Bedale Baptist Church History

BEDALE:
Bedale Baptist Church History up to 1912.

The cause at Bedale had its origin in the now extinct cause at Snape, which was originally a branch of the ancient Church at Hamsterly, Durham. William Terry was ordained pastor; he was baptised in 1793, and laboured in Bedale and the villages around until his death in 1819. Upon his decease the members living at Masham formed themselves into a separate Church, and Mr. Wrightson took the pastoral charge of the remainder. The choice not being unanimous, nine brethren withdrew their membership, and purchasing a dwelling-house in 1821, converted it into a chapel. In 1827, Mr. Robert Thomson accepted the pastorate, the Church being constituted on January 4th, of that year. He resigned in 1829, and until 1836 the pulpit was supplied by Mr. Atty, one of the members.

In 1841, Bedale was one of the Churches which was greatly strengthened by a visit from that remarkable evangelist, Mr. Pulsford. In 1842, the chapel, rebuilt to twice its former size, was reopened by Rev. Eustace Giles and Mr. Pulsford. Between the years 1836 and 1855, Bedale had eight pastors, and from 1860 to 1873 the Church book contains no minutes. In 1875, Rev. R. J. Beecliffe became minister, remaining three years, and the building of the present chapel was undertaken. It was opened in 1879, having cost £1,450. From 188o to 1894, Rev. G. Charlesworth was pastor, and the Church celebrated the centenary of the beginning of the cause. Rev. F. Allsop was minister from 1896 to 1903, and Rev. J. Young from 1904 to 1910. In the following year the Rev. E. Moore undertook the charge of Bedale with Masham.