In the list of Doddridge's students, given at the close of the last volume of his 'Correspondence,' we have the names of Samuel Smalley, as settled at Harborough, who entered the academy in 1737; and of Jabez Hirons, as minister at Harborough, who entered the academy in 1745. All that we can gather from these statements is, that the congregation was during this period in a very unsettled state, not having become united for any length of time under any pastor, or having anyone to settle peacefully and usefully over them until the year 1752, when a pleasing change took place in the choice of Mr. Stephen Addington.
It appears that Mr. Addington was a native of Northampton, and a student under Dr. Doddridge, by whom he was treated with all the kindness of a father. He commenced his labours at Spaldwick, Huntingdonshire. He had not, however, been there more than two years before this situation was offered to his acceptance, which had been chosen and marked out for him in the wishes, at least, of his foster parent. The following circumstance led to the appointment: Upon the resignation of a pastor who had never felt himself at home among the people, their choice was divided between two persons, who had been proposed by their respective friends. At length it was wisely agreed by both parties to withdraw their suffrages from each in favour of a third candidate, if one could be found who should be agreeable to the whole congregation. At this juncture Mr. Addington was recommended to them by the Rev. Mr. Gilbert, of Oakhampton, and in 1752 received a unanimous invitation to settle amongst them. Accordingly, in the month of July he removed to Harborough, and established himself in the very house where his good friend had lived. He was ordained in September, 1753, on which occasion the service was conducted by the Rev. Mr. Gilbert, of Northampton, Mr. Goodrich, of Oundle, Mr. Boyce, of Kettering, Mr. Gregson, of Rowell, and Dr. Ashworth, of Daventry.
The first five years of Mr. Addington's residence were devoted exclusively to the duties of his pastoral office. His congregation was considerable, and some of them came from a distance of several miles; but the Church at Ashley had now a pastor of its own, so as no longer to require the stated engagements of the minister at Harborough.
So entirely did Mr. Addington appear to possess the confidence and affections of his people, that he became scarcely less their friend and counsellor in their various secular concerns than their spiritual guide and instructor. The leading object of all his plans was their moral and religious improvement. In pursuance of this great design, it was Mr. Addington's custom to distribute and associate as many of his people as he could into classes, according to their age, sex, and situation. In these societies they were in the habit of meeting at stated times for prayer and religious converse, often attended by their minister; the societies were always under his superintendence, and once in every year (about Christmas) each of them spent a comfortable evening together at his house. Even the female servants had their annual day, on which, after assembling in the Meeting House, and spending a part of the afternoon in cleaning it, they partook of a social and friendly entertainment provided for them.
Mr. Addington's labours among his people were both acceptable, and beneficial to the great purposes of the Christian ministry. His strain of preaching was chiefly practical and experimental, and his delivery animated and affectionate. But beside his many ministerial and pastoral engagements, Mr. Addington at length added the arduous undertaking of a boarding-school, in which he succeeded the Rev. Mr. Token, of Kibworth, whose school was removed to Harborough. During a part also of this period he extended his pastoral charge to the congregation at Kibworth. At this time he was by no means a strong and healthy man; and after continuing his exertions of one kind or another for nearly thirty years, he began to find some failure in his energy and activity; and under this impression it seemed prudent to contract the sphere of his duties. Whilst preparing to carry his design into effect, circumstances occurred which eventually issued in his removal; the active part which he took in the politics of the day somewhat affecting both his usefulness and his comfort towards the close of his residence at Harborough. While he was thus circumstanced, he received an invitation to a charge in Miles Lane, London, which determined his removal in October, 1781. It was not, however, without the severest struggle that he resigned a connexion that had long been endeared to him by almost everything calculated to produce and to cherish reciprocally in the parties the most cordial esteem and the liveliest affection. The connexion might indeed not be said to have been broken up, but exchanged for an intimacy differing only in the mode and in the degree of its friendship, and which continued to the end of his days.
After Mr. Addington's removal from Harborough, he became tutor of an academy first established at Mile End, which afterwards existed at Hoxton, and then at Highbury.
"The friends of evangelical truth, lamenting the heterodoxy or coldness of another seminary, associated to provide for the Churches pastors of a different spirit. At first they engaged some ministers of established reputation for piety and orthodox sentiments, to give lectures at their own houses to such young men as were selected from the Churches in London and its vicinity. This mode, however, soon proved so inconvenient that they were compelled to provide in 1783 a building at Mile End, to which they invited Stephen Addington, minister of Market Harborough, as tutor of what was now called 'the Evangelical Academy.' The friends of the institution procured him a diploma of Doctor of Divinity; but as he had lately relinquished a similar charge under the impression of declining vigour, he had scarcely begun to 'gird up the loins of his mind' to the duties of his new office with the hope of extensive usefulness, before he was attacked by a severe indisposition, which laid him aside for some time. Though he recovered beyond expectation, and resumed his labours with new ardour, he was again disabled by affliction, and at length compelled to resign his office as tutor in 1789.
"As he had been chosen pastor of the congregation in Miles Lane, he continued to labour there under the pressure of infirmities, but encouraged by the generous attachment of his flock, for years after he resigned his academical charge."
In February, 1796, he was called away from his labours and trials by death, in his sixty-seventh year. "He was an amiable man, of correct deportment, ardent piety, and zeal for usefulness. His learning was extensive rather than profound; he projected more works than he found time to execute; and his dread of living in vain induced him to grasp at objects to which his strength was inadequate. As a preacher, he was more esteemed than admired, for his elocution was defective, though earnest; and his thoughts, always good, were seldom great. His 'Treatise in Defence of Infant Baptism,' and his 'Life of the Apostle Paul,' are the best known among his publications, of which our limits will not allow us to give the full list."—So write the authors of the 'History of Dissenters,' Vol. iv., p. 264.
Of the 'Treatise on Baptism,' Job Orton says—"Addington hath lately published a small piece upon it, which I think comprehends everything valuable that hath been written."