Joseph Herrick: A Flawed Diamond Shining for Truth

This is the moving story of Joseph Herrick, one of the bravest Christians of 19th century England. Called to pastor a church in Colchester at the tender age of 20, he had perhaps the most desperate church situation anywhere in the country. The handful of mainly elderly members had been fed a diet of deadly doctrines for decades -Hypercalvinism at one end, teaching which suggested that it was no use a sinner praying for pardon, because he was quite incapable of spiritual exertion; Unitarianism at the other extreme, which told them that Christ was just a man, and so was not a Saviour who could bear the load of their sins. Herrick was a preacher of Whitefield's urgent gospel convictions. Soon, even sinners who had long shut their ears to the gospel, were arrested by conviction and led to trust the atonement of the crucified Son of God. Enemies who hated this gospel, made the building unusable only two years later, and put a temporary stop to Herrick's preaching. Undaunted, Herrick had a new chapel built only 50 yards down the road. 27 years later another group of enemies forced him out of this new building! With God's help the Lord's people were able to reclaim the building, and Herrick continued there for a total of 51 years. In this time, and by God's help, a lasting monument to God's grace was hundreds of men and women rejoicing in God's salvation, and glorying in the truths of the Bible. You will sympathize with his trials,be moved at the fervour of his prayers in great difficulties, and rejoice at the triumphs the gospel made in a needy corner of England. What would it have been like to listen to Herrick preaching? A regular hearer of the time had this to the way he divided up his sermon was often ingenious; his similes were beautiful; his metaphors striking—all easy to be understood; his words fluent, plain, Saxon; his articulation distinct—though not loud, deeply impressive, but with an utter absence of affectation; and, though he might occasionally cause a smile, there was with him no levity; a real sincerity of manner, because sincere himself. His preaching was known and esteemed far beyond Colchester, and beyond the limits of the county; and distinguished men were sometimes seen in his congregations. Wherever he preached he could rivet the attention of the largest assembly by his interesting style, his varied topics, and familiar demonstrations. His usual sermons occupied forty-five minutes; and Sabbath after Sabbath, and at week-day services, might be seen the intellectual and the ignorant, the aged and the young, the wealthy and the poor, all alike looking intently and silently upon that well-known tranquil face. Among many favourite subjects were ‘Christ crucified,’ ‘free redemption for all,’ and ‘redemption by Christ alone.’ What subjects! and what a preacher! His powers of illustrating and impressing Scriptural truths surpassed those of other popular preachers; with a good memory, a well-stored mind, great command of words, and impressive delivery, he was earnest and diligent in his Master’s work. God still blesses faithful preaching of the gospel today!