Chapel Next the Green (the history of Twickenham Congregational Church) index page
Following Mr Rhys‘ resignation the LCU came to the aid of the Church, as it had done fifty years earlier, promising to find preachers for three months and then “someone to act as minister for a year in the hope of holding up the church again”.
During the summer of 1929 the church was led by Mr B.A.Boghurst, a student from Hackney and New College, but he could not be considered for the pastorate as his studies were not to be complete until 1932 (when he was ordained to Brentford). In June 1929 the Diaconate was strengthened by the co-option of Mr Ernest Dawe. In April 1930 he was elected Treasurer, an appointment which was to involve considerable financial sacrifice.
A permanent leader was still needed. A visiting preacher, the Rev Arthur Parker from Arundel, was asked whether he would consider the vacancy and being conscious of the need did not decline the suggestion. On September 1st 1930 he was unanimously invited to accept the pastorate at a stipend of £3 per week and “the opinion was expressed that the church was indeed fortunate in securing the services of a man of Mr Parker’s experience and proven ability.” He was then aged 72 and before residing in Arundel he had served as a missionary in India for 37 years. The house in Spencer Road, passed over 30 years earlier, was leased for three years with an option to purchase for £1050. On November 26th 1930 Mr Parker was inducted and hopes for a better future were expressed.
The finances were in an even more parlous state than usual. Membership had dropped from 100 in 1925 to 52. In March 1931 Mr Dawe had to borrow £100 from the LCU, on his personal guarantee, to meet current expenses. By September this was nearly exhausted and he “expressed his willingness to finance the Church until the situation is relieved by the Sale of Work to be held in December” – being Treasurer had its liabilities!
When Mr Dawe told the 1932 Annual Meeting that expenditure exceeded income by £150, Mr Purchase sagely remarked that “the position of the Church was nothing new and that in the present circumstances he considered the report satisfactory”.
Before coming to the church Mr Parker had hoped that under new leadership the members who had drifted away could be persuaded to renew their commitment to the Church, but apparently this did not happen. On September 29th 1932 Mr Parker tendered his resignation to the Church Meeting. His health was failing, moreover:
“He felt that his ministry had not been successful in building the church. The steady depletion of members during the last twelve months had weighed down his mind and spirit. He had hoped at the end of three years to have seen a Church set on its feet, both spiritually and financially … (He) agreed that feeling had not died and felt that any move regarding the members who had resigned would be resented“.
Evidently he found it hard to be struggling with troubles that were not of his making.
Consideration of the resignation was deferred for two weeks. At the second meeting Mr Purchase declared that he “could not bear the idea of Mr Parker leaving the Church for lack of support” and Mr Dawe “felt that the church had kept up its head during the last two years and declared that that the Church was teeming with young life“. The meeting unanimously asked Mr Parker to withdraw his resignation.
The following Sunday the Church was relieved to hear that Mr Parker had reconsidered his decision. After deep thought and prayer, and in the light of the two church meetings and many personal entreaties he felt “a second and urgent call to the pastorate” and would “take up the work again with renewed courage and confidence”. From this time on the church never looked back, and Mr Parker’s last year was one of consolidation and renewal. In July 1933 the League of Youth was re-formed and was to prosper in the years following.
In October 1933, as planned, Mr Parker retired:
“Since 1877 he had been a regular preacher of the gospel so that he regarded the action taken as an important event in his life. He added that it had been his great fortune to see the gospel of the grace of Jesus Christ at work in men and women. He referred to the great help he had had from his wife ..”
Two years of retirement were marred by much sickness and pain, and he died on December 6th 1935. His last pastorate had not been an easy one but it had provided a firm foundation for his successor to build on.
← John Thomas Rhys, 1923-1929 – – – H. Allen Job, 1934-1943 →
Read about the LMS work in Trivandrum, South India here