Family Lessons 6: Farmer Davidson

Submitted by Alan Marsden on Fri, 27/11/2020 - 10:19

Thomas Davidson Smith, a prosperous Lancaster grocer and grandson of my 5x great grandfather, Thomas Davidson of Melling and Tatham, wrote this of his grandsire:

“He was a strong minded and capable farmer, with a splendid knowledge of Cattle: their physical structure, ailments, the difficulties of rearing, etc. He was sent for to go to many neighbouring farms, if any case wanted special skill. He was a strictly sober, thoughtful & sociable man, much troubled with Rheumatism. For many years had the assistance of two sticks, his hip joints being out by the above named painful complaint. Although a considerable smoker, he lived to between 70 & 80 years of age. In his old age he had a cancer clipped out of his lip by some Manr. or Oldfield Lane Surgeon. It was said to be caused by the continual holding in his mouth of the pipe. Successful as a Farmer, he retired in old age to his own little farm at Stock Bridge, where he died about the year 1856/7”

Smith himself was clearly a believer, describing his own father as one who “toiled on Sundays at the various places to sow the words of eternal life, & to build up spiritual religion, & thus to establish the Kingdom of Christ their Lord in the hearts of men”. Of his young mother, he wrote:

"She, however, attended the preaching services, which were at that time held in the house of Joseph Smith at Overhouses. Through the earnest & evangelical teaching of the local & itinerant preachers then, she became a decided Christian, joined the Wesleyan Methodist Society, & remained a thoughtful, intelligent member, class leader, chapel steward to her life's end."

Why does he say nothing spiritual of her father, my ancestor? All Smith’s male descendants were given his name “to keep up in some manner the name of my Grandfather on my mother’s side…the name Davidson was held in considerable respect in Tatham & Botton”. All he can say of him is his agricultural expertise and some worthwhile personal habits. Apart from contracting cancer through excessive pipe smoking, he was clearly a skilled man, held in high regard by his neighbours. Yet of his soul, there was nothing his grandson could report. He died in 1857, well respected by his neighbours- but was he accepted by God because of Christ?

Too many of us seek our colleagues' and neighbours' admiration, without enquiring about our reputation in heaven. Although I dearly hope to be proved wrong, Grandfather Davidson sounds like a man who neglected his spiritual life. Wherever he is right now, his knowledge of cattle is of no use. Whatever he did with the gospel- that is all that counts.

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Mark 8:36