Keighley Slack Lane Baptist Church History

KEIGHLEY:
Keighley Slack Lane Baptist Church History up to 1912.

The Slack Lane Church, Keighley, is the fruition of work begun in a room at Bogthorn, in 1819, by Mr. Joseph Shaw, pastor of the Keighley Church. Trouble had arisen between the Church and its pastor; the Keighley church-book assigns five reasons for the dispute, of which two were that he had not fulfilled his promise to reside at Keighley, and that he had neglected to preach the doctrines of discriminating grace. On March 19th, 1820, Mr. Shaw, with five other members, formed the new cause, and in the following year the building now used as a school was erected. Mr. Shaw remained until 1829, and, in 1831, Mr. Jonas Rhodes, a young deacon of Keighley, was called to succeed him. His ministry was swiftly closed, his death occurring within a year of his acceptance of the charge.

Mr. D. Evans, a Horton student, settled at Slack Lane in 1836. He met with much encouraging success, but, difficulties arising, he resigned in 1841. During Rev. Wm. Varley's pastorate (1845-51) the Church experienced much blessing, and a manse was built. In 1855, Rev. Job Lee entered upon a ministry of thirty years' duration, towards the close of which, on Good Friday, 1880, the present chapel was opened, having cost £3000. Mr. Lee was followed by Rev. Hugh Davies in 1888, who remained for seventeen years. Rev. J. W. Raper, the present pastor, settled at Slack Lane in 1907.