Rushden Echo, Friday, November 22, 1901, transcribed by Greville Watson

As the Rev.T.Edwards Thompson, who succeeds the Rev.C.F.Groom as pastor of the Park-road Wesleyan Church will be removing to Northampton (Queen’s-road) next September, the circuit committee met on Saturday to invite a successor.  It was decided unanimously and heartily to invite the Rev.R.B.Woodward, of Hednesford, in the Cannock circuit.  Mr.Woodward is an able preacher and a vigilant pastor, and, if he accepts the invitation, he will be a distinct gain to the Free Church life of Rushden and district.

Rushden Echo, Friday, December 6, 1901, transcribed by Greville Watson

The Rev.R.B.Woodward, of Hednesford, Staffs, has accepted a hearty invitation to succeed the Rev.T.Edwards Thompson as pastor of the Park-road Wesleyan Church after next August when Mr. Thompson removes to Northampton.

Local Appointments

The first draft of the appointments of Wesleyan Methodist ministers for the year beginning Sept.1st has been issued this week. The appointments are subject to further revision.

In the Higham Ferrers circuit the Rev.J.W.Eacott remains as superintendent and the Rev.D.Pughe continues at Irthlingborough. The Rev.R.B.Woodward removes from Rushden to Woodville and Swadlincote circuit, and he is succeeded at Rushden by the Rev.Robert H.A.Morton, from Brynmawr, South Wales.

Former Rushden ministers are appointed as follows:- the Rev.W.Newby remains at Birmingham (Smethwick), the Rev.T.Edwards Thompson continues at the Devonshire Park Mission at Buxton, the Rev.A.L.Fillingham, B.Litt., stays a fifth year at the Newcastle-on-Tyne Mission, and the Rev.C.F.Groom remains at Wesley Hall, Newcastle-on-Tyne.

The Rev.R.B.Woodward brought his ministry at the Park-road Wesleyan Church to a close on Sunday evening last, when he preached to a large congregation.  Taking as his text the words, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts” (Col.iii. 15, R.V.), he said that on the following Sunday he should be face to face with a new set of faces and should begin his work with new workers.  His last wish for the congregation at Rushden was that the peace of Christ might rule in their hearts.  This was a wish they could gratify themselves, a blessing which they could at once secure.  Having dealt with various false methods by which men seek to obtain peace, he referred to the many wrong ideas which men had regarding peace.  For instance, absence of noise was not peace, but silence, and the convict’s cell might be silent while the prisoner himself might be filled with remorse.  Then, absence of motion was not peace, but stillness.  Absence of care might not be peace, but merely stolid indifference, and might be even the result of narcotics and stimulants or the effect of the transfer of responsibility to priest, or power, or partner.  Peace was not a lifeless, soundless state – a motionless, nerveless condition.  It was a state full of life, energy, activity.  Peace resulted from the absence of inward mutiny, and from setting uppermost the best part of man’s nature.  The sermon was a very impressive one and was listened to with keen interest.  An anthem was sung by the choir, Miss Waring being the soloist.  Miss Florrie Darnell sang a solo, “When peace, like a river,” and at the close of the sermon the choir sang very softly the hymn, “Peace, perfect peace.”  After the benediction the choir and congregation sang the hymn, “God be with you till we meet again.”  Mr.Woodward begins his ministry in the Woodville and Swadlincote circuit next Sunday.