The History of Dissenters: during the last thirty years, from 1808 - 1838
 By James Bennett

THE REV. JOHN HYATT, LONDON.

This colleague with the subject of the preceding memoir, held the post of preacher at Tottenham Court chapel, 
which is in close connexion with the Tabernacle, the scene of Mr. Wilks' labours. Mr. Hyatt was a native of 
Sherbourne, in Dorsetshire, and descended of a family much attached to the forms of the Establishment, but 
destitute of the spirit of real religion. His education was exceedingly defective; though his mental power 
was early developed ; and as he was put to trade, he soon succeeded to a good business, which afforded him 
a prospect somewhat flattering. As he was one of those men who are born for distinction; while he continued 
ignorant of the nature and value of the Gospel, he became so devoted to the world and sin, that his biographer 
says of him, " No one could have appeared at a greater distance from the kingdom of God."

The circumstance which led to a total change in Mr. Hyatt's character and history, was an attachment he conceived 
for Miss Westcomb, the niece of Mr. Vardy [Varder?], the deceased pastor of the Independent Church in Slierbourne 
[Sherbourne?]. Remote as his character was from hers, nothing could seem more improbable than that which Mr. Hyatt 
always declared, " That it was the striking exhibition of the graces of religion which won and fixed his heart." 
To attain his object, he found it was necessary to join her in attendance on the preaching of the Gospel, at the 
Independent chapel, which informed his judgment, while yet his prejudices against the religion of Dissenters 
remained in all their force, except towards his favoured fair one. The library of Mr. Vardy [Varder?] was now 
opened to him; and as he was passionately fond of reading, a store of theological works accomplished what the 
preaching of the word had not effected ; for he used to say, that his reading gave birth to that change of views 
and character which was the commencement of his religious history.

He married the lady, and avowed his conversion with a fearless decision, which drew upon him a flood of persecution 
from his former connexions and dearest friends. For though his conduct was said to have been as amiable as it was 
decided, he was threatened with ruin, in a town where the state of religion among the Dissenters was not at that 
time such as to oppose a powerful barrier to the prevailing ignorance of the Gospel, and love of the world. His 
temporal circumstances were, however, not eventually injured by his joining the Independent chapel; and his skill 
and industry in business vanquished, as usual, the opposition of bigotry, and opened to him a fair prospect of competency.

About this time, he formed an acquaintance with a Wesleyan preacher, whose piety he esteemed; but whose Arrainianism 
awakened this young convert to study the five points. With an increased ardour he searched his Bible and his theological 
library, and, meeting with Elisha Cole's " Essay on Divine Sovereignty," he was so confirmed by it in his Calvinistic 
sentiments, that its effects were discernible in his future preaching, and in the warmth with which he recommended 
that work to those who are hesitating, whether they should become disciples of the school of Calvin or Arminius.

But as he maintained his religious friendship for the man from whom he differed, he went to hear him in an adjoining 
village. The time of commencing the service having elapsed, and the preacher not appearing, the farmer, at whose house 
the meetings were held, called upon Mr. Hyatt to address the congregation ; and this circumstance made Mr. Hyatt a 
preacher, as a similar occurrence has made many another : for when the trembling speaker had finished his discourse, 
the farmer was induced, by its effects, to announce the same preacher for the evening of the next Lord's day. After 
a severe conflict between his fears and his zeal, he appeared according to the announcement, and such was his success, 
that he concluded, that this was the path of duty opened to him by the hand of God.

But the pastor and the flock to which he belonged did not sympathise with him, and a kind of popish prejudice against 
lay preaching brought upon him unkind and discouraging reflections, which were calculated to drive him out of the 
proper course. Instead of a candid inquiry into the will of God, and a friendly offer of aid, he met with opposition 
or neglect, which the ardour and determination of his character were ill fitted to brook.

He persevered, however, and by diligent reading, amidst the claims of business for the support of his family, so 
improved his mind that he became popular, and was invited, by more than one congregation, to become a settled minister. 
His own pastor became more favourable; his Wesleyan friend generously encouraged him to proceed ; he was received 
into the pulpits of many dissenting congregations; he found that his sermons were not only favourably received, 
but followed by the happiest effects; and to such an extent was he useful in the town of Mere, wiltshire, that he 
accepted the invitation to settle there. Soon after, therefore, he parted with his business, leaving considerable 
property that he had acquired in the hands of his successor. As this was eventually lost, he was compelled to accept 
an invitation to the charge of a larger congregation, at Froome [Frome?], where his good sense and industry were 
displayed by extraordinary efforts to render himself equal to his more arduous duties. He wrote every word of the 
sermons he preached; and his printed discourses show that he must have read and thought, as well as written. The 
regret we feel that he was not advised to pursue a regular course of preparatory studies, is considerably diminished 
by the incontrovertible proofs he gave of power and inclination to surmount his early disadvantages, by the labours 
of his future life. In fact, he educated himself, and though the mind that could do this would have turned to the 
best account higher advantages, he must still be pronounced a better preacher than many who plume themselves on a 
college education !

While at Froome [Frome?], Mr. Hyatt paid annual visits to the Tabernacles at Bristol and Haverford West, which are 
accustomed to depend entirely on a monthly rotation of ministers; and on one of these visits, Mr. Wilks proposed to 
him a similar service at the Tabernacle and Tottenham Court chapel, London. His first sermon was so well received 
that he became an annual preacher, and the declining health of Mr. J. A. Knight induced the managers to invite 
Mr. Hyatt to become his successor. The friendship of Mr. Wilks encouraged his younger brother to become his colleague, 
and as their attachment was never interrupted by any jealousy, Mr. Hyatt found himself in a sphere of extraordinary 
usefulness, in one of the largest congregations in London. His ministry was characterised by singular energy and fidelity; 
and if it betrayed the defects which usually accompany self-educated men, it also exhibited their excellences ; and is 
said to have been honoured by more usefulness than almost any man had enjoyed since the days of Whitfield. Mr. Hyatt 
carried his Independent principles into the Methodist connexion, never hearing the Liturgy read, and struggling to 
purify the communion by admitting none to the Lord's table but on a profession of regeneration.

His zeal was too much for his prudence; and having contracted an asthma, he neglected it, till he sunk under its ravages, 
after twenty years of arduous labour in London, in the month of January, 1826, in the enjoyment of a lively faith and 
exalted hope. The pulpit was the place in which he excelled, and he rendered it subservient to the interests of 
Calvinistic theology, purified from every taint of Antinomianism, and fearlessly devoted to evangelical truth and holiness.