Mead's greatest message

Matthew Mead: The Minister & the Message
The greatest compliment a minister can receive is recognizing his commitment to the Gospel. I have often attended funeral services of aged ministers where most spoke of the man's dedication to his family or his gentle demeanor. In one particular funeral the pastor spoke to us for over 30 minutes about the dead man's character qualities. Of course, I agreed with every word but still I left the service feeling uneasy. Here we had just gathered to remember a man who spent his life preaching nothing but Christ and Christ crucified and yet for an hour we talked about nothing but the man.

How different was the funeral for Matthew Mead. Today I spent some time shifting through his funeral sermon preached by John Howe as well as two printed eulogies (the latter being composed in the lyrical style of the day). The most startling feature about the sermon was its almost complete lack of reference to Mead. Being almost 60 pages in length, I couldn't locate a direct reference to the minister until page 52! Howe spent the entire sermon focusing solely on Christ and the message of the gospel. Even when he did mention Mead he used these statements to keep his hearers attention riveting securely on Christ.

Regarding Mead's failing health towards the end of his life, Howe writes:

"But when he could no longer be serviceable in his stated delightful work, it was by the decay, not of the inward but the outward man; so that when he could preach to you and converse with you no longer, he could earnestly and fervently pray for you to the end." [1]

Concerning Mead's passion for the central truths of the Gospel, Howe notes:

"He took little pleasure in embroiling himself or his hearers in needless and fruitless controversies. The great and substantial doctrines of the Gospel were his principle study and delight" [2].

Mead spent his years on earth preaching with concentrated focus upon the message of Jesus. One writer noted that it was "As if some Charming Angel from above had touch'd his tongue with Coals of Sacred Fire." [3] By God's grace his preaching was effective. The same writer lyrically recalls "How Souls have melted whilst he did proclaim the matchless wonders of Jehovah's Name" [4 p 7]. Read this author's summary of the life and ministry of Mead:

No more shall I behold that Chearful Face
Nor view again that Majesty and Grace:
No more the Charming Prophet's Voice attend,
And Prayers to Heav'n no more together fend:
No more shall he sad hearts with joy inspire,
nor kindle frozen souls with Heav'nly fire:
No more shall he with pious zeal possess
conduct the Saints to Everlasting Rest;
No more pronounce the Bless'd and Awful Word,
Nor brandish up aloft the Flaming Sword,
No more to tell the Joys above,
Nor chant those wonders of that World of Love:
No more shall others sorrows break his rest;
No more shall help the Injur'd and Opprest;
No, no he's gone from us, Heav'n caught him hence,
His soul being fully ripe for recompence. [5 p 5]

These writers understood that, although Mead was loved and cherished by his family and congregants, the greatest honor one could bestow upon the fallen preacher was a recognition of the message he had so faithfully preached. How often we belittle our preachers with funeral services that focus almost completely on them. Even in our funerals we should desire that others hear nothing but Christ crucified.

Here is my request: When I die, do not use the service to talk about me. I do not wish my friends to reflect on my character (though I pursue a character that brings pleasure to God). I do not wish my children to talk about how I was a good dad (though I strive to be). I do not wish my wife to talk about how I was a supporting and loving husband (though this is of great importance to me). Use my funeral to talk about the one thing that is most important in my life: the saving message of Jesus Christ.

Sometimes we speak of our desire to be rememberd as being a "servant of Christ". For Mead, this was still far too egocentric. Far better for us to have only Christ remembered instead. This eternal oblivion should never trouble a minister of Christ, because our life shouldn't be about us but rather about the Christ we serve. Howe wrote, "It may, in time, be forgotten that ever such a man as Mr. Mead was a minister in Stepney" [6 59] If souls are turned to Christ, there is no greater reward for a minister than our oblivion in the minds of men.

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[1] John Howe, A Funeral Sermon for the Very Reverend and most laborious Servant of Christ in the Work of Ministry: Mr Matthew Mead who died Oct 16, 1699 (London, p 1699), p 52
[2] ibid, p 53.
[3] M. Browne, An Elegiack Essay Humbly offered to the Pious Memory of the Late Reverend and Learned Mr. Matthew Mead, Minister of the Gospel at Stepney (London, 1699) p 6.
[4] ibid, p 7.
[5] ibid, p 5.
[6] John Howe, A Funeral Sermon, p 59.

JG