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

angle <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> field situated in <strong>the</strong> middle <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> village <strong>of</strong> Ne<strong>the</strong>rend. The
sum paid for <strong>the</strong> land was 630. In <strong>the</strong> course <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ensuing summer
<strong>the</strong> bricks were made upon <strong>the</strong> spot, and Mr. Brecknal dying soon after-
wards, <strong>the</strong> society availed itself <strong>of</strong> an opportunity, which <strong>the</strong>n occurred,
<strong>of</strong> buying <strong>the</strong> remaining part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> field, for which an additional sum <strong>of</strong>
;G100 was paid. This land was conveyed to and vested in <strong>the</strong> hands <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> trustees <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pensnet Meeting-house. On 24 April, 1795, Scott
preached to his people from Nehemiah ii., 18 :-(' Let us rise up and build."
In <strong>the</strong> course <strong>of</strong> this sermon he observed that <strong>the</strong> place in which <strong>the</strong>y
were assembled, though not <strong>of</strong> great antiquity, was very slightly con-
structed. The pews in <strong>the</strong>ir decayed state could not be repaired without
much expense. The society was frequently incommoded, and sometimes
its worship disturbed by floods in <strong>the</strong> winter season, and convenient accom-
modation could not be obtained by all who wished to procure it. On <strong>the</strong>
following Tuesday, 26 April, <strong>the</strong> first stone <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> present building was
laid in <strong>the</strong> presence <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> trustees and all <strong>the</strong> children <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> charity
schools. The minister said, " May God prosper this humble attempt to
promote His glory," after which all present responded, " Amen."
The building operations were personally and carefully superintended
by Mr. Pargeter, <strong>of</strong> Foxcote. The closing service in Pensnet Meetinghouse
was held on Sunday afternoon, 8 May, 1796 ; and on <strong>the</strong> following
Sunday " <strong>the</strong> congregation <strong>of</strong> dissenters, denominated Presbyterians, lately
assembling at <strong>the</strong> chapel on Pensnet Chace, adjoining <strong>the</strong> hamlet <strong>of</strong> Cradley,
opened <strong>the</strong>ir newly-erected place <strong>of</strong> worship, a structure in which elegant
simplicity and convenience are judiciously united."+ Scott conducted <strong>the</strong>
services, numerous congregations assembled, <strong>the</strong> Lord's Supper was administered
in <strong>the</strong> morning, and <strong>the</strong> after?zao;rz service 7~as introduced by szk baptisms;
and notice given that <strong>the</strong> chapel was d~dy registered. The Grrner Meetinghouse
at Pensnet was sold for A160 to a society <strong>of</strong> Mr. JVesley's Methodists,
and <strong>the</strong> money appropriated by <strong>the</strong> trustees to <strong>the</strong> building <strong>of</strong> Park Lane
Chapel. The first subscription list in 1795 realised A312 OS. 6d. towards
<strong>the</strong> building fund ; <strong>the</strong> second and final one in 1806 raised 6247 15s. 6d.,
which, with &loo legacy <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> date Mr. Zl Parget6r, Sen., <strong>of</strong> Foxcote, Aroo
saved fronz <strong>the</strong> income <strong>of</strong> Stalling's Estate, A160 jc~rchase money <strong>of</strong> Pensfzet,
and some few o<strong>the</strong>r items made a total <strong>of</strong> A1,020 3s. 6d., which Ziql~i~hzted
<strong>the</strong> building debt, thanks to <strong>the</strong> actizfe exertio~zs <strong>of</strong> it7~. 1. Pargeter artd tAe liberal
tontribz~tio?zs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> members alzd friends <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> society.
From Scott's account <strong>of</strong> The Schools bel<strong>of</strong>zgiag to <strong>the</strong> Pres(!yteria~z Church,
we learn that a Charity School was founded in 1746 for <strong>the</strong> education <strong>of</strong>
30 poor children. Mr. John Creswell, <strong>of</strong> Stourbridge, was at that time
<strong>the</strong> principal benefactor ; he annually subscribed <strong>the</strong> sum <strong>of</strong> A4 16s. od.
for <strong>the</strong> educution <strong>of</strong> 12 ~hiZdf*c?z in &is charity. This school was for some
time conducted in a private house in Light Green. In 1753 a convenient
building was erected for its accoinmodation in <strong>the</strong> village <strong>of</strong> Ne<strong>the</strong>rend,
pr~ainly th~oz~g/~t <strong>the</strong> befzevo/e?zt exertiorzs <strong>of</strong> Mr. Ab. Cmne, <strong>of</strong> filesozelen, a nzember
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Established Chz~~ch, which, in 1791, was registered as a place <strong>of</strong>
religious worship, occasional services being held <strong>the</strong>re on Sunday evenings.
In consequence <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> death <strong>of</strong> various subscribers and o<strong>the</strong>r circumstances
it was judged expedient to suspend this institution in 1788. It was revived
in 1790, when two day schools were opened for <strong>the</strong> education <strong>of</strong> 30 boys
and 20 girls. A Sunday school had been established in 1788, in which 30
boys received instruction ; in 1790 a Sunday school was opened for 20 ,
girls. An annual sermon was preached on behalf <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se schools ; at .
that 011 8 May, 1803, John Kentish preached, when an unusual colzcourse <strong>of</strong>
jeoyle' .re~e?*e jrese?zi. The Rev. Jli: Sutton, z~icar <strong>of</strong> filesowen, atten.ded, after an
ear& serz~ice at his chtlrch, arzd exjressed hi71iself nlz/ch pleased.
In 1807 Benjamin Carpenter succeeded Herbert Jeiikins as minister <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> Presbyterian congregation at Stourbridge, and at <strong>the</strong> same time became
CO-pastor with Scott at Cradley ; an arrangement which continued with
mutual satisfaction to ministers and people until Carpenter's death on 23
November, 1816. He <strong>of</strong>ficiated alternately with Scott at Cradley and
Stourbridge.
An entry by Thomas Warren in <strong>the</strong> Alcester Register (see p. 16) states
that he was aboz~t 1817 assista?zt ~niniszister <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Presbyterian Chapel at Cradley,
azd <strong>of</strong> zelhich I am a trz~stee. This corresponds with his ministry from 1817
to 1821 at Stourbridge Presbyterian Chapel, where he succeeded Carpenter
as CO-pastor with Scott, who was one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ministers <strong>the</strong>re from 1807
until his death.
Scott's long and happy connection cf 38 years with <strong>the</strong> Cradley society
was only severed by his death on 19 December, 1827. As will be seen,
when we come to <strong>the</strong> story <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Lye society, one <strong>of</strong> Scott's chief labours