July 17th: Early Tabernacle History

Speaker: Duncan Wyncoll

Three and a half centuries ago, our second pastor, Benjamin Keach, persecuted and imprisoned for the faith, was a co-signatory of the 1689 Confession. This talk traces the Tabernacle history from Keach to John Rippon who served 63 years as pastor.

When did Baptist Movement begin?
England at this time – 17th Century
• Reformation  Puritans, battle of established Church vs. non-conformists
• Act of Uniformity 1660 (Charles II)
Unfeigned assent to second prayer book – no religious liberty
Non-attendance at church > fine – tolerance was ‘bad’
• 1664 – forbade religious meeting if prayer book was not used
2,000 ‘Dissenters, non-conformists’
Five mile Act – re: ejected clergyman, depriving them of earning
• Southwark was full of Baptists – even the local minister!

William Rider
• Cong. separated from another group of Baptists in 1652 from some practices they considered disorderly – meeting in private houses
• Cong. known for solid judgement, deep knowledge & religious stability & ‘not at all worldly’
Benjamin Keach – (picture in Tab offices)
• From Buckinghamshire – v. successful ministry  soldiers sent to stamp out the dissenters
• Often in prison, meetings disturbed – Almost killed once, but commanding officer intervened
• 1664 – Published children’s book ‘The Child’s Instructor’ – age 24
• Accused of ‘Seditious, schismatic person, evilly disposed to his Majesty’s Gov. & the Gov. of the Church of England did write… containing Q & A’s which were against…
Who should be baptised?
Should infants be received into the Church?
• Sent prison for 2 wk. & the pilloried in the stocks in Aylesbury for 2hrs
• £20 fine (equiv. £2000), books burnt & requirement to renounce doctrines publicly
• Began preaching in the pillory: ‘…willing to suffer as Christ…’
• Clergyman said for ‘errors’, but was himself accused of drunkenness. Jailor told him to be quiet, but carried on… until almost gagged

In London
• Continued in the country until ‘left for’ London 1668, age 28
• Sold all his goods & set off with wife & 3 children – Coach was beset by highwaymen & lost everything! – He did recover it later…
• Arrives in London with nothing & no friends
• Fame of his suffering, compelling character > ready hospitality

Early days
• Persecution not finished, but escape was easier in populous place
• Meetings held, numbers limited, places kept secret – no singing
• Multiple meetings each Sabbath
• If caught > prison & fines – this was a regular occurrence

What did he preach?
• The great fundamental truths of the gospel
• Solid, sound & deeply in earnest for the cause of God
• Direct, solemn, impressive, in declaring the whole counsel of God
• 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith contributor (1st 1644 London Confession, before Westminster)
• Persuasive in gospel preaching

Time of Indulgence – under Charles II
• Large wooden meeting house – 1,000 hearers in Southwark
• Not gorgeous, nor luxurious – no seats or pews
• ‘Quiet house of prayer’ in Horse-lie-down – ?where
• Ultimately changed into blacksmith’s as the congregation moved

Baptists vs. the establishment
• Now Baptists are an accepted denomination with no need to defend existence, but then…
• Sneered at & despised, disputes & discussions were forced upon them
• Often lamented unchristian spirit of those who denied that Baptist churches were real churches
• Keach had reputation for fairness & moderation
• Vs. Richard Baxter & Flavel
• One challenge was @ Gravesend; took boat along the Thames with man going to hear the debate – ensuing conversation led to cancellation of debate, for risk of loss!

His Books
• 43 in all: 18 practical, 16 polemical & 9 poetical – All embellished with wood-engravings
‘Scripture metaphors’ & ‘Exposition of the parables’

Zealous & judicious worker
• Encouraged churches to support ministers; Thro’ poverty, persecution & ignorance this was not happening
• ‘The Ministers Maintenance Vindicated’ a booklet for a conference
• Tried to get congregations back to singing - ‘Singing the praises of God was a holy ordinance’
• Took years to persuade the Church to sing regularly
• 6/100 members disagreed & left to start church in the Maze Pond; In due time, they sang & continued to work on happy terms

His Constitution
• Weak, often afflicted by illness; Physician had given up – one occasion thought to be dead
• Friend begged that God would spare him ‘as Hezekiah’
• ‘Brother Keach, I shall be in heaven before you’
• Keach lived on; Died 1704, when 64, having been pastor for 36 years
• Buried in the Park, Southwark - Very close to the New Park Street chapel where the congregation would later move to
The Solemn Covenant - Sword & Trowel 2002 No.2 - Handout

Benjamin Stinton
Keach died 1704, but on his death bed sent for Benjamin Stinton 1704 - 1718
Painful, laborious ministry, uneducated man
Set up Charity school & Baptist fund for poor ministers built Baptistry
Towards end of ministry made plans for new building
Sudden illness & dies, buried in the Southwark Park

John Gill – (picture in pastors vestry – stern face!)
Spurgeon – “The loss of its pastor is always a serious matter to a Baptist Church, not only because it is deprived of the services of a well-tried & faithful guide, but because in the process of selecting a successor some of the worst points of human nature are too apt to come to the front. All may unite in the former pastor, but where will they find another rallying point? So many men, so many minds. All are not prepared to forego their own predelictions, some are ready to be litigious, & a few seize the opportunity to thrust themselves into undue prominence. If they would wait on the Lord for his guidance, & consent to follow it when they would have obtained it, then the matter would move smoothly, but alas it is not always so.”
• Deacons, with one exception, chose Gill from Kettering
• Led to a further split in the church, with Mr Crosby taking members to his school rooms – claiming to be the original, but later ceased to exist
• Why the dislike of Gill? - Too Calvinistic!

His Life & Ministry (1720-1771)
• ‘The greatest scholar that the church has chosen’ - But not so great a soul-winner as Keach
• Cramped style of preaching & an archbishop style of leadership
• Born in Kettering, Northants 1697, father member of a dissenting congregation – formed Particular Baptists (Particular Redemption/Limited Atonement)
• Fine capacity for learning, Latin, Greek etc - ‘As sure as it is that JG is in the booksellers shop’
• Baptised & began membership @ 18 & started preaching immediately
• Supported financially to study & lives nearby Minister for support
• 1719 - Invited to preach - after 14 months of indecision became pastor
• ‘vast erudition, indefatigable industry, sound judgement & sterling honesty’
• Early in ministry had to argue against Paedobaptism – ‘never fought a battle without winning…’

His writings
• Bought massive library of Hebrew books from local minister & over next 20 yrs became expert
• ‘Exposition of the whole of the NT’ – awarded Doctor of Divinity
• Thought of so highly by all denominations – set up a week-day lecture, which continued 26 yrs

His Time
• How did he achieve such labours? ‘It was not by very early rising, nor by sitting up late… must be injurious’ - But woke up with the light
• Snacked constantly on chocolate, but would always eat with his family
• Spent most of his evenings illegibly correcting manuscripts
• Not noted for length or frequency of pastoral visits – “in this, not an example…”
• Unable to come down to the level of common people; his jokes were ponderous
• Warm heart beneath his stern exterior
• ON listening to JG - “I thought I was listening to an Arminian”

Year of escape – 1752
• From being killed in his study
• Violent hurricane, soon after leaving study, chimney stack fell thro’ roof
• Dr Halley – ‘great study prolongs a man’s life…’
• Gill –‘ What becomes of Dr H words now… if not protected by the special providence of God’ ]

Opening of new Church - 1757
• Carter Lane Chapel, St. Olave’s St, London Bridge, ugly but functional
• Congregations became sparse & the membership declines
• Only able to preach once on the Sabbath, living in Camberwell
• Should the church have a co-pastor? Dr G against it.
• ‘Great men are not always wise’ CHS
• Age 74, only 150 members, Died 1771 & buried in Bunhill Fields

John Rippon
• Yet again further trouble in store for the church
• Solid, sound divine or an eye to growth?
• Wrote 2 John Rippon of Bristol –20-yrs-old, lively temperament, quick & bold
• Older members – “too young, even went up the pulpit 2 steps at a time!”
• Preached on probation for some time until 40 members withdrew
• JR was surprised so many accepted him – proposed that the leavers should be supported & dismissed with love to Trinity street, Borough
• This split off eventually appointing a pastor who was younger still

New Era
• There would be no reason to regret their choice - Tide of prosperity & church was enlarged
• JR was clever rather than profound, inferior to JG but more tact
• Preaching persuasive, impressive & affectionate

His writings & his manner
• Baptist Register & History of Bunhill Fields
• First compilation of good hymns for dissenting congregations
• Deputed to read address to George III from dissenters, congratulating him upon recovery from sickness
• Comes to passage referring to the goodness of God. Please your majesty we will read that again. Natural, bold & cool dignity
• When asked why he was not a leader in denominational affairs – replied ‘the Dover coach went by daily…the leaders get whipped most’

Large wealthy congregation
• Baptist Foreign Mission & Home Mission
• Church was ruled with ‘dignity & with honour’
• How is it that your Church is so peaceful? Controlled church meetings
• ‘We have some of the best servants in this Church, - & some of the worst’
Illus: of the almshouses/schools & having to raise the money. Had clause written into trust deed of almshouses – ‘no deacon interfering’

Final days
• 1773-1836 – a period of 63 years
• Governed after his capacity was gone, up to age 85 yrs
• 6 years b4 his death, Carter Lane – compulsory purchase
• New Park Street – “dirty, dim & destitute place”. Opened by JR in 1833
• He was keen to appoint somebody before his death, but the judicious deacons prevented any hasty decision
• CHS – ‘quarried fresh stones, built the church, moulded thoughts & directed energies… great spiritual prosperity’
1. Frequently persecuted & opposed
2. Always industrious & members involved
3. Persuasive gospel preaching
4. Every pastor served until death – no retirement