Memoirs of the life, ministry, and writings

Preface

There is no species of composition more interesting or more instructive than faithful and well-written biography. Its immediate tendency is to unveil man to man. It discovers the virtues and the vices, the nobleness and the meanness, of which he is capable ; and it shows how the original sameness of human nature is varied by the operation of external causes, into ten thousand different shapes, and assumes as many shades and hues. It is calculated to awaken in the young an ardent love of virtue and solid excellence ; and of inciting in all a spirit of emulation to tread in the steps, which led those, who are now no more, to that eminence to which it is desirable to attain. But man, to be known, must be viewed in every situation ; and wherever he is fairly exhibited ; whatever may have been his rank, station, or circumstances of birth or fortune, a valuable addition is made to science. Whether the record respects the struggles of talents and worth through the chilling regions of obscurity and penury, up to the glittering eminences of fame and reward ; or whether it details the operations of pride and ambition on minds born to wealth and power, it presents a useful lesson which all may turn to profit.

Too frequently, however, has the task of recording the memoirs of the dead been committed to persons who felt themselves bound by a maxim which leads only to a celebration of what is laudable, while those actions, which, on account of their notoriety, as well as of their natural mischievous consequences, are allowed to pass unnoticed, or are palliated iv

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as venial and trifling errors. This is an abuse of biography which should be guarded against. Too often has the press been prostituted to the vile purpose of becoming the instrument of panegyric upon a course of conduct which merited general execration ; not considering that the primary and legitimate object of Biography is designed, not so much to raise a monument to the dead, as to benefit the living. The dead, unconscious of censure or of applause, deaf to the voice of admonition, stationed beyond the influence of example, are removed from the sentence of man to the tribunal of his Maker. The living are within the reach of instruction, capable of being roused to the imitation of virtue, and inspired with an abhorrence of vice. For their sakes, then, ought the proceedings of departed eminence to be recorded. Let worth be displayed in conspicuous colours ; let failings be unveiled with the kindness of charity, yet measured by the standard of justice ; let the steps which conducted to excellence, the prejudices which bewildered in error, the seductions which allured into guilt, be noted with such distinctness and strength, and illustrated with such fidelity of practical application, that the reader may lay down the book with his knowledge enlarged and his mind improved : let the dead receive, to the last particle, the honour which they deserve ; but above all things, let the biographer, zealous as he may be through friendship, and warmed by admiration of partial good qualities, never forget the paramount and sacred obligation of truth ; let nothing which ought to be made manifest be concealed ; if facts are withheld, let them not be so withheld tliat the delineation of the character shall in its general eff^ect be altered. Designedly to convey an erroneous impression, be it by words or by silence, is equally falsehood.

These general observations are introduced for the purpose of apprizing the reader that in the following pages he must not expect an inflated panegyric, but a life of Dr. Adan- Clarke — a narrative in which the main incidents of his histor'.

aTe made to pass in review before him, accompanied by such free strictures and remarks as struck the mind of the biographer at the moment, and which he wishes the reader to examine with candour, and make that use, and that use alone of, to which, after due dehberation, he may think them entitled.

It is generally known to the reading public, that Dr. Clarke was, to a certain extent, his own biographer, and that what he left defective, his own family endeavoured to supply. Now we cannot reasonably doubt that the man who undertakes to write his own life has at least the first qualification of an historian, namely, the knowledge of the facts and incidents of which that life is made up. Certainty of knowledge, not only excludes mistakes, but fortifies veracity. But we must not forget, on the other hand, that an author's temptations to disguise are equal to his opportunities of knowing, and therefore the question returns, whether impartiahty may be expected with equal confidence from him that relates the passages of his own life as from him that delivers the transactions of another. It has been affirmed that he who writes the life of another is either his friend or his enemy, and consequently wishes either to exalt his praise or aggravate his infamy : many temptations to falsehood will occur in the disguise of passions, too specious to fear much resistance. The love of virtue will animate panegyric, and detestation of vice will embitter censure. The zeal of gratitude, the ardour of patriotism, fondness for an opinion, or attachment to a party, may easily overpower the vigilance of a mind, habitually well disposed, and prevail over unassisted veracity. On the contrary it may be said, that he who speaks of himself has no motive to falsehood or partiality except self-love, by which all have so often been betrayed, that every man should be upon the watch against its artifices. He that writes an apology for a single action, to confute an accusation, or to reconwnend himself to favour, is always to be suspected of favouring his own cause ; but he that sits down calmly and voluntarily to revi

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view Ills life for the benefit of posterity may be presumed to relate what is true, since falsehood cannot appease his own mind, and fame will not be heard beneath the tomb.

The pertinency of these remarks to the subject before us, is almost too obvious to need pointing out. The life of Dr. Adam Clarke, published by his own family, is chiefly to be va- Jued on account of the facts and documents which it furnishes to d biographer, from which to extract materials, and work up his narrative. But who that takes the trouble to examine the multifarious contents of those printed volumes, is not instantly impressed with the total absence of all just taste and discrimination in the compilers — all propriety of method and rule; in short he finds the work a perfect melange — a forest, thicket, or garden, which calls for the hand of the horticulturist to prune, and pluck up, and transplant, in order to reduce the whole to something like symmetry and due proportion.

It would be invidious to dwell in this place, upon that which constitutes so prominent a feature in the life published by the family, the perpetual exhibition of vanity and self-appiiiuse which in almost every page meets the reader's eye.

On some of these things I have used the freedom to offer a gentle remonstrance as they presented themselves in the course of the following narrative, and hope I have done it without acrimony or invective. I have also done the same thing on some articles of Dr. Clarke's Theological creed from which I am compelled to withhold my assent. In every instance of the latter kind, I have appealed to^'' the Law and theTestimony" as the grounds of my dissent, sincerely wishing the reader to examine the subject for himself by that unerring standard. If he be wise for himself, he will not lock up his min i in prejudice, and, taking shelter behind the walls of fancied orthodoxy, foolishly exclaim against every thing that is inimical to Methodism. There cannot be a greater mistake than to suppose that Methodism and Scriptural Christianity are one and the same thing. The former embodies the wisdom of Mr.

PREFACE. Vii*

John Wesley— the latter, the wisdom of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who purchased the church by his blood, and therefore has the sole right of prescribing to his redeemed people, in what particular form or method they shall worship and serve him — what they shall believe and what they shall practise. In all these things the New Testament is a plain rule of duty — so plain that it wants nothing but a humble, teachable, obedient mind to fall in with it. The church of Christ is his kingdom, in which he rules and governs, by laws issuing from himself, the fountain of eternal truth and wisdom— a people " made willing in the day of his power," Ps. ex. 3. The churches of which we read in the Acts of the Apostles, and their Epistles, were formed and constituted after a model given by Christ himself ^ Acts i. 3, and it must be the height of presumption and folly in any man or set of men to suppose they can improve upon or alter it for the better. But what affinity has that model with Methodism ? In the New Testament, which is the Christian's code of laws, there is no mention of classes and bands and admission tickets — none of districts and circuits, or stewards and superintendants — nothing of local and travelling preachers — much less of an Annual Conference in which all these affairs are to be regulated. All the names and titles now mentioned, appertain to a system which has little affinity with the constitution of things enacted under the guidance and direction of the Spirit of Inspiration, and exemplified in the primitive apostolic churches. To become subjects of Christ's Kingdom, men must give up with Mr. John Wesley and his writings as their guide, just as the first converts from Judaism to Christianity did with Moses and the Jewish ritual, and they must study the writings of the holy apostles. These inspired guides are sufficiently explicit in their declarations on this head ; for, after warning us to ** believe not every Spirit, but to try the spirits vrhether they are of God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world," they give us this plain rule for our government

b viii.

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and direction ** We'' the apostles, are of God : he that knoweth God neareth us : he that is not of God^ heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error," 1 John iv. 6. A Methodist may demur to this, and instead of having his conscience bound by what the apostles say in their writings, he may surrender his mind and judgment to the wisdom of the founder of Methodism ; but this is palpably wrong, and must endanger the interests of his precious and immortal soul. His duty and his safety consists in bringing all that Mr. Wesley and Dr. Clarke have written, to the rule of the Scriptures, and follow the former i\o further than they follow the latter. But were this plan of procedure adopted, as in truth and consistency it ought to be, how would it thin the ranks of Methodism I

A clamour has been raised in certain quarters agamst the *• Memoirs of Dr. Clarke'' now offered to the public, on the ground that they are compiled byaCalvinist; and one preacher in particular, went so far as to denounce the book from the pulpit, and recommend to such of his hearers as had begun to purchase it, to commit all they had got to the flames. But happily for mankind, the time is gone by for the clergy of any denomination to hoodwink the public mind, and keep the people in ignorance by such pitiful artifices — artifices worthy oi the church of Rome, and the darkest ages of Popery. Truth never shrinks from investigation, but comes boldly to the light, and scorns the aid of those misguided friends who would assist her by such unhallowed weapons. Her motto is —

She cordially approves the maxim, " Prove all things, hold fast that which is good." The cause of error and falsehood is a dark cause, and needs the weapons of darkness to support it. To the honour of the present generation of Methodists, it do-

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serves to be recorded, that they are beginning to shake themselves loose from the shackles in which for half a century they have been held spell-bound, by the dread of looking into any other writings than those which have issued from the Wesleyan School. Even their preachers do not hesitate to purchase the entire Works of Dr. John Owen" — the prince of modern Galvinists — a fact which tells more than a thousand arguments, how wonderfully the light is spreading in the present day! The Arminians and the Galvinists would act wisely in rigorously examining each other's creed ; bringing their respective systems to the test of the holy scriptures, and abiding firm by that, the result cannot but be favourable to the progress of truth. Methodism may crumble into ruins as the consequence, but I am much mistaken if an equal change do not pass upon all the congregational churches of the present day, whose constitution and external order are as little accordant with the oracles of God as is the system of Mr. John Wesley. But this is not the place for a further discussion of that point.

As to the complaint that has been raised among the Methodists, that the editor of the present work is a Calvinist ; though almost too contemptible for notice, it may be w^orth while to bestow a short paragraph upon it, were it only for the sake of disabusing the minds of a few persons who are easily prejudiced by an obnoxious sound. Though passing under the general denomination of a Calvinist, I am very far indeed from subscribing to all that Calvin has written even on the subject of the divine decrees ; and it were easy to specify various other particulars in which my opinions differ from those of the Geneva reformer, as widely indeed as his do from those of Mr. John Wesley or Dr. Clarke. A mong these are his viewsof the ordinance of Christian Baptism, and the nature, constitution, and government of a Christian church. It is scarcely necessary to tell any one in the present day, that this great Reformer, like Luther, Melancthon, Zuinglius, and others, was an advocate for national Christianity ; and instead of bringing back matters to

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the standard of the New Testament, collecting the disclp es into folds and flocks*' as at the beginning of the Gospel, organizing each distinct congregation as an independent body, with its scriptural office-bearers of bishops, or Elders, and Deacons, they contented themselves with drawing a form of Christianity over whole districts, provinces, or countries, and mingling the disciples of Christ, in religious fellowship, with the world, as must be the case with all national estabhshments of religion, in direct opposition to the practice of the holy apostles, the example of the first churches, and the express command ■>f God, 2 Cor. vi. l6. Truly was their work denominated a Reformation ; it was not a return to first principles. These great men contented themselves with merely lopping off a few of the excrescences of Popery ; but they left the grand evil, an unholy alliance between the Church and the State, nearly where they found it. Of what real consequence is it, whether christian churches, so called, be regulated in their faith and worship by a pope and his conclave of Cardinals, a King Henry VIII. and his Clergy assembled in convocation, or by a General assembly with subordinate Church courts; if the New Testament be not taken as the sole rule and directory, the apostolic churches as the exclusive pattern, and the decisions of Christ and his Apostles as the only authority to bind the consciences of men— it comes to one and the same thing — the whole is a piece of will-worship, and must be of little account with him who hath said In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.''

Dr. Clarke was not one of those who confine all their reading to authors of their own Theological school. We have only tc look into his published volumes to be convinced that his reading was not restricted to authors of the Arminian class. We find him freely acknowledging his obligations to Henry Ainsworth — Father Quesnell — Calmet — Pascal — Cudworth — Houbigant — Kennicott — Usher — Calvin — Matthew Poole— Juuiusand Treraeliius — Grotius — Hammond— Patrick

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— Saurln — Matthew Henry—Scott, and many others, whose doctrinal sentiments, in general, were but little in unison with his own, especially on the discriminating tenets of Methodism : aiul why should not those who are attached to his creed, and tenacious of his memory, imitate him in this respect? It is surely high time that the Methodists threw away their leading strings, and participated in the march of intellect that is found among other denominations, and, indeed, of wliich many among themselves have lately exhibited a praise- worthy example ! There cannot be a greater mistake than to suppose that all excellence is confined to one sect or party, and our wisdom consists in " seizing upon truth, w^here'ere 'tis found — on heathen or on Christian ground/'

Dr. Clarke somewhere, as I remember, takes credit to himself, for having " never written one controversial tract in his life,"* This may be true: but surely he would not have gone so far as to affirm that he never provoked the writing of a controversial tract in others, either to vindicate what they considered to be the cause of injured truth, or to wipe off unjust aspersions with which he had inconsiderately indulged himself in his writings. His ridicule of the Antipoedo-baptists on account of their conscientious scruples regarding the administration of the ordinance of baptism, and the anecdote which he somewhere relates of a man who immersed himself thrice in the sea, pronouncing the words 1 baptize thee, &c." and recommending his example to the imitation of such as were tempted to become Baptists, though issued from the press more than forty years ago, is still in the recollection of some who are yet alive — and surely it is a species of argumentation which cannot be commended by any one who duly considers the subject. These things I once read, fiisce occults, more than thirty years ago, and with pungent sorrow of heart that they could proceed from the pen of a writer who profess*

• See Letter to Mr. Joseph Hughes, p. 356 of thia volume.

Xll

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fed to fear Grod ! Should it be pleaded by his friends that it took place in the days of his youth, and therefore ought to be dealt with leniently, 1 accept the apology; and further add, that my only object in mentioning the matter as I now do, is, to expose the folly of glorying in man, by reminding the reader that Adam Clarke was not always a//'* perfection." 1 most sincerely wish, however, that he had never written any thing more reprehensible than this attack upon the Baptists, bad as it is ; but when I explore certain parts of his writings, and read what he has published regarding the character of the God whom I worship, and who declares his Sovereignty to be the brightest jewel in his crown, I tremble to find a fellow worm of the earth, rushing presumptuously ** where angels fear to tread." But on some of these topics, i have touched in the following pages, as they passed in review before me, and others have been handled by abler pens.*

It has somehow become fashionable to decry all controversy indiscriminately, under the notion that little benefit or edification results from it. This is held as an indisputable maxim by those that are settled on their lees, and have no wish to be disturbed — persons whose cool indifference indicates their having little at stake, or whose unlimited charity is equally courteous to truth and error ; yet 1 cannot be persuaded that this sage maxim admits of no exception. The most important revolution that ever took place in the world, was brought about by means of controversy, disputes, and contention, see Acts ix. 22. ch. xvii. 17, and xix. 8, 9. And subsequently, when Antichrist had slain the witnesses, quashed the controversy, and cursed all around him into implicit faith, these horrid chains of darkness were again burst asunder by a free inquiry into the meaning of the holy scriptures, and a contending earnestly for the faith once delivered unto the saints.

• See Mr. Gill Timnis* Remark on the Foreknowledge of God, suggested by passages, in Dr. Adam Clarke's Commentary on the New Teslaiiient.

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XII]

And, indeed, the person who can stand neutral in all religious disputes, must either have no creed at all or hold it very cheap.

I merely throw out these remarks in the way of apology, for the liberty I have presumed to take throughout the following pages, in controverting some few of the learned Doctor's positions, and hope what I have said may not be without its use, to such persons as shall condescend to peruse this volume, by exciting in them a spirit of inquiry into the ground and reasons of their assent, and inducing them to bring all their religious sentiments to the test of divine revelation, ever remembering that it is by that criterion, the truth or falsehood of our opinions must be decided, and not by the writings of Mr. Wesley and Dr. Clarke. For its many imperfections I desire to apologise ; to me it shall suffice, if, in the opinion of competent judges, it be found a faithful record of the principal incidents in the life of one whose extensive learning I admire ; whose zeal, intrepidity, and laborious exertions I venerate ; and whom I have always regarded as one of the most extraordinary men of the age in which he lived

Critchell Place, Hoxt<m»

September, 1834

Contents

PAGE.

Introduction, 1 Section I. Some account of Dr. Clarke's family, birth,

education, and Juvenile History, 4 II. Dr. Clarke's first acquaintance with the

Section I

Some Account of Dr. Clarke's family , birth, education, and iuvenile history.

Adam Clarke, the subject of this memoir, though a native of Ireland, was paternally of English extraction. The family, according to tradition, after residing for time immemorial in England, went over to Ireland in the seventeenth century, and settled in the county of Antrim, where they had considerable estates. He himself informs us that his father, John Clarke, was educated with a view to the ministry of the Protestant established church, and studied successively at Edinburgh and Glasgow, where he took the degree of Master of Arts, and afterwards entered a Sizar of Trinity College, Dublin, at a time when classical merit alone could gain such an admission. His continuance there, however, was but of short duration. A premature marriage, by which he violated the rules of the college, terminated his studies, and blasted his prospects in the church. The female to whom he had united himself, and who was the mother of Adam Clarke, was of Scottish extraction, a descendant of the M'Leans, of Mull, a woman of excellent character, and who made him one of the best and most affectionate of wives. Abandoning all thoughts of the clerical profession, he commenced school-master, "a creditable but gainless profession," and so inadequate to the support of an increasing family, that he was tempted to leave the country and cross the Atlantic.

About the middle of the last century, the rage for emigrating to America was very prevalent in Ireland. Heavy taxation, oppressive landlords, and the little encouragement afforded to either genius or industry, rendered Ireland, though one of the finest countries under the sun, no eligible place for men of talents of any kind to look forward to an adequate provision for a rising family. On the other hand, America, thin in her population and extensive in her territory, held out promises of easily acquired property, and lures of various kinds, to induce the sons of destitution and wretchedness in England, Scotland, and Ireland, to remove thither. Mr. John Clarke was among the number

OF THE REV. ADAM CLARKE, LL. D., F. A. S.

of those who indulged these golden hopes, and was further tempted by the prospect of obtaining a professorship in one of the newly raised Universities in the new world. In an evil hour, says his son, he broke up his establishment, sold his property, and with his wife and infant son, proceeded to Londonderry, where they engaged their passage in a merchant vessel to cross the Atlantic. They had actually embarked and were on the eve of sailing, when Mr. John Clarke's father arrived from the country, went on board, expostulated wdth his son, and prevailed on him to change his purpose, and to return with him to the country. All this took place about the year 1758 or 1759 previous to the birth of Adam Clarke.

For some considerable time after this, Mr. John Clarke was quite undetermined as to his future plans of life. He had wasted his little property in making preparations for the voyage to America, and now found to his cost that it was much easier to unsettle, than to establish; a maxim which we often see demonstrated in human life — for, according to the old proverb, " the hand which cannot build a hovel may demolish a temple." Various projects which appeared fair at a distance, on a nearer approach were found to elude the grasp of his expectation. He was now reduced to considerable straits and difSculties: all his remaining property was expended ; and, alternately elated and depressed with promises and disappointments, he had to begin the world anew equally destitute of advantages and means. In this state of things, nothing presented itself to him but a choice of difficulties — friends and internal resources had equally failed, and he now took up his residence in an obscure village called Moybeg, in the county of Londonderry, and there, and under these very trying circumstances,

Adam Clarke, the subject of this memoir, was born, it is thought, in the year 1760, but neither the year, month, nor day can now be satisfactorily ascertained. He was baptized in the parish church by his uncle, the Rev. John Tracy, the rector, who had married his mother's sister; but on application being made at a subsequent period, to obtain a copy of the baptismal register, the answer returned was : " The archives of the church have been carefully searched, but no register during Mr. Tracy's incumbency has been found, none having been kept during that period ; or if kept, since irrecoverably lost." Mr. Tracy died sometime between 1760 and 1762, and as Adam Clarke was baptized by him, he must have been born within that period— but the day and month are as uncertain as the year. His name he is said to have owed to his grandfather and grandmother then living, who wished him to be called Adam in memory of a beloved son of theirs, who had died of the small pox when only six years of age ; and they engaged that as soon as he could walk alone, they would take him as their own, and be at the whole charge of his bringing up. *

Adam, as already mentioned, had a brother, three years older than himself, who was called Tracy, after his uncle, the clergyman, who, having no children of his own, adopted him, took him to his own house and spoiled him by excessive indulgence. On the other hand, the subject of this memoir, met with little of that kind of treatment, being comparatively neglected, nursed with little care, and often left to shift for himself. He was no spoiled child, but always corrected when he deserved it. Through this mode of bringing up he became inured to hardship — and though by no means a lusty child, had more than ordinary strength for his age. In after life it was usual with him to thank God for the hardy manner in which he was brought up, and to say, " my heavenly father saw that I was likely to meet with many rude blasts in journeying through life, and he prepared me in infancy for the lot his providence destined for me ; so that through his mercy I have been enabled to carry a profitable childhood up to hoary hairs." He would add, " He knew that I must walk alone through life, and therefore set me on my feet right early, that I might be prepared by long practice for the work I was appointed to perform."

At the proper age, he went to reside with his grand parents, but little Adam could ill brook confinement in the house by the side of his grandmother. To him it was far more desirable to roam about

* The grandfather, here mentioned, and whose name was William Clarke, was an intelligent, religious man, by trade a builder, and the eldest of six bi'others, who mostly settled in the vicinity of Maghera, Magherafelt, and near the borders of the beautiful lake of Lough Neagh. The youngest of these brothers chose a militaiy life, and was slain with his general, the celebrated Wolfe, at the siege of Quebec, October 18th, 1759.