Charles H Hinman

Early Life

Charles Hillam Hinman was born in 1859 in the village of Leigh, Rutland, England. He came from a long-established rural family whose ancestors had farmed in the area for nearly four hundred years. This deep-rooted background gave him a strong sense of stability, diligence, and responsibility.

After completing his schooling, Hinman was apprenticed to a draper in Grantham, learning the discipline of trade and careful attention to detail that would later mark both his preaching and teaching. After four years, seeking wider opportunity, he moved to London, where he worked in one of the large wholesale houses in St Paul’s Churchyard, at the heart of the city’s commercial life.

Emigration and Spiritual Awakening

A major turning point in Hinman’s life came when he emigrated from England to New Zealand. This geographical move proved to be accompanied by a far greater spiritual transformation.

Shortly after his arrival, he was invited to hear Gordon Forlong, a former London lawyer who had been converted from Deism and was now preaching the Gospel with clarity and conviction. Hinman later described this encounter as life-changing. What struck him most was the certainty with which Forlong spoke—he was clearly preaching truths he personally knew and believed.

At first, Hinman was deeply challenged. Though he recognised that what he was hearing was grounded in Scripture, he found it unsettling that someone could say with confidence that they knew they were saved. Yet his interest was awakened, and he returned the following Lord’s Day, eager to hear more. With each successive visit, conviction deepened. His former false sense of peace collapsed, replaced by a painful awareness of guilt and spiritual need.

He tried, unsuccessfully, to reform himself—giving up old sins and attempting to “turn over a new leaf”—but found no peace. His heart’s cry became urgent and sincere: “What must I do to be saved?”

Conversion and Assurance of Salvation

The crisis came on Monday morning, 10 May 1880, at about nine o’clock. At that moment, the words “It is finished” came with power to his soul. He realised at last that salvation was not something he needed to achieve, but something Christ had already completed on the cross.

That burdened conscience was replaced by deep and lasting peace. Hinman knew his sins were forgiven and that his soul was saved—not through effort, but by believing God’s Word concerning His Son. From that moment onward, he often said, his greatest joy was telling others God’s way of salvation.

Gospel Ministry in New Zealand

From the time of his conversion, Charles Hinman devoted himself wholeheartedly to Gospel work. He spent the greater part of his life preaching throughout both the North and South Islands of New Zealand, travelling widely and tirelessly.

He quickly became recognised as one of the ablest ministers of the Word among assemblies of believers gathered simply in the Lord’s Name. His preaching combined clarity, warmth, and depth, and his teaching was firmly rooted in Scripture. He had a special gift for unfolding biblical truth in a way that was both reverent and accessible.

Among his best-known contributions was his ministry on the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, later published as Lectures on the Tabernacle in the Wilderness. In these addresses, he showed Christ as the centre and meaning of the Old Testament types, helping many believers gain a deeper appreciation of Scripture and of the person and work of Christ.

He also contributed regularly to The Treasury, a periodical valued for its solid biblical teaching.

Influence Beyond New Zealand

Around twenty-seven years before his death, Hinman paid a visit to England, and this visit proved spiritually fruitful. Several of his relatives were converted, along with many others, demonstrating that his ministry bore fruit not only abroad but also in his homeland.

His influence was marked not by personal ambition, but by quiet faithfulness. He was known as a man deeply grounded in the Word of God, whose teaching strengthened believers and whose Gospel preaching brought many to Christ.

Illness and Final Years

In later life, Hinman was afflicted with Bright’s disease, a serious and progressive illness. In search of relief, he travelled to both England and the United States for medical treatment, though with little lasting benefit.

Returning to New Zealand, he experienced partial recovery and was able to continue ministering at intervals. Nevertheless, it became clear that the disease was steadily advancing. Even so, his faith remained unshaken, and his thoughts were increasingly occupied with the glory to come.

Home-Call and Hope of Glory

On Saturday, 26 August 1922, Charles H. Hinman peacefully finished his earthly course. Surrounded by his family, and fully conscious to the end, he expressed the hope that had sustained him throughout his Christian life. Almost his final words were:

“What shall the first five minutes be like in Heaven?”

They were the words of a man whose confidence rested not in his service, but in the finished work of Christ.

Legacy

Charles H. Hinman is remembered as:

• A clear and powerful Gospel preacher

• A gifted Bible teacher, especially on Old Testament types

• A faithful servant among believers gathered simply in Christ’s Name

• A man whose life was marked by assurance, humility, and devotion to Scripture

Though his voice was silenced in 1922, the truths he preached and taught continue to bear fruit in the lives of those he led to Christ and those he strengthened in the faith.