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

After <strong>the</strong> custon~ary three year's course at Daventry in <strong>the</strong>ology and
philosophy, our friend, Richard, was regarded as duly equipped for <strong>the</strong>
work <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Dissenting ministry ;
and at A<strong>the</strong>rstone, where he was ordained in 1765, he found that settle-
ment which only ended with his life.
It is evident that Richard's position was not that <strong>of</strong> a wealthy minister.
Nor had he taients which would bring him a call to a more prominent scene
<strong>of</strong> labour. But, in spite <strong>of</strong> his initial disinclination for <strong>the</strong> ministerial life,
he seems to have done his duty carefully and conscientiously according to
his light. His Baptismal Register* <strong>the</strong> only relic <strong>of</strong> his work which I have
seen is kept with scrupulously neat accuracy, and, like most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> old
Dissenting Registers, it contains some names <strong>of</strong> persons whose descendants
have risen to much higher positions than were open to <strong>the</strong>ir ancestors at
Roadby [A<strong>the</strong>rstone]. One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se names, unless I mistake, is that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
ancestor <strong>of</strong> a Cabinet Minister.
By way <strong>of</strong> making some addition to a scanty income, Richard, like many
Presbyterian divines <strong>of</strong> his day, devoted a part <strong>of</strong> his time to teaching.
He did not keep school, but occasionally had pupils, and prepared young
men for Daventry. Among <strong>the</strong>se was <strong>the</strong> well known author? <strong>of</strong> many
beautiful hymns, <strong>the</strong> finest, in my opinion, being <strong>the</strong> following :-
From north and south, from east and west,
Advance <strong>the</strong> myriads <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> blest :
From every clime on earth <strong>the</strong>y come,
And find in heaven a common home.
"A small, thin note book in blue marbled covers. The following entry has been
made in it :-Haviszg lo<strong>of</strong>ied over this boo& at <strong>the</strong> ?,egz~l.st <strong>of</strong> Afi. Sn~~zittei Coafes Morris, late <strong>of</strong>
A<strong>the</strong>~sto~zc., but 7zow <strong>of</strong> Bz~~ton-t~po~z-T~.ent, in ~?~der to dtterntine whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> variozrs Baptisms
<strong>the</strong>l-ein registered are in <strong>the</strong> ha?z&vriting <strong>of</strong> my Zatt Husband, <strong>the</strong> Rev. Richard IVright, 7vho
for sez~eel.aZ years nuas <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>lfiating ?iti?zisfev at <strong>the</strong> Dissenfir~g rlfeeting at A<strong>the</strong>lsfone, I hereby
declare that <strong>the</strong> whole conteirts <strong>of</strong> this 60012 [here come references to <strong>the</strong> first and last
entries as to time] nue <strong>the</strong> ha?zrlseniti~zp <strong>of</strong> 7izy late Husba,alzci, <strong>the</strong> srrid Richard Wright, who
preached 20 <strong>the</strong> iss sent in:$ Co~zg~e,ontion at A<strong>the</strong>rstone dzn~i~zg <strong>the</strong> rvhole oj <strong>the</strong> ptriori Befzutetz
<strong>the</strong> before-nzentio~zed dates <strong>of</strong> August 15, r769, and Augz,ozrst ro, 1794. Witness 7izy hand, this
6 day <strong>of</strong> March, zSq, in Bristol. Afa7.y Wright. That it was desirable to settle <strong>the</strong>
au<strong>the</strong>nticity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> entries is evident from <strong>the</strong> fact that in every entry respecting <strong>the</strong>
children <strong>of</strong> Richard and Mary Wright, <strong>the</strong> year has been clumsily erased, though barely
enough to render <strong>the</strong> figures totally illegible. Mary Rebecca, Elizabeth, and Elizabeth
Sophia are entered as baptized by ye Rev. MY. Porteous, who was minister (1747-1792) <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> Old Meeting, Nuneaton. This little volume I saw in 1898.-G.E.E.
tEdmund Butcher, 179-1822, min. Sidmouth 1798-1820. C$ Dic. Nat. Biog. article by
A.G., in which it is stated that Butcher received some classical training at A<strong>the</strong>rstone,
from Richard Wright.
In one immortal throng we view
Pagan and Christian, Greek and Jew ;
But, all <strong>the</strong>ir doubts and darkness o'er,
One only God <strong>the</strong>y now adore.
Howe'er divided here be!ow,
One bliss, one spirit, now <strong>the</strong>y know ;
Though some ne'er heard <strong>of</strong> Jesus' name,
Yet God admits <strong>the</strong>ir honest claim.
On earth according to <strong>the</strong>ir light,
They aimed to practise what was right,
Hence all <strong>the</strong>ir errors are forgiven,
And Jesus welcomes <strong>the</strong>m to heaven.
See, how along <strong>the</strong> immortal meads,
His glorious host <strong>the</strong> Saviour leads !
And brings <strong>the</strong> myriads none can count
To seats <strong>of</strong> joy on Zion's mount.
Some have accused this hymn <strong>of</strong> heresy, and it has been excluded from our
more modern hymn books. Good Mrs. Barbauld spoke <strong>of</strong> it in <strong>the</strong> highest
terms <strong>of</strong> praise. I would fain hope that some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> spirit which it brea<strong>the</strong>s
was brought from <strong>the</strong> minister's house at Roadby [A<strong>the</strong>rstone,] and reflects
<strong>the</strong> sentiment <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> writer's old master.
A pen and ink sketch <strong>of</strong> that old master still exists from <strong>the</strong> pupil's hand,
It exhibits him, not with <strong>the</strong> curls <strong>of</strong> his boyhood, but in bushy wig, and
shovel hat, and <strong>the</strong> Quaker-like garb <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ancient Dissenting divine. . .
A neighbour <strong>of</strong> Parson Richard, and, I presume, a close friend, was <strong>the</strong>
minister <strong>of</strong> Monkmealing [Nuneaton,] a Scotchman by birth, and a relative
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> famous Captain Porteous. When a little one was born in <strong>the</strong> minister's
house at Roadby [A<strong>the</strong>rstone] (an event wl~ich happened six times in <strong>the</strong>
course <strong>of</strong> fifteen years) <strong>the</strong> nlonkn~ealing [Nuneaton] minister came to per-
form <strong>the</strong> christening. . . Towards <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> Parson Richards' thirty
years' pastorate at Roadby [A<strong>the</strong>rstone], <strong>the</strong> renewed interest in strong
doctrinal preaching, which was partly a result <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Methodist revival,
partly a reaction against <strong>the</strong> increasingly unevangelical tone <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Liberal
Dissent, brought a fresh form <strong>of</strong> Nonconformity into <strong>the</strong> little market town.
Hi<strong>the</strong>rto <strong>the</strong> only meeting-houses had been those <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Presbyterians and
<strong>the</strong> Quakers ; now <strong>the</strong> Independents opened a preaching-place, and laid <strong>the</strong>
foundation <strong>of</strong> a regular place <strong>of</strong> worship. . . <strong>the</strong> Independents held <strong>the</strong>ir
own, and gradually superseded <strong>the</strong> Presbyterian interest in <strong>the</strong> district. . .
Parson Richard's next successor at Roadby [A<strong>the</strong>rstone] was an Independent,
though not a dogmatic one. On his removal to an Independent Church in
Ribbonspire [Coventry,] <strong>the</strong> Roadby [A<strong>the</strong>rstone] Meeting-house was vacant
for some time. It is now registered as a place <strong>of</strong> worship for a congrega-
tion <strong>of</strong> persons calling <strong>the</strong>mselves Unitarians.