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A BRIEF HISTORY OF DEAN-ROW CHAPEL.

THE year in which Dean-Row Chapel was built cannot be precisely ascertained. The difficulty has arisen from the nature of the tenure, which was originally leasehold for three lives; for when the lease was renewed, there was no motive for preserving the old lease, which was henceforth useless. It is supposed to have been built about the time of the passing of the Toleration Act. It is probable, however, that the Dissenting interest had been established at Dean Row some time before, otherwise it is scarcely likely so capacious a building would have been erected. Cheshire was a county noted for the early planting of numerous Presbyterian congregations. There were no fewer than forty-eight ministers in the county who gave up their livings for conscience' sake, many of whom founded congregations, for the most part near the places where they had officiated, and where their ministry could be attended by their former hearers. Some of these congregations have become extinct, and some have passed into the hands of the Independents. It is not easy to collect many particulars respecting ministers living at that early period. Mr. John Brereton was ejected from Wilmslow, and Mr. Robert Barton from Mobberly, places in the vicinity of Dean Row, and they might lay the foundation of a congregation at that place. In this they might be assisted by Mr. Thomas Edge, another ejected minister, who resided at Chelford, not far distant, and of whom it is recorded, that "he preached much in the surrounding neighbourhood." It is stated that, as the times were dangerous, “he commonly gathered his people before their neighbours were out of their beds, and broke up early in the morning."

The first minister at Dean Row of whom we have any certain record was Mr. Eliezer Birch.* Mr. Birch came to Dean Row about 1687 or 1688. He was prepared for the ministry at the celebrated Northern Academy for educating Dissenting ministers kept by Mr. Richard Frankland. It appears, from a list of the students, that he entered the Academy, Feb. 9th, 1676. It would seem, therefore, that Dean Row was not his first place. It is mentioned in the Nonconformists' Memorial, that "he preached the funeral sermon for Mr. George Moxon, an ejected minister at Congleton, in the new chapel, September 15th, 1687." Did he come from that neighbourhood to Dean Row?

Mr. Birch officiated at Dean Row nearly twenty years, and attended the meetings of ministers held twice a year at Knutsford, from the time of their commencement in 1691, till his removal from that neighbourhood. This I learn from a manuscript minute-book of these meetings, which is in the possession of the Rev. H. Green, of Knutsford. This book is a very singular and interesting document. It commences in 1691, and is continued till 1744, when the meetings ceased. They probably gave way to a new arrangement, in the establishment of what is denominated "The Provincial Meeting of Presbyterian Ministers in Lancashire and Cheshire," held annually, at different places in rotation, and which has continued to the present time.

This book contains much curious matter, illustrating the history of the Presbyterians in those early times. The meetings were presided over by a Moderator, chosen at the preceding meeting. To this meeting was referred any difficult case that might arise in any of the respective congregations. This meeting was also consulted respecting the removals of ministers. At this meeting candidates for the ministry were examined and ordained, and at every meeting the names of all the ministers present and the candidates were entered in the book, and also the text preached upon, the thesis given to each

There were two ejected ministers of the name of Birch,-Mr. Robert Birch, ejected from Birch chapel, near Manchester, and Mr. Samuel Birch, ejected from Bampton. Was Mr. E. Birch a son of one of these gentlemen? It is said in the Nonconformists' Memorial that Mr. S. Birch had seven children (their names are not given), and that he was a native of a place near Manchester, where he had a small estate.

candidate for discussion, and the ministers who severally took part in the ordination service. There is the following entry in the book, in reference to the removal of Mr. Birch from Dean Row:-" May 15th, 1707. Since our last meeting, Mr. Eliezer Birch, who had been nearly twenty years minister to the congregation that meets at Dean Row, left them and accepted of a call to a congregation at Yarmouth, in Suffolk (Norfolk), who wrote to him to press his removal, alleging that, in case of much greater usefulness, it was allowed by Dr. Owen and others of their principles." Mr. Matthew Henry mentions in his Diary that Mr. Birch, previous to his removal from Dean Row, applied for ministerial ordination. The following is an extract from his Diary: Mr. Birch, who was ordained by the people, and had been their minister almost twenty years, at his removal (from Dean Row), not satisfied with the want of ministerial ordination, procured three or four ministers privately to ordain him with the imposition of hands. The moderate of that congregation are striving to gain that point from the other party." It seems there was a difference of opinion in the congregation at Dean Row respecting "ministerial ordination by the imposition of hands."

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The congregation at Yarmouth to which Mr. Birch removed was at that time large. They had two pastors. The name of Mr. Birch's colleague was Mr. Adam Smith. Mr. Birch stayed at Yarmouth only a few years. In a manuscript containing a short history of the congregation at Yarmouth, a copy of which has been sent to the Rev. J. Colston, of Dean Row, by Charles F. Tagart, Esq., of London, there is the following statement:-"In 1710, a quarrel arose, which was in danger of dividing the congregation, and both Mr. Birch and Mr. Smith were dismissed. Mr. Smith died of a broken heart on his journey homeward; Mr. Birch went into Lancashire." The cause of this quarrel is not mentioned. It might arise from a difference in religious opinions, which at that time began to be much agitated in Presbyterian congregations. The great probability is, that Mr. Birch and his colleague held different opinions, and each being supported by his own party, it was thought prudent, in order to preserve peace, to part with both. If so, it affords another proof of the early departure of the English Presbyterians from the ancient creed.

In 1712, when Mr. Coningham removed from Cross Street, Manchester, to London, Mr. Birch succeeded him, and remained minister at that place till he died, May 12th, 1717. It is said, in the manuscript alluded to, that some of Mr. Birch's descendants were eminent manufacturers at Manchester. The name of Birch is on some grave-stones at Cross-Street chapel.

The successor of Mr. Birch at Dean Row was Mr. Hugh Worthington. He was of a respectable family in the neighbourhood, and had been a pupil of Mr. Timothy Jollie, of Attercliffe, near Sheffield, who succeeded Mr. Frankland in educating ministers. Mr. Matthew Henry assisted at his ordination, and he recorded the event in his diary as follows, which shews the singular seriousness and devotional habits of the old Dissenters:-"Sept. 2nd. 1707. A solemn fast in the congregation at Dean Row, for the ordination of Mr. Hugh Worthington, whom they have chosen to be their pastor in the room of Mr. Birch. I preached from 2 Cor. v. 18; Mr. Angier prayed over him; Mr. Jollie, of Sheffield, gave the exhortation. We had many things very affecting. The Honourable Mr. Cecil Booth was with us in the evening; this was one of the Stamford friends." Fasts and prayer-meetings were very common amongst the early Dissenters, on any important event occurring in which they were greatly interested. If it is thought the old Dissenters carried this too far, is there no room to fear that their descendants have gone to the opposite extreme? Certainly, it had a tendency to bring them under a more abiding sense of their religious obligations, and kept alive the devotional affections, which prepared them for and promoted a regular attendance on public worship. This Mr. Hugh Worthington, who was ordained in 1707, was great-uncle to the late Mr. Hugh Worthington, of Salters' Hall, London, who in a brief

memoir of his father, who had been minister at Leicester nearly 56 years, which he inserted in the Monthly Magazine for Nov. 1797, makes honourable mention of his great-uncle of Dean Row, as "distinguished both as a scholar and a preacher, and who in succession trained many persons for the duties of the pulpit." In a note appended to this memoir, there is the following farther notice of Mr. Worthington, of Dean Row:

"As this gentleman was not only Mr. Worthington's relation, but his tutor, and seems to have been a principal instrument in forming him for all his future usefulness, a few particulars respecting him may not be unacceptable. He was trained to the ministry partly under Mr. Jollie, of Sheffield, and partly under the still more celebrated Mr. Matthew Henry, of Chester. His first settlement was at Ormskirk, in Lancashire, from whence he removed to Dean Row, and continued there to the end of his life, preaching with great acceptance and with more popularity than any minister in that part of England. The chapel, though large, was so crowded, that numbers stood in the aisles. He was fluent, tender and pathetic in his address,-often in tears, and numbers in his auditory were equally moved. He had notes containing the heads of his discourses, and references to various scriptures, but delivered the major part of his discourses extempore. In every sense he was an excellent preacher, moderate in sentiment, fond of Mr. Baxter's writings, of an amiable temper, and highly respected by his people. Though he was very studious, and assisted not a few in their preparation for the ministry, yet he visited his charge much, and made his visits (especially among the sick) devotional and edifying. Mr. Worthington, of Leicester, never spoke of his uncle but with the deepest veneration, and has acknowledged that, under his preaching, the impressions of religion received by a pious education were strengthened in his heart." Worthington's pastoral visits must have been laborious. His congregation consisted of yeomen and tenant-farmers, spread over a large surface of the surrounding agricultural neighbourhood.

Mr.

Mr. Hugh Worthington was succeeded by his son, of the same name. He was probably educated under Dr. Latham at Finderne, Derbyshire, where most of the ministers in these parts at that time received their education, many of whom were Arians. He was ordained at Knutsford, Sept. 1st, 1730, along with Mr. Nicholls. The thesis given him for discussion was, "De necessitate supernaturalis religionis." (It is remarkable that amongst the numerous ordinations at Knutsford, scarcely was there one thesis given to the candidate, when examined previously to ordination, that was on disputed doctrinal points.) Mr. Worthington was ordained by prayer and the imposition of hands. His father prayed over him, and also gave the charge. His first appointment was to a congregation at Leek, where he continued till he succeeded his father at Dean Row. After exercising his ministry at that place about thirteen years, he resigned his charge, and gave up the ministry altogether; but he resided in the neighbourhood till his death, a period of twenty-five years. He was buried at Dean Row, and it appears from the following epitaph, that he had experienced many trials in life:-"Here lieth the body of the Rev. Hugh Worthington, who succeeded his father as minister of Dean-Row Chapel, in the year 1735; and after conflicting with many difficulties in this world, he peaceably left it, Oct. 1st, 1773." His successor, Mr. Brocklehurst, entered on his charge, 1748, and continued minister of Dean Row till his death, 1786. He was from the first an Arian, as appears from his manuscript sermons which I have seen. It is therefore clear that the doctrine of the Trinity has not been preached in Dean-Row chapel for about a century. What the opinions of the two Worthingtons were, I have no means of precisely ascertaining; but from its being said of the first Mr. Worthington that he was "moderate in sentiment and fond of Mr. Baxter's writings," it may be inferred that he was not a rigid Calvinist. "Moderate in sentiment," at that time implied a departure in some degree from the doctrines of Geneva. During Mr. Brocklehurst's ministry, the chapel was well attended. He had a pleasant, lively manner; his discourses

were both judicious and animated. While he lost nothing of the dignity of the gentleman and the scholar, he was kind and condescending to the humbler class of his hearers, and being in good and independent circumstances, he was enabled and disposed to practise liberality towards them; hence he was greatly esteemed by his hearers, enjoyed their confidence and affection, and the pleasant intercourse between pastor and people terminated only with his death. He was succeeded by Mr. George Chadwick, a native of Hyde and educated at Daventry. He was a man of strict integrity and a blameless life, and as such was much esteemed by his people; but he had not popular talents as a preacher. He was rather eccentric in his habits, and of retired manners. He seldom exchanged with his brethren in the ministry, nor cultivated much acquaintance with them. He was never married; and as he lived very retired, and was careful in his expenses, he contrived to save a sum of money out of his moderate salary, which at his death came to his relations. An anecdote is related of him, that going one Christmas to spend a few days with his friends at Hyde, he concealed a purse of gold for safety amongst the shavings in his bed-room grate; and the day before he returned, his aged and thoughtful housekeeper, to warm his bed-room, lighted a fire in it, and down came a shower of gold. She was greatly alarmed lest there should have been banknotes with the gold, but was glad to find that nothing had been consumed but the purse. During Mr. Chadwick's ministry, the congregation began to decline, partly by deaths and removals, and partly by the springing up of more zealous sects, especially the Methodists, though it was far from being small at his death, in 1803. It is a remarkable circumstance, that while his housekeeper was preparing for his funeral, she died suddenly, and they were both interred on the same day.

The next minister was Mr. Proctor, educated at Northampton. His first settlement was at Ilminster, in Somersetshire; his next, at Burton, in Staffordshire; from whence he removed to Dean Row. During his ministry, the congregation, which was not large, remained nearly stationary. After officiating at Dean Row eleven years, he removed to Prescot, where he died in 1826. If Mr. Proctor had been succeeded at Dean Row by a zealous popular preacher, there is reason to believe the farther declension of the congregation would not only have been stayed, but it might have recovered in some degree its former prosperity; but this was not the case. His successor, Mr. Shattock, was engaged only from year to year, a mode of engaging a minister that must always prove injurious to the interests of a congregation, as the minister and the people cannot feel the same mutual attachment as when they consider the engagement to be permanent.

After a year or two, Mr. Shattock was succeeded by Mr. Morris, a most unfortunate choice, as events have proved, who, having lost the confidence and esteem of his congregation, saw it gradually dwindle away, till it was totally dispersed, and the chapel fell into the utmost state of neglect and dilapidation. To those who remembered it in its former flourishing condition, who had been accustomed to assemble with their fathers to worship within its walls, and the honoured ashes of whose relatives repose near it, its ruined state must have been a painful sight. The neighbouring ministers longed for its restoration, and overtures were made to its minister to resign, but he refused to listen to reasonable terms. By his death an opportunity has been afforded for giving Dean Row once more its rank amongst us, and the generous efforts to repair it, not only by the remains of the former congregation, but of others, have shewn great zeal for its prosperity. It is now put into excellent repair, with the addition, through some judicious alterations, of more convenient accommodations for Sunday scholars; and through the able exertions of the Rev. J. Colston, who has kindly undertaken the pastoral charge, and has already rallied round him many families that formerly attended the place, there is great reason to hope that this early and once flourishing seat of Presbyterian Dissent will again lift up its head, and the congregation, now

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