Memorials of the Independent Churches in Northamptonshire

re they should carry on the stated ministrations of the Gospel, and form a Church on Congregational principles. The population of the village is too small

f places in the vicinity. One of the stated hearers, who died at an advanced age a few years ago, and who had been connected with the place from his earliest days, informed the writer that he remembered hearers coming from thirteen villages to atte

hat Church-meetings were held at Ashley, members admitted there, the Lord's Supper administered; proving that it was regarded as a distinct Christian society, under the pastoral charge of the minister of the Church at Harborough. After Doddridge came to reside at Harborough, and became assistant to Mr. Some, he took his turn in preaching at Ashley. Tradition says, that on one occasion he baptized nine children at the house of a respectable farmer at Weston, about a mile from Ashley, whose family were long connected with the place, and at whose house the minister frequently, in those days, dined on the Sabbath. From Doddridge's own pen we

e circumstances of a family which God hath broken with breach upon breach-of those distressed children whose father and mother have forsaken them almost at once, and who have since been visited with another stroke, which if alone had been very grievous, and when added to such a weight of former sorrows is, I fear, almost insupportable. I believe all of you who are acquainted with the case sincerely pity them, and wish their relief; but I

ddresses the orphan family towa

on in Doddridge's academy; for though we have no account preserved of the period when he commenced or when he closed his ministry, yet we find that he entered the academy at Northampton in the year 1740. If immediately on the close of his studies he became the pastor of the Church at As

tinued for 32 years. The residence of Mr. Bacon's family was Sutton-in-Ashfield; he studied for the

the most lovely, amiable men they ever knew. Mr. Bacon was one of the first trustees for the Meeting House at Weldon and the property connected with it, and one of the monthly lecturers there for a number of years, frequently conducting also the extra service they obtained on a Sabbath evening in addition to the monthly lecture. At Corby

e is in the hands of a daughter of Mr. Bullock a neat pocket Bible, in two volumes, published in 1640, that evidently was used by Dr. Addington when he preached in the villages in the vicinity of Market Harborough, having on the fly-leaves the texts of the sermons noted down very neatly, with the places where they were preached, and the

e Bul

med friend and tutor, the Rev. S. Addington, D.D., No

ndance increasing, it was thought desirable to have a larger place and more regular services. This Meeting House was opened in the year 1793, and from that time it was connected with Ashley, to have one service by the pasto

ouring for about twenty years, in the month of January, 1809, he was seized with a paralytic affection, which laid him aside entirely from all public service. He resigned his charge, seeing

s invited to the pastoral office,

g the ministry of Mr. Notcutt a vestry was added to the Meeting House at Wilbarston for week-evening services and for the Sabbath-school. In the year 1820 the Meeting House was enlarged, at an expense of about ￡200. The ministry of Mr. Not

Mr. Bromiley was at Ashley the Meeting House underwent some alterations-was new pewed, and the inside considerably improved; but it still remains, as to the appearance of the building, in the state of one of the oldest Nonconformi

sent minister, Mr. Thomas Coleman, who had previously been pastor of the Independent Church at Wollaston, was unanimo

nd a small burying place behind the Meeting. The alteration of the Meeting, the purchase of the ground, the building, &c., must have cost more than ￡400, which has been entirely paid off. There are about 17 acres of land that have been purchased with moneys left to the interest by different persons, which

thing to have preaching in a house, and in a room where people lived; and when reminded of the Saviour's promise, that "wherever two or three are gathered together in his name," replied, "Ah, that might be all very true in those days, when there were no churches built nor clergymen appointed; but it did not apply now." Having gained the great man of the village on his side, nothing would do but they must have a notice drawn up and served on the occupiers of the cottage where the service was held, that they must leave it, if they did not give up the preaching; and this was persisted in; though a noble Earl who had property in the village, to whom the pastor sent a statement of t

or five villages in its immediate vicinity, and they are of small population, and several of the old Dissenting families have been removed from them. Being simply an agricultural district, without trade or manufactures, there is no prospect of much increase. As young persons rise into life they remove to other places for employment, and some o