In the year 1809, the portion of the Church that remained at what was then denominated the Upper Meeting, still desirous of a settled minister, chose Mr. Richard Ward, one of their number, and called him to the sacred office of pastor. Considering it desirable to his standing among the ministers, they proceeded to a public designation of him, and invited the pastors of neighbouring Churches to unite with them and recognise the mutual engagement. The usual and varied services were gone through embodying the profession of faith, the principles of Dissent, the nature of the Gospel Church, the imposition of hands, and the charge to the minister elect, with advice to the Church, in which various parties were engaged. He continued to labour among them with great acceptance until the year 1818, when the infirmities of age coming upon him, he relinquished his office. The attendance was much increased under his ministry, and several were added to the Church. It was during this period an addition was made of a gallery, which was soon filled, and an enlargement of the building rendered necessary; this was accomplished to the extent of 20 ft., its now present dimensions, rendering it capable of accommodating about 500 persons. By these alterations a heavy debt was incurred, and remained a burden until the time of the Rev. T. Sturgess, in the year 1829. Mr. Ward lived several years after his resignation, and died in 1839, full of years and faith; he was interred in the burying ground adjoining, nearly opposite the lower door.
He was followed by the Rev. Mr. Slade, a young man who was educated for the ministry at the Dissenting College at Newport Pagnell, under the Rev. Josiah Bull; and in the year 1818 was ordained according to the usual manner among the Churches of the denomination, but only continued with them till when, from an inability to please some who were fastidious, he resigned, and removed to Corsham, where he has continued ever since with comfort and honour to himself and advantage to the people of his charge. May he long continue, be made an increasing blessing, and with them richly enjoy the benediction of the Great Head of the Church.
In the following year the Rev. John Guard, then supplying Portland Chapel, Bath (a new Independent interest which it was attempted to raise to meet the wants of the extensive population of that city, but from the want of encouragement in certain quarters failed) was, from the recommendation and with the advice of the Rev. Wm. Jay, invited as a supply and, being approved of, he was requested to accept the vacant pastorate: he entered upon it in the year and continued to fill it till 1827, being constrained through the occurrence of some trying and unpleasant circumstances to relinquish his charge. Although he passed through the ordeal unscathed and with a clear conscience, yet he was much bowed down in his spirit, and felt his soul keenly sensitive, deeply lacerated. From hence he removed to Wickwar, in Gloucestershire, where he remained a few years, then went into Hampshire, where the cause being in a very low and unpromising state, and there appearing but very little prospect of its reviving, he did not remain long, but removed to Mavagessy, in Cornwall. How long he continued here is not exactly known. The next account of him is, that he returned to Overton, in Hampshire, and soon after terminated his trying pilgrimage.
The removal of this servant of the Most High had an injurious effect upon the cause. The circumstances alluded to produced a great convulsion; the Church became divided, part spake one thing and part another, these bitter waters of strife ended in a temporary separation, and those who left occupied a room near the weighing engine. The Rev. Thos. Williams, who about twenty years before had visited the town and preached in the Market Place, then residing in London, was visited by an influential member of that party, with whom he had previously become acquainted, invited to come down, and settle among them, which he did, although he afterwards much regretted that step, being, as he said, misled in the representations made to him as to the state of affairs. The pulpit at the chapel being filled by casual supplies and some of the resident friends, after about six months the breach was healed, and the two parties re-united, when Mr. Williams became the pastor of the whole body. Unhappily the calm was of a treacherous character, and the sky soon put on a very portentous and ominous appearance. The echo of discord broke upon the ear, and instead of the sweets of harmony and heavenly fellowship, a union of purpose and aim, the unhallowed conflict and strife of party domination, so uncongenial to increase of grace, became apparent; the good man’s peace of mind was destroyed, and his usefulness impaired. After remaining a little more than a year, he closed his engagements with them, and withdrew to the lower chapel. He died in the year 1835, and was buried in the ground belonging to that place. A tablet was erected within the chapel to his memory.
SECTION VIII.
Cross-roads chapel—Ebenezer chapel—Fourth pastor—Chancery suit—Debt paid—Fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth pastors—Improvements—Jubilee.
It was about this time and in some measure owing to the above proceedings that the chapel at Littleton (known as the Cross-roads meeting) was erected upon the site of a cottage and grounds purchased for that purpose, which was put in trust for the use of the Independents, and though never actually attached to the cause at Market Lavington, yet mainly dependant upon the friends of that place and occasionally supplied by the minister, its chief reliance is upon lay agency. A proposal was made to take it under the direction of the church here (in 1854), as it was thought likely to promote its success, but as opposition was made thereto by one of the trustees, the attempt was relinquished, and they are left to their own resources.
From this, in the year 1839, a party seceded and formed themselves into a distinct body embracing Baptist views, and built Ebenezer chapel upon ground given by the Earl of Radnor. They have never been able to maintain a minister, but are dependant upon lay agency.
In the year 1829, an invitation was sent to the Rev. Thomas Sturgess, then settled at Melksham, requesting him to supply the pulpit at Lavington; at the termination of his probationary visit, he was requested to settle over them. He complied and took up his abode among them. Alas! how varied are the forms of evil, and how diverse are the phases in which it can appear; just as are the dispositions of the human mind so will there be found an adaptation in error, in perfect accordance with the nature of the reptile so fitly chosen as an emblem of the author of all evil, “The serpent,” as one of our poets has expressed it, “takes a thousand forms to cheat our soul to death,” compression or dilation, the assumption of any device or colour, just as suits his purpose, so that the progress of truth be impeded. We have before noted how one after another of the servants of Christ have been constrained, by sinful perversity of their people, with wounded hearts and streaming eyes, to vacate their post; but now the scene somewhat changes, and the cause is to be assailed in a more vulnerable point. Ruin hovers over it, and how deliverance is to be obtained or from what quarter it is to come is a mystery. The debt arising from the enlargement in the time of the first pastor, and which had been suffered to continue, presses upon them, and assumes the form of a Chancery law suit: the property is attached, and the people are quite inadequate to combat it; but as all who are acquainted with law well know that as far as the defendant is concerned, it admits of no delay, but if allowed, like a leech, will glut itself with the very vitals of life. The people put forth their utmost efforts, and then made application to the Wilts Association of Independent or Congregational Churches for assistance. Having no funds available for this purpose at their disposal, they recommended the case to the Churches of Christ generally—the minister of the place travelling the county to solicit their aid. It was his privilege soon to realise the object which enabled him to discharge the debt by which the suit was stayed. He remained till 1834, when he removed to Marlborough, where he continued some time, then left for Sidmouth, and afterwards for Collumpton. In a few years he relinquished the stated ministry, and removed to the North of England. For the space of two years they remained without a shepherd, in a great measure arising from the diversity of temperament the human mind everywhere exhibits, and in no case more so than in matters of religion, especially in the democratic cast of the Dissenting Churches, which is an evil to be deplored, as too often affording to one individual the opportunity of governing a Church through the power of influence exerted over minds incompetent to a just discrimination of things; yet, when compared with the other evil resulting from the concentration of power in one individual, in the form of patronage is much to be preferred, as less likely to be injurious to truth. To the reflecting mind, the fact herein advanced will receive abundant confirmation in the diversity of creeds and professions with which the Christian world abounds, causing more animosity and heart-burning than any thing else, and from which very few Churches have escaped. During this interregnum their reliance was chiefly upon neighbouring ministers and what lay agency could be made available, which, unless judiciously employed, will of itself be productive of evil, by exalting some aspiring mind beyond his proper sphere.