After the death of Mr. Sanderson, a friend wrote—"Poor Rowell lies in sackcloth. Oh, that she might know in this her day the things that make for her peace! They have my best wishes and earnest prayers that the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, may find out a man to stand in the gap, and fill up the breach which he has so awfully made, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep which have no shepherd."
In the year 1741 Dr. Doddridge published two sermons, the substance of which had been delivered at Rowell—'The Scripture doctrine of Salvation by Grace through Faith, illustrated and improved.' In an address prefixed to these discourses to the Church and congregation of Protestants at Rowell he says,—
I cannot conclude this short address without congratulating you on the abundant goodness of God to you as a Church, in bringing among you that worthy and excellent person, Mr. Sanderson, under whose pastoral care you are now so happily placed. I know he is a faithful witness to the truths of the Gospel, and rejoice in that rich abundance of gifts and graces which renders him so fit to state and improve them in the most advantageous as well as the most agreeable and delightful manner. I hope and believe that the grace he so humbly owns his dependence upon will add happy success to his labours; and I heartily pray that you and neighbouring Churches may long be happy in him, and that God, who has by such various and gracious interpositions in your favour expressed his paternal care of you, may still delight to dwell among you.
Shortly after the death of Mr. Sanderson, Mr. Moses Gregson was chosen, with great unanimity, to the pastoral office. His ordination took place April 20th, 1748. Upon this occasion, the service was conducted in the method generally adopted in other Dissenting Churches. Dr. Doddridge asked the usual questions, and took the confession of faith; Mr. King, of London, preached to the people; and Dr. Guyse gave the charge.
Mr. Gregson continued pastor for about forty years. During the course of his ministry 88 members were admitted to the Church. When years increased and infirmities came on, so as to render him incapable of discharging all the duties of his office, Mr. John Wood was invited to become co-pastor with Mr. Gregson; but before Mr. Wood entered on this office, the death of Mr. Gregson took place. In consequence of this change Mr. Wood was invited to become the pastor of the Church, which he accepted, and was set apart to the office in September, 1789; when Mr. Smith, of Bedford, delivered the introductory discourse; Mr. Wood, of Creaton, offered the ordination prayer; Mr. Horsey, of Northampton, delivered the charge; and Mr. Toller, of Kettering, preached to the people.
No records are preserved of the pastorate of Mr. Wood, though it continued until March 25th, 1811, a period of twenty-one years and six months, when Mr. Wood resigned his office as pastor of the Church at Rowell.
After an interval of two years, Mr. Walter Scott, from Hoxton Academy, was set apart to the pastoral office, on the 20th of May, 1813. On that occasion, Mr. Whitehead, of Creaton, delivered the introductory discourse; ordination prayer, Mr. Toller, of Kettering; charge, Mr. Gill, of Harborough, from 2 Tim. iv. 22; sermon, by Mr. Richards, from 1 Thess. v. 12, 13. In the evening, Mr. Griffiths, of Long Buckby, preached from Zech. vii. 25.
Mr. Scott's ministry was highly acceptable and useful, distinguished by a great fulness and rich variety of matter, and greatly valued through the county. It continued for twenty years, until the year 1833, during which period about 130 members were added to the Church.
New school-rooms were erected in the front of the front of the Chapel in the year 1826.
With his labours as pastor, Mr. Scott united the duties of tutor. For several years he had under his care a number of young men, most of whom were designed for the ministry, in a course of preparatory training, previous to their entering the Academy at Hoxton, afterwards Highbury. His labours in this department were considered to be eminently useful, so as ultimately to raise him to a higher sphere as a tutor.