Title
Printed book entitled 'Fruits of the Bedfordshire Union - A letter to Rev. R. Whittingham, Curate to the late Rev. John Berridge of Everton, Bedfordshire'.
Printed at the request of Thomas Oxenham, minister of the gospel at Welwyn, Hertfordshire'.
Including transcripts of three letters concerning the excommunication of former members of Gamlingay Baptist Church because they disapproved of the preaching of the Rev. William Pain.
pp.3-4: Preface by Thomas Oxenham of Welwyn, Hertfordshire:
p3: When I last preached in Bedfordshire, some cut off from church fellowship by Rev. Pain of Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire waited on me to ask advice on where to get food for their souls on the lord's day.
- There was a licensed barn in Potton, but they persuaded me that the barn belonged to the people of Everton and they were reluctant to go.
p4: R.Whittingham, Rev. Curate of Everton felt these people were dissenters and advised me to persuade these people from meeting together.
- 'On the persual of this letter I was determined to publish it with a few comments that our brethren might judge between us in this matter'.
- A few sentences of this letter I have taken no notice of, as the reader will find them sufficiently answered in the following letters, they being a statement of the facts which led to the division, and which the reader may plainly perceive the spirit of the Bedfordshire Unionists.
pp.6-24 Letter from James Newman to Rev. Thomas Oxenham dated 27th Apr 1799. Signed by the hands of James Newman, William Tyler, William Toms, Sarah Toms, John Gilbert, William Barwick, James Chater, John Redman, Esther Redman, James Sprague & Ann Sprague:
p6: We used to attend the Baptist Meeting at Gamlingay under the pastoral care of Rev. William Pain.
p7: About two years ago Rev. W. Pain joined the Bedfordshire Union of Ministers which consisted of different denominations, and who were equally diversified in their doctrines.
- This was quite contrary to our desires and his preaching changed as result.
- His doctrine buried the covenant of grace and obscured the light of divine truth.
p8: We opposed the doctrine, and endeavoured to rescue the faith. When asked who approves of his ministry; no time was allowed for others to speak on our behalf, or give reasons for why we were dissatisfied.
p9: When we conversed with Rev. Pain privately on the subject, he acknowledged that he was of Mr. Fuller's persuasion.
- Although we did nothing wrong we were under the censure of the church (3 months later we were excommunicated).
- The Rev. continued his campaign against us from the pulpit and when the Deacons asked us to take our place again, we refused.
p10: We refused to be dismissed to any other church.
p11: As we had not deviated from the principles of the oracle of god or from our faith when admitted into the church, we thought it hard to be excommunicated for standing up for divine truth: therefore, in order to prevent it if possible, and to discover our minds more fully to the church, we wrote a letter to one of the Deacons, of which the following is a copy nearly verbatim:
p12: It must be awful to see a church not divided, but in apparent confusion.
p13: Rev. Pain has surely forgot that not long ago he was of the same mind, the same persuasion, of the same spirit, and even preached the same sentiments to which he now so vigorously opposes.
p14: It is not right for him to slander and heap public reproach on others in order to keep up his own popularity.
p19: Surely he has forgotten that he belongs to the Bedfordshire Union, I wish him to read over the letter of the Union again, and there he will find his brethren in the ministry declaring that they aim at union, not uniformity.
p23: The above letter fell into the Rev. Pain's hand, who esteemed it as a tool to further prove us antinomians.
- Some asked him to read the letter but he refused, as he said it would take to much time.
- He also said he had letters from other churches saying we had been a disturbance there.
- 'After he had painted our characters as black as the tents of kedar, the church gave their consent that a separation should take place; accordingly 10 of us in number were excommunicated from them as a church, and our names were cast out as evil'.
p24: We were slandered as bigots/antinomians... 'but we have to bless god that none of these things have moved us from the hope of the gospel'.
pp.25-30 Letter from R. Whittingham, Rev. Curate of Everton to Rev. Thomas Oxenham dated 5th Apr 1799:
p25: I was surprised that an application was made to you by some people in this neighbourhood, who are at variance with one of their ministers to furnish them with a regular supply every Sabbath at Potten, and more surprised to find that you have complied with their request.
- It will be a step that will discredit the gospel, yourself, not to mention the pain it will cause other ministers.
p26: Preaching has been conducted at Potton for nearly 40 years, the greatest part of this time under the Late Rev. Berridge, the effects of whose ministry in these parts was very extensive.
- I can't believe that you have had a proper statement of the facts in this case, for if you had, I am inclined to suppose you would have advised them to adopt a more peaceable and scriptural mode of conduct.
p28: Are there opinions of essential importance as to justify their conduct in speaking against their ministers, and in forming themselves into a separate party.
p30: I cannot enter your feelings, but I assure you, consulting my own, I could sooner suffer myself to be banished into the remotest part of the earth, than be instrumental in confirming a division that has taken place in any congregation of Christians'.
pp. 31-61 Letter from Rev. Thomas Oxenham to R. Whittingham, Rev. Curate of Everton dated 1st May 1799:
p32: Why were you surprised that I was informed of this application, is this not a cause? Many of these people were expelled from their societies to which they belonged, not because they departed from the faith, but because their pastor did, and they refused to follow.
- Nor would god have said 'a confederacy' to the Bedfordshire Union.
p35: What disrepute can fall on me for observing the leadings of providence, watching the hand of my god, entering the doors that open before me, and embracing every opportunity of preaching the gospel, though he should direct me to Potton? For, according to my judgement, I know of no place that needs the pure gospel more than that does.
p37: Is it true? Did you or did you not, when you first came into that neighbourhood (when Mr. Berridge was Vicar of Everton, and you went as Curate) preach at the barn at Potton, and in other places besides the parish church? And have you, or have you not, since the present vicar has been at Everton, left off this practice to please him?
p40: Is it not a general saying "that all forts are admitted at Potton Barn".
p41: He cast out these names as evil. Are these the effects of the much boasted of Bedfordshire Union, which manifests a love to all but children of god?
p44: Is not the Rev. Pain whose case you support the aggressor? And are you not an accomplice, by aiding, abetting and wishing to justify the Rev. in this matter?
p49: To advise them to return to what you call their respective folds, can in no way be right, for if they themselves are under a satanic influence, what must their folds be but strong-holds of Satan?
p50: Why are men who are called ministers infallible?
- And if any man have not the doctrine of Christ, we are not to receive him into our house, left we be partakers of his evil deeds.
p53: I have never found a more professing people more in the dark about the things that make for their peace, nor less at a point about the state of their souls, than those that I have conversed with in and about Potton.
p54: Potton is a place that hath long been opened to almost every one that bears the name of a gospel minister, and to no one, that I have heard of, have you written to prohibit their coming there, but to me and there in connexion with me; and what can be the cause of this partiality?
p55: I have confirmed no divisions, Rev. Sir; the people are cast out as incurables; and why (if you were a man of feeling) should you object to my making full proof of my ministry among them?
p59: You wish to cast a stigma on those who have been cast out for their adherence to truth, and on me also for advising them "not to forsake the assembling of themselves together".
p61: 'To my own master I stand or fall, and to the same master I leave you'.