Mr. Robert Spear
Some considerable notice of Mr. Spear appeared after his death in the papers and magazines. There was also a larger memoir of him by Dr. Raffles in a quarterly periodical. The writer was very adequate for such a work, as far as talent was concerned, but he was not intimately acquainted with the person who was the subject of it. And when I was in Edinburgh, where Mr. Spear died, Dr. Stuart, with others, who all well knew and much esteemed him, wished a fuller and more particular account of him could be sent forth; and desired the Reminiscent to undertake it; but this he declined from some peculiar circumstances in the family, and also from too much engagement, and too little leisure and health at the time.
Mr. Spear, under the blessing of Providence, had risen to affluence by his own exertions and skill. He was a cottonmerchant, residing at Manchester. He stood very high in the commercial world for ability and integrity, for fairness and honour. And I remember a very clever American, who had long known him, and had large dealings with him, saying, that, while he preferred English merchants to those of any other nation, he preferred Mr. Spear to any even of his own nation.
Having met at Cadiz with a quantity of cotton of a fine and superior kind, he very advantageously purchased the whole; and soon introduced its growth into Georgia, where he sent and employed an agent of his own from Manchester to encourage the culture, and purchase the produce. He loved not speculation, yet in his line of business it could hardly be avoided. He, therefore, laid down this rule for his own government therein, — that he would keep a certain sum appropriated to this purpose, and that it should be no more than he thought he could afford to lose, without injuring lils, family or his temper.
“He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent ;^^ and ‘’ they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts.^^ But when the acquisition of property is not made an absolute aim, but is a consequence left with the providence of God, in the discharge of duty, it will not be found so commonly corruptive and injurious. And Mr. Spear knew it became him not to be slothful in business; and God blessed the labour of his hands. But as riches increased, he set not his heart upon them; but viewed them as a talent for which he was responsible, and by which he was “to do good and to communicate.” And who can estimate the measure and degree of his benevolence and beneficence? His bountifulness was impartial. He loved all who loved our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity; and aided many institutions and charities which belonged not to his own immediate connexions. His beneficence was also very extensive. He devised liberal things. He gave largely to the Bible Society, and to the London Missionary Society. With regard to the latter, at the first public collection at his own chapel in Moseley Street, Manchester, designing it to be secret, he slipped a j6300 note into the plate, which was only discovered accidentally. He contributed generously to several of our academies for the education of young men for the ministry, and as (owing to the spiritual destitution of the people, especially in the villages and smaller towns) many laymen were engaged in teaching, — to render them more acceptable and useful, he remunerated an able minister to instruct them in the evenings, as they had leisure; and even from this humble source of
F F improvement issued several able preachers, who in time became pastors of churches.
There was another thing with which I was struck, (for after my intimate friendship with him I knew much of his liberal measures,) and I mention it as rather original as well as exemplary. He looked out and employed in several parts of thickly peopled localities pious men and women, whose houses were to be day-schools to which any children might come, at any time, as they could be spared from their home or their labour; while the owners were to be always present and ready to teach them.
While thus going on, Laws “Call to a Devout and Holy Life “fell into his hands, and unduly impressed him. The book might be useful to some, but it might lead others astray, by not distinguishing things that differ, as to their order and place in the scheme of the Gospel. It has too little of Evangelism in it, and is sadly wanting in that “free spirit by which the subjects of Divine grace are upheld in their goings, and enabled, with enlarged hearts, to run in the way of his commandments. It is John preaching the baptism of repentance, rather than Jesus proclaiming the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.
Some mistaken zealots, too, at this time urged him to leave his secular calling, and dedicate himself entirely to the service of God; as if he was not entirely serving Him while trading for God, and by means of it doing so much good to men. What we do by others is as much our agency as if we did it in our own persons. By nothing can a man be so useful as by property, for this enables him to employ every kind of instrumentality, even to piety itself. Few, comparatively, have it in their power to gain substance largely. When, therefore, a man has the opportunity and the means of attaining it, he should not needlessly resign it, amidst so many calls for pecuniary assistance, and especially if he can trust his benevolent bias. When a tradesman called upon the rector of St. Mary Woolnoth, and told him he was going to leave off trade, for he had gained enough for himself and family, — “Why, then,” said Mr. Newton, “now be the Lord’s journeyman, and carry on business for him.’’ And, says Isaiah, “Her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.” This is the text from which I should have preached his funeral sermon had he died at Manchester, but he died at Edinbiu-gh. The title would have been “. The Christian Merchant.”
But there were some who pleaded, and in a measure prevailed, that he should forsooth leave the world, and go about personally relieving the poor, and consoling the afflicted, and distributing tracts, and preaching the Gospel to souls perishing for lack of knowledge. During these excursions he sustained considerable losses in business, which he acknowledged afterwards to me might have been prevented, had he remained at home, with God’s blessing, in his calling.
On two other grounds these erratic efforts were wrong: for, first: Though he was exceedingly qualified for business, he was, (not for want of talent, but suitable talent,) as unfit for his new work, especially teaching: and.
Secondly: He had a tinge of lowness of spirits, which required active scenes of employment, rather than solitude and study, to which he was much driven by his supposed calls. Accordingly he soon began to fall under dejection, which was rapidly increasing, and from which he was with difficulty rallied by the visit of the Reminiscent, and by travelling with him and his wife. Few in doing good ever more fulfilled the command, “Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.”
He was generally a man of much reading and reserve, so that it was impossible to know the interior riches of his character but by being much with him, and observing him when he was a little
p f2 off his habitual guard. I hardly ever knew a man who seemed to make so much conscience of his speech. He was cautious and careful in the extreme, not to err or mistake, especially in relating things which he had heard, and in speaking of persons. He daily made Davids resolution and prayer his own: — *^’ I said I will take heed to my ways, that I offend not with my tongue. — Set a watch upon my mouth, keep the door of my lips.^^
It was a pleasing trait in his character that he loved to raise those of low degree, and to set forward in life industrious and deserving individuals. A clerk or a person in his employment, who for a few years had acted confidentially and diligently and respectfully, was sure to be aided and elevated; and, therefore, he was always well served.
For his second marriage he chose a beautiful and pious female in humble life. To prepare her for her superior station, he placed her under the care of the Reminiscent and his wife, and to be educated with our daughters. He married her from our house, and it was on this occasion I preached and published my Sermon on “The Mutual Duties of Husbands and Wives.^’ The acceptance and commendations which this discourse met with, (for it soon went through six editions,) encouraged and induced me to become more familiar with the press; and to issue in time a large number of publications. Several other events also arose from my connexion with this excellent man — such as a relative alliance; and especially my acquaintance and connexion with the family of Mr. Bolton of America, from which most important consequences to me have resulted.
Such a concatenation and dependence is there in occurrences and circumstances, which may seem to be casual, but are really providential:” And whoso is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord.’’ Life should never be separated from the agency of God in all:
but in retracing it, how often do we find a particular event, otherwise not distinguished, pregnant with results, the birth of which fills us with surprise and astonishment! and teaches us that” the way of man is not in himself
In general we see that the generation of the upright is blessed; — but this implies imitation and conformity. The seed of the righteous have many advantages, arising from the prayers, instructions, examples, and influence of their pious parents; but these may be disregarded, and even turned into a curse; for ‘’ where much is given, much will be required; “and” to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.’^ And if there are children who have forsaken the guide of their youth, and are, after all their early opportunities and advantages, walking in ways that are not good, who shall read this page, let them tremble at the thought of separation from, and of condemnation by, those parents who so anxiously sought to save them!