Rothley Baptist Church-Extracts and Jottings 1815-1837

The following jottings have been taken from the Minute Books by the Deacon Liz Gibson and reproduced by her kind permission.

1815 JANUARY

Joseph Ward who engages in the singing having been found in immoral conduct 'in getting too much liquor and fighting and quarrelling at the public house. It was agreed to inform him that it is the wish of the Church that he does not come forward in leading the singing.

1815

Letter from Samuel Deacon of Barton as a testimonial to 'upright Christian' conduct of Brother Austin

1815

Mary Gamble accused of 'keeping company with carnal people, staying out all night and neglecting her business'.

1815 APRIL

Used to help other Churches. Agreed to allow a collection in the Church for Fleckney.

1815 MAY

Very democratic choosing of Brother Austin as minister. Invited him to take over and voted on his request to preach once a fortnight till Michaelmas and be present at administration of Lords Supper.

1832 JUNE

Thomas Draycott being drunk at Barrow. Case taken up. It was agreed to suspend him for 3 months in which time he is to attend the ordinance of the Lords Supper nor Church meetings.

1815 JUNE

Church committee nominated two people to be Deacons. Sewell and Boulter decided that Deacons should not just be concerned with temporal affairs. They were (1816) to attend at door and help carry bread and wine.

1816 JANUARY

Agreed to put out money contributed towards building schoolrooms. Brother Sleath to have it at 1%.

1818

A meeting house was to be built at Sileby. Local Baptist Churches contributed towards it-Rothley, Cossington, Birstall, Thurcaston.

1818 MARCH

Sister Goodman brought under censure of the Church for absenting herself from the Lords Supper and speaking disrespectfully of some of the friends, refusing to have any conversation with them. Later she appeared to be in a much better state of mind. It was agreed that Brothers Sleath, Boulter, Sewell have more conversation with her.

1822 MARCH

Great concern of personal lives of members of the Church, very public discussion of behaviour.
Sister Langham-A report circulated that she had another husband living besides William Langham with whom she was now living. Two or three friends 'waited upon her to inquire the truth'. She gave a distressing account of brutal treatment from her first husband, 'threatening to murder her' but she had been delivered from him by helpful neighbours. She had escaped and eventually taken up with her present husband, having heard nothing of her first for fifteen years. The last she heard he was in prison for theft and she understood that he had been sentenced to transportation. Although it was clear she was a zealous and pious woman and a very regular attender at Church, the members voted by a majority for her exclusion.
From time to time people applied to be admitted to the fellowship and members had to agree.

1827

Church had 40 women and 39 men.

1828

17 members had died, several dismissed or withdrawn to other Churches.

SILEBY GENERAL BAPTIST CHURCH

Built in 1818 on ground belonging to and at the expense of Mr William Palmer of Loughborough under the following conditions that Rothley Chapel pay 5% of his money by way of rent and could purchase it in the future at cost. Cost £60 to put pews in. In 1825 Rothley agreed to purchase the Chapel when they learned from the unpleasant experience not to place any confidence in man. In 1827 affair was settled with Mr Palmer. Found £314.0.3d purchase money for the chapel and burial ground. With legal fees total was £395.0.3d. £200 taken up as a mortgage to Mr Palmer, £50 borrowed from Brother George Freeman on a note signed by John Boulter, Thomas Draycott and Joseph Helmsley. Another £20 borrowed from Helmsley himself.
Only 9 members of the Church lived at Sileby.

1827 DECEMBER

It was resolved that the corpse which shall be brought to be buried in the ground belonging to the Rothley Chapel shall not be set down to stand in the chapel but carried straight forward to the grave so that no person may be affected in any way from any effluvia arising from the putrid body.

1828 FEBRUARY

Agreed that for the future the person who digs the graves shall get 2/6d. Agreed that the burying ground at Sileby Chapel shall be fenced in with a good strong hedge made of thorns.

1829 DECEMBER

Thus we end another year with marks of a little prosperity much poverty but at peace with one another.

1828-1836

63 members added under Brother Stephen Taylor who then went to Duffield Baptist Church.

1831

Struggling financially and still exclusions for drunkenness, 'bad company',swearing, disorderly conduct, fighting, Joseph Baxter accused of striking his wife.

1836 NOVEMBER

Agreed that as a Church of Christ we consider it very inconsistent of Christians to attend cricket 'plays'.
On Wakes-agreed that as a Church we disapprove of them and think that it is unlawful for Christians to participate in their revelling and inexpedient to countenance their amusements.

1837 FEBRUARY

We think it improper to receive into our Church or retain in it Oddfellows, Ancient Druids or members of Orange Clubs.

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