Samuel Hillyard 

Samuel Hillyard (1770-1839) served as minister at the Old Meeting at Bedford, 1790-1839. Hillyard was one of the early leaders of the Bedford Sunday School Union and Bedfordshire Union of Christians. John Brown considered Hillyard (often called the “Nonconformist Bishop of Bedfordshire”) to be “the animating spirit of the [Sunday school] movement from the beginning.” The son of Thomas Hillyard (1746-1828), minister of the Independent church at Olney (1783-1828), Samuel first preached at Bedford in late 1790, while completing his studies at William Bull’s academy at Newport Pagnall. He was ordained at Bedford in June 1792. Because he was an Independent, a number of the Baptist members (the Old Meeting had been a mixed congregation since Bunyan’s days) left to found the Third Church of Bedford in Mill Lane in 1793. Nevertheless, Hillyard developed close ties with Robert Hall of Cambridge and Andrew Fuller of Kettering, demonstrating a keen interest in the affairs of the BMS. Like his friend Samuel Greatheed, Hillyard was one of the founders of the Bedfordshire Union of Christians in 1797. The following letter from Fuller to Hillyard, dated 21 August 1798 (MS97:13, Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas), demonstrates Hillyard’s ecumenical view of missions:

My dr bro.r

  I sh.d be obliged to you if you c.d drop a line on Saturday, your Market day, if you have no opportunity before, to Bro.r Dickens of Keysoe, to inform him that I mean to call and spend a night with him, viz Friday Sep 7. and that if agreeable to him and his friends shall have no objection to giving them a Sermon that Evening. I knew of no method of conveying a Letter besides, or I w.d not have troubled you. To repay you for this trouble I will tell you a few particulars of a Letter fm Carey dated at different times fm June 22.97 to Jan.y 9.98 wh I rec.d last week. And I dare say our good friend Mr Livius w.d like to see it. They and their families are well, except that Fountain has been very ill of a fever & flux, of wh he was hardly recoverd. The natives of whom they have entertained hopes still persevere, tho’ not so zealous as at first. A new door has been opened for preaching the word at Dinagepore, the chief city in those parts of Bengal.  At that place there lives a Portuguese gentleman, a Mr Fernandez, originally designed for a popish priest, but who as he came to years of maturity c.d not approve of the idolatry of popery. Of late having heard of our friends, he sent to them for some books. They sent him Newton on the prophecies &c and afterwards visited him. He heard Mr Thomas preach, and entered so heartily into the doctrine as soon after to build them a place of worship at Dinagepore. It was publickly opened by Carey Thomas & Fountain in November last. They have engaged to preach there one Lords day in every month. It was Careys turn to be there on Lds day Jan.y 7. 98. It was the time of the Assizes. He preached in English one part of the day, & in Bengalee the other. Nearly all the Europeans in the City came to hear; among whom were the three Judges. They attended both parts of the day, & invited Mr Carey to dine with them. They had much conversation on the gospel, particularly the Mission. They appear to have known all our proceedings. A Period.l  Acc.t or else a Register had been sent over to India & handed about among the higher Circles. They appeared amicable. Some of the Interior Magistrates favour the translation of the scriptures.

  A box of books wh we sent out in 94 and had almost given up for lost, and wh included a Polyglot bible, is now safe at Mudnabatty. A fount [sic] for types of the Country languages has been set up at Calcutta. Mr Carey conceiving that by this means a press might be set up at Mudnabatty, proposed it to Mr Udney, who highly approved of it, and gave orders for its being constructed. Powell is making the press, & men may be had fm Calcutta to work it.

  Mr Udney understands Persic, as do most of the higher orders of people in India. On his looking over the Polyglot he found the Persic translation of the Pentateuch and four gospels. He immediately set some copyists to work to transcribe it for the press.

  If a press can be established at Mudnabatty under Careys eye it will be a great object. We must appoint a banking house in London on which he may draw for Money, & then the generous benefactions of our friends will soon come into action. Upwards of 500£ has lately been received fm Scotland unsolicited.

        Affec.y  y.rs  A. Fuller

See John Brown, The History of Bedfordshire Union of Christians (London: Independent Press, 1946; orig. 1896), 77, 78;  H. G. Tibbutt, Bunyan Meeting Bedford 1650-1950 (Bedford, n.d.), 43-44.