10 works by Particular Baptists against Priestley's unitarianism

Ellen Sharples, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

1. John Butterworth (1727-1803) A serious address to the Rev Dr Priestley 1790
2. Lawrence Butterworth Thoughts on mora government and agency 1792
3. Caleb Evans (1737-1791) An Address to the Serious and Candid Professors of Christianity 1772, 1773
4. Caleb Evans (1737-1791) Christ Crucified: Or the Scripture Doctrine of the Atonement 1789
5. John Fawcett (1740-1817) The Christian's humble plea for his God and Saviour, a poem in answer to several pamphlets latey published by Dr Priestley 1772
6. Benjamin Francis (1734-1799) The Socinian Champion or Priestleyan divinity 1788
7. Andrew Fuller (1754–1815) The Calvinistic and Socinian Systems examined and compared, as to their Moral Tendency 1793
8. John MacGowan (1726-1780) Socinianism brought to the test 1773
9. Samuel Rowles (1743-1820) Remaks on Dr Priestley's Letters 1784
10. Samuel Rowles (1743-1820) Revealed religion asserted 1786

Reference to Beddome's Father by Benjamin Francis

Beddome's contemporary Benjamin Francis wrote many elegies. In 1791 he wrote one cclebrating Caleb Evans. Near the beginning he speaks of the muse and one who ...

… 'Midst kindred graves she spends her cloudy days;
The Father's first, the Son's she next surveys:
Down, down she gazes on the dear remains,
That sweetly sleep where lasting silence reigns.
Near by their side, her worthy NEWTON lies,
NEWTON the meek, the amiable, the wise,
With learned FOSKETT, humble, grave, and kind,
And gifted BEDDOME of a pious mind.
The Sire and Son the muse had long enjoy'd
As bosom friends, in friendly deeds employ'd: ...

The references are to Bristol College teachers Hugh Evans (1712-1781), Caleb Evans (1737-1791), James Newton (1733-1790), Bernard Foskett (1685-1758) and John Beddome (1674-1757).

10 things the same about Wallin, Beddome and Francis

1. All three were Particular Baptists

2. All three were Strict Baptists

3. All three were sons of the manse

4. All three served in only one place

6. All three ministered for over forty years

7. All three were hymn writers

8. All three were published authors

9. All three were awarded an MA by Rhode Island College (later Brown University)

10. All three were called Benjamin and were in Bourton in August 1765

10 Eighteenth Century Baptist Hymn Writers

1. Anne Steele
2. Benjamin Beddome
3. Benjamin Francis
4. Benjamin Wallin
5. Daniel Turner
6. John Fawcett
7. John Rippon
8. John Ryland Jr
9. Robert Robinson
10. Samuel Medley

John Heskins

In an article on The Morgans of Birmingham found here, F W Butt-Thompson says that John Heskins had a long connection with the Baptist Church at NaiIsworth. His son, John, married Sophia, the daughter of Benjamin Francis, pastor at Nailsworth for 42 years, and a hymn-writer whose work was then well known. Sophia was born 1784. The marriage was childless and Mary died in her early twenties. Francis' other daughter, Catherine Holbrow, married a minister, Thomas Flint, and lived to the age of 67.

He also says that an apprentice of John Heskins was one of the sons of Benjamin Beddome, of Bourton-on-the-Water.

Heskins, like his father before him, a clothier, was a deacon in Nailsworth. Heskins Senior served in that capacity for 50 years. The father at one time ran Nailsworth Mills.
John Heskins Senior was born c 1731 and died 1813. He married married Hannah Horwood in 1755 and she died in 1772. No children are recorded from this marriage.
He married Mary Bliss in 1775 and had four children - John junior, and three girls, Mary, Sarah and Hannah.
Hannah  married Abraham Flint and died of complications during her first preganancy.
Sarah married Edward Barnard and had numerous children but the male line died with John in 1838 when he had reached the age of 59.

Beddome and Francis Similarites

1. Both were called Benjamin
2. Both were Particular Baptists
3. Both trained at Bristol for some time
4. Both were pastors in Gloucestershire
5. Both served in only one large church to which people came from all around
6. Both resisted calls to churches in London and elsewhere
7. Both were sons of the manse
8. Both were competent hymn writers
9. Both served long pastorates of more than 50 and 40 years
10. Both were honoured with MA degrees from Providence, Rhode Island, later Brown University