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

consisted <strong>of</strong> Daniel Best, Serjeant Crane, John Jeffreys, Mat<strong>the</strong>w Jeffreys,
Nicholas Pearsall, Nicholas Penn, and John Richardson. In <strong>the</strong> matter <strong>of</strong>
choosing a minister and drawing up <strong>the</strong> articles <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> trust deed, <strong>the</strong>
committee was instructed to particz~larZy consult <strong>the</strong> Revs. Job Orton, Sj+ilsbz/ry,
Thornson, Urioick, Robins, Tayler, and Belsham. Just A500 were raised before
<strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> year 1781 towards <strong>the</strong> cost <strong>of</strong> building a place <strong>of</strong> worship.
Nicholas Pearsall gave <strong>the</strong> site and L50 in cash; Serjeant Crane, Serjeant
Hornblower, and Nicholas Penn gave A50 each ; acd Joseph Broome and
Richard Watson A40 each.
According to <strong>the</strong> writer (Nicholas Pearsall?) <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> valuable M.S. Churclz
Book, belongizizg to <strong>the</strong> New Chappel, Kidder~ninster, from which <strong>the</strong> author
quotes freely, <strong>the</strong> Neze~ Meetin,. was opened zeiiilt peat decency and becoming
solentnity on Rriday, 18 October, 1782, by <strong>the</strong> folloze~ing ge?ztZeme?z :-Rev. MY.
Carpenter, <strong>of</strong> Stourbridge, zedo <strong>of</strong>ered prayer and read <strong>the</strong> Scr@tures ; Rev. iMr.
Wood, <strong>of</strong> UudZey, who ntade <strong>the</strong> general prayer; <strong>the</strong> Rev. Mr. Belshaf7z, <strong>of</strong>
Daventry; who ?nude <strong>the</strong> particz~lar or dedication prajler ; <strong>the</strong> Rev. Mr. Tajder,
<strong>of</strong> Carter Lane, Londot?, who preached <strong>the</strong> sernzon ; and <strong>the</strong> Rev. Mr. Gum~ner,
<strong>of</strong> Worcester, who concluded with a short prayer and <strong>the</strong> Blessing; and <strong>the</strong> Rev.
MY. Osborn, our te?;lzporary preacher, perforj?zed <strong>the</strong> o@ce <strong>of</strong> clerk, in reading <strong>the</strong>
jsal7ns and hymns on fie said occasion. Hi<strong>the</strong>rto has fie Lord hc&ed us, and
blessed be <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Lord.
Invitations were given by <strong>the</strong> newly-formed society, first to Thomas
Tayler, <strong>of</strong> Carter Lane, London, and next to Samuel Fawcett, <strong>of</strong> Bed-
minster, to become its minister, but both <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se gentlemen were, with
much regret, obliged to decline <strong>the</strong> numerously-signed invitations.
In <strong>the</strong> summer <strong>of</strong> 1783 Robert Gentleman, principal <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Presbyterian
College, Caermar<strong>the</strong>n, preached to <strong>the</strong> society for a few Sundays, and in
September an invitation, signed by Nicholas Pearsall, Serjeant Crane,
Nicholas Penn, Richard Watson, and 48 o<strong>the</strong>rs, was sent to Gentleman,
asking him to become its first regular minister. He accepted in January,
1784, and settled at Kidderminster, preaching his first sermon, as minister
in charge, on 25 July following."
*The trust deed, executed on 6 August, 1784, has a clause to <strong>the</strong> effect that <strong>the</strong>
minister L'shall be elected and chosen by <strong>the</strong> Men Communicants who shall have been
Communicants for twelve calendar months next preceding such vacancy, and <strong>the</strong> sub-
scribers to <strong>the</strong> support <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Congregation, who shall have been subscribers <strong>of</strong> 6s. at
least for <strong>the</strong> last twelve months next preceding such vacancy, and shall have paid <strong>the</strong>
same subscription."
At this time, says <strong>the</strong> writer <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> above-mentioned " Church Book,"
No bitterfzess or ani?nositys remain between <strong>the</strong> 2 socieQs, <strong>the</strong> princz2aZ members <strong>of</strong>
each unite toge<strong>the</strong>r in <strong>the</strong>ir friend4 meetings, and carry on <strong>the</strong>ir charitable deskns
with <strong>the</strong> same har?notzy as befare <strong>the</strong> separation took PZrrct'. The yninisters are
on <strong>the</strong> ?nest friend& terms with each o<strong>the</strong>r, both <strong>the</strong> places are welZjfZZed, especial&
on <strong>the</strong> Lord's Day, afternoo7z and evenii7zg. Nor is this <strong>the</strong> only yecord <strong>of</strong>
fraternal relationships, for Mrs. Sherwood tells us that her fa<strong>the</strong>r, George
Butt, D.D., vicar <strong>of</strong> Kidderminster, used to dispense with sermon at <strong>the</strong>
parish church on " Charity Sermon Sundays," and go in his robes to hold
a plate at <strong>the</strong> doors <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> two meeting-houses. He was very friendly with
GentLeman, and wrote <strong>the</strong> Latin lines and English Version on Richard
Baxter, which now hang by his pulpit in <strong>the</strong> vestry, and which were pro-
nounced to be good' Latinity by <strong>the</strong> late Dean Stanley, who, on <strong>the</strong> occasion
<strong>of</strong> his unveiling <strong>of</strong> Baxter's statue in <strong>the</strong> Bull Ring, visited <strong>the</strong> vestry to
inspect <strong>the</strong> pulpit, and delivered a short address from it.
LINES ON BAXTER, by George Butt, D.D., vicar <strong>of</strong> Kidderminster. j
From <strong>the</strong> original framed Copy hanging in New Meeting Vestry. I
Here let <strong>the</strong> nume <strong>of</strong> Baxter long be Known;
Here let his glory live, whom none excelL7d
In all <strong>the</strong> duties <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pastor's Care,
Whe<strong>the</strong>r his mental faczdties you we&h
Or, <strong>the</strong> yet nobbr virtaes <strong>of</strong> his heart.
Vain pomp, and w/orldZy riches he desjis'd;
That fame which strenuous virtue gives <strong>the</strong> few,
He saw, he sought, he seized, <strong>the</strong>n raised his head,
Tow'ring szQerior, like some cloud-capt clzf
Which scorns <strong>the</strong> Jfry <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> stormy witzds,
. Whence rr~s7ze's fol-th <strong>the</strong> fertiliiing stt-ea~~t
To which <strong>the</strong> pknteous harvest owes its birth
(An harvest long re~?zembered thmz~gh <strong>the</strong>se plains).
Thus Baxter stood, anzid st~rrouading foes.
By his exanzple fir'd-go, banish sloth ;
Pour forth <strong>the</strong> strea~~zs <strong>of</strong> sacred eloquence,
hzstrz~ct, <strong>the</strong>n add exav@le7s cltarer l&ht,
And gain a harvest <strong>of</strong> inznzortal souls.
Go, banish sloth, and strive to equal hiftz.