Memoir of William Bailey 1844

From the Baptist Magazine, November, 1844

MEMOIR OF THE REV. WILLIAM BAILEY,

LATE PASTOR OF THE BAPTIST CHURCH, DATCHET, BUCKS.

"THE memory of the just is blessed." This is equally true of the departure of those whose limited but well filled sphere of usefulness obtains for them but slender notoriety, as of those who, by the publicity of their Christian virtues, necessarily acquire renown. Among the former of these it is that the revered subject of this memoir must be classed.

William Bailey was born at Bourton, in Gloucestershire, May the 18th, 1771, and was one of six small children who, by the death of their father while they were yet young, were left wholly to the care of the surviving parent, from whom they received a religious education, "owing to which," observes the deceased in a letter, "I was kept, by the grace of God, from many snares and temptations to which others have been a sacrifice." William, after serving an apprenticeship with a grocer and draper at Bedworth, Warwickshire, removed to a situation at Gosport, where he was privileged to attend the stated ministry of the word, and by the blessing of God on the labours of Mr. Bogue of that place, was brought to a saving knowledge of the truth, although by his own account the discovery of this fact was not made apparent to his own mind, until some time afterwards, when the more matured development of Christian principle enabled him to trace it to this period. From Gosport the providence of God removed him to Henley, from whence he visited the metropolis, where he was baptized by Mr. Smith of Eagle Street, the 9th of October, 1796, being then at the age of twenty-five. He did not, however, unite himself to that church, nor is it known to the writer whether he joined the baptist denomination at this period at all, no documentary trace of his life existing until the year 1811, when, moved by a weakly state of health and a growing sense of the importance of eternal things, he began to record many of the exercises of his soul, and keep a strict watch over his heart. He makes mention of a seven years' course of domestic happiness and a prosperous run of business, with unfeigned thanksgiving; but expresses much concern lest these should lead him astray. Upon this subject he thus writes: "Through the blessing of a divine providence I am much increased in temporal good, as appears by my stock-book. The profits of last year, including all expenses, were nearly £1000. Great cause for thankfulness, and great cause for watchfulness, lest pride arise."... "What a great work remains for grace to effect in my heart, to remove all enmity from it, and fill it with a supreme love of God and subordinate love to all." Again, on the return of his birth-day, he observes, "I have lived on the bounties of providence forty-one years this day, nearly twenty of which were spent in a state of ignorance of God and in the service of sin; but, oh, to grace how great a debtor! The Lord has convinced me of my state by sin, and directed me, not to the law, but to Jesus Christ, the end of the law for righteousness." Various and frequent are his complaints of an evil heart of unbelief, and consequent leanness of soul.

It was in this year that our departed brother first felt conscientious scruples to continuing in communion with the independent church at Windsor. On the 30th of May in this year he thus writes in his diary:-"My mind is not satisfied in continuing at Beer Lane; my judgment and practice seem at variance. I am well satisfied as to the scriptural doctrine of adult baptism, and as far as I am acquainted, with the mode of church government among the baptists, unless in the prohibition of communion with churches of other persuasions;" and about two months subsequently he adds, "I sent in my resignation as to my communion with the church at Windsor." This step, nevertheless, did not at all dissolve or weaken his friendly intercourse with the members of that church or its esteemed pastor, Mr. Redford. "I pray God," he says, "for direction how to act. I pray, if I am right, that God would keep me so; if I am wrong, and he wishes me to know it by these afflictions of my body and mind, may the Lord be pleased to direct me into his way either at Colnbrook or Datchet; here I am, O Lord, do with me as thou pleasest." To the latter of these he repaired, and was received into the present baptist church then under the pastoral care of Mr. John Young, the 16th of June, 1811; over which also, in the following year, he was chosen a deacon.

From incidental remarks in his diary it would seem that our departed brother very occasionally exercised himself in public speaking, about this year, 1812: "I am contemplating Micah vii. 7, to speak from it if called on," from which period he seems gradually to have come out, addicting himself to the ministry of the word as opportunity afforded; and from the year 1815, when Mr. Young was laid aside through illness, for four years consecutively supplied the pulpit at Datchet, prior to his ordination over that church, which took place the 29th of August, 1819; and thus having used the office of a deacon well, he purchased to himself a good degree.

To the foregoing statement it is perhaps hardly necessary to add, that Mr. Bailey had not enjoyed the advantages of a classical education, much less of any academic preparation for that which he had not till late in life contemplated; viz., the charge of souls. It is true he now relinquished the cares of business, having, by the blessing of a bountiful providence, been enabled to secure a retiring competency for the remainder of his own and Mrs. Bailey's life; but it is rarely that untrained minds can, at the age of fifty, undergo the severity of study. It fell, therefore, to his lot rather to sustain, by acquired Christian experience, the faith of those committed to his charge., than to enlist new converts to cultivate rather than to plant; and this not from a defective exhibition of truth, but as being peculiar to rural districts; whilst it belongs to our populous towns and cities to concentrate the vigour and erudition of the ministry for the work of aggression and conquest. The place in which the church at Datchet assembled for worship was, and for several succeeding years after Mr. Bailey joined them, continued to be of very humble origin, having been, like the birth-place of the King of kings, a stable; and although transformed for nobler use, had latterly become, from age and dilapidation, little more than a bare shelter from wind and rain. The condition of its humble worshippers, however, rendered it a thing impossible for them to amend, and so it must have remained till the present day but for the benevolent aid and exertions of the deceased, who eventually raised the present neat Gothic structure at a cost of upwards of £400, for the half of which he stood responsible, after having borne, almost alone, the previous expenses of worship, and for a whole year defrayed, at the cost of a guinea a week, the finding of supplies. These, however, were but a few of his many acts of benevolence and love for the cause of Christ, on account of which the blessings of many came upon him. To the poor around him he ministered not the gospel only, but much of his substance, as he refused no case that was recommended by the Saviour's name. At home, where all was harmony and love, a generous hospitality welcomed the stranger; and abroad he not only had no enemy, but was greeted with universal respect, whilst with his brethren, the neighbouring ministry, he lived upon the most friendly terms of intercourse. It is due to the incumbent of this parish to say, that the independence of the poor is not interfered with to deter their attendance at the baptist chapel, as is too frequently the case; indeed, Mr. Bailey obtained from the vicar himself £2 towards the new building. In 1832 he wrote the association's annual epistle.

Although our deceased brother felt the intimations of declining health some time previous to his death, it did not seriously interrupt his ministerial duties until December, 1843, when he felt assured his course was nearly run; and from this period his one great desire was to see with his own eyes, and hear with his own ears, and approve from his own heart, his successor. In this desire he was most signally indulged, having, for upwards of four months previous to his death, had the satisfaction of making the acquaintance of their present pastor, Mr. John Tester, whose unanimous choice he cordially approved, and formally announced at a church-meeting (the last he ever attended) held in his own house on the 11th of June.

At this period, in all nine weeks prior to his decease, he was confined by paralysis to his house, but not to his bed, being able to come down stairs to the last. On the night preceding his dissolution he retired as usual to rest, unconscious that the heavenly messenger was so near at hand, and slept comfortably until about two o'clock, when a fit of coughing came on, and he said to Mrs. Bailey, "I feel as I never felt before." She immediately perceived a change in his countenance, and that the hour of his departure was come. He said, "Pray for me," which were almost his last words, as he soon after breathed out his soul into the hands of that Redeemer whom he had so long served. This took place on the 30th of June, 1844, in the seventy-fourth year of his age, and the twenty-fourth of his ministry.

More on Francis Labee 1697-1755

Francis Labee, the senior surgeon/barber-surgeonubder whom Beddome trained for the medical profession appears ti have been born around 1697 and died in1755, He was probably a Huguenot ship’s-captain’s son. Beginning as a Baptiist he became a Methodist. He appears to have taken on two apprentices after 1726 and give more over a 30 year operiod £173/4; 1f; 1731-54). His wife's name was Sarah Labee, Their son Francis junior was also a barber-surgeon. He was apprenticed to his father in 1741and in 1746 became a surgeon’s mate on a privateer. He also taught students later on.

Besides Beddome and his son, Labee's other apprentices include

• The surgeon John Eaton
• The barber surgeon John Evans who began in 1735 and was discharged in 1737.
• The senior surgeon Abraham Ludlow, a Bristolian, in an informal arrangement from 1724. The paument was £20. He himself became a master. He died in 1753. His wife's name was Martha.
• The surgeon/surgeon-manmidwife Morgan Nicholas who was a Carmarthenshire gentkeman who began his apprenticeship in 1754. The payment was £50. His wife;s name was Mary Gifford. He moved on to Bath.

Beddome's apprenticeship involved the payment of £26 5s.

Labee was also responsible for the training of Martha Powell as a midwife about 1752, She practised in the countryside until 1762 when she returned to Bristol.

This information can be found here.

More on Family Members who Subscribed to the Sermon Collection

With help from my Beddome descendant friend I have now identified the family members who subscribed to the book.

Mrs Ashwin, Mrs, Bourton-on-the-Water

The Ashwins were connected with the Boswells. On July 1 1709, William Ashwin of Bretforton married Ruth Boswell at Bourton on the Water. Ruth was a daughter of Samuel Boswell, a sister of Richard Boswell and an aunt to Elizabeth Boswell, Beddome's wife. William and Ruth lived at Bretforton and had at least 6 children. Their eldest son was James Ashwin born in 1710 and buried in the Baptist Cemetery at Bourton on the September 8, 1801 at the great age of 91. Presumably Mrs Ashwin of Bourton is of the same family.

Beddome, Mr Benjamin, Manchester (1784-1869) – Grandson. His parents were Samuel Beddome (1756-1815) and Jane Wilkins (1758-1827). He was a member of a Baptist congregation in Manchester where he had a drysalting business.

Beddome, John Reynolds Esq, Romsey (1787-1859) – Grandson. His parents were Boswell Brandon Beddome (1763-1816) and Anne Wilkins (1765-1797). He became a doctor and was mayor of Romsey 6 times.

Beddome, Mr William, London (1788-1858) – Grandson. Brother of John Reynolds Beddome, so son of Boswell Brandon and Anne Wilkins. Full name - Willliam Wilkins Beddome.

Beddome, Miss Jane, London (1792-1865) – Granddaughter. Sister to John Reynolds and William Wilkins, so parents as above. She never married.

Beddome, Mrs Boswell, Weymouth (1805-1884) – Wife of grandson. Born Elizabeth Ellary, she was the wife of Boswell Beddome (1794-1834). Boswell was another sibling of John Reynolds etc, and therefore a grandson of Beddome. He died at a fairly young age and Elizabeth later remarried to Francis Flink Davis.

Beddome, Mr Samuel, Camberwell (1791-1866) – Grandson. Another of the siblings of John Reynolds Beddome etc. He wrote a book about the Beddome family now held in the Angus Library. Elected Common Crier and Sergeant at Arms, London.

Beddome, Mr Richard B(oswell), Clapham (1797-1881) – Grandson – another son of Samuel Beddome and Jane Wilkins. He became a solicitor.

Beddome, Mr Josephus, Leamington (1808-1854) – Grandson/ He was the eldest son of Josephus Beddome (1779-1834) who was Benjamin’s youngest son. In 1839 he was listed as a tea dealer and seedsman of 24 Upper Parade, Leamington Spa. He never married and at some stage went to Canada, which is where the rest of the family had settled following the death of their father. Josephus junior died at the home of his brother in London, Ontario.

Beddome, Elizabeth Favell, Camberwell (1832-1927) – Great granddaughter. She was a daughter of Samuel Beddome of Camberwell above and Elizabeth Muriel (1796-1880). In 1874, at the age of about 42, she married Rev Clement Poynder at Bourton-on-the-Water. Oddly, she is only 3 in 1835, so presumably her father subscribed in her name, similarly for her sister Annie Muriel below.

Beddome, Annie Muriel, Camberwell (1834-1920) – Great granddaughter. Another daughter of Samuel Beddome above and Elizabeth Muriel. She never married and with a younger sister, Mary Muriel Beddome (1836-1933), she ended her days in Bourton on the Water.

Charlesworth, Rev John, Ipswich (1782-1864) – married to Elizabeth Beddome below.

Charlesworth, Mrs (Elizabeth) Ipswich (1783-1869) – granddaughter. She was another daughter of Samuel Beddome and Jane Wilkins. Her son, Samuel Beddome Charlesworth, married Maria Amelia Beddome, daughter of Richard Boswell Beddome. Their daughter, Florence Louisa Charlesworth, married Charles Wright Barclay.

Favell, Mrs (Elizabeth), London (1765-1849) – daughter. She had married Samuel Favell (1760-1830).

Gregory, Olinthus, Woolwich (1774-1841) – his second wife was Anne Beddome (1789-1855), who was a granddaughter of Beddome and the daughter of Boswell Brandon Beddome and Anne Wilkins.

Stephenson, Mrs, Clapham (1764-1841) – probably the mother of George Stephenson below. She was born Alice Ruth Lucy Booth.

Stephenson, George Esq, Taunton (1790-1860) – husband of Jane Beddome below.

Stephenson, Mrs G, Taunton (1793 -1877) – Granddaughter, born Jane Beddome. Daughter of Samuel Beddome and Jane Wilkins.

Mrs Robert Winter, London is indeed the widow of Rev Robert Winter (1762-1833). She is also the mother-in-law of John Reynolds Beddome who married her daughter Rebecca about 1812.

Another family note

 How did people meet one another in the past? There are some coincidences in Beddome's history that a descendant (by marriage) has noted. On the paternal side, we can go back to John Beddome, the Deputy Town Clerk of Stratford on Avon (c1587 – 1646) and also to Roger Barnard (c 1590 – 1661). From at least as early as 1615 up to 1620 Roger Barnard was living in Wootten Wawen, a village some 5 miles west of Stratford on Avon. On Beddome's mother's side we can go back to Benjamin Brandon, the tailor, whose mother was named in his will as Hester Jordan, widow of Woolvy, Warwickshire. However, Benjamin the tailor's wife was Katherine Court and she was a daughter of Henry Court and Fortune Hawthorn. Henry and Fortune were married on April 22 1612 at Wootten Warwen and, though Henry was identified in the registers as "de Henley" which we assume to be Henley in Arden which is just over a mile north west of Wootten Warwen, their children were baptised at the latter village up to 1623 when the family moved to Tanworth in Arden. Both Roger Barnard and Henry Court would seem to have been men of substance - both left property in wills - and they were living very close to each other for a number of years - does it not seem likely that the families knew each other back then? It is not entirely clear what significance that has to the later history of the family but all roads lead back to Warwickshire. Going back a bit further, Fortune Hawthorn's parents were William Hawthorn and Fortune Ussold and they were married at Stratford Holy Trinity on July 27, 1578.

Rachel Brandon Beddome 1694-1758

A descendant of Beddome (by marriage) has been in touch again and tells me these things about Beddome's mother.

Beddome's parents, John and Rachel Beddome, were married at St Mary's, Warwick on the April 14, 1715. There is evidence to say that Rachel Brandon's transfer to the Henley Congregation from Nantwich was recorded on Christmas Day 1714. She was joined in Henley by her Aunt Rachel Cope, just over a month later, on January 30 1714/5. Aunt Rachel had transferred from Little Wild Street which is where Bernard Foskett had been in membership before his transfer to the Henley/Alcester congregation.

There is no doubt that Aunt Rachel was a major influencer/organiser in her niece's life. She was a rich widow and, from various documents relating to her tussle in the Chancery Court with Samuel Cope, the brother of her late second husband Joseph, it becomes clear she was also a shrewd and formidable lady. She would have been the link between her niece and Rev John Beddome. We can only think that aunt and niece moved to Henley in order for niece Rachel to marry Rev John, although he was almost twice her age. Later Aunt Rachel followed John and Rachel with their children to Bristol and was buried on the March 5 1730/1 in the Baptist Burial Ground in Red Cross Street, Bristol. Her burial entry reads "Madam Cope was interd ye south side of Mrs Blanchet toom in over Reverit Mr John Badam Grand wher his sund Doth ly". This seems to mean that Rachel was buried over or near the grave of Rev John Beddome's eldest son, John, who was buried there on the December 8 1728.

Beddome's great grandfather was Benjamin Brandon, a citizen and weaver of London. According to the 1666 Hearth Tax returns for the St Giles Cripplegate parish, Benjamin Brandon lived in Cradle Alley, where he paid tax on 3 hearths. It would seem that the family already had non-conformist leanings, as the parish register of St Giles records the births only of three of his children - Isaac, Amos and Rebecca, with an accompanying note that they were not baptised. Furthermore, when Benjamin died from plague in 1666, though this was noted in the St Giles registers, he was actually buried in the Quaker burial ground of Chequer Ally.

Deaths of Ministers in 1795

Romaine, Stennett, Kippis

On October 18, 1795, in the year of Beddome's death, a sermon was preached by John Evans (1767-1827) at Worship Street, Shoredi
tch, being a sincere tribute of respect to the memory of the Rev Samuel Stennett, DD, The Rev Andrew Kippis DD FRSAS and The Rev Rice Harris DD. To Which Are Prefixed, A Few Particulars Of Their Lives And Writings. It was by John Evans AM and was published by request. The printer was Charles Whittingham (1767–1840) and it was sold by Benjamin Crosby, Stationers Court; Thomas Knott, Lombard Street; John Marsom, High Holborn and Joseph Cottle (1770-1853) in Bristol.

Evans, a Welshman born at Usk in Monmouthshire, studied in Bristol, where a relative, Dr Caleb Evans, was theological tutor and also in Aberdeen and Edinburgh. He came to England in June 1791 and accepted an invitation to be their pastor from the morning congregation of General Baptists in Worship Street. In 1794 he opened a school, first at Hoxton Square and subsequently in Islington. He published many works on various subjects.

His sermon is on Psalm 12:1 Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. In the preface, where he gives some biographical information about Stennett, Kippis and Harris, he makes this remark, “... The recent mortality amongst ministers has been great. Within these few months have been numbered with the dead, Romaine, Toller, Gentleman, Flexman, Stennett, Kippis, Harris, Beddome and Clark. These were ministers of talents and respectability in their several connections, and, excepting Mr Romaine, were all of the dissenting interest.

It seems that all nine of these men died between March 15 and the date of the sermon, October 18, 1795. The order was Toller (March 15) Flexman (June 14) Gentleman (buried July 12) Romaine (July 26) Clark(e) (July 29) Stennett (August 24) Beddome (September 3) and finally Kippis and Harris (October 9 and 10).

In order of age, Flexman was the oldest at 86 (b 1708) and Gentleman the youngest at 48 (b 1746). Romaine was 80 (b 1714) Beddome, 77 (b 1717) Kippis, 69 (b 1725), Stennett, 71 (b 1727) Toller and Clark(e), both 62 (b 1732) and Harris, 60 (b 1730). Further

• William Romaine was an evangelical London preacher in the Church of England and a friend of George Whitefield (1714-1770). He was converted in 1748 after having been in the ministry some years. A Hebrew expert, he was the author of many works, including his trilogy The Life, The Walk, The Triumph of Faith.
• Thomas Toller was educated at Plaisterers’ Hall in London before becoming the Independent minister of Monkwell Street Chapel, London. Several of his sons were also ministers. He is buried in Bunhill Fields.
• Robert Gentleman, a dissenting minister and tutor, was born in Shrewsbury and grew up under the ministry of Job Orton (1717-1783). He studied at Daventry under Caleb Ashworth (1722-1775) and ministered first in Shrewsbury, where he kept a boarding-school. In 1779 he became divinity tutor at the Carmarthen Academy. There were discipline problems there and in 1784 he resigned, the academy moving to Swansea. Gentleman later became minister in Kidderminster. He seems to have veered towards Arianism.
• Roger Flexman, a non-subscribing Presbyterian minister, was a chronological and historical scholar and an indexer and bibliographer. Perhaps he should not be on this list as he became an Arian. He is also buried in Bunhill Fields.
• Samuel Stennett DD was a Seventh Day and regular Baptist minister and a hymn writer. From an illustrious line, he succeeded his father at Little Wild Street, London in 1758. Another now lying in Bunhill Fields.
• Andrew Kippis DD FRS was a nonconformist clergyman and biographer. He studied under Doddridge and became a voluminous writer. One of his books was about the voyages of James Cook (1728-1779). From 1753 he was a Presbyterian minister in London. Again he was probably unsound theologically and a Unitarian. Yet another now in Bunhill Fields.
• Rice Harris DD, a Welshman, was an Independent or Congregationalist minister in London. A fifth interred in Bunhill Fields.
• Benjamin Beddome MA was for 52 years a Particular Baptist pastor in Bourton-on-the-water.
• William Nash Clark(e) was converted through Whitefield but became a Baptist minister firstly in Unicorn Yard, London and then down in Exeter. He was also a tutor for the PB fund.

Should others be added to the list? There are perhaps a few others. Again buried in Bunhill Fields, there is the Baptist William Dowars VDM (1720-1795) who died on July 1, 1795. For 38 years he was the minister of the church in Little Alie Street, Goodman's Fields. He began his ministry at Mangotsfield, near Bristol, where he laboured several years until the early death of James Fall (1727-1756), who he followed at Little Alie Street. He was succeeded by William Shenston. There is also an Independent minister called Edward Hitchin (1750-1795) who ministered in Bristol and who died January 27.
Finally, another Particular Baptist, Thomas Skinner (1752-1795) who died of a fever early in February. He ministered in Tuthill Stairs near Newcastle. Born in Northamptonshire, he grew up in Exeter where he was converted. He was educated for the ministry in Bristol and then become the first pastor of a church in Clipstone, Northamptonshire, where he baptised 60 people between 1779 and 1783. He then went to Towcester where he baptised 30 more before the move to the Newcastle area at the end of 1792. Also note James Purves (1777-1795) the Scottish universalist who ministered in Edinburgh and who died on February 1.

Beddome Sermons Subscribers Part 2

Others

The MPs are the brothers Charles Barclay (1780-1855) and David Barclay (1784-1861) whose wife is also listed. Both MPs, like the publisher, had a Quaker background. Charles of Bury Hill, Surrey, was a brewer and landowner and Tory MP for West Surrey (1835–1837, previously of Southwark 1815–1818 and Dundalk 1826–1830). David was Whig MP for Penryn, Cornwall, 1828-1830 when he resigned. After two unsuccessful attempts to take the Sunderland seat, he eventually won it in 1835, only to lose it in 1837. He was re-elected as MP for Sunderland in 1841 and held it until he resigned in 1847.

The Beddome family is well represented in the list, unsurprisingly. Ten sons, daughters-in-law and grandsons bear the Beddome name but others may be missed, such as Olinthus Gregory LLD FRAS (1774-1841) the mathematician, whose second marriage was to Beddome's granddaughter Anne Beddome (b 1789). Another grand daughter, Elizabeth Charlesworth, has already been mentioned.

The medical doctors are Samuel Ashwell (1798-1857) a leading London gynaecologist and Bourton based Nathaniel Stenson (1776-1862). The other Bourton resident is Mrs Elizabeth Ashwin (1775-1855) probably the daughter of deacon James Ashwin (1710-1801). Also listed are John Reynolds (1776-1854) of Lower Slaughter and his two daughters or granddaughters at Sondes Place, Dorking, where Charles Barclay's wife and a Mrs Crawford, another subscriber, are all also said to be living and Richard Cooper (1757-1848) of Little Rissington, converted from Anglicanism in Beddome's time and a member at Burton.

Other identifiable individuals include William Bury (1785-1839) of Fox-hill Bank, Blackburn; clothier and art collector E A Butler (c 1802-1886); William Romaine Callender (d 1872) and his wife, Hannah (nee Pope) of Manchester (who also paid for two further copies for a friend); the Manchester Quakers, Isaac Crewdson (1760-1844) Wilson Crewdson (1790-1871) and David Dockray (1778-1853); the businessman George Hillhouse (c 1778-1844) of Combe-house, Bristol; the clothiers, William and Nathaniel Samuel Marling, who owned mills in the Stroud area; the widows of Francis Paynter (1762-1835) of Denmark Hill, the successful Cornish builder and of the Independent minister Robert Winter (1762-1833) from London. Others with a Stroud connection include Henry Whyatt (1783-1847); the local historian Paul Hawkins Fisher (1779-1873) and Lindsey Winterbotham (1799-1871) a banker and landowner, then of Tewkesbury but later of Stroud.

The only non-personal subscriber is The Nailsworth Reading Society. This is a Quaker group started in 1818 and still very active at this time. Individuals from Nailsworth, near Stroud, include the clothier Baptist deacons, Samuel Enoch Francis (d 1858), the son of the pastor there, Benjamin Francis (1734-1799) and Edward Barnard (1796-1867). Mary Bliss of Pensile House, is the widow of Baptist deacon, Edward Bliss. Her sister Ann Bliss is also listed and Thomas Overbury. Another two London men called Bliss also appear.

The name Mrs W Brock, Norwich, is interesting as William Brock (1807-1875) had settled in the Baptist church there, St Mary's, in 1833. In 1834 he married Mary Bliss of Nailsworth, whose family was just mentioned.

The Baptist minister George Cole has been mentioned. He was in Leamington as was Josephus Beddome (1808-1854), Beddome's youngest son. So also were the subscribers, John Walter Sherer (1776-1846), Mrs Way and the Misses Phelp and Pimlott.

Thirty subscribers are from Manchester and thirteen from London. Only a few subscribers are from outside England. William Petrie, father of the inventor of the arc lamp, was then in the Cape of Good Hope; there is also Mrs Poole and Miss E Wallis in Waterford, Ireland and the Quaker bookseller and stationer, Richard Moore Tims of Grafton Street, Dublin; in Haverfors West, Miss Maelor and, in Edinburgh, Mrs John Anderson and the Misses Saville.

Beddome's support by this time was coming from family and old friends, one or two from among the great adn the good and others whose connection is difficult at this remote time to work out.

Beddome Sermons Subscribers Part 1

In 1835, about forty years after his death, a volume of sermons by Benjamin Beddome was published with a memoir. The book was published by means of subscription and the 175 or so subscribers are listed in the book. Most signed up for one copy but some signed for two, three, four, six or even in two cases, eight copies. This meant that when the Quaker publisher William Ball (1801-1878) of Aldine Chambers, Paternoster Row, London sent his copy off to Richard Clay (1789-1877) for printing in Bread Street Hill he could be sure that approaching 300 copies were already sold.

Understandably, most of those found on the list are by now to us mere names. Some can be traced, however - people such as the many ministers, the two MPs, various members of Beddome's family and at least two medical doctors.

Ministers

Unsurprisingly, among the ministers, Baptists are in the majority. Perhaps the best known of these is William Steadman (1764-1837) from Bradford, pastor of Westgate Baptist Church and president of the academy there. It is no surprise to see the name of Thomas Coles (1779-1840), then minister in Bourton and Benjamin Snook Hall (1787-1859), a former Bourton member who became pastor at nearby Burford.

Other Baptist ministers include Steadman's long lived son-in-law, John Aldis (1808-1907) father of the inventor of the aldis lamp, who, in a 47 year long ministry, served in Manchester, Maze Pond in London, Reading and Plymouth; George Cole (1798-1857) at Leamington at this time but previously in nearby Kenilworth and later in Evesham, Blackfriars in London, Exeter and, finally, Naunton, Gloucestershire; James Hoby (1788-1871) Birmingham; Richard Pryce (1780-1865) Cote, Oxfordshire; Edward Steane (1798-1882) Camberwell, one of the founders of the Evangelical Alliance, and William Stephens (1765-1839) West Street church, Rochdale.

The Independents or Congregationalists are John Burder MA (1785-1867) Stroud; John Addison Coombs (1788-1856) Manchester; John Herbert, Long Itchington, Warwickshire; Thomas Jackson (1770-1837) Bamford Independent Chapel, Heywood, Lancashire and Robert Stephens McCall LLD (1782-1838) Moseley Street, Manchester. Another Coombs also listed is W H Coombs, a Baptist minister in Taunton.

There are also several Anglicans - Thomas Blundell (1786–1861) All Cannings, Wiltshire, eldest son of the Baptist minister, Thomas Blundell (1752–1824); Isaac Bowman, Formby (whose brother John is also listed); Henry Gwyther (1815-1844) Yardley, Worcestershire and William Renton (1788-1857) Tilstock, Shropshire. Also, John Charlesworth (1782-1864) Flowton near Ipswich. His wife Elizabeth is also listed. She was one of Beddome's grand daughters.

There is also an H H Jones, another Manchester minister and a J Watts from London.

Burrage on Beddome

We have never included this piece by Henry Burrage before

For fifty two years Benjamin Beddome was the beloved pastor of the Baptist church at Bourton on the Water in the eastern part of Gloucestershire. He was born at Henley in Arden a market town near Warwick January 23 1717. In 1724 his father Rev John Beddome removed to Bristol where he became a co pastor of the Pithay Baptist church. Here Benjamin Beddome spent his youth and in due time he was apprenticed to a surgeon and apothecary. His conversion occurred in connection with a sermon which was preached August 7 1737 by Rev Mr Ware in his father's church at Bristol from the text Luke xv 7 Likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth etc. At the expiration of his apprenticeship he entered upon a course of study preparatory to the work of the Christian ministry first under Mr Bernard Foskett then tutor in the Baptist Academy Bristol and afterward at the Independent Academy in London under the learned Rev John Eames. He was baptized in London September 27 1739 by Rev Samuel Wilson and united with the Baptist church in Goodman's Fields. By this church he was called to preach. The church in Bourton was at that time pastorless and Mr Beddome was invited to supply the pulpit. His labours were acceptable and he preached both at Bourton and Warwick. At length in answer to repeated solicitations he accepted the pastorate of the church at Bourton and he was ordained September 23 1743. Dr Joseph Stennett preached the sermon from the text Obey them that have the rule over you etc Heb xiii 17. December 27 1749 he married Elizabeth Boswell a daughter of one of his deacons. Some lines composed by Mr Beddome about the year 1742 were happily prophetic:

Lord in my soul implant thy fear

Let faith and hope and love be there

Preserve me from prevailing vice

When Satan tempts or lusts entice

Of friendship's sweets may I partake

Nor be forsaken nor forsake

Let moderate plenty crown my board

And God for all be still adored

Let the companion of my youth

Be one of innocence and truth

Let modest charms adorn her face 

And give her thy superior grace

By heavenly art first make her thine

Then make her willing to be mine

My dwelling place let Bourton be

There let me live and live to thee.

By his faithful ministrations Mr Beddome greatly endeared himself to his people. After the death of Rev Samuel Wilson Mr Beddome was invited to become Mr Wilson's successor. Call after call was sent to him and declined. At length so importunate were the brethren in London that Mr Beddome asked the people to make the decision for him. They sent a prompt refusal to London and Mr Beddome remained at Bourton until his death.

He seems to have exercised his poetical gift through out his ministry. It was his custom to prepare a hymn to be sung after his morning's sermon each Lord's day. A promising son who had just completed his medical studies died in Edinburgh January 4 1778. That day not knowing of his son's death not having been informed even of his sickness he preached from Psalms xxxi 15 My times are in thy hand. The hymn which he had composed for the day was the now familiar one commencing

My times of sorrow and of joy

Great God are in thy hand

My choicest comforts come from thee

And go at thy command

One of his best hymns Mr Beddome wrote after recovering from a severe illness. He had first written a hymn of gratitude for his restoration to health. On further reflection he wrote these lines

If I must die O let me die

Trusting in Jesus blood

That blood which hath atonement made

And reconciles to God.

If I must die then let me die

In peace with all mankind

And change these fleeting joys below

For pleasures more refined.

If I must die as die I must

Let some kind seraph come

And bear me on his friendly wing

To my celestial home

Of Canaan's land from Pisgah's top

May I but have a view

Though Jordan should o'erflow its banks

I'll boldly venture through#

Mr Beddome lived to a ripe old age and died after a long illness September 3 1795 having been engaged in writing a hymn only a few hours before his departure. Beside a Circular Letter of the Midland Association for 1765 his only publication was a Scriptural Exposition on the Baptist Catechism by way of Question and Answer which appeared in 1752. A second edition was printed in 1776. Ten years after his decease two volumes of his sermons were published and a third volume appeared in 1835. A volume of his hymns was published in 1818 entitled Hymns Adapted to Public Worship or Family Devotion Now first published from the manuscripts of the late Rev B Beddome AM With a Recommendatory Preface by the Rev R Hall AM. The volume contained 822 hymns and 8 doxologies. Of these more than fifty had appeared in Rippon's Selection and so had found their way into other collections. The most familiar of these hymns are

Did Christ o'er sinners weep

And must I part with all I have

Let party names no more

Come Holy Spirit come

Jesus my Lord my chief delight

If Christ is mine then all is mine

Prayer is the breath of God in man

God in the Gospel of his Son

Blest Comforter divine

Buried beneath the yielding wave

Of Beddome's hymns Montgomery says they are very agreeable as well as impressive being for the most part brief and pithy. A single idea, always important, often striking and sometimes ingeniously brought out not with a mere point at the end but with the terseness and simplicity of the Greek epigram constitutes the basis of each piece.

The honorary degree of AM was conferred upon Mr Beddome in 1770 by Rhode Island College now Brown University

Beddome Bibliography Yuta Seki

I should have mentioned well before now an essay in the latest Journal of Andrew Fuller Studies (Number 8; Number 9 is overdue). This is the article A resurgence of Benjamin Beddome studies: A bibliographic essay by Yuta Seki. It is very thorough and very helpful. It refers, of course, to this blog and we are glad for such publicity. (NB also articles on the Duttons and John Fawcett).