A superb little signed four-line autograph of the benediction, boldly signed J. G. Pike, Derby, 1830. 

A fine autograph of one of the most influential devotional writers of the early 19th century. His Persuasives to Early Piety was one of the single most widely distributed Evangelical books both in America and England.

Biography:

Rev. J. G. Pike. (1784-1854) was born in Edmonton, London. His father was a Unitarian pastor and his mother a descendent of Oliver Cromwell. Though raised in a theologically liberal home, he was converted under the Baptists and attended Wymondley (Baptist) College, where he joined in with the Particular [Calvinisti-Reformed] Baptists.

He was baptized in August of 1804 while at College and was received into Rev. Dan Taylor's Chapel Lane Meeting House, Whitechapel, London, in 1808. Under Taylor's pastoral care he was soon formally licensed to preach, and would ultimately succeed Taylor as Pastor.

From his earliest days Pike was more broadly evangelical than the movement of which he was a part. He read across the theological spectrum and took a deep interest in Foreign Missions. In 1809 he records “My mind today has often engaged on a mission to Africa, and on becoming, if heaven prolong my days, a missionary to that injured land.” He would not become a missionary, but was a fierce and sturdy supporter of missions his entire ministry.

In 1812, when news was received of the disastrous fire at Serampore, where William Carey and William Ward's Printing Office was destroyed, Pike immediately brought the matter before the Midland Conference urging churches to make collections. He induced his Derby friends, though few in number, to undertake the entire support of one of the native preachers at Serampore.

In the end, his missionary spirit and resistance to a reformed Baptist position led to a shift toward the General Baptists, though he was never divisive and continued to work with the Particular Baptists the remainder of his life. Once in with the General Baptists, he endeavored, by oral and written appeals, to excite a missionary spirit and urged the formation of a General Baptist Missionary Society, either as an auxiliary of the existing Society, or as a separate Society. With advice from Andrew Fuller, who considered the lack of unity between the Particular and the General Baptists was a problem, the latter option was decided upon. At the Annual Meeting of the Association at Boston, Lincolnshire, in 1816, Rev. John Pike proposed the formation of a General Baptist Missionary Society of the New Connexion and the vote was almost unanimously passed. Pike was elected its first Secretary and issued a pamphlet on behalf of the Committee.

The first Annual Meeting of the Society was held at Castle Donington on 24th June 1817. Although Pike was unable to become a missionary, Bampton, who with Peggs became the first missionaries of the Society, were educated by Pike at his own house. In 1819 he undertook a preaching tour of Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire to excite a missionary spirit.

In 1822 he became joint editor, with Adam Taylor of London, of the monthly periodical 'The General Baptist Repository and Missionary Observer'.

His numerous religious tracts had a wide circulation, both in England  and in America. It has been estimated that at least 800,000 were distributed in England and over 600,000 in America. On 4th September, 1854, Rev. John Pike had attended a prayer meeting of dissenting ministers in Derby. In the afternoon he went into his study to write several letters. Only a few words of a letter to Bourne, Lincolnshire were written when he passed away. He was found by his eldest daughter seated at the library table, pen in hand. An inquest was held and the jury returned a verdict of 'Died by the visitation of God'. The procession to the grave was nearly half a mile long and included 12 clergyman of the Church of England.

During his long ministry Rev. Pike had baptized over 1300 people.

Good, clean example, closely trimmed on the right side; presumably removed from a commonplace book at some point in its history.