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

Date <strong>of</strong> Congregation, 24 Feb., 1782.
Opened 18 Oct., 1782.
Enlarged, restored and re-opened, 13 Dec., 1883.
MINISTERS,
George Osborn
Robert Gentleman
William Severn
John Lane
Joseph Smith
Richard Fry
John Taylor
Mat<strong>the</strong>w Gibson
Edward Parry . . .
Abraham kunn ...
William Henry Fish, B.A. .
William Edward Mellone
William Carey Walters
James Hall ... ...
Evan David Priestley Evans
... . . . 1782-1784
1784-1795
I 797- I 806
I 806-
I 870- I 874
,1875
I 876- 1879
I 880- I 887
I 888- 1 &go
I 890-
In <strong>the</strong> year 1781 forty-six members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> " Old Meeting" refused, on
doctrinal grounds, to sign <strong>the</strong> invitation to John Barrett to become successor
to Benjamin Fawcett, M.A., as minister <strong>of</strong> tliat society, and decided to
withdraw and to form ano<strong>the</strong>r congregation. They asked to be allowed
to bid <strong>the</strong>ir services iil tk- meeting-house during <strong>the</strong> intervals <strong>of</strong> public
worship, and were requested, in return, to resign z@ one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>parsonage houses
for whic?z <strong>the</strong>y 7t.tere if2 trust, agreeabb fo <strong>the</strong> i?zte?ztions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> trust reposed in
th~uz by <strong>the</strong> congrzgntion, ad 7e1hose expense <strong>the</strong> said houses had been built. This
<strong>the</strong> seceders refused to do, and were <strong>the</strong>refore denied <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> meetinghouse
by <strong>the</strong> 71zajor part qx <strong>the</strong> tri~~tees.
The separation took place, and on 24 February, 1782;'<strong>the</strong> first worship
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> new society was held in Mr. Lediard's wa~2house on <strong>the</strong> banks <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
canal, being conducted by William Broadbent, <strong>the</strong>n a student zt Daventry
Academy. The first committee was appointed on 26 December, 1781. It