CHAPTER I. 1793-1822.
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THE PIONEER MISSIONARY:
LIFE OF THE REV. NATHANIEL TURNER.
CHAPTER I. 1793-1822.
THE birthday of Nathaniel Turner is not known. He was baptized in the parish church of his native town, Wybunbury, in Cheshire, on March 10th, 1793. His parents, Thomas and Elizabeth Turner, had for many years resided on a small farm on the estate of Sir Robert Hill, of The Hough. They were members of the Church of England. The careful training of their eight children was suddenly interrupted by death. Within the space of twelve months both parents and one daughter died, thus leaving an orphan family of five brothers and two sisters. In them, however, was fulfilled the assurance, "In Thee the fatherless findeth mercy."
Nathaniel was but nine years old, and keenly felt his privation. Sorrowing for the loved ones gone, he sought relief in tears and much prayer; but he had now no Christian counsellor. At his mother's knee he had learnt to pray, and now the daily cry of his orphan heart was, "My Father, be Thou the Guide of my youth." That prayer was heard: his path was directed. Yet though he feared the Lord, read His holy Word, prayed much, and regularly
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attended the services of the church, he did not know the way of peace.
The home of childhood was broken up, and the guardianship of friends supplied in some degree the care of parents. At fifteen years of age he resided with his uncle, who when advanced in life had found the Saviour, under Wesleyan instrumentality. Under his roof boyish prejudices against the Methodists were entirely dispelled. The power of God accompanied the first sermon he heard amongst that people. It was on Easter Sunday, when Mr. Joseph Mellor preached from the words, "Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the Scriptures?"
In June, 1811, he was awakened by the Spirit of God under an impressive sermon by Mr. Joseph Lowe. 1 The text was, "And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments," &c During his walk home, conviction and fear so
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effected him, that his cousins on seeing him thought him very unwell. He now earnestly sought religion, but with insufficient light. He wept, prayed, and strove in Christian ordinances, but to no saving result. His outward deportment was noticed in the village. Some called him "the good young man;" others, "the Pharisee." This led him to self-content, in which he too soon cried, "Peace, peace."
Dark clouds settled for a season on his spiritual path. A pious Calvinist minister, under whose guidance one of his cousins was preaching, and for whose services another cousin had opened his house, disturbed his mind on the subject of election. The effect was distressing, and was only relieved by the truth. A young Wesleyan friend lent him Mr. Fletcher's "Scripture Scales," and the honest examination of this book left him no doubt that God was willing to save all mankind. He was at once affectionately advised and urged to decide for God.
Then followed a struggle for life, which was maintained as well in the prayer-meeting and class-meeting, as in the closet and the church. On the 5th of February, 1812, while at class-meeting for the second or third time, he found peace with God. Fifty years afterwards, on referring to the memorable occasion, he wrote, " So clear to me was the removal of my guilt, and so satisfactory the evidence of my acceptance in the Beloved, that I have never doubted to this day, that I then passed from death unto life."
Satan harassed him, but by faithfulness in private prayer he held fast the beginning of his confidence. He diligently strove to grow in grace, using all the means. The deceiver sought to ensnare him. At one time he struggled for many hours with the temptation that he had fallen from grace. When the conflict was at its height, the hour of the weekly class-meeting came round; and while in the fellowship of saints, after telling of his con-
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flict, the snare was broken, and confidence and peace were regained.
Almost coeval with his conversion, was an intense desire for the salvation of others. The earliest objects of his solicitude were his brothers and sisters: and, by his efforts and God's blessing upon them, the three youngest were soon led to the Saviour. Thereupon followed a conviction that God intended him for usefulness in the public services of His church. His successful exercises in the prayer-meeting became the subject of general notice, and more public labours were soon put upon him. From frequent conversation with pious persons on the subject, and from the expressed views of the Circuit ministers, the Revs. Joseph Brookhouse and James Allen, (the latter of whom especially evinced an interest in his career,) his mind became drawn towards preaching the Gospel. In earnest prayer he entreated the Lord to show him His will, and to shine upon his path. The answer came. One Sunday evening, at Coppenhall, he was "constrained" to preach by Mr. Joseph Lowe. The subject of his first address, at which several local preachers were present, was, "These shall go away into everlasting punishment."
From that time he took many services as a substitute for others; and when the next Circuit plan appeared, which was for a term of six months, he found that the superintendent had given him forty-two appointments. He had but scanty material for such service; but with simplicity of purpose, and a heart warm to the work, he obeyed God's call. The Lord gave him favour in the eyes of the people, and the word he preached was owned in the salvation of many. His situation being somewhat unfriendly to the work nearest his heart, he removed to Blakenhall, where he resided for several years with Mr. Thomas Salmon, finding full scope for the powers and zeal which God gave him. Besides preaching two or three times on the Sabbath, and not un-
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frequently on the week nights for the ministers, he was almost constantly engaged in holding prayer-meetings, or meeting classes. To meet the mental demands for this course of toil, and the better to qualify himself, it was his custom to spend till midnight in study. In these exercises his soul delighted, and his knowledge and piety grew.
Frequent intercourse with the ministers and the reading of missionary intelligence were much blessed to him. He soon found his sympathies drawn towards the heathen. The feeling warmed into a holy passion. The requisite qualifications for the life service of the Gospel were not to be had without much effort; and he prayerfully set himself to prepare for the work, should God clearly call him to it. At the March Quarterly Meeting, 1820, he was nominated for the missionary service. Having been examined and recommended by the District Meeting at Congleton, he was received by the Conference, and placed on the President's list of candidates for the foreign work, to be sent out under the direction of the Missionary Committee; but was given to understand that, from the low state of the funds and other causes, it would be some time before he could be sent to a Mission station. His Divine Master meanwhile found him other work to do. What it was, and how he did it, shall be told in his own words.
"There were a number of populous villages and hamlets, which were sadly benighted and demoralized. They lay chiefly between the Nantwich, Newcastle, Staffordshire, and Whitchurch Circuits, but beyond the reach of the ministers generally. My Circuit Quarterly Meeting, at the instance of Mr. Richard Vernon, of Buerton, unanimously resolved to originate a mission among them. They subscribed among themselves some five or six pounds for the purpose, and appointed a Sub-Committee to carry out their views. The Committee, after consideration, wrote to me, and I at once entered into their plans. It was not known that there was
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one pious person in the whole region into which I was sent;. and I was interdicted from going into any place where the Gospel was preached.
"I began my mission on the last Sabbath of April, 1820,. preaching on the green at Audlem. The few who attended listened attentively as I bade them 'behold the Lamb of God.' Though former preachers here had been persecuted, I met with but little molestation. A house was opened for preaching, and a tolerably good congregation collected. Several persons turned to God, and a class was formed, which I left doing well at the close of my mission.
"In the village of Norton, we were successfully hindered by the vigorous and persevering opposition of the clergyman, and the leading gentleman of the place, a Captain ------.
These worthies regularly attended at the time and place notified for Divine service, and, each bearing a stick, warned off the villagers from forming a congregation. One Tuesday evening, just as the service was beginning in the square, they personally headed a band with drums and fifes, and came with a mob of fellows of the baser sort right into the congregation. Already the village bells were ringing in derision; and when the voice and yells of these intruders were added, the service was effectually stopped.
"In Neigton we were similarly opposed, but not with such flagrant impiety. The outward leader of the opposition was a publican. But he was instigated by the clergyman of the parish, known to be living in gross sin. Some good was effected here, and not long after a Wesleyan chapel was built.
"Though Ashby was a notoriously wicked place, our introduction into it was peaceable, and for some time we preached in a private house unmolested. The house being small, and but few attending, we ventured to hold service in the open air. After singing through the village, the preacher took his stand on the seat of the stocks. A goodly number
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assembled, and though there was some disturbance, many listened seriously. This daring on the part of the Methodists so aroused the leading Churchmen of the place, that in the course of the week a public meeting was held on the subject. It resulted in a great manifestation of popular loyalty to the Church. A crowd assembled at the Methodist preacher's stand, and, preceded by the clergyman and a band of musicians, marched from it to the church ground. They then clasped hands around the building, and exclaimed, 'The Methodists shall never take the church.' Money was given them, which they freely spent at the neighbouring public-house, kept by the clerk of the parish. Here they drank the health of the clergyman, success to Church and State, and damnation to the Methodists. This statement I received from one who had taken part in the movement, but who soon afterwards became converted to God under my ministry. Some lasting good was done in this village.
"A hamlet named Podmore witnessed some special triumphs of the Gospel. The villagers of Bowers had baffled many previous efforts. But here my way was providentially open, and the Lord gave me great success. At the close of my mission, some twenty members, who had been gathered from the paths of sin, were walking together in love, and adorning a Christian profession.
"My centre was Black Brook. This was the scene of my hardest labours and greatest success. By day I went from house to house, holding religious conversation; and this, as intended, led many to come to the evening services. After some months of varying encouragement, the Lord poured out His Spirit, and many were saved. On one occasion, under a sermon on 'the blood of sprinkling,' an old woman who had passed eighty winters was convinced of sin, and the next week she found peace. At a lovefeast fifteen souls were set at liberty.
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"At Woore, where the clergyman was a 'blind leader of the blind,' the parish clerk personally assaulted me: here some few were brought to God. Several minor places were included in my mission.
"In this delightful employment I had been laboriously engaged for eighteen months, when I was summoned to the foreign work. Upwards of seventy souls had been gathered into classes, and were being watched over by duly appointed leaders, chiefly chosen from among the new converts during the mission. For these I ascribe, now as then, all honour to God. From the first the villages paid the expenses of my maintenance, except the five or six pounds originally subscribed."
The scene of the labours above narrated is now the abode of a flourishing commercial community. The population has received its increase during the half century from all parts of the British empire. Religion flourishes. Methodism has won many triumphs over Satan, and now wields a wide-spread influence among the masses. Its growth is represented by several Circuits and many large churches.
During Mr. Turner's home missionary career he formed the friendship of many excellent young men, who afterwards did good service in the cause of Christ, and with several of whom he carried on an affectionate correspondence. Among them were Thomas Jones, Missionary to the West Indies, and who was lost in "the Maria" mail boat; Thomas Turner, Missionary to Canada, Alfred Bourne, who died at Oxford, Andrew Doncaster, William Hare, and Thomas Ford, who died in the English work.
In November, 1820, he was examined before the Committee in London, in company with Mr. John Morgan, who, at a later date, was appointed to begin a Mission at St. Mary's, River Gambia. At the Mission House he came in contact with several excellent brethren who were going out
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as Missionaries, among whom were Messrs. Duncan and Young, about to embark for the West Indies.
Another year's delay occurred, and Mr. Turner continued in his loved work as an evangelist. Towards the end of 1821 he was instructed to prepare for New Zealand. On the 10th of January, 1822, he was married to Anne Sargent, daughter of Mr. John Sargent of Ipstones, Etruria, Staffordshire. The marriage was solemnized in the parish church of Stoke-upon-Trent. It is an interesting fact that the social religious services connected with the event, and with the family leave-taking, were made, under God, the occasion of the conversion of Mrs. Turner's relatives.
To say "good bye" to his numerous children in the Gospel, and other friends, was no common trial to the young Missionary, or to his wife. It was night when they took coach at Newcastle-under-Lyne for London. Though at a late hour, in the depth of winter, and bitterly cold, more than a thousand friends, numbers of whom had travelled many miles, assembled around the coach to bid them "farewell." The townsfolk near the stage tavern had not been unused to street gatherings; but they looked on with wonder to see so large a company standing for some ten or fifteen minutes. Amid the falling of the snow there was but one sound to break the stillness. It was the preacher's voice giving a farewell address, from the box of the coach. As the coachman hailed his team, kind impulses seemed to move some good sisters, who bethought them of the pitiless weather, and Mrs. Turner's adieus were given from within, amid a shower of shawls. The latest words they heard, as the coach was driven through the crowd, were those of Mr. Turner's brother: "We shall now be as sheep without a shepherd." They were entertained in London by Mr. and Mrs. Taylor.
In company with Mr. William White, Mr. Turner was
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ordained on January 23rd, 1822. Among those who took part in the service were the Revs. Richard Watson, Jabez Bunting, and Joseph Taylor. The vows of that evening were most prayerfully and solemnly undertaken, and for more than forty years faithfully observed, by the grace of God.
On the 15th of February he left England in the brig "Deveron," bound for Van Diemen's Land and New South Wales. Among his fellow voyagers was the Rev. William White, also appointed to New Zealand, and who had been received by the Conference before Mr. Turner. He went out unmarried. There were more than twenty passengers, some of whom were very profane, and occasioned the Mission party much annoyance and grief. When in the Bay of Biscay, the brig being kept out of her course for several days, the Missionaries went to special prayer. They had but just risen from their knees when the captain cheerily called out, "Ladies and gentlemen, I am happy to inform you that the wind has suddenly veered round, and that the brig is laying her course." The passengers landed at Madeira, where they found "the houses low and wretched, and the inhabitants poor and miserable-looking." Fruit was cheap, but everything else dear enough. During the latter part of the voyage several storms were encountered, in one of which they were well nigh lost. The rudder tackling and stern boats were carried away, and the deadlights stove in. The alarm and confusion were not lessened by the terrified mate calling out, "She is sinking! She is sinking!"
Van Diemen's Land was sighted on the one hundred and twenty-fourth day out, a passage at that time considered very good for a vessel of but two hundred and fifty tons. Some of the passengers, whose profanity had caused much annoyance to Mr. Turner, begged his pardon, and thanked him for his Christian counsel and example while with them.
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As the brig stood up Storm Bay, the voyagers were delighted with the picturesque coast fringing the base of a hundred hills, clothed with verdure to their very summits; and when, a few hours later, they had rounded Crawfish Point, and opened upon Sandy Bay, with Mount Nelson on their left, and before them the majestic Mount Wellington, four thousand feet high, with its grand white cliffs and snowy crown glittering in the sunshine, and Hobart Town sleeping at its feet, their admiration was unbounded.
