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

But vaziz th' atte??zjt. Let this at least be thine
( Whoe'er thou art, whate'er thy strength can do),
With pure be?zevok?zce to serve ~fzankind
And, thro' a Saviour, gain ivz?tzortad bliss.
Rev. G. BUTT
On <strong>the</strong> back <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> framed Latin version <strong>of</strong> above, which hangs adja-
cent, it is written :-
Rd. Baxter,
Born at Rowton, nr. U&hercaZ, Shroj.,
Nov. 12, 1615.
fizvited to Kidder., 1640 ;
Went to London, 1660 ;
Died, Dec. 8, 1691.
From time to time various additions and alterations have been made
to <strong>the</strong> meeting-house, which assumed its present handsome appearance in
1883, during <strong>the</strong> ministry <strong>of</strong> Mr. Walters, when <strong>the</strong> building was leng<strong>the</strong>ned
25ft., <strong>the</strong> front elevation <strong>of</strong> brown and white stone erected, and <strong>the</strong> chancel
and o<strong>the</strong>r parts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> interior entirely renovated. At <strong>the</strong> same time also
<strong>the</strong> extensive school buildings were enlarged.
The stained glass window <strong>of</strong> rare beauty, over <strong>the</strong> communion table,
represents "Jesus, as Teacher, Friend, and Risen Lord," and was placed
<strong>the</strong>re in 1890 by Miss Stooke, in memory <strong>of</strong> her niece, Annie Stooke, a
devoted worker in <strong>the</strong> congregation, who died on 26 December, 1885.
O<strong>the</strong>r coloured windows have since been added to <strong>the</strong> memory <strong>of</strong> William
Talbot, <strong>of</strong> Whitville, who died 2 July, 1887 ; <strong>of</strong> Mrs. Notcutt (nc2 Ida
Talbot), <strong>of</strong> Ipswich ; and <strong>of</strong> Mrs. William Talbot, by her son, Laurence
Talbot, <strong>of</strong> Stratford-on-Avon. The brass eagle lectern is a memorial to
Mrs. Talbot, <strong>of</strong> Oakland, who was for 60 years a member <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> society.
Tablets, in marble or brass, commemorate Idant Carpenter, LLD. (d. 1840)~
Richard Fry (d. 1842), Charles Talbot (d. 1844), George Talbot (d. 1868),
Henry Talbot (d. 1573), and Caroline, his wife (d. 1889), George Willey
(d. 1875)~ and Nicholas Pearsall (d. 1798).
There are many valuable relics and objects <strong>of</strong> interest in <strong>the</strong> vestry,
<strong>the</strong> chief <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m being <strong>the</strong> unique Baxter pulpit and sounding board. It
originally stood in <strong>the</strong> Kidderminster Parish Church, where Richard Baxter
was vicar from 1640 to 1660. About <strong>the</strong> year 1785, <strong>the</strong> "rubbish " was
being removed from <strong>the</strong> Church, and amongst it was this pulpit ! Nicholas
Pearsall was not <strong>the</strong> man to let slip an opportunity <strong>of</strong> acquiring such a
treasure as this pulpit, so he bought it for iE;5 ! ! and thoughtfully gave it
into <strong>the</strong> keeping <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> trustees <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> New Meeting. They placed it in
<strong>the</strong> vestry, and during <strong>the</strong> alterations <strong>of</strong> 1883 <strong>the</strong> present recess in'which
it stands was built for it. The late Sir James Allanson Picton, F.S.A.,
<strong>of</strong> Liverpool, told <strong>the</strong> author that this pulpit was one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> finest speci-
mens <strong>of</strong> Jacobean carving he had ever seen. The panels are inscribed :-
Mrs. I Alice I Dawks, I Widow, I gave I this I pulpit.
Above <strong>the</strong>se are <strong>the</strong> words :-
Praise <strong>the</strong> Lord.
The fine sounding board is attached to <strong>the</strong> pulpit by a carved panel.
bearing date :-
Anno.
1621.
Attached also to this panel, and right above <strong>the</strong> back <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> preacher's
head, is a wooden cushion, bearing a movable crown elaborately carved
and coloured.
O<strong>the</strong>r interesting objects stored in this spacious vestry are :-
(a) Baxter's Works, folio, 1707, given by Robert Gentleman.
(fi) Lines in Latin and in English on Baxter, composed by George Butt,
D.D., vicar <strong>of</strong> Kidderminster, 1787, and given by Dr. Butt to <strong>the</strong>
trustees. Hand printed, in two black frames.
(c) An engraving <strong>of</strong> Baxter, by J. Spilsbury, August I, 1763, "from an
original painting in _<strong>the</strong> possession <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Rev. Mr. Benjamin Fawcett,
at Kidderminster."
(d) Extract from sermon on death <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Princess Charlotte <strong>of</strong> Wales,
November 19, 1817, by Richard Fry, in his minute and exquisite
penmanship.
(e) Chair formerly owned by Job Orton.
In <strong>the</strong> chancel are <strong>the</strong> two chairs bequea<strong>the</strong>d by Dr. John Hall, Bishop
<strong>of</strong> Gloucester and Bristol, to his kinsman, Mr. Spilsbury, through whom
<strong>the</strong>y passed to <strong>the</strong> New Meeting trustees.
The year 1897-that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Diamond Jubilee <strong>of</strong> Queen Victoria-was
marked by one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most munificent gifts made to <strong>the</strong> society since its