The Cirencester Association 1779

BREVIATES 

TUESDAY evening, according to appointment, the Ministers and Messengers met together, and after some time spent in prayer, Brother [William] Dore [1764-1825] was chosen Moderator; the letters from the several churches .were read, and their contents considered. The melancholy state of public affairs was taken notice of in several letters, and days of fasting and prayer recommended, as highly necessary at the present alarming crisis. This opportunity was closed by prayer.

The next morning, at six o'clock, we met again, and after spending some time in prayer, the Moderator produced the Circular Letter, which was then read, and the meeting closed by prayer

At half after ten, the public service was introduced by singing and prayer Brother [William] WILKINS prayed; Brother L[awrence] BUTTERWORTH preached from 2 Cor 3:18 "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" Brother B[enjamin] FRANCIS prayed; Brother [John] POYNTON preached from Rev 1:5, 6 "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever." Brother [Thomas] HILLER concluded by prayer. Meeting again in the evening, half after six, Brother [Thomas] SKINNER prayed; Brother [John] STEPHENS [d 1816] preached from Luke 13:29 "And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God." and closed the solemnities of the Association with prayer.

The Present STATE of the CHURCHES. 

    Added this Year.

Baptized 38

Received by Letter 5

43

 

Lost by

Death 27

Exclusion 2

Dismission 1

30

Total Increase 13

 

As our friends at Cirencesler have been at a very considerable expence in enlarging their place of worship, and to defray which are obliged to solicit the assistance of their charitable and well disposed friends, we unanimously recommend their case as highly worthy of encouragement. The next Association to be at Worcester, Tuesday and Wednesday in the Whitsun-Week. Brother BEDDOME and Brother DORE to preach; in case of failure, Brother [Joshua?] THOMAS. Put up at the UNICORN.

Clipstone, July 28, 1779

On Wednesday July 28, 1779, Beddome was one of the preachers (with Caleb Evans of Bristol) due to preach at the induction of Devonshire born Thomas Skinner (1752-1795) to the Baptist church in Clipstone, Northamptonshire. In 1783 Skinner moved on to Towcester and later to Newcastle. It appears that Beddome  had been due to preach but forewent his evening opportunity so that people could hear the 15 year old Robert Hall Junior (1764-1831).

1779 Robert Hall

In a memoir of Robert Hall prefixed to his works we read that Hall

Spent the first summer vacation after his entering the Bristol institution under the paternal roof at Arnsby; and, in the course of that residence at home, accompanied his father to some public religious service at Clipstone, a village in Northamptonshire. Mr Hall, senior, and Mr Beddome of Bourton, well known by his Hymns, and his truly valuable Sermons, were both engaged to preach. But the latter, being much struck with the appearance, and some of the remarks, of the son of his friend, was exceedingly anxious that he should preach in the evening, and proposed to relinquish his own engagement, rather than be disappointed. To this injudicious proposal, after resisting every importunity for some time, he at length yielded; and entered the pulpit to address an auditory of ministers, many of whom he had been accustomed from his infancy to regard with the utmost reverence. He selected for his text 1 John i. 5, "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all;" and, it is affirmed, treated this mysterious and awful subject with such metaphysical acumen, and drew from it such an impressive application, as excited the deepest interest.