Memorials of the Old Meeting House and Burial Ground, Birmingham (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1882 Excerpt: ... and Fincher were connected with the Turtons, Addyes, and Scotts. These names are well known, but not being founders, description is unnecessary. The following is a copy of the certificate which enabled the building to be used as a place of worship: --"16 July, 1G89.--At General Quarter Sessions for county of Warwick, It was certified into the Court by William Fincher, Thomas Baldwin, & William Turton, in this county, gentlemen, that the publique meeting house erected and built in Phillipp Street, in Birmingham aforesaid, in the said county, is intended to be used as a meeting place for a congregation of Dissenting protestants, which is recorded by the court." The first event of importance in connection with the history of the chapel was its partial destruction by rioters in 1715. Ever since the Eevolution, party feeling had run high; on Queen Anne's accession matters became worse, and her reign was noted for the strife of parties. As it was well known that the Queen was on the Jacobite or High Church side, the enemies of the Whigs took courage, and churchmen entered the lists against them. Dr. Sacheverell, rector of St. Saviour's, Southwark, who had been described as "a clergyman of narrow intellects and over-heated imagination," was raised into temporary importance by party spirit. In a sermon which he preached at St. Paul's (November 5th, 1709), he took occasion to defend the doctrine of non-resistance, and to inveigh against the Toleration Act and Dissenters; he also spoke of the Eevolution as an unrighteous change, and declared the Church of England in danger. The sermon was printed, and although exception was taken to it, 40,000 copies were sold. The House of Commons voted it and the previous sermon scandalous and seditious; the...