Newton, Philip (1840-1866)

Ministry

A transcription of obituary published in the Primitive Methodist Magazine by J.T. Shepherd is attached. He writes as follows.

‘After labouring a few months in the Scarbro’ circuit he removed to Driffield, where for two successive years he toiled to ‘“‘turn men from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.” The testimony of his superintendent (Rev. E. Tyas), in relation to this period, is as follows, “We found him a very agreeable colleague, ever ready to do what he could to advance the kingdom of Christ. His body was feeble, for he suffered much from dyspepsia. The vigour of his mind greatly exceeded the vigour of his body. He was sincerely pious and lived in communion with God. He was extremely conscientious, and would rather injure himself than injure another. His calling was his pleasure, but sometimes he thought he must retire from the ministry on account of his physical infirmities. He was an ardent student, and had his health been sustained he would no doubt have shone some day in the connexion, if not as a star of the first magnitude, yet as one of a high order. His sermons were not crude extracts from flashy authors, but well digested compositions, showing a maturity of mind which scarcely accorded with his youthful appearance. He studied to show himself ‘a workman that needed not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.’ When seen in the pulpit he had the appearance of a boy, when heard he sounded like a man, not so much in the strength of his voice as in the maturity of his thoughts, and the deliberateness of his manner. The Lord owned his labours, and his preaching was profitable to many.”’

Family

Philip was born on 8 June 1840 at West Clayton, Yorkshire, to parents James, a fancy weaver (1841), and Esther.

He married Sarah Wilson (b1840) on 17 June 1865 at Scarborough, Yorkshire.

Philip died on 13 January 1866 at Doncaster, Yorkshire.

Circuits

• 1861 Scarborough
• 1862 Driffield
• 1863 Louth
• 1864 Filey
• 1865 Doncaster

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1866/293

PM Minutes 1866/10

W Leary, Directory of Primitive Methodist Ministers and their Circuits, 1990

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers