Transcribed from the 1837 Jackson and Walford edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org [Picture: Independent Chapel, Beccles] BRIEF RECORDS OF THE INDEPENDENT CHURCH, AT BECCLES, SUFFOLK; INCLUDING BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF ITS MINISTERS, AND SOME ACCOUNT OF THE RISE OF NONCONFORMITY IN THE EAST ANGLIAN COUNTIES. * * * * * BY SAMUEL WILTON RIX. * * * * * LONDON: JACKSON AND WALFORD, 18, ST. PAUL’S CHURCHYARD. M DCCC XXXVII. * * * * * “The churches in those early times were entirely Independent; none of them subject to any foreign jurisdiction, but each one governed by its own rulers and its own laws.” MOSHEIM, Cent. I. “Indeed this way of examining all things by the Word . . . is a course I would admonish all to beware of who would avoid the danger of being made Independents.” OWEN ON SCHISM. * * * * * WILLIAM LENNY, PRINTER, BECCLES. * * * * * THE FOLLOWING PAGES ARE INSCRIBED TO THE YOUNG PERSONS OF THE INDEPENDENT CHURCH AND CONGREGATION AT BECCLES. * * * * * PREFACE. MANY months ago, I was favoured with a perusal of the earliest records of the Independent church at Beccles. An interest in the subject once excited, I went on to collect such other materials for its history as fell in my way: and the re-opening of its place of worship, after considerable alteration, appeared a suitable time for offering these records to notice, in a permanent and connected form.