The foundation stone was laid May 23rd, 1792. The whole expense of the building was 182. 9_s._ 3_d._ All these particulars have been minutely recorded by Mr. Collis, with the manner in which the money was obtained, and every donation that was received for the purpose; and he adds to his account the following characteristic note: "If the Meeting House had had but one door, and a much less window, it would have been better, and saved some pounds in the expense." But, to his honour be it recorded, he gave a larger sum towards the building than any other subscriber. This place continued in connexion with the Church at Brigstock until the time when Mr. Pickering, who had for twenty years served both congregations, determined on confining his labours chiefly to the latter place. During the ministry of Mr. Pickering, the Weldon congregation increased; so that it was thought necessary to erect a gallery across the end of the Meeting, to face the pulpit, five seats deep, which was done in the year 1808, at an expense of 39.

About the year 1824, Mr. Pickering resigned his connexion with Weldon, and the members of the Brigstock Church residing here received their dismission to form themselves into a distinct Church of Christ, when they came to the determination to endeavour to obtain a stated pastor to reside at Weldon, and to preach regularly on the Sabbath at Weldon and Corby. After some time, they gave an invitation to Mr. John Philip, who became their first pastor here, and laboured among them about twelve years, and then was called to close his life suddenly in their service.

One Sabbath morning, while engaged in preaching, he ruptured a blood vessel, was carried from his pulpit to his house, and, after a short time, died in his chair. Mr. Toller, of Kettering, improved his death, from Zech. i. 5: "The prophets, do they live for ever?"

The next minister was Mr. Moffat, who was with them but a short time. He was succeeded by Mr. S. A. Bradshaw. After the removal of Mr. Bradshaw, an invitation was given to Mr. Thomas Thomas, from Newport Academy, who became their pastor, and was ordained May 25th, 1848. The following account of the ordination service we find in the records of the Church:--"On this day," it is stated, "Mr. Thomas was ordained. Mr.

Coleman, of Ashley, commenced by reading portions of Scripture, and prayer; Mr. Thomas Toller delivered the introductory discourse, and asked the questions; Mr. Green, of Uppingham, offered the ordination prayer; Mr. J. Bull, M.A., of Newport, delivered the charge; Mr.

Robinson, of Kettering, preached to the people in the evening. The services were numerously attended, and were peculiarly interesting: near 300 ministers and friends took tea together, in a close lent for the purpose. Mr. Robinson preached in the Chapel close, in the evening; near upon 500 persons were present, and appeared much interested with the faithful and appropriate discourse." Mr. Thomas is still the minister of the congregations at Weldon and Corby.

The village of Corby is situated about two miles to the west of Weldon, containing about eight hundred inhabitants; a small sum of money was given a hundred years ago for the preaching of a lecture here on a Sabbath evening by Independent ministers. This appears to have been first preached by Mr. West, who was minister at Ashley, and afterwards by Mr. Bacon, his successor. When the congregation at Weldon was taken into connexion with the congregation at Brigstock, the Corby lecture was preached by the Brigstock minister; but in the year 1824, when it was determined to have a settled minister at Weldon, it was agreed that he should preach once every Sabbath at Corby; and this is the arrangement at the present time.

About the year 1834, William Rowlatt, Esq., who was born at Corby, but who was then residing at Burton, in the parish of Christchurch, in the county of Southampton,[7] anxious to do something for the benefit of his native place, first erected good school-rooms for Day-schools of both s.e.xes in Corby and its vicinity, and liberally endowed them, and gave a dwelling-house for the teachers. By a deed of gift, they were transferred to the British and Foreign School Society, and are placed under the superintendence of a local Committee. They are efficiently conducted by the present teachers, Mr. D. Fisher and Miss Ross. The schools have already proved a great advantage to Corby and the surrounding villages. Soon after the schools were erected, the Old Meeting House was greatly improved, by a new gallery, pews, and pulpit, at the expense of Mr. Rowlatt; and he has left an endowment of 500 to be placed on Government security, the interest to be applied towards the support of the minister. Whatever opinion may be entertained as to the principle or the working of endowments for religious objects, the kindness of Mr. Rowlatt's spirit and design must be acknowledged, and that hitherto the result has been good.

[7] The name, in legal proceedings, of Hampshire.

There is a Sabbath-school connected with this place, consisting of fifty-four children. The school connected with the congregation at Weldon numbers twenty-one children. The present number of communicants is twenty-seven.

In the year 1850, the sum of 55 was left by Mrs. Mary French, partly for the purpose of renewing the trust deeds of the minister's house and the close belonging to this interest, and partly for making improvements in connexion with the premises. The larger part of this sum has already been applied according to the will of the donor.

While we record the pecuniary aid thus afforded to a small body of Nonconformists in these places, who have no wealthy individuals amongst them, and who have to stand against much influence that bears against the advancement of their principles, we trust it is ever borne in mind that the promotion of the cause of pure and undefiled Christianity, the conversion of sinners unto G.o.d, and the advancement of believers in divine knowledge, faith, holiness, and love, are the great objects for which a Christian Church is formed and the ministry of the Gospel sustained. Here may these objects be abundantly promoted!

CHAPTER XVIII.

MEMORIALS OF THE INDEPENDENT CHURCH AT YELVERTOFT.

In the village of Yelvertoft, which has a population of between six and seven hundred inhabitants, there is a neat Independent Chapel, capable of accommodating near four hundred persons, situated about the centre of the village, with school-rooms adjoining. Pa.s.sing on to a rather lower part of the village, on the opposite side may be observed a respectable dwelling-house, with garden and orchard, which is the residence of the Independent minister. To be able to go back to the commencement, and trace the onward progress of such a cause, thus situated, must be especially gratifying to those who are now connected with it, while it might be gratifying to all who take an interest in the things that relate to the kingdom of Christ and the highest welfare of men.

It is not more than sixty years since the present Chapel was erected, an Independent minister regularly settled as pastor, and a Church formed on Congregational principles; but in the early part of the last century, occasional services were conducted here by Dissenting ministers, chiefly from Welford, where those residing in Yelvertoft who dissented from the Established Church were in the habit of attending.

In the book containing the records of the Church, we find an account of the earliest efforts made by Nonconformists in this village, and how they led on to the formation of the present interest. This account we shall now present to the reader.

Some time before any attempt at all was made to introduce the preached Gospel into this place, and also during the time that the weekly lectures only were enjoyed, a few persons were in the habit of going to Welford (about five miles distant), where they could attend that mode of worship which appeared to them most agreeable to the word of G.o.d; and there can be little doubt that it was at the suggestion of some of them that the preaching of the Gospel here was commenced.

When this took place (which must be now, if it occurred in the time of Mr. Norris, who died in 1738, nearly one hundred and twenty years ago),[8] a private house was licensed, to afford the minister at Welford an opportunity to preach a week-day lecture. It is probable, though difficult to ascertain with certainty, that Mr. Norris, of Welford, was the first that ever preached the Gospel in this place amongst Dissenters. His service consisted of a monthly lecture on a Tuesday afternoon, which was continued by his successor, the Rev.

Samuel King. The number that usually attended on these occasions was between twenty and thirty, composed in part of the revered ancestors of those families that form no small part of the present congregation.

[8] Some alteration has been made in the account here, to bring it to an agreement with the present date, 1852.

In the year 1758, a place was fitted up out of an old barn, in a central part of the village, for the better accommodation of those who attended. Then it appears, at least towards the close of Mr.

King's service, in addition to the monthly lecture, the students from the Independent Academy, then at Daventry, supplied occasionally on the Sabbath-day--procured, perhaps, through the instrumentality of Mr. Richard Norton; and partly from this circ.u.mstance, together with occasional help when it could be had, and the greater convenience of the place for worship, the congregation gradually increased, notwithstanding the fact that a Dissenting place of worship was considered by many a degradation, and the name of Dissenter or Presbyterian, which were confounded with each other, had considerable odium attached to it. It is to be observed, however, that the means of grace about this time were very irregularly enjoyed, for, besides its being but seldom on the Sabbath, the monthly lecture was continued only nine months in the year, beginning about the first Tuesday in October, and continuing till Midsummer. [The lecture being preached on the afternoon of a week-day, we suppose they found it necessary to omit the service during the busy seasons of agriculture, the hay time and the harvest.]

From tradition, which is indeed the chief source whence this imperfect account has been drawn, it would seem that the first person who a.s.sumed anything like the character of a settled minister was a Mr. Bryson, the author of a book explanatory of the 8th chapter of the Epistle to the Romans. He was one of those ministers the late Countess of Huntingdon in her liberality provided, as a means in the hands of Christ to extend his Church. He stayed here about two years. As her Ladyship had been solicited to permit Mr.

Bryson to continue, he being much approved of after he had been heard a little while, it is likely that she would consider herself as bound to attend to the necessities of this place, for three more gentlemen who were under her directions followed in succession. The next who succeeded was a Mr. Green, whose services were enjoyed but one year. After him followed a Mr. Porter, who, leaving at the expiration of a year, was succeeded by a Mr. Pritchard, who it seems did not stay quite one year. These ministers being, as to their personal expenses, permitted to draw upon their patroness, the people had only to provide them board and lodging; they boarded amongst the friends, as circ.u.mstances determined. The labours of these men were followed up by those of a Mr. Coulson, who divided his attention between Rugby and this place. He resided some time at Hillmorton, but afterwards came and lived here, and this place then enjoyed the whole of his services. He commenced his labours in the year 1783, and continued until the year 1788, occupying during his residence here a house adjoining the premises used as a place of worship.

About three months after the removal of Mr. Coulson, in which there was no public worship (an inconvenience which the cause here had experienced more than once), Mr. Garner, who properly speaking was settled at Kilsby, preached here one part of the day for about three months, his services commencing at Michaelmas and ending at Christmas the same year. Mr. Jones was the next person who endeavoured to advance the Redeemer's cause in this place. He lived at West Haddon, whose services at both places were all which at the time they enjoyed. He continued in this sphere about two years--first preached here in the beginning of the year 1789, and left in November of the year 1790.

Although we have reason to hope that during all these years the labours of the several persons above named were not entirely useless, but that some persons were suitably impressed with divine things, and lived and died under the influence of them, contributing in some humble proportion to preserve the worship of the true G.o.d, yet it is certain that a Church was never formed, and that the ordinance of the Lord's Supper was never administered, until a period to which we are now approaching. Those who felt themselves to be members of the invisible Church of Christ, and were desirous of commemorating his dying love, sought the privilege in the neighbouring Churches, as their particular views led them.

It was in the beginning of March, in the year 1791, that Mr. Knight was, by the good providence of G.o.d, called to this place; and it was now that the cause of Christ, after experiencing many vicissitudes and serious interruptions in its progress, was destined to enjoy a greater permanency and regularity in the means of grace than it had ever done from its first existence.

Mr. Knight was a student from the academy at Mile End. He left the academy to come and reside amongst this people when the cause of Christ did not present a very encouraging appearance; and he was removed from hence to his eternal rest, this being the only place that enjoyed the stated labours of that highly esteemed servant of G.o.d. He served his great Master in this place from March, 1791, to September, 1822, a period of more than thirty years. During his ministry the cause of religion was considerably improved. The present Chapel, a very compact one, capable of accommodating two hundred and sixty persons [it has since been enlarged] was erected in the year 1792, in a very suitable part of the village, and near the site of the former place. Whilst it was erecting, the service of G.o.d was performed in a s.p.a.cious barn. Mr. Knight had been here some time when his ordination took place. The following ministers took the princ.i.p.al parts in the services of that day: Mr. Grundy delivered the charge, from t.i.tus ii. 15, last clause; Mr. Gill preached to the people, from 2 Thessalonians iii. 16. Mr. Horsey preached in the evening, from Acts xiii. 40. The service was highly interesting, bringing together great numbers, being rather novel at that time to many in this neighbourhood. After the ordination a Church was formed, which at the beginning was small; but in the course of Mr. Knight's ministry several were added as the fruit of his labours. As must be expected, however, in a place circ.u.mstanced as this is, the Church never reached to any very great number. It has so happened, indeed, that soon after any who promised to be a great acquisition to the Church, and to form its brightest ornament, were joined to it, they were removed by providence to some other place; and when the Church has been deprived of two or three of its members venerable for their experience, by the stroke of death, the Church's loss being their eternal gain, the void thus made has not been speedily made up; so that the Church has a.s.sumed those appearances which have served alternately to raise and depress the spirits of those who tremble for the Ark of G.o.d. Some, indeed, of those who have been reluctantly transferred to other Churches, remain, not only as monuments of divine mercy and preserving grace, but as proofs of usefulness attending the ministry of the Gospel here; and many have fallen asleep in Christ, a part preceding and the others following him who had been the honoured instrument of their conversion.

Here the account closes, as written by one hand. It appears to have been penned shortly after the death of Mr. Knight.

We have some rather slight recollections of Mr. Knight. The year preceding his own death he was present at the funeral of the Rev. T. N.

Toller, of Kettering, when he offered a solemn suitable prayer before the delivery of the funeral sermon by Mr. Hall. At the half-yearly meeting of the a.s.sociation, held the next April, at Rowell, he delivered a sermon in reference to the character and death of Mr. Toller, from Acts xiii. 36: "After he had served his own generation according to the will of G.o.d, he fell on sleep." The next year Mr. Knight died, in an equally sudden manner. In person he was robust, with a florid countenance; his manner in the pulpit was earnest and impressive, but laborious, strained, and sometimes painful to the occasional hearer; his voice was powerful, but rather harsh. A ministry faithful and persevering left its testimony in the hearts of his people. He was highly esteemed by his brethren, and by a considerable circle of Christian friends.

For about six months from this time the pulpit was kindly supplied by the neighbouring ministers; after which, Mr. Nettleship, from Rotherham Academy, was invited on probation for a month, which invitation was renewed with a view to a final settlement; but he declined acceding to it. After an interval of two months, during which several students from Mr. Scott's seminary at Rowell preached, Mr. Gibson, from Rotherham, paid a probationary visit, and on further invitation resided here three years, at the expiration of which he was induced by various circ.u.mstances to direct his attention to some other part of the vineyard of the Lord. This left the congregation again dest.i.tute of a minister, and opened the way for the introduction of Mr. Barber, who had been educated for the ministry at Wymondley, and came here the 30th of July, 1826. His ordination took place October 9th, 1827, on which occasion the following ministers were engaged:--Mr. Gawthorne, of Derby, stated the nature of a Christian Church; Mr. Scott, of Rowell, gave the charge; Mr. Pinkerton, of Weedon, preached to the people; Mr. Hobson, of Welford, offered the ordination prayer. Mr. Gravestock, of Old, addressed the congregation in the evening.

Mr. Barber remained the highly respected pastor of this Christian Church until October, 1831, when, agreeably to his own wish, he removed to go into America. He and his wife set sail on the 20th of October.

The congregation was supplied two Sabbaths by students from Rowell; and on the 23rd of the same month in which Mr. Barber left, Mr. Islip, late pastor of the Independent Church at Ketton, Rutlandshire, entered on his stated labours here.

It was during the ministry of Mr. Barber that the dwelling-house for the minister was rebuilt, and fitted up in the state in which it now appears. In the spring of the next year after Mr. Islip commenced his ministry, the Chapel was enlarged ten feet in length, and completed by the 8th of July. The cost of enlargement was 110, which, with a debt remaining on the house, was in the spring of 1837 entirely defrayed by the united efforts of the friends.

Mr. Islip's ministry was attended with a good degree of comfort and success, but was of rather short continuance here, for, owing to the unfavourable state of his health, he was obliged to resign his charge after about six years' labour in this situation. He was succeeded by Mr. G. Nettleship, who, after labouring thirteen years and a half in another situation in c.u.mberland, accepted now the united invitation of this Church and congregation to become their pastor. Mr. Nettleship commenced his stated labours here on the 18th of June, 1837, and removed from Yelvertoft in the year 1846, when he was shortly after succeeded by the Rev. Thomas James, the present pastor of the Church.

The number of Church members recorded when Mr. Barber commenced his ministry in 1826 was twenty-one; and five in addition appear to have been admitted by him. About the same number we find when Mr. Islip took the pastoral charge of this people in 1831. On the first Sabbath in April, 1837, the minister writes--"This closes the services and the pastorate of Thomas Islip: twenty-eight admitted." When Mr. Nettleship commenced his labours, there appears to have been forty-five members in the Church; and there were thirty added during his ministry. Since Mr.

James accepted the pastoral office, thirty-two additions have been made to the Church; and during his ministry new school-rooms have been erected for the children of the Sabbath-school, at a cost of 116. The present number of communicants is above 80. There are 130 or 135 children attending the Sabbath-schools.

There is a Chapel in the village of Swinford, about four miles from Yelvertoft, connected with this cause, in which a regular Sabbath-evening service is conducted by the pastor of this Church. There have been occasional services here for some years past, and a new Chapel was erected a few years ago.

Thus we have seen that there has been a gradual and pleasing advancement in this cause, giving hope of still further tokens of the divine presence and favour; while the pastor and his flock unitedly plead, "Let thy work still appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children."

CHAPTER XIX.

MEMORIALS OF THE INDEPENDENT CHURCH AT WOLLASTON.

The Independent Church in the village of Wollaston is of rather recent formation. Not more than sixty-four years have pa.s.sed since the professing Christians residing in this place who dissented from the Established Church were formed into a regular independent Christian society; but in looking back to the early days of Nonconformity, we find a Mr. Edmund Matthews, a man of good learning, sound judgment, and serious piety, who had been the vicar of Wollaston, resigning the living, refusing to submit to the terms imposed by the Act of Uniformity, coming out from the Church, and taking his place among the n.o.ble band of Nonconformist worthies. It was a considerable sacrifice that he had to make, for truth and a good conscience. "Cut off from his former means of support, he lived privately at Wellingborough, and practised as a medical man, but was often reduced to great straits. When things were at the lowest, he would commit his wife and seven children to the care of Providence; and G.o.d mercifully appeared for them. He was laid on the bed of affliction, and saw his end approaching, with the prospect of leaving his family unprovided for. There came a messenger from two of his relations, one a draper and the other a minister, bidding him be easy about his wife and children, for the one would clothe them all, and the other provide them with food;" and to show how well they were disposed of, it is stated "that his wife afterwards practised medicine, and sent two of her sons to the University, while the eldest daughter married a knight." Mr. Matthews was a man full of compa.s.sion and genuine charity; exemplary for faith, meekness, patience, resignation to the will of G.o.d, and reliance on the promises. He had great comfort in death.

It does not appear that Mr. Matthews made any attempt to raise a congregation or to carry on his ministry after his ejectment; but as there were Nonconformist ministers who in this early period took opportunities to preach the Gospel at Wellingborough, which is within four miles of Wollaston, those who separated from the Established Church in the latter place would travel to the former to attend those services, and would become connected with the Independent Churches that were early formed there, while they endeavoured to obtain occasional services in the village where they resided.

It was soon after the middle of the last century that the present Chapel was built, viz., in 1752; but it was not until the year 1788 that the Church was formed and the first pastor settled. In that year Mr. Perry, of Lavendon Mill, near Olney, was invited to take the pastoral charge over them. He was the intimate friend and had been the fellow-labourer of Mr. Raban, who was pastor of the Church at Yardley Hastings. They had been connected with the Established Church at Olney; both of them had engaged in delivering exhortations at meetings for social prayer and for the mutual improvement of their fellow Christians who belonged to the Church. These engagements were the means of introducing them to further service, so that they both became pastors of Independent Churches in these villages, which were but a short distance from their former abode.

In the records of the Church at West End, Wellingborough, it is stated that "at a Church-meeting held October 5th, 1778, Mr. Perry, of Lavendon Mill, who had for some time before exercised his gifts among Dissenters, though at that time in connexion with the Church of England as by law established, having testified his desire to join this Church with a view to his being sent out to the ministry in an orderly way, he came, and gave an account of his call to speak the word, the reasons that induced him to approve of the order of Congregational Churches, and his reasons for desiring to join with this Church. He was proposed to the Church to join next Church-meeting." In a month from this time another meeting was held, when "Mr. Perry gave in his experience to great satisfaction, and then, according to former appointment, preached amongst us to good satisfaction also; and the Church being consulted, they thought it was plainly their duty to send brother Perry out to preach the Gospel wherever the Lord should be pleased to call him, and concluded the next Church-meeting should be held for that end and purpose." Then it was unanimously agreed that brother Perry should preach wherever Providence should call him.

It appears that Mr. Perry put himself into the hands of this Church that they might judge of his qualifications for the ministry, with a determination to submit to the judgment they formed. In the year 1778 it is recorded, "we dismissed brother Perry to the newly formed Church at Wollaston, and on May 28th he was ordained their pastor."