1848 BAPTIST W. NOEL. Resigns as an Anglican and is Immersed as a Baptist Pastor! Great!

What a wonderful little piece of history. Baptist Wriothesley Noel [1799-1843] had been an Evangelical Anglican clergyman of significant reputation. He opposed Edward Irving and Thomas Boys on the issue of the return of the miraculous, preached at the Missionary Society Annual Meetings, and more. He was the "it" guy. But a growing unease at the union of Church and State and internal questions about baptism by immersion on profession of faith dogged him. 

At last, in 1848, he announced he was resigning his charge and ordination as an Anglican, would be publicly immersed, and became a Baptist divine. He then published works on the Church and State and on Baptism. It should be noted that this letter was written just two weeks prior to his taking leave of the Church of England.

He attended Hornsey Parish Church for a short while after resignation before taking the charge of a Baptist church. 

"Hornsey, 23 November, 1848.

My dear friend,

I did not wish to sadden or disturb our Bible festival  therefore would not speak to you on the following subject. 

Wide & deep seated objections to the principles of a Union between Church & State & to its practice in this country, which have been growing for years, have all but compelled me to announce to some of my friends at St. Johns that I must leave them. 

I have not done this without much reading, thought, & prayer.

Pray let me have your brotherly prayers.

I remain affectionately yours,

Baptist W. Noel

Hornsey, Nov 23."