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South Molton Gospel Hall
'An Open Brethren
Assembly' |
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Chapman visited from door to door, contacted individuals on the street, preached the gospel in the open air at the town square and in the surrounding villages. On occasion he teamed up with Thomas Pugsley & Robert Gribble (an effective evangelist).
Chapman brought in the weekly celebration of the Lord's Supper. All believers were encouraged to participate. They denied the clergy - laity system and practiced the priesthood of all believers. Among the early brethren, the Lord's Table meeting was the focal point of their church-life.
Chapman stressed the importance of believer's baptism. However, he did not make baptism a requirement for church membership nor for participation in the Lord's Supper (in contrast to the Particular Baptists). He taught what he saw as the biblical view on this matter with patience. He said later: "We waited in patience for fulness of unity of judgment ... What we now enjoy here of mutual love and the Spirit's unity would never have been our portion had any other course been taken."
Robert Chapman felt that not enough hymns lead one through the cross of Christ to God Himself. He set out to develop a new collection of such hymns. By 1837 he had written enough to publish a new hymn-book. Our Hymn book has only one: #297 (see below)
Chapman was opposed to denominational distinctions. All believers in denominations were "Christian brethren" to him. In Choice Sayings, a compilation of Robert Chapman's quotes, we read: "The titles given to the Church in Scripture bespeak heavenly unity, such as the body, the vine, the temple of God, a holy nation, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood. Such words set forth the Church of God as a witness for Him in the world; but the names which have been invented by men are names of sects, and declare our shame."
Attracted by Chapman's emphasis on the Bible and the example of his Christian life, new people began meeting at Ebenezer Chapel. William Bowden, aged 20 was saved through Chapman. Another young brother, George Beer, also about 20 was an uneducated man having been apprenticed to a farmer as a boy. Chapman encouraged both brothers to participate in the open air preaching. Bowden and Beer worked together, preaching the gospel and evangelizing the surrounding villages. When Anthony Norris Groves returned from India to seek more workers for the gospel. Chapman encouraged Bowden & Beer, together with their wives to join Groves' labor. They settled in the Godavari Delta of India and began a strong Christian work.
In 1838 a group of Particular Baptists, who had left Ebenezer Chapel, demanded that Chapman's group vacate the building because they were not using it in accordance with the original intention of the Particular Baptists. Robert Chapman examined the original trust document and found that no provisions were being violated. The opposing group persisted in their demand. Although Chapman was a trained lawyer, he did not stand on his legal rights, but sought to live Christ. After prayer and fellowship, Chapman's group handed over the title deed, giving up their building - their legal claim- to the group of dissidents. Chapman saw this action as equivalent to giving up one's coat to someone who demands it.
About 1840 a site became available for an assembly
hall. The lot was purchased and construction of Bear Street Chapel
(later called Grosvenor St. Chapel) was completed by 1842. It could
seat 450 people. In 1851 300 people attended Lord's Day morning,
plus 100 children in the Sunday School. The Lord's table meeting in
the evening was attended by 150. By 1870, Chapman preached regularly
to 700 people every Lord's day. Since Barnstaple was a small town, a
gathering of that size represents a significant percentage of the
population. At the end of Chapman's life there were eighty
assemblies in the towns and villages surrounding Barnstaple. |
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The Gospel Hall South Street, South Molton, North Devon, United Kingdom, EX36 4AA |
