More on Richard Haines

Mr Pickles points out that Beddome's protégé Richard Haines (d 1767) who became the minister at Bradford on Avon, unlike Beddome and other protégés did not do any formal study in preparation for the ministry as far as we know. He points out that this is probably true also of Haines' own protégés, Charles Cole (1733-1814) pastor at Whitchurch, Hampshire, for over fifty years; Robert Marshman (1735-1806) pastor at Westbury Leigh for over forty years and John Matthew. Further, Robert Parsons (1717-1790), the stone mason and pastor at Bath, though from Broadmead, was decidedly against formal ministerial training. Haines was present at meeting in 1752 and 1755 at the beginning of the history of the church in Bath. He also draws attention to something found here. There it says of Cole that

He was baptized in February 1756 and became a member of the church at Bradford. Soon after this it was apparent he possessed ministerial talents and having opportunity to exercise them in two or three villages in the neighbourhood with acceptance he was called to the work of the ministry in 1758.

Providence now opened the way for his removal from Bradford in the following manner: his Pastor having occasion to go to Devizes accidentally met with two worthy individuals who were on their way to Bristol with a view to procure a student from the academy for the church at Whitchurch. In conversation with Mr Hains the object of their journey was mentioned when Mr H suggested that Mr Cole might possibly suit the people at Whitchurch. The small pox prevailing greatly at that time at Bristol and Mr Hain's account of Mr Cole induced them to relinquish their journey on the promise of Mr H to influence Mr Cole to pay the church at Whitchurch a visit. With this engagement Mr Cole's diffidence and modesty made it difficult to comply; at length he assented and in May 1758 preached his first sermon among them and tarried six weeks which issued in an invitation to supply them a twelve month with a view to the pastoral office which he accepted; at the close of the period he was unanimously invited to take the oversight of them in the Lord and notwithstanding the low state of the church which was reduced to 13 members he undertook the charge and was ordained by Messrs Hains of Bradford, Phillips of Salisbury and Kent of Broughton June 6 1759.