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 this village, known as the birth-place of the celebrated Dr. Carey,
of the Baptist Mission at Serampore, the Independent Church is of recent
formation. In the year 1826 a Chapel was erected, and the whole of the
expenses were cleared off by the exertions of Mr. Hawkins, Independent
minister, of Towcester. About the autumn of 1841, Mr. Buckingham, the
present minister of this place, was invited to preach in the Chapel on
the week evenings. His services proving acceptable, attention being
excited, and indications of usefulness appearing, the congregation
expressed a desire to enjoy the benefit of his stated labours. In
connexion with this proposal, arrangements were made between the
congregation at Paulerspury and the Church at Towcester, for the Chapel,
then the property of that Church, to be put in trust for the use of this
congregation. In the summer of 1842 Mr. Buckingham began to labour
statedly among the people, and was much encouraged by the increasing
attention, and the disposition manifested by the people to hear the
word. A Sabbath-school was formed, when between forty and fifty children
attended: it had a gradual increase, until, in the following year, the
number of scholars rose to 200. Since then the numbers have varied,
owing to different causes which will arise in this changing world. The
congregation increased so, that it was found necessary to erect two side
galleries, in addition to the front gallery that had been already
formed. The week-day services were also well attended. A small number of
persons, most of whom had been brought to an acquaintance with divine
things under Mr. Buckingham's ministry, were desirous of enjoying the
benefits of Church fellowship, and were encouraged to give themselves to
the Lord and to each other in these bonds of the Gospel; and were
accordingly formed into a Church, consisting of sixteen members, on the
28th of February, 1844. The services on the interesting occasion were
conducted by Messrs Hawkins, of Towcester; Slye, of Potterspury; J.
Bull, of Newport Pagnell; and Wager, of Stony Stratford: then the
ordinance of the Lord's Supper was first administered to them, in which
persons of different religious denominations united, who appeared to
feel a deep and lively interest in the solemnity.
In the beginning of the year 1845 some of the members of the Church
experienced much persecution, which caused a few to halt, and others to
keep back. It rose to such a height, at one time, as to threaten the
extinction of the rising energies of the Church; but through the kind
interposition of a gracious Providence, a reaction took place, and the
wrath of man was made to praise God.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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