IN the previous chapter we left Harris in tribulation, and in a sorry
plight. His health, it seems, was impaired; his money was all spent; he
depended on his brother's generosity for decent clothing; and he looked
in vain for a place as a schoolmaster, with a salary of four pounds a year.
He had been partly hindered from proceeding with the work which he loved
more than life itself; there was no man in the district of Talgarth who
could be so easily dispensed with. But all this was the beginning of afflictions,
and worse things were to follow. After being wounded in the house of his
friends, he was now encouraged to go on by people whom he had once despised.
Harris was a zealous churchman. There was a time when he reckoned as fools--or
worse--all who did not attend the Church. In her communion he had first
met with God; and the substance of his exhortations, at first, had been
to persuade people to attend her services. He highly revered her ministers,
and his chief desires during these first months were for their awakening.
But now they, above all others, were joined together in one force against
him, cautioning their people to avoid him as if he were a mad dog, and driving
him out of their parishes. "The ministers preached against me as a
false prophet, the people despised me, pointing at me as I passed by, and
young wastrels threatened to murder me, speaking all kinds of falsehoods
against me. I was persecuted at home, too, and continually expected to be
turned out of doors. I was threatened with imprisonment many times. In order
to keep me humble the Lord made me a laughing-stock and a subject of lampoons
to all." It was many years later that he wrote thus, and perhaps the
description is coloured somewhat by the fiercer opposition that he met with
in later years.
A congregation of Independents used to meet at Tredwstan, near his home.
After he began his public work he became acquainted with some of their leading
people, and he received more encouragement from them than from the leaders
of his own people. His strong bigotry had already receded before the stronger
love that ruled in his heart. He desired and prayed to be the means of unifying
all the Lord's people, though he saw no sign of this ever happening. "Since
I received the Spirit of God, whenever I felt a prejudice for or against
any sect I always knew it had come from the devil and my own heart, and
I could not rest in it any more than I could in hell. Such a thought never
came from Jesus." But he knew, too, that the common people were filled
with prejudice and zeal for the Church, and lest he should stir up this
spirit and thus hinder his own influence, he kept away from the Nonconformist
meeting places on Sundays, attending only the Church services. But almost
from the beginning of his ministry he consorted with them on week-days,
and we find him lodging with one of them before the end of his first campaign.
Some years before this, William Herbert, one of the members of Tredwstan,
had changed his mind with regard to the method of baptism, and who should
be the proper subjects of the ordinance, and had joined the Baptists. It
seems that William Herbert was more cultured in mind and more devotional
in spirit than ordinary professors of religion, and was now about to undertake
the public work of Trosgoed. In March 1736 Harris met him somewhere, and
for some time after that he often refers to him. As far as we can judge,
the Baptists were livelier and more industrious during these years than
any other sect--excepting perhaps the Papists. Their vigour and fervour
impressed Harris very much, and we find him more than once entertaining
the thought of throwing in his lot with them. But they placed more emphasis
upon their own ideas concerning baptism than on other matters of far greater
importance, in his view; and as a result many of them were possessed by
a proselytising spirit. In the Diaries, complaints are constantly made against
them, suggesting that they should rather direct their efforts towards the
ungodly world, leaving in peace people already professing the Christian
faith in other denominations. It seems that William Herbert and Philip Morgan
(the minister of Trosgoed) tried to persuade him to join with them when
they first met. In spite of all this, it is quite evident that Harris considered
it a great blessing to have become acquainted with William Herbert at this
time.
Although Harris would not allow any personal advantage or disadvantage,
which might have resulted from his work of exhorting, to affect his resolution,
yet he sometimes hesitated about the course which he should take. His regard
for all authority, civil and ecclesiastical, together with a fear of being
guilty of resisting it, often kept him on tenterhooks. Indeed, this was
the greatest perplexity of his life. Outward sufferings were as nothing
compared with the overwhelming anxiety which now oppressed him from this
direction. If the vicar did not succeed in silencing him, he succeeded in
causing him untold misery. He reasoned and consulted with people, and prayed
incessantly about the matter. He even kept a keen watch over his dreams
in order to find some hint from above on how to steer his course. At last,
on the morning of the last day but one of March, we find him venturing to
ask his Heavenly Father for a sign, that he might be certain of his way.
"Inasmuch as spiritual reason causes me to read (i.e. in public),
and human reason prohibits me," he writes, "I humbly prayed if
my confidence was not presumptuous, for an infallible sign in order to know
if God was commanding me to read, at least until Easter, and promising His
blessing upon it....As Thy Spirit formerly utterly convinced me of Thy pardon
and favour, He can also, in this, give me complete assurance beyond all
doubting. And as I constantly find that tears, tenderness, and a longing
love within me are the effects of Thy Divine Spirit, and that I cannot at
any time thus soften my own heart, and that the morning is the most sluggish
period of the day with me; thus, if it be Thy will that I should read other
than on Sundays, may it please Thee to show this to me in an unmistakable
way by softening me this moment with Thy Spirit. If this be not granted
unto me, I will desist, knowing that Thou art pleased with what I have already
done, and that Thou art commanding me to follow the ordinary procedure to
qualify myself for orders. I know that Thou hast often heard me, and answered
me, by performing such wonders--melting so many hard hearts, which no one
could formerly convince. I know Thy power; if I could but know Thy will,
then I should be at peace.... Then, after I had waited long, when I was
about to stand on my feet--Oh! glad tidings--the Spirit descended with tears
and unusual tenderness, an infallible assurance that I was to continue reading
at least until Easter. Then I vowed that I would read in spite of swords,
fire, or fierce wrath, without fear of being rent in pieces, leaning completely
on God for every qualification, yet without neglecting to do all I could
to that end during the periods when I could not read. I am now assured of
Thy command, and of Thy blessing, Thy protection and Thy favour; and without
any fear for the future I give myself, body, soul, and reputation, unto
Thee. I cast myself upon Thee; guide me aright. Behold me an instrument
in Thy hand. Oh! ye angels, sing His praises now louder than ever before,
because He hath visited me in the day of my trouble." This happened
on the anniversary of the morning when he was first convicted in Talgarth
church, when his steps were halted in the broad way.
The result of the opposition of the vicar and others was to extend the new
movement's boundaries. After they had prohibited the public readings, the
reader doubled his diligence, going about the country to private readings.
He went to the surrounding districts-- Llanfihangel, Trefidde, Tyle-crwn,
Talach-ddu, Cathedin, and the mountainous district towards Grwyne Fawr and
Grwyne Fechan. He now went about mostly by night, in order not to arouse
the anger of the enemy against his innocent hearers. With a continual supply
of subject matter, and power from above, the Word was constantly on his
lips, and he was not concerned about anything else. He was rewarded by having
unusually close and constant communion with God. As afflictions multiplied
his comforts multiplied more abundantly. He speaks again and again of a
spiritual feast which he enjoyed about this time on Grwyne Fechan mountain
while returning home from Cwm Iau, when he seemed to see God so smiling
upon him that his heart was near to bursting under the powerful influences
of Divine Love. The place became a holy mountain to him ever afterwards.
The opposition waxed stronger continually. "The Nonconformists began
to take notice of me, encouraging me; I was now being called one of them,
because I consorted with them. Afterwards there was a great forsaking; very
few remained with me, and almost everybody turned against me in persecution....Where
is the Lord? Oh! stand for Thy cause. Why should the ungodly triumph against
Thy servant, who has nothing in view but the prosperity of godliness and
religion! If God blesses the Word, why should they begrudge me a blessing
because I am poor, preventing me from drawing souls unto Him, especially
as one of the ways I use to draw, is the same as their own? The next age
will have a strange conception of ours, when they hear of the opposition
that godliness suffers from its own professors. I told W. A. that I was
fairly hopeful that I would soon die, or else perform great things. From
the bottom of my heart, I would die rather than give up reading, and instructing
the ignorant." Just before Easter, Mary Perrot, one of his followers,
was affected with a kind of frenzy. The same thing happened to others, too,
after this, when the influences were very powerful. But probably she was
the first, and in spite of many prayers offered on her behalf we do not
know that she was ever restored. This gave occasion to the enemies to rage,
and to blaspheme against the work of the revival more than ever.
Harris, however, was not disturbed or discouraged, but sometimes he wrote
bitter things against his enemies. "I think it a sin to allow personal
gain to vie with public good. If the latter is aimed at sincerely, it must
be done without a thought for the former. I fear that we have many who wear
the cloth more with a view to enriching themselves, and enjoying an easy
life, than to the promotion of the common good. They succeed in getting
rich but what good they do I know not--let the unbiased judge. Because I
led some hundreds of ignorant people to a knowledge of their duties, and
what it means to be Christians--to live in peace and concord and to exercise
morality, I am threatened and called a madman, etc., by those who claim
the office of enlightening the people who are in darkness. They are more
contemptible than ordinary business men, who, when they see another doing
better business, try to imitate his methods. What have I taken from them,
or what have I gained? Their churches are fuller, and they are revered more
than before. I love the religion, but I must despise these niggardly professors.
Do I fear their rage? What can they set against me, except that I have endeavoured
to do good, and that God has followed my efforts with His blessing, which
they do not seek and cannot receive. They are affronted because people say
that they receive more benefit by listening to me than to them. There must
be some worthy men in the world of the same mind as myself. Until I meet
with such to encourage me, I will go on with such support as I have. Were
I to be ordained, I could not claim to be the means of salvation to more
than one parish! but now, through God's help, I could save many, were I
given authority."
The following quotations from his correspondence with his brother shed light
on his circumstances about May 1736:
"Fortune is resolved to qualify me by her sudden Turns
for greater Disappointment; ye Schoolmaster has re-apply'd for ye School
again and since he was for it I think it no Point of honesty to turn him
off, if I could....Tho' I know not in the least how Providence will dispose,
of me, yet I am as easy as if I had ye School and am well assur'd tis
better, as tho' at present I can't prove it, yet Time will shew it....Some
say ye Bishop comes to his Diocese about Midsummer, but I am told he ordains
none till upwards of 6 months above 22, which will be an Objection to
me, if I could in other Respects come off, which I have not assurance
enough to trust....I have not one Friend to write with me or recommend
me, none of my Friends being acquainted with his Lordship. W. Badham and
Wm. Games (being repuls'd here) have been admitted at London. Whether
I am sufficient Master of ye Languages or not, I can't tell, I can Construe
ye Greek Testament pretty well, but ye Latin is copious and a Retentive
Faculty I was never Master of....With regard to my character, those clergymen
who know me have nothing to set against me; some of ye Fraternity are
apprehensive by my singular Piety. So I must expect all Drunkards, Topers
and negligent Part of ye Clergy (and you may imagine to what a number
they will amount to) will set their staves across ye Door, least Vertue
should come in and set their darling Vice out in their proper Colours;
I never gave offence to any of 'em in publick or in Private. Notwithstanding
if some poor ignorant sick Person sends for me and I go and read a little
there about Universal Charity, Sobriety, etc., their Envy must shew it
self at hearing ye poor People speaking well of me, etc., for my Charity,
Piety, etc. They call me a Dissenter because I won't condemn 'em all to
hell, etc., or because I converse some times with some of them....I know
not what steps to take; if you would advise me you do well."
Perhaps the reader is surprised that Harris, at this time, had not become
a Nonconformist. Truly, he was in sore straits on all sides. Were he to
stay in the Established Church his work would most likely be hindered for
a long time, and he would be restricted in the end to the parochial sphere.
If he joined the Nonconformists, that again would restrict him, because
the majority of the people would have nothing to do with Nonconformity at
that time. The most likely, if not indeed the only way, of influencing the
multitudes was to keep some kind of connection with the Church. Moreover,
he had begun his mission within her fold. He gathered from this that the
Lord meant to revive her--possibly through his instrumentality; and he felt
very unwilling to desert her. "To convince the world of the power of
my principles, and of my attachment to the Established Church, I did not
take a licence, neither did I use licensed buildings, which is easily done.
This is not a part of our beliefs." It is possible that the influence
of his brother, Mrs. Parry and others also tended to keep him in the Church.
At last the time drew near for him to become acquainted with Churchmen who
"were worthy men, of the same mind as himself." He first heard
of Griffith Jones, Llanddowror, in May, from some Independents of Tredwstan,
possibly. He wrote to his brother:
I have been Inform'd there is a Clergymen in Caermarthenshire,
one Mr. Griffith Jones, a great man; he marry'd Sir John Phillips' sister,
who is of this extraordinary turn, he devotes himself entirely to ye Duties
of his Function. He is such another in some respect as ye good man of
Ross. If I could be introduc'd to him he could befriend me; he would draw
my Character in its due Light to ye Bishop and easily answer ye objection
of Non age and Imperfection in ye learned Languages, etc. If I can come
to be known to him it must be thro' ye Dissenters, for ye Clergy hate
him for his singular Piety and Charity to ye Dissenters, etc. I have spoken
to some but have not determin'd about going to see him. I intend to wait
upon Mr. Jones, Vicar of Cwmyoe (Cwm Iau), who is ye only one of ye same
way of thinking, and I am told he corresponds with Mr. Griffith Jones."
|