The exertions made of late years to promote Village-preaching have been accompanied with a divine blessing and attended with abundant success. Many churches now exist which owe their rise to the iitinerating labours of our Pastors and the gifted brethren in our churches. “The Baptist Society in London for encouraging itinerate and Village Preaching,” has been useful in assisting such persons. The case before us is proof of this remark, and we are happy to find that this Society begins to afford help to the villages in the vicinity of London, than whom, all of late, few were more destitute of the means of spiritual instruction.Our readers will recollect the notice we gave in our number for July, 1812, of the opening a new place of worship at Harrow-upon-the Hill. We have now the pleasure to record the establishment of a Baptist Church at that place. On Lord’s day December 13, 1812, Mr. Austin and Mr. Ivimy of London engaged in this service. Mr. Auston preached in the Afternoon on the subject of believers’ baptism from Isaiah viii. 20, “To the Law and to the Testimony,” Mr. Ivimey then baptized two persons. In the Evening these, with four others were united in church-fellowship. Two of them had been dismissed for this purpose from the church at Clenies, Bucks; one from the church at Potten, Beds; and another had been baptized at Eagle Street, London. Having signified their willingness to unite on the principles of the Particular Baptists, for worship of God and keeping his ordinances, by holding up their right hands, and giving each other the right hand of fellowship, Mr. Ivimey exhorted the Church from Ephesians iv. 3. “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace;” Mr. Austin prayed for divine blessing to rest on it. Mr. Ivimey addressed the congregation from Luke xix.8. “This day is Salvation come to the house.” And Mr. Austin administered the Lord’s Supper. May “this little one become a thousand.”
=========== [From The Baptist Magazine, 1813, volume 5, p. 43. Transcribed and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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