Isaac Wyke 1770-1835

This memorial appeared in the Baptist Magazine in 1835

Mr. Isaac Wyke, surgeon, late of Abergavenny, was born at Leominster, July 25th, 1770. His parents [Isaac and Rebecca] were pious members of the Baptist Church in that town, then under the pastoral care of the late Rev. Joshua Thomas. They, therefore, led him in early life to attend on the ministry of their worthy pastor, and trained him up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Thus privileged, the importance of religion was often pressed on his attention, and its excellence presented to his view; and he was thereby preserved from many of the snares, the follies, and the sins into which young persons, less favourably circumstanced, are often hurried.

It was not, however, till his sixteenth year, that he appeared to be truly renewed by the grace of God. Then he manifestly became a new creature in Christ Jesus. With his whole heart he now devoted himself to the Lord, was baptized by Mr. Thomas, and received into the church. His subsequent disposition and conduct fully confirmed the sincerity of his profession, adorned the doctrine of God our Saviour, and greatly endeared him to his pastor and fellow-members. The lively zeal he manifested in the prosperity of the church, his increasing spirituality, and his active diligence in promoting its interests, soon induced his brethren to choose him to the office of deacon, in connexion with his pious father, who had been previously called by the church to that important office. Instead, however, of being unduly elevated with the honour of the post assigned him, his mind was solemnly impressed with a sense of its responsibility. With deep humility, therefore, faithfulness, and zeal, he applied himself to the discharge of its duties, to the full satisfaction of his brethren, and the manifest promotion of the peace and prosperity of the church, throughout the several years of his subsequent residence in Leominster.

In February, 1803, as directed by Divine Providence, he removed with his family to Abergavenny, where he spent the remainder of his life. Here a new sphere was presented to engage his active zeal. Many were his efforts to do good, nor were those efforts vain. In April, 1807, he and Mrs. W. (his now surviving widow), with three other persons, were formed into the first English Baptist Church, in Abergavenny; the Rev. M[icah] Thomas, who had recently resigned his charge at Ryeford, being pastor, and Mr. Wyke, deacon - a feeble, but devoted band. His active zeal, pecuniary contributions, and strenuous efforts were put under cheerful requisition to foster this infant cause; and, through the blessing of heaven, sinners were successively converted, and the church was edified and increased. Mr. Wyke continued an honourable member and deacon of this church about twenty years.

In 1827, however, he and Mrs. Wyke, with several other members, withdrew from it; when they met for worship in a meeting-house which was kindly lent them in another part of the town. Soon afterwards, circumstances transpired that induced them to withdraw from this place also; and to commence, in Lion Street, the bold undertaking of erecting a new house for the worship of God. Mr. W. took the whole responsibility on himself; and in July, 1828, a neat, substantial, and commodious meeting-house, with suitable vestry and burial-ground, was completed. The Rev. Dr. [William] Steadman, of Bradford, who had been intimately acquainted with Mr. Wyke from his earliest days, and the Rev. J[ames] Edwards, now of Nottingham, a native of Abergavenny, preached at the opening; and on the following Lord's-day, a church of seventeen persons was organised, Mr. W. set apart to the office of deacon, and the Lord's Supper administered by Dr. Steadman. The property was invested in trust for the public; a mortgage of £200 only being left on it; and with the exception of this sum, the whole expense incurred was generously liquidated by Mr. Wyke. Long as our worthy friend retained any capability of effort, he laid himself out to promote this interest; and both the material building, and the spiritual house, here cemented in Christian love, present a striking monument of his liberality, and strenuous exertions to promote the cause of his God and Saviour.

His religion was evidently the effect of genuine principle; of principle the most salutary in its influence on his own mind, and therefore practically exemplified in all the lovely graces that beautify and adorn the Christian character. His religious sentiments were truly evangelical. Guided by heaven's bright lamp of inspired truth, he steered with the utmost caution the middle course, between the high daring of Antinomian presumption on the one hand, and the delusive quicksands of Arminian legality on the other. Christ to him was the Alpha and Omega. The doctrines of grace he contemplated, not with a mere speculative faith, or as so many propositions to constrain the cold assent of his understanding; but as the wonderful disclosure of the unutterable grace of God, giving life as well as light to the soul. The cross of Christ was his ever favourite theme; and when listening to discourses that strikingly portrayed the contrast of the moral wretchedness of man, and the unparalleled love of God his Saviour, the most intense interest was plainly pictured on his countenance; the delight that pervaded his bosom constrained him to look around on his fellow-worshippers with beaming eyes, that seemed to say to them, "See how he loved us!" while his whole soul was manifestly absorbed in wonder, love, and praise.

Actuated by such views and feelings, as well as by a warm desire to do good, he preached occasionally for many years; principally in destitute villages, where, but for his disinterested efforts, there would have been no vision to direct perishing sinners to the Saviour; but often also, with disinterested kindness for his own and other stated pastors, whenever his services were called for. The reputation of his character and the loveliness of his example, as well as his mental treasure of human and divine knowledge, secured him the most candid attention, and gave an interesting and edifying charm to his discourses. While he pointed to heaven, he also himself led the way.

His profession of religion, extended as it was, to nearly half a century, was remarkable for its uniform consistency and unfailing constancy. As the disciple of Jesus, he was spiritual, humble, and zealous. In his official capacity in the church, he was watchful, diligent, and active; condescending, affectionate, and kind to the poorest of the flock; loving to all his brethren, and much beloved by them. In all the relations of life he sustained, whether as a husband, parent, friend, or neighbour, the excellencies of his religion were developed with more than common lustre; and secured to him a well-deserved reputation, a most profound respect. That he had his imperfections we readily admit; and if, as astronomers inform us, there are dark spots even on the sun in the heavens, no wonder that feeble creatures, dwelling in dust, should present some shades of infirmity. But yet as the sun of nature, in spite of his spots, pours a constant flood of refulgent light upon surrounding worlds, so our esteemed friend, notwithstanding some manifest imperfections, presented to all who encircled him the light of an eminent example of religion, in the unyielding integrity of its principles, and in all the amiable loveliness of its practice. Through the grace of God which was bestowed upon him, his path was truly as the shining light, which shineth more and more to the perfect day.

Here, however, he had no continuing city, and at length the time of his departure hence drew near. A paralytic stroke, in 1824, had admonished him of his approaching change. Though from that seizure he was soon, in part, mercifully recovered, and was still in a good degree active and useful; yet his mental powers then received a shock, in consequence of which they gradually became still more and more impaired; so that for the three or four last years of his life, his intellect resembled a magnificent structure, fallen and in ruins. As long, however, as any capability remained, he continued to attend the house of God with the liveliest interest; and for a long time was conveyed to it, when much enfeebled, in a Bath chair. He had the happiness of seeing the last of his children received into the church, on profession of repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. The last time he ever attended on the public means of grace, was with much difficulty, in October, 1833, when his youngest son was baptized; and it was to him a most sacred season of unspeakable delight and joy. From this time he continued in a very feeble state, both of mind and body, though without much suffering; till Monday, 28th July last, when he was assailed with the illness, that quickly manifested itself to be the harbinger of death. The conflict, however, was short, for on the following Sabbath evening, Aug. 3rd, 1834, he was released, and his emancipated spirit took its soaring flight to his long desired and eternal rest. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." His remains were interred on the following Thursday, by the Rev. John Campbell, pastor of the church in Lion Street, who delivered an interesting, appropriate, and solemn address on the occasion. On the following Lord's-day, Aug. 10th, Mr. Williams of Ryeford preached his funeral discourse, from Isaiah lvii. 1, 2.

May all who read this memoir be followers of our deceased brother, as he was of Christ! W. W. R.

Portrait

This the portrait held by the National Library in Aberystwyth

                                                                a younger Micah Thomas
 

Thomas Lewis Memoir Part 1e (last)

Tuesday 22nd, towards evening, he was attacked with a bilious fever. Until the afternoon, he was as usual. He had been in town in the morning on business and, around noon, I spent an hour or two in his company as usual. I found him as free and cheerful as ever. But as night came on, he took sick and his pain became gradually worse through to the end. He suffered tranquilly and submissively, albeit realising that he would never again come down. And when alone he was heard praying "O Lord, thou hast supported me in affliction many times, support me now". On one of these days, he said to his beloved partner, the one he was about to leave to the care of a kind providence, that he wished that there should be nothing written on his gravestone but his name, his age, his time of death, together with that short passage relating to his always favourite theme, the resurrection, And I will raise him up at the last day. It can be said of Mr Thomas, as has been said of the learned Dr Knapp, of Halle, that he requested, with that genuine modesty for which he was always distinguished, that there should be nothing said in the public notices of his death to his honour and that it shouold only be witnessed of him that he lived by faith in the words I know that my Redeemer lives.

Monday 28th, between four and five O'Clock in the afternoon, his happy soul departed in peace and entered into the eternal presence where there is fullness of joy and pleasure forevermore. The following Monday, that is the fifth of December, was a solemn day. A large number of friends, besides those who had been invited, met before the house to testify their love and attachment to the departed. The procession was formed two and two, and foremosr was the "old vicar", who, though a clergyman, entered the Baptist Chapel, attended the service, and was seen, an old man of 85, at the grave of his departed friend. They were real friends and had spent nearly half a century together in the same town. I have never before attended a funeral where there was to be witnessed so much real grief. Everything seemed to testify to the high esteem that Micah Thomas knew. By his death a loss was sustained that could not easily be repaired. He died in the 75th  year og his age, the 56th year of his ministry and the 47th of his pastorate in the town of Abergavenny. His memory is fragrant.

Three verses follow to end the article.

Thomas Lewis Memoir Part 1d

After several years of much labour and perseverance, attended with their certain - though often apparently dilatory - reward, Mr Thomas was called to suffer most acutely both in body and in mind. In 1827, a painful division took place in his church which resulted in the formation of a second Baptist church in the town, one that continues to this day. And in the following year he had to undergo another kind of suffering which was not less tolerable. Mr Thomas wrote of it like this "From the 18th of Feby till the 22nd of March I was from home in London undergoing a great & severe operation, viz, the removal of a Tumour weighing Six Pounds & one ounce from my left knee". When Mr Thomas returned to his much loved work and people, he did so with a deeper sense of the mortality of man than ever, as well as with a heart full of thankfulness - as appears from the texts he preached from at the time. See 1 Corinthians 15:31 and Psalm 92:1, 2.

In 1836, Mr Thomas's connection with the college came to a close, mainly because of his health which had become so precarious as to prove a serious inconvenience.

In 1845, under June 1, after preaching from 1 Peter 2:24, Mr Thomas writes "This was the last sermon preached for fifteen weeks, the longest time without preaching in 43 years. The most dire attack and scene of personal affliction prevented my engaging in my long accustomed work for so many weeks. My recovery was the wonder of all around me. Bless the Lord, O my soul! Psalm 103:1-5." And at the end of the same year he notes "Thus ends another in the summer of which the writer was wonderfully restored to health." It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not Lam 3:22.

Mr Thomas' final years were spent in comparative privacy. In 1843, however, he preached the annual sermon in connection with the college where he had been president; and in 1846 he did the same on behalf of the college where he had been a student. He spent the evening of his life in the serving of his own flock; and in the very midst of his work, and with unimpaired mental abilities he was taken to his reward. Only one Sabbath intervened between his occupancy of the pulpit and his departure, and on the Monday evening preceding hsifatal attack he led the devotions of his people in their socil meeting for prayer.

What an unusually solemn day it would have been on the 20th of November, 1853, for the worshippers in Frogmore Street, had they known that that Sunday was the last for them to see their beloved pastor, who had ministered to them in holy thinhs for nearly 47 years in their pulpit! Had some friendly angel gently whispered this much to them that morning - would not they have looked downcast! Solemn! Yea woukd they not have been all attention while the servant of God was addressing them for the lat time, as his feet stood on the edge of that river which he was about to cross?

Few, perhaps if any, thought, when he read his text that  evening, that that was the las, and indeed there was something solemn and appropriate in the verse taken, Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Rev 3:11. Mr Thomas preached that evening with unusual energy and effect. The vigour of youth and the mellow piety of old age had met so that his soul was most happy in his work. That service being over, his work on earth was done!

Thomas Lewis Memoir Part 1c

In the year 1812 we meet with the following remark from Mr Thomas in his notebook - "For six weeks after the 10th of May I did not preach at all being much indisposed in my body. During this period the excellt. Mr. Fuller paid us a visit. He preached in our place May 31st at 11 o'clock, forenoon. His text was Ps. 86.17 Shew me a token for good."

June 1st, he preached in Trosnant at 2.30 pm from Acts 12.24; June 3rd, he preached at the Association at Hengoed from Isaiah 9.7 the last clause; June 4th, he preached at Zion Chapel Merthyr at 6 o'clock in the evening from John 3.35; June 7th, he preached in the Back-lane meeting house at Swansea at 3 o'clock from John 17.20, 21; June 8th, he preached at Carmarthen in the Tabernacle at 7 o'clock from Phil. 3.8; June 10th, he preached at the Association at Cwm Felin Monach (Cwmfelin Mynach) in Carmarthenshire from John 17.(20), 21. Afterwards he returned to Bristol. June 21st, returned to my work and preached in Abergavenny."

For many years Mr Thomas and the church met in the old building in Heol Tydur, which belongs to the Welsh Brthren of Llanwenarth, but with the increase of the church and the hearers growing, they had to look for a more spacious and convenient place. As a consequence they built a bigger place of worship; this one had a gallery and there was also a vestry and a burial ground at the back. The building stands at the bottom of Frogmore Street. The foundation stone was laid by Mr Thomas himself on July 6th, 1815. The building, an oblong square, measures 60 feet in length and in 36 feet in width and is big enough to take comfortably 500 or 600 people. A Sunday School was established at the same time and it still co-exists and co-operates with the church.

March 17, 1815, Mr Thomas preached his last sermon in the old building from Isaiah 53:10 and at the end of the service excitedly said this "I hope it is the prosperity of God's good pleasure in the hand of Christ that has rendered it needful for us to erect a larger place than this in which now for the last time we meet. The prophet says in the next chapter viz Isa 54.1-4 Enlarge your tent, etc. Permit me to run over just some of the circumstances with regard to the cause amongst us since the 8th of January, 1807, when I preached for the first time in this pulpit, down to the present time, that is 17th of March, 1816; and is it arrogant for me to say surely the pleasure of the Lord has prospered in the hand of Christ here? May it be made to prosper among our brethren that will continue to worship here from Sabbath to Sabbath. And may it increasingly prosper among us in the laceto which we go." March 24th, Mr Thomas preached his first sermon in the new building from 1 Kings 9:3; this was an appropriate text. And the Lord said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.

Thomas Lewis Memoir Part 1b

We are now come down so far in our journey of Mr Thomas's life to the point where we find him as a young man, 17 years old, under the yoke of Christ, which yoke he never threw off but faithfully and steadily bore, till his master called him to his reward. Soon after his baptism, the brotherhood in Penygarn began to think and talk of their young brother as one of a very promising character and they called him without delay to exercise his gifts in preaching the gospel of salvation. So when he was eighteen and a half years old Mr Thomas began to evangelise, first in the church where he was a member, and after this in other places, where he was requested to go. Having thus been employed for about three and a half years he "went to the Bristol Academy (under the suoerintendence of Rev John Ryland DD) on the 19th of the month of February, 1801." being that very day 23 years old. During the year and a half Mr Thomas was in Bristol, he was supported by the London Fund; and as every young man should he improved to his best advantagethe precious months allotted to him at that eminent seminary.  Dr Ryland and Mr Thomas were of congenial dispositons and though his stay there was brief, the friendly union formed between there ripened into a friendship terminated only by death of the former and which doubtless has been renewed by the removal of the latter to the society of the blessed.

When he was in Bristol Mr Thomas used often to preach in Ryeford, as well as other churches and preaching places around. It can be seen from his own notebook that he first preached there on Christmas Day 1801 and his text was Luke 18:10 For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which is lost; and at 6 O'Clock he preached on Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are judgement, a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. The church at Ryeford, being very urgent in their solicitations, that Mr Thomas should settle among them as their pastor prevailed - undoubtedly to his disadvantage; he, therefore, after due deliberation, accepted the invitation in June, 1802. Mr Thomas was ordained, as we find it in his own papers, "was ordained as minister  of the Baptist C|hurch in Ryeford, near Ross, in the county of Hereford, September 29, 1802". The ordination involved the following - Mr J Watkins, Capel Y Ffin, began by reading 1 Timothy 3 then prayed; Mr H Williams of Cheltenham introduced the service (or gave the introductoy address) and received the confession of faith; Dr Ryland offered the ordination prayer and preached the charge from John 12:26; Mr J Rowland of Pershore preached to the church from Deuteronomy 1:38 Encourage him. Mr J Bradley of Coleford closed in prayer and the hymns were announced by Mr J Horlick of Ruardean.

January 21st "Mr Thomas was married to Sophia Wall of Ross" in whom he found an excellent partner over many years. Respecting here we have the following record in his own hand "Mrs Thomas was born August 9th, 1755; baptised at Ryeford August 27th, 1786 by the Rev. James Williams minister of the place and most tranquily died at five o'clock in the afternoon of April 21st 1829 aged 73 years, eight months, 12 days. She and I were married 24 years and three months to this day, Abergavenny, April 2nd, 1829."

He ministred with honou, diligence and success in Ryeford for about five years. January 4th, 1807, Mr Thomas preached his last sermon there from 2 Chronicles 15:2 and moved to the town of Abergavenny. There he commenced an English language church in the old meeting house in Heol Tydur and established the academy which has been productive of so much good in Wales. When Mr Thomas was in Ryeford, it seems, he was in the habit of visiting Abergavenny from time to time and made a most intimate acquaintance with the family of Mr John Harris of Govilon. Mr Harris, though not yet a member at this time was every ready and cheerful whenever he had opportunity, to do something for the cause of Jesus Christ. Mrs Harris, however, was a Baptist, an intelligent and superior woman. And it appears to me that this family under the hand of the great providence of heaven were the chief influence that drew Mr Thomas to Abergavenny. I also heard that Dr Ryland had some hand in the work; he had commended him to the attention of certain Baptists and Baptist ministers as a young man who possessed the ability and fitness to make a big impact on the country of his birth by training young preachers for the Baptist churches in the Principality. Whatever the case, Mr Thomas settled in Abergavenny in January, 1807, as a minister and a teacher.

Thomas Lewis Memoir Part 1a

In 1855 a five part memoir of Micah Thomas appeared in the Welsh language periodical Seren Gomer by Thomas Lewis Llaneddewi. It begins with an English epigram and then is in Welsh. I translated the Welsh to english then checked it with Lewis's own original English version. It begins

"'Biography is a feeble struggle with death.' Such was the remark of the late Dr. Hamilton, of Leeds. It is full of beauty and pathos, It pictures to the mind's eye a bereaved one, sensible of the loss he has sustained, bending over the grave of a valued friend, as if he would do battle with the last enemy and pluck from the ruthless aggressor's grasp all that can possibly be rescued .of the precious prize that he has been permitted to sieze."

Micah Thomas, son of Joshua and Mary Thomas, was born on the 19th of February in the year 1778 in the parish of Whits[t]on in the county of Monmouth. His parents were farmers and also were religious. His father, most likely his mother too, belonged to the Independents in New Inn and was considered to be a very superior man. When the subject of this memoir was still a child his parents moved from Whitson and established themselves for some time in a place by the name of Pentopyn, in the parish of Llandegveth and thence they moved to a farm called Tŷ-yn-y caeau (House in the fields) in Llangibi on the edge of Llanbadoc, and about a mile and a half from the place where the Baptist Chapel of the Glascoed meeting now stands. While he was still young, Mr Thomas was sent to the school which was kept by Rev Mr Morgan, inbcumbent of Tredunnock. He continued with him for many years. About this time we have something of the future man coming into view for is it said by one who was an acquaintance of his at this time that he was a very pious young man. "He had a great desire to read and study and to that purpose he sought and loved retirement." He was not afraid, sometimes, to reprimand his fellow-school pupils for their sins, speaking to them about the dreadful end of the ungodly and in after years Mr Thomas might have exclaimed

When I was yet a child, no childish play

To me was pleasing; all my mind was set

Serious to learn and know, and thence to do

What might be public good. Myself, I thought,

Born to that end, born to promote all truth,

All righteous things! MILTON

His retired habits, in the time under review, so interfered with his secular avocations, after his return from school, that it was determined upon, to prolong his period of education. In the opinion of his parents and friends they would probably never make a farmer of him and so they resolved to encourage him in his favourite pursuits. They sent him, therfore, to another school that was kept in Trosnant, near Pontypool, by Rev Evan Davies, curate in Trevethin. About this time Mr Thomas made a public confession of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Glasgoed was a branch of Penuel, Llangwm at this time but some of the members of Penygarn were in the area. These brothers would meet to praise God in a private home, near the spot where the Baptist Chapel is now. In this house there lived one Joseph Wroth with his wife and three daughters, and they were all Baptists. This family was, please note, descended (and the last to bear the name in this area) from the celebrated Mr Wroth, vicar of Llanfaches, who can be called the father of Nonconformity in Wales.

Mr Thomas (for what reason I have not been able to ascertain, nor is it of much importance) turned his face to Penygarn and not to Penuel. He gratefully records that he "was baptised on profession of repentance and faith in Glascoed on Whit Monday 1795 and at the age of 17 on the 19th of February; joined the Penygarn church, which was, at this time, under the pastoral care of the Rev. John Evans who shortly after went to America." ....