In 1893 the Chapel was thoroughly restored, at a cost of £80; the interior being modernised, the walls painted, the old high pews removed and replaced by neat seats, the old box-shaped pulpit taken down, and a rostrum and platform erected. There is a good organ, with special seats for the choir.
We may add that the Baptists are now a very numerous and influential body. At the Baptist World Conference, held at Exeter Hall, London, July 10 and following days, 1905, the first ever held as an united community, Dr. Maclaren of Manchester presiding, a message was received from the King and Queen, thanking for a loyal address from the Conference. The President also stated that he had informally received a greeting of good will from the Established Church, as well as from the Free Churches.
On that occasion ministers and delegates attended from various parts of Great Britain and the Colonies, from America, France, and other countries. A meeting was held under “The Reformer’s Tree,” in Hyde Park, Miss Burroughs, a coloured lady, being on the platform, also Mr. Britto, a coloured vocalist, and the singing being led by a coloured choir. The President, Dr. Clifford of London, stated that there were present 4,000 delegates, from all parts of the world, representing some seven millions of Baptists, [85b] and 5,700,000
communicants; but besides these there are 14 or 15 millions of “adherents” to the cause, so that the whole body numbers over 20 millions.
The Rev. W. E. Pearson was appointed August, 1905, but left in Feb., 1907, to pursue his studies at college.
THE NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH.
The Croft Street Chapel, or New Jerusalem Church, is both structurally and intellectually, the most recent developement of Nonconformity in Horncastle. The founder of this community was a personality so remarkable that it may be well here to give a brief sketch of him.
Emanuel Swedenborg, son of a Lutheran bishop, was born at Stockholm, in 1689. During more than the first half of his life he was distinguished as a hard worker in the field of science, and from his many clever inventions, and valuable public services, he was ennobled by his sovereign. But in the year 1743, after a serious illness, accompanied by brain fever, the result of excessive mental labour, he threw up all work of this kind, declaring that he had received a “call” from the Lord, who manifested Himself to him, by personal appearance, and commissioned him to devote further life and strength to holier purposes.
Being a man of strong will, albeit, not improbably, with a touch (as was thought by several) of mental aberration, the result of his illness, he threw himself, with characteristic energy, into the work of religious proselytism, in support of the special views with which he was now inspired. He became a kind of religious clairvoyant, living an ecstatic existence in communion with angels and spirits. He printed accounts of various “Arcana,” as he termed them; visions granted to him of heaven and hell; the state after death, the true worship of God, the inner spiritual sense of the scriptures; and so forth. He held spiritual intercourse with the dwellers in other planets, conversing with Apostles, with Luther, Calvin, Melancthon, &c. “Things hidden since the days of Job (he declared) were revealed to himself.”
Followers gradually gathered round him, inspired by his own enthusiasm. He visited England frequently; and before his death, in London, A.D. 1772, he had established congregations in England, Ireland, Wales, France, Holland, Sweden, Russia, and even in Turkey and America. It is said that several Anglican clergy adopted his views, though still retaining charges in their own church.