Apprenticeship

Autobio- My father, in common with many others of like standing at that

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time, not being personally aware from experience of the advantages of a good education, took me away from school at the early age of thirteen. In determining for me my future avocation, he selected his own trade, as linen-draper, with the design perhaps that I should one day carry on his own business. It is a little remarkable that he should have decided in the same way successively for his three sons, and that neither of them should, after having learnt the trade, continue in it; though both my brothers, Thomas and James, entered upon it, — Thomas at Eomsey, and James at Blandford. Thomas, as is well known, relinquished it, and entered the ministry, and James, after a few years, relinquished it too, and came to reside in Birmingham. The lot is cast in the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. As my father’s business was small, he wisely determined to look out for

me a situation away from home, and selected Mr B of

Poole as my future master, to whom, after the trial of a month, I was bound for seven years. This was, I think, in the year 3798.

EditoriaL Sixty years ago, the town of Poole, now a very quiet and somnolent place, was full of energy and wealth. Its little harbour was crowded with ships, and the Newfoundland trade, which at that time was a far more important element of British commerce than it is now, was largely in the hands of the Poole merchants, and they carried it on with great spirit. How the trade was lost, it does not concern this narrative to inquire; it is only necessary to remind the reader, who in his summer tour may happen to have passed through this somewhat decayed town on his way to Bournemouth, or some other point on the south-western coast, that when Angell James began his apprenticeship, Poole was not an unfavourable place for acquiring commercial knowledge, shrewdness, and habits of industry.

I well remember the legal formality of my indentures, andAutobiographical,

receiving a short admonition from the attorney as to my conduct. I was at first upon the whole pleased with my situation, and happy in it. Besides myself there was a relation of the nmae of Cull, who was in the last year of his apprenticeship. He was a clever, agreeable man, and kind to me, but of no decided personal godliness. He afterwards married a lady of considerable fortune, settled in business for a short time in Wareham, and then went to Newport, Isle of Wight, and became the intimate friend of Dr Winter, who was then the pastor of the church in that town. Mr Cull became unfortunate, lost his property, removed to Canada, where he was employed in some public situation, and soon after

died. Besides him there was another apprentice in Mr B ’s

employ, a godless youth, from whom, however, I know not that I

received any moral injury. Mr and Mrs B were upon the

whole kind to me at first. He was a professor of religion, she not. I believe he was a good man, though in some things a somewhat inconsistent professor. He maintained family prayer, somewhat formally and irregularly. I suppose he was about as serious and spiritual in this as many others. I am afraid family religion is very poorly maintained by many professing tradesmen of the

present day. Mrs B had no religion, and made no profession

of any. They were singularly tried in their children. The eldest girl was an idiot, another was blind, and another was burnt to

LIFE OF JOHN ANGELL JAMES.

Autobio- death. Two or three of their sons attained to considerable respectgraphioaJ. ^^ji^yy. station in society.

Mr B was not successful in business. He failed while I

was with him, and I was the witness of much distress, and some things which were not very consistent with the “whatsoever things are of good report.” Oh, to what temptations are men exposed in business, and especially in times of difficulty and declension! It is a terrible conflict, and a man who would follow the apostle’s rule of trade, and maintain a conscience void of offence, must have the spirit of a martyr, and be willing to suffer loss for Christ. I pity the professing tradesmen of the present day when competition is so fierce, and it is so difficult to get on without what may be

called the tricks of trade. To follow out the history of Mr B.

In the latter part of his life he joined the Primitive Methodists, became a local preacher among them, and died at the age of ninety-three or ninety-four. I became tolerably proficient in the business, and was put forward by my employer. During the first two years I was a careless youth, except at intervals, when a serious thought would cross my mind, and a remonstrance of conscience would disturb my tranquillity. I never despised or ridiculed religion, but always had a respect for it. My mother’s example and prayers did, I daresay, occasionally come to my recollection. As

Mr B was a member of the Independent church at Poole, I

regularly attended the Dissenting place of worship in that town. The ministry was not of a kind much to interest a youth of my frivolous turn of mind. Mr Ashbumer, the pastor of the church, was of the Whitfield school, and a regular annual supply at the Tabernacle in London. His doctrine was, of course, Calvinistic, and rather high. He was fond of anecdotes, some of which were homely enough and facetious. This tickled my fancy, but made no impression on my heart. His manner was peculiar, and somewhat calculated to provoke a smile in those who were not accustomed to it. He occasionally strolled into our shop, but never said a syllable to me on the subject of religion. There was little spirituality of conversation maintained by him. Yet he was useful, and there was a tone of devotional piety pervading a large portion of the congregation. He was an old man when I first heard him, and Autobioas I was so young, and it is so long gone by, I cannot give a more ^^P^’*^ particular account of him.

Under Mr A ’s preaching I do not remember to have received any religious impressions whatever. Nor were our domestic habits and the companions I had in the house likely to foster them if I had. After shop hours we had no place to retire to but the kitchen, and therefore no companions to associate with in the house but the servants. Yet, as an apprentice who had paid a high premium, I ought to have been called into the parlour, or we should have had a room provided for us.

I now tremble to think to what temptations we were here exposed, but from which, through God’s goodness, I was preserved, A most solemn obligation rests on masters to take care of the young men whom they receive to their houses, either as apprentices or shopmen. This is too little thought of by many who make a profession of religion. They are to shelter them from moral evil as far as their efforts can go, and give them good advice. But then, this must be sustained by the honest and honourable manner in which their trade concerns are conducted. I know, for I have been informed by the young men themselves, to what moral perils they are exposed by the very questionable principles on which trade is conducted. Some have come to me for advice in cases where they were required to tell downright falsehoods and do dishonest acts. And some professing tradesmen and deacons of churches are not, to my knowledge, so scrupulous in this respect as they should be. I am sometimes told by tradesmen that if they do not do as others do, they cannot live. But what says Christ, “What do ye more than others?” that is, in the way of self-denial. Evidently implying, we ought to do more than others. I saw something of this in my own case while an apprentice. I remember that during the difficulties of my employer, the stock was taken, and this was carried on during the Sabbath, under the direction of a person put in charge of the business by the creditors. I was requested to join in this desecration, but I respectfully but firmly declined, and was not compelled nor blamed. This occurred,

LIFE OF JOHN ANGELL JAMES.

Autoi)io- however, after my mind had become engaged on the subject of

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religion.

About a year after I had been in Poole, I began to be a little more thoughtful occasionally about religion, which I knew I did not possess, and after which I felt a vague kind of desire. Sometimes on a Sunday I would go by myself and pray. In my ignorance, I felt the difficulty of entering on a religious life. I wanted to be pious, but knew not how. I believe God the Spirit was then striving with me. I made no effort to quench His motions in my soul, but at the same time I took no pains to nourish and strengthen them, and it was rich grace in Him that He did not leave me. He had purposes of mercy towards me, such as then, of course, it never entered into my heart to conceive of. Peeling the difficulties of my situation, I prayed that the Lord would raise up some one in the house to be my guide. I am sure I was sincere in this. And now comes a turning-point in my history. But this must be left for the next chapter.