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Donald
Soper, the first Methodist minister to become a Life Peer (Baron Soper
of Kingsway) grew up in south London and after higher education at
Cambridge University spent his whole ministry in London from 1926
till his death.
He soon became famous because of his open air speaking, first weekly
on Tower Hill (in the City of London) and latterly from (1942) every
Sunday afternoon, at Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park. With his
ready wit, political alertness and way with words he captivated large
audiences and helped people in the Christian faith.
In 1936 Soper went to Kingsway Hall in central London, where the West
London Mission was situated, and stayed there till his retirement
(or "re-treading" as he termed it) in 1978. An absolute
pacifist, in the Second World War he was prevented from broadcasting
on the BBC, but he never wavered, working with Dick Sheppard, of St
Martin-in-the Fields, the famous leader of the Peace Pledge Union,
until his untimely death.
Donald Soper combined his stress on evangelism and pacifism with sacramentalism
(he urged regular celebration of the Eucharist, like the Wesleys themselves)
and the need for political commitment (in his case the left wing of
the Labour Party). At the height of his powers thousands listened
to his words, either through his broadcasts (for years he was a regular
contributor to the BBC programme Any Questions) or because of his
preaching and speaking at engagements across Britain and many other
parts of the world.
Some of his sermons were published as books, as was his mission to
Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and his broadcast talks. Noted for his aphorisms,
or Soperisms ("remorse is penitence sterilised against hope"
was one of the most striking), in his House of Lords speeches he was
always measured and confined, though fluent and a pleasure to hear.
A formidable intellectual he yet cared deeply for ordinary people
and tried to explain to them Christian faith in straightforward words,
emphasising the Kingdom Jesus brought and the "Goodwill on fire"
which was his description of God’s love for humankind, which
his disciples were to emulate. He raised thousands of pounds for a
multitude of social work projects at Kings way Hall for those who
often found themselves on the edges of society. He guarded his family
life jealously, appreciating greatly the home his wife Marie created
for him and their four daughters.
Soper was a master of the striking phrase. Here are some of them:-
“The real essence of the Christian
life is not in success but in faithfulness”
“A Christian cannot really be born
again unless born into a new political and economic allegiance as
well as personal devotion”
“I believe in the principle of
togetherness and regard it as infinitely more important than consistancy”
“we have to have a point where
we stand in order to have a view in the
first place!”
(For more details see: Brian Frost, "Goodwill
on Fire – Donald Soper’s Life and Mission
( Hodder & Stoughton 1996) and Vintage Soper, God, Faith and Society
(Hodder & Stoughton 1997).
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