THREE CENTURIES OF CHRISTIAN WITNESS IN DEVIZES Compiled Henry Tull
The history of the Particular Baptist Church, meeting at the Old Baptist Chapel, Devizes, written by the late Henry Tull and originally read at the Tercentenary Services, June 25th. 1947.
1 A PURITAN CHURCH.
The middle years of the seventeenth century were filled with violent political and ecclesiastical upheaval. Puritan influence was spreading through the religious life of the nation. At first, it was the creed of a party within the Established Church; later, as in Devizes, many separated themselves from that communion. Richard Baxter says that Puritanism was the creed of
a considerable part of the nobility and of a great mass of the country gentlemen. The Written Word was the beacon and soul of the Puritan church. Thus the stage was set for the coming into being of societies of believers outside the Anglican Communion.
The earliest Particular Baptist societies were formed in London in the early years of the seventeenth century. Their first Confession of Faith was published in 1644 in the name
of seven London churches. According to Joseph Ivey, our own historian, the earliest Particular Baptist church was that at Broad Street Wapping, founded in 1633. The Baptist Society in Devizes was formed twelve years later in 1645. Amongst the local dissenting families, who formed the Baptist meeting, were those, who held high office in the life of the town and many were engaged in the cloth manufacture, which flourished in the borough in the seventeenth century.
The Meeting was first established in the home of a Puritan lady, named Freeme. By 1669, however, it had been established at number 22 Brittox, which continued to be the home of the Baptists until 1780, when the present chapel was erected. A brief description of this building has been preserved and is a good description of the austerity and difficulties surrounding the dissenters after the restoration. It was described as “a tenement containing in length seventy- nine feet, the breadth nine feet, having two rooms beneath and a loft overhead, the tenement was tiled. The place of meeting was on the ground floor of the building with a trap door opening into the apartment above into which a part of the congregation, when the lower room was full, could ascend and join the service. Part of the building is still standing. It was approached by a passage from the Brittox. It was private property until 1714, when it was bequeathed to the church by Sarah Wright.
One incident of great interest during the Protectorate gives a picture of the church in its early struggles. On July 7th. 1654, a baptismal service was in progress at the Crammer Pond, when an assault was made on the company by a gang of roughs, who attempted to stop the service. Proceedings were taken by the local authority. The account of this disturbance was given in the form of evidence taken on oath before the Justices of the Peace. Typical of the evidence is that of John Wilkes, who claimed that "William Beeman of Devizes did in the seventh day of July 1654 say with a loud voice ‘What be these rogues and whores a-dipping. I'll order some of them
by and by,' and ran very violently to the people as they were about the exercise of their religion on Devizes green.” Unfortunately, no further information on this case can be traced to indicate how the magistrates dealt with the matter.
With the restoration of the Stuarts in 1660, the position of the dissenters became very difficult; an anti-Puritan purge soon filled the prisons of England. At Devizes a number of councillors and local officials, including some associated with the Baptist Meeting were removed from their positions.
From this time dates a period of persecution, which the historian Daniel Neal says was hottest in the diocese of Salisbury, in which Devizes was situated. This was due to the instigation of the Bishop, Dr. Seth Ward. Many hundreds were driven from their homes and their trades. It is left on record to perpetuate the Infamy of this episcopal pastor, that he appeared in person and often disturbed the dissenters meetings. Bishop Burnet described his contemporary, Ward, as a very indifferent clergyman, but a profound statesman. He had a large share in the repressive acts of Charles II's reign. By a return made to Archbishop Sheldon by the Bishop of Salisbury in 1669, it
appears that there were 230 to 250 dissenters in Devizes, of whom sixty to eighty were Baptists, meeting at Mary Fitzall’s house. The chief ministerial supply at this time was said to
be Thomas Hix, who had won some reputation as a disputant with the Quakers. An ejected clergymen, who was connected with the Baptist Meeting until 1709, was Benjamin Flower, formerly of Cardiff. Calamy in his Memorial mentions the manuscript diary of Thomas Webb, who states that Mr. Flower took leave of the people on April 10 1709 in the following words, “Not permitting so hard work or of the journey from Chippenham, he told us says Mr. Webb that he was superannuated, and that he knew not one alive but himself of all the ejected ministers.” He died in 1709, the year of his retirement, being over eighty years of age. Another regular visitor in these years was the well known pastor of the Pithay Church at Bristol until 1721. He was called the Apostle of the West and Was imprisoned four times in the reign of Charles II. William Gough resigned from the living of Inkpen, Berkshire, when the Act of Uniformity was passed in 1662, and returned to Erlstoke, where he set up a meeting in his own house. During this period he preached frequently in Devizes.
An intimate association was formed with Broadmead meeting, Bristol at this time. For many years the Devizes congregation made regular contributions to the seminary associated with the Broadmead church. There were substantial sums raised in Devizes for assisting the training of young ministers, after the General Assembly of 1689.
In the year 1689 came the Glorious Revolution, which our fathers declared delivered their souls from the arbitrary power of Church and state. The Act of Toleration exempted their Majesties' Protestant subjects dissenting from the Church of England from the pains and penalties of certain laws and brought a measure of relief to the much tried dissenters enabling them to gather once more for worship without restraint. One could wish that there had been church records before 1700 to describe the local thanksgiving.
2 THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY
Taking advantage of the relief, which came after the passing of the Toleration Act, a committee of the London churches called a General Assembly. This met in September 1689 and was attended by the representatives of over a hundred churches, Mr. James Webb, the local pastor, being present. The Assembly confirmed the Articles of Faith drawn up in 1677 and Janes Webb's name appears among the signatories. This document became the accepted confession of faith among the Particular Baptists and remains today the basis of our articles of faith.
Other results Included the establishment of a fund to help smaller churches, also provision for education of young men for the ministry, which the Devizes church loyally supported, providing for their young men taking their course of studies at the Bristol Seminary: also of the establishment of the Western Association of Churches, Devizes, being attached to Somerset and Devon. These Association meetings were attended by the church until 1794.
By general consent the opening years of the eighteenth century are regarded as a period of moral and spiritual darkness. Doctor Wesley Bready in his "Before and after Wesley" says, “It is more than a coincidence that following the Restoration a soulless, superficial Deism emerged into open scepticism, and came increasingly to dominate the mental outlook of potentates in Church and State”.
Mr. Janes Webb's pastorate continued until 1701. He was followed by John Filkes a member of a local family of cloth manufacturers, and with him as co-pastor, Thomas Lucas of Trowbridge: they continued to serve the church together until 1723. The church roll at this period numbered twenty-three brethren, thirty-six sisters. Doctor Hugh Evans of the Bristol Academy, who
visited the church during these years, states that there was a congregation of three hundred during Mr. Filkes pastorate.
Jacob Broadmead, of whom nothing is known, presided over the church during the four years until his death' in 1727. The year 1729 Introduces us to the longest pastorate in the history of this church. It continued until the year 1774 through the stirring years of the Evangelical Revival. The Minister's name was Benjamin Fuller. Doctor W.T. Whitley, the Baptist historian says of Mr. Fuller, “I know only two facts about Benjamin Fuller. He was a pupil at the school of
Moorfiellds....kept by John Ward and was presently chosen professor of Gresham College within the city in 1725.” At the end of his life the new Rhode Island College at Providence sent him a diploma as Master of Arts in 1773. It would appear that Mr. Fuller's pastorate was a Iong period of unobtrusive successful ministry. Constantly the item occurs in the accounts, "Paid Francis Elliot for filling the baptisterion, two and sixpence”
With the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745 the people of Devizes had little if anything to do, but with the advent of the brothers Wesley in 1747, Devizes throbbed with hatred against the evangelists. The degradation of eighteenth century England has been frequently described. It was an England of corrupt politics, soulless religion and expiring hopes. It was the England pictured by Hogarth. Upon that dark age through the mercy of God the Evangelical Revival broke with renewing force. We may think of the present age without despair as we reflect upon the past.
The same Lord reigneth.
At the close of the afternoon service on November 6th, 1774, Benjamin Fuller after desiring the members to tarry, resigned his office in words to the following effect. "Finding myself in age and infirmity incapable of serving you any longer in the work of the ministry as I could wish and you might expect, I would desire you to get another minister to serve you in my stead and I wish you well”. Fuller received an honorarium from the church until June 1777,
some two and a half years after his resignation.
In 1777 Mr. Pyne became pastor of the church. He held office for three very important years.
It had become obvious as the century proceeded that some new site for the "Meeting" must be found. The old conventional behind the Brittox, which had so effectively sheltered the worshippers for more than one hundred and twenty five years, had become too straight and difficult to approach. The congregation met for prayer for guidance and eventually found the present site, which has served its purpose for nearly 170 years.
The New Chapel (1780)
When finished the chapel was considerably smaller than the present buildings, being without vestries or school-rooms. The porches and galleries were added in 1860. The old box pews were removed from the Meeting in the Brittox. Those who wished had new ones built in the same design. There are no records relating to the costs of this building. In 1790 the following entry appears in the accounts. "Surplus from the meeting house £8 10s.; which indicated that the whole of the costs were met in about eight years.
The appearance of the Chapel premises is worth recalling. The fore-court had not yet the substantial brick wall. surrounding it, that come in 1818, when another £2000 was expended on the premises. The boundary was marked by a white thorn hedge and at the entrance by an iron gate with an oil lamp suspended. Even in those days this lamp was an attractive target for the boys in the neighbourhood. There are often entries in the cash accounts for repairs to the lamp and cutting the hedge round the meeting.
In the year 1782 Mr. James Dyer of Chipping Norton became pastor of the church, and continued until 1797. This pastorate was at first marked by considerable conflict but later attended with much blessing. The disunion of the early years led to a secession from the church of some nine members, who became associated with the Presbyterian church then existing in Sheep Street. These seceders eventually became the core of the present New Baptist Church. Mr. Dyer was in full sympathy with the great movements of his time, especially "the Particular Baptist Society for the Propagation of he Gospel Overseas", which sent William Carey to India In 1793. The funds raised annually at the Devizes church for the Mission reached £25 to £35 for many years, a considerable sum in those days. Another movement called The London Baptist Society for the encouragement of itinerant and village preaching" was also warmly supported by James Dyer. Seven village stations were opened and supplied during his pastorate. When, at the close of a full and busy life, Mr. Dyer died in September 1797, he was buried in the forecourt of the chapel. Mr. Sloper, the Independent minister in the town, a close friend of Mr. Dyer's delivered the address.
During the next thirty-three years there is little of public interest to record. There were many changes in the ministry, nine occupants of the pulpit following each other in quick succession.
The two best remembered would be Edward Blackstock later of Gower Street, London, and James Smith, who finally settled at Cheltenham. Both these ministers speak of crowded congregations and many conversions. Mr. Smith particularly spoke of much blessing, even
the pulpit stairs were occupied. Mr. William Gadsby was frequently in Devizes during these years.
3 THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
In the 1830s there was a new secession of young Church of England clergy from the Establishment. According to J.C. Philpot, between forty and fifty ordained clergymen "quitted the Church" at this time. One of the seceders, Roger Hitchcock had the oversight of the Devizes church from 1830 to 1833. He was formerly of Andover, where he had opened a Dissenting Meeting, During the three years of his ministry in Devizes over fifty persons were added to the Church. He himself was baptised In Devizes in 1827, Mr. Cox, the minister from Hosier Street, Reading conducted the service. The coming of this young minister into the fellowship of this Church produced a mutual and affectionate regard. The love evinced towards him in the Church records. The earlier half of the nineteenth century was a time of great blessing, much of which came during his pastorate. A note from the Church Book dated May 26th. 1833 reads "nineteen persons were baptised this day”. Mr.Hitchcock was of delicate health and after the three year period of his regular ministry was constantly away from Devizes. In March 1838 he was again unanimously invited to return to his work after a longer period of sickness than usual. Health reasons prevented his return. He died of tuberculosis at Budleigh, Devon in 1851.
Joseph Charles Philpot, the best-known of the seceders was baptised at the neighbouring chapel at Allington. William Tiptaft, formerly vicar of Sutton Courtney, Berkshire was baptised at Devizes during the ministry of Roger Hitchcock. Another seceder, who together with his son was associated with the ministry at Devizes, was Frederick Tryon of Deeping St. James, He built his own chapel at Deeping, where he continued to minister until his ninetieth year.
In 1836 Mr. Wessly of Tillingham, Essex, after supplying the Church for six Lord's Days was given an invitation to continue for a further six months. He resigned his position, however, giving as his reason, "that the Church was so divided on the matter of his pastorate that he did not wish to continue”. Mr. Wessley however, opened another meeting in Devizes. This community eventually built Salem Chapel and worshipped there until the year 1895, when they rejoined the old chapel, then under the pastoral care of Mr. Charles Hemington.
Mr. W.B. Withington, formerly of William Gadsby's Church at Manchester, came to Devizes on April 11th. 1841 and was happily settled in this pastorate for sixteen years. Within the Church there seems to have been a quiet continuing in the witness of, and for the truths of the everlasting Gospel. No outstanding events marked this pastorate.
The Hungry Forties
During the middle years of the nineteenth century, Devizes was not exempt from the general poverty and distress, which prevailed in the nation. The Church Minute Book shows that between fifty and sixty persons were receiving relief, sometimes over long periods.
The grim reality of the "hungry forties” with the consequent malnutrition and infant mortality is brought to light in the burial register. The following is an extract from the Church Minute Book written by Thomas Carter on September 30th 1847.
"It was agreed to hold a public thanksgiving meeting on Lord's Day afternoon, September 12th., to express our gratitude to Almighty God for His goodness toward us in so wonderfully appearing on our behalf as the God of providence in giving us such an abundant crop of every kind of grain. Last year the potato crop was an entire failure causing during the winter and spring of the year distress to abound on every hand. On the 10th. June so gloomy was the picture that the faith of many of the Lord's people seemed to fail. Flour had risen to nearly £4 per bag, bread to one shilling and ten pence per gallon, wheat to fifty-six shillings per sack. But the mount of danger was the place where we have seen surprising grace.
"The fruitful showers watered the earth, and the warm sun shone forth, so that the pastures are clothed with flocks and the valleys are covered with over with corn, where
sterility and barrenness threatened on every hand. And now September 1847 flour is selling at forty shillings per bag and the same wheat bought by speculators in Devizes in the month of June at fifty- six shillings was resold in the same place in August at twenty-eight shillings. In September the prices continued to slump."
The thanksgiving service arranged for September 12th, was very largely attended and a true spirit of gratitude expressed. Thomas Carter wrote, "I have no doubt it will be remembered with pleasure for many years to come”.
On July 27th, 1849 special meetings were held for prayer in consequence of the cholera spreading in the district.
The Pastorate of Charles Henry Marston-1858-1870
Doctor Charles Henry Marston's pastorate commenced under brighter conditions in the nation, He was an homeopathic doctor, following his profession in Devizes during his pastorate.
His was perhaps one of the most fruitful periods in the history of the Church. His literary remains present him as a men of tenderness of mind, humility and graciousness.
In his acceptance of the pastorate he vote, "I will willingly place my life, my strength, whatever God has given me at your service. I have sought to give myself to Him and in Him would give myself to you. It is a sorry gift, but your prayers and faith may through the power of the Holy Spirit make something out of nothing, while we know the sufficiency of all things to be of God.”
when Doctor Marston came to Devizes, the Chapel had a very different appearance to that remembered by the present generation. The old box pews, removed from the Brittox in 1780 were still in use. The pulpit was a small structure, standing immediately below an aperture in the wall. There was no method of general heating until 1860. In 1864, "to remedy the indifferent leadership of the singing" the pipe organ was put into the front gallery. New floors, new windows, and pews were added, thus bringing the building into conformity with the growing needs.
These full years of active service combined with his professional duties took their toll of the pastor's strength, which failed considerably in 1869 and compelled him to take a long rest. This did not however have the desired effect. He eventually resigned his pastorate to the great grief of the Church in 1870. His death took place in Reading the same year.
The Doctor was not free from the criticism of his day, which was sometimes very bitter. He was often wounded in the of his friends. He had nine children, six daughters and three sons. Four of the daughters were associated with foreign missions, two went to India, one to China and one to North Africa.
Thomas Carter the deacon, provides the link between the pastorate of Doctor Marston and that of Mr. Charles Hemington. Throughout the long years of the history of this Church, Thomas Carter holds the record in years of service. He became a member of the Church in 1817 and lived to see seven ministers occupy the pastoral office. He served the Church for over fifty years as deacon and was treasurer for the same period. His death occurred in 1872 thus giving him a membership of fifty-five years. The Church minutes present a man of high integrity, kindly disposition and ability, and above all as one filled with the spirit of humility, and a gracious understanding of the things of God.
4 The Pastorate of Charles Hemington (1871-1904)
Charles Hemington, who began his pastorate in July 1871, had been a close friend of Doctor Marston before the latter’s settlement at Devizes. Mr. Hemington ministered at Plymouth
for fifteen years before his call to Devizes.
Perhaps the most important event of this long pastorate was the union of the Salem Church, congregation and Sunday School with those of the Old Baptist Chapel In 1892. On Sunday December 25th, the eighteen members of the Salem Church met at the Lord's Table with the members of the old Baptist Church and were received into membership and in that sacred
fellowship cemented their union. The Influx of Sunday School scholars so strained the existing accommodation that a considerable enlargement of the School premises had to be undertaken in 1896.
During his long pastorate Mr. Hemington suffered some heavy family losses. His eldest daughter died in 1878 after a brief illness. Mrs. Hemington died in March 1900. Mr. Hemington's ministry continued for another four years. He preached in London on Sunday April 10th. 1904. In the afternoon of the following day he was knocked down by a railway van while on a visit to a brother minister and died from shock in a London Hospital.on April 30th. The thirty-three years of Mr. Hemington's ministry represents the second longest pastorate in the history of this Church.
It covered a period of great national prosperity, and a time of enlargement among the Particular Baptist Churches, in which the Pastor at Devizes had a considerable share.
In writing to his flock from the hospital during his last Illness he particularly referred to "my dear young people, who will now be sympathising with me”, To this day men and women far advanced in their fifties and sixties* speak affectIonately of his loving concern for them in their early days. The boys and girls regarded the minister as a friend whose interest in then was gracious and human. They were his friends, he their respected minister. He was a tall slight figure always dressed similarly, in frock coat and tall silk hat, and carried the inevitable umbrella, fitting into the picture of his Victorian age.
In the town there was ever manifested the greatest respect for his high integrity and Christian character, although he took little part in purely public affairs. The thoughts of his Church and congregation are expressed in the memorial tablet erected over the pulpit he occupied so long.
The Pastorate of Joseph Pitts Miles (1902-1929)
The interregnum was ably presided over by the senior deacon, Mr. Jabez Chivers, but it was with no small amount of relief that he welcomed the new pastor in 1907. Mr. Wiles's sympathies and teaching were in close agreement with the foundation principles of the Church. In is exposition he owed much to Calvin. It was to the Puritan scholarship of the past rather than to the more modern Evangelical teaching that his mind leaned. He was once charged with being a hundred years behind the times. "Nay rather", he replied, "If you say 2000 years you will be nearer the mark”. At Trinity College Cambridge he was contemporary with Dr. H.C. Handley Moule, later Bishop of Durham and Dr. R. Sinker, librarian of Trinity College, both of whom were closely associated with him when he was preparing his 'Half Hours with Isaiah” for the press in 1915. His closest ministerial friend was M.J. Tryon of Stamford, son of one of the seceders of the 1830s.
The best known of Mr. Wiles literary works are: ‘Half Hours with the Minor Prophets’, 1905 and ‘Half Hours with Isaiah’, 1915, to both of which the preface was written by the Bishop of Durham. These were followed in 1920 by ‘Instruction in Christianity' by John Calvin. This was an abbreviated new translation of Calvin's Institutes in modern English.
As a preacher Mr. Wiles used great simplicity of speech. He was seldom topical, a few simple words from the Book he loved best formed the basis of his discourses. He presented his discourses in words, which the simplest could understand. It was on the public platform that Mr. Wiles's mental powers were fully realised. His sturdy Protestantism and unswerving loyalty to his principles frequently brought him into conflict with those with whom he differed. The series of Lectures given in the Town Hall at Devizes in 1907-8 in reply to R.J. Campbell's new theology may serve to Illustrate this aspect of his witness. It was a defence of the orthodox theological position, which he held was being assailed, It was, however, as an intimate friend and pastor that Mr. Wiles was fully known. To know him intimately was to rejoice in a friendship rarely experienced.
The reconstruction of the Chapel premises undertaken in 1922 was the first major alteration since 1780, when the present building was erected. Under the chairmanship of the pastor the scheme grew as it proceeded, leaving the structure remodelled as it is today.
Mr. Wiles died at the age of eighty, having presided over the Church for twenty years. He had a large parish, frequently visiting friends in the midlands and the North, where he was greatly
beloved. His sick visitation was deeply appreciated, and it may be said he as far as possible had the household on their knees before he left.
The Pastorate of Mr. E.M.G. Mockford (1929-1961)
Mr. Mockford came to Devizes in January 1929. He was formerly pastor of the Strict Baptist Chapel at Hailsham, Sussex. He faithfully presided over the Church during the
difficult years of the Inter-war Period and the Second World War.
Coming to our own days the Churches generally have come to one of those cycles, where they can only be renewed by a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit of God. May that experience
be ours in our generation. It only remains to say that the doctrinal basis of the Church has remained unchanged from Puritan times.