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

to time, preached in its pulpit. Speaking here, shortly after its opening,
<strong>the</strong> late Rev. Charles Beard, B.A., said-
he rejoiced in this Free Christian Church, a church in which <strong>the</strong> worshipper
was not asked to express his faith in dogmatic forms as a condition <strong>of</strong> com-
munion, where Unitarian and Trinitarian could meet toge<strong>the</strong>r as children <strong>of</strong>
one God, and servants <strong>of</strong> one Master, where <strong>the</strong> doubter would be welcomed
and not shunned because <strong>of</strong> his doubts, and where religion could be taught
not as <strong>the</strong> letter which killeth but as <strong>the</strong> spirit which giveth life.
To this ideal <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> congregation has ever tried to be true. Whilst
<strong>the</strong>re were many persons to whom <strong>the</strong> worshippers were indebted for con-
stant advice and support at <strong>the</strong> first, and whose names are recorded in <strong>the</strong>
minutes, none stand out more prominently than those <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Rev. Thomas
Gasquoine, B.A., <strong>the</strong> senior trustee, <strong>the</strong>n minister <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Congregational
Church, Oswestry, and now resident in Bedford without charge ; <strong>the</strong> late
Rev. Charles Beard, B.A., minister <strong>of</strong> Renshaw Street Chapel; Liverpool ;
and <strong>the</strong> late Rev. Edward Myers, F.G.S., minister <strong>of</strong> High Street Church,
<strong>the</strong> oldest nonconforming congregation in Shrewsbury, also a trustee from
<strong>the</strong> first until his death.
The permanent brick school-house was built behind <strong>the</strong> church, and
opened for use on Wednesday, 28 January, 1880.
The year 1892 must ever be memorable in <strong>the</strong> annals <strong>of</strong> this congre-
gation as that in which Mrs. John Gresty (neb Martha Pininnah Bancr<strong>of</strong>t,
d. 30 November, 1893) and her husband marked <strong>the</strong> close <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> author's
third year <strong>of</strong> ministry here by :-
(a) The gift <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> site <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Church.
(b) The gift <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> site <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> School-house.
(c) The gift <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> two adjoining cottages and site for <strong>the</strong> future building
<strong>of</strong> a minister's residence.
In accepting this noble gift, and so terminating <strong>the</strong> temporary nature
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> trust, <strong>the</strong> congregation recognized it as a fitting opportunity for
carrying out <strong>the</strong> donors' wishes-wishes in which minister and people were
one-that <strong>the</strong> present church, and any future one to be erected upon <strong>the</strong>
land, should be known as <strong>the</strong>