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

i.e., Julius Saunders, who was buried-
in a vault beneath <strong>the</strong> table pew
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Bedworth Meeting-house.
Josiah Corrie came to Kenilworth from Frome in 1755. He was a
student at <strong>the</strong> Presbyterian College, Caermar<strong>the</strong>n, which he left in 1747.
His son John (see p. 50), born at Kenilworth, in 1769, was minister <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
Old Meeting, Birmingham. According to Sibree (p. 219)-
<strong>the</strong> congregation declined in number during Corrie's ministry. In June,
1787, an old barn, situated on Abbey Hill, was opened for Divine worship
by <strong>the</strong> Independents, under <strong>the</strong> direction <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Rev. James Moody, <strong>of</strong>
Warwick, who, in 1792, was able to see <strong>the</strong> formation <strong>of</strong> a little church,
which was supplied by neighbouring ministers, among whom was Mr. Joel
Maurice, minister <strong>of</strong> Stretton-under-Fosse, 1768-1797. He was at <strong>the</strong> Pres.
Coll., Caermar<strong>the</strong>n, 1763-1767, on <strong>the</strong> foundation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Congregational
Fund Board, from 1797 till his death, 27 December, 1807, he was minister
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Old Meeting, West Bromwich. As no pastor had been settled with
this newly-formed society, <strong>the</strong>re was a partial return in 1804 <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> con-
gregation to <strong>the</strong> Old Meeting, <strong>the</strong> services in which, after Corrie's death,
had been conducted by Benjamin Carpenter and o<strong>the</strong>r supplies.
111 1804-
Thomas Burlritt, from Bedford, who was an orthodox preacher* began his
ministry <strong>of</strong> this society. He was ordained as pastor <strong>of</strong> an Independent
Church at Buckingham in 1783, and continued till 1797, when he removed
to Bedford. It appears that he remained at <strong>the</strong> New Meeting in that town
until 1804, when he removed to Kenilworth. He was an excellent man,
much respected by <strong>the</strong> ministers in <strong>the</strong> vicinity, <strong>of</strong> agreeable manners, and
distinguished by his power and fervour in supplication. He <strong>of</strong>fered <strong>the</strong>
ordination prayer when Mr. Percy was set apart to his work at Warwick,
and was in <strong>the</strong> habit <strong>of</strong> exchanging pulpits with Mr. Jerard, <strong>of</strong> Coventry,
and o<strong>the</strong>rs. His preaching appears to have been too evangelical for some
<strong>of</strong> his hearers; for upon delivering, on one occasion, a discourse on <strong>the</strong>
influences <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Holy Spirit, he received a con~munication which illuch grieved
him, and soon embittered his connection with <strong>the</strong>m. Eventually it led to
his resignation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> pastoral <strong>of</strong>fice among <strong>the</strong>m in 1816. In <strong>the</strong> year
following he left Kenilworth, where he had not laboured in vain, esteemed
and regretted by many.
Burkitt may have ceased his connection with <strong>the</strong> society in 1816, but
he took occasional services in <strong>the</strong> meeting-house after that year, for his
last entry in <strong>the</strong> Register <strong>of</strong> Baptisms is dated <strong>the</strong> 22 July, 1821, his first
in <strong>the</strong> book, which was begun in his time, being on 20 March, 1811.
This register is a thin quarto volume, lea<strong>the</strong>r back, and marble paper sides.
On <strong>the</strong> first page is this inscription :-Register <strong>of</strong> Baptisms I solemnized
with Water, I in <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> I The Fa<strong>the</strong>r, and <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Son, and <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
Holy Ghost, I by-Ministers <strong>of</strong> a Congregation I <strong>of</strong> I Dissenting Protestants
I in <strong>the</strong> parish <strong>of</strong> I Kenilworth I in <strong>the</strong> county <strong>of</strong> I Warwick I . There are
entries <strong>of</strong> seven baptisms by Burkitt, six by Fenner, and ten by Wood.
The exact time when John Ludd Fenner began his ministry here is not
known to <strong>the</strong> author ; certain, however, is it that he signs <strong>the</strong> Register
on 19 February, 1819, for <strong>the</strong> first time, and that <strong>the</strong> last <strong>of</strong> his six entries
is dated 25 June, 1820. Fenner, wh-o was born in London, and baptized
by Thomas Gibbons, D.D., minister 1743-1785, <strong>of</strong> Haberdashers' Hall,
Independent Society, was a student at Daventry Academy, under Caleb
Ashworth, D.D. Kenilworth was his last settled ministry ; he died at
Taunton (where he had ministered to <strong>the</strong> Presbyterian society, in Tancred
Street, 1795-1815), in November, 1833, in <strong>the</strong> 83rd year <strong>of</strong> his age.
Samuel Wood, always <strong>of</strong> a delicate constitution, somewhat peremptory,
but ever good-hearted, was <strong>the</strong> second son <strong>of</strong> Mr. Ottiwell Wood, a well-
known Liverpool resident ; before proceeding to <strong>the</strong> University <strong>of</strong> Glasgow,
and eventually to Macchester Coll., York, he had been a pupil <strong>of</strong> William
Johns, minister <strong>of</strong> Cross Street, Cheshire, 1805-1845, who had his school
in Manchester, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>of</strong> William Broadbent, minister at Cairo Street, War-
rington, 1792-1822, and for a short time <strong>of</strong> Dr. Shepherd, minister at Gate-
acre, 1791-1847. Some <strong>of</strong> his happiest days were spent at Kenilworth,
where he manifested that particular predilection for <strong>the</strong> intellectual and
moral improvement <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> poorer classes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> community, which dis-
tinguished him through life. Ill-health compelled him to retire for a period
from <strong>the</strong> active duties <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>ession he loved, and in <strong>the</strong> autumn <strong>of</strong>
1826 he left Kenilworth for Geneva. His first entry in <strong>the</strong> Register is
dated 7 April, 1822, his last, 13 July, 1826. His habit <strong>of</strong> qualifying all he
said with <strong>the</strong> words I believe," or cc I think," and o<strong>the</strong>r interesting re-
miniscences <strong>of</strong> him, were described to <strong>the</strong> author in 1898 by a lady who
knew him intimately during-. his residence at Bridport.