The Horsley Association 1778

BREVIATES

WEDNESDAY afternoon at three o'clock Ministers Messcngers &c met according to appointment. Brother [James] Pyne of Devizes prayed she preliminaries of the association were read. Brother C[aleb] Evans was chosen MODERATOR - the letters from the churches were read - minutes of their contents taken. Brother B[enjamin] Francis desired to draw up the General letter. Brother [Henry] Philips of Sarum prayed. The assembly then adjourned to HALF PAST SIX. The service was opened by singing a suitable hymn. Brother Enoch Francis prayed, Brother [Robert] Day preached from Isaiah 64:8 But now O Lord Thou art our Father After singing Brother J Stephens closed the service in prayer.

THURSDAY MORNING SEVEN O CLOCK our Brethren Taylor, M Harris, [Thomas] Ferrabee and S Duncombe succeeded each other in prayer. The General letter was then read, unanimously approved and at the request of the assembly signed by the Moderator. This service was concluded in prayer by our Brother Allsop.

AT TEN opened the public service by singing as before. Brother Satteridge prayed, Brother [Joseph] Sprague prayed. Our Brother C[aleb] Evans preached from Matt 5:47 What do ye more than others Brother [Robert] Day prayed, Brother [John] Kingdon [Frome] preached from 2 Cor 4.6 For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Sang at the usual intervals of worship and closed the PUBLIC SERVICE in prayer by our Brother H[ugh] Evans.

AT FOUR the Ministers and Messengers assembled again. The state of the small but increasing Association Fund was laid before them by the Moderator. It appeared that the balance in hand exclusive of this year's collections was FIFTY pounds and four pence. That there had been upwards of thirty pounds expended out of this fund including the profts arising from the sale of the annual letter that the above balance of fifty pounds was for the present locked up in an edition of Catechisms for the use of the churches and that the amount of the collections this year was 22£ 14s.

Brother Day reported that he had it in charge from our deceased Brother [Isaac] Hann when on his dying bed to return the Association his most affectionate thanks for the kind assistance they had afforded him out of this fund and for all their acts of liberality and brotherly love towards him. The assembly in return unanimously expressed their grateful joy that it had been in their power to relieve and comfort in his declining years so venerable a Brother who had long been an ornament to his character in general and to the Baptist denomination and this assembly in particular.

Several applications were then made from different churches for some assistance from this fund towards repairing their places of worship and TWENTY ONE GUINEAS were voted for that purpose. The Moderator was also desired out of fund to purchase 250 of the Nonconformist's Catechism by Palmer of Hackney and to distribute them amongst the churches. And it was further agreed to assist in a mission to Cornwall and to defray any expence our Brethren might be at on account of VILLAGE PREACHING which it is the earnest wish of this association to encourage as much as possible.

Agreed cordially to unite in any respectful application that may be made to parliament to repeal the penal statutes Protestant Dissenters and to enlarge the terms of the act of toleration; the present time being in the opinion of this association proper for that purpose.

Agreed to recommend the church at Falmouth in Cornwall as highly worthy encouragement. The interest there, if properly supported, it appears to this association, is likely to be considerable. Their present large and commodious place of worship has brought them into debt upwards of eighty pounds as they want assistance to discharge as also the assistance of funds to enable them comfortably to support a minister. - The church al Melksham, Wilts, finding it necessary to add galleries to their new place of worship agreed to recommend their case to such of the churches to whom they have not already for assistance.

Agreed That we are obliged to our Brethren who constituted the several other associations in this kingdom for their ready compliance with our request of opening a friendly correspondence with them; that we hope for the continuance of correspondence and humbly recommend it to their consideration whether their associations might not be improved by establishment of a similar fund with that which has been formed by this association the plan of which the Secretary desired to lay before them/

Agreed Earnestly to request the churches in this association to endeavour to be peculiarly serious and solemn in their of days of humiliation and prayer as the Lord appears so to have a controversy with this guilty nation and circumstances are so truly alarming. 

Agreed To hold the next Association at Exon. To begin WEDNESDAY afternoon THREE o'clock in the week after the Whitsun week, it being inconvenient to our friends to have the meeting in the Whitsun week on account of a great fair at that time.

Our Brethren B Francis and C Evans to preach the sermons or in case of failure our Brother Day.

he Association was then finally closed in prayer by the Moderator.

Since the last Assfociation the accounts sent from the Churches are as follows

Baptized 131

Received by letter from other churches 8 (= 139)

Dead 64

Dismissed to other Churches 10

Excluded 5 (= 79)

Increase 60

NB The increase in this association in the year 1777 was 21. In the Leicestershire association 17. In the Welch 119. In the Midland 24. Total 18. The Eastern association does not mention the increase. And in several parts of the country the sister Churches hold fellowship by a circular double lecture during the summer half year but have no annual Association so that an exact account of their state could not be procured. In the general we have the happiness to learn that they are upon the increase.

Wilson's Scripture Manual at 7s 6d per hundred Baptist Catechism ditto with the Scripture Proofs 155 per hundred. Scripture Exposition of the Catechism by our Brother Beddome is in canvas 15 3d in sheep and is 6d in calf. To be had by applying to our Brother C Evans, No 3 Montague Street, Bristol. As also the new Collection of Hymns with a Supplement the third edition 3s in sheep, 6d in calf. To those who take six together a seventh will be allowed gratis.