Samuel Medley, Byrom Street Baptist Church

Way of Life:

Samuel Medley (1738-1799) was a Baptist pastor and author of 230 hymns.

In his wayward youth, he was seriously wounded in the British navy at the Battle of Lagos. The surgeon told him that amputation was the only thing that would save his life and that a decision would have to be made the next day. Though Medley was living a wicked life, he prayed earnestly for God’s mercy. “The next morning when the surgeon came to examine his sounds, he lifted up his hands in amazement and said, ‘This is little short of a miracle.’ He found the patient so much better that he could scarcely believe his eyes. God had heard Medley’s prayer” (Christopher Knapp, Who Wrote Our Hymns)….

In 1760, Medley joined the Particular Baptist Church in Eagle Street, London, pastored by Andrew Gifford. In 1772, he took the pastorate of the Baptist church on Byrom Street, in Liverpool. His 27 years of ministry there was so successful that the building was enlarged in 1773 and a new building was erected in 1789. Medley preached to the seamen at the Liverpool port.

GenUKI

Hymnary:

1 O could I speak the matchless worth,
O could I sound the glories forth
Which in my Savior shine,
I’d soar and touch the heavenly strings,
And vie with Gabriel while he sings
In notes almost divine,
In notes almost divine.

2 I’d sing the precious blood He spilt,
My ransom from the dreadful guilt
Of sin and wrath divine!
I’d sing His glorious righteousness,
In which all perfect heavenly dress
My soul shall ever shine,
My soul shall ever shine.

3 I’d sing the characters He bears,
And all the forms of love He wears,
Exalted on His throne.
In loftiest songs of sweetest praise,
I would to everlasting days
Make all His glories known,
Make all His glories known.

Amen.