Midland Churches: A History of the Congregations on - General ...

William Allard says-
Here, in 1715, some devastation was committed by <strong>the</strong> mob, in <strong>the</strong> room
<strong>the</strong>n used.
Two years afterwards, during Peach's ministry, <strong>the</strong> first meeting-house
was built ; not in a secluded spot, but in an open place, still known as
'Old Meeting Road.' It was more strongly built than many o<strong>the</strong>rs <strong>of</strong>
that period, and was adorned with-
moulded and even carved woodwork.
The year, 1717, was impressed on two bricks, which are still preserved
in <strong>the</strong> wall, at <strong>the</strong> entrance to <strong>the</strong> heating chamber <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> present building,
whilst <strong>the</strong> year was also scratched on a pane in <strong>the</strong> western gallery
window <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> old building, toge<strong>the</strong>r with <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> a man living at
Bilston, with eighteenth century date.
George Doughty ministered here for twelve years (1720-1732), he being
elected in place <strong>of</strong> Mr. Ne7zshuZ, a y021ng 1ni7zister <strong>of</strong> Deaa Row, Cheshire, who
was inyited to succeed Mr. Peach, but denfh jprezjel~ted his settlenteut here.++ There
was never a Henshal, 71iinister <strong>of</strong> Dean Row, though <strong>the</strong>re are still families
<strong>of</strong> that name <strong>the</strong>re. Probably he was a licentiate. When Doughty removed
to Burton-on-Trent a union was made between <strong>the</strong> Coseley society
and that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Nei~ Meeting,' in RfIoor Street, Birmingham.
Samuel Bourn's requisition had been signed by 111 members from
Coseiey, and by 87 from <strong>the</strong> Birmingham society. By his exertions, during
his very active ministry at Coseley,-
an estate was purchased for <strong>the</strong> benefit <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> minister and charity school,
which was <strong>the</strong>n founded.
From Dr. Toulmin's Mertioirs <strong>of</strong> Rev. Sa7t~uel Bo~riz we see <strong>the</strong> extent
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> opposition he encountered from members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Established Church
in <strong>the</strong> parish. He sustained two trials at <strong>the</strong> Stafford Quarter Sessions
originating from <strong>the</strong>ir hostility ; in both, however, he was successful. Soon
afterwards, in December, 1728, he received an order from John Ward and
R. Sedgwick, justices <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> peace at Wolverhampton, who tried to remove
him to his last legal settlement, under <strong>the</strong> pretext that he was likely to
become chargeable to <strong>the</strong> parish ; and alleging that he had icti-uded into
<strong>the</strong> parish <strong>of</strong> Sedgley without complying with <strong>the</strong> laws in such cases-<strong>the</strong>
"Scott MSS.
place <strong>of</strong> his last settlement being Adlington, in <strong>the</strong> parish <strong>of</strong> Standish,
in <strong>the</strong> county Palatine <strong>of</strong> Lancaster-and requiring him to depart, with
his wife and family, before <strong>the</strong> 4th <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> followiilg month, or o<strong>the</strong>rwise
bring a certificate, showing that he was a parishioner. These proceedings
called forth a dignified and indignant protest from him, and in a letter,
dated 27 December, 1728, he says :-
I caliile i~zto tAe parish apo7z <strong>the</strong> z/nani?jzozrs ifzvitntion <strong>of</strong> a nu~?zerous
co~zg~egntion <strong>of</strong> Proteskant dissenters, which i/zz~jit~i207~ - zuas slgaed by
abozle a hu?zdred persons, many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m szrbstatitial yeouzen, farnzers,
and trades~nen, and i~zost <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>~~z inhnbil'ants <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> parish, mzd as this
is agreeable to tAe niost pri~)zitlire =lay <strong>of</strong> nlinisters a7zd bishops <strong>of</strong>
settling with a pecjle, so I take it to be as honoz./rable a way as any
t/y athich any clergynian in <strong>the</strong> courzty came into hZj present settlemelzt.
Bourn forwarded a certificate which satisfied <strong>the</strong> magistrates as to his
legal right to dwell in <strong>the</strong> parish. Many friends in Birmingham sympathised
with him in <strong>the</strong> persecutions to which he had been subjected, and raised a
subscription to defray <strong>the</strong> expenses which he had incurred in <strong>the</strong> various
trials. \
He continued to labour actively for <strong>the</strong> religious welfare <strong>of</strong> his congre-
gations until Sunday, 17 March, 1754, when he was suddenly stricken with
paralysis whilst in <strong>the</strong> pulpit at Coseley, and died on <strong>the</strong> following Friday.
William Edwards, who became minister here in 1761, at <strong>the</strong> termina-.
tion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> connection between <strong>the</strong> Coseley and New Meeting societies,
appears as one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> petitioning ministers <strong>of</strong> 1772-3. Apparently <strong>the</strong>re
was no relationship between him and John Edwards, Dr. Priestley's
immediate successor at <strong>the</strong> New Meeting.
Richard Amner left Coseley, about <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> 1794, and devoted him-
self to study in Hincliley ; he became a contributor to <strong>the</strong> Gentlenratv's
Magazine.
In its early years <strong>the</strong> r'Month& Mdztifrg (founded in 1782, its first regular
assembling being at Coseley, on 4 June, <strong>of</strong> that year) exercised
Presbyterial functions, and on 11 October, 1796, Samuel Parker was, at
Coseley, ordained as a Christia;~ nzi7zister. H'. Proctor i~ztrodz~ced f& serzrice with
Prayer, a7zd reading <strong>the</strong> .Ycr@Lzrres; Rev. Samuel Grzfiths ashed some p.r/estions,
and prayed a genernl and O~ctin,ifl'~~z Prayer; Rev. Radclzfe Scholejeld deliztel-ed