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

This meeting-house was destroyed in one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> riots, about 1710,
during <strong>the</strong> reign <strong>of</strong> Queen Anne. John Godly, who was its minisier at
this time, harangued <strong>the</strong> mob, and sought to dissuade <strong>the</strong>m from <strong>the</strong>ir
purpose. The rioters assured him that, from personal respkct, he should
not be injured-a good testimony-and pressed him earnestly to depart,
to avoid a scene <strong>the</strong>y knew would be so painful to him.
The place was restored by 1715, and appears to have again been
damaged during <strong>the</strong> stormy scenes connected with <strong>the</strong> first visit <strong>of</strong> John
Wesley to <strong>the</strong> town in May, 1743 ; and in 1751 <strong>the</strong> meeting-house was
partially pulled down by a mob, hounded on, <strong>the</strong>re is too much reason to
fear, by some in a higher walk <strong>of</strong> society, whose public position and <strong>of</strong>ice
would have led us to expect better things from <strong>the</strong>m. The rioters were
tried at Stafford, but for want <strong>of</strong> sufficient evidence were only fined LIO ; .
and <strong>the</strong> meeting-house was ordered to be again rebuilt, but ,Ji/7-<strong>the</strong>rfroi11 <strong>the</strong>
parish chzrrch-an ominously significant injunction. It seems, however, to
have been restored, for it was not until 1827 that <strong>the</strong> society removed to .
its new building-<strong>the</strong>n called Christ's Chapel-<strong>the</strong> present one in Stafford
Street, which, sacred to <strong>the</strong> 7oorship <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> on4 true God and erected by <strong>the</strong> Old
Meeting Society, was opened on Friday, g November, 1827, on which occasion
<strong>the</strong> Month& Me.eti~tg was also held here. In its MS. minutes <strong>the</strong> event is
thus recorded : - The 7~67~) chapel in Stafod Street, kvalsail, 70as opened on
Friday, A7oztember 5, 18-37. Rev. R. Pate~~son, <strong>of</strong> Stou7.bria'qc~, colrducted <strong>the</strong>
deztotional services i7z <strong>the</strong> ~:~or~.zing, afzd Xez~. J. Scodt preached, PS. xxzti.. 8. Iiz
<strong>the</strong> afternoo?~ Rev. J. X. U'rEford efzgaged in $myer, &C., and Re:!. J. Kentish
preached, Eccles. ZJ., I. The 71u'~zister.s ('(14) and j~iends dilled at <strong>the</strong> haztse <strong>of</strong> i127:
H. Cox, PVaZsaZZ.
This was <strong>the</strong> last sermon preached by Mr. Scott before his bro<strong>the</strong>r
ministers, for he died on <strong>the</strong> 19th day <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> following month, being seized
with apoplexy in <strong>the</strong> pulpit <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> house he had loved and served at Cradley
for more than 38 years.
At <strong>the</strong> time <strong>of</strong> its erection <strong>the</strong> present building in Stafford Street was
stated to be in an eligible situation, no o<strong>the</strong>r place <strong>of</strong> worship being near,
and accommodates 300 persons. The debt which long remained upon it
was eventually cleared <strong>of</strong>f by <strong>the</strong> exertions <strong>of</strong> James Cauty Smith, who,
during his ministry here, visited Birmingham and o<strong>the</strong>r places in <strong>the</strong> district
to enlist monetary aid. At that time (1851-52) many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> leading men
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> society were engaged in <strong>the</strong> harness-making trade.
In September, 1881, after being closed for a few weeks to permit <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> necessary alterations and restoration being accomplished, <strong>the</strong> building
was reopened for public worship, John Page Hopps, <strong>the</strong>n minister in
Leicester, preaching <strong>the</strong> sermon from Isaiah Ix., 20 ; and on <strong>the</strong> following
Sunday, Benjamin Wright, chaplain <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Mason Orphanage, Erdington,
and Edward Parry, editor and proprietor <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Kidderminster Shuttle, and
formerly minister <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> New Meeting in that town, were <strong>the</strong> preachers.
In <strong>the</strong> account <strong>of</strong> this-
improvement*
we read that-
<strong>the</strong> old tub-like pulpit (part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> double-decker one which formerly existed
in <strong>the</strong> chapel, and which is thought to have previously done duty in <strong>the</strong>
ancient Presbyterian Meeting-house <strong>of</strong>f. High Street) has been dismissed,
and in its place (and that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> filled-up doorway that used to lead into it)
a greatly-improved arrangement has been made.
There are three mural tablets on <strong>the</strong> walls to <strong>the</strong> memories <strong>of</strong> Joseph
Bates (d. 1888)-
for 33 years a deeply-attached member <strong>of</strong> this church ;
<strong>of</strong> Emma Harrison (d. 1895)-
for 50 years deeply attached to this congregation ;
and <strong>of</strong> William Homer (d. 1893)-
for 30 years a devoted member <strong>of</strong> this congregation.
The society possesses a minister's house in Rushall Street-devised to
<strong>the</strong> trustees c;f <strong>the</strong> High Street Meeting-house by Thomas Walker, 21 July,
1737-which was occupied by James Warner. A certificate, signed by <strong>the</strong>
Clerk <strong>of</strong> Quarter Sessions, on 25 July, 1737, legalises this house as a
public meetiag-house for <strong>the</strong> religious worship <strong>of</strong> Protestant dissenters.
From this fact it is ga<strong>the</strong>red that an opposition toward his preaching was
manifested by a portion <strong>of</strong> his hearers, and that Warner consequently with-
drew, and opened his house for worship. Warner, who died in 1741, was
one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> trustees, and held <strong>the</strong> trust deeds. Referring to this period, it
is recordedi that-
a Mr. Warner, an Orthodox minister, was <strong>the</strong>ir pastor for some years. A
Mr. Jones [David], who was also orthodox, ceeded him ; during his