Joseph Patrick

Joseph Patrick was originally from Andrew Fuller’s church at Kettering. He began ministering at Southill, Bedfordshire, in April 1804, but his pastorate was troubled from its early days. According to the “Memorials” of the church written by John Warburton, minister at Southill from 1846 to 1892, “there was a great disturbance among the people” during Patrick’s ministry. “It was considered by the major part of the people that Mr. Patrick had swerved from the principles he professed when he first came among them. Some took part with Mr. Patrick, thus causing disquiet among them.” Two deacons, Warburton notes, “one Sunday afternoon, stood at the bottom of the pulpit stairs to prevent Mr. Patrick going up, telling him he had departed from the truth, and that he should not enter the pulpit. This caused an uproar.” Most likely, Patrick was too moderately Calvinistic for the tastes of many within the congregation. During his time at Southill, however, many were added to the church and a new chapel opened in 1805. Patrick would leave Southill in 1811 and remove to the Baptist congregation at Fenny Stratford, Bucks., becoming their first official pastor. William Heighton of Road, Northampton, preached that day, among others. The church had been formed in 1805 and at the time of Patrick’s ordination consisted of 28 members. For Warburton’s history, see Strict Baptist Chapel Southill (n.p., 1993), 5-6;  Baptist Magazine 4 (1812). 128.