Bethel Chapel Guildford
Encyclopedia
Bethel Chapel, The Bars, Guildford
, is a Strict Baptist
Chapel affiliated to the Gospel Standard
group of Strict & Particular Baptist churches . The Church was established in 1879 and the present building opened in 1910. Bethel still adheres to its original Articles of Faith and worship is conducted much as it was a century ago.
What is now Bethel Chapel, Guildford, began in 1878 when a few people left the Old Baptist Chapel in Castle Street, dissatisfied with the teaching there. They hired the basement hall in the Ward Street Halls to hold services in, and on 14 April 1879, a Church was formed on the basis of the Gospel Standard Articles of Faith.
A few months later the Church obtained a piece of land in nearby Martyr Road where they erected a temporary chapel built of corrugated iron and known as 'the Tin Chapel'. The name 'Bethel' was given to the building. Although several men who preached at the Tin Chapel were asked to become pastor
, none of them accepted the call and the ministry was carried on by visiting preachers.
By the early years of the 20th century the church felt the need for a more permanent building. Land was purchased in The Bars, close to the old Bethel, and a new chapel was built in red brick with round-headed windows outlined in grey brick. The new Bethel was opened in June 1910, Mr. J.K. Popham of Brighton and Mr. Calcott of Coventry preached at the opening services. The old building was taken over by the Railway Mission.
Due to the enclosed nature of the site most light enters the chapel through a large dormer window above the front door. The whole building has a pleasing arts-and-crafts feeling about it. This building, with schoolroom, hall, vestry and toilets in a sympathetic extension added in 1930, is still in use. The original furnishings, pulpit, pews and so on are all still in place. Recently the dormer window in the front of the chapel has been repaired.
The first pastor of the Bethel was Jabez Wiltshire. Born into a Christian home at Studley
in Wiltshire
, he was brought into concern for his soul early in life. After conversion he was baptised
at Zion Chapel Trowbridge in April 1914 and began to preach in 1917. In 1925 Mr. Wiltshire accepted a call to the pastorate at Bethel, expressing a desire to remain in his post until death. At last he died on June 12, 1953, at the age of sixty-one. He left four children. There is a small memorial to Mr. Wiltshire in the chapel.
The second pastor at Bethel, Mr. P. Buss, served from 1981 to 1985.
The Risbridger family have for a long time been associated with the Church at Bethel Chapel. The first Risbridger associated with Bethel was Solomon Risbridger, who began to attend Bethel in 1889. He was received into the Church in 1897. For many years he served as a deacon at Bethel, until his death on 12 January 1957. The Risbridger family are still associated with Bethel and Mr. Mark Risbridger is one of the deacons of the Church today.
Although presently without a pastor, services are carried on at Bethel by means of visiting preachers. Until recently singing was unaccompanied and led by a deacon
who used a pitch-pipe to set the pitch. Recently an organ has been introduced.
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
, is a Strict Baptist
Strict Baptist
Strict Baptists, also known as Particular Baptists, are Baptists who believe in a Calvinist or Reformed interpretation of Christian soteriology. The Particular Baptists arose in England in the 17th century and took their namesake from the doctrine of particular redemption.-Further reading:*History...
Chapel affiliated to the Gospel Standard
Gospel Standard
The Gospel Standard is a Strict Baptist magazine first published in 1835 by John Gadsby. The current editor is Benjamin Ashworth Ramsbottom....
group of Strict & Particular Baptist churches . The Church was established in 1879 and the present building opened in 1910. Bethel still adheres to its original Articles of Faith and worship is conducted much as it was a century ago.
What is now Bethel Chapel, Guildford, began in 1878 when a few people left the Old Baptist Chapel in Castle Street, dissatisfied with the teaching there. They hired the basement hall in the Ward Street Halls to hold services in, and on 14 April 1879, a Church was formed on the basis of the Gospel Standard Articles of Faith.
A few months later the Church obtained a piece of land in nearby Martyr Road where they erected a temporary chapel built of corrugated iron and known as 'the Tin Chapel'. The name 'Bethel' was given to the building. Although several men who preached at the Tin Chapel were asked to become pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
, none of them accepted the call and the ministry was carried on by visiting preachers.
By the early years of the 20th century the church felt the need for a more permanent building. Land was purchased in The Bars, close to the old Bethel, and a new chapel was built in red brick with round-headed windows outlined in grey brick. The new Bethel was opened in June 1910, Mr. J.K. Popham of Brighton and Mr. Calcott of Coventry preached at the opening services. The old building was taken over by the Railway Mission.
Due to the enclosed nature of the site most light enters the chapel through a large dormer window above the front door. The whole building has a pleasing arts-and-crafts feeling about it. This building, with schoolroom, hall, vestry and toilets in a sympathetic extension added in 1930, is still in use. The original furnishings, pulpit, pews and so on are all still in place. Recently the dormer window in the front of the chapel has been repaired.
The first pastor of the Bethel was Jabez Wiltshire. Born into a Christian home at Studley
Studley
Studley is a large village and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. Situated on the western edge of Warwickshire near the border with Worcestershire it is southeast of Redditch and northwest of Stratford. The Roman road of Ryknild Street, now the A435, passes...
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, he was brought into concern for his soul early in life. After conversion he was baptised
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
at Zion Chapel Trowbridge in April 1914 and began to preach in 1917. In 1925 Mr. Wiltshire accepted a call to the pastorate at Bethel, expressing a desire to remain in his post until death. At last he died on June 12, 1953, at the age of sixty-one. He left four children. There is a small memorial to Mr. Wiltshire in the chapel.
The second pastor at Bethel, Mr. P. Buss, served from 1981 to 1985.
The Risbridger family have for a long time been associated with the Church at Bethel Chapel. The first Risbridger associated with Bethel was Solomon Risbridger, who began to attend Bethel in 1889. He was received into the Church in 1897. For many years he served as a deacon at Bethel, until his death on 12 January 1957. The Risbridger family are still associated with Bethel and Mr. Mark Risbridger is one of the deacons of the Church today.
Although presently without a pastor, services are carried on at Bethel by means of visiting preachers. Until recently singing was unaccompanied and led by a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
who used a pitch-pipe to set the pitch. Recently an organ has been introduced.