Biography
Frederick Brotherton Meyer was born on April 8, 1847, in London. His father was a prosperous merchant, and the family was comfortable. He was educated at the University of London and trained for the Baptist ministry at Regent's Park College. He was a bright and earnest young man, and in 1869, at the age of twenty-two, he took up his first pastorate at Priory Street Baptist Church in York. He was tall and thin, with a gentle manner and a way of speaking that held a hearer's attention.
In York he met D. L. Moody, who was holding meetings in the city in 1873. Meyer was drawn to the evangelist's directness and warmth. He saw that he, too, should aim at the conversion of sinners. The two men became friends, and Moody gave him a push toward a broader ministry. Meyer began to pursue evangelistic preaching with a new energy. In 1874 he moved to Leicester, where he served at Victoria Road Church and later at Melbourne Hall. In Leicester, his ministry grew, and he built a large congregation. He also worked to improve the condition of the poor and organized social programs.
In the 1880s he went through a deep spiritual crisis. He had been successful as a pastor, but he felt that his life lacked the power of Christ. He attended the Keswick Convention and heard teaching on the Spirit-filled life. He said that he surrendered himself fully to God and that his ministry was changed. From then on, he was one of the leading figures at Keswick and an apostle of the deeper life. He traveled widely to speak at conventions, in Britain, America and other countries.
In 1888 he became pastor of Regent's Park Baptist Chapel in London, and in 1892 he began a ministry at Christ Church in Westminster Bridge Road, which he led for fifteen years. The church grew into a large center of evangelism and social work. He started missions for prostitutes, ex-convicts and the poor. He visited prisons and led services in them. He also campaigned against the evils of gambling and drink. His social conscience was a mark of his ministry.
He was a prolific author who wrote more than forty books. They include biographies of biblical characters such as Abraham, Joseph and Elijah. His devotional writings, such as The Secret of Guidance and Our Daily Homily, were widely read. He had the gift of simplicity and could present deep truths in a way that ordinary readers could understand. He also wrote a number of popular commentaries.
He was a man of humility and also had his struggles. Early in his ministry, there was a period of rivalry with a younger preacher, G. Campbell Morgan, at the Northfield conferences, which caused some tension. He later regretted it. He also faced criticism for his willingness to work with those who held different views on some points of doctrine. He was a man of wide sympathy and a generous spirit, and he sought unity among Christians.
He lived to be eighty-one. He died on March 28, 1929, in London. His life shows that a minister who surrenders himself to the Spirit can have a long and fruitful ministry, and that gentleness and strength can go together.