1826-1833 BAPTIST MANUSCRIPT. Sermons by Joshua Marshman, James Acworth, Joseph Irons, Robert Hawker, &c

A wonderful c.300 page manuscript journal accounting for the ministry at Baptist Church, South Parade, Leeds from its opening in 1826 with sermons by Joshua Marshman, William Steadman, and other prominent Baptists. It covers from 1826 through to approximately 1833 and also includes the ministry of J. S. Hastie from the local Congregational chapel, original hymns, holographic hymns presumably used for worship in the church, and some original manuscript material as well. 

Includes notices of Sermons preached in the church at Otley / Leeds by Joshua Marshman, Eustace Carey [William's nephew], and William Knibb [multiple]; all important Baptist Missionaries!

The majority of the content orbits around:

James Acworth [1798-1893], Baptist Pastor at Otley, Leeds who Preached at Broadmead in Bristol, etc., He was head of the Northern Baptist Education Society's academy after William Steadman. Acworth was one of very few Baptist divines with a University degree at the time, having his MA from the University of Glasgow. Steadman, who preceded him, took a utilitarian approach to training Baptist ministers sort of on the Methodist circuit preacher model; teach them to preach and send them out. That was pretty much it. Acworth came in with a view to developing a more whole pastor with pastoral, preaching, theological, and care skills. Previous to that, he pastored the South Parade Baptist Church in Leeds [whose opening ceremony is described in the present diary]. See The Baptist Quarterly, 2002 James Acworth and the Creation of Rawdon College. He was also a prominent member of the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society.

So, an important piece of Baptist history. 

It begins with two very important items:

1. 1826 at the opening of the Baptist Chapel, South Parade, Leeds on Wednesday October 25th, reading and prayer by Dr. Steadman. Read Psalm 110, part. Isaiah ch. 56. Dr. Marshman preached from Ps 67 verses 1 & 2. God be merciful unto us and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations, reading and prayer by a stranger read Ps 84. Mr. Lavenders preached from Revelation ch 5 vers 11, 12, & 13. And I beheld and I heard the voice of many angels around about the throne and beasts and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand etc., Prayer by Mr Scales. Reading and prayer by Mr. Hamilton. Read 1st Corinthians ch. 13. Dr. Raffles preached from St. John  ch 19, part 15 verse. 

2. A seemingly unpublished variant of Bourne Hall Draper's rare Baptist missionary hymn, "Ye Christian Herald's Go!" The present appears to be a mash up of several others and seemingly not traceable. He seems to have modified it slightly for different events and this perhaps another iteration:

"Farewell to the Missionaries

Sovereign of worlds! display thy pow'r,
Be this thy Zion's favour'd hour;
Bid the bright morning star arise,
And point the nations to the skies.
Set up thy throne where Satan reigns,
On Afric's shore, on India's plains,
On wilds and continents unknown - 
And be the universe thine own!
Speak! and the world shall hear thy voice:
Speak! and the desert shall rejoice!
Scatter the shades of moral night:
Let worthless idols flee the light!
Trusting in Him, dear brethren, rear
The gospel standard, void of fear!
Go, seek with joy your destin'd shore,
To view your native land no more. 
Yes - Christian heroes! - go - proclaim
Salvation through Immanuel's name.
To India's clime the tidings bear,
And plant the rose of Sharon there. 
He'll shield you with a wall of fire
With flaming zeal your breast inspire
Bid raging winds their fury cease
And hush the tempest into peace.
And when our labours all are o'er
Then we shall meet to part no more
Meet with the blood-bought throng to fall
And crown our Jesus Lord of All!"

Other items include:

Original, apparently unpublished hymn: Rose of Sharon, Solomon's Song. Written Macclesfield, J. H.

"On Bethlehem's ever hallow'd ground,
The lovely blossom first was found
Behold, beneath a humble shed
Peep'd forth its little tender head.

O lovely Rose! Thy fragrance ne'er will fade
Take me, oh take me, to thy sacred shade.

Transplanted from its native bed
To chilling dew-drops blushing red
Sad, sad Gethsemane thy bower
Receiv'd the tender drooping flower

O lovely Rose! They fragrance ne'er will fade
Take me, oh take me, to thy sacred shade" etc., 

Original, apparently unpublished lines: Night Reflections. Suggested in Anwich Church-yard, Wednesday night, July 10, 1822 by T. R.

"How awful is the silent gloom of night, when solemn Darkness spreads her sable wings upon smiling Nature's wide expanse; when to the azure west bright Phoebus sinks, and leaves the world as dismal as the grave! No charming scenes the creation yields; the hills are enveloped in profound blackness, and dreary look the variegated fields. The starry firmament is eclipsed by darksome clouds, and man beholds, with reverential dread, the melancholy prospect. But still more awful is the hallowed place wherein I stand. Here religion erects her holy temple, and here her inspirations are experienced. Here falls the sacred tear: here are laid promiscuously in silent mansions, "the high and low, rich and poor."" etc.,

Original, apparently pre-published lines "On Eternity" by Robert Sewell, which would first appear in print we can trace in 1834 . The version here differs significantly from the published version.

Manuscript non-authorial holograph hymns by from Isaac Watts, the Baptist Magazine, Thomas Hastings, James Montgomery, John Newton, John Logan, 

Original, apparently unpublished hymn titled, "The Worldling's Sabbath." 

"I stand aghast! when I review
What unconverted sinners do
With Sabbath hour and Sabbath days
Provoking God in various ways.

The labour of the week is past
Poor slaves! to far worse toil they haste
And practice all the sin they can
In spite of laws from God and Man

In highest rank - in lowest name
I see the Sabbath-breaker's shame;
The rich for vain amusements meet
The poor with vice infest the street

And is this call'd a Christian land
Where crowds of sacred temples stand
While taverns, fields, and mansions tell
How sinners love the road to hell!" etc., 

Original, partially published hymn, counterpart to the previous, titled, "The Christian's Sabbath." It appears with only four stanza's in Joseph Iron's Zion's Hymns, 1836. It appears with no author, though it perhaps could be traced this way and, in all likelihood the previous hymn [The Worldling's Sabbath] is by the same author. The present version has seven stanzas. It appears they may be by Irons as the following manuscript unpublished items are ascribed to him and follow a similar format.

Attributed to Irons are a series of "Christian" "Unbeliever" poems and essays on the Bible, Birthdays, etc., and what they are to their respective persons. Completely untraceable as Irons' or as any other author, but indicated as by him. Apparently unpublished.

Original modification of the classic, "Lord of heaven and earth and ocean; Hear us from thy bright abode" for the Bramley Church Sunday Scholars.

Unpublished, Lines by the Teachers of the Church Sunday School, Otley, September 25th, 1831, on Presenting a Silver Medal to the Rev. H. Robinson, Vicar, as a Tribute of Sincere Regard for his Inestimable Services.

"Accept this tribute of esteem,
From gratitude it grew;
And though its value small we deem
We gladly bring to you.
Your labours may they all be blest,
And Christ reward your care;
Oh, many his blessing on you rest!
To guide you ev'ry where.
Long may you live to persevere
In this most noble cause
Long may our Minister be here
To teach Jehovah's laws!
Press onward in your Father's name,
May all your steps be firm;
The prize immortal you shall gain,
And we'll our thanks return."

Original hymn for the Anniversary of the Otley Sunday School Union, 1830

"Guardians and friends of children rise,
Nor let your mighty labours cease,
For he who sits above the skies
Will bless your with a vast increase

The work a noble harvest yields,
Your plants how fine and fair they grow,
And all the cultivated fields
With milk and honey richly grow." etc., 

Non-authorial holograph of "On Bereaving Providences" by Robert Hawker, Lines on Christmas Evans, and many more!

Also includes an original play, unpublished, and much more! 

Other ministers mentioned or described as preaching include:

John Yeadon [1764-1833]. Lay preacher who received his call under John Wesley during the latter years of the Great Awakening.

Joseph Irons [1785-1852]. Irons was a young friend of John Newton and attended his church for many years. Upon Newton's death in 1807, Iron's became a non-conformist and pastored a non-conforming Calvinist chapel in London for many years. His sermons, much in the vein of Robert Hawker, etc., remain in print to this day. The present manuscript contains many works covering some 20pp with his name appended to them, some of which are published and others we are unable to trace. 

J. S. Hastie, Pastor of the Congregational Church at Otley. Published sermons in the Congregational Magazine, etc,. 

Joshua Marshman [1768-1837] Co-worker with William Carey and William Ward.

Thomas Raffles [1788-1863]. Important Liverpool divine, abolitionist, etc., 

William Steadman [1765-1837]. President of the Baptist Academy at Bradford, predecessor to Acworth at Rawdon College.

Etc. etc. etc. 

Finely bound in original vellum journal; a few leave excised that appear not to have impacted any content.