Thomas Uppadine

In the Baptist Magazine in 1838 an obituary appeared for Rev Thomas Uppadine (b 1769), originally from Birmingham and a buckle manufacturer baptised at the end of 1787 (according to Betteridge), who had been pastor in Hammersmith. In the course of the obituary the following (incorrect) statement appears.

In 1796, Mr Uppadine succeeded the Rev Benjamin Beddome at Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire - the first place to which he was called as a stated minister. Here, as a pile of letters proves, great success attended his efforts, and the minister and his charge (or at least the major part) felt a mutual attachment, which continued long, very long, after he had ceded the pulpit to another. Shortly after the settlement of Mr U discord unhappily prevailed in the church under his care, and rendered his situation, much as he was attached to the place and people, too unpleasant to be endured. Ill fares it with a church divided into parties, opposing each other with bitterness of spirit, forgetful of that charity which suffereth long, and is kind and envieth not.
 

In the following extract from a letter written by Mr U to a friend, he describes the state of the church at Bourton thus:

"They are still divided; one is for Paul, and another for Apollos, so they remain carnal. Prayer is restrained among them; the private means are neglected, public services seem in a measure ineffectual, and I am afraid God is withdrawn, and, when God is gone, and religion is gone, and when love is suspended, it is time for the minister to retreat rather than fall a sacrifice among them."
 

It was not, however, until he felt assured that every door to his future usefulness was closed, that he determined to resign his charge: his decision was not taken rashly, or without much prayer for direction. He bore long, and forbore much, in hopes of seeing peace restored, and the spirit of pure and undefiled religion revive among them. For five years, viz, from 1790 to 1801, though in the mean time he had several invitations from other churches, did Mr U labour at Bourton, harassed in mind and spirit by the discord around him, yet not in vain; for after he had left, as numerous letters remain to testify, the seed he had sown began to spring up; and many attributed their first serious impressions to his instrumentality.

A letter appeared later as below

On The Memoir Of Rev T Uppadine

To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine,
Dear Sir,

Allow me to notice an incorrect statement in the memoir of the late Rev T Uppadine. Although a youth, I well remember him, while at Bourton, as he often visited my father, who was on very intimate terms with him.

It would be supposed from the memoir that Mr U had been the settled minister at Bourton-on-the-Water; this was not the case, nor was it ever so regarded, either by himself, or the church and congregation; his labours were continued through the successive years of his residence at Bourton, in consequence of renewed invitations at certain intervals; nor was it till after Mr U had resigned his connexion with Bourton, that the present pastor accepted the unanimous invitation of the church, to succeed in the pastorate the late Rev Benj Beddome, MA. The correction of the above, in your next number, I hope, will be deemed as desirable by the writer of the memoir, and by the church at Bourton, as by, Dear Sir,

Yours respectfully, B. S. Hall.

Shefford, Beds, Oct. 4, 1838.

Brooks says

After Mr Reed (who had been Beddome's assistant), the Rev Mr Uppadine visited Bourton, and supplied the church for a time. He came first in the summer of 1796, and in March, 1797, consented to become their pastor. Still there was no settled peace. The church was "like the troubled sea." Some had all along retained their attachment to Mr Wilkins, and in 1799, it was proposed by some of his friends, that he and Mr Uppadine should be their joint-pastors, including in their charge Bourton, Naunton and Stowe. Naunton and Stowe were consulted, when the friends at the former place made answer, that Mr Rodway having been their minister for two years, they thought it right to continue him, and not "to turn him off without any dislike, which," say they, "we should if we were to choose any other minister. As we have been comfortable, we wish to keep so." They had formerly requested that the ordinance might sometimes be administered at Naunton, and that by Mr Wilkins, both these requests had been, as they said, disannulled, and they had therefore secured the services of Mr Rodway. This project of a co-pastorate therefore failed. While acting in a separate capacity, the friends at Naunton had not been formally constituted a separate church. The following letter was therefore sent to them by the church at Bourton.

"January 2, 1801.

"dear Brethren,

"As you have after prayer and consideration, withdrawn yourselves from this church, so as not to interfere with the concerns thereof, having chosen Mr Rodway your minister and pastor, We, the members, now met together by appointment, think it our duty to send this message, not in anger, but in prudence, to let you know we no longer look on you as members with us, but to esteem you as brethren and sisters in the Lord, wishing you peace, love, and prosperity, and desiring your prayers for us."

Meanwhile, Mr Uppadine's position appears to have been not the happiest. The issue was, that he, recommended by the late Rev Abraham Booth, removed to Hammersmith.