Whitley Seaside Chronicle & Visitors Gazette June 19th 1920:
'The Rev. W. Hussey Griffith:
Departure from Whitley Bay of
' "A popular pastor
At the Baptist Church, Oxford Street, Whitley Bay, on Sunday, the 27th inst., the Rev. W. Hussey Griffith will give his farewell services," so the announcement appears in our columns to-day, of the early departure of the Rev. W. Hussey Griffith, Chaplain to the Forces, of Grantawe, Whitley Bay, now resigning the pastorate of the Oxford Street Baptist Church, in response to a unanimous call to the Priory Street Baptist Church, York. The Rev. W. Hussey Griffith, who by July next, would have completed seven years of his pastorate at Whitley Bay, first saw the light at Clydach, near Swansea, on Christmas Day, 1971 (sic), where he was baptised fourteen years later by the Rev. T. V. Evans. His father was for many years a pillar of the Calvaria Welsh Baptist Church, Clydach, and his Grandfather, it may be said, was one of founders of Caersalem Newydd, B.C., near Swansea, and an honoured deacon and secretary at the time of his death. In such an atmosphere, with such parents and ancestors, it was not surprising that very early Mr Griffith developed gifts which led him early to thoughts of the ministry, and at the age of seventeen he was asked by his Church to devote himself to preaching the Gospel. He entered Aberavon Academy, under the care of the Rev. T. Richards, and from there to (?) Park College, then under the presidency of the Rev. Dr. Angus, where he finished his course with honours in 1894, taking the theological diploma of A.T.S. - (?) of the Theological Society.
Mr Griffith shortly received two unanimous calls, - one from Greenock and the other from Thropston, Northamptonshire, accepting the former he settled on the Clyde in October, 1894, where his work was abundantly successful. In 1897 he accepted a call from Westgate Road Baptist Church, Newcastle-on-Tyne, and on July 4th of that year was inducted, the Rev. Hugh Macmillan, D.D., L.L.D., Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland, conducting the services. It was at Newcastle that Mr Griffith found the prize of his life, the charming and accomplished lady who became his wife, and an indefatigable co-worker with him in the Church.
In March, 1905 Mr Griffith became the leader of a great wave of revival services in Newcastle, and at the Westgate Road Baptist Church and other places in the city these revival services were held day by day and night by night for a month, by means of which much good was done.
At the gathering of the Northern Baptist Association, held in the Lightfoot Grove Church, Stockton on Tees, in 1905, it is on record that the Tuesday morning session held on June 2nd, was made memorable by an address full of spirit and eloquence by the Rev. Hussey Griffith. His theme was "Power with God and Man," and those who saw and heard him were conscious of the presence of a man in whom dwelt the Divine Grace. It was said and recorded that "the mobile face expressed every emotion of his soul. The eyes lit up, the face became illuminated, as he spoke of Christ's redeeming love. His eyes and face darkened in the very glow of noon as he mourned over our coldness, our lack of emotion and enthusiasm, then they grew stern as he denounced the follies which kept men from the fullness of power - the summer skies were gone and the storm filled his soul; then the sun shone again - there was a glint in his eye - the dew of strong emotion, but filled with the light of God's love. He was no longer the prophet, stern and mighty, but the lover wooing, pleading with our souls."
The foregoing is an elegant tribute, in which there is no flattery - and as Mr Griffith was then so is he today.
In April 1913 the rev. gentleman received a call to the Baptist Church at Whitley Bay, which he eventually accepted, and on this becoming known the late Sir William Angus, of Newcastle, shortly before his death said of him "that Mr Griffith's ministry of the Word at Westgate Road was of a high level of excellence and power," and that cultured soul knew something of what constituted true preaching.
The Newcastle "Evening Mail," 20/05/1913, said "One of our most popular non-conformist preachers is to shake our dust off his sandals and will depart elsewhere. It seems a habit among popular Newcastle preachers ever since the days of the Rev. Dr. Jowett. The Rev. W. Hussey Griffith has brought and welded together a remarkable congregation on Westgate Hill, where he has made name and fame for both preaching and organisation. The Free Church Council has honoured him by making him its president, and now we learn that he has accepted a call to Whitley Bay. Of course, he is still in the district; but, apart from all sectarian differences, we regret to find another brilliant preacher leaving us. We could spare others. Whether his present congregation has made a serious effort to retain him we cannot say, but they will travel from Dan even to Beersheba ere they find another of the calibre of the Rev. W. Hussey Griffith.
We never had a preacher swell
Our congregation by his flow
Of eloquence but, truth to tell
Somehow or other he would go."
On the 7th September, 1913, Mr Griffith began his ministry in Whitley Bay by preaching to immense congregations at the Kursaal, the hall being placed at the disposal of the Baptist Church by the proprietors, Messrs Ambrose and Houghton, and during the succeeding week a series of gatherings were held at Whitley Bay in connection with the recognition of the Rev. W. Hussey Griffith, the proceedings commencing with a fraternal assembly of ministers of the Northern Baptist Association, of which Mr Griffith is secretary, and it may be noted here that Mr Griffith is also a member and has been president of the Newcastle Free Church Council, and is also a member of the Baptist Union Sustation Fund executive.
From the moment of commencing his ministry at Whitley Bay very great success attended Mr Griffith. The usual meeting place in Oxford Street being quite inadequate to accommodate all who sought attendance, the Kursaal was secured, the congregations frequently numbering over a thousand. With the war men of the West Yorks and other regiments came to Whitley Bay to train, and from their first coming the Rev. Hussey Griffith devoted himself heart and soul to minister to their needs. His services to which all were cordially invited were immensely popular, as was Mr Griffith personally. Nor did the rev. gentleman content himself with their spiritual needs. He sought and found help in catering for their social needs, organising a succession of concerts, entertainments, etc., for which thousands of men who passed through their training at Whitley Bay were grateful indeed. That this is so proved by the fact that in May, 1917, he was entertained by five hundred service men and presented with a testimonial in mark of their appreciation of his "untiring devotion towards the advancement of their spiritual uplift."
In July, 1918, Mr Griffith, in recognition of his splendid work on behalf of the soldiers, received a commission as Chaplain, an unsolicited honour, and at Mr Griffith's request the appointment was made to the Tyne Garrison so that he could continue to carry on at Whitley Bay.
Capt. Hussey Griffith was further honoured on Wednesday, April 2nd, 1919, when Brigadier-General the Rev. J. Peney Davey, C.M.G., visited Newcastle, being included in the list of guests entertained to luncheon by the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Sir A. Munro Sutherland, on the occasion. It is noteworthy that Major-General R. A. Kerr Montgomery gave the toast "The Principal Chaplain and Army Chaplains," in which the responders were the Brigadier-General Rev. J. Peney Davey and Chaplain the Rev. Hussey Griffith.
In June 1919, with the departure of the soldiers, services at the Kursaal were given up. Mr Griffith's chaplaincy work having also extended to hospitals and camps at a distance from Whitley Bay also necessitating this.
Among many regrets the popular pastor will have at leaving Whitley Bay is that by reason of the war it was impossible for him to institute a work upon which he had set his heart, namely, the erection of a commodious church for which a site had already been chosen. However, with the membership of the Baptist Church increasing and the Sunday School flourishing the new church will surely come. Already the Church at Whitley Bay is the second largest contributor among churches of the Association to the Baptist Missionary Society, having raised the sum of £180 for Foreign Missions last year and £135 the year before.
"It has," Mr Griffith says, "been a privilege and joy to him to make friendship both within and without the church at Whitley Bay which will always be precious."
Of a certainty he will watch from his new sphere with every interest the growth and progress of every worthy cause in Whitley Bay and most especially the increase and power of the Church of Christ.
In the departure of the Rev. W. Hussey Griffith from Whitley Bay what is but lost here will be gained by York. Such inborn ability and eloquence and such unswerving application in all that works for good does Mr. Griffith possess that we are assured the respect and love he inspired from all classes - and particularly from the gallant lads who passed through Whitley Bay to the Front, many, alas, fated never to see their beloved country again - will be the portion of the Chaplain in his wider sphere in the Cathedral City of York.'