About forty years ago God placed his servant in this part of his vineyard, and enabled him to labour, both in season and out of season, to defend his cause in this town and neighbourhood. That his talents were generally acceptable, most who hear me know. The plainness of his style (for he always aimed to be understood by the lowest of his hearers), the evangelical complexion of his doctrine, and the seriousness of his address, endeared him peculiarly to other congregations as well as his own; and numbers in this and in neighbouring counties ascribe to his instrumentality their first serious thoughts of God and eternity. With many present he has laboured even from your infancy, endeavouring, by an attention to catechising, suggesting the most simple and easy remarks, to bring you to an early acquaintance with the holy Scriptures. And no greater pleasure could he feel than to see the children of his charge "walking in the truth." As you have risen into life, he has regularly addressed you by his annual instructions to the youth of the assembly, cautioning against the paths of the destroyer, and directing your feet in the way of peace. Oh, how often have I seen him, with marks of inward reverence and undissembled piety, sit like good old Simeon "waiting for the consolation of Israel"! And when a word has been dropped, to bring his former charge to his remembrance, with the tenderest tokens of friendship, and the falling tears of affection, would he waft up a prayer to heaven for your prosperity.
Mr. King only published two sermons, one preached to his own people on the murrain among the cattle, and another delivered at the ordination of Mr. Joshua Symonds, at Bedford, 1767.
After Mr. King's resignation there were three pastors, each of whom continued for a very short time over the people at Welford. Mr. William Severn was ordained May 22nd, 1782. It is stated that he was a very popular preacher, possessed of uncommon talents; that his Sabbath evening and week-day lectures were anticipated with great pleasure by his hearers, who were strongly attached to him: but he resigned his charge in less than two years, went to Hinckley, in Leicestershire, and at length, we regret to state, departed from the faith he once preached, and died some years after in connexion with a Socinian congregation in Hull. A Mr. Northend was the next who was invited to Welford; but the invitation was far from unanimous, so that, though he accepted it, his services continued for a very short time. In the spring of 1789 Mr. Evan Johns was settled as their pastor; but this gentleman, we are informed, much injured his usefulness, and lessened the esteem of his friends for him, by practising the absurd theory of animal magnetism, which induced him to tender his resignation, and he left, in 1790, for Bury St. Edmund's.
In 1792, Mr. John Clement Bicknell, a student at Newport Pagnell, was invited on probation; and in February, 1793, he was ordained pastor. The following ministers were engaged on that occasion, viz.:— Messrs. Hillyard, of Bedford; Greathead, of Newport; Grundy, of Lutterworth; Carver, of Wellingborough; Summers, of Wellingborough; Gill, of Market Harborough; Davis, of Wigston; Gardner, of Kilsby.
Soon after this settlement, the old Meeting House being much out of repair, it was determined to erect a new one in a more eligible part of the town, near the residence of the pastor. This was opened for worship in 1793; and a few years after, in 1799, a more respectable house was built for the minister on the site of the old one, which together cost the people about £1500; and, to their honour, the whole was in a short time discharged.
The Church appears to have decreased in number during the changes that had taken place, as there are only 41 names given as members when Mr. Bicknell was settled. In the course of his ministry 56 members were added. He filled the pastoral office at Welford for about 18 years and 9 months, as he resigned his charge in 1811. In the latter years of his life Mr. Bicknell was minister at Crick, where he died at an advanced age, in the year 1849.
In October, 1812, Mr. Benjamin Hobson, of Driffield, Yorkshire, visited Welford as a probationer, on the recommendation of Mr. Gill, of Market Harborough. After supplying four Sabbaths, he received a unanimous invitation from the Church and congregation to the pastoral office, which he accepted, and entered on his stated labours February 21st, 1813. The number of members in the Church at this time is stated as 43.
Mr. Hobson was born at Sheffield, in the year 1780. In the account given of his early life, we have another case presented, amongst the thousands that have been known in the Church of God and in the ministry of the Gospel, of one who had to trace his early impressions of religion to the efforts of a pious mother. From early youth he was the "subject of pious emotions," which he always attributed with grateful and filial affection to the piety and prayers of his mother. "Her earnest importunity at family prayer for the salvation of her children," he said, "often affected me, and I believe was the means of leading me to see the value of my soul and the necessity of dependence on Jesus Christ." He derived benefit from some of the last sermons of the Rev. Jehoiada Brewer, and at length joined the Church under the care of Rev. James Boden. He commenced his studies for the ministry at Homerton; but during the first year his health was so affected that he was obliged to return home. This led to a change in the place where his studies were to be pursued. At the urgent request of his mother, that he might not be placed so far from home, in case sickness should return, he obtained admission into the college at Rotherham in 1802, having for his tutors Dr. Edward Williams and Mr. Maurice Phillips. He pursued his studies with commendable diligence, and obtained general esteem by his consistent piety. His first pastoral charge was at Driffield, in Yorkshire, where he was ordained on the 8th July, 1806. Here his labours were useful and his ministry prized; but in the year 1813, influenced in a great degree by the advice of his friend and relative, Mr. G. Collison, of Hackney, and Mr. G. Gill, of Market Harborough, he removed to Welford: and here he continued until within four months of the close of his life, serving this people as their faithful and affectionate pastor for about thirty-five years; and he did this with general acceptance and prevailing usefulness. During his ministry 115 members were added to the Church. His devoted piety was always manifest. With an earnest concern to promote the highest welfare of his charge, with an ardent attachment to the cause of God, with strong desire to advance the kingdom of the Redeemer, and to be a blessing to those around him, he steadfastly pursued his labours. He had much of the spirit of devotion—was a man of prayer, a man of God. His preaching was earnest and affectionate, plain and faithful. He was the attentive village pastor, that took some delight in visiting his flock. If his talents were not of a high order, they were of a useful character. If his mind was not powerful, his spirit was affectionate and fervent, and his views of evangelical truth clear and decided. If a sanguine temperament rendered him at times too susceptible, religious principle triumphed, and Christian prudence prevailed. He had a large share of domestic happiness, earnestly seeking the spiritual welfare of his children, their early acquaintance with God, and decision for the Saviour. He had the happiness of seeing all of them, in the morning of life, "choosing the good part which shall not be taken away from them."
He greatly loved the Missionary cause, and endeavoured to promote a missionary spirit amongst his people. He had one son. That son was engaged in the medical profession, but he was at length anxious to go as a medical missionary to China. The father's love to the Missionary cause was now put to the test; and its sincerity was fully proved. Though for a time conflicting feelings agitated his mind, and parental affection prompted him to say, "Anything but this," yet in the strength of the Lord God he was enabled to present this sacrifice with a willing mind, and could but rejoice that he was counted worthy to be so closely identified with the Missionary cause. He was Secretary for about ten years to the Northamptonshire Independent Association, and was generally held in high esteem by his brethren. The last meeting of this Association, before Mr. Hobson removed, was held at Welford, when he resigned his office, and the ministers present testified in a gratifying manner their esteem and affection.
In the year 1847 his declining health rendered it necessary that there should be some change in his ministerial duties. An attempt was made to obtain an assistant; but increasing indisposition, arising from chronic bronchitis, together with some things appearing which were painful to his feelings, decided him at length to relinquish the work, and try the effect of a change of air. He left Welford on the 18th of May, 1848, and numbers of his people felt and said that not their faithful minister only, but their father and their friend, they were about to lose.