p119

May 1820

At about this time our frend SMITH throw an unfortant scumstance faild in trade throu wich he nescarly was at the mercy of is Credters is Conduck to wards them was not satefatray towards them gudge him acting parshal to wards them from wich arose a Dicfaction amongs the frends and the ……… for the honor of the cause Crist judged th.. Duty to Enquire into the stat of them at the Church meeting wich was on June 30 at wich it was unanmusly agreed then that frend Colson frend Day and Randol should gain all the Information possible to bring an acount at the nex Church meeting wich was on July 28 at wich time a relation was given and from that relation it was proved that is conduct had not been uprit on wich a count it was unamusly agreed that he should with draw [then] from filing up his place to the ……….[*page cut away] for two monts frend KNOWLS was appointed to Deliver the Determation of the frends.

p208

Honorable Sirs,

We who Profess ourselves A Church of Christ Meeting together at Rushden in Northamptonshire Having for about 50 years past received of ye Annual Bounty Communicated for the relief of the Poor Churches of Christ in the Country and especially that we at that  time in our low & abject state being but few in number and poor in the world were scarcely able with all our exertions to raise for our Pastor £8.00 a year. That we should then be favoured with your Donations for the support of the Gospel of Christ amongst us: and likewise has been continued to the present period we desire ever with a thankfull heart to praise Divine goodness as the efficient cause & you sirs are the Instruments of affording us such suitable relief in our time of need and therefore hope you will please to accept our sincere  thanks for all the Kind-ness manifested from you in our favour and not withstanding the various changes & revolutions we as a Church during that period have past thro and under yet we have abundant reason to Bless God that our Number of Members have increased from about 30 to 88 the Congregation have likewise increased very considerable not only so but some of the members and others of the Congregation are possessed of this good so as to be able to Contribute something Hansome towards supporting the cause of Christ we Trust we are likewise Blessd with a Pastor or minister who is not only partaker of the grace of God, not only possessed of a spirit of penetration into the Mysteries of the Gospel but also of the gift of utterance to open & explain the Glorious things of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Add to all this that our Beloved Pastor is favoured with some annual property of this world, good so as not to be under the necessity of Depending wholly upon his friends for his whole support. Therefore upon these Considerations, we consider ourselves bound by the Laws of Justice & equity to omit for the present any further Application, So long as we may have an Opportunity to support the Gospel among ourselves – Thus Sirs, we commend you to God, and the word of His Grace – Trusting the Great Head of the Church will Reward ye Labours of Love. That this may be the case is the earnest Desire of ye unworthy Brethren in the Lord.

Now as a Token of our Mutual agreement & united Approbation to the Contents of this Letter, we have hereunto Subscribed our names

Sign'd at our Meeting House on Lords Day July 29 1810  -  By 20 Members

NB This is a Copy of the Letter sent to the Fund, when we resigned their Annual Donations After we Received it for nearly 50 years.

p219

Church Book

October 23 1826. This Book was bought for the use of the particular Baptist Church Meeting in Rushden Northamptonshire under the Pastoral care of James BEAN the Church entends to be more careful in keeping their minutes from the time of his coming amongst us then we have been before Mr BEAN came to us March 19 1826 to supply for one Month when he had preached two Sabbaths the Church gave him an invitation to continue with them 3 months longer to which he agreed.
The Church continued to hear with satisfaction and at their Church meeting in May 26 they unanimously agreed to give him a call to become their Pastor after some deliberation Mr BEAN accepted the invitation we wrote to the Church in Little [Clie] Street Goodmans fields London under the Pastoral Care of the Rev W SHENSTONE for our Brother BEAN’s dismission which was readily granted.

p329

Lords Day Aug 6^th 1848
Brother George DAY, influenced by brethren CORBY, SMITH, BOLTON and others, particularly by John PACK (not a member) – opened his house as a place of Worship – In reference  to which our pastor alluded on the following Sabbath in a sermon preached from Phillipsans 1 –18^th

p258/9

In the month of October 1837 The Door & Gates leading into & out of the Burial Ground were broke open & seriously damaged by Four lads viz. Joseph BAKER, G ROBINSON, Eli BURGESS & John BURGESS – warrants were obtained for their apprehension & they were taken before the Magistrates who were well disposed toward us but on the attorney of the Boys pleading a right of way – the magistrates left us to seek remedy in a higher court – To prevent the Property from being injured and to preserve the burying ground private & entire, several of our friends advised an action at law against the parties – the action commenced & was about being carried into court when the defendants abandoned the defences and signed a cognovit for the Costs & damages which on account of their poverty we saw no advantage would arise from putting it into execution & to obtain a settlement of the affair we consented to sign an undertaking not to press for costs.
In prosecuting this suit we were put to very heavy costs – our attorneys bill being upwards of 62£ besides several other expenses connected with these proceedings But several of our friends were exceedingly liberal and the costs were paid Jany 16 1839.  A receipt for the Attorneys bill – after making a handsome deduction – is pasted on the following page. Thus has the Lord Delivered our property from ruin and our cause from disgrace & Blessed be His holy name. May he graciously return unto the bosom of our friends four fold.