Memorials of the Independent Churches in Northamptonshire / with biographical notices of their pastors, and some account of the puritan ministers who laboured in the county.

by Thomas Coleman

CHAPTER XII.

MEMORIALS OF THE INDEPENDENT CHURCH AT LONG BUCKBY.

The populous village of Long Buckby, containing more than 2600 inhabitants, has a neat and commodious Independent Chapel, capable of seating about 700 hearers, with convenient school-rooms, and a respectable dwelling-house for the minister. Previous to the erection of the present building there was an old Chapel, which had stood for many years in another situation; but it is much to be regretted in this case, as in some others, that no accounts have been preserved of the origin or early history of this Church.

Before the year 1662, when Mr. Richard Allen, who became one of the ejected ministers, preached in the parish Church of Norton, a short distance from this village, amongst other places mentioned from which hearers came to attend on his ministry, there were some from Long Buckby; but whether it was very soon after the ejectment of their favourite preacher that they sought the ministration of the Nonconformists in this place we have no account. The earliest notice we find of an Independent minister at Long Buckby is in the account of the ordination of Mr. Tingey, at Northampton, in 1709, when a Mr. Jackson, minister at Long Buckby, was present. In the account which Mr. Sanders, one of the pastors of the Church at Kettering, gives of his ordination, as preserved in the records of that Church, which took place November 23, 1721, he states—"Mr. Cartwright, of Buckby, began with prayer, and prayed well." This proves to us that there was a Mr. Cartwright, a Dissenting minister, at Buckby, 131 years ago. Again, we find his signature attached to the certificate of Mr. Hextal's ordination at Creaton in 1738, which shows us that his ministry extended over some considerable period in this place. He was also engaged in the ordination of Mr. J. Heywood, at Potterspury, in 1740.

As a further memorial of him, we have discovered a very old upright gravestone in the Churchyard of Long Buckby, erected to his memory. With some considerable difficulty we deciphered the inscription, which states concisely his age, the time of his death, and the character he bore.

In memory
of the Rev. Mr. Thomas Cartwright,
who died April 13th, 1744, aged 57;
having by a diligent, faithful, and humble discharge
of the various duties of the Christian and
ministerial life,
obtained a good report of all men,
and of the truth itself;
being most highly esteemed of those
by whom he was most intimately known.

Mr. Cartwright left a widow, who survived him thirty-nine years.

The next pastor of this Church was a Mr. Walker, but of his life or ministry we find no records preserved.

Mr. Richard Denny became pastor of this Church in 1763, and continued his labours for nearly forty years. During his ministry the present Meeting House was built, in 1771; and in one part of that ministry a remarkable revival of religion took place, followed by permanent results of the most important kind. He was the last surviving student of Dr. Doddridge, for whom he retained to his last day the strongest affection. He survived until the year 1813, when he died at the age of nearly 90 years, having been disabled from regular public service for almost twenty years.

Mr. Denny was born at Barby, a small village in Northamptonshire. Having pious parents, he was from a child the subject of religious impressions. Serving an apprenticeship at Lutterworth, the preaching of the Gospel he heard there deepened and ripened these impressions, so that he was led at an early age to make a solemn dedication of himself to God as his Creator and Redeemer.

He was recommended to an eligible mercantile situation in the metropolis; but a peculiar coincidence of circumstances rendered his application unsuccessful, and, as he had long felt a great desire to devote himself to the work of the ministry, and that desire having been confirmed by his attendance while in London on the labours of Mr. Whitefield, the sacred flame of holy zeal was so enkindled in his breast, that from an ardent concern to honour his Saviour in the conversion of sinners, he now consecrated himself to this work. Being introduced to the notice of Dr. Doddridge, he kindly and cordially received him under his tuition. Though there was a great disparity between him and his tutor in talents and acquirements, yet there was a great resemblance in Christian affection, holy zeal, and ardent piety; and such was his regard to the "dear Doctor," as he generally styled him, that he often mentioned his name and his excellencies with the tear glistening in his eye.

He was placed in two situations as minister after leaving the academy before he came to reside at Long Buckby; but here was the scene of the largest portion of his ministerial life, his labour, and his success; and at one particular time, as we have hinted, he was honoured with what was considered as remarkable success. He had been repeatedly complaining of the want of a blessing on his labours, and was greatly discouraged; but he wrestled hard, to use his own expression, by fervent and constant prayer, for a blessing to attend his efforts, and his great Master heard the voice of his supplication. There was an extraordinary revival in the congregation at large; many were awakened to the most serious concern about their everlasting interests; and in the course of two or three years about forty members were added to the Church.

After he had resigned his charge, in consequence of advancing years, he set an attractive example of piety and holy consistency; his lively and spiritual conversation was rendered useful to many. In his intercourse with Christian friends he manifested the supporting and cheering influence of religion under the infirmities of age, affording the most pleasing evidence of its reality and power. He was so remarkable for his kind and affectionate disposition, that he was often compared to the apostle John. He could converse on divine subjects to the last, when his frame was enfeebled and his mental powers weakened. Dr. Watts' Hymns were his constant companions; and those sentiments in them which appear almost too seraphic for common minds, exactly suited the element in which he lived. In his last hours he said, "I shall soon see the blessed, blessed Redeemer, and the dear Doctor Doddridge." When he could no longer speak, he intimated a wish that his finger might be placed on a particular verse in Watts' Hymns. This is the language in which he wished to express the sentiments and feelings of his soul, when his lips could no longer move—

"Dearest of all the names above,
My Jesus and my God,
Who can resist thy heavenly love,
Or trifle with thy blood?"

He died April 13th, 1813, and his remains were interred in the Meeting House he had been the means of erecting, and near the pulpit he had so long and so usefully filled. Six neighbouring ministers attended his funeral, and one of them, Mr. Gronow, of Weedon, delivered an affecting and suitable address on the occasion. The following Sabbath the funeral sermon was preached by his successor, Mr. D. Griffiths, to a very crowded audience, from Rev. xiv. 13: "And I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them."

The immediate successor of Mr. Denny was Mr. Mosely, who came from Atherstone to Buckby, continued here about eight years, and then removed to Hanley, in Staffordshire. It was during the ministry of Mr. Mosely that the present dwelling-house was built for the minister.

Mr. Daniel Griffiths was the next pastor of the Church; he commenced his stated ministry at Buckby March 27th, 1803, and was ordained the 17th of November following, when Mr. Anthony, of Bedford, began the service by prayer and reading the Scriptures; Mr. Horsey, of Northampton, delivered the introductory discourse, asked the questions, and received the confession of faith; Mr. Denny, the former pastor, offered the ordination prayer; Mr. Toller, of Kettering, gave the charge, from 1st Tim. iv. 13-16; Mr. Gill, of Harborough, addressed the people, from Deut. i. 38; Mr. Knight and Mr. Morrell were engaged in the devotional parts of the service; and Mr. Cox, of Clipstone, preached in the evening, from Matt. vi. 33.

The ministry of Mr. Griffiths was continued in this place for thirty-nine years. In the year 1819, the congregation having much increased, the Chapel was considerably enlarged, and a fourth gallery erected, at an expense of more than £300, which was cheerfully defrayed by the people. At the re-opening of the Chapel in September, the late Mr. Toller, of Kettering, preached, and it is supposed to have been the last time that he officiated out of his own pulpit. Mr. Robertson, then of Stretton, in Warwickshire, "preached," observes Mr. Griffiths, "a noble sermon in the evening, from 'All souls are mine.'"

In the year 1825 a new and commodious school-room was erected, by means of a legacy of £50 left by Mr. David Ashby for that purpose; the remainder of the cost being defrayed by the relatives of Mr. Ashby.

Mr. Griffiths resigned his charge on the 19th of December, 1841. He still survives, and, with the remaining strength of declining life, is able to preach once on the Sabbath to assist his son, who is minister at Cannock, in Staffordshire.

After the resignation of Mr. Griffiths, the congregation was supplied for some time chiefly by the students from Spring Hill College; but at length an invitation was given to Mr. Apperly, from Blackburn Academy, who entered on his pastoral duties on the 2nd of October, 1842.

The ministry of Mr. Apperly continued for about ten years. We regret to state that the congregation did not remain in a united or prosperous state; and on the 4th of July, 1852, Mr. Apperly resigned and emigrated to Australia. His friends, as a token of their regard, made him a present of thirty guineas before his departure.

The present number of communicants is near 50. There are 100 children in the Sabbath-schools.

The interest of £230, and the rent of a small close of land, amounting in the whole to about £17 per annum, belong to the place towards the support of the minister for the time being.

A village containing the population there is in Long Buckby, with everything convenient for the worship of God, the ministry of the word, and the instruction of the young, in the commodious Chapel and school-rooms, presents an interesting sphere of labour; and we hope to hear that this cause again revives and extends, under the labours of a devoted and successful pastor.

Mr. F. Evans, of Ulverston, Lancashire, has accepted an invitation to the pastoral office, and was to commence his stated labours here October 31st, 1852.

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