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Bradford Trinity Horton Lane Baptist Church History

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BRADFORD:
Bradford Trinity Horton Lane Baptist Church History up to 1912.

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BRADFORD, TRINITY, HORTON LANE BAPTIST CHURCH

Surely no Church could have had a happier origin than Trinity. In celebration of its centenary and as a memorial of the goodness and Horton Lane. blessing of God through its history, the mother Church at Westgate built the new chapel and dismissed forty-one of its members to form the Church. At the opening services, which were held on the 14th May, 1857, the Rev. Baptist W. Noel preached morning and evening, Revs. H. Dowson and Dr. Ackworth, of Horton College, also taking part. Among others who took part in subsequent services were Revs. J. P. Chown and Hugh Stowell Brown. The cost of land, buildings, and furnishings was £4,050, of which only £300 remained as a debt after the opening services were over. Not long afterwards Rev. C. H. Spurgeon visited Bradford to help the cause at Trinity, and a sum of £188 was raised. Within a very short time the whole of the debt was cleared.

The Rev. H. J. Betts, of London, became the first pastor. During his nine years' ministry, the Church increased to 313 members. In 1860, the school was enlarged at a cost of £600, and in 1863 the chapel was cleaned and renovated, an organ was obtained and new galleries were added, costing £1,300. Mr. Betts was succeeded in turn by Revs. J. S. Anderson, John Russell, and Charles Rignall. During Mr. Rignall's fruitful ministry, 245 persons were added to the Church and further alterations and improvements were made in the premises at a cost of £1,600. In 1897, the present pastor, Rev. Albert Walker, put his "hand to the plough" at Trinity, and for fifteen years has maintained a successful and happy pastorate over a united people. Many who have had prominent positions in civic and denominational life have been associated with the Church, among whom may be mentioned Mr. Briggs Priestley, Councillor, Alderman, Mayor, and M.P. for Pudsey; Alderman W. Whitehead, J.P.; Alderman William Watson; Mr. Isaac Smith, J.P., Mayor; Alderman William Moulson, J.P., Mayor; and Mr. John Mitchell, an ex-President of the Yorkshire Baptist Association.


Transcribed by Colin Hinson © 2014
from the "Present Churches" section of
The Baptists of Yorkshire
by Rev. J. Brown Morgan
and Rev. C.E. Shipley