Selby Congregational Church History

SELBY:
Selby Congregational Church History up to 1868.

" This congregation owes its origin to the zealous and generous exertions of Messrs. J. and W. Bowden, of Hull, and Messrs. W. and J. Clapham, of Leeds. These gentlemen procured supplies from the academy at Hackney, near London, under the care of Rev. G. Collison. Mr. Andrew Reed, one of his students (afterwards so well known as a philanthropist and divine) was the first who came. He began his labours on the first Lord's day of July, 1808, and preached in a large room in the 'King George,' which was filled to excess, but which the landlord afterwards refused to let the people occupy. They afterwards occupied a barn on the outside of the town. Appearances were so encouraging as to induce Messrs. Bowden and Clapham to comply with the earnest wishes of Mr. Reed and the congregation to purchase a piece of freehold ground for the site of a chapel. On the 18th of August Mr. Reed left Selby. His ministry there had been very acceptable and useful. In the month of October following, Mr. Seaton, of the same academy, came to supply them.

" The first stone of the new chapel was laid on Monday, Oct. 31, 1808.

" Mr. Seaton visited Thirsk in the month of February, 1839, and received an invitation from the people there to settle among them, which, however, he refused. He left Selby in April. In that month the chapel was opened. The preachers on the occasion were Messrs. Parsons (Leeds), Taylor (Bradford), and Eccles (Leeds). The discourses were afterwards published. Mr. Scott, one of the students from Hackney, arrived at Selby in the month of May, and laboured zealously and with acceptance in the villages of Barlow, Bragton, Bourn, Balby, Gateforth, and Cliff, and continued there until the beginning of September, when he went to Hexham. The people were very much attached to him, and great good was done by his ministry. Afterwards Mr. Taylor, from the same academy, supplied them till the month of May, 18 10."

The ministers have been-

• 1832. Rev. J. ROBERTSON (Airedale Coll.). Mr. R. remained till 1839, when he removed to Knaresborough.
• 1839. Rev. DAVID SENIOR (Rotherham Coll.). Mr. S. removed to Malton, 1857.
• 1861. Rev. DAVID CLEGG (Airedale Coll.), who is the present minister (in 1868).

NOTES:-
* From Scale's MSS.