, a subject in which his advice was eagerly sought, he invariably gave' the same opinion, namely, that as few restraints as possible should be put upon their social and political freedom. The same spirit influenced him among his own people, who are indebted to him for many measures which have made Methodism more acceptable to its supporters, and have destroyed those invidious distinctions between clergy and laity which must be an occasion of perpetual feud or paralysis in churches where they exist. It is scarcely within our province to speak of Dr. Bunting in any other than his public character. But, perhaps, it is due to his memory to say that he was a great preacher, having a wonderful power of convincing men of the truth; and that he had a large understanding of " the times," showing consummate judgment and wisdom in dealing with them; and that he was an eloquent and commanding speaker, unrivalled in debate and seldom answered. Dr. Leifchild, in his funeral oration, observed that when in the committee of the Evangelical Alliance the members were in great doubt and perplexity as to the course they should take, his voice, when, he rose up to speak,,was just like light to men in a thicket, and they

instantly knew they should get out of their difficulty. Of his private virtues, his domestic relations, his genial spirit, his friendly bearing towards all men, there will be other and ample records. "We have only to add that as he lived so he died, in the bosom of the Methodist Church, and, having rejoiced in her prosperity, stood by her^ in her storms, and resisted many tempting offers to come out of her, his bones at last found a resting place with her fathers in the yard of the City-road Chapel—a special licence having been granted by the late Government upon his own earnest and oftrepeated request. The funeral took place on Tuesday. The cortege, consisting of hearse and four horses, and some twenty mourning carriages, left the late residence of the deceased, preceded by the committees of the Wesleyan Missionary Society and the Richmond Theological Institution. On arriving at the chapel in the City-road, the preliminary sentences of the burial service were read by Dr. Hannah. Dr. Dixon, of Manchester, having closed the service in the chapel with prayer, the procession moved to the ground, where the remains of Dr. Jabez Bunting were deposited in the grave, and the service read by Dr. Hoole. Dr. Bunting leaves behind him to his family and his people only the heritage of his good name and his many works. Though the acknowledged leader among the Methodists, and besides rilling their highest posts of honor was for three years years their editor, for seventeen years one of their missionary secretaries, and the president of their theological school's from the time of their establishment in' 1835, he derived no emolument whatever from any of these offices, receiving only the ordinary salary of a Methodist preacher—£lso a 3^ear, with house rent and taxes.