William Garrett Lewis (1821–1885) was a

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only ( believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compe ...

preacher and pastor of Westbourne Grove Church in

Bayswater, London Bayswater is an area within the City of Westminster in West London. It is a built-up district with a population density of 17,500 per square kilometre, and is located between Kensington Gardens to the south, Paddington to the north-east, and ...

for 33 years. He was an

apologist Apologetics (from Greek , "speaking in defense") is the religious discipline of defending religious doctrines through systematic argumentation and discourse. Early Christian writers (c. 120–220) who defended their beliefs against critics and ...

author of two books, ''Westbourne Grove Sermons'' and ''The Trades and Industrial Occupations of the Bible'', published by the

Religious Tract Society The Religious Tract Society was a British evangelical Christian organization founded in 1799 and known for publishing a variety of popular religious and quasi-religious texts in the 19th century. The society engaged in charity as well as commerci ...

Influence

Lewis co-founded the London Baptist Association (within the

Baptist Union of Great Britain Baptists Together (officially The Baptist Union of Great Britain) is a Baptist Christian denomination in England and Wales. It is affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance and Churches Together in England. The headquarters is in Didcot. Hi ...

) along with

Charles Haddon Spurgeon Charles Haddon Spurgeon (19 June 1834 – 31 January 1892) was an English Particular Baptist preacher. Spurgeon remains highly influential among Christians of various denominations, among whom he is known as the "Prince of Preachers". He wa ...

and several other pastors. He was instrumental in urging James Hudson Taylor to publish ''

China's Spiritual Need and Claims ''China’s Spiritual Need and Claims'' (original title: ''China: Its Spiritual Need and Claims'') is a book written by James Hudson Taylor, the founder of the China Inland Mission, in October 1865. It is arguably the most significant work rega ...

''. His influence on both of these men is noteworthy. Spurgeon was encouraged by this fellow Baptist preacher, while he was beginning his ministry at the age of 19. Taylor, who was a member of Lewis' congregation, had lectured about the need for missionary work to be done in China, and as a result of compiling his lecture material into a book form, hundreds of missionaries were inspired to follow him back to China in the 1800s. Lewis was Taylor's pastor during the formative time of the

China Inland Mission OMF International (formerly Overseas Missionary Fellowship and before 1964 the China Inland Mission) is an international and interdenominational Evangelical Christianity, Christian missionary society with an international centre in Singapore. It ...

in 1865, and continued in support of the work, acting as a referee for the agency in 1872. Lewis was undoubtedly closely associated with the Anti- Opium Campaign led by another member of his congregation,

Benjamin Broomhall Benjamin Broomhall (15 August 1829 – 29 May 1911) was a British advocate of foreign missions, administrator of the China Inland Mission, and author. Broomhall served as the General Secretary of the China Inland Mission (CIM), (from 1878 to 1895 ...

, who sought to end British trade in the drug in China. The Broomhall children, too, grew up under the influence of this man, including author and missionary

Marshall Broomhall Marshall B. Broomhall (Chinese: 海恩波; 17 July 1866 – 24 October 1937), was a British Protestant Christian missionary to China with the China Inland Mission. He also authored many books on the subject of Chinese missionary work. He was the ...

. Lewis, speaking at the ceremony of laying the first stone of the new

Metropolitan Tabernacle The Metropolitan Tabernacle is a large independent Reformed Baptist church in the Elephant and Castle in London. It was the largest non-conformist church of its day in 1861. The Tabernacle Fellowship have been worshipping together since 1650. ...

for the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, which took place on Tuesday 16 August 1859, said the following.

I feel constrained to address my brethren in the ministry also to hear the appeal which God in his providence makes to them, to be faithful, uncompromising, simple, and bold in their declaration of gospel truths.

—William Garrett Lewis

In January 1881, Lewis was appointed to the pastorate of Dagnall Street Baptist Church. He died in 1885, before the building was finished, and the stained glass window at the rear of the church was dedicated to him.Turner (1999)

Works authored

* ''Westbourne Grove Sermons'' 1872 * ''The Trades and Industrial Occupations of the Bible''

1874

References

* * *

Notes

External links

Westbourne Grove Church

Dagnall Street Baptist Church
19th-century English Baptist ministers English sermon writers Christianity in London Burials at Kensal Green Cemetery 1885 deaths 1821 births {{Christianity-bio-stub