Boroughbridge Baptist Church History

BOROUGHBRIDGE:
Boroughbridge Baptist Church History up to 1912.

The Boroughbridge and Dishforth Churches may be very properly placed together, for their history is scarcely separable. Each had its origin as a branch of the Church at Bedale. In 1811, Mr. Thomas Darnborough, a tanner of Boroughbridge, and an Independent, became convinced of Believers' Baptism, and was baptised by Mr. Terry, the pastor of Snape and Bedale. A similar movement took place at Dishforth, Mr. Thomas Morely, a farmer, being baptised, with his wife, (at Snape), in 1814. Anxious to bear witness to their faith, Mr. Morely at once converted two cottages into a meeting-house, and on New Year's Day, 1816, a Church was formed, and Mr. Darnborough ordained to the pastorate. He laboured with much success until 1824, his death being a great loss to the Church. In 1826, a chapel was opened at Langthorpe, Boroughbridge, the services having previously been in hired houses.

Mr. John Crook, of Horton College, filled the pastorate of the two Churches from 1825 to 1833. He was succeeded by another Horton student, Mr. Francis Johnstone, the Church then consisting of thirty members, and maintaining preaching services in four neighbouring villages, whilst its contributions to the Baptist Missionary Society amounted to nearly £50 per annum. Mr. Johnstone was followed, in 1840, by Mr. John Pulsford, but in 1843 the Churches separated, Dishforth becoming an open communion Church, and Boroughbridge maintaining the contrary principle. From 1844 to 1862 the ministers were Revs. G. Wilson McCree, W. B. Davies, G. C. Caterall, W. Wallis, and E. Lewis. Boroughbridge was then closed for a time, but was eventually reopened by the Association and the Church re-constituted under the pastorate of Mr. F. W. Bruce, in 1875. In 1882, Mr. Caterall again became pastor.

In 1888, Dishforth, which had been closed, was renovated and reopened, and Mr. Joseph Powell engaged as a colporteur. In 1890, the two Churches were reunited and reorganised with a membership of twenty-one. In 1896, the Church became included in the Northallerton group, with Rev. F. W. Allsop as pastor, and Messrs. J. Powell and W. Rhodes as evangelists. From the year 1899, the services have been sustained by the Lay Preachers' Association, but the Dishforth chapel is at present closed.