HATHERLEIGH, North Devon.-Previously to the settlement of our present minister, - we had been three years without a pastor, during which period we had no accessions, but on the contrary, our numbers were considerably decreased by the removal of our members to other places; and though our congregations on the Lord's day continued good, yet as a church, our condition and prospects were no way cheering. In November last we invited the Rev. W. Clarke, then of Bideford, to supply the pulpit for a month, at the end of which time he received a unanimous call to become the pastor of the church; to this call he acceded, and immediately commenced his labours. Finding, upon trial, that a congregation could not be convened In the chapel on a weeknight, it was thought advisable to have cottage meetings in various parts of the town, a plan which succeeded beyond our expectations. On the 11th of March we commenced a protracted meeting for the purpose of promoting a revival of religion.
At six o'clock in the morning a prayer meeting for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was held, and during the day we had proof that the Lord heard and answered; the enquiry was excited in the hearts of many sinners, "What must we do to be saved?" and three were enabled to rejoice in Christ as their Saviour.
We have had a meeting in the chapel every night since the commencement, which is always well attended, and frequently crowded, and it is with heartfelt gratitude to the Head of the Church, that we are enabled to state that more than one hundred and thirty persons have, within the last four weeks, professedly surrendered their hearts to God, and felt a sense of his pardoning love. And the good work is still going on; every day the number of believers is increased and we hope to see many more brought from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. It will not be supposed that such a glorious work could go on without exciting considerable opposition: this we have had, as the broken windows of our chapel testify, and this we have still, but it is a matter of course, I need not further describe it. Jehovah is on our side, and that is sufficient. We shall therefore urge on our way, rejoice in the Lord," and "joy in the God of our salvation."
From, "The Baptist Reporter," May 1849, pages 189-90.
HATHERLEIGH, North Devon - I am happy to inform you that the revival here is still progressing. Since the last account in the Report was written, about eighty persons living in this town and neighbourhood have been hopefully converted to God, and this in the midst of as great persecution as we ever witnessed; indeed we have cause to thank God for the protection afforded us by the laws of our country, as we are fully satisfied that without this even our lives would be in danger. But the Lord makes the wrath of man to praise him; this we have proved; the very steps taken by the enemies of the truth to ruin our cause, have, like Paul's imprisonment, "fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel." But it must not be supposed that all the opposition and persecution which we have to endure is from "the wicked,"- by no means: men whose names are "Reverend," and whose persons as well as calling are believed to be peculiarly sacred, have made, and are still making, the most strenuous efforts to put down the strange proceedings of the baptists. But the work is evidently of God, and therefore cannot be overturned. We desire to follow the example of our blessed Lord, by praying for our persecutors; and with gratitude to God, to whom all the praise and glory is due, we point our adversaries to large numbers, who, a few weeks ago, were enemies to God by wicked works, but are now walking in the way to heaven, and adorning the doctrine of God our Saviour In all things, and this is our answer to those that examine us."
From, "The Baptist Register," June 1849, page 230.
On the morning of Lord's-day, May 6, our pastor preached on believers' baptism. The chapel was crowded to excess. At the close of the sermon, he read extracts of Baptist Noel's work, from the Reporter, which seemed to have considerable effect. He then baptized twenty-two believers in the Lord Jesus - fourteen females and eight males, who were received into our fellowship in the aftemoon. We have yet a large number of candidates, anxious to put on Christ by baptism.
From, "The Baptist Register," June 1849, page 234
On Lord's-day, June 3rd. fifteen persons were buried with their Lord in baptism by Mr Clarke, our pastor, after a sermon on believers' baptism to a large and attentive congregation. And on Lord's-day, the 17th June, for the convenience of our country friends, and for the accommodation of hundreds who could not get into the chapel, Mr Clarke baptized eleven believers in a neighbouring river; one of them a preacher with the Bible Christians, and two others members with the Wesleyens. We have still a large number of candidates for baptism, and, our principles are steadily advancing in the neighbourhood.
From, "The Baptist Register," August 1849, page 314.
We have had several baptisms here since our last report, and our principals are continuing to gain ground. On Lord's-day, Dec. 2, four believers were buried with their Lord, and afterwards received into the church. At Sheepwash, one of our village stations, there is a good work going on. At this place the gospel had been preached for many years, with but little apparent success and several of the preachers expressed themselves of being without hope of good being accomplished by ordinary means. We therefore resolved on making a special effort, and accordingly, on Oct 7th we commenced a protracted meeting for the conversion of sinners, which was continued a month, and the Lord owned the labours of his servants. Out of a population of about 450, seventy persons have professedly been converted to God, and, what is more remarkable, many of them are far advanced in years. On Lord's-day, Nov 13, five persons were, after a sermon on the subject to a large congregation, baptized in the river Torrldge, three of whom had been converted in the protracted meeting; the other two were members with the Bible Christians. On Lord's-day Dec. 9, twenty-two were baptized in the same place; two of whom were members with the Bible Christians, the rest had been brought to the Lord in our protracted meetings. The principles of believer's baptism are exciting considerable attention in this neighbourhood, and, as a necessary result, "baby sprinkling." is seen to be the ordinance of man, and, by the conscientious, is abandoned; and the ordinance, as it was instituted by Christ and practised by hls apostles, now takes its place.
From, "The Baptist Register," January 1850, page 29.
I cannot discover where this church was.