This article first appeared in In Writing
Samson Occom 1723-1792
Mohegan Pastor His fund raising trip to the British Isles 1765-1767 in the company of Nathaniel Whitaker that led to the founding of Dartmouth College. Part Two.
London, February 11-23, 1766
On Tuesday, February 11, Occom and Wheelock dined with a London merchant and supporter Samuel Savage (d post 1775) and with Whitefield and his congregation in the chapel at a Love feast. On the Thursday, they met Quaker botanist and physician John Fothergill (1712-1780) but the cold and wet weather meant that they did not stay as long as expected.
Early the next morning, Whitefield took them to see more of “the religious nobility”, as Occom calls them. This time, leading Evangelical Anglican preacher, William Romaine (1714-1796) and the chaplain of the Lock Hospital, Martin Madan (1726-1790). They also met the German Pietist Friedrich Ziegenhagen (1694-1776), a court preacher. Occom speaks in the highest terms of Whitefield and his unwearied efforts to be a blessing to them, calling him “a tender father” and “… a Spiritual Father to thousands and thousands”. He describes how Whitefield's home was surrounded daily by people in need – the poor, the sick and injured, widows and orphans. He prays for God's blessing on him.
On the Sunday, Occom preached for the first time in England - to a large congregation gathered in Whitefield's Tabernacle on Tottenham Court Road. He clearly counted it a very great privilege. The next week they visited the Baptist pastor Andrew Gifford (1700-1784) with whom they dined.
On the evening of February 23, they dined with yet another Whitefield supporter, wool merchant Robert Keen (d 1793). From there they went on to a funeral where Whitefield preached and led in prayer. After that, Smith introduced Occom to the Bishop of Gloucester, William Warburton (1698-1779) who was keen for Occom to take Anglican orders but was told that he had been ordained six years before among dissenters! It was then on to the Independent Dr Samuel Chandler (1693-1766) the uncrowned patriarch of dissent, who urged caution over Whitefield but was generally positive.
On Sunday, February 23, they heard Welshman, Howell Davies (c 1716-1770) at Whitefield's Tabernacle in the morning and Dr Gifford in the evening. They stayed with Gifford that night. In the next week they met again with Savage and the leading Independent minister and lecturer Dr Thomas Gibbons (1720-1785). On the Thursday, Occom preached at the Independent church, Moorfields, where John Conder (1714-1781) a tutor at the Mile End Academy was pastor. After the meeting, they dined with a man referred to as Randall, possibly the Scots Presbyterian Thomas Randall Davidson (c 1747-1827).
Sickness and recovery, February 24-April 15, 1766
Soon after this Occom fell seriously ill and there is no diary entry until March 11, when he tells us that Whitaker had inoculated him against smallpox somewhere near Whitefield's Tabernacle. It was not until April 1 that Occom had properly recovered. He appreciated the many visits received during that time but was in something of a delirium through it all.
He finally finished his course of medicine on the Lord's Day, April 6. That day he was visited by Methodist leader Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon (1707-1791) who was converted through Wesley but became a follower of Whitefield. Occom was suitably aware of who he was meeting. After this, meetings continued with a visit to a woman called Webber the other side of the Thames and with a man called Weeks for a meeting at the Lock Chapel. On the Sunday, he preached for Dr Chandler but was taken ill during the sermon.
Still in London April 18-May 31, 1766
On Wednesday, April 16 they dined with the influential Seventh Day Baptist Samuel Stennett (1727-1795) pastor at Little Wild Street, who became a supporter from this time. They were with him again for breakfast a week later. On April 24, they were with Conder again, then long serving Independent minister, Samuel Brewer (1724-1796) in Stepney, where the largest London congregation of dissenters met. He became another strong supporter,
Occom preached for Whitefield once again midweek and, on April 27, at the Presbyterian church, Little St Helen's, Bishopsgate and at the Baptist church, Devonshire Square. On Monday, April 28, it was more visiting. Publisher Charles Dilly (1739–1807) gave him some free books. He dined with dissenting minister, Joseph Barber (1727-1810) then went with Whitaker to a church where Whitaker baptised a child for the minister, Mr Bailey.
On April 30, they met Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Secker (1693-1768). Secker had been brought up as a dissenter and had trained as a medical doctor. Occom found him agreeable and friendly. That evening he again addressed a crowded Tabernacle for Whitefield. The next day, Stennett introduced them to the Archbishop of York, Robert Hay Drummond (1711-1776) also friendly and sympathetic. Later that same day they were with another sympathiser, Arthur Onslow (1691-1768), many times speaker of the House of Commons. Despite these apparent encouragements it all came to nothing and Occom would later write
Now I am in my own country, I may freely inform you of what I honestly and soberly think of the Bishops, Lord Bishops and Archbishops of England. In my view, they don't look like Gospel Bishops or ministers of Christ.
Lord's Day, May 4, Occom preached again for Joseph Barber and in the evening to a large crowd for a Baptist by the name of Britton. The next day Stennett introduced them to more potential supporters but these visits were less satisfactory. Thankfully, they had good fellowship with Sir Charles Hotham (1735-1767), who had already given a generous gift. He spoke freely and willingly of the Lord Jesus. On Wednesday, May 7, a meeting was arranged with ministers and others at the Barbers Hall in the city and many proved to be sympathetic. The next day they travelled down to Clapham, then in the countryside. Again, some were sympathetic, others not so.
On the Lord's Day, May 11, Occom preached to a large congregation in Stepney for Brewer and in the evening for a Mr Shillon. On the Monday and Tuesday they revisited Onslow and Savage and on the Wednesday dined with a man called Morrison. Thursday, May 15, they were in Clapham again to dine with merchant and philanthropist John Thornton (1720-1790), with whom Occom was very impressed. Thornton became an important member of the English Board.
The next day Occom preached for a man called Clark or Clarke. This was probably William Nash Clarke (1732-1795) who was converted under Whitefield but became a Baptist and joined the Devonshire Square church. In 1761 he became pastor of Unicorn Yard, after studies under Dr Stennett. Clarke himself trained several men for the ministry before, in 1786, removing to Exeter, where he spent his final years. He was a man of great piety and probity and strongly opposed to antinomianism. On the Saturday, Occom made a second fruitless visit to an unsympathetic man called Jackson, probably the colonial agent Richard “omniscient” Jackson (c 1721-1787).
On the Sunday, Occom preached for the Baptists again – Gifford in the morning, Stennett in the evening. Wednesday, May 21, was marked by another visit to the Anglican Romaine, who Occom felt spoke very willingly and naturally about the things of God. They travelled into town in a coach together. The General Baptist Charles Bulkley (1719–1797) then took him to meet about twenty Baptist ministers with whom he dined before returning home.
On Thursday, May 22, Occom was at the home of a Mr Skinner from where he went to a meeting probably with the Independent minister, Thomas Toller (c 1732-1795) and his family. Toller preached. Back home, they heard a horrible story of a couple killed when their coach overturned and they were hit by a cart. That evening Occom was very ill again. It was another week before he was well enough to go out once more.
To be continued
