Utilisateur:Score Beethoven/Brouillon4

Early life

At âge 6, Alfred was a small tiny boy, light haired, blue eyed, delicate looking. He had nothing of the robust country child. He loved the solitude of the fields to think his own thoughts.

Alfred had a busy brain and a strong will. He wanted to go to school not to the Dame school in the village but the National school, three- quarters of a mile distant, to which his brothers trudged daily.

His brothers John and Martin were strong and sturdy.

John, seven-year-older, became his ‘brother’s keeper.’ In all their rough games with other village lads, or among themselves, ‘ little Alfred,’ as he was called, found a stalwart champion and protector in sturdy John. Morning by morning, triumphantly borne upon John’s shoulders, the small boy started for the distant school.

At the age of ten years, Alfred himself decided that he had learnt all that the then master of the National school could teach him. He must accordingly be content to study at home.

His father was a millwright and engineer, and by this time his elder brothers were engaged in their father’s workshop. The young student—eager and athirst for knowledge —felt keenly the lack of books. There were no students in the Saker family, and the library in the home was a very limited one. Again and again John came to the rescue. He had no love for books himself, but he was earning money, and it was a pure delight to both brothers when on more than one occasion on returning from the market-town, John pro¬duced some books which he had heard his brother express a wish to obtain. Among the studies which Alfred now took up, Geology, Astronomy, Mensuration, Geometry, and Drawing were the favourites. The study of astronomy led him on to that of navigation, the use of the sextant and other instruments.

Before he had reached the age of fifteen he had purchased for himself a large pair of globes. These in after years he presented to the Baptist Missionary Society, and they are still to be seen in the committee room of that Society. Meanwhile the question of Alfreds future had been much under discussion, and his desire to become a doctor had been favourably entertained by the family. ‘He is not strong enough to be an engineer,’ said all concerned. But God otherwise disposed. Arrangements were made for Alfred to enter a chemist’s shop, preliminary to his course of study of medicine. Monetary losses, however, led to his recall a few days after he had taken up his abode in the chemist’s family. This was a severe blow to the lad, and he had perforce to enter his father’s office. Days of hard work followed. Mr. Saker employed a number of assistants, and undertook repairs in many mills and factories throughout Kent. Repairs had to be executed promptly, and very little time was allowed for sleeping when factories were at a standstill for machinery repairs. John again at this time frequently exhibited his true-hearted brotherliness by allowing Alfred to sleep during his turn for rest, he himself working on for twelve or even sixteen hours at a time.

20 ALFRED SAKER But the disappointment regarding his future career in no way daunted Alfred Saker. He threw himself with his accustomed energy into the work designed for him. But during this period he did not neglect other studies. He gave lectures in the villages around Borough Green on astronomy and geology, preparing for these lectures with great care, and making most careful coloured designs for illustration. A telescope, which John and he had purchased in boyhood, was now, as then, his frequent com¬panion in the fields at night. During these busy months and years of early manhood Alfred gave comparatively little thought to personal religion. The Lord’s day always, indeed, found him at his fathers side in the church choir. For the family were musical, and in those days musical instruments of all kinds were found aiding the voices of the choir in parish churches. Alfred’s ability in learning to play on any instrument was a source of pride to the home. But it might have proved a temptation to him but for his determination to become thoroughly educated. His brothers were much sought after, at all merry-makings in the neighbourhood, to entertain the company with music and song. To these entertainments Alfred would not go, and in after-life he looked back upon those days with gratitude to God, who

A PERSONAL CRISIS 21 had thus—by implanting a love of learning— shielded him from the snares of pleasure and the intoxication of public applause. When Alfred was about fifteen years of age he went to reside for sixteen months in Sevenoaks. His leisure time there, as before in Borough Green, was spent in solitude with his books in the open country. In writing many years later to his daughter after those months he said: ‘ Those [Sevenoaks] hills and valleys have been traversed again and again. . . . Knowle Park is the most beautiful of any I have seen. ... I remember some of the pictures in its gallery till to-day.’ In after conversations on this period of his life he spoke in glowing terms of the beauty of the scenes around him, and the mental refreshment experienced. It was also during this stay in Sevenoaks that the great spiritual change came to which he ever afterwards looked back with deep and adoring thankfulness. It was Sunday evening. Alfred was inclined to wander into the fields for quiet reading and communion with Nature; but, as he passed the small Baptist chapel, he was arrested by the singing of a hymn. He stood to listen; then, drawn by an irresistible influence, he entered the building. The pastor of the church, Mr. Shirley, was absent. A stranger was conducting the service, but the Divine message was for ‘ all/

22 ALFRED SAKER for ‘all have come short of the glory of God.’ Alfred accepted the message, and henceforth the aim and purpose of his life was changed, he became a ‘ new creation in Christ Jesus.’ On his return to Borough Green he began to attend the services in the little Baptist chapel there. The pastor, Mr. Bolton, welcomed him, and he became a teacher in the Sunday school. Later he was elected to the office of super¬intendent. During this time the question of believer’s baptism had not appealed to him. When the thought was subsequently presented to his mind he dismissed it, and it was not till September of the year 1833 that, by the death of a respected member of the Baptist Church, he was seriously led to consider it his duty to become a member of the Baptist Church and to submit to believer’s baptism. In his diary for September 15—in connection with the above¬mentioned loss—these words occur : ‘ Let thy young servant go and join them, to fill up his place in membership: though I cannot in service.’ Still his spirit evidently shrank from the public profession to which he was called, for on the following day he wrote: ‘ 0 God, quicken my dead soul, and make me able to serve Thee. I am willing to spend and be spent in Thy service!

DECISION 23 Days of depression, almost of despair, followed. But the services of the first Sunday in December quickened once more his struggling soul, and on the following Thursday evening an address from Mr. Fremlin, on Job xxiii. 3, 4, encouraged him to take the decisive step. He had an interview with Mr. Bolton, the pastor, and was at once proposed to the church for membership. He was baptized on Sunday, January 5, 1834. From that date his ministry for the Lord became more pronounced. In cottage and village services, in public and private life, in prayer - meetings and Bible classes, he was increasingly blessed, and the opinion among his friends gained ground that he was called to the ministry.

When the mission to Western Africa was commenced, Mr. and Mrs. Saker, then members of the Morice Square Baptist church, Devonport, offered themselves for the work. It was the purpose of the missionary executive to use a small steamer in connection with mission work, and Mr. Saker went out in the position of assistant missionary, combining with that the duties of engineer.