From the 1786 letter from Bourton to the Association

Thomas Brooks includes this

In 1786 the Association met at Alcester, and Mr. Beddome, for the church, wrote as follows,

BELOVED IN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST,

“Our harps still hang upon the willows, for though God once smiled on us, and we sensibly experienced his quickening and comforting presence, he now frowns, and we mournfully complain with the Prophet, “Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself.' In the years 1763 and 1764 we had thirty members added to our community, and thirteen and in the year 1766, but since that we have been upon the decline. So that from 170 we are diminished to about 100 members, none being added, but two removed during the past year. We have once and again mentioned our flattering prospects; but the prisoners, though, we trust, prisoners of hope, don't manifest an inclination to go forth and shew themselves. Notwithstanding this, which is indeed matter of lamentation (and we hope you will sympathize with us, and spread our case before the Lord), yet we have reason to be thankful that our auditory keeps up surprisingly.

Stokes's Chronological events

In William Stokes' History of the Midland Association of Baptist Churches he has a list of chronological events. Here is the list up to the year of Beddome's death.

CHRONOLOGICAL EVENTS.

The following Remarks, &c. were intended for a column in the foregoing Chronological Table, but the want of space prevented that arrangement. The author was advised not to suppress them,—-he 

therefore gives them in the somewhat dissociated form below. 

1762 Middleton Cheney joined—John Pyne, pastor at Shrewsbury. 

1763 Cannon-street chapel, Birmingham, enlarged for the first time. 

1764 Mr. L. Butterworth came to Bengworth—Covenant adopted at Bromsgrove. 

1765 Dudley joined. - [John] MacGowan, [1726-1780] author of the “Dialogue of Devils," one  of the preachers this year. He was supplying at Bridgenorth.

1766 Eighteen associated churches—Association held at Hook Norton for the first time. 

1767 James Kettilby died, aged 71, preacher at Bewdley 50 years.

1768 Decrease 5.—-L. Butterworth ordained at Bengworth after four years' probation. 

1769 Mr. Poynting's Sermon printed by the Association, the first thus honoured

1770 Leicester left.— P. Jones died, 30 years pastor Upton on Severn

1771 Mr. J. Willis settled at Upton. Death of Dr. Gill, aged 73

1772 Sutton-in-the-Elms left to join the Northampton Association.

1773 Church members at Bewdley, l2.—-Mr. John Sandys pastor at Shrewsbury. 

1774 Members at Cannon-street, Birmingham, 112.—Second time of holding the Association at Bengworth. 

1775 Brettel Lane joined -— Association held at Dudley for the first time.

1776 Cannon-street, Birmingham, 140 members—Association held at Tewkesbury for the tenth time. 

1777 Cirencester joined—Association at Birmingham, the fourth time.

1778 Robert Hall entered at Bristol College, 15 years of age.

1779 Mr. J Stennet, minister at Warwick.—Association held at Cirencester for the first time. 

1780 Decrease 7. Died this year, aged 54, Mr. Turner, pastor of Cannon-street, Birmingham, for 25 years. 

1781 Mr. Stephens pastor at Upton. - Baptists in Birmingham as one to 385 of the whole population. 

1782 Middleth Cheney left — Agreed to have an Association Book, to be kept by L. Butterworth. 

1783 Darkhouse church formed — Mr. P. Reece settled at Warwick.

1784 .Darkhouse joined the Association — Preaching by Baptists commenced at Willenhall. 

1785 Church formed at Needless Alley, (now Bond-street) Birmingham.

1786 Needless Alley, with 50 members, joined the Association — Thomas Edmonds called to the ministry, at Cannon-St, Birmingham. 

1787 Cannon~Street members 235. — First Baptist meeting-house opened at Willenhall. 

1788 Byeford admitted — T. Smith, and Joshua Bissell, ordained joint pastors of the Darkhouse, Coseley. 

1789 B. Beddome’s last appearance at the Association.— Mr. [Henry] Taylor, pastor at Cannon-Street, Birmingham, resigned, and was succeeded by Samuel Pearce.

1790 S. Pearce ordained at Cannon-Street, Birmingham, August 18. - The6 Association resolved, that “No church to be admitted or retained, but such as agree with the doctrines of the Association."

1791 Robert Hall, of Arnsby, died March 13, aged 63.- Sermon on the oppressive, etc, tendency of the Test, etc, Acts, by Samuel Pearce, February 21.

1792 Willenhall admitted.— Baptist Mission formed at Kettering, Oct. 2. First Public collection ever made for the Baptist Mission, was made at Birmingham, £70 collected.

1793 The Coppice received — Day of fasting and prayer appointed on account of the alarming state of the nation — March 20, J. Thomas and W. Carey ordained missionaries to the East Indies.

1794 Shifnal received — Derby spoken of as an “infant interest."

1795 Beddome, for 55 years pastor at Bourton, died September 3 aged 79. - A day of fasting and prayer appointed.-—A meeting of the Committee of the Baptist Mission in Birmingham, when 

Messrs. [Jacob] Grigg and [John] Rodway were designated Missionaries to Africa, September 16. 

1796 Wolverhampton received. - J[ohn] Palmer ordained at Shrewsbury.- J[ohn] Wilson ordained at Warwick.

Exposition of the Catechism commended

This paragraph is found in

An Exhortation to the Religious Education of Children: being a circular letter from the Elders and Messengers of the several Baptist Churches, meeting at Aulcester [and elsewhere, i.e. the Midland Association] ... met in association at Bromsgrove ... June 11 and 12, 1783. Prepared by James Butterworth. [Republished by the Philadelphia Baptist Association, together with the circular letter of the Baltimore Baptist Association for 1795 on "strong and weak faith," written by John Davis.]

Train up your children in the knowledge of all the doctrines and duties of the Chriſtian religion. They who neglect this, neglect one great part of their duty in the education of their children. As the gospel is the greatest blessing mankind is favored with in this world, it is the duty of every parent to train up his children in the knowledge oſ it, to the utmost of his power. To this end, teach your children the Catechism, which contains a summary of the Christian religion. Take care that this short compendium be well fixed in their minds, memories and judgments. Furnish them with proper reaſons and arguments ſor what they are taught to believe and practise. Get Mr. Beddome's Exposition of the Catechism, and make them read it over once every month through the year. This, with a divine blessing, will prove an excellent method to ground your children in all the fundamentals oſ religion, and make them "wise unto salvation, through ſaith in Christ Jesus;" which is the hearty, sincere desire oſ your brethren in our dear Lord.

Letter to the Association 1789

This is the letter to the association written by Beddome and his church officers in 1789

To the Ministers and Messengers of the several Baptist Churches designing

to meet in Association at Evesham on the Tuesday and Wednesday maj

The Church of Christ meeting at Burton on the Water holding the Doctrines

usually specified in your annual Letter wisheth Grace Mercy and Peace from

God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ/

Dearly beloved Brethren
How swift the Revolutions of Time! How soon hath another Year

taken its Flight and left scarcely the shadow of a Trace behind!

Since your last annual Assembly We have gone through a Variety of Changes

with some light Afflictions and Experiences, Multitudes of Mercies met; but

alass how faint are the Impressions made, how soon how easily have they been

eras'd! Yet the same God who gave us Liberty to write then renews it now,

which we would regard as a wonderful Instance of his Patience, Longsuffering

Tenderness and Compassion, considering our neglect a??g provoking Carriage

towards him - We survive the Funeral of many of our Christian Friends,

other churches have lost their dear pastors and are yet unprovided, ours

is continued; and though aged and infirm, is not totally incapacitated and

laid aside: Other Churches have been convuls'd, and almost torn in pieces

by Divisions, Ours enjoys a considerable Measure of Peace; though that oneness

of Heart which is the great ornament of Christianity is too much wanting.

Our Number is neither diminished; nor increas'd; one being added by Baptism

and a very aged Member remov'd by Death - In a Word Luke warm as for

Barrenness, inward Darkness and that though the Children are are brought to

the Birth there is not strength to bring forth, have long bene and still are

the Subjects of our Complaint. Will you pray earnestly to God for us, and may

he hear for his Name's sake and for his Son's sake.

To draw to a Close - as we trust in this yearly Meeting you are

animated with a desire of promoting your own mutual Edification, the

Welfare of the associated Church, and the Glory of God We devoutly

wish you the divine Presence and Influence both in the publick Assembly and

your Private Conferences not being left to a jejeune and trifling Spirit, which

both often render'd such opportunities unpleasant and uninviting.

We sadly feel that a Spirit of error is creeping into some of the Churches,

and that where the Doctrines of the Gospel are not totally rejected

their Importance is not properly attended to: a Word therefore concerning

this in your circular Letter may perhaps be a Word in Season,

And now may the eternal Spirit of God, the Spirit of Life, Love, Peace and

Holiness preside in your Councils, and rule in your Hearts; preserving you

both from carnal contentions and frothy conversation; so that the messengers

of the Churches may be the Glory of Christ, thus pray

Your Brothers in Gospel Bonds

Signed at our Church Meeting May 31st 1789

Benjamin Beddome

James Ashwin

Edward Reynolds

Thomas Cresser

Wm Palmer

Rich Dolby

Joshua Perry

Wm Collett

Samuel Fox

Not knowing whether our Pastor oppress'd as

he is with Infirmities will be able to give

You his Company we have appointed our beloved

Deacon James Ashwin and Wm Palmer

our Messengers on this Occasion.

[The association was in Evesham and apparently Beddome did go. It was to be his last. He preached on Philippians 4:3].

Circular letter 1765

One of Beddome's few literary pieces was the "Circular Letter Of The Midland Association For The Year 1765". Here it is as reproduced in "The Primitive Church Magazine" in 1860.

 

The Circular Letter of the Elders and Messengers of the several Baptist Churches, meeting at Aulcester, Bewdley, Bengeworth, Birmingham, Bourton (on the water), and Stow (in the Wold), Bridgnorth, Bromsgrove, Hook-norton, Leicester, Leominster, Middleton-Cheney, Pershore, Sutton, Tewkesbury, Upton (on Severn), Warwick and Worcester; met in Association at Bourton-on-the-water, the 14th and 15th of August, 1765, and maintaining the doctrines of free grace, in opposition to Arminianism and Socinianism; and the necessity of good works, in opposition to Libertinism and real Antinomianism.

To the several churches they represent, wish a fullness of grace and spiritual consolation.

Dearly Beloved And Longed-for in Christ Jesus,— In the close of this, our annual convention, we with gratitude reflect upon the goodness of God towards us and can with pleasure inform you that our assembling together has been attended with fervent cries to the Almighty on your behalf, and, we hope, productive of some real advantage to our own souls. The spirit of prayer has, we trust in some degree been poured forth, accompanied with a humble sense of our sins and infirmities, our wants and necessities, and a thankful remembrance of Divine mercies.

Now that the profits of our meeting might not be confined to, or terminate in ourselves, we would, according to custom, tender you our cordial and affectionate advice, earnestly intreating that it might be received with a temper of mind suited to its nature and importance, and be productive of effects equal to our most ardent wishes and sanguine expectations.

Look well, then, to the foundation upon which you are built, and seriously and frequently examine your state Godward. See that you lay Christ at the bottom of your religion, as the support of it; that you place him at the top of it, as its glory; and that you make him the centre of it, to unite all its parts, and add beauty and vigour to the whole. Remember that growth in Christianity is growth in the knowledge of Christ. Seek that sorrow, that peace, that holiness, that establishment, which flow from Christ; let all your duties begin and end in Christ; for, as the great Dr Owen observes, "to take up mercy, pardon, and forgiveness, absolutely on the account of Christ, and then to yield all obedience in the strength of Christ, and for the love of Christ, is the life of a true believer." (On Psalm 130 in Volume 6). As Christ is the sum and substance of experimental, so he is the spring and source of practical religion; and the spiritual improvement of his blood by faith is as necessary for our sanctification and comfort, as the shedding of it was for our justification and acceptance with God.

Take heed lest your hearts be at any time hardened, through the deceitfulness of sin. One corruption favoured and indulged, has sometimes made dreadful havoc, even in the gracious soul. Take care of pride, passion, censoriousness, unmercifulness, and especially that inordinate affection to the things of this world, which, as it is an hindrance to duty, so oftentimes draws a cloud over the Christian's evidences, and fixes an indelible blot upon his character in the eyes of carnal men. A citizen of heaven should be a stranger upon earth.

Remember that where there is no relative religion, there is no real religion. Let your deportment, then, towards your children and servants, be grave, and yet pleasant; your instructions solemn, and yet plain; your prayers with and for them pertinent, and suited to their case; and your whole behaviour amiable and endearing. Moroseness and severity, even when attended with real piety, throw a gloomy aspect upon the ways of God, and have a discouraging influence, especially upon young persons. Bear with us, if we add one more direction under this head: - take care of stretching out family worship to an unreasonable length, or performing it unseasonably. Let it not be deferred too late in the morning, lest your hearts should be engaged in the hurries of business, and entangled with the cares of the world; nor put it off till the last thing in the evening, lest you should be overcome with drowsiness, and thus yawn out a prayer, instead of groaning out one.

Endeavour to maintain a reverential awe of God upon your minds, and be in his fear all the day long; which fear is not only consistent with an ardent love to, and steady dependence upon him, but will be an antidote against temptation, a preventive of hypocrisy, and give life, seriousness, and spirituality to all your religious duties; for to serve God in a formal and customary manner, is not to serve, but to mock him. Enter into your closets, as seeing him that is invisible; place yourselves in the assembly, as under his immediate inspection; and when called out upon particular occasions to be a mouth for others, seek not so muck the applause of men, as the testimony of your own conscience and the approbation of God.

Be just and honest in your dealings; impose not upon the ignorance or credulity of any; rather suffer by others than let them be sufferers by you; injure not your neighbour in any of his rights or possessions; make his interest your own; and what you would think it reasonable for him to do, that in a like case do to him. Nothing has ever brought a greater reproach upon Christianity than the tricking and fraudulent practices of those who are professors of it. (Footnote by 19th century editor: In this Arminian age, an indifference to practical godliness, and even common morality is frequently charged upon the advocates of free-grace gospel, or what is more popularly called Calvinism. Let those who are so forward to bring such a charge, furnish, if they can a purer morality than the above. Or, if they prefer it, let them compare the morality of modern England and its fashionable Arminianism with the state of public morals when a Calvinistic theology was the prevalent belief. Comparison would cover with a blush the cheek of many an admirer of religion based upon "the march of liberal ideas".) Attend, then, our dear friends, to that most excellent advice of the apostle Paul: "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things."

Be strict in observing the weekly day of rest, and, not content with attending upon public worship, let it be the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings. Keep your children and servants much under your eye; insist upon their remembering something of what they have heard; put them upon reading the Scriptures; what is above their capabilities explain to them; and close the day with recommending them to God.

We would rejoice in that peace and harmony which prevail amongst the churches in general: do all that you can consistent with truth and a good conscience, for their preservation. Sacrifice private and personal interests for the public good. Endeavour after an intimate acquaintance, and keep up a Christian correspondence one with another. Walk in love, bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. In a word, labour, like the primitive Christians, to be of one heart and one soul, and let the communion of saints, which is a fundamental article of your faith, be a delightful put of your experience.

Be entreated frequently to look back to your first setting out in the ways of religion. Search your hearts, and pray to God to search them. Be not contented with the form of godliness without the power—a new name without a new nature—titular sanctity without real piety - an outward profession without a holy conversation; for if, like the foolish virgins, you want oil in your vessels, when like them, you seek to enter, the door will be shut. To conclude: carefully distinguish between the means and the end: bless God for a gospel ministry, but do not rest in it; practise duties, but do not depend upon them; attend upon ordinances, but be not satisfied with them, to Christ be the glory of your religion, and then your religion will be the glory of Christ.

Need any motives be added to enforce these exhortations? Are they not evidently calculated for your own advantage. By these things men live: in all these is the life of your spirit, and we are persuaded that a due attention to them will contribute to your increasing comfort and more extensive usefulness.

To live by faith on Christ is the most sweet and delightful, to live to the glory of God the most becoming and honourable, life in the world. "It is our low, loose, unequal walking in religion," says one, "that makes the sense of God's love, peace with God, and evidence for eternal life, so rare a thing amongst us." (D Rogers of Wethersfield)

And now may the adorable and everblessed Jehovah come leaping over the mountains of your sins and iniquities, and visit you with his salvation. May he pour down, in an abundant measure, his Holy Spirit upon you. May he bless and keep you, lift up the light of his countenance upon you, and be gracious unto you. Under his Divine influence, may you stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, and be strong. Forgetting the things that are behind, may you press towards them that are before, and labour that, whether present or absent, living or dying, in the flesh or out of it, prostrate before the throne of God's grace here, or standing before the throne of his judgment hereafter, you might be accepted of him. Finally, brethren, farewell: be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. Thus desire and pray your affectionate brethren and servants for Jesus' sake,

(Signed on behalf of the whole Assembly, by the Moderator) John Ash, Bourton, Aug. 16, 1765.

Calendar of Letters 03

Letter 41

On (Sunday) May 31, 1789, the church at Bourton-on-the-Water wrote to the Association meeting at Evesham.

It begins with "Greetings". It says that the Bourton Church "enjoys a measure of peace ... though Oneness of Heart is too much wanting." It complains that "the Spirit of Error is creeping into some of the churches, and that where the great doctrines of the Gospel are not totally rejected their importance is not properly attended to" and asks the Association to face this in their Circular·Letter.

The letter is signed by Beddome (who was ill), with James Ashwin, Edward Reynolds, Thomas Cressor, William Palmer, Richard Dalby, Joshua Parry, William Collett and Samuel Fox.

POTP 10

Chapter 4 Continued

The new chapel appears to have been opened in August, 1765. In that year the Association met at Bourton, and as the new chapel would not be ready at Whitsuntide it was agreed to defer the meeting to Wednesday, August 14th. In the letter to the Association on that occasion, the church says,

"'Tis with pleasure we think of seeing your faces once more in the flesh, and though the unfinished state of our place of worship, and the difficulty of providing suitable accommodation for you in a country village, are some damps to our joy, yet, hoping that your great Lord and Master will make up in spiritual delights what is wanting in outward convenience, we bid you heartily welcome."

Wednesday, August 14th, 1765, became a red letter-day in the memory of the "Saints and faithful brethren" at Bourton. And the interest attaching to it, spread far and wide. There were but 14 churches in the Association, but there was twice that number of ministers present. There were the Rev Messrs Tommerson, of Cheshire; [James] Sleep, of Eisborough; [Benjamin] Wallin, of London; [William] Stanger, of Towcester; [Thomas] Davis, of Fairford; Thomas, of Henley-in-Arden; [John] Knight, of Warwick; [James] Turner, of Birmingham; [John] Ash, of Pershore; Jones, of Upton; [Samuel] George, of Wantage; Darby, of Witney; [Nathaniel] Overbury, of Tedbury; [Benjamin] Francis, of Horsley; [Thomas] Ferriby, of Sodbury; [John] Macgowan, of Bridgenorth; [Lawrence] Butterworth, of Bengeworth; [Thomas] Skinner, of Alcester; [Isaac] Woodman, of Sutton; [Nathaniel] Carpenter, of Middleton Cheney; [William] Hitchman, of Hilsley; [John?] Davis, of Campden; Caleb Evans, of Bristol; [James] Butterworth, of Bromsgrove; [Joshua] Thomas, of Leominster; [John] Heydon, of Tewksbury; [Benjamin] Whitmore, of Hooknorton; besides Beddome, Reynolds, and Strange, of Bourton. This was no mean gathering for a country village, in an age when railways were unknown. And there was a large congregation of hearers, as well as a great company of preachers. Good Mr Beddome says, that in addition to vehicles of all other kinds, "there were eleven or twelve post-chaises at our Association," clearly indicating that some had come from places not very near to Bourton.
The period of 30 years, from 1765 to 1795, is not destitute of interest, but, unhappily, the interest of those years is mostly of the mournful kind. The state of things in the country was gloomy and depressing. The price of bread was frightfully high, the result of war and deficient harvests. The poor were familiar with privation and suffering, the bare recital of which makes both our ears to tingle.
The very cattle seem to have been visited with unusual disease. Year after year days were set apart for solemn prayer and fasting.
The fasting, indeed, was no new or novel thing to some who engaged in these services. Many such things wore with them, and must have been still more, but for the alms given on these occasions. At Bourton chapel, there was invariably a collection for the poor on the solemn fast-day, and the proceeds were distributed principally in money, but some were supplied only with a shilling loaf. Auspicious day, that brought a shilling loaf at nightfall!
But there were "greater things than these," trials more fiery, sorrows more huge. "The ways of Zion mourned." Not that the congregation was "minished and brought low," but the church declined. Few, very few, were added during these years. During the period of 31 years, viz, from 1765 to 1795, both inclusive, there were 16 years in which not a single soul was added to the church by baptism. It was so in the years 1765, 1766, 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, 1775, 1777, 1783,1786, 1790, 1791, 1793, 1794, and 1795. It will be seen that there was one period of five years without a single baptism, viz, from 1768, to 1772.
The letters to the Association during this period were most mournful; year after year hope was expressed, until "hope deferred made the heart sick." In 1786 the Association met at Alcester, and Mr Beddome, for the church, wrote as follows

"Beloved In Our Lord Jesus Christ,
"Our harps still hang upon the willows, for though God once smiled on us, and we sensibly experienced his quickening and comforting presence, he now frowns, and we mournfully complain with the Prophet, 'Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself.' In the years 1763 and 1764 we had thirty members added to our community, and thirteen in the year 1766, but since that we have been upon the decline. So that from 170 we are diminished to about 100 members, none being added, but two removed during the past year. We have once and again mentioned our flattering prospects; but the prisoners, though, we trust, prisoners of hope, don't manifest an inclination to go forth and shew themselves. Notwithstanding this, which is indeed matter of lamentation (and we hope you will sympathize with us, - and spread our case before the Lord), yet we have reason to be thankful that our auditory keeps up surprisingly.''

During the whole period of 31 years, 53 persons were added to the church by baptism, six were received by letter from other churches, 105 were removed by death, 12 were dismissed to other churches, and two were excluded for immorality.
The result was, that in the year 1795 the church consisted of 123 members: just 60 less than in the year 1764.

Midland Association 03 Chart

 Click to see

Midland Association 02 Map

This map shows the mainly Midland towns where the

Midland Baptist Association met in Beddome's time.