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Northallerton Baptist Church History

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NORTHALLERTON:
Northallerton Baptist Church History up to 1912.

Source=h:/!Genuki/RecordTranscriptions/NRY/BaptistChurches.txt

NORTHALLERTON BAPTIST CHURCH

The Church at Northallerton has a history the interest of which gathers about a young Baptist of the name of William Stubbins. He, believing he was divinely prompted to undertake evangelistic work, left Retford, in Nottinghamshire, in 1844, and went out not knowing whither he went. Directing his steps northward, he at last settled at Northallerton. Unknown, and without resources, he visited the sick and dying, and held cottage services, and, to provide for himself the bare necessities of life, opened a day school. In 1850, he bought a plot of land at Brompton, built a chapel, and gathered a Church of forty-five baptised believers.*

In 1866, he bought from the Wesleyans of Northallerton their disused chapel, and for twenty-three years conducted on every Sabbath two services at Northallerton and one at Brompton. As age advanced upon him his congregations declined, until sometimes only one member would be present at the Communion service. Never losing heart, he constructed a baptistry in 1883, and built a small manse in which he lived until his death. After his funeral, the cost of which was defrayed by the sale of his furniture, it was found that the chapel had been mortgaged and the property was offered for sale. The Rev. T. G. Rooke, B.A., Messrs. Arthur Briggs and W. H. Bilbrough instructed Rev. J. Haslam (Secretary of the Building and Extension Fund) to purchase the chapel and put it in trust for the denomination.

The total cost of its purchase and renovation, with the exception of a small loan from the Loan Society, was contributed by them and a few other friends. It was hoped to make Northallerton the centre of a group of village Churches, and the Rev. F. Allsop undertook their pastorate under the auspices of the Association, in 1896, remaining until 1903. In 1897, the premises were renovated, and in 1900, a manse was built. Mr. Allsop was followed by Rev. J. Young, who removed to Canada, in 1910, and the Church invited Mr. Powell to succeed him.

NOTES:
* William Stubbins held very strong General Baptist convictions, which prevented him from federating the Northallerton Church with the 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