C. A. Coates (1862-1945)

G.A.R.

In a letter about 1900, he wrote of a conversation with a brother regarding Acts 19:

• "I said that in my own case, when I began to break bread, I believed that Jesus had died for me, and therefore I should never perish, but it was not until some time afterwards that I saw with great delight that everything connected with me as a ruined sinner had been dealt with in the death of Christ, and that the risen One was my righteousness and that I could be with God entirely on the ground of what Christ was.

• "This I believed to be the time when I received the Spirit. I had preached before this in my small measure, doing what Apollos did – that is, making known the grace of God so far as I knew it myself.

• "This is the substance of what was said. — to my surprise, objected, and said he thought I had the Spirit before. I am sorry for those who denounce this as 'bad doctrine' ".

In 1926 he recounted in a reading on the feast of Pentecost:

• "It is a great pleasure to God when there is a desire, because God desires to give. I prayed for the Spirit after I had received the Spirit – I did not know it at the time – but my prayer was not displeasing to God".

Around 1928 in a reading on Joshua 15, he said in reference to Kirjath-sepher, "the city of the book":

• "A great deal of spiritual vitality is sapped by the kind of reading that Christians indulge in habitually. The springs of water come in when Kirjath-sepher is taken and its name changed.

• "In Acts 19 we read they had a bonfire and burnt the worth in books of fifty thousand pieces of silver.

• "When I was converted I had a bonfire and I never regretted it. It is much better to burn such books than to take them to the bookstall to poison someone else".

Around 1942, in referring to 2 Timothy 2: 2, CAC said:

• "Every one should be ready to sign his name to the preaching. It is a great privilege to be amongst a people who will not let anything pass that it not according to Scripture. And there is the support given to the preaching; we all publicly identify ourselves with what is said.

• "There was an old sister who never let anything pass, when I first preached.

• "I remember after my first preaching an old brother asking me how I could tell people, 'Christ died for our sins; and that if they did not believe they would die in their sins', as they were contrary statements.
  • "That man gave me a lesson in theology that I never forgot!"

Mr. Coates suffered from physical weakness for a good part of his life.

After that his condition rapidly became worse and on September 6 he was hurriedly removed to hospital for an urgent minor operation, which gave him relief from pain temporarily, and for a few days he was able to see a number of the brethren.

• His sufferings, however soon returned and for a week from September 14 such visits were very restricted.

Our sister, Miss Ivy Tucker, who had looked after him for many years, was in constant attendance at the hospital and was able to spend a considerable time with him, reading or speaking to him as his condition permitted, and one of the last pieces of ministry read to him which he was able to enjoy was 'Corners' from 'Words of Truth' for August 1944.

• Further, owing to her experience of his long-standing weaknesses Miss Tucker was allowed to prepare all his meals at home – as a special case – and take them to the hospital, but he was frequently unable to take any nourishment, and on isolated days did not even speak a word.

• There were, however, occasions when his utterances clearly indicated the heavenly occupation of his mind for example, one day he was heard to say, "Who is a pardoning God like Thee!" [See No. 262 in the 1973 hymn book.] – Wonderful! Wonderful! – and many times, "Glory, glory – all glory".

• After a period of severe suffering, he sent a message to the local brethren asking them to pray that he might get relief from his pain, if it were the will of the Lord, a request which was readily responded to that evening at the Prayer Meeting.

• Later, however, he remarked, "The Lord has told me that He is bearing the pain with me", adding, "and that is better than having it removed".

In a message to be given to a brother he said, "I have been made to feel lately, as never before, what a body of humiliation this is, but also I have been contemplating, in contrast, what a body of glory it is that I shall have presently",

• while on another occasion, doubtless referring to Psalm 138: 8, he remarked, "He is perfecting that which concerneth me".

• Again, when the first verse of Hymn 160 – "O bright and blessed hope! When shall it be …" was quoted to him, and repeated a second time, he was quiet for a few moments, and then was heard to say, "Soon, Lord Jesus".

About the third week of our beloved brother's illness in hospital, individual brothers took to going when he could bear it, to pray with him for a few minutes,

• but although he seemed fully to appreciate the prayers, as evidenced by his frequent 'Amens', he was not really equal to doing more than just thank them for coming.

• Indeed, at times, he would seemed to have lapsed into a state of semi-unconsciousness.

• Just prior to this, he had expressed himself as unable to see any visitors but on being encouraged to allow a brother to come in as usual for a word of prayer only, he at once replied, "Oh yes, that is like a drink of the brook on the way".

• As time went on, the pain became so severe that it was found necessary to give injections several times during the day and night and, as his condition became worse, even such visits were necessarily discontinued.

• Four days before he was taken, the last four verses of Isaiah 40 having been read to him, he said, "Read the fifty-third", and after that was read to him, he said, "God's blessed Son".

During the morning of Saturday, October 6, he became unconscious, a condition from which he never recovered, although even then, at times, his lips were seen to be moving as if, possibly, addressing the Lord.

• He fell asleep at 9:20 am on Lord's Day, October 7, Miss Tucker and a hospital sister, in fellowship, being with him at the time.

• Brief Outline of Burial Meeting of Mr. C. A. Coates – Teignmouth, October 11, 1945

Hymn 227 – Mr. Alan Oliver, Croydon [227]

Prayer – Mr. A. J. Gardiner, London

Prayer – Mr. J. E. Bullock, Bristol – until recently Teignmouth

Prayer – Mr. Collecott, Plymouth

Hymn 258 – Mr. Philip Haddad, London [424]

Hymn 70: 2-4 – Mr. Garland, Newton Abbott [471]

Prayer – Mr. C. Gresswell, Crouch End, Hornsey, London

• Note: Current numbers in the 1973 Hymn Book for the opening and closing hymns are shown in [square brackets] at the end of the line.

• Notes of Word by Mr. A. J. Gardiner of London

"It is sufficient for the disciple that he should become as his teacher, and the bondman as his Lord", Matthew 10: 25.

"The disciple is not above his teacher, but every one that is perfected shall be as his teacher", Luke 6: 40.

These Scriptures have been in my mind in relation to our beloved brother.

• The one in Matthew has for many years hung in his room, indicating to us what our brother's outlook has been, and we can see how the truth of it has been worked out in Christ being magnified in him.

It is calculated to impress us, I think, with the greatness of Christ, that He is great enough to obtain a place and hold it in the affections of millions, and great enough in His moral excellence to become attractive to all in whom God has wrought.

• In a large measure that was so with our beloved brother. We do not need to say much as to what has shone out in him, for it is well known.
  • The wonderful lowliness and simplicity of mind and spirit – where had it come from?

  • It was all derived from Christ, and, every time we saw it, it was a reminder of Christ.

• How blessed the Lord Jesus is beloved brethren! How great His glory when all will shine out in the world to come, when we shall be conformed to His image!

• And in that day our dear brother will have his own distinctive place. There is no question about that.

One has marvelled at the ways of God with our dear brother. In a remarkable way having zeal in the glad tidings, and yet his health failed at an early age and, in God's ways with him, he was restricted as to his movements.

• But even in all this, I venture to suggest that he was brought into correspondence with Christ,
  • for even the Lord Jesus Himself, great though He was, in His service here was restricted in the ways of God to the nation of Israel, saying He was not sent save to the lost sheep of the house of Israel;

  • fully conscious of His own greatness, yet moving in contentment in limited conditions, in accord with the will of God.

• And our beloved brother was marked by the same spirit; although gifted in a great degree, he was content to accept the circumscribed conditions which the will of God was pleased to order for him.

• I believe that in his spirit, as well as in his counsel, he will be specially remembered and specially loved; and in his prayers too.

• I believe that in his prayers he had learned from Christ and was enlarged to keep in view the great width of divine interest universally.

• No one could be in touch with him without being impressed with the width of his outlook in regard to divine interests, and his prayers must have gone up continually as a sweet incense to God.

And then the closing moments, dear brethren. We may have wondered why he was allowed to pass through great sufferings, as he was, but I venture to think that it was that

• the Lord was bringing His beloved servant into final correspondence with Himself – "Every one that is perfected shall be as his teacher".

• There is nothing that our dear brother would have cherished more and, subject as he was to extreme suffering, he would be reminded that the Lord Jesus had great suffering at the end.

• I do not speak of the atoning sufferings, but the sufferings which He endured at the hands of men.

• And I have no doubt that the grace of Christ was realized by our dear brother while he himself passed through the suffering as wholly submissive to the will of God for him.

"Every one that is perfected shall be as his teacher". Our dear brother has been perfected. We rejoice in it. It leaves us an example, dear brethren.

• It is not a question of our service or our gift; it is not a question whether we have a wide sphere of service or a lowly one; the whole point is that

• "It is sufficient for the disciple that he should become as his teacher, and the bondman as his Lord".

May the Lord graciously help us, dear brethren. May we keep Christ Himself before our hearts.

• He is the heavenly One, every moral excellence is inherent in Him, and all that will shine out in the saints in the coming day has been derived for Christ and Christ alone.

Hymn 74 – Mr. Jenkins, Teignmouth [74]

Prayer – Mr. Parry, Paignton; Mr. Turpin, New Milton

Hymn 293: 4, 5 – Mr. Marsh, Gosport [293: 5, 3]

This hymn was written by Mr. Coates.

Prayer – Mr. Noble, Bradford

Prayer – Mr. Turner, Brackley

Hymn 100: 1, 4 – Mr. Ward, Stroud [543]

Prayer – Mr. E. Bazlinton, Eltham, London

At the grave:

Committal Prayer – Mr. Banks, Dawlish

Hymn 203: 2, 3 – Mr. Shorto, Manchester [205]