Hulston, Thomas (1816-1837)

MEMOIR OF THOMAS HULSTON,

(Dudley circuit)

“Man cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down.  He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.”  Job xiv. 2.

Thomas Hulston was born at Hasbury near Hales Owen, in the county of Salop, March 15, 1816.  He was blessed with the counsel and prayers of a pious mother; but, unhappily, he did not hearken to her counsel, nor follow her example, during her life.  He hardened his heart, and followed his own ways; and whilst living in his sins he more than once had a narrow escape from sudden death, and from the pit of destruction.

The God, however, to whom many prayers had been offered in his behalf, in his merciful providence preserved his life, till brought to a saving acquaintance with himself.

The means which led to hid conversion, was his attendance at a Camp meeting, held at Brierley Hill, in the summer of 1835.  He was there awakened to a sense of his sin and danger.  At the Christmas following, being in a state of ill health, he came to reside with his father at Hasbury; and one evening when Brother Britain preached in his father’s house, the Lord set his soul at liberty, and made him happy in his pardoning love.  The next morning, however, he lost his confidence, and was for some time in such a state of mental anguish, that he despaired of salvation, and, was powerfully tempted to shoot himself.  But the Lord came to his deliverance, and restored unto him the joy of his salvation.  Thomas then became distinguished for his devotedness to God, and for his zeal to forward the interests of religion.  He had stated times for closet devotions, and very punctually attended to them.  He had a great love for his bible, and was very desirous of understanding its contents.  Being unable to follow any regular employment, he visited many of his neighbours, and urged upon them the necessity and importance of religion.  He also made arrangements for the establishment of two additional weekly prayer meetings, at suitable distances from the preaching house, and succeeded in his laudable attempt.  In this pious sphere he was made a blessing to many, and a means of quickening the members of the rising society.  His attention was likewise directed to the children in the neighbourhood, with a view to promote their well-being.  For this purpose he procured a suitable book, and collected the children together under the edges or where he could, and gave them lessons, and endeavoured to instil the principles of piety into their tender minds.

He endured a long and painful affliction with patience, and humble submission to the Diving will.  Seeing no prospect of ever enjoying good health in this life, and being fully alive to the dangers which would attend his path, he was quite weaned from the world, and desired to depart and to be with Christ.

When any one told him that his dissolution was near, he rejoiced, and said it was “good news.”  The violence of his pain on some occasions produced a degree of mental depression, but never shook his confidence in God.  This he held fast to the end.  His last words were, “Praise the Lord.”

He changed mortality for life, on Sunday morning, June 25, 1837, aged twenty-one years.

John Petty

Primitive Methodist Magazine, 1838.  Pages 63-64.