JOHN FOREMAN (1792 - 1872)
by John E Hazelton, from "Hold-Fast!" A sketch
of Covenant truth and witnesses, 1909, pp 146 - 148
JOHN FOREMAN
was for upwards of 40 years pastor of the Church at Hill Street ChapeL Marylebone — a
tall, stalwart, rugged man, with an iron constitution and of tremendous energy. When an
agricultural labourer in the county of Suffolk he was called by grace; his first pastorate
was at Cambridge, whence in 1827 he came to London. Although not a learned man, in the
usual sense of that expression, he possessed varied general information, which he obtained
by considerable reading, by intercourse with men, and by long and close observation. As a
preacher he was distinguished by great plainness of speech and vigour of address; his
sermons were often very instructive and impressive, and many of his thoughts grand and
lofty. There was, however, considerable inequality in their value. His voice was strong
and clear and, when he was warm in his subject, was exerted with great animation and
rapidity of utterance. He was emphatic in declaring salvation to be entirely by grace and
not in any sense or degree by works. Hence he had a great antipathy to what is termed the
duty-faith scheme, which in his view, as it makes salvation depend on the exercise of
faith as a moral duty, entirely enervates and destroys the character of the Gospel
dispensation; changing a system of free favour and special distinguishing grace into one
of condemnation and legal bondage. At the same time he was careful to maintain the
necessity of good works, as the fruit of a gracious change of heart. His Remarks on Duty-faith, with a preface by James Wells, is
a valuable production worthy of a reprint. It gives a fairly complete idea of his views of
truth, and affords a sample of his style in writing and preaching. As an able minister of
the New Testament, he distinguished carefully between the several covenants therein set
forth, and faithfully described the various characters therein indicated. Careful and
prayerful attention to the nature of these covenants, as set forth in various parts of the
Old Testament especially, will clear away clouds of difficulties which often trouble young
believers. He was tender and sympathetic in his addresses to the weak and tried, and
careful and considerate to the lambs and nurslings of the flock. He was a remarkable proof
of what the Divine Spirit can effect by the instrumentality of a plain, unlettered man, so
far as the learning of the schools is concerned: Possessed of the smallest possible
advantages of early education he had to make his way by dint of perseverance and self
culture.
Part of a report published by his Sunday School during his pastorate has
present-day lessons. "At the commencement of our school it was supposed by some of
our friends that it was impossible to carry on the Sabbath school on free grace
principles. The experiment, however, was tried, and our prayers have been answered —
we have not to pronounce it a failure. Free-will and duty-faith have never formed a part
of the creed of any of the teachers to our knowledge. We have always contended that life
must precede action, and, consequently, have never been able to invite the dead
to perform acts that belong alone to the living. The first chapter that was read in the
school, in the hearing of the children, was John iii, in which is set forth the necessity
of the new birth, and that alone by the invincible and omnipotent power of the Holy
Ghost. Here we took our stand and from this point we have never swerved. The grand and
glorious doctrines of free and distinguishing grace, as preached by our pastor, have ever
been maintained as the truth within the walls of our school; and, although warm advocates
for the use of means, we have never believed, much less taught, that there is any power or
efficacy in them, but that they are oniy useful as made so by the Holy Ghost. The
providing of suitable class books has been a matter of no small concern. A catechism was
chosen, and others added after, besides reading and spelling books; but as years rolled
on, one after another was given up, until we are left with the Bible only. This is
our one class book for all who can put their words together."
John Foreman's book Remarks
on Duty-faith is published by Christian Bookshop, 21 Queen Street, Ossett, West
Yorkshire, WE5 8AS. Tel: +44 (0) 192 426 0502
The author of this article John Hazelton was also at Moint Zion, St John's
Wood Road, London from 1896 to 1910.
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