The Rev. Robert Compton, late minister of the General Baptist church and
congregation, at Isleham, Cambridgeshire, was born at Withybrook, near
Monk's Kirby, in Warwickshire, on the 21st of February, 1780. He had the
unspeakable privilege of being the son of parents decidedly pious. His
father died more than thirty years ago; but his mother, whom he visited
for the last time in August, 1833, survived until some time early in the
spring of the last year; when, in a good old age, she slept in Jesus,
and entered into her rest, preceding her son to glory only a few months.
Mrs. Compton, lik Eunice, possessing "unfeigned faith," discovered great
concern for the spiritual welfare of her children, not only praying for
them, but conversing with them on the most important and deeply
interesting subject that can engage the thoughts of young persons,--the
way in which mercy is extended to sinners. Her anxiety that her children
might walk in the paths of peace led her, in conversation with Christian
friends, freely to express her views in reference to their religion.
When about seventeen years of age, our late friend overheard his mother
telling a person that she had some hopes of the piety of her son George,
but had none respecting her son Robert. This, connected with the
circumstance of his brother John, about the same time, becoming decided
for the Lord, very powerfully wrought upon his mind, and he could not
dislodge the thought--"If my brothers should go to heaven, and I should
perish!" From this time he began to seek the Lord by prayer, and reading
the holy Scriptures with a new and peculiar delight. Before he was
eighteen years old, he made a public profession of his repentance and
faith, being baptized in company with his brother John, and several
other persons; and became a member of the General Baptist church at
Hinckley, in Leicestershire.
Having now found a Saviour suited to his own circumstances as a guilty
ruined sinner, he was anxious to direct other guilty and ruined sinners
to the same refuge; and being encouraged by his friends, he began to
preach the gospel in the neighbouring villages.
A few years after Mr. Compton began to explain the Scriptures in the
vicinity of his native place, he removed into Cambridgeshire, residing
first at Harston, then at Sawston; and preaching frequently to the
congregations at Ashwell, in Hertfordshire, and at the latter mentioned
place of his residence. From Sawston, he came to reside at Isleham, in
the year 1816, and was ordained pastor over the General Baptist church
and congregation here, October the 29th, 1817, where, with fidelity and
great affection, he continued to labour almost to the time of his death.
Soon after Mr. Compton came to Isleham, he was called to mourn under a
sudden and most painful stroke, in the death of his kind and endeared
companion, who left behind her five children, at an age when they were
almost unconscious of their loss. A kind Providence, however, soon
repaired his loss, by leading him to contract a second marriage with the
highly esteemed lady who survives him.
Mr. Compton was, a few years ago, a strong man; formed as if for
vigorous, persevering, and unwearied effort. A little more than three
years since, evident symptoms of consumption appeared; and in each
succeeding spring they increased, and threatened to put an end to his
faithful and successful labours. During the spring and summer of 1834,
he appeared fast hastening to the grave. His emaciated countenance, his
feeble and almost inaudible voice, and his increasing debility, clearly
indicated the near approach of death. Not only did his weakened frame
show the nearness of the last enemy, but the detachment of his mind from
the world--the calm and serene composure of soul which he enjoyed--the
strength and firmness of his hope and confidence in the righteousness of
Jesus Christ, gave satisfying evidence that he was ripening for glory.
He did not attempt to preach for some weeks before he died, but was not
prevented; the whole of any Lord's-day during his affliction, from going
to the meeting-house. Only two days previous to his death, he
administered the solemn and interesting, but too much neglected,
ordinance of the Lord's Supper to his beloved people. Oh! it was a time
not to be forgotten, when he took his affectionate farewell of all the
members of the of the church who were present! The writer of this
memorial well remembers seeing several of Mr. C.'s friends returning
home from the meeting-house on this occasion, whose countenances
evidenced a strong persuasion that they should never see the face or
hear the voice of their beloved pastor again in this world. The pleasing
and delightful state of his mind, in the last days of his life, will be
discovered in the following communication to the writer of this sketch
from the pen of a near relative.
"During the whole of his illness he maintained the greatest calmness and
composure; the enemy was not once permitted to disturb his peace, or to
shake his confidence in God. On one occasion, a short time before his
departure, he said to a friend, 'The Lord is very kind to me; for while
he afflicts me with one hand, he supports me with the other; yes, he
_always_ has been good to me, he _never_ has forsaken me;' and with his
characteristic energy added, 'And nobody shall make me believe that he
will ever forsake me now.' When conversing with another friend on the
bright and glorious prospect he had of future bliss, he said, 'I am very
ambitious, for I am striving for a crown; and it is one which will never
fade away.' His family did not perceive him to be materially worse,
until the Saturday previous to his death; but from the evident change
which then took place, they urged his staying at home on the
sabbath-day; to this he replied, 'I have a great wish to go, perhaps,
for the last time.' His wish was complied with, and, propped up with
pillows in an easy chair, he, for the last time, distributed to his
weeping church the memorials of the Saviour's death; and, with wonderful
composure, although with feeble steps, he walked round the aisles of the
chapel, and took leave of all the persons present. On the Monday he
appeared fast sinking into the arms of death; and, on a friend saying to
him, 'The conflict will soon be over,' he replied, 'Do you think
so?--I'm afraid not.' The restlessness of death was evidently now upon
him, and on being assisted up stairs, a distressing fit of coughing came
on, accompanied by difficulty of respiration, and the loss of all power
to expectorate: this continued with but little cessation during the
night. A highly esteemed friend visiting him early in the morning of
Tuesday (the day on which he died), he said, 'Well, Madam, we have often
talked together about heaven, I hope I shall soon be there,' adding,
'but, perhaps, you will pray with me once more on earth?' This was most
kindly complied with. My mother asked what passage of Scripture she
should read; he promptly replied, 'The 116th Psalm;' many parts of which
were strikingly and beautifully adapted to his own circumstances at that
moment. After prayer, he said to the same friend, 'If I get safe to
heaven, and should hear that you are coming (and am permitted) I will
welcome you there.' On being asked if Christ was precious to him, he
said, 'More than any thing else; the world is nothing to me now; death
has lost its sting, and the grave has no terrors.' Repeatedly, during
the day, he said, 'Oh! how gladly could I lie down and die!--O that I
had wings like a dove!' &c. To his highly esteemed brother, Mr.
Reynolds, he said, 'Well, Sir, when I am gone, I shall want you to bury
me;--do not say much about me, preach to the people, and tell them to be
stedfast,' &c. On one of his family coming to his bedside, he said:
'Love not the world, nor the things that are in it; set your affections
on things that are above, and trust in the Lord at all times.' To
another, 'Live near to God, put your trust in him, and he will carry you
through.' To his youngest daughter he affectionately said, 'Remember
your Creator, my dear Betsy, in the days of your youth, perhaps you may
not live to be old.'--His end was peace: he was not the subject of
ecstasies; but he possessed a stable confidence, of which the approach
of the last enemy could not deprive him."
At the comparatively early age of fifty-four years, this devoted servant
of Christ left this transitory world, about five o'clock in the
afternoon of Tuesday, the 5th day of August, 1834; calmly and serenely
falling asleep in Jesus.
On Monday, the 11th, his mortal remains were conveyed to the
burying-ground belonging to the meeting-house, and there interred and
left to moulder into dust, until the voice of the archangel and the
trump of God shall raise them.
Agreeably to the request of our departed brother, Mr. Saunders, of
Barton-Mills, delivered an address at the grave; and the people then
assembled in the meeting-house to hear the funeral sermon, which, at the
request of his beloved brother, was preached by the Particular Baptist
minister residing in the same village, from 1 Cor. xv. 58: "Therefore,
my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast;" &c. Prayer was offered at the
grave by the Rev. J. Jarrom, of Wisbeach; and the brethren Mays, of
Fordham, and Buckpitt, of Burwell, prayed in the meeting-house. As an
evidence of the high esteem in which Mr. Compton was deservedly held,
these services were numerously attended from the neighbouring
congregations, although it was in the midst of harvest, when every hour
is of great importance.
There was in Mr. Compton, a combination of excellences; a happy
temperament of mind, a cheerfulness of disposition, and a great flow of
animal spirits; these being under the influence and regulation of divine
grace, he was calm and unmoved by events that would have overwhelmed
many other men.
As a neighbour, benignity and kindness emanated from his heart, dwelt
upon his countenance, and were expressed in his words and actions.
As a Christian, integrity and uprightness, consistency of character,
deep humility, fervent devotion, liberality of feeling and conduct
towards those who differed from him on some points of doctrine, an
ardent love to Jesus Christ, to his word, and to his people, were
features by which he was eminently distinguished.
Zeal for his Master's cause, love to the souls of men, active,
persevering, and laborious efforts to make known the word of life to his
perishing fellow-creatures, characterized the public ministry of our
departed friend.
As a pastor, he was diligent, faithful, and affectionate. As a husband
and a father, his worth was known and appreciated by his bereaved widow
and children.
Mr. Compton had the unusual pleasure and satisfaction to know, before he
left this world, that all his children were walking in the fear of the
Lord. Six of his own, and five others, for whose spiritual and eternal
well-being he most deeply felt and most fervently prayed, were all
devoted to the Lord! O ye Christian parents! let this encourage you to
pray earnestly and constantly for your children.
The above is, much of it, extracted from the funeral sermon, the
preacher of which did not know, when he referred to six of Mr. C.'s
children as walking in the fear of the Lord, that his eldest daughter
had entered into heaven more than three weeks before her father, and was
then with his glorified spirit in the presence of Jesus, where hope and
fear had issued in never ending fruition.
Mrs. Mary Ann Goadby, eldest daughter of our departed brother, and wife
of the Rev. J. Goadby, General Baptist Missionary at Cuttack, in Orissa,
left England, with her husband, in July, 1833, and landed in India some
time in the month of December.
During the months of May and June last year, she experienced great
languor and debility from the influence of the climate, and on the 13th
of July her deathless spirit took its flight into the presence of Jesus,
there in triumph to welcome the arrival of her father's on the 5th of
August.