Richard Davis
Richard Davis (1658-1714) was a High-Calvinist Independent gospel preacher. In 1689, he was appointed pastor of the church meeting at Rothwell, Northamptonshire, a position he held for twenty-five years. Although his testimony was heinously smeared by many of his ministerial peers, the integrity of his life and ministry has subsequently been vindicated. He is best remembered for “originating that system of sending out lay preachers which was subsequently adopted by Mr. Wesley, so he seems to have anticipated in some measure the Experience Meetings which form so prominent a feature of Methodism.” He was also an early influencer of John Gill during his youth.
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The Early History Of The Independent Church At Rothwell, A Defense Of Richard Davis
It would be well perhaps to state the reasons by which we were induced to write the following small section of church history. Having read the work of Mr. Coleman on the Independent Churches of Northamptonshire, it seemed to us that, despite its many excellencies, the accounts were too general, and the particulars too isolated to yield all the interest or instruction that might be obtained from a knowledge of the olden dissent of the county. We thought that if, leaving the work of Mr. Coleman to answer as a general record, some old and interesting section of county dissenting history were worked out with more full connection and details it might supply an apparent need, placing us in closer connection with our nonconforming ancestry,…
Further Study
The Life And Testimony Of Richard Davis
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The Life And Testimony Of Richard Davis
John Gill’s Preface To Richard Davis’ “Hymns Composed On Several Subjects, And On Divers Occasions” (1748) As I had the honor in my youth of knowing the worthy author of the following hymns, being born (at Kettering in Northamptonshire) and brought up within a very few miles of the place (Rowel, also Rothwell, the same county) where he statedly ministered, I was the rather inclined at request to write a preface to them. His memory has been always precious to me, partly on account of his great regard for my education, for which he was heartily concerned, and also for my spiritual and eternal welfare. I well remember, though very young, that having discovered some eager desire after some part of literature, he though fit…
