This year (1998) sees the two hundredth anniversary of the Baptist preacher and hymn writer Samuel Medley. He was born on June 23, 1738, at Cheshunt in Hertfordshire and was from a respectable and well off Christian family but rebelled against this background. His father was tutor to the Duke of Montague and later ran his own school in Cheshunt. Samuel himself was taught by his grandfather, William Tonge, an Enfield teacher and a deacon at Andrew Gifford’s church in Holborn. At the age of 14 was apprenticed to an oilman in the City of London.
This work was not to Samuel’s liking.
In 1755 war broke out between England and France and a law was quickly passed allowing apprentices to complete their indentures in the Royal Navy. To Medley this seemed like the perfect answer to his unhappy situation. He could now be like his two older brothers whom he had often envied. He too now determined on a glorious naval career.
And so at the age of 17 we find him aboard the 74 gun Royal Navy ship The Buckingham. The ship’s captain had also been a pupil of Medley’s grandfather and as Medley was full of enthusiasm he did what he could to further his career. Soon the captain and officers transferred to a similar ship called The Intrepid and Medley was made Captain’s mate. The Intrepid was active in the Mediterranean for the next few years. During this time Medley gladly had many opportunities to improve his education but also, sadly, to go on in the way of sin that he had grown increasingly accustomed to. Despite his Christian upbringing he soon forgot it. With scarce a thought for serious matters he continually sought out the pleasures of sin.
Conversion
Things continued in this vain until he reached the age of 21. In that year (1759) an important sea battle was fought on the Portuguese Coast near Port Lagos. It was Medley’s job to sit on board and write down details of the action between the English and French fleets. It was a bloody battle. It is said that there was so much blood spilt that the French used barrels of flour on the decks to save people from slipping over.
As the battle progressed a cannon ball shattered the mizzen-mast close to where Medley was. Shortly after that he saw a wounded soldier being carried by one of his shipmates. A cannon ball hit both and they fell into the hold below.
Then suddenly the mate cried out to him that he had been wounded. Medley had not realised it until his attention was called to the fact. A large part of his leg had been shot away and he was in a serious condition. He had to be helped to walk to the surgeon. He had lost a great deal of blood.
The British were victorious in the battle but Medley was unwillingly confined to his bed. Fired by this victory his ambition ran high but the leg did not heal properly and he became quite depressed about the situation.
After some time the ship’s surgeon had to inform him that there was gangrene and that his leg would have to be amputated.
This was something of a shock to the wild young man but remembering his grandfather and father’s example he thought he had best pray. He had been leading a very profligate life but perhaps it was not too late. He remembered that he had seen a Bible in his chest and sent a servant to get it.
All that night he read the Word and prayed that the Lord would save his leg.
Most unexpectedly, by the next morning leg was found to be healing. Quite a change came about in Medley but before he had recovered he began to fall into old habits. He eventually returned home to stay with his grandfather who would often read to him from the Scriptures and encourage him to seek the Lord. One evening he read a sermon by Isaac Watts on Isaiah 42:6, 7. It was this that God used to finally bring him to salvation.
Ministry
Medley then left the navy and opened a school in Covent Garden and later Soho. Feeling a call to the ministry, he began to study under Dr Andrew Gifford, pastor of the Eagle Street Church, Holborn, London, where Medley had become a member. In 1767, he became pastor at a Particular Baptist church in Watford. In 1772, he began his main ministry at the Particular Baptist church in Byrom Street, Liverpool. He was pastor there for the next 27 years. He had a very happy and effective ministry especially among the many seafarers with whom he came into contact. The year after his arrival the building had to be extended and in 1789 a new and enlarged chapel was erected.
In his latter years Medley’s health declined and on his annual trip to preach in London in Autumn 1798 he became quite unwell. He eventually died in Liverpool on July 17, 1799. In his last illness he wrote for himself an epitaph in Latin which has been translated,
An unworthy preacher of the gospel,
formerly pastor of this church of Christ,
by nature and practice a miserable sinner,
but redeemed by grace and the blood of the Saviour,
has here laid down his body,
waiting for the bright and morning star.
Come then Lord Jesus.
Hymns
Medley is best remembered today as a hymn writer. Nine of his hymns are found in Grace Hymns. Among his best known are I know that my redeemer lives, Awake, my soul, in joyful lays (also both found in Christian Hymns) and O could I speak the matchless worth. He often included a refrain in his hymns or something similar. In Awake, my soul the verses end His lovingkindness, O how free! then great! then strong! then good! and finally His lovingkindness changes not. God shall alone the refuge be includes the lines Too wise to be mistaken, he, Too good be unkind or something similar in each verse. Hear gracious God a sinner’s cry! has the one line refrain O God, be merciful to me! I know that my redeemer lives repeats the key phrase He lives several times. His hymns first appeared in pamphlet form but from 1785 began to appear in bound volumes (Hymns, Bristol and Bradford). Later in life a collection of over 200 hymns of varying quality appeared. O could I speak the matchless worth includes the distinctive lines, not printed in all hymn books,
O could I speak the matchless worth,
O could I sound the glories forth,
Which in my Saviour shine!
I’d soar, and touch the heavenly strings
And vie with Gabriel while he sings
In notes almost divine.
What a worthy sentiment for all true believers!
This article first appeared in Grace Magazine
