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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Kidderminster , , _ S | r , ^ jtfay 4 , 1819 * rMiHlS Monthly Repository being a JL valuable record of Nonconformity , which will transmit to posterity the knowledge of events occurring in the present day that materially affect the Dissenting interest , either
generally or in particular instances , you will probably have no objection to an insertion of the following brief narrative of the late sad contention among the Independents at Kidderminster . 1 shall not pretend to relate its mi * nutiae , some of which are differently stated in the rumours of the town ,
but merely the transactions of common notoriety . About ten years ago the Rev . T « , Hwas elected by the phurch and congregation assembling at the Old Meeting-house , not quite unanimously , but
with few exceptions , to become their settled . minister ; aad he was accordingly ordained there soon after his acceptance of their invitation . At the beginning of his ministry he was considered a very popular preacher , and
was ardently esteemed ; but as it often happens , when the fondness is at first excessive * before several years had elapsed the visible attachment to him considerably abated , and not longafter degenerated with many of his hearers into cold indifference . About
four years ago he received intimations from some of the people of dissatisfaction with his ministerial services , and of certain alterations that would be agreeable in several respects . These it is not necessary to detail , but it is proper to observe that the ground of this dissatisfaction was not any change of doctrinal sentiments , either with
him or the congregation . Instead of a compliance with their wishes , what was deemed objectionable continued , and consequently increased the discontent until it came to an open rupture * About the end of the year
IB Id , a meeting of the subscribers was called by a public notice , for important business relating to the congregation , which was for considering the propriety of informing their minister , that his connexion with
them must be relinquished at a time to be appointed . Probably from delicacy , as he was present when the notice -was given , the particular pur-
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pose of the meeting was not explicitly declared ; or it might have been judged unnecessary to express the intention , as the state of the society was such as would sufficiently lead all
persons concerned in the business , to understand for what purpose they were desired to meet . At the time specified this meeting was held , and the majority , including the principal supporters of the interest , determined that it was desirable that Mr , H .
should cease to be the minister of the Old Meeting at the expiration of six months . This was communicated to him , accompanied with the offer of one hundred pounds if he would relinquish the place agreeably to their wishes ; but he did not accede to their
proposal . When the time fixeq for his removal arrived , which was Midsummer 1817 > he refused to surrender the pulpit , and having possessed himself of the key of the house he still continued to conduct the service . His conduct in thus retaining the place of worship , in defiance of the
congregation ' s resolution , he attempted to vindicate by applying , as some others have done , the rules of the secular establishment of religion to a Dissenting society , and pleading to this effect , that having been inducted and ordained there , he could not be legally ejected except for her t esy or immoral behaviour .
In this conduct he was countenanced by his adherents , who asserted that the decision of the meeting was not fair and equitable , as the notice by which it was called did not plainly express for what purpose it was convened , though those of them who had been subscribers were the minority . Under these untoward circumstances
the trustees , acting in concurrence with the majority , had the lock taken off from the door , and another placed there in its stead ; but this did not prevent Mr . H . V still keeping possession , as he had the new lock displaced and another substituted ; and
for three months he continued preaching to the people , some of whom attended as his friends , and the rest to secure their interest in the building * About the following Michaelmas the trustees acted m pursuance of legaf advice * and applied to the high bftilift for constables to be stationed in the
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3 $ 4 History of late Disturbances at Riddenninster .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1819, page 354, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1773/page/10/
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