In 1884 the Primitive Methodists of Canada formed themselves into an independent community, although with expressions of mutual good will on both sides; their numbers at that time were 8223, with 99 travelling and 246 local ministers, and 237 chapels.

From the middle of the 19th century to its close was a period of great expansion, a return in 1888 reporting the existence in Great Britain of 4,406 chapels, there having been in 1843 only 1278. In 1864 Elmfield College was opened at York, as a middle cla.s.s school, one of their best; John Petty being first Warden; in 1876 a college was opened at Birmingham, named after the great founder, "Bourne College." At Sunderland a Theological College was opened in 1868, the former Infirmary building being bought; and here, from that date till 1881, Dr. William Antliff, a.s.sisted, and afterwards, succeeded by Mr. T. Greenfield, trained candidates for the ministry. The college was afterwards transferred to a new building at Alexandra Park, Manchester.

In 1889, at the 70th Annual Conference, held in Bradford, the membership of the society numbered 194,347, with 1,038 itinerant and 16,229 local preachers; 430,641 Sunday School scholars, 4,436 chapels and 1,465 smaller places of worship; the value of the connexion's property being estimated at over 3,218,320.

For these details I am largely indebted to the notes of the late Mr.

William Pacy, of the Wong, Horncastle, and to the courtesy of the Rev. R.

B. Hanley, Minister 19035.

THE INDEPENDENTS.

Next in size to the Wesleyan Chapel and its Sunday Schools, on the west side of Queen Street, are the Chapel and Sunday Schools of the Independent, or Congregational, community, which stand nearly opposite, on the east side of the same street; the former being a handsome substantial building of brick, enclosed by a high wall, and tall iron rails and gate, to the precincts in front, at the north end. Its dimensions are 50-ft. by 36-ft., with schools behind, of the same solid structure, as will be seen hereafter, erected at a later date.

Like the Baptists this society dates from the time of the Commonwealth, or even earlier, though at first known by a different name. They arose, indeed, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. The persecutions of Protestants, under Queen Mary, drove many to take refuge in Germany and in Geneva, where they became familiar with the worship of the sects established there, which, as an unchecked reaction from the superst.i.tious and elaborate ceremonies of Roman Catholicism, took a more extreme form than the carefully developed Reformation of the English Church allowed.

These persons, returning to England in the reign of Elizabeth, found, as it seemed to them, too much Romish doctrine and practice still retained; the Reformation, according to their ideas, had not gone far enough.

The Queen, as head of the English Church, was not disposed to listen to their demands for further change, and they were themselves too much divided to have the power to enforce them; dissension and disruption were the consequence. A chief mover in this process of disintegration was one, Robert Brown, who founded a sect called the "Brownists." He was the son of a Mr. Anthony Brown, of Tolethorpe near Stamford, in Rutlandshire, whose father, a man of good position, had obtained the singular privilege (granted only to others of n.o.ble birth) by a Charter of Henry VIII., of wearing his cap in the presence of Royalty. Robert Brown was educated at Cambridge, graduating from Corpus Christi College, and became a Schoolmaster in Southwark. About 1580 he began to put forward opinions condemnatory of the established church. He held, as opposed to the uniformity of worship by law established, that each minister, with his congregation, were "a law unto themselves;" that each such small community had a right to be independent of all others; that it was not ordination which gave a minister authority to preach, but the fact that he was the nominee of a congregation; that councils or synods might be useful in giving advice, but that they could not enforce their decisions, and had no punitory power of censure, or excommunication, against any who chose to adopt an independent course.

Such opinions, put forward in somewhat intemperate language, aroused much opposition and bitter feeling, which Brown was too impetuous to avoid, or to mitigate. He continued his teaching and presently formed a congregation at Norwich, holding his views.

An Act of Parliament had been recently pa.s.sed (23 Eliz., c. 2) which made anyone guilty of felony who should write, or set forth, seditious matter; and the Queen, as supreme head of the Church, regarded Brown's action as an interference with the Royal prerogative. Severe measures were adopted in order to restrain this new teaching. Two preachers, Elias Thacker and John Copping, who embraced and proclaimed these tenet, were tried at the Bury a.s.sizes in 1583, condemned, and shortly afterwards hanged. Brown was himself thrown into prison, but released through the intercession of Lord Burghley, with whom he was connected.

He now left England, and, with a number of followers settled, by permission of the state, at Middlebourg, in Zealand, where they formed a congregation. There, however, freed from all restraint, their principles of independence carried them so far that differences arose among themselves, which broke up the community. Brown presently returned to England, and for a time conformed to the Church, which he had so freely abused, being allowed even to hold the Benefice of Thorpe Achurch, in Northamptonshire. But again and again his independence a.s.serted itself, and it is said that he incurred imprisonment no less than 32 times, finally ending his days in Northampton jail. While at Middlebourg he had published, in 1582, a book ent.i.tled _A Treatise of Reformation_, of which he sent many copies to England, and it was for distributing these, and other of his pamphlets, that the two above-named offenders were executed.

{78} (Collier's _Ecclesiastical History_.)

The movement which Brown originated did not die with himself, and in 1593 a congregation of Brownists was formed in London, which numbered some 20,000 members. A few years later their obnoxious tenets again provoked persecution, and once more they had to take refuge on the continent.

Churches were established by them at Amsterdam and elsewhere, the princ.i.p.al one being at Leyden, under the Rev. John Robinson, who afterwards came to be regarded as the founder of Independency. He was a man of considerable attainments; of more genuine piety than the impetuous Brown; and while equally with him, holding that each congregation was in itself a perfect and independent church, under Christ, he would avoid all bitter invective against other communities, who, with different regulations, might still be regarded equally as churches.

Although the Brownists had no regularly ordained ministry; as newly const.i.tuted under Robinson, there were a number of ministers elected by the congregations, and no one was allowed to teach publicly until, after due examination, he had been p.r.o.nounced qualified for the work. The Independents differ chiefly from other religious societies, in that they reject all creeds of fallible man, their test of orthodoxy being a declaration that they accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and adhere to the scriptures as the sole standard of faith and practice.

In 1616 a number of the society again returned to England under the leadership of Henry Jacobs, who had served under Robinson, and once more established a meeting house in London; while others, in charge of a Mr.

Brewster, who had been a lay Elder, also under Robinson, went out, in 1620, to North America, in the good ship Mayflower, and another vessel, and founded a colony at Ma.s.sachusetts.

Although, as has been already stated, under the influence of Robinson sectarian bitterness was much modified, yet throughout the reigns of James I. and Charles I., the Independents were in frequent conflict with the Presbyterians; nor was there only sectarian strife, for both parties had numerous supporters in Parliament, as well as partizans in the army.

Preaching Generals and praying Captains abounded; but Cromwell favoured the Independents, as against Presbyterians, and this gradually paved the way for toleration.

[Picture: Interior Congregational Chapel]

At the "Savoy Conference" in London (so called because held at the palace of that name), in 1658, the Independents published an epitome of their faith, and henceforth, with occasional interruptions, they held on their way; although it was not till 1831 that the "Congregational Union of England and Wales" was finally and fully const.i.tuted. They again published, in 1833, a more definite "Declaration of Faith, Order, and Discipline," which continues still to be the charter of the community.

We have seen that in the early annals of this society the name of John Robinson stood high in general estimation, but his was by no means the only honoured name. Among early members of mark was Dr. John Owen, of Queen's College, Oxford, a learned writer, and Chancellor of the University in 1652; he became Chaplain to Protector Cromwell, as an Independent. The Rev. Isaac Watts, who had been tutor to the sons of Sir John Hartop, became the popular minister of a Congregational Chapel, in Mark Lane, London, in 1693. Dr. Philip Doddridge was also a valued member, as Minister at Norwich, Northampton, Kibworth near Market Harborough, and other places. From his candour and learning he held friendly relations with the highest dignitaries of the established church; he is chiefly known for his two great works, _The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul_, and his _Family Expositor_. To the regret of many he died of consumption, at a comparatively early age, in 1751, at Lisbon, whither he had been ordered by his doctors for the milder climate. The friend and biographer of the last-named, Mr. John Orton, was another esteemed member, who published several valuable works, he died in 1783.

Another was Robert Hall, who ministered at Cambridge, Leicester and Bristol, where he died in 1831. He was a great writer and very eloquent preacher. Professedly he was a Baptist, but he frequently occupied Independent platforms, and admitted that he had more feeling of fellowship with an Independent than with a strict Baptist. {80a} None of these, however, was more highly esteemed than Dr. Isaac Taylor, of Norwich and Colchester, author of several instructive works, and commonly called "the glory of the Independents." He died in 1829.

By the year 1851 this community had grown to such dimensions that it had, in England and Wales, 3,244 chapels, with a membership of 1,002,307.

{80b}

The connection of the Congregationalists with Horncastle is of comparatively recent date, and the evidence on this subject is somewhat conflicting. Weir, in his _History of Horncastle_, published in 1820, does not name them, in his list of Nonconformists, as existing here at that time, but Saunders' _History_, published in 1836, gives them with the others. Hence they would appear to have established themselves in the town somewhere between those two dates; yet there exists a curious small publication, ent.i.tled "The Confession of Faith of the Society of his Majesty's Protestant subjects (dissenting from the Church of England) called Independents, in Horncastle, in the County of Lincoln, and places adjacent, Framed in the year of Christ, 1781, by W. R. Lincoln, printed by S. Simmons." {80c}

The inference from these facts would seem to be, that, at that date, 1781, there was an Independent congregation in the town, probably small, consisting of "W.R." and his personal adherents; as the wording of the confession is said {80d} to be very remarkable, and indeed unique, "W.R."

was evidently rather of an eccentric turn of mind, which led him to publish this authoritative statement of Faith.

The society, probably, in a few years became extinct, and it is not till the year 1820 that we find any sign of their revival. _The Church Book_ supplies the following details: In 1820 certain worshippers in the Wesleyan Chapel of that day, finding their religions views not in accord with general Wesleyan sentiment, decided to erect a chapel of their own; and for this purpose they selected a site in East Street, at the north west corner of Foundry Street, where now stands the house, 42, East Street. This building was opened for public worship on March 22, 1821; the morning preacher being the Rev. B. Byron of Lincoln, the Rev. John Pain, a Hoxton student, preaching in the afternoon, and the Rev. Thomas Hayes of Boston, in the evening.

Mr. Pain officiated for a few weeks and then returned to Hoxton to complete his education for the ministry. He had, however, left a pleasing impression behind him, and he was afterwards invited, in an address signed by 130 of the townsfolk, to come and settle among them as their first permanent minister. He commenced his labours, in that capacity, in July of the same year. Under his ministry the congregation rapidly increased, and the first chapel was soon found to be too small; and in September of the same year a new site was purchased at the north-east corner of Union Street, now Queen Street. While this chapel was being built (which is still their place of worship) they were allowed by the Wesleyans to make use of their chapel, at stated times; some of their services also being, for the time, held at the British Schools, on the site of which the 1st Volunteer Drill Hall was afterwards erected, now the carriage repository of Messrs. Danby & Cheseldine.

At the opening of this chapel, on March 28, 1822, the Rev. George Waterbourne, of Dewsbury, preached in the morning, and the Rev. Joseph Gilbert, of Hull, in the evening. On Thursday, May 9th, following, seven persons formally announced themselves to be a church on Independent principles, viz., William Barton and his daughter Mary, John Jackson and Elizabeth his wife, William Parker (Solicitor), Mary Ball and Rebecca Brown. The Rev. John Pain was duly ordained to the ministry on May 10, those officiating on the occasion being the Rev. W. Harris, LL.D., Theological Tutor of the Hoxton Academy, the Rev. B. Byron of Lincoln, and Rev. J. Gilbert of Hull. In July of that year three members were added to the church, in 1823 eight more were enrolled, in 1824 three more, and in 1825 six joined.

During this year a vestry was built at the back of the chapel; in May of the same year a Sunday School was commenced, which at the end of the year numbered 60 scholars; and the congregation gradually grew, year by year, until Mr. Pain died in 1844 (April 11). He was much beloved, and had brought into the fold about 150 members. He was interred in the chapel yard, a large stone on the west side marking his grave, while a tablet on the south wall, at the east end of the interior of the chapel bears this inscription, "Sacred to the memory of the Rev. John Pain, who was ordained Pastor over this church and congregation, Anno Domini 1821. As a minister he was talented, zealous and useful, his chief desire being to bring men unto G.o.d. As a man he was amiable and affectionate, his private life bearing testimony to the truth of those counsels he publicly taught. He departed this life April 11th, 1844, aged 44 years." The inscription on the tombstone is a long one, in verse, to which is added an epitaph to "Esther, Relict of the above," who "died in London, Feb. 1, 1868, aged 64. With Christ."

Of all the ministers of this chapel Mr. Pain was probably the most valued, and his memory is still cherished. We may add that he was born in Gloucester, a descendant, on his mother's side, of the old and honourable family of the D'Oyleys, whose seat is at Adderbury, Oxfordshire. His father was many years Pastor of the Independent Church of Forest Green, Gloucestershire, his mother being daughter of a Church of England clergyman. An engraving of him is still preserved, framed, in the vestry of the chapel.

Mr. Pain was succeeded in the ministry of the chapel by the Rev. J.

Kelsey in 1844; he died in Adelaide, South Australia; and from 1845 to 1848 the Rev. W C. Fisher held the post. The Rev. Samuel Gladstone succeeded him, and officiated from 1848 to 1853. He afterwards went to Sleaford.

The Rev. J. G. Roberts was Minister from 1853 to 1856. He married a daughter of the late Mr. T. Meredith; there being a tablet to the memory of the latter, on the west side of the south wall of the chapel, with this inscription, "In affectionate remembrance of Mr. Thomas Meredith, who departed this life July 30, 1858, aged 66 years. As for me I will behold Thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness."

The Rev. Thomas Betty succeeded in 1857, and held office till 1863, when his health broke down; his last entry in the books was written on Feb.

19, 1863, "G.o.d bless them all, church and congregation, Amen." He returned and died at Knottingley, March 26, 1865. During his ministry a debt of 75 on the chapel was paid off, and in 1859 a minister's house was purchased for 250, and some 30 spent in repairs, the money being raised by a bazaar.

The Rev. Thomas Lord followed in 1863, and ministered till 1866. He succeeded in paying off the debt on the British School, and on leaving the town was presented with a handsome timepiece by the Committee of the School. He had as a youth attended the chapel of Dr. Doddridge (already named) in Northampton, but left there in 1834. His first pastorate had been at Wollaston, from 1834 to 1845; then removing to Brigstock, where he ministered from 1845 until his transfer to Horncastle in 1863. {82}

He was succeeded by the Rev. J. E. Whitehead, from 1867 to 1871. During his ministry several improvements were effected in the interior of the chapel, including the erection of a commodious platform; oak furniture and elegant fittings being added, and the seats of the choir re-arranged.

The Rev. W. Rose followed from 1872 to 1878. He had been stationed at Portsea, but visited Horncastle in July, 1872, to preach for Home Missions, and was afterwards invited to undertake the ministry here.

Being a native of Boston, and having resided for some time in Spilsby, he was glad to return to his native county, and commenced his ministry in January, 1873. During his pastorate the old seats in the body of the chapel were removed, and modern open benches subst.i.tuted. In 1874 a plot of land was offered by the late Mr. W. A. Rayson for new school premises.

Mr. Rose and the late Mr. J. E. Ward, as Treasurer and Secretary, took up the matter, and the present schools were erected on the south of the chapel. On the ground floor is a s.p.a.cious room, 39-ft. long by 24-ft.

wide; there is a vestry for the minister, an infant cla.s.sroom, and a kitchen with convenient arrangements for tea meetings; above are six large cla.s.srooms for boys and girls. These were opened April 29, 1875; among the contributors being Mr. Samuel Morley of London, at one time President of the Society, and Sir t.i.tus Salt, who both, with Mr. W. A.

Rayson, gave 50 each.

After Mr. Rose's retirement both he and Mrs. Rose still continued to take a kindly interest in matters connected with the chapel. She was a member of a highly respectable family in the neighbourhood, being a daughter of Mr. Searby of Wainfleet. Her health, however, was latterly precarious, and she died May 16, 1879, her husband dying Dec. 10, in the same year.

They were both interred at Spilsby. Mr. Rose was highly esteemed among all denominations; was on cordial terms of intimacy with the Rev. Arthur Scrivenor, then Vicar of Horncastle; and, among other duties, he acted on a committee at Woodhall Spa, in connection with a Cottage Hospital for the poor, in which he took great interest, and which was carried on by the writer of these pages, then Vicar of Woodhall Spa.

Mr. Rose was succeeded by the Rev. W. T. Poole, of Paulers' Pury, Northants; a former Scripture Reader at Reading, who ministered here from 1878 to 1880, when he was transferred to Bracknall, Berks. He was followed by a Nottingham student, the Rev. W. Archer, from 1881 to 1885.

Then came the Rev. J. H. Dingle, of Ruskington, near Sleaford, from 1885 to 1886, when he left for a charge at Patricroft, near Manchester.

During his pastorate a very successful Bazaar was held in November, 1886, from the proceeds of which the manse was further improved, and the chapel again renovated, with decorations from the designs of Mr. C. H. Stevens.

Then followed an interval of two years, during which the chapel was served by students of the college at Nottingham. In 1888 the Rev. G.

Luckett succeeded, coming from Long Sutton, and held office till Sept., 1893, when he was transferred to Curry Rivell, Somerset. An interval here again occurred, during which Mr. J. T. Whitehead and other Nottingham students took the duties, Mr. Whitehead afterwards accepting a pastorate in Lancashire.

In January, 1894, the Rev. Sidney Benjamin Dixon began his ministry, which he continued till December, 1897, when he was transferred to Tetsworth, Oxfordshire. For more than a year Nottingham students again performed the duties; and in November, 1899, the Rev. John Pogson, B.D., entered on his ministry, which he continued until 1905, when he was transferred to Whitworth, near Rochdale. Early in 1907 (Feb. 13) the Rev. J. H. Dingle, who had held the office in 1886, was re-appointed, having served, as above, 12 years at Patricroft, and afterwards at Newmarket and Sheffield.

There is one more tablet in the chapel, which we have not mentioned; it is on the west wall, "In affectionate remembrance of Jane, the beloved wife of William Wood, who died May 12, 1853, aged 48 years. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." Mr. Wood was a draper in the High Street, and a pillar of the church; he afterwards removed to Southampton, and died there.

We have only to add that there are a considerable number of tombstones, with inscriptions, in the chapel yard, but burials ceased to take place there by Act of Parliament in 1855. Marriages are here solemnized. The Services are morning and evening on Sunday, with sermon in the evening of Thursday. A Young People's Society of Christian Endeavour Meeting on Tuesday at 8 p.m. A Ladies' Sewing Meeting on the first Wednesday of every month, and choir practice on Friday evening at 8, there being a good American organ.