By Rev. ARCL. BEATON, Gairloch.
JOHN ROGERS was born in Northampton-shire in the Spring of the year 1610. He was the eldest son of an older John Rogers who had been a minister, of whom we know nothing but the name. The younger Roger, whom we know to have been an honoured minister of the gospel, had preached for some time in his native Shire, and was, in 1644, by Order of Parliament, settled in Bernard Castle, in the Bishopric of Durham. The number of souls under his charge in his new parish was about two thousand. He took “an exact account” of them all and got to know those who were ignorant and those who were considered to have undergone a saving change. With those who were ignorant, he conversed, gave them books to read, and catechised them, and his labours in this direction were blessed.
Early in the year 1660 he removed to Croglin, where the Act of Uniformity found and ejected him. He was a zealous observer of the Lord’s Day and always opposed the driving of cattle through the town on that day, and rebuked sharply any kind of Sabbath breaking. He also preached against the Quakers who were numerous in his day. He was given to hospitality, “and was indeed the Gaius of those parts, entertaining ministers and Christians, who passed that way, with great openness and freedom.”
He continued the exercise of his Ministry, after being ejected, without fear. He rented places in different parts and preached there. His labours among the lead-mine workers are noted. Many a troublesome journey did he take to those poor people, “through deep snow, and over hills, when the roads were extremely bad, and the cold very severe.” But he thought nothing of fatigue, through His love to souls; “especially as he was encouraged by the mighty eagerness of those honest people to hear the Word.”
It was customary in the North of England at that time to have what they called an “Arval” or dinner after a funeral. If he happened to be there “he spoke suitably of divine things.” His bitter enemies would not attend; “because,” said they, “we shall find Rogers preaching there.”
He died “with great calmness and resignation,” at Stratford, in Yorkshire, Nov. 1680.
The following remarkable anecdote of John Rogers is well worth recording here.