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Rev.WilliamHarveyTranscriptionofObituaryinthePrimitiveMethodistMagazinebyL.J.HarveyTHEREV.WILLIAMHARVEYwasbornOctober30th,1811,andenteredintorestonSeptember27th,1902,havingalmostattainedthepatriarchalageoffourscoreandelevenyears,andforsometimeheclaimedthedistinctionofbeingtheseniorministerinthePrimitiveMethodistChurch,havingspentoversixty-eightyearsintheranksoftheitinerantpreachers.HewasthesonofThomasandElizabethHarvey,andfirstsawthelightoflifeinthebusyblackcountryofBilston.Notmuchisknownofhisantecedents,thoughheoftenspokeofhismotherasasaintlymodelwoman,whotookhimwhenachildtotheservicesofourChurchwhichwereheldchieflyintheopenairfortherewerenoPrimitiveMethodistchapelsintheearlyyearsofthelastcentury,andalsoinaroomconnectedwithaninnknownasthe“NoahsArk,”atRoundOak,BrierlevHill,Staffordshire.Forthosedayshereceivedafaireducation,andwasquiteanexpertandfinepenman.Duringhisboyhoodhismotherdied,whichtohimwasagreatloss,theothermembersofhisfamilyhavingnoreligiousinclinations.WhileinhisteensheheardHughBournepreachfrom“BeholdtheLambofGod,whichtakethawaythesinoftheworld,”andsoonafterhejoinedtheChurchhisdeceasedmotherlovedsowell.Hisfirst-classticket,areproductionofwhichwegive,bearsthedate,1829.Thefollowingyearhebecamealocalpreacher

intheDarlastonCircuit,whichthencoveredallareanowoccupiedbyseventeencircuits.Hethenheldagoodandlucrativepositioninanironworks,andcommencedacareerwhichpromisedtoleadontofortune.Hemarried,asheafterwardswrote,amostamiableandChristianyoungperson,buttheirhappyweddedlifesoonclosed,hisbelovedonlylivedafewmonths.Notlongafterherdecease,theRev.GeorgeBagley,whowasaverypowerfulpreacher,toldhimtheLordhadtakenhiswifebecausehehadrefused“togoouttotravel,”asenteringtheministrywasthendesignated,

andunlessheobeyedthenextDivinecall,somethingworsewouldhappentohim.WhethertheyoungmanregardedhisministerasaprophetofGod,weknownot,butverypossiblyhedid,forinthosedaysmenbelievedthatGodruledtheaffairsoftheChurch.However,hedidnotwishto“run

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beforehewassent,”butpromisedthatifhewereconvincedthattheLordhadneedofhiminthehome-missionfield-allthecircuitswerethenmoreorlessmissionfields-hewouldgo,anddohisbesttoenlightenandevangelisethegrosslydarkvillagesandtownsinthiscountry.InJanuary,1834,theredoubtableJohnRide,superintendentoftheBerkshireandWiltshireMission,knownasSheffordCircuit,cameintoStaffordshire,seekingyoungmenforhiscolleagues.Althoughthereweremorethantwentyregulartravellingpreachersontheground,moremenwereneededfortheopeningupoffreshplaces.WilliamHarveywasrecommended,andinMarchofthesameyear,withoutanykindofexaminationorpreliminarytraining,heliterallyleftallandfollowedthevoiceoftheGreatHeadoftheChurch,andwentintothesouthofEngland.Heknewhisremunerationwouldnotamounttoatitheofwhathehadbeeninreceiptofforyears,buthewaspreparedtosufferthelossofallthingsthathemightwinmenforChrist.Mountingthestage-coachinBirmingham,herodetoHungerford,viaOxford-railwayshadnotyetbeenlaiddowninthemidlandcounties.Hisreceptionwasnotthemostencouraging.Heheardhissuperintendent’swifesayherhusbandmusthavebeenafooltogosofarandbringsuchadelicate-lookingyoungmanfromagoodhome,intothatwildandpersecutingcountry;inlessthansixmonthshewouldrunhome.Anoldofficialsaid,“Theeshould’sthavetarriedinJerichotillthybeardhadgrown.”Butthesmall,quiet,juvenile-lookingmanhadsomegritandgrace,andhementallyresolvedthat“Mrs.Rideshould,foronceatleast,provetobeafalseprophetess,for,havingputhishandtotheploughhewouldneverlookback.”Hehadforhisco-adjutorsEdwardBishop,ThomasRussell,GeorgePrice,andsuch-likeheroicmen,whosufferedimprisonmentanduntoldprivationforconsciencesake.Thisyoungmanwasoftencommissionedto“breakupnewground,”whichmeanttheestablishmentofcongregationsandsocietieswherePrimitiveMethodismwasunknown,oronlyknownbyrepute,andoftenbyevilreport,fortheyweretheneverywherespokenagainst.Frequentlywithnoonetoassistinanyway,aftervisitingeveryhouseintheneighbourhood,hewouldconductserviceonthevillagegreenorinthemarketsquare.Thepoorpeoplewerethenmostlyignorant,ill-mannered,andverydegraded;largenumberswouldoftengathertohearwhatthestrangerhadtosay,“andlewdfellowsofthebasersort”wouldinterrupt.Itwasnotanunusualoccurrenceforthepreachertobepeltedwithstonesandaddledeggs,andsometimesgunswerefivedoverhisheadwhilehewaspreachingintheopenaironadarkwinter’snight.Morethanoncehewasdrivenoutofaplace,andfollowedbyahootingmob,someofwhomwouldbeattincansandotherssingribaldsongs.Suchexperiencestriedthemettleofthemissionary,buthewouldrepeathisvisitstotheseplaces,andoftenpersecutorsbecameconverts,andminiatureSaulsofTarsuswererejoicedover,astheycried,“Lord,whatwiltThouhaveustodo."Suchwasthesuccessthatattendedthemissioners,thatwhenW.Harvey’sprobationoffouryearsended,andhesoughtadmissionintofullconnexion,theincreaseofthemembershipwas684.ItwasintheSheffordCircuitthathemettheladywhobecamehiswife.She,likehimself,wasanitinerantpreacher,forwomenatthattimewerestationedtoCircuitsbytheConferenceaswellasmen,andJaneWoolford,whosenameappearsin“Petty’sHistoryoftheConnexion,”wasoneofthemostpopularandsuccessfulfemalepreachers.Theyweremarriedin1838,andforfifty-threeyearsshewashistruehelpmeet.

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InJunethisinterestingyoungcouplewenttothecityofBristol.Nomarriedministerhadpreviouslybeenthere.Mr.Harveywrites:“Ifoundwehadtoliveinfurnishedlodgings,withonlyoneroomtoliveinnightandday.”Whatabeginning!Thereisnowordofcomplaint.Theylivednotforthisworld.Thechurchesgrew,andacomfortablehousewassoontakenandfurnished.LowerEastonchapelwasrented,andretainedforfortyyears,whenthesocietyandcongregationremovedtothespaciouspremisesinEastville,andformedthenucleusofthatnowmostmagnificentchurch.Theothercircuitsheablysuperintendedwere:Faringdon,Mitcheldever,Poole,Frome,Pontypool,Hereford,Redruth(twice),Tredegar(twice),St.Austell,St.Ives,Pillawell,Monmouth(twice),Radstock,St.Day,andAberdare,allinSouthandWestofEnglandandinSouthWales.Thesuccessofsomeofthesestationswasreallyphenomenal.WhenheadministeredtheaffairsofTredegarcircuit,inthefifties,itranintothreecounties,andnowtherearetendistinctcircuitsontheground.In1880,whenhehadtravelledforty-sixyears,hesoughtsuperannuation,andreportedthatthenetincreaseofmembersduringthoseyearswas2,263.Isnotthisamarvellousrecord?Fewhavebeenabletorendersuchanaccountoftheirstewardship.ThemoststrikingscenesandsuccesseshewitnessedwereamongtheminersandfisherfolkofCornwall,andthecolliersofSouthWales.Manyhundredsweresavedandaddedtothechurch,notafewofwhombecameworthyofficials,andtheirchildrenandgrandchildrenarewithusinvastnumberstothisday.Somewhoweregatheredinduringstirringrevivalswhichheledareintheministryinthisandothercountries,andinourownandotherchurches.Hehadchargeoftheerectionandenlargementofmanychapels,butdelightedmoreinspiritualchurchbuildingthanintheconstructionofmaterialedifices.Hewasamostassiduouspastor.HughBournespentsomeweekswithMr.Harvey,andheoftenvisitedeveryhouseinavillage,andpartlyfromMr.Bournehegotthecueforpastoralwork.Asapreacherhewasemphaticallyamanofonebook,hissermonswerefullofrich,andapropospassagesofScripture,whichaptlyillustratedandilluminatedhispoints.Thelongerheremainedinacircuitthemorehissermonswereappreciated.Hewasanexcellentdisciplinarian,andamostattentiveandaccuratebusinessman;nodetailwaseverforgotten.IntheBristolDistrict,offormertimes,wherehespenthisministeriallife,hewasregardedassecondtononeforcorrectness,andneatcalligraphy.HewasSecretaryoftheDistrictMeetingatleastadozentimes,G.C.D.onfouroccasions,andwentasdelegatetofiveConferences.DoubtlesshewouldhavebeenapermanentmemberofConferenceformanyyears,hadtheinterpretationoftheDeedPoll,whichwasreceivedattheSheffieldConferencein1900,alwaysobtained.Thoughhebecameasupernumarytwenty-twoyearspriortohisdecease,andgaveuptheresponsibilitiesandtoilsofthefullministry,heneverlefttheactiveministry,foruntilafewmonthsofhisdeceaseheweariednotinwelldoing.HespentelevenyearsinMerthyrTydvil,wherein1891hisbelovedwifedied,afterwhichsorrowfulevent,heabodefortenyearswithhisyoungestson,theRev.L.J.Harvey,andrenderedmostvaluableassistancebothinthepulpitandinthehomesofthepeople;andmanyinTredegar,Hanley,DarlastonandNorthwichreverehisnameandcherishhismemory.

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Manyextractsfromlettersreceivedsincehisdeceasemaybegiven,butafewbriefonesmustsuffice.Hislastcolleague,theRev.B.Waltonwrites:-“Inmyopinionhewasnotonlyapioneerofourchurch,butamasterbuilderaswell.”Rev.AlfredSmithsays:-“Godhascalledtohimselfoneofthebestandmostfaithfulofhisservants.Ihave,andalwayshavehadthesincerestrespectandadmirationforhisbeautifulcharacter.”Rev.J.Hodgessays:-“PersonallyIknownomaninourministrywhohashadsuchasplendidrecordofsuccessfulandabidingwork.”AndtheRev.J.Odell,writingtoasonsays:-“SoyourheroicandnoblefatherhaspassedhometoGod.Iknewhiminthosebravedaysofold,whenheadministeredtheaffairsofoldTredegarcircuitHewasthenamanofrareindustryandfaithfulservice.”Weneednotindulgeinfurtherquotations.InApril1901,heelectedtogoandlivewithhisonlydaughter,thathemightbenearhiswife’sgrave.HepreachedseveraltimesaftergoingtoDowlais;infacthedidsountilhewasoverninetyyearsofage.Forafewmonthshismemoryfailed,andhisnaturalpowersgraduallydeclined,thoughtothecomfortandjoyofhisfamily,hedidnotlosehisreason.Oneofhislasteffortswastoreadthe91stPsalm.Thishecouldnotdo,butwhenitwasreadtohim,hesaidhecouldhearit,andifhecouldnot,heknewitandmanyotherPsalms“byheart.”Thefinalverse,whichwasliterallyverifiedinhiscase,reads:“WithlonglifewillIsatisfyhimandshowhimmysalvation.”Thedoctorsaidhehadnodisease,nordidhesuffermuchpain.Hewassimplyspentout,naturewasexhausted,andhefellasleep.HewasburiedinPantCemeteryinthegravewhichreceivedhiswife,elevenyearspreviously.Hisminister,theRev.ThomasWood,impressivelyofficiatedatthefuneral.Hisfamilyofonedaughterandfoursonshopeforre-unionbyandby.__________________________________________________________________________________ReferencesPrimitive Methodist Magazine 1903/238