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

To <strong>the</strong>se notes by Mr. New it is only necessary to add, concerning
<strong>the</strong> meeting-house, that in 1875 it underwent extensive alterations, which
included <strong>the</strong> taking down <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> east wall, <strong>the</strong> building <strong>of</strong> an apse for <strong>the</strong>
reception <strong>of</strong> a new organ, <strong>the</strong> removal <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> gallery (erected 1820), <strong>the</strong>
cutting down <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> high seats, and <strong>the</strong> addition <strong>of</strong> three rows <strong>of</strong> free
.seats in front <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> organ chamber. The ground required for <strong>the</strong> exten-
sion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> building, and also a plot <strong>of</strong> adjoining land for burial purposes
were <strong>the</strong> gift <strong>of</strong> Mr. New to <strong>the</strong> society. The reopening services were
held on Sunday, 11 April, 1875, when <strong>the</strong> occasion was taken to com-
memorate <strong>the</strong> hundredth anniversary <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> death <strong>of</strong> Paul Cardale, whose
life and labours formed <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>me <strong>of</strong> John Gordon's sermon that morning.
Was it in this restoration that <strong>the</strong> figure <strong>of</strong> a dove, bearing an olive
branch--a device once not uncommon in <strong>the</strong> situation-disappeared from
its position over <strong>the</strong> pulpit?
An engraving, originally executed for May's <strong>History</strong> <strong>of</strong> Evesham, <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> Meeting-house, uTas given in <strong>the</strong> Christiajz Reformer, September, 1852 ;
'which, in <strong>the</strong> following month, contained ' A brief history <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Presbyterian
congregation at Evesham,' written by <strong>the</strong> editor, Robert Brook Aspland,
M.A., with <strong>the</strong> assistance <strong>of</strong> Timothy Davis.
Francis Blackmore, son <strong>of</strong> Chewning Blackmore, minister at Worcester,
1688-1737, received his academical education first at Findern, under Dr.
Latham, and afterwards at <strong>the</strong> University <strong>of</strong> Glasgow; his connection with
<strong>the</strong> society at Evesham was happy, though brief, and it terminated in 1730
by his removal to Coventry as successor to John Partington, at <strong>the</strong> Great
Meeting. The choice by <strong>the</strong> Evesham society <strong>of</strong> Mr. Blackmore is a pro<strong>of</strong>
<strong>of</strong> its decided leaning, at this early period, to liberal sentiments. From
<strong>the</strong> first, Dr. Latham's pupils were distinguished by a spirit <strong>of</strong> fearless
inquiry and by <strong>the</strong>ir indifference to <strong>the</strong> reputation <strong>of</strong> " orthodoxy."
Paul Cardale was also educated at Findern Academy, where he formed
friendships, which terminated only with life, with <strong>the</strong> two sons <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Rev.
Chewning Blackmore and o<strong>the</strong>rs, and here he laid a solid foundation <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong>ological learning, and acquired those habits <strong>of</strong> free enquiry and unre-
served publication <strong>of</strong> opinion which distinguished him in after life. Very
early in life he was assistant minister amongst <strong>the</strong> Presbyterians in Kidder-
minster. His manuscripts show that he preached <strong>the</strong>re as early as 29
R4ay, 1726. At that time his views, in accordance with his education,
were Calvinistic.
He was invited by <strong>the</strong> Evesham society in 1733, and probably became
at once its minister. It must have increased in both zeal and numbers,
for within five years <strong>of</strong> his settlement, as noted by Mr. New, measures
were taken for obtaining a site for a new meeting-house (licensed I I Octo-
ber, 1737. Cardale's first series <strong>of</strong> sermons, after <strong>the</strong> opening, was circulated
in manuscript, and ultimately published. It is clear that he had now got
rid <strong>of</strong> his Calvinism. He married a member <strong>of</strong> his congregation, Sarah,
<strong>the</strong> sister <strong>of</strong> Thomas Suffield, an original trustee <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> meeting-house.
Portraits <strong>of</strong> Cardale and his wife were long preserved at Dudley by <strong>the</strong>
Hughes family, and are now <strong>the</strong> property <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Evesham society. Judging
by <strong>the</strong> portrait, Cardale had a good presence, his physiognomy expresses
great tenacity <strong>of</strong> purpose.
On <strong>the</strong> evening <strong>of</strong> 28 February, 1775, he put <strong>the</strong> last stroke to his
' hzpuiry whe<strong>the</strong>r we have any Scr@ture Warrant for n direct nddress <strong>of</strong> Sz~pdica-
tion, Praisz, or Thanksgivill,q ei<strong>the</strong>r to <strong>the</strong> Son, or to <strong>the</strong> Uoo Ghost'; went
to bed, and died in his sleep before <strong>the</strong> dawn 011 Wednesday, I March,
1775. He was buried in <strong>the</strong> north aisle <strong>of</strong> All Saints', Evesham, where
is a remarkable epitaph, written by his friend, John Ralvlins, M.A., an
orthodox divine <strong>of</strong> catholic sympathies, as his writings prove, who, among
o<strong>the</strong>r preferments, held <strong>the</strong> perpetual curacy <strong>of</strong> Badsey, two miles from
Evesham. The epitaph describes him ' as a Christian, pious and sincere ;
as a minister <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> gospel, learned and indefatigable'; and adds that <strong>the</strong>
virtue <strong>of</strong> charity ' gave a lustre <strong>of</strong> grace and goodness to all his actions.'
Anthony New (d. 2 February, 1838, aet. 84) wool-stapler, who, at <strong>the</strong> time
<strong>of</strong> his death, was one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> oldeft members <strong>of</strong> this society, attended <strong>the</strong>
ministry <strong>of</strong> Cardale, with his parents, and well remembered him.
David Jones, a Cardigan man, and a fellow student <strong>of</strong> David Davis,
<strong>of</strong> Castellhywel, at <strong>the</strong> Presbyterian College, Caermar<strong>the</strong>n, was Cardale's
immediate successor. He came to Evesham in 1776 from Bere Regis,
Dorset, and in 1783 settled at Prescot, as minister <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> A<strong>the</strong>rton Street
society, where he remained until his death. He was <strong>the</strong> preacher at
Llwynrhydowen, in 1779, <strong>of</strong> a funeral sermon for David Lloyd, who had
been minister <strong>the</strong>re from 1742.