Fuller Baptist Church
Encyclopedia
Fuller Baptist Church is a Baptist
church located in the town of Kettering
in northern Northamptonshire
, England
. This church was organized over 300 years ago, and has contributed to the creation of a number of Baptist churches nearby.
. That was when Mr Maydwell, the Rector of Kettering, left the Parish Church to establish the Independent Meeting.
The first entry, in the Old Church Book, which is undated, lists amongst its members a Mr William Wallis who, with six other members, was dismissed from membership for being an Anabaptist
. In October of 1696 these men set up their own fellowship in a house in Bayley's Yard, Newland Street, with William Wallis as their pastor, and this formed the first Baptist Church in Kettering, and from which the Fuller Church ultimately grew.
At about the same time a second Baptist fellowship was established in Goosepasture Lane (now Meadow Road) under the leadership of Mr Wills, formerly pastor of the Independent Meeting but who also had been dismissed from membership. Around 1729 the two separate Baptist meetings merged, meeting together for worship on the common basis of believers baptism and open communion
.
The church soon was in need of its own burial ground
but the buildings in Goosepasture Lane had little or no land attached. Mr Beeby Wallis (the great-grandson of William Wallis the pastor), made available to the church his house, warehouse, barn, stable yard and gardens situated in Gold Street; this property was worth a total of £350, but was bought by the church for £139 14s 9d.
By 1775 under the leadership of George Moreton of Arnesby
, the membership had risen to 75. However, not long after Mr Moreton was forced to give his resignation due to ill health, and a young minister named Andrew Fuller
was approached. Fuller was minister at Soham
at the time and was reluctant to leave his small flock, but after consulting with nine of his fellow ministers, Fuller eventually and reluctantly accepted the call and, together with his family, moved to Kettering in October 1782.
In 1792 Fuller helped in the creation of what was to become the Baptist Missionary Society
, but it was also the year Beeby Wallis and Fuller's own wife died.
Two years later Fuller married Ann Coles, the daughter of the Reverend William Coles of Ampthill
and found in his new wife "the perfect helpmeet". By 1805 a further rebuilding of the chapel was required, and the building was lengthened by 18 feet and the walls raised by 4 feet, and now could contain 900 people. Fuller died on Sunday, 7 May 1815. It was estimated that 2000 people attended his funeral. Fuller was succeeded by his assistant, John Keen Hall, who died in 1829 at the age of 43.
In 1851 the Sunday School
had 534 children attending on Sunday mornings and 625 in the afternoon. Gas lighting was introduced into the Chapel
in 1846. Revd James Mursell, whose ministry began in March 1853, had an "exciting and innovative" ministry. It was during his time that the new chapel was built. The Fuller Chapel, as it was named, opened for worship on 24 September 1861.
James Mursell served until January 1870. By 1884 the membership had risen to 410. In July 1891 the foundation stone of a mission hall in Nelson Street was laid, which become what is now known as Carey Memorial Chapel (Carey Baptist Church
). By 1896 membership of Fuller stood at 720 with a Sunday School
of around 2000 children. In 1945 another church plant in Rockingham Road gained its independence (Rockingham Road Baptist Church) and yet another (Corby
) became independent in 1956.
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
church located in the town of Kettering
Kettering
Kettering is a market town in the Borough of Kettering, Northamptonshire, England. It is situated about from London. Kettering is mainly situated on the west side of the River Ise, a tributary of the River Nene which meets at Wellingborough...
in northern Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. This church was organized over 300 years ago, and has contributed to the creation of a number of Baptist churches nearby.
Founding
The origins of the Fuller Baptist church stretch back as far as 1666, when the first Nonconformist meetings commenced in Kettering following the Act of Uniformity 1662Act of Uniformity 1662
The Act of Uniformity was an Act of the Parliament of England, 13&14 Ch.2 c. 4 ,The '16 Charles II c. 2' nomenclature is reference to the statute book of the numbered year of the reign of the named King in the stated chapter...
. That was when Mr Maydwell, the Rector of Kettering, left the Parish Church to establish the Independent Meeting.
The first entry, in the Old Church Book, which is undated, lists amongst its members a Mr William Wallis who, with six other members, was dismissed from membership for being an Anabaptist
Anabaptist
Anabaptists are Protestant Christians of the Radical Reformation of 16th-century Europe, and their direct descendants, particularly the Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites....
. In October of 1696 these men set up their own fellowship in a house in Bayley's Yard, Newland Street, with William Wallis as their pastor, and this formed the first Baptist Church in Kettering, and from which the Fuller Church ultimately grew.
At about the same time a second Baptist fellowship was established in Goosepasture Lane (now Meadow Road) under the leadership of Mr Wills, formerly pastor of the Independent Meeting but who also had been dismissed from membership. Around 1729 the two separate Baptist meetings merged, meeting together for worship on the common basis of believers baptism and open communion
Open communion
Open communion is the practice of Christian churches that allow individuals other than members of that church to receive Holy Communion...
.
The church soon was in need of its own burial ground
Burial Ground
Burial Ground is the ninth studio album by Swedish death metal band Grave, released in June 2010.-Track listing:# "Liberation" - 3:40# "Semblance In Black" - 7:50# "Dismembered Mind" - 6:10# "Ridden With Belief" - 7:57# "Conquerer" - 4:44...
but the buildings in Goosepasture Lane had little or no land attached. Mr Beeby Wallis (the great-grandson of William Wallis the pastor), made available to the church his house, warehouse, barn, stable yard and gardens situated in Gold Street; this property was worth a total of £350, but was bought by the church for £139 14s 9d.
By 1775 under the leadership of George Moreton of Arnesby
Arnesby
Arnesby is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 343. The village is south of Leicester, on the Welford Road, between Kilby and Shearsby....
, the membership had risen to 75. However, not long after Mr Moreton was forced to give his resignation due to ill health, and a young minister named Andrew Fuller
Andrew Fuller
Andrew Fuller was an eminent Baptist minister, born in Cambridgeshire, and settled at Kettering.Fuller was a zealous controversialist in defence of the governmental theory of the atonement against Hyper-Calvinism on the one hand and Socinianism and Sandemanianism on the other, but he is chiefly...
was approached. Fuller was minister at Soham
Soham
Soham is a small town in the English county of Cambridgeshire. It lies just off the A142 between Ely and Newmarket . Its population is 9,102 , and it is within the district of East Cambridgeshire.-Archaeology:...
at the time and was reluctant to leave his small flock, but after consulting with nine of his fellow ministers, Fuller eventually and reluctantly accepted the call and, together with his family, moved to Kettering in October 1782.
Enlargement
Andrew Fuller brought life and vigour to the church. He was a prolific writer and a powerful preacher. By 1786 it was considered necessary to enlarge the Chapel at a cost of £133. In the same year a daughter church - Gretton Chapel - became independent of the Kettering church.In 1792 Fuller helped in the creation of what was to become the Baptist Missionary Society
Baptist Missionary Society
rightBMS World Mission is a Christian missionary society founded by Baptists from England in 1792. It was originally called the Particular Baptist Society for the Propagation of the Gospel Amongst the Heathen, but for most of its life was known as the Baptist Missionary Society...
, but it was also the year Beeby Wallis and Fuller's own wife died.
Two years later Fuller married Ann Coles, the daughter of the Reverend William Coles of Ampthill
Ampthill
Ampthill is a small town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, between Bedford and Luton, with a population of about 6,000. It is administered by Central Bedfordshire Council. A regular market has taken place on Thursdays for centuries.-History:...
and found in his new wife "the perfect helpmeet". By 1805 a further rebuilding of the chapel was required, and the building was lengthened by 18 feet and the walls raised by 4 feet, and now could contain 900 people. Fuller died on Sunday, 7 May 1815. It was estimated that 2000 people attended his funeral. Fuller was succeeded by his assistant, John Keen Hall, who died in 1829 at the age of 43.
In 1851 the Sunday School
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
had 534 children attending on Sunday mornings and 625 in the afternoon. Gas lighting was introduced into the Chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
in 1846. Revd James Mursell, whose ministry began in March 1853, had an "exciting and innovative" ministry. It was during his time that the new chapel was built. The Fuller Chapel, as it was named, opened for worship on 24 September 1861.
James Mursell served until January 1870. By 1884 the membership had risen to 410. In July 1891 the foundation stone of a mission hall in Nelson Street was laid, which become what is now known as Carey Memorial Chapel (Carey Baptist Church
Carey Baptist Church
Carey Baptist Church is an independent evangelical/baptist church in Reading, England.-History:The church was founded in 1867 and was named after William Carey, a famous missionary from Northamptonshire, who went to India in 1793, and never returned to his homeland.Notable past pastors include Rev...
). By 1896 membership of Fuller stood at 720 with a Sunday School
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
of around 2000 children. In 1945 another church plant in Rockingham Road gained its independence (Rockingham Road Baptist Church) and yet another (Corby
Corby
Corby Town is a town and borough located in the county of Northamptonshire. Corby Town is 23 miles north-east of the county town, Northampton. The borough had a population of 53,174 at the 2001 Census; the town on its own accounted for 49,222 of this figure...
) became independent in 1956.