Brooks on an uncommon occurrence in 1764

It has featured in this blog previously but in Thomas Brooks history of the church he concludes Chapter 5 (pp 65, 66)

We must not however suppose that Mr Beddome was surrounded by none but sympathizing friends in the church and congregation. There were those who dared to oppose and openly withstand him. Before we pass from the period of his ministry we must give one other picture not of any common occurrence but of a scene which has no parallel in the history of this church and we fancy not in that of many others at least in modern times.

Feb 25th 1764 At the desire of one or two friends Mr Beddome preached from Rev i:10 I was in the spirit on the Lord's day. He meddled with the change of the Sabbath as little as he could to do justice to his text. He did not assert that the Christian Sabbath was intended but only said that it was generally supposed to be so, assigning some reasons for it. When he had done, before singing, Jonathan Hitchman of Notgrove stood up in the face of the whole congregation and opposed him. He asked several questions and made some objections to which Mr Beddome answered but finding there was no likelihood of being an end he at length told him that his conduct was both indecent and illegal and that it was no wonder that he who had so little regard to the Lord himself as to deny his divinity and set aside his righteousness should have as little regard to his day. He replied he knew no other righteousness of Christ than obedience to his gospel to which Mr Beddome answered that Christ's righteousness was not our obedience to the gospel but his own obedience to the law. And so the dispute ended.

Great excitement must have been occasioned by this incident. Strange tales would no doubt be told of the scene at the chapel. Had we looked in on that day we might have seen the village in an uproar. Now all have passed away, let us hope that Jonathan Hitchman did not retain his mistaken views of the righteousness of Christ. Some years after, Mr Beddome, recording the death of Mrs Hitchman, says 'She was a good woman, a savoury Christian, and not at all tainted with her husband's views.'

Notgrove is only four miles west of Bopurton. Who was Jonathan Hitchman? There was a William Hitchman c 1728-1802 at Hillesley, near Wotton under edge, Gloucestershire. He was the pastor of what was then a mixed Baptist church but that later became a Particular Baptist church. Hitchman came there in 1761. He was from the seventh day Baptist church in Natton, where Philip Jones was pastor. His assistant or co-pastor in his latter years was his long serving deacon Joseph Rodway (1742-1799), father of the ministers James Rodway (d 1841) and Joseph Rodway (d 1843). The three became ministers the same day. For eight years Rodway Senior would preach in the morning and Hitchman in the evening. Hitchman kept a school in Hillesley. One of his pupils was the Independent minister, Charles Buck (1771-1815). Was Jonathan his son or more likely brother. (William was only 34 in 1764).