Particular Pilgrims

We continue with becoming acquainted with the small and rural but long-lived Particular Baptist church at Weston-By-Weedon. It is encouraging to see that over the years, the focus in the church book is spiritual things. Over time, some congregations begin to spend their time, money, and memories on externals, especially buildings. But the records of Weston By Weedon for several centuries show a consistent concern about the truly important core of true religion – conversions, baptisms, practical love including gifts to the needy, holiness, and the calling of officers. Let me give you a number of examples of their healthy church life. Many of these will strike a chord from your own experience. At least one is quite different. But let’s continue to get to know these believers.

We continue with the Particular Baptist church at Weston-By-Weedon, by examining their early document they referred to as their articles. We would consider these something like a church constitution. Joseph Lea, pastor of the church and author of its history, introduces these articles in this way: “the articles are in the very neat handwriting of John Stanley; they are without date and from the substance of them and their introductory words, we presume they were not drawn up till after the church had been in existence some years, and pastor and people felt themselves passing away."

We are learning about the small Particular Baptist congregations centered around Weston-By-Weedon in Northamptonshire, England. In many ways, their story is probably the more typical one compared to the few more famous men and churches in the 17th to 19th centuries. I say this simply because Baptists of these times didn’t generally have the same opportunities or standing as their neighbors. To be a dissenter was to be a second class citizen in significant ways. And yet the Lord protected and even prospered this set of churches for several centuries.

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For the past year, I have been introducing you to important English Particular Baptist pastors and poets of the 18th century, mostly from outside of London. But I want to remind you that the vast majority of our like-minded brethren of the time are unknown to us. Unless they had special gifts or blessings from God, most labored in faith without fanfare.

As explained before, Gifford’s friends were almost all outside of Particular Baptist circles. I noted his personal friendship with George Whitefield and his preaching for him. Whitefield was, of course, already famous. And with other early friends such as Sir Richard Ellys, it seems that Gifford’s mental gifts, manner, and spirituality gained him connections in prestigious places. This is somewhat surprising since he remained a staunch dissenter. But his life was filled with service to good causes, including those not in precise alignment with his own religious convictions.

We continue the story of Andrew Gifford the Younger as he began his pastoral ministry at Little Wild Street church in London. In 1729 he preached on probation to the congregation with a view toward being called as pastor. His ministry was well received and a unanimous call was made by the church. Gifford accepted in a letter dated Dec 27, 1729. Shortly after, according to the church book, he was invested in the pastoral office.

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Gifford admired Whitefield and after the evangelist’s death, published a book of 18 of his sermons. In his preface to them, Gifford wrote as follows: “This poor orphan’s plea is that it attempts to preserve the genuine remains of the one who has incontestably proved himself the destitute orphan’s friend”.

Now all this should strike you as odd. Since when did an 18 th century Particular Baptist pastor fill in for an ordained Anglican priest-evangelist? And what did Gifford mean by emphatically calling himself an orphan? The answers to these perplexities will become clearer when we understand Gifford’s story.

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This was a time of persecution against dissenters from the English church and his father was, you may recall, often hunted and jailed during this time. And Emmanuel, even as a boy, supported his father’s work. A story is told of him acting as a watchman for his father as he preached out of doors to the Kingswood coal miners. He was only 7 at the time and because it was so cold his coat froze to the ground and he could not properly warn the meeting. And so, his father was taken into custody.

Caleb Evans lived during the emerging strength of the Age of Reason or as it is often called, the Enlightenment. It was an intellectual movement that challenged long held scientific, governmental, legal, and religious beliefs through the use of reason and empirical discovery. Its focus was on the natural world as understood without the helps of divine revelation. And so it produced philosophical and religious results contrary to orthodox Christianity.

He was educated at first under the hand of his father and Pastor Foskett. But he was then sent to London for further education because it was clear he was a very gifted young man. So in 1753, just 15, he entered Mile End Academy in London. He attended Little Wild Street Church, and sat under the ministry of Samuel Stennett. On Nov 29, 1753, aged 16 he was baptized “on profession of faith with repentance” and then “submitted to the ordinance of laying on of hands” and was received into full communion, or as we would say, membership.