Mr. Hextal was the next pastor of the Church. He was a native of Broughton, near Kettering; became a member of the Church at Kettering under Mr. Saunders; for which, see the Memorials of the Church at Kettering. He was a student at Northampton under Dr. Doddridge; first settled at Creaton, then at Sudbury, from which place he came to Northampton. We have no record of the time when he entered on his ministry at Castle Hill, and no account of anything that transpired during his ministry; but under the date of April 16, 1775, we have this record: "It was this day agreed, by a majority of eighteen brethren of this Church, to dismiss the Rev. Mr. Hextal from his office as pastor, minister, and teacher." This appears to have led to very painful altercations between the friends of Mr. Hextal and those that were opposed to him, which ultimately led to a separation from the Church and congregation. Those who were attached to Mr. Hextal endeavoured to regain the pulpit for him by a process of law, pleading the right of the subscribers to a vote for the pastor; but this was overruled, as contrary to the deed which gives "the power to the Church (upon giving six days' notice by the deacons) to elect, place, and displace a minister as they think proper." The result was, that Mr. Hextal's friends withdrew, and built the Chapel in King Street, where Mr. Hextal ministered till the close of his life. The names of thirty members are given, as having been first admonished for withdrawing themselves from the Church, and, refusing to return, were declared as no longer standing in this relation to them. The name of Mary Doddridge occurs amongst those who had withdrawn. In 'Orton's Letters to Dissenting Ministers,' we have the following passage, in a letter dated December 26, 1762: "My last letters from Northampton encourage me to hope that Mr. Hextal will be comfortable and useful there." To this, Mr. Palmer, the editor, appends the following note:—
An amiable and respectable minister, who removed from Sudbury on account of dissensions occasioned by a party spirit in electing members of Parliament, and succeeded Mr. Gilbert in the congregation of which Dr. Doddridge had been pastor, where he soon met with equally cruel usage, and was obliged to withdraw to a new Chapel which his friends erected for him, where he ended his days in peace. His great candour and benevolence gave occasion to morose-minded people, who disliked some that espoused his cause, to charge him with a want of orthodoxy; whereas, in point of sentiment, he was in fact higher than the generality of acknowledged Calvinists. Such is the blindness of bigotry.
These unhappy circumstances greatly diminished the numbers in the Church. Under date of April 24th, 1777, we find the names of only 64 members, showing a great decrease since the death of Doddridge.
Rev. John Horsey was unanimously invited to the pastoral office February 2nd, 1777, and testified his acceptance of it on the 2nd of March. He was dismissed from the Church at Ringwood, to be received as a member of the Church at Northampton, and then ordained as the minister. The following is the account Mr. Horsey gives of the ordination service:—
Having accepted the pressing solicitations of my friends, I was solemnly separated to the pastoral office over the Church of Christ assembling on Castle Hill, Northampton, on May 14th, 1777. Mr. Scott, of Hinkley, began with prayer, and reading the 100th Psalm and 3rd Chapter 1st Epistle to Timothy. Mr. Towle, of London, delivered an introductory discourse, received the Church's account of the steps they had previously taken, read by Mr. John Wood, together with a renewal of their call; I testified likewise my acceptance of it, and delivered my confession of faith. Mr. Saunders, of Bedworth, set me apart by prayer and imposition of hands; Mr. King, of Welford, gave the charge, founded on 1st Cor. iv. 2; Mr. Rowley, of Warwick, prayed; Dr. Mayo, of London, preached on 2nd Cor. iv. 5; and Mr. Bull, of Newport, concluded in prayer. Our assisting friends officiated respectively with an amiable order and propriety, the Divine Spirit was eminently with us, and his blessing, we hope, will attend the important transactions of the day.
June 1st.—I administered the Lord's Supper for the first time; it was a very comfortable season. May God grant us his presence in our future engagements of a similar nature!
Mr. Horsey's ministry over this people extended to the lengthened period of fifty years, during which time 170 members were added to the Church. He died on May 12th, 1827. Mr. Horsey was a man of very gentlemanly appearance and manners, great ease, affability, and much kindness; his style as a preacher pleasing, and rather attractive, not distinguished by much energy; but we have heard that in the first years of his ministry at Northampton it was popular, and drew together a rather crowded congregation.
Much has been said and written respecting Mr. Horsey's deficiency in orthodox views, or in distinct statements on some of the great points of evangelical truth. He had the charge of the academy for a time after its removal from Daventry, at the resignation of Mr. Belsham. Suspicions arising as to his sentiments on the person and work of Christ, he resigned his office as tutor, and the academy was for a time broken up; nor was the Church or congregation after this in a flourishing state under the ministry of Mr. Horsey. The attendance declined; the number of members diminished. This may be the case under certain circumstances where there is no deficiency in truth, or piety, or ability, on the part of the ministry, and hence may present no certain criterion of the one or the other; and there were a number, we believe, of truly pious devout persons of evangelical sentiments, who continued under the ministry of Mr. Horsey, esteemed his character, and prized his preaching. Yet it must be allowed, we apprehend, that there was a certain vagueness in his statements respecting the person and work of the Redeemer, which showed either that the mind of the preacher was not earnestly intent on discovering and grasping the truth, under a powerful impression of the value of the truth, or that it had formed opinions to which it was unwilling to give a clear and distinct utterance; but Mr. Horsey manifested the spirit of devotion, and a humble reliance on Christ as the Saviour of sinners, and would be found "looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life."
When Mr. Horsey's infirmities increased so as to render him incapable of fulfilling all the duties of his office, Mr. Charles Hyatt was invited to become co-pastor; but Mr. Horsey being removed by death before this connexion had been completed, Mr. Hyatt was then invited to take the pastoral charge, which he accepted, and was ordained September 25th, 1827. We present Mr. Hyatt's account of the engagements of the day:—
After solemn deliberation and prayer to God for direction, I accepted the invitation of my kind friends at Castle Hill to become their pastor, and conveyed that resolution in a letter to the Church, 1827. On Wednesday, September 26th, I was solemnly recognized as the pastor of the Church. Mr. Edwards, of King's Head Lane (now King Street) Meeting, commenced the services of the day by reading and prayer; Mr. Robertson, of Wellingborough, delivered the introductory discourse; Mr. Toller, of Kettering, asked the usual questions; Mr. Hyatt, senior, offered up the ordination prayer; Mr. Morrell, of Wymondley, delivered the charge, founded on Rev. ii. 10; Mr. Fletcher, of Stepney, preached to the people, from 1st Cor. xvi. 14; Mr. Gray, of College Lane, concluded with prayer. It was a most delightful and interesting service. Nearly 50 ministers were present, and the impressions then made will, it is hoped, never wear away.
After this settlement, some of the friends of the late Mr. Horsey separated from the Church and congregation, and commenced the Unitarian interest in the town. On this subject we present the following statement—