SECTION 2.—THE CHURCH AT WEST END.
To be able to discover very distinctly the origin of a Christian society of 160 years' standing, and from thence to trace the varied events of its history, is especially interesting to those minds that love to observe how the great Head of the Church carries on the affairs of his kingdom by the varied operations of providence and of grace, employing the agency of his servants, and showing the influence of Christian principle in promoting his great designs.
If the reader will look back to the memorials of the Church at Rowell, and will notice the itinerating labours of Mr. Davis, the third pastor, with the success that attended them, in connexion with the efforts of some of the brethren in that Church, he will there see how this Church at Wellingborough originated. There were a considerable number of persons who had derived benefit from the labours of Mr. Davis, residing in Wellingborough and its vicinity, who had become members of the Church at Rowell. After some time, it was thought that their number was sufficient to form a distinct Christian community, i.e., an Independent Church, with its officers. They received a regular dismission from the Church at Rowell for this purpose. The copy of that dismission we have given in the account of that Church (page 57), from which they were dismissed; and we find the same preserved in the records of this Church—the one account furnishing a complete corroboration of the other. The first statement after this is—
The 22nd day of the eighth month, 1691, was kept solemnly in fasting and prayer at Wellingborough by us whose names are hereafter written, for our embodying and enchurching together; when, after that the former part of the day was spent in prayer, direction, and exhortation, our dismission from the Church of Christ at Rowell was then read by their messengers.
After this it is recorded—
Having covenanted each apart, and then in the name of Christ, in these words—"We do, in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ our crowned King, his holy angels, his people, and all the people here present, give ourselves up to the Lord and to one another by the will of God, joyfully promising and engaging to walk with the Lord Jesus Christ and with his people in the observation of all Gospel ordinances, and in the discharge of all relative duties in the house of God, and as the presence of the Lord shall enable us"—We lifted up our hands thereunto, and afterwards subscribed our names.
We, having been dismissed from the Church of Christ which we did belong to, and having given up ourselves to the Lord and to one another by the will of God, and to this subscribed, in the presence of many witnesses, as becomes a Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, having all the power amongst ourselves to manage all matters belonging to us as a Church of the Lord Jesus.
After this they proceed to choose two ruling elders, who covenanted with the people in the presence of the Lord to be faithful to the charges committed to them; the Church also covenanted to carry it towards them as a people to their officers. Then they chose Mr. Bettson, who had been approved by the Church at Rowell for the ministry of the word, to become their pastor; and on an appointed day they proceed to ordain him to this office, in a manner similar to that which had been adopted by the Church of which they had formerly made a part. They state—
We proceeded to ordain our brother Bettson, in which our elders brother Henseman and brother Osborn laid their hands on brother Bettson and prayed, setting him before the Lord, testifying to the Lord that that was the man they had chosen to the office of a pastor; and after prayer, laid their hands on him again, and declared to the people that he was their pastor; and the ruling elders gave him authority, entering into covenant with him as to right them in their transactions. There were several pastors of other Churches present, as Mr. Bear, Mr. Greenwood, Mr. Davis, besides brethren of other Churches.
On the 14th day of the same month they say—
We then agreed, and solemnly passed this as a Church act, that we would not bear with any that were with us that whispered against any of the brethren, or backbited any, looking upon it as abusing that rule in the 18th chapter of Matthew; also very dishonourable to the Lord Jesus, and injurious to the Church; separating between chief friends, and giving occasion to the enemies to blaspheme.