HEDGE END STRICT AND PARTICULAR BAPTIST CHURCH · Hedge End Strict and Particular Baptist Church 8 It appears that the church, meeting in East Street, was the successor to the original

HEDGE END

STRICT AND PARTICULAR

BAPTIST CHURCH

CENTENARY OF THE CHAPEL

1914-2014

BY

HENRY SANT

© Henry Sant, 2014

Second Edition 2015

Further copies obtainable from:

Mr. H. Sant,

72a Upper Northam Road,

Hedge End,

Southampton,

Hants.,

SO30 4EB.

[email protected]

Foreword

It is rare today to find a people who delight in God glorifying

doctrine, married to a real experimental religion. High Calvinism and

deep experience is not the popular religion of the day. However, we

trust that a religion that thus emphasises the absolute sovereignty of

God in every part of salvation is what we still desire to contend for at

Hedge End Strict and Particular Baptist Church, as we celebrate the

centenary of the building of the present chapel.

For help in compiling this brief history of the church, thanks are due

to a number of individuals: Mrs. Mary Ewing of Ontario, Canada, for

a copy of the poetic letter addressed to John Ball; Mr. Caleb Pearce

for information concerning his forebear, John Lucas; Dr. David

Woodruff of the Strict Baptist Historical Society and Mr. Richard

Lambert of the Evangelical Library for information concerning James

Barnes Collin; Mrs. Naomi Holloway for help with the photographs;

Dr. Peter Wilkins for proof reading a draft copy; and Dr. Matthew

Hyde for undertaking the final layout of the book. The portrait of Dr.

B. H. Draper is taken from the April, 1841, edition of the Gospel

Magazine, and the line drawing of the chapel is by Mr. Michael

Underwood.

This little work, commemorating the building of the present chapel in

1914, is dedicated to all members of the church and congregation, past

and present, who have worshipped in this chapel, and the original

chapel of 1810.

Henry Sant

June 2014

The Foundation Stone.

5

Hedge End Strict and Particular Baptist Church

~~~~~~~

he year 1914 was momentous in world affairs. It was at

midnight on Tuesday, 4th August that a state of war between

Great Britain and Germany came into being. This was the Great War;

the war to end all wars. Alas! after the Second World War in 1939-45,

the war of 1914-18 is now referred to as the First World War. The

year 1914 was also significant in the history of Hedge End Strict and

Particular Baptist Church. In June of that year, just two months before

the outbreak of war, the foundation stone of a new chapel was laid.

We find the first recorded reference to this building in the minutes of a

Church Meeting held in the original chapel on the 28th May, 1913. The

Church Book reads, “That plans and specifications be drawn up by a

professional man, also that all qualities and quantities shall be

specified for materials used for a new chapel.” At this stage the old

chapel was over one hundred years old; having been built in 1810 it

was the first building in Hedge End erected for the public worship of

God. It is apparent from minutes of previous Church Meetings that in

1913 the original chapel was in need of extensive repairs.

It appears that Particular Baptists were conducting services in Hedge

End as early as the end of the eighteenth century, although a church

was not formed until 1840. In the 1950 Christian’s Pathway magazine

the following report appeared:

HEDGE END – The 110th Anniversary dating from the formation

of the Church was held on June 7th. In actual fact Divine services

were held and a Sunday School existed many years prior to 1840.

This is indicated by a tablet on the wall of the Chapel in memory

of Joseph Lane, who for over 30 years conducted the Sunday

T


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School and who was beloved by all who knew him. He died in

1848. No records can be discovered relative to the actual

commencement of the Cause though some of the older residents

affirm it goes back 200 years…

The memorial plaque in the old chapel read:

Sacred to the memory of Joseph Lane;

whose untiring zeal in the cause of Christ at

Hedge End, for more than thirty years; his

exemplary piety; his faithful service as

deacon of this church, and superintendent

of the Sunday School, endeared him to all

his Christian friends, by whom he was

much beloved and lamented; who departed

this life, June 27th 1848, aged 62 years,

after a short illness

____________

Far from this world of toil and strife,

He’s present with the Lord;

The labours of his mortal life

End in a large reward

____________

A tribute of Christian love

It was on the 26th August, 1840, that eleven members of the Particular

Baptist Church at East Street, Southampton, were formed into a local

church in Hedge End. The opening page of the original Church Book

declares:

The Gospel of Jesus Christ having been preached at Hedge End

many years and with considerable success during the last two years

and several brethren wishing the privilege of the Lord’s Supper in

that place who could not attend this ordinance at Southampton –

Francis Othen, Joseph Lane, Edward Tomlin, William Abrahams,

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7

George Wellsteed, John Oughton, Eliza Lane, Caroline Johnson,

Ann Hickman, Barbara Othen, Rebecca Johnson – after seeking

directions from the great Head of the Church resolve to apply to

the Baptist Church at East Street, Southampton, of which they

were members, for their dismission to be formed into a Baptist

Church at Hedge End. Their dismission was obtained, the brethren

at Southampton and at Hedge End promised ever to preserve all

friendly relations with each other and their Pastors. And the church

was formed by the Rev. B. H. Draper and the Rev. Thomas

Oughton on the 26th August, 1840.


8

It appears that the church, meeting in East Street, was the successor to

the original Particular Baptist Church in Southampton which had met

in Blue Anchor Lane. Richard Ring, one of the signatories to the

London Particular Baptist Confession of 1689, was the pastor there.

Dr. Bourne Hall Draper, referred to in the above minute from the old

Hedge End Church Book, was the pastor at East Street, he was born in

1775 and died on the 12th October, 1843. He had been admitted as a

student at the Bristol Baptist Academy in 1802, and trained under Dr.

John Ryland jun.

Dr. Draper also preached at the opening of the original Strict Baptist

Chapel at Swanwick Shore. In Outlines in the Life of George Harding

we read, “…we erected a chapel – a very plain one – using what had

been a boat-house; and I preached there for nine years. About 120

could be seated in the building, and the place was well filled. It was

opened by Dr. Draper, Baptist minister, East Street, Southampton.”

This would have been in 1835, for it was in 1844 that Harding had the

present chapel in Swanwick Shore built. Many of the founding

members of the church at Swanwick Shore had previously been

members at East Street. Also there was evidently some contact

between the churches at Swanwick Shore and Hedge End, for in his

diary for the 28th September, 1864, Harding records:

Preached from Acts viii. 12. Mrs. Lucas was baptized, and Mrs.

Eldridge, of Fareham, at Hedgend (sic). I hope their profession

may prove genuine. They were received into the Church on

October 2nd 1864.

Who was the Thomas Oughton, who assisted Dr. Draper in the

forming of the church at Hedge End? A Thomas Oughton of Chelsea,

an auctioneer, is mentioned in the Hedge End Trust Deed of 1847.

However, in Volume One of The Strict Baptist Chapels of England:

The Chapels of Surrey and Hampshire, Ralph Chambers speaks of a

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9

Thomas Oughton, who was pastor at the Old Particular Baptist

Chapel, Guildford, 1821-1837. Together with a few followers he left

the church there in 1837, and ministered in a room in Quarry Street

until 1846. Was one of these men involved in forming the church at

Hedge End? If so, it seems likely that it was the latter, as this person

was evidently a Minister of the Gospel. It also appears that he was a

relation (probably the father) of John Oughton, who was appointed the

first pastor at Hedge End. The Church Book records, “Mr. Oughton

ordained Pastor for Hedge End August 27th 1840.” And a memorial

plaque in the old chapel declared:

Sacred to the memory of

John Oughton

Pastor of this Church

Ordained August 27th 1840

Who departed this life July 8th 1856

Aged 56 years

Also Thomas Oughton

Who departed this life July 11th 1855

Aged 81years

Remember them which have the rule over you,

who have spoken unto you the Word of God:

whose faith follow, considering the end of

their conversation. Jesus Christ the

same yesterday, and today, and for ever.

A tribute of Christian love

At the commencement of the church in 1840, the original members

covenanted together; at that time this practise had been common

among Particular Baptist Churches for well over one hundred years.

The Covenant at Hedge End was drawn up in terms of nine articles:


10

We the Members of this Christian Society solemnly agree in the

presence of God and of each other, to devote ourselves to the Lord

that we may be saved by him in his own way through the riches of

his Grace in Christ Jesus.

We do also solemnly agree to the following Rules of Church

fellowship.

1st We promise to watch over each other’s conversation and

general conduct so far as God shall enable us; to excite each other

to love and good works; and to warn and admonish one another

with meekness according to the precepts of the Scriptures.

2nd We promise to bear each other’s burdens; to sympathise with

each other in all circumstances; to view each other’s infirmity with

Christian kindness, and by no means to make them known to any

who are not members of the Church, nor without necessity, to

those who are.

3rd We promise to meet together on the whole of the Lord’s Day,

and at all other times as often as we possibly can, and think it

becoming to give an account to the Pastor and Officers of the

Church when God by his providence may hinder us from so doing.

4th With regard to our Pastor we promise to support him to the

utmost of our ability; knowing it to be reasonable and the will of

God that they who preach the Gospel should live by the Gospel.

5th We promise not to divulge the proceedings of the Church

Meetings to any but members of the Church, unless they refer to

persons who may be excluded from Church fellowship.

6th We promise by every means in our power to promote the peace

of the Church and to discountenance any who would cause

division.

Henry Sant

11

7th We promise in the strength of divine grace to be honest in our

dealings; to be faithful to our word and engagements; to “set a

watch over the door of our lips, that we offend not with our

tongues,” and to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all

things.

8th We promise carefully to cultivate a spirit of brotherly affection,

and especially to pray for each other, and constantly to supplicate

the influences of the Holy Spirit for the increase and edification of

the Church in general.

9th We agree that the above regulations shall be read at the

admission of members and that each one shall be furnished with a

copy.

Before the end of 1840 eight others, having been baptized at East

Street Meeting, were added to the church at Hedge End. From its

inception the church at Hedge End practised restricted communion;

however, by the 1850s the church in East Street, Southampton, had

embraced an open communion position. When the religious census

was held on Lord’s Day 30th March, 1851, the return for Hedge End,

signed by John Oughton, declared that there were 112 seats, and the

morning congregation was 98, the afternoon 107, and 33 in the

evening.

Throughout the nineteenth century the church was served by a

succession of pastors. After the death of John Oughton, a letter was

sent to John Ball of Portsea on the 10th November, 1857, inviting him

to serve as pastor; he had previously served for three months on

probation. John Ball was born in 1805, and while he was at Hedge

End the following letter, in poetic form, was addressed to him by

Henry Lucas:


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To Mr. Ball, Minister of the Baptist Chapel, Hedge End,

Hail, highly favoured preacher of free grace

Go preach the truth to Adam’s fallen race.

He that believes and is baptized shall see

Jehovah’s love, so full, so rich, so free;

Speak words of comfort to the little ones

Who sigh, and creep, because they cannot run

In wisdom’s ways, true comforts to enjoy,

For sin does all their happiness destroy.

Tell them that Jesus Christ for sinners died,

How God’s most righteous law he satisfied.

Tell them that he can peace and pardon give,

That his blest little ones with him shall live

In glory, there to see his lovely face,

And shout, and sing, “Salvation’s all of grace.”

Tell them in heaven Jesus would not stay

If one poor feeble lamb was stolen away

By Satan, their’s and Jesus’ bitter foe,

Who fain would drag them down to hell below,

But that he ne’er can do for mighty love

Shall bear them up, and carry them above

The rage of Satan, he hath lost his prize;

See, see poor soul, love beams in Jesus’ eyes.

Tell them that Jesus’ heart is loving still,

That he hath said, and still he says, “I will

Be with them in their deepest soul distress;

I’ll comfort them when they are comfortless.”

Tell them that little faith shall win the day,

Tho’ sin, and death and hell obstruct the way;

And having told your tale leave all the rest,

’Tis God, the Spirit, his own truth must bless.

H. Lucas, March 20th, 1859.

Henry Sant

13

John Ball’s pastorate proved to be a short one, for he resigned in 1859.

John Lucas was then invited to the pastorate, and after a period of

three months probation, he served from September, 1860, till the end

of 1864. He was born at Chard in Somerset in 1811. Previous to his

pastorate at Hedge End he had served as a Baptist Minister in the

Channel Islands. At the time of the 1851 census he was minister at the

Baptist Chapel in St Helier, Jersey, and was living in Zoar Cottage.

Caleb Sawyer, in the obituary of his mother-in-law Lydia Bailey in

the January, 1922 Gospel Standard wrote, “She was … daughter of

John Lucas, who laboured in the gospel at Hedge End, also at Goring

Heath, Oxon.” A brief notice of the death of John Lucas appeared in

the October Supplement of the 1867 Gospel Standard, simply stating,

“John Lucas, September 19th, 1867. After a long and trying affliction,

departed this life. He was a Strict Baptist minister at Goring Heath.”

William Shafford of Wildern Farm then exercised a lengthy pastorate.

He had joined the church in 1845, and been a deacon since 1849. The

Church Book records how after the departure of Mr. Lucas at the end

of 1864; from the beginning of 1865, Mr. Shafford “…as became the

office [of senior deacon] supplied the lack of a minister for eight

months.” He then commenced his pastorate on the 7th September,

1865, and served until his death in 1900. His was the third memorial

stone in the old chapel, and declared:

In loving memory of

William Shafford,

Who for 35 years ministered in this building.

He entered into rest August 13th 1900,

Aged 77 years.

Interred in Nunhead Cemetery

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course,


14

I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy iv. 7.

___________

Erected by his affectionate daughter

Mary Ann Tomlin.

During Mr. Shafford’s pastorate George Watts would at times start the

hymn tunes on his cornet. He died on the 20th September, 1921, aged

eighty six. Together with his wife Mary Ann, he spent most of his life

worshipping at the chapel, and had been baptized by Mr. Lucas.

(From information supplied by their daughter Mrs. Taplin, in a private

interview with the writer on the 26th October, 1973.)

There is no reference to any Articles of Faith at Hedge End until 1911,

but the Trust Deed of 1847 states that the building of 1810 was for the

use of “…a certain society of Protestant Dissenters of the

denomination of Particular (or Calvinistic) Baptists.” In his recent

book entitled Gadsby’s: The story of a hymnbook 1814-2014 Dr.

Matthew Hyde makes the following interesting and telling

observation:

…hymnology has an important role amongst Strict and Particular

Baptist churches. Strict and Particular Baptist churches have had a

paucity of doctrinal statements; where they have had doctrinal

standards they have tended to be brief, or hardly comprehensive. ...

As a consequence of this, the hymns these churches sang became

the main means of communicating and preserving their distinctive

theology. ... [Therefore for anybody to] attempt to study Strict and

Particular Baptist theology without a thorough study of their

hymnody is to make a serious mistake.

From the middle of the nineteenth century the hymn book being used

at Hedge End was Gadsby’s Selection, and it was used up to 1963,

when the chapel closed for a short period of a few months. In the

Henry Sant

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obituary of Charlotte Elizabeth Bailey, written by her husband, which

appeared in the September, 1878 Gospel Standard we read:

My dear wife was brought to see that she was a sinner about 16

years ago. Her distress of mind for a long time was very great, and

seemingly too much for her to bear. But in the Lord’s own good

time he appeared for her. These words came with power to her:

“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate saith

the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and

daughters, saith the Lord God Almighty.” They set her soul at

liberty.

She then sat under Mr. John Lucas, who laboured afterwards at

Goring Heath. She was baptized by him at Hedge End, and

belonged to the little church there until about three years ago. After

this time, being so far from a place of truth, her daily companions

were Mr. Philpot’s sermons, the “Gospel Standard,” Herbert’s

hymn book, and Gadsby’s Selection, with the Book of all books,

the Bible. …

Here we see the significance of hymns in the life and experience of

this godly woman.

It was under the auspices of Spring Road Evangelical Church,

Southampton, whose pastor was David Fountain, that services were

re-commenced at Hedge End in 1963. The hymnbook then introduced

was Christian Praise published by Tyndale Press. This was

subsequently replaced by Hymns of Faith published by Scripture

Union, the hymnbook in use at Spring Road. When Grace Hymns was

published in 1975 it was introduced at both Spring Road and Hedge

End. A church was re-constituted at Hedge End in 1978 under the

pastorate of Henry Sant, and some years later, in 1985, copies of

Gospel Hymns were introduced, having been acquired from the late


16

Sidney Norton who had used them in his church in Oxford. Gadsby’s

was then re-introduced when a number of copies were acquired from

Mount Zion Strict Baptist Church, Bournemouth. These last two

books are those currently in use in the services; occasionally a

Scottish Metrical Psalm may be sung.

It is interesting that it was less than four years before the erection of

the present chapel, that Articles of Faith were introduced. The matter

was raised at a Church Meeting on 10th October, 1910. The opening

paragraph of the minutes of this meeting states, “Proposed and carried

that Articles of Faith and Rules for the guidance of church members,

and also to prospective members be adopted. The church being

without the same.” With a few minor alterations the Articles and

Rules then in use at Rehoboth Chapel, Westgate Road, Bury St

Edmunds, were adopted at Hedge End. In all there are twelve articles

of faith, which are very similar in content to Dr. John Gill’s well

known Twelve Articles, which he entered in his own hand in the

Church Book of the Particular Baptist Church at Horsley Down,

Southwark, in 1729 when he was the pastor. The Hedge End Articles

are then followed by fifteen rules, dealing with such matters as

procedures at Church Meetings. Rule 3 clearly states the principle of

Strict Communion:

No person shall be admitted to Communion, unless a Member of a

Church of the same faith and order, and such person shall not

commune with this Church more than three months consecutively

without giving a just reason for not joining the Church.

The articles and rules were then published in 1911, printed by

Coombs & Co., 63 Northam Road, Southampton.

The cover of the June, 1914 Sower magazine carried an advert for the

laying of the foundation stone of the new chapel on the 1st June. The

stone was laid by James Barnes Collin, and bears the simple statement

Henry Sant

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James Barnes Collin.

from Jonah ii. 9 “Salvation is of the Lord.” Addresses were given by

Messrs. A. G. Blackman, B. J. Shenton, and G. Tyler. It was also

stated:

About £300 is still needed to enable us to open FREE FROM

DEBT, and the committee appeal to all lovers of Sovereign Grace

for their kind help towards this object.

Mr. Collin was a successful

businessman, and in the 1911

census is listed as an employer,

running a carrier (or haulage)

business in London. He was

also a staunch Strict and

Particular Baptist of the old

school, and a generous

benefactor of many Strict

Baptist churches and

organisations. Among those he

took a keen interest in were the

Strict and Particular Baptist

Society, the Strict Baptist Bible

Institute, the Strict Baptist Mission, and the Emily Convalescent

Homes. He died in 1952 at the age of ninety two, and his obituary

appeared in the May, 1952 Christian’s Pathway; an appreciation of

his work among Strict Baptists had appeared in the February, 1932

Gospel Herald.

The new chapel was built on the same site as the original chapel, but

nearer the road. It appears that during the period of rebuilding services

were held in a barn belonging to a local resident, Charles Maidman.

Subsequently at a Church Meeting on 16th September, 1914, the


18

following resolution was carried, “That Mr. Maidman be written to

thanking him for his kindness to us as a church during the rebuilding.”

As the final services were held in the old chapel the following poem

by a Mrs. Williams was written in commemoration of it:

Little wayside Chapel sweet,

Where we meet at Jesus’ feet;

Sing his praise, and seek his face,

Hear salvation all of grace.

O’er one hundred years thy walls,

Echoed to the Saviour’s praise;

And the servants of the Lord,

Here, the blood-stained banner raise.

Broken hearts were here made whole;

Prisoners were by grace set free;

Weary, heavy laden souls

Helped to look, dear Lord, to thee.

All things in this vale of tears,

Subject are to sad decay;

And thy walls grown old and frail,

Scarce can stand the stormy day.

So thy walls must fall, and then

In their place we’ll raise again

A new sanctuary, where

Still shall sound our Saviour’s fame.

May this latter house indeed

Be more glorious than the first;

There may Jesus, crucified,

Be his people’s joy and boast.

Henry Sant

19

Lord, the work is in thy hand;

Thine the gold, the silver thine;

Open thou thine hand and give,

Shine upon thy people, shine.

After the death of William Shafford in 1900, there was no immediate

appointment of a new pastor as had been the case in the nineteenth

century. However, in the obituary of Thomas Wright in the April,

1910 Gospel Standard we get some idea of how services were

conducted. His wife wrote:

…We both joined the little cause at Denmark Road, Northampton,

in 1902, and four years ago we went to live at Hedge End,

Southampton. My husband was made very useful to the little cause

there by carrying on the services if we were disappointed of a

minister, by reading Mr. Covell’s and other good sermons from the

“Gospel Standard” and “Gospel Banner,” and he will be greatly

missed by the friends there. The Lord saw fit to take him home

quite suddenly. I miss his godly conversation and wise counsel, but

I do not sorrow as those without hope, for I believe he is with

Jesus, whom he loved to talk of here below. He was esteemed by

all who knew him, and even the vicar, who came to see me, said

we can thank God for the example of a Christian life in the village.

May God grant that some poor soul may receive the solemn

warning, “Be ye also ready.”

Deacons served the church well throughout the early part of the

twentieth century. At the beginning of the century Mr. C. A. Prichard

and Mr. A. H. Adcock served in this office. In 1912 members of the

Shenton family, who had been church members at Ebenezer Strict

Baptist Church, Cardigan Terrace, Northam, Southampton, joined the

church at Hedge End, and in 1917 Mr. B. J. Shenton was appointed as

a deacon. The chapel in Cardigan Terrace was opened on the 18th

November, 1856, by Mr. G. S. B. Isbell, after some years services


20

ceased, but the chapel was re-opened round about 1900, and finally

closed in 1921.

At a Church Meeting at Hedge End on the 21st July, 1920, “Mr.

Shenton stated that the piece of land at the back of the chapel had been

offered to us for £120.” This was approximately a quarter acre in size,

measuring 166 feet by 65 feet. Before the end of 1920 the land was

purchased for £110 and put in trust for the church. There was a small

dwelling on this land, occupied by tenants. In the early part of 1928,

when these tenants gave notice of moving, there was some discussion

of the cottage being demolished and replaced with a small bungalow,

with the possibility of Mr. Shenton coming to reside there, in order to

oversee the work more effectively. Approach was made to the Strict

and Particular Baptist Society for a grant; however, this was not

forthcoming, and at a Church Meeting on the 6th June, 1928, Mr.

Shenton referred to a letter received from Mr. Plail, the secretary of

the Society, saying that “The Society’s sympathy was with us in our

present difficult position, and though they are unable to grant us a loan

at the present time, they will be pleased to do so in the future.” The

church then agreed that Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Watts of Bitterne rent the

cottage for seven shillings (by today’s values about £20) per week,

and that they also be responsible “…to keep the chapel hedges and

garden in order.”

Mr. Shenton retired as a deacon on the 31st August, 1930, and was

replaced by Mr. F. Streeter. Nothing is recorded in the Church Books

throughout the 1930s and the years of the Second World War.

However, Mr. Streeter’s death is recorded on the 26th August, 1949. In

the June just previous to this, new leaded lights on the West side of

the chapel and stone guards to the windows on both sides were fitted

at a total cost of £52. 12. 6 (by today’s values about £3,000).

Henry Sant

21

When Mr. Streeter’s health began to fail in the summer of 1949,

Henry Painter was asked to conduct the services. Mr. Painter had

previously been correspondent deacon at Salem Chapel, Portsmouth,

and had joined the church at Hedge End in November, 1948. He first

conducted services on the 14th August, 1949, reading two sermons, but

feeling condemned for not speaking extempore. At this time the

church made use of leaflets entitled Gospel Echoes, published by

Clement Wileman, 78 Vivian Avenue, Hendon, London, NW4. Issue

no. 766 for October, 1949, gives the following times for services at

Hedge End:

SUNDAY - Morning: Short Service from 11 am to 12.20 pm

Afternoon: Prayer Meeting and Address, 3 to 4 pm

Evening: Service at 6 pm

In July, 1950 the chapel was repainted inside and out, the brickwork

was also raked out and repointed. The total cost for this work was £80.

It was subsequently agreed that at the Anniversary Services on the 7th

June, 1951, in recognition of the Lord’s goodness in enabling the

church to pay off the bill for the renovating and redecorating of the

chapel, “…collections that day should be sent to the Strict Baptist

cause meeting at Mordaunt Hall, Southampton, for their New Building

Fund.” Their old chapel had been destroyed by enemy action in 1940.

Bethesda Strict Baptist Chapel, Southcliff Road, was subsequently

opened in 1953. Furthermore, on the 2nd February, 1952, a letter was

received from Mr. L. R. Broome, the pastor at Mordaunt Hall,

offering to help if requested. He subsequently preached at the

Thanksgiving Service on the 14th September, 1952.

Mr. Painter served the church as deacon until his death in the late

1950s, his last entry in the Church Book is dated 26th January, 1957. It

appears that after this date Mr. Streeter’s widow was left as the sole


22

surviving church member. At this time Mr. Holder of Swanwick

Shore would sometimes read a sermon at Hedge End, or ministers

supplying at Swanwick Shore would come over and take an afternoon

service. In the late 1950s and early 1960s Sidney Harris and Francis

Clarke, of Bethesda Strict Baptist Chapel, Southampton, also helped

occasionally by taking a reading service or arranging a Prayer Meeting

at Hedge End, on Lord’s Day afternoons. Mr. Harris’s wife Grace, as

a young girl had attended services at the chapel with her parents, Mr.

and Mrs. Collins. In fact Mrs. Mercy Collins (née Gearing) was one of

the last people baptised in the old chapel, on the 20th August, 1913.

She was the great-grandaughter of Thomas Gearing, a Huntingtonian

minister at Cobden Road Chapel, Brighton. A review of his Memoir

appeared in the September, 1885 Gospel Standard. In the 1990s the

Memoir was republished by Mr. H. M. Pickles.

Upon the cessation of services at Hedge End in 1963, John Broome

the son of the pastor at Bethesda Strict Baptist Chapel, Southampton,

informed his friend David Fountain, the pastor of Spring Road

Evangelical Church, Southampton. Mr. Fountain then contacted the

Strict and Particular Baptist Trust Corporation (formerly Society),

offering to re-commence services. This offer was gratefully accepted

when Mr. B. F. Ellis, the Secretary of the Corporation, wrote to Mr.

Fountain on the 25th July, 1963. In the opening paragraph of his letter

Mr. Ellis wrote:

I am pleased now to confirm our telephone conversation of

yesterday. At a meeting of my Council [under the chairmanship of

Mr. L. G. Mills], last Friday, it was agreed that we should

gratefully accept your offer of help in connection with Hedge End

Chapel. It was not felt that a formal lease was needed at this stage

as we are agreed upon fundamental matters of doctrine. We are

anxious that there should be the fullest co-operation and that the

Chapel should continue to be run as one of our connexion. In

Henry Sant

23

effect, you would be responsible to us for the running of the

Chapel but would, of course, be allowed quite a free hand. Should

there be a desire in the future to form a Church, we would expect

you to contact us first before any definite steps were taken.

Subsequent to this the church at Spring Road notified local residents

at Hedge End that the chapel was still functioning, and services were

recommenced on Lord’s Day afternoons. At the time Paul Brown was

acting as assistant pastor with David Fountain, and he was principally

responsible for the services. Initially Mrs. Streeter attended, and

friends from Swanwick Shore Chapel also supported the services.

After a short period Mr. Brown moved to Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, to

become pastor at Bethel Evangelical Church. The pulpit at Hedge End

was then filled by supply ministers, and in time the service was moved

to Lord’s Day mornings. During the late 1960s Miss Jean Warren did

a lot of visitation in the village, and as a result of this some local

residents began to attend the service regularly. Some were baptized

and joined the church at Spring Road, but they continued to support

the work at Hedge End.

In the early 1970s there was a great desire to see a Minister of the

Gospel settled at Hedge End to oversee the work. Henry Sant, having

just completed his first year of studies at South Wales Bible College,

first met David Fountain in the summer of 1971. (I ask the reader to

excuse me at this juncture if at times I write in the first person.)

Subsequent to this meeting I visited Southampton on a number of

occasions, and preached at Hedge End. However, it was not until the

spring of 1973, during the final months of my theological studies, that

Mr. Fountain raised with me the possibility of moving to Southampton

and being assistant pastor with him at Spring Road Evangelical

Church, while I undertook the responsibility of ministering at Hedge

End. I had already committed myself to undertaking a student

pastorate at Tabor Baptist Church, Llantrisant, while their pastor was


24

away during the summer months. It was, however, arranged that in the

early summer, previous to commencing my student pastorate, I would

preach at Hedge End and Spring Road on five Lord’s Days, as well as

one week evening service at Spring Road. An invitation to undertake

the work at Hedge End was then received in August, and with my

wife Annette I moved to Southampton on the 20th September, 1973. A

home was immediately made available to us, for in the sovereign

providence of God John and Victoria Thompson, members at Spring

Road, were about to leave for the Netherlands, where Mr. Thompson

would be working for the next two years. This couple kindly agreed to

us having the use of their house.

A recognition service was held at Hedge End on the 1st December,

when John Waite, the Principal of South Wales Bible College,

preached from 1 Thessalonians v. 12-13 “And we beseech you,

brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in

the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love

for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.”

At Hedge End a Sunday School was soon started, and a week evening

Prayer Meeting was commenced. Most of those attending the services

at Hedge End were members at Spring Road, and it was felt to be

important to maintain the principle of the gathered church. This meant

that we should continue to meet regularly for worship services with

our fellow members at Spring Road. So it was that an evening service

on the Lord’s Day was introduced only on an occasional basis.

Initially this was once a month, and then on alternate weeks. It was

not until an independent church was re-established at Hedge End that

this became a weekly feature.

In 1975 a bungalow for the use of the minister and his family was

erected on the land behind the chapel. The principal sum for this

building was provided in the form of an interest free loan of £4,000

Henry Sant

25

from the Strict and Particular Baptist Trust Corporation, they thus

made good their promise of 1928. The work was completed just after

Mr. and Mrs. Thompson returned from the Netherlands. In early

December together with my wife and baby daughter I moved into this

bungalow. It was so positioned on the land available that car parking

for about ten cars is possible during services in the chapel.

Also in 1975, when rewiring the chapel, David Smith discovered the

church’s pewter communion set at the back of a cupboard under the

gallery stairs. This set was re-used when the church was re-formed in

1978.

By the autumn of that year, besides myself, there were nineteen

members of Spring Road Evangelical Church, meeting regularly at

Hedge End. Although four of these eventually decided to continue as

members at Spring Road, it was on the 19th September, 1978, that the

sixteen other former members at Spring Road, having received an

honourable dismissal, covenanted together as a church at Hedge End,

in the following terms:

The Lord in his electing love and rich mercy having called us into

fellowship with his Son, being justified by God’s grace through the

redemption that is in Christ Jesus, testifying repentance toward

God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and having publicly

confessed our union with Christ in his death, burial, and

resurrection by baptism, we do desire to give up ourselves to the

Lord our God, and to one another as a local church here in Hedge

End.

We promise through the gracious enabling of Christ to walk in all

the holy commands, precepts, and ordinances of the Gospel, and to

exercise all those graces, and discharge all those duties that are

required of us as a church of Christ.


26

So may God whose sovereign grace has given us a place and name

in his house be always glorified among us.

(Selection of Scriptures: Heb. x. 23-25, Eph. iv. 1-5, Phil. ii. 2-4, 2

Cor. ix. 7 cf. 1 Cor. xvi. 2, Matt. v. 13-16, Jude 3b, Heb. xiii. 17)

The historic London Particular Baptist Confession of 1689 was

acknowledged as the fullest expression of the church’s doctrinal

position, “…as a means of confirmation in faith, and edification in

righteousness, and also to assist us in controversy.”

On Saturday the 7th October, 1978, a Special Service was held at

Hedge End at which David Fountain preached. Among the ministers

present on the occasion were Mr. L. R. Broome of Bethesda Strict

Baptist Chapel, Southampton, and Mr. K. F. T. Matrunola of Salem

Strict Baptist Chapel, Portsmouth.

The question of an extension to the chapel was first raised at a Church

Meeting on the 8th April, 1980. The matter was soon put in hand,

plans were drawn up, and the work was put out for tender to four local

contractors. The most competitive price quoted was £17,620. At a

Church Meeting on 7th July, 1981, it was reported that most of this

sum was raised, or promised, in the form of a substantial interest free

loan from the Strict and Particular Baptist Trust Corporation, besides

loans from the Particular Baptist Fund, and various individuals. Gifts

had also been received or promised from some members. The

extension consisted of a school room, with new toilets and a small

kitchen. The work was completed by early 1982, and with some extra

items the total cost was just over £19,000.

Evangelistic meetings were organised in 1980, 1981 and 1982. In the

latter year the meetings were held in June, in the Village Hall. The

reason for using this venue rather than the chapel was because we felt

that it would appear as more neutral to those who never attended

Henry Sant

27

services in the chapel. The pastor preached on the general theme: “Is

real peace possible in this world?” In two meetings he sought to

answer the questions, “Who brings peace?” and “Peace at what

price?” And in two further meetings he spoke on, “The message of

peace,” and “The possession of peace.” Although some outside our

normal congregation attended, there seemed to be no lasting fruits.

Also in the early 1980s the church supplied a Christian bookstall for

an open air market that was held in Botley, on Saturday mornings.

After a short while this market closed, and permission was then

obtained from Eastleigh Borough Council to have a Christian

bookstall in the centre of Hedge End, on Saturday mornings. This

bookstall continued for a number of years.

In August, 1982, a sad division arose in the church, as it became

evident that some did not like the high Calvinistic doctrine, and

emphasis on experimental religion historically associated with Strict

and Particular Baptists. They wanted a more general evangelical type

of ministry. At this time David Fountain offered to address the church,

and was invited to attend a Church Meeting on the 3rd May, 1983. He

read Hebrews xii. 1-13 and delivered a short exhortation. He spoke of

how the Lord chastises his people, and we should seek to discern what

God is saying to us as a church in our troubles. However, over an

extended period of twenty one months, by degrees, nine members left

the church. Because of the precarious financial situation that then

arose, it became necessary to re-schedule the Strict and Particular

Baptist Trust Corporation loan, and the Corporation kindly agreed to

this.

In spite of these losses and difficulties the Lord was still mindful of

our needs, for in August, 1986, a substantial sum was received as a

result of the sale of St John’s Free Church, Squitchey, Lane,

Summertown, Oxford. It had been decided that the proceeds of the


28

sale should be split four ways, and Sidney Norton, who had been the

pastor at St John’s for many years, nominated us to be one of the

beneficiaries. In his retirement from the pastoral office, Mr. Norton

had moved to Fareham and joined the church at Salem Strict Baptist

Chapel, Portsmouth. He was also a great supporter of the work at

Hedge End, and often preached here. The receipt of this gift enabled

us to pay off the remainder of our debt. Among other things, we were

also able to make a significant donation to the Building Fund at

Providence Calvinistic Independent (Huntingtonian) Chapel,

Chichester, which under the care of John Chalk of Angmering, West

Sussex, was then being renovated.

What remained of the bequest from St John’s Free Church was used in

improving the manse. This took place in 1988, in the form of making

internal alterations and building a new kitchen extension. However,

sadly in the following year another couple left, desiring a modern

Reformed Baptist type of ministry. Thankfully there was a balancing

of the clouds, for at that time another person joined the church. Also

since the losses which we suffered as a result of the division in 1982,

seven others had already been added to the church.

The year 1990 marked the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the

first formation of a Strict and Particular Baptist Church here in Hedge

End. I did at the time consider attempting to write a history of this

cause of truth. This was not to be; we did, however, at that time

address the matter of Church Articles and Rules. Since the re-forming

of the church in 1978 we had used the Spring Road Evangelical

Church Constitution as a basic guide in all our proceedings and in

church business matters. At a Church Meeting on the 18th May, 1990,

we re-adopted the Twelve Articles exactly as stated in 1911. These

articles are followed by Seventeen Rules, at the head of which we

state:

Henry Sant

29

As we approach the 150th anniversary of the foundation of the

Strict and Particular Baptist Church here in Hedge End to show the

continuity of the witness these simple rules are based upon former

rules used in this Church. It is recognised that they might need

amendment, or enlargement, as the Lord may reveal. At all times

the spirit, as well as the letter, of the rules should be considered.

The one hundred and fiftieth Anniversary Service was held on the 22nd

September, 1990, at which Kenneth Matrunola of Salem Chapel,

Portsmouth, preached.

In the early 1990s the deacon, John Ewbank stripped and re-varnished

all of the pews in the chapel. Also at that time the car park was

tarmacked. Previous to this the chapel had been repointed, with new

blue engineering brick window sills, the same as those used on the

extension, being installed. Furthermore, as we came into the twenty

first century, with a grant from the Grace (formerly Strict and

Particular) Baptist Trust Corporation, we were able to replace the

windows in the manse.

Sadly in 1994 Mr. Matrunola was diagnosed with a terminal illness,

and resigned his pastorate at Salem. He had been a kind friend and

counsellor, particularly during the troubles we had suffered at Hedge

End, and I therefore considered it right to help in any way possible

with the ministry at Salem. During that year I assisted by preaching

principally on Thursday evenings, and at the end of the year received

an invitation to the pastorate. Whilst prayerfully considering this, I

suggested that if the second Lord’s Day service at Salem was moved

to the afternoon, I would take that service on a regular basis, and

continue to take most of their week evening services. The church at

Salem agreed to these arrangements, and by the summer of 1995 I felt

it right to respond positively to the call they had given me six months

previously. One of the main reasons behind my positive response was


30

the fact that in 1991 Mr. Matrunola, after carefully and faithfully

expounding to the church the 35 Gospel Standard Articles, had seen

Salem re-admitted to the Gospel Standard list of churches. These were

the very truths that God had taught me experimentally, and I could not

escape the fact that, in his sovereign providence, he had opened the

door for me to become the pastor of a church that had recently fully

committed itself once again to these distinctive doctrines.

I gave the church at Hedge End six months notice, intending to start

my pastorate at Salem in January, 1996. I did, however, still have a

real concern for the work at Hedge End, and if they wished said I

would continue to exercise pastoral oversight for at least the following

two years. This was agreed, and also that I would continue to live in

the Hedge End Manse, with my wife and children. So it was that when

I commenced as pastor at Salem the church there reverted to a Lord’s

Day evening service, and the church at Hedge End moved their

evening service to the afternoon, when I usually preached, and also

initially continued to take a weekly service on Tuesday evenings. In

God’s mysterious providence, instead of just two years, these

arrangements continue to the present day. The church at Salem

Chapel, Portsmouth, has supported this situation, with ministering

brethren from there regularly taking Lord’s Day morning services at

Hedge End.

In 2013 by means of generous gifts from the church at Salem and the

Grace Baptist Trust Corporation, it was possible to fit a new kitchen in

the Hedge End Manse. Such constant temporal provisions encourage

us to believe that the Lord still has a gracious purpose to fulfil among

us. At the moment, with a good number of children, we have a young

congregation numbering between eighteen and twenty. Besides myself

there are just five members, one of whom is an aged lady suffering

from Alzheimer’s disease. However, one of these five members joined

Henry Sant

31

the church as recently as January this year. We see this as another

token of God’s goodness to us, and a pledge of future blessing.

The original Chapel, built in 1810.

The Chapel, circa 1950.


32

The Schoolroom added in 1982.

PASTORS:

Pastor: Served:

John Oughton 1840-1856

John Ball 1857-1859

John Lucas 1860-1864

William Shafford 1865-1900

Henry Sant 1978-1995

(Since 1996 Henry Sant has been pastor at Salem Strict and Particular

Baptist Church, Portsmouth, but continues to exercise pastoral

oversight at Hedge End)

Documents

HEDGE END STRICT AND PARTICULAR BAPTIST CHURCH · Hedge End Strict and Particular Baptist Church 8 It appears that the church, meeting in East Street, was the successor to the original