Memorials of the Independent Churches in Northamptonshire: with biographical notices of their pastors, and some account of the puritan ministers who laboured in the county.Coleman, Thomas
History
Memorials of the Independent Churches in Northamptonshire: with biographical notices of their pastors, and some account of the puritan ministers who laboured in the county.
Coleman, Thomas
Clergy -- England -- Northamptonshire; Independent churches -- England -- Northamptonshire; Puritans -- England -- Northamptonshire
"In the year 1847, being the jubilee of the erection of the place of
worship, it was found needful," states the present minister, "to effect
considerable repairs and improvements. The people came forward with a
willing mind and a liberal spirit, and raised upwards of L40, which,
with some other donations, was sufficient to prevent any remaining
debt." "There is," he observes, "no record of members prior to the time
of Mr. Pickering being settled, who, numbering himself one, entered all
those that were in fellowship; and from that time a record has been
kept. The whole number admitted, up to the present time, has been 201;
of these many have fallen asleep. In the year 1824, seventeen were
dismissed in peace and love, to form a separate Church of the same
order at Weldon. A few have tired and fainted, and walk the ways of God
no more; some have removed to a distance; while about sixty remain in
communion. The average attendance on public worship through the year
verges upon 300. The Sunday-schools contain about 110 children, the
average attendance being about seventy each part of the day. These are
attended to by about twenty teachers, who are most of them on the Lord's
side. A separate service is maintained for the benefit of the children
every Lord's-day, which is conducted by the minister, deacons, and
others in rotation. Several who have been trained in the schools have
become children of God, but stand connected with other Churches, where
they have been called in the providence of God to reside.
"There is no pecuniary endowment of any kind in connexion with the
Church at Brigstock, but a good house erected for the residence of the
minister, about thirteen years ago, upon which there has rested a debt,
which is slowly decreasing, and constitutes the only difficulty which
presses upon the people, who are, almost without a single exception,
working people. There is no Day-school in connexion with the Chapel,
which is a serious drawback; but the want is partially met by schoolroom
and scholastic privileges which exist in the village, which, however,
through high Church and Puseyistic influences, are not so efficient or
acceptable as might be.
"On the whole, the Christian friends at Brigstock have much to be
thankful for; and, in language employed at a late public meeting of the
Church and congregation, minister, and other friends, they say--'In
looking backward, we cry, "hitherto hath the Lord helped us"; and in
looking forward, we "thank God and take courage." In looking inward, we
feel that we are the subject of manifold deficiencies, and confess our
need of a fresh baptism of heavenly and spiritual blessings; and looking
upward, we cry, "O Lord, revive thy work" "O Lord, we beseech thee, send
now prosperity." Amen.'"
CHAPTER XVII.
MEMORIALS OF THE INDEPENDENT CHURCH AT WELDON AND CORBY.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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