Spurgeon on Harvey

I came across this in the April 1883 edition of The Sword and Trowel
It is one of the disadvantages of the early preparation of monthly periodicals that notices must sometimes appear late. Friends must pardon the lateness of an in memoriam note concerning James Harvey Esq, of Hampstead. He was for many years one of the most liberal helpers of the work which the Lord has entrusted to us: and we hear that he has left a legacy of £500 to the Orphanage. We may not mention many of the things which were done of him in secret; but we may say that he was the donor of the house on the boys’ side of the Orphanage, which is known as "the Merchant’s House". This he gave without a request or even a hint from us.
He was a man of mark: independent, yet ready to learn; lenient towards doubt, but himself a firm believer. His views of truth were his own, and would not be parallel in all points with those of anybody else; but we always felt at one with him, and even where we judged him to be mistaken we were glad to love him just as he was. Our personal loss is very heavy, and, hence, we can the more tenderly sympathize with the esteemed mourners who have lost father and brother. We shall not soon look upon his like again. Are there not other merchants who love our Lord, and will be baptized for the dead, filling up the vacancies caused by these many deaths, and taking thought that the cause of Christ shall know no lack? We commend to all our readers an extract from Mr Brock’s admirable sermon - the sermon itself can be had of J. Hewetson, Hampstead: — "While in good health he was exemplary for punctuality at the service of God; and on very rare occasions was he absent from his place. ‘I am come,’ he said to me, the very Thursday evening before his fatal illness, when I expressed surprise at seeing him, ‘because I am able to go to business, and I do not think I ought to be absent from the church meeting.’"

James Harvey 05

In 1855 Harvey's only son was sick and it was thought better air would help. This led eventually to a permanent move to Hampstead in 1861. They began on Haverstock Hill, then, after moving up it once they took up residence in newly built Mount Grove on the then new Greenhill Estate in 1870.

The Baptist James Castleden (1778-1854) had laboured in Hampstead until his death but the only nonconformist chapel at that time appears to have been a high one in both senses - high in its Calvinism and high in its location - at the top of Holly Bush Hill. Harvey resolved, partly as thanks to God for his son's refound health, to build new Baptist chapel but the people of the area were poor and there was no place for it anyway. It was another four years before they obtained the land - used a former fruit and vegetable garden. A committee was formed to plan a building but it was too expensive and so the committee was dissolved. However, at long last, on June 4, 1860 Harvey signed a contract to a build chapel with other buildings at the cost of £4,800. It was not built at his sole cost, others did give, but he was a generous contributor. The Heath Street building opened in July, 1861 (see pic). Harvey became a member there and was generous provider for the work. They called William Brock Junior, the son of Dr Brock, to be their first pastor. Typically, the the intention was that the membership would be "open to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in truth and sincerity" with true believers being baptised by immersion.

Soon there was also a Devon born assistant minister there called William Rickard. He was instrumental in starting the Baptist work in nearby Childs Hill. Although not constituted as a church until 1877, they were able to put up a building in 1870. The inscription has long disappeared but it was Harvey who laid the foundation stone for the new building on July 28, 1870.

At the end of 1865 the London Baptist Association was formed. Unsurprisingly, Harvey was its first treasurer. He served for 16 years, until 1881. In 1870 he offered to help defray debts of many chapels. The idea was that if they paid one third by the end of 1871 he would give 10% of the remainder. He ended up parting with some £500 by this means.

An example of another cause that he helped was the Shoreditch Tabernacle, where William Cuff ministered, which was developed in the 1880s. The meeting on December 1, 1876 held in Harvey's Hampstead drawing room where it became clear that the new building could be financed was one of great joy to Cuff and the deacon who accompanied him.

Harvey felt a duty, according to his son, to give an example but also tried to conceal much of his giving. In 1867 Harvey's good friend C H Spurgeon wrote asking for contribution to Stockwell Orphanage, a work that had then recently begun. Harvey gave £600 to pay for the second house, which was called The Merchant's House.

A letter of July 16, 1867, acknowledges the gift. “You find it more easy to perform noble actions than I do to thank you for them” wrote Spurgeon. A similar sum was given by Harvey for the girls' orphanage 13 years later.

Another example of his kindness through Spurgeon was the way in the Summer of 1876 he sent him £100 to pass on anonymously to ministers in need of a summer holiday. Spurgeon wrote back, passing on the letters thanking Spurgeon himself and acknowledging where the thanks should have gone. In 1882 a gift for the Baptist work in East India Dock produced very thankful letter.

Harvey was also a great supporter of the Baptist Missionary Society. In 1881 he called on supporters of the mission to make 1882 a year of Jubilee. He urged each one to see himself as “the steward not the irresponsible owner of the manifold gifts of God”.

It was only a sort time into 1893 that, on February 9, after two days' illness he rather suddenly died at home, in his sixty-seventh year.

In his little book on his father and using his favourite turn of phrase Alfred Harvey wrote of his father “Never was there a man more naturally modest and unpretentious than he. His unassuming geniality and consideration for others was the same in whatever company he was ....”. he was a man of buoyant spirits. A writer in the Freeman of February 16, 1883 observed how Harvey “had a rare confidence in his own powers ...” taking up various pursuits, “singing ... preaching to the poor ...” and his apologetics work an mastering them. He was a “keen sportsman” “a jocund traveller”. The writer in the Freeman commented “I cannot conceive of Mr Harvey doing anything by halves”. He was paradoxically “devoid of personal ambition, and yet he was ambitious”. He sought “no satisfaction save success” and never rested on his laurels.

James Harvey 04

Harvey always loved reading and was very interested in the subject of Christian evidences or Apologetics as we call it today. He regularly read The Reasoner, “a journal of free thought and positive philosophy” and often wrote letters to it as "Inquirer".

On October 21, 1855 he went along to the Scientific and Literary Institution at 23 John Street in Fitzroy Square near Tottenham Court Road (John Street, interestingly enough, later became Whitfield Street for George Whitefield). This was a gathering place for so called free thinkers. There Harvey heard Robert Cooper (d 1868) "a distinguished advocate of secularism", author of an 1852 booklet ridiculing death-bed repentances and the editor of the secularist London Investigator on the subject of Miracles. "The time is approaching, gradually indeed but surely," he claimed "when this delusion — this imposition upon the understanding of mankind — will be consigned, as it deserves, to public contempt". Harvey entered into debate with him and felt able to trouble him with at least one argument.
On March 30, 1856, Harvey had opportunity to reply to Cooper at the same venue. He begins by identifying himself with his audience, a first rule of rhetoric. He tells then that he too is a free thinker and one with a good working class background. He is not an enemy as he is seeking exactly what they seek – the truth and the good of the people. He goes on to speak of the reasonableness of the evidence for the truth of Christianity and what it is that mankind wants. He argues that miracles are possible and the apostles are reliable, moving on to what is really wrong with this world and how it can be put right.
Having been able to say something worthwhile, he nevertheless resolved to give more time to reading and study in this area.
On January 11, 1857, he spoke at the John Street Institute one again, this time replying to a lecture by the free thinker, atheist and editor of The Reasoner, George Jacob Holyoake (1817-1906) against Christianity as a system of morality. Holyoake called Christianity indefinite, inadequate and inoperable, whereas Harvey claimed it was definite, adequate and operative. Holyoake was allowed a rejoinder after Harvey's' message.
In September 1862 Harvey was asked to umpire a six day debate between Rev W Barker and the notorious freethinker and radical, later an MP and President of the National Secular Society, Charles Bradlaugh (1833-1891). Until 1868 he would bill himself as “Iconoclast”. These debates were popular in the period. A similar one between Bradlaugh and another minister looked at subjects such as God's nature and attributes, creation and science, the flood and how reliable the Bible is.
In 1871 Harvey's only son, Alfred, only 16, made known his desire to be a minister of the gospel. Harvey Senior wrote that though he had “hoped for it and prayed for it and have expected it” for so long yet it “... seems almost to take me by surprise ...”.He had taken the policy, as many do, of never hinting “the matter to him”. Harvey Junior went on to be an Anglican vicar in the west country, in Shirehampton.
At the end of his little book on his father the son speaks of his father's catholicity. Harvey was an evangelical first. “Baptist though I am,” he wrote “yet I have ever objected to work especially as a Baptist; I prefer to do so on the much broader basis of a disciple and servant of Christ.” In his reading he was happy to read the Anglican Thomas Griffith. When his work Fundamentals or bases of belief concerning man, God and the correlation of God and men came out Harvey wrote offering to finance the wide distribution of the book. Typical of him was the way once on holiday in Southwold he saw a need and immediately sent 10 guineas to the vicar to help.

James Harvey 03

It is hard for us at this distance in time to imagine how it was for the average employee in 19th century London. As an employer Harvey was keen to improve the lot of those under his care. As soon as he became head of his own firm he invited his sister Rachel to come from Suffolk and help him, not only at home but in bringing in changes in the work place. She was responsible for such changes as the introduction of table cloths, and with Harvey, a library of books and newspapers and similar amenities. He also encouraged monthly discussion classes.
From 1842 Harvey became involved in the early closing movement. The pattern when he first became head was that business would end at 9 pm (8.30 pm in winter). He got that down in his area first to 8 pm (7 pm in winter) and then in 1855 a unilateral decision was made to move to a 7 pm close all year round, closing on Saturdays at 5 pm. At this time Harvey made a number of speeches in favour of such moves. He was also involved in the work of the YMCA, which was begun in London by George Williams in 1844.
On August 12, 1851, Harvey's diary reveals that he made a long considered resolve to make the point of speaking to young employees words of Christian caution and advice as appropriate.
In his little book on his father Alfred Harvey has a chapter headed "The dread of wealth". There would appear to be no exaggeration in this phrase. Harvey was successful in business throughout his life. Nevertheless, his son comments “in spite of his success, there was never in the City of London, a man who set his mind on money making less than he.” Proverbs 28:20 was one of his watch words - “A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent”. He hated all sharp practice in business. In an address to the YMCA at Aldersgate Street on February 28, 1878, having spoken of getting on in business, he said “Be careful, however, for what purpose you wish to get on.” Live according to your means. He quoted Proverbs 16:8 “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” and urged fair play.
It was not simply that Harvey feared money but, more positively, he also had a strong sense of stewardship. On May 26, 1853 he made a remarkable resolution about his finances. He resolved not to spend more than one third of his income on himself and his family, not to save more than another third and to give another third of his income to religious and charitable purposes. He also resolved, perhaps unrealistically, never to be worth more than £20,000. He renewed these vows from time to time. Because of the continual growth of his business he found it impossible to keep to his resolution about not being worth more than £20,000. It caused him some consternation but he sought to keep to the resolution as best he could and even carried it over into the terms of his will. His son remarks that this lifestyle made people think that he was much richer than he actually was. In truth he was simply very generous.
In 1850 Harvey became a member at Bloomsbury (see pic of orioginal building before the towers were removed in 1951) and was very soon made a church officer. He was very involved in evangelism in the nearby slums of St Giles. In 1852 we find him writing “I desire a wife, if it will help me to serve God better, to discharge my private and official duties more efficiently, and by these means to honour my Lord and Saviour; and not else.” Ever a very practical man, by November 1853 he was married – to a Miss Benham, the daughter of the head of a company in Wigmore Street. The son describes her as being a woman of judgement like Harvey himself. They were very practical about the arrangement though the son insists “Never did man and woman love one another in holier and more devoted love than they.”
They came to live in 22 Bloomsbury Square, though their time together was to be tragically brief. On August 17, 1855, Mrs Harvey gave birth to their only son. By August 27 she was dead. Two years we find Harvey writing of his his continuing faith despite what was undoubtedly a severe blow. His sister Rachel had been helping an invalid since the marriage. With his death around the same time, she came to Bloomsbury Square to look after Harvey and his infant son and became the son's “almost mother”
The son also has a brief chapter on his father's civic life. In 1853 he became a Liveryman of the City Company of Lorimers. He soon gained the freedom of the City and then became a Common Councilman. He retired from this in 1861 but not before he had made a resolute and successful attack, including the launch of legal proceedings, on abuses of poor law administration that were going on in his ward of Farrington Without.
He was Chairman of the Board of Guardians for many years. In this connection a dinner was given in his honour on August 6, 1859. In this capacity he was involved in the erection of a new West London workhouse, although he had retired by the time it was completed. This was necessitated by the building of the Holborn Viaduct (1865-69) sweeping business premises, including his own, from the area. He moved to Gresham Street in late 1865.
He was also active jury service and even in the last 20 years of his life, which were spent in Hampstead he was active in civic life. His love of strict justice and individual liberty was reflected in one particular way – in his efforts to get the law on oaths changed. The new law allowed witnesses to simply affirm rather than to go on oath, something that atheists preferred to do.

James Harvey 02

Because he was employed by Henry Bardwell and had no fixed convictions of his own when he came to London, Harvey attended the old Surrey Tabernacle in Southwark along with Bardwell and so sat under the ministry of the leading Strict Baptist of his day, James Wells (1803-1872). Hampshire born, Wells had grown up a godless man but following an illness in his early twenties he came under deep conviction and was eventually converted through Hyper-Calvinist Christians. He himself was a gifted preacher and came to have a large and very loyal congregation (second only in size to Spurgeon's - with whom he tangled in the pages of the Earthen Vessel).

Harvey attended Surrey Tabernacle for some 15 years and became convinced of the doctrines of election and reprobation. He tried to convince others about these truths, says his son, but he himself did not think he was was elect. He was “unhappy and a stranger to the peace of God that passeth understanding”. He was clearly not finding Wells' ministry a blessing to his soul.

On December 5, 1848, the first purpose-built Baptist chapel in central London opened - Bloomsbury Chapel. The first pastor there was William Brock (1807-1885) the later abolitionist and biographer. Originally a watchmaker, Brock trained at the Baptists' Stepney College before spending 15 years working in Norwich. James had heard him there in the late 1830s and had not been impressed. However, he took the decision to attend for 6 months, to “give the minister and the doctrines which should be preached a fair trial”. “The first month had not passed away" he came to write "before I found what I had long been seeking in vain. I was able to rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” He began to keep a diary and one of the first entries in it, made at 7 am on Saturday, December 30th, 1848, related his conversion.

He wrote these words

This has been the most remarkable night of my existence, and the most precious. Not one wink of sleep have I had during the whole time, from eleven o'clock last night till seven this morning. Last night, as has been my custom recently, I noted down the most important circumstances which occupied my mind during the day; and having had many very important and apparently difficult matters to arrange when I arose in the morning, which during the day were arranged in a way and manner much more satisfactory than my partner and I had been able to conceive of, I felt impelled to record my gratitude to God for so marked (as it appeared to my mind to be) a manifestation of His over-ruling all things to accomplish in the end His own purposes.

On retiring to rest I committed myself to God in prayer, with more freedom of speech than usual; and in pleading for the pardon of sins, and realising the bare possibility of their being forgiven and blotted out for Christ's sake, I felt overwhelmed and could not say another word. In bed, I desired the Lord to have mercy upon me and accept of my imperfect gratitude for His abundant mercies and from that time till 4 am my mind was occupied on matters of business with which I had been concerned during the day, and as I appeared to be at an end of my musings, knowing that today is our stock-taking, and that I shall be engaged in the warehouse till twelve o'clock at night, I again tried to go to sleep, and breathed a desire (which, if it be the Lord's will, may He grant) that He might enable me to be a benefit amongst those under our own roof both for their temporal and spiritual welfare. When in a moment I was arrested by an idea, and these words were fixed in my mind “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him.' As a father! - 'as a father pitieth his children.' Never did I realise the pity and mercy of God in such a sweet and endearing light. I could but repeat, 'As a father pitieth'. Seest thou a father embracing his son? Seest thou a father whose son is in trouble, whose son is in danger? Seest thou a father bestowing his riches and honour on his son in all the love of his heart? So, even 'the Lord pitieth them that fear Him'. A man may pity a faithful dog, a favourite horse; but as a father pitieth his children.' While lost in admiration in the thought, came one more precious still. 'Because you are children, God hath sent His Spirit into your heart Crying, Abba, Father.' 'God my Father' in this sense, and with these endearing words, can it be to me? When, lo! 'If children, then heirs, heirs to God and joint heirs with Christ.' This was too much for my heart; my only language was, Oh, for faith to believe!' - and I could not possibly restrain my tears. I could only cry, 'Lord, help! Can it be my portion?' And I continued with this threefold text in my mind adoring its beauty though its blessedness seemed far too great for me; when again: 'Can a woman forget bet sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the fruit of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will not I forget thee.' I laid thus for some minutes, for my heart was full to overflowing, and enquired 'What does this mean?' Then came as an answer: 'The love of God shed abroad in the heart.' Then followed: 'God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' The words 'everlasting life' seemed fixed in my ears. There came as a climax: 'I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee.' I could hardly repeat the words. Then came back the thought, 'As a father pitieth,' but I could not repeat the words;' God, my father, who hast loved me with such a love,' I could not say them for several times trying. The thought returned: 'The love of God shed abroad in the heart,' and 'God manifesting Himself to me as He doth not unto the world.' I remembered that I had pleaded with Him for this, and it appeared as an answer to prayer. I then enquired, and do so now I am writing, What is all this that is done ? Is it not to prepare one for some coming trial or difficulty? And my answer from my heart was Come sickness, poverty, peril or death, I can meet them all with the love of God shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Ghost. I resolved to write it all down, if God enabled me, as soon as I arose ... If this which I am writing ever be read by any other being, I pray that he may experience the blessedness which I this morning, from the hours of four till seven o'clock, have been made to feel.

The fatherhood of God was one of the truths that he particularly warmed to and continued to emphasise throughout his life.

James Harvey 01

I came across the name of James Harvey (1816-1883) in the records for the church. Harvey lived in Hampstead and was involved in providing funds for a Baptist church there and the building we still use today in Childs Hill. In 1900 his son, a C of E Vicar, wrote a little biography which I have recently been consulting. Let me tell you his story.

Part 1

James Harvey was born in Badingham, in Suffolk (not far from Framlingham). He was the son of a farmer. He was born on May 16, 1816. Both parents were good living people if nothing more. James Harvey was the youngest of seven and the second son. He was known to the family as "Little Jems". He was educated first in the village dame school, then in Haveningham and finally in Framlingham.
Although his family was no doubt a good influence, sadly, the rector at the parish church (St John the Baptist, see pic) was hopeless and had no interest in teaching the way of truth. A new and better rector did come later on but by then Harvey was ready to leave for London where he was to make his fortune. His one positive experience of something better came when he was around 10 or 12 and a woman Methodist preacher came and preached on the village green.
On November 2, 1832, Harvey travelled to London on the Suffolk coach. He came to work in a warehouse at the bottom of the old Holborn Hill (where the Holborn Viaduct is now). His employer was a High Calvinist called Henry Bardwell. He dealt in woollen and cotton goods and such like, wholesale and retail. James started as a Junior assistant earning £12 per annum. That soon rose to £20 then £32 then £40. Back home his parents were in financial difficulties and he not only paid his outstanding school fees bu continued to send them help in their various needs.
After 5 years in London James became a Junior partner and then, when Mr Bardwell died in 1845, he became joint head of the company alongside his contemporary Joseph Bartrum. In this period James had saved up some £2,500 from his earnings. Bardwell also left him a thousand in his will.
Harvey's son later commented that the secret of his father's success was twofold. Firstly, James Harvey loved hard work. He had good health and did not take long holidays throughout his life. He was not obsessed with money. He was able to relax too. He liked to read "books of gristle" and liked foreign travel. He loved work for its own sake but was also driven by a strong sense of duty. The other factor was the high principles of conduct that he espoused even before he was eventually converted."Patient continuance in well doing" was his motto text often quoted (see Romans 2.7). Early on in message entitled "What traits of character are most desirable in a business man?" He spoke about these important character traits.
1. A proper degree of self-respect. Business is not all about profit and loss. Even tradesmen are capable of higher feeling.
2. Honesty. This must hold an important place. The golden law must be recognised. Honesty the best policy.
3. Persevering industry. He drew an interesting analogy from God upholding the universe to the need for business men to persevere in their task.
4. Clearness of purpose.
"Virtue and industry shall never go unrewarded" he said is one of God's laws.
Here was a very moral, church going man seeking to do what was right. However, as we shall see there was still more to learn and to experience.