Subsequent to the decease of Mr. Townsend, the church, for four years, was supplied with ministerial assistance by different Baptist ministers, until Mr. Thomas Whitewood accepted the pastoral office, in June, 1767. His race, however, was short; for after preaching three times, and administering the Lord's Supper once, he was attacked by a fatal disease, of which he died the ensuing October.
Dr. Samuel Stennett, son of Dr. Joseph Stennett, being at that period pastor of the Baptist church in Little Wild Street, London, was solicited to accept the pastoral office. It appears that he complied in part, performing all the duties without accepting the nominal relation of pastor. He administered the Lord's Supper, and preached to them regularly on the Sabbath morning; while the afternoon service was conducted by four Baptist ministers in rotation, among whom were Dr. Jenkins and Dr. Rippon.
In 1785, Robert Burnside accepted the pastoral charge of this church, in which relation he continued forty-one years. Mr. Burnside united to great natural abilities, a kind and loving heart, by which he was particularly qualified to impart instruction. He became tutor, at different periods, to the sons of several of the nobility, and discharged the duties attendant upon that difficult office in a manner honourable to himself, and advantageous to his pupils. He also prepared several works for the press; among which was a volume on the subject of the Sabbath. He died in 1826, and was succeeded by John Brittain Shenstone, whose early labours had been in connexion with First-day Baptist churches. For more than forty years he was connected with the Board of Baptist ministers in London, of which he appears to have been the principal projector and main support. He commenced the observation of the Sabbath in 1825, and upon the decease of Mr. Burnside accepted the pastoral care of the church, which he continued to serve until his death, in 1844. Since that event this church has been without a pastor, and is in a very low and enfeebled condition.
THE MILL-YARD CHURCH.
This church is located in the eastern part of London, but of its founder, or the date of its origin, our accounts are very imperfect and unsatisfactory. The present records, in possession of the church, date back to 1673; but as they refer to another book which had been previously used, it is certain that the church was organized much earlier. Indeed, we have every reason to believe that this church is a perpetuation of the fraternity gathered by John James, the martyr, which originally met in Bull-Steak Alley, Whitechapel. We shall therefore consider Mr. James as the first pastor of this church. On the 19th day of October, 1661, while in the midst of a warm and fervent discourse, an officer entered the place of worship, forcibly ejected him from the pulpit, and led him away to the police under a strong guard. Thirty members of his congregation were likewise taken before a bench of justices, then convened at a public house in the vicinity, where each one was required to take the oath of allegiance, and those who refused to comply were committed to prison. Mr. James underwent a long and tedious examination, when he was committed to Newgate, upon the testimony of several profligate witnesses, by whom he was accused of speaking treasonable words against the king. At his trial, which came on about one month afterwards, his apparent innocence, deep piety, and resignation, sensibly affected a large concourse of spectators, but could not soften the obdurate hearts of his judges, by whom he was sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered. He was unaffected by this horrid sentence, and calmly observed, "Blessed be God, whom man condemneth, God justifieth." While he lay in prison under sentence of death, he was visited by several persons of distinction, who were deeply affected by his patience and resignation, and who cheerfully engaged to exert their utmost influence to secure his pardon. But he appears to have been too well acquainted with the power and designs of his enemies, to have entertained much hopes of their success.
Mrs. James, by the advice of her friends, was induced to present a petition twice to the king, setting forth her husband's innocence, and entreating his majesty to grant a pardon. But in both instances she was repulsed with scoffs and ridicule. At the scaffold, on the day of his execution, he addressed the people in a very sensible and affectionate manner. Having finished the address, and kneeling down, he thanked God for covenant mercies, and for conscious innocence. He then prayed for all, both his friends and his enemies, for the executioner, for the people of God, for the spectators, for his church, and his family, and lastly, for himself, that he might enjoy a sense of the divine presence and support in this his hour of trial, and entrance into glory. When he had finished, the executioner, who was much affected, said, "The Lord receive your soul;" to which Mr. James replied, "I thank you." A friend then observed to him, "This is a happy day for you;" he replied, "I thank God it is." He then thanked the sheriff for his courtesy, and bade farewell to his friends; then saying, "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit," was launched into eternity. But the rage of the bigoted tyrant did not end here. His heart was taken from his body and burned, his body itself quartered, and the mutilated parts affixed to the gates of the city, and his head set up in Whitechapel, on a pole opposite to the alley in which his meeting-house stood.
At the time when the present record of this church commences, 1673, William Sellers exercised the pastoral function. The church was then in a flourishing condition; the members being quite numerous, and strict discipline maintained. Mr. Sellers was probably the author of a work on the Sabbath, in review of Dr. Owen, which appeared in 1671. His ministry is supposed to have continued until 1678. He was succeeded by Mr. Toursby, who was a man of considerable controversial talent, which he exercised in defence of the Sabbath. He prepared a work for the press upon that subject, but it is believed that it has long been out of print. His ministry ceased in 1710.
About this time two persons named Slater preached occasionally, though it does not appear that they were ever ordained.
Mr. Savage, in 1711, accepted the pastoral office. His colleague, the venerable John Maulden, had long been the pastor of a Baptist Church in Goodman's Fields, which he left on account of his having embraced Sabbatarian principles. After the decease of these worthy men, the pastoral office was vacant for some time, during which the preaching brethren officiated in the ministry in a manner prescribed at the business meetings of the church. In 1720, Dr. Joseph Stennett was invited to accept the pastoral care of this church. He was then presiding over a Baptist Church in Exeter, and after considerable delay declined the call.
Mr. Robert Cornthwaite became their pastor in 1726. He had been connected with the Established Church, but becoming convinced that the gospel did not authorize any such establishment, he withdrew from its communion and identified himself with the dissenters. Becoming interested in the Sabbath controversy he soon decided for the seventh day, and was chosen pastor of this church, in which relation he continued until his death in 1754. He was distinguished for great mental vigour, and a firm adherence to whatever he deemed true and scriptural. He published several works relating to the Sabbath, which greatly contributed to draw attention to that important subject.