Gender, Family and Religious History in the Modern Era
In the 18th and 19th centuries 'Old Dissent' was a term used to describe those congregations who had roots in the 16th and 17th centuries. The following summaries below offers a brief introduction, as a prerequisite to further posts which will incorporate the family/gender dispositions of each group. Congregationalists The eldest members of English 'Old... Continue Reading →
Up until the mid-19th century Baptist circles, communion was largely only practiced by church members. The prerequisite for church membership, besides publicly sharing their testimony to the satisfaction of incumbent members, was to be baptized by immersion. Therefore, while they were in many ways close to their Congregationalist brothers and sisters, they differed on one... Continue Reading →
Samuel Maisey was regular attender at a local Baptist Church in the early 19th century. He was working-class, like many other Baptist members of this era, and worked for a rich man living in the area. A tragic work mistake compelled Maisey to attempt to take his life, and when caught - he was expelled... Continue Reading →
The time – November 1848, the location – a church meeting at Romney Street Baptist. One of the topics for discussion tonight included a dispute over their minister’s title. Dissatisfaction was brewing, due to a recent publication in which the title “Reverend” had been prefixed to their preachers’ names. After considerable discussion, the church considered... Continue Reading →
Discipline was part and parcel of the 19th century Baptist experience. Misbehaviour which was judged incongruent with the church's understanding of Christian life would be grounds for expulsion from the church membership - even if only on a temporary basis. What did expulsion entail in the 19th century? Read onwards to find out! John Gill,... Continue Reading →
