An imagined interview with Reverend Benjamin Francis
Setting: It is the late 1780s, and we are in the home of Reverend Benjamin Francis in Horsley, Gloucestershire. The house is a hub of activity, with people coming and going. The Reverend, though in his fifties, possesses an energetic presence and a warm demeanour. The room is filled with books, reflecting his scholarly nature, yet the simplicity of the furnishings speaks to his rural ministry.
Interviewer: Reverend Francis, thank you for inviting me into your home. You're known far beyond this village, not only as a preacher but as a prolific writer of hymns and poems. It's an unusual path for a boy who grew up speaking only Welsh. Can you tell us about that journey?
Benjamin Francis: (He smiles warmly.) Ah, yes. I was indeed born in Wales, the youngest son of a well-regarded minister, though I barely knew my father. After being orphaned at a young age, the Lord, in His mercy, brought me into the fold. My path to ministry was not a straight one, and English was a great obstacle. When I arrived at the Bristol Baptist Academy, my grasp of the language was so poor that the principal initially thought I should return to Wales. But the younger tutor, himself a Welshman, interceded, and with much diligent study, I eventually learned to preach in both tongues.
Interviewer: After your time at Bristol, you settled here in Shortwood, where you have served a Baptist church for over thirty years. Your ministry here has been described as both happy and successful. What was your vision for your church when you first arrived?
Francis: My vision was simple: to preach the Gospel faithfully and to shepherd the flock with love. The success is not my own but the Lord's. When I first came, the congregation was small, but the Lord has been good to us. The building has been enlarged several times to accommodate the growing numbers. We have been blessed to see many souls converted. The strength of our ministry lies in the clear proclamation of the good news of Christ, not in any great show of human wisdom.
Interviewer: You became known for your extensive evangelistic circuit. You travelled hundreds of miles each month, preaching in villages across Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Wiltshire. Why did you feel so compelled to undertake such a demanding schedule?
Francis: The state of many rural communities was spiritually barren. There were many towns and villages that had not heard the Gospel preached clearly. My father had been a gifted evangelist, and I felt a similar burden to carry the message of salvation beyond the walls of my own chapel. It was a difficult life—balancing my pastoral duties, a large family, and even farming to make ends meet—but the joy of seeing the Lord's work spread and souls come to faith was a great motivation. I was a circuit rider for the Lord, and it was my privilege to be used in that way.
Interviewer: In addition to your preaching, you were a notable author. In 1770, you published Conflagration, a Poem in Four Parts. The poem speaks of the Last Judgment. What inspired you to write on such a weighty theme?
Francis: My meditations were often drawn to the solemn realities of eternity, and I believed it was my duty to stir the hearts of God's people to a sense of urgency. My hope was that the poem would help both the converted and the unconverted to contemplate the grandeur of Christ's return and the final judgment. It is an awesome, though humbling, theme, and I found poetry to be a powerful vehicle for expressing the sublime truths of the Scripture.
Interviewer: You also published hymns, some of which appeared in John Rippon’s influential Selections. What role did hymnwriting play in your ministry?
Francis: For me, hymns were not merely songs to be sung but theological tools to impress the truths of the Gospel upon the hearts of the people. While I wrote both in English and Welsh, my aim was always the same: to produce songs of praise that were doctrinally sound and spiritually moving. I desired that our congregations would sing with both understanding and affection, with their heads and hearts engaged in the worship of God. To have my hymns included in Rippon’s collection was a great honor, and I pray that they will continue to be a blessing to many.
Interviewer: Despite your busy public life, it's noted that you were a man of deep humility and prayer. In your private writings, you express a sense of your own sinfulness and a need for the cleansing blood of Christ. How did you balance your public image with your personal spiritual struggles?
Francis: Public ministry can be a source of great temptation to pride, but the mirror of God's Word constantly reminds me of my own failings. The truths I preach to others are the same truths I must preach to my own soul every day. I have found that a close walk with God is not about a perfect exterior but a contrite heart continually resting upon Christ. My truest comfort and greatest hope lie not in my service but in the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
Interviewer: You are a tireless minister and an accomplished writer. When you reflect on your life's work, what do you hope your legacy will be?
Francis: I desire no legacy for myself. I hope only that my life and my ministry will be seen as a testimony to the power of God’s grace. I hope that the hymns I have written might help others to sing of His praise, and that the many miles I have travelled might show a generation the boundless mercy of a loving Saviour. In the end, it is not about me or my work, but about Him alone. My greatest desire is simply that Christ will be exalted.
