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“search the scriptures” John 5:39
The name Henry Soltau is perhaps one which is not particularly familiar to a current generation. However, in his day he was a well-known servant of the Lord.
Henry was born in Plymouth on 11th July 1805, the second of six children. Both of his parents were Christians and were members of the Church of England. They had a keen interest in the spiritual welfare of their children. His father, George, was one of the founders of a large free school in Plymouth which gave opportunities for gospel witness alongside the teaching of secular subjects. Sadly, George died at the age of forty-four and never saw the conversion of his son.
After studying with a private tutor, Henry entered Trinity College, Cambridge in 1825 and studied law. He graduated in 1827, and he subsequently entered Lincoln’s Inn, London, where he was called to the bar.
He was an intelligent man who had a great interest in a variety of subjects, including science and natural history, yet finding time to learn Hebrew to help in his reading of the Old Testament! Whilst at Cambridge, Henry had a great interest in hearing the gospel, recognizing that there was something lacking in his life. He listened to the best preachers of the day, but, sadly, seldom was the gospel preached faithfully and Henry remained without salvation.
When he moved to London, convictions that had exercised him whilst he was at Cambridge were suppressed and he threw himself into the pleasures of society. He was a popular man and well sought after, having a great interest in music and the ‘innocent amusements’ of the day. And yet in all of this he was not happy - he remained unsatisfied and did not know how to free himself from his situation. Later in life, when preaching in the open air in Soho Square, London, Henry referred to his previous life and how he was converted.
In 1837 news reached him that his mother was unwell. Henry was very fond of his mother and even though the report he received did not indicate that the situation was serious, he decided that he would immediately make the journey from London to Plymouth, fearing that he would not get to see his mother. His suspicions were well founded, and he was met by his uncle who told him that his mother had passed away. It is said that he prayed that night by his mother’s coffin, ‘Lord, if Thou dost not save me, I am lost for ever!’
Shortly after this, whilst attending a gospel meeting, the way of salvation became clear, and Henry trusted Christ. The subsequent change in him was such that a relative is reported to have said, ‘You are like the man in the third of Acts, walking and leaping and praising God’.
The friends who previously welcomed Henry’s company soon turned from him when they heard that he now had ‘peculiar opinions’. Henry concluded there was nothing left for him in London, and he decided to give up his position at the bar and move back to Plymouth.
It was at Plymouth that Henry encountered believers who taught the truth of gathering according to New Testament principles. Having been convicted of these truths, Henry, along with many others, saw the need to separate himself from the established church. He soon discovered that this came at a cost, and he suffered rejection by both friends and family.
In 1841, Henry married Miss Lucy Tate Smith, a marriage which lasted for thirty-four years until Henry’s death. The family home was first set up in Plymouth but following divisions amongst the believers (which sadly continue to the present day in some circles) the family moved, first to Exmouth and then to the market town of Northam in North Devon. The couple had nine children, and Henry had the joy of seeing all his children trust the Saviour. At least six of these children were associated with the missionary Hudson Taylor and the China Inland Mission.
From the time of his conversion, Henry was very active in preaching the gospel, as well as ministering to the saints. He retired from professional life to dedicate himself to the work of the Lord, working throughout Devon. As a result of his work, and that of others, many souls were saved and assemblies planted. The legacy of such labours can be seen in the reports of assembly testimony in Devon in past issues of Precious Seed, which are available at https://www.preciousseed.org.
It was following a move to Exeter that Henry became known to a wider audience, both in public and printed ministry.
Henry published several books. The most well-known ones are, The Tabernacle, The Priesthood and The Offerings and The Holy Vessels and Furniture of the Tabernacle. Both books are worth obtaining as, in addition to providing a detailed study of the tabernacle, there is also much which exalts the person of Christ. He also wrote The Soul and its Difficulties, aiming to make the way of salvation clear and provide assurance to those who lacked it.
Whilst in his early fifties, Henry began to lose his sight, and it was anticipated that he would become totally blind. However, some sight was restored to him enabling him to read the largest print Bible. He visited many parts, including London, Glasgow, Birmingham, Hereford, and Dublin, where he was especially welcomed.
In 1867, his health began to fail. During a short visit to London, he was laid low by paralysis, and he never spoke in public again. In 1870, he moved to Barnstaple to end his days near his beloved friend, R. C. Chapman. After he had been unconscious for several weeks, he died on 1st July 1875.
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