The History of Homerton Baptist Church

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1882-1887

John Bennett

The welcome meeting for Mr Bennett was held on Tuesday July 11th 1882. The speaker preached from Psalm 118, "O Lord, I beseech Thee send now prosperity". The speaker commented on the need for churches to remain to the New Testament order:

We have for years watched the rising and rolling tides of free will, free and open communion, and the extraordinary movements of the new races of professors, and have heard it declared that the New Testament order, and the Heaven-revealed doctrines of grace, must soon become extinct. Now and then we behold goodly gatherings of the faithful Christ, who know what they believe, and who are determined, by the mercy of the Lord, earnestly to contend for the faith once for all delivered unto the saints. Such an assembly was witnessed in Homerton-row on Tuesday, July 11, 1882.

In his sermon the speaker expressed the need for prosperity and the responsibility upon the members of the church to ensure that the Pastor received the financial support necessary:

Homerton Row Baptist Chapel
People must come; purses must be open, or payments cannot long be honourably met. I know how some treasurers get anxious when the time comes to pay all demands, yet the funds have not come in. I see, I get with poor tried pastors who cannot "pay their way", because the deacons cannot meet their engagements. All you pastors who are well provided for, Praise God, and do not cease to pray for your poorer brethren. We have many rich pastors who invest their capital in building and in buying land, and so on, but have no bowels of compassion for their half-starving brethren. John asketh "How dwelleth the love of God in them?"

To conclude the speaker praised the church of Homerton Row, calling it the "good old and much honoured Church at Homerton Row".

Mr Bennett remained at the church for six years. They were six hard years, the church was very low. Twenty were added to the membership during his time. After his time in Homerton Mr Bennett moved to America where he preached for some time.