Jan 1, 2023

James Hinton

The College of Rhode Island wanted to give him an honorary doctorate, but he declined the offer. Who does that today? He refused numerous opportunities to serve more prestigious churches, preferring to labor at his modest assignment thirty-five years until his death in 1823. He was ridiculed and harassed for being a dissenting minister in England. Once, a mob stormed the church where he was preaching, pelted him with tomatoes and did bodily harm to him and his associates.

James Hinton (1761-1821) kept a diary as an aid to prayer, which his son published after his death. He used it as a tool for prayerful self-reflection, to resist anger and shun gossip. I was struck by his resolution to speak only excellent things about his detractors. He included in his diary two letters, one written to his son who was preparing for ministry and another to his daughter, struggling with “the assurance of salvation.” To his son studying at the University of Edinburgh, he wrote, “Never for an hour lose sight of two things: eminent piety and ministerial ability.” He offered wise counsel and practical advice about preaching and caring for souls, then added the words that “making excellent sermons, though important, is not the goal. To overflow to others, we must be full of the riches of Christ.” His daughter expressed doubts about God’s love in a previous correspondence. Her dad wrote the affectionate response, “You will not always be in a happy frame, but you will always be safe.” Safe in the promises of God. He likened God’s love to a sea of mercy “that hath neither shore nor bound,” a quote from a popular hymn of the day by Isaac Watts.

James peppered his diary with prayers like one that follows here for January 1. Yes, it’s dense and forthright, but I prefer it to flimsy New Year resolutions:

O thou who inhabits eternity! By thee was infant time created, and every rolling year speaks of thy goodness. Help us to regard this new year as a new creation, and ourselves as not less indebted to thee for life continued, than for life begun. To thee we commend ourselves for this new period of our being, and for all the time that we may yet be spared. However seemingly firm, in thee alone we live, and move, and have our being. Though surrounded with affectionate and zealous friends, they can do little for us, unless directed by thee who art the Friend of all. However richly furnished in other respects, without thy blessing our stores are nothing. Even our goodness, unsupported by thee, will prove like the morning cloud and the early dew. Our principal hopes, if thou dost not maintain and prosper them, will not only fail, but pierce us through with many sorrows. Forsake us not, O thou, our only effectual helper, our only sure confidence. In thy perpetual presence, in thine unchanging favor, may this year be as those which are past, and more abundant in good. May it more abound with the noblest improvement, be more fruitful of the highest Christian excellence, more full of thankful rejoicing in God. Enable us to commit ourselves to thee, without anxiety with respect to the darkness, in which the events of the year, and our interest in them, are involved. Thou seest its whole progress, and thou wilt provide. Before its close, our days may be past, and our purposes broken off, even the thoughts of our hearts; yet not this solemn event, harass our thoughts or prevent our enjoying thy numerous favors. If for any of us the decree is issued–this year thou shalt die–though we near it not, let the execution of the order find us in some measure prepared. May our end, whenever it comes, be safe, and our last days not only calm, but joyful and blessed.

Rev. Dr. Peter James served 42 years as the senior of Vienna Presbyterian Church in Vienna, VA — 21 years in the 20th century and 21 years in the 21st century. He retired in 2021 and now serves as Pastor-in-Residence at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Even as a pastor, prayer came slowly to Pete. Read Pete’s story.