Countesthorpe Baptists, Leicestershire

Countesthorpe, Leicestershire, Baptist Church – [The following history is taken from “History of the Baptist Churches in Connection with the Leicestershire Association,” Baptist Magazine (1866), 103--05.

The first Baptist in Countesthorpe of whom there is any record, was John Gumbley, who became a member of the church at Arnsby about the year 1737, during the pastorate of the Rev. Daniel Hill. For more than half a century a member of the Arnsby church, he resided the whole of that time at Countesthorpe. As far as can be ascertained, he was at the time of his becoming a member, the only dissenter, and of course the only Baptist, in Countesthorpe. He was elected deacon twelve years after he joined the church, and seven years later he began to preach. It was his habit for several years to walk over to Lutterworth, to preach to a small company of Baptists living there. He died in 1790, after he had been a member fifty-two years, and had sustained the office of deacon forty years. The old church books at Arnsby speak of him in high terms as a man singularly active and useful in the church, not possessing great talents, but having great grace, and eminent for peace and purity.

              In the year 1754, there were three members of Arnsby church living in this village. In 1790 Mrs. Burley, who had been a member eighteen years, and was at this time about eighty years of age, opened her house for prayer. It was a courageous step to take; and the faithful few, who were accustomed to meet together, were scoffed and sneered at, and sometimes pelted, as they went to and from the place of prayer.

           From that time the cause of Christ has been advancing there. Four years later, Joseph Humfrey and his wife joined this little band; and two years afterwards John and William Elliot.

             About the beginning of the present century, several members of the Independent church at Wigston came to reside at Countesthorpe - viz., Mr. Moore, Mr. Benjamin Christian, and Mr. Simeon Iliffe. These, together with Mr. George Beale, a member at Arnsby, and others, used to meet for prayer, and soon afterwards opened their houses for the preaching of the Gospel. This led to the erection of a place of worship, which, in the year 1829, was pulled down and rebuilt by Mr. William Christian and other friends. Mr. Christian could not bequeath it to the dissenters, but generously left the sum of L300 to his executors, towards maintaining the preaching of the Gospel; and, on the death of his widow, the chapel and houses adjoining, which had been purchased at the same time, were invested in the hands of trustees for the use of the Baptist dissenters in Countesthorpe.

           Until nearly the close of the year 1860, the pulpit was supplied once a day by the ministers of Arnsby, Blaby, and Wigston. In addition to these, Mr. William Bassett, whose name is still fragrant as a consistent and upright Christian, was in the habit of preaching with acceptance, in this and neighbouring villages, which services thorough a long course of years were rendered gratuitously.

           Soon after his death in October, 1860, it was decided to have services twice every Lord's-day, and to invite the neighbouring ministers and laymen to preach; but, after much anxious deliberation and fervent prayer, it was deemed advisable to have a settled minister. After a short probation in the early part of 1861, the Rev. Rhys Evans, of Usk, received a unanimous invitation to labour there, and occasionally to assist the Rev. Shem Evans at Arnsby. This invitation was accepted in July; and in the same summer, owing to the increasing congregations, it was found necessary to enlarge the chapel.

            At the beginning of the year 1863, the members of the Arnsby church residing at Countesthorpe, after much consideration, wrote a letter to the church at Arnsby, asking for their dismission, in order to form a separate church at Countesthorpe. The Arnsby church cordially acceded to the request, and thirty-three members were dismissed for that purpose. On the 17th of February, a special service was held at Countesthorpe, when Rev. T. R. Evans was invited to become the pastor of the newly-formed church, which invitation he accepted; after which the Lord's-supper was administered, the members of the infant church communing together in their recently formed fellowship for the first time, the Rev. J. P. Mursell presiding, and afterwards preaching an appropriate sermon from the words – “These are they that follow the Lamb.”

           As the congregation continued to increase, and the Sunday-school flourished, so that there was not sufficient accommodation for the scholars, it was wisely resolved, instead of building new school-rooms, to erect a new chapel, and to convert the old chapel into a school. This was done at a cost of £900. The new chapel was opened in October of the same year; and, when the opening services were concluded, not a farthing of that sum remained as a debt. The church still continues to prosper and increase under the zealous labours of the Rev. T. Rhys Evans.