The Bible Christians in Penryn, and my family’s involvement.
The story of the Bible Christian Movement can clearly be sectioned into three periods: the early years under the leadership of William O’Bryan; the middle years under the leadership of James Thorne and the latter years [from 1872 onward] under the leadership of F W Bourne.
In many ways the three time periods of the Movement can be identified by these overlapping phases: the charismatic phase, the consolidation phase and the conformist phase, which of course was followed by the amalgamation period after 1907 - although, as we shall see, there was a reaction to this amongst the Penryn folk.
Although there does not seem to be any evidence that speaking in tongues were manifested amongst their early members , the expression of their faith was similar to that of modern day Pentecostal and Charismatic churches. H Miles Brown, writing in the 1960s, described their worship as being “characterized by a mysticism almost Quaker-like, with emotional preaching and a Celtic reliance on signs and dreams”. As a body of believers, and because they had witnessed so much of the Lord’s power in their midst during their formative years, they sought to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and were therefore suspicious of the forms and ceremonies encountered in other churches . Because of this they often caused offence. When William Clowes, the co-founder of the Primitive Methodists was invited to preach at Twelveheads [Billy Bray’s hamlet] he was somewhat upset because during the meeting some of the Bryanites present began to laugh and dance during the worship, “I was grieved at their conduct for many people, who had come to hear preaching, were disappointed by witnessing their noise and actions...”.
These early Bryanites were also noisy in their enthusiastic singing in other places as well. At Michaelstow in 1818, a complaint was made that a villager could not sleep on Sunday mornings because the “b...grs were up chorusing at an early hour”. Although, according to Shaw, the Movement soon frowned on such behaviour so that by 1841 at the Annual Conference there was a complaint made that some people were ‘in the habit of putting on their hats and talking in the chapel at the close of divine service instead of walking quietly and reverently out of the chapel’.
According to the “Rise and Progress of the Connexion” account in the “Arminian Magazine” issue of October 1825 , an unnamed preacher who had lost favour with the Wesleyans of west Cornwall went to Falmouth to establish a Bible Christian society in the town, but it seems that there was a problem within the group regarding “discontent and division”, and as a result of this, “their chapel was put for a play-house”. At “about the same time” however, so the article records “the Lord poured out His Holy Spirit on the people in some other parts of the circuit”. By ‘some other parts’, it principally meant Hick’s Mill in the parish of Gwennap. William O’Bryan and James Thorne themselves had officially opened the chapel here in August 1821 . This was mainly due to the zeal and enthusiasm of the local miller, ‘the jolly miller of Hicks Mill’, Thomas Tregaskis, who later attempted to rid Helston of its ‘Hobby Horse’ tradition as being a pagan celebration .
When Edmund Warne was travelling the circuit in February 1822, he wrote to William O’Bryan from Penryn, in which he shared “I am quite out of notes of admittance, and want some very much, - I suppose there are fifty to be given at one place [Hicks Mill] bless the Lord, twenty four are risen to one hundred and ten, in less than 3 months, and I believe fifty of them are soundly converted to God. “Bless the Lord, good is doing in some places in this circuit, and souls are flocking to the standard of the cross. Many labourers are rising up with a mighty cry, ‘O Lord revive thy work’. There is a great prospect of good in some parts. Glory to God. The last time I was at Hicks Mill, our evening meeting lasted until 6 o’clock next morning. Some were eight or nine hours on their knees; and I have heard that before the next Lord’s Day, there were thirty converted to God in that place””
When Thomas Tregaskis’ first wife, Betsy, died in December 1829, he wrote her obituary for the Bible Christian magazine, which leaves us with a wonderful insight into God’s dealing with His Bryanite people [both generally but also specifically in the Falmouth Circuit area] during the early charismatic period of the Movement’s history. Included in this testimony was the description of how she was ‘baptised with the Holy Spirit’. Apparently a brother [W.M.] had come to the house to pray for the family. After the departure of this said brother, Thomas and Betsy went upstairs “and while we were there, the Holy Ghost came down with such a powerful manner that it went through her heart, and was like fire in her bones. She was made so abundantly happy while under this powerful operation, that she appeared scarcely to know either how to restrain her feelings, or express her joy; after that baptism she enjoyed such sweet communion with the great head of the church, as language fails to describe.”
In a following, undated, letter Warne writes of other happenings within the area, including Penryn itself. Here he mentions some incidences concerning his place of lodgings; and as in the previous letter he was lodging at Penryn, he could therefore be referring specifically to testimonies of Penryn folk: “The best of all is that the Blessed Lord owns His own word, and sinners have felt His power. In the last three or four weeks, many have been deeply awakened, and many souls converted to God. Backsliders have been brought to their Father’s house, and to the enjoyment of His love; and believers appear to be stirred up to greater diligence. At Hicks Mill there is the deepest work I ever saw in this part of the country; much as it used to be in the higher parts of the connexion: they fall like people shot, and lay as dead for hours. Sinners tremble and saints shout aloud for joy. At Penryn, Wheal-Rose and Cross-Coomb there is a good work going forward, and in private houses also. One night at family prayer, in a house where I lodged, the power of the Lord came down: a young woman was taken in distress; she shook, shrieked, and cryed as in the mouth of a lion; and when we rose from our knees she was covered with a cold sweat from head to foot. One day I called at another house, where the people were growing cold; two of them were brought into distress, and one made happy. I called at another house as I was going to my plan one evening, and a woman who had gone back about 12 months, was taken into distress, and in about half an hour the Lord sat her soul at liberty; she was made abundantly happy; a more evident conversion I hardly ever saw. Soon after, a young woman came in; after talking to her a little, she fled to doors: very soon after a woman came crying, ‘Come quickly sir, to the young woman’. I went in and found her fallen before the Lord in deep distress. Though at first she seemed to sink almost in dark despair, yet before we rose from our knees, the Lord set her at liberty, and filled her with peace and joy through believing. I trust we shall see better days in this circuit before long, bless the Lord; I trust He hath not done with ram’s horns yet. The Lord of Host will use whom He sees fit.”
Referring to a few years later, John Bassett, in his memoirs, wrote of his time in the area, “At the Conference 1825, I was appointed to the Falmouth Circuit. In that circuit I had great liberty through being the second preacher. The people in general were much alive to God, and I had sometimes an usual liberty in preaching, particularly at Hick’s Mill. That was a happy year to me. My soul was much united to the people as they were to me. The glory of God shone in a wonderful manner. O what glorious seasons has my soul enjoyed in that circuit”.
It therefore seems that a circuit for the Falmouth area was in existence from the early 1820s, with Hick’s Mill being the strongest chapel within the circuit, mainly thanks to the hard work and ministry of the ‘Jolly Miller’; but also that there was a Bible Christian society in Penryn from 1822-1824 onward. Apart from this article in the “Arminian Magazine”, the earliest reference to a Bible Christian presence in the town relates to an Indenture of 1829, and the recognition of a Bryanite place of worship in the Pigot’s Trade Directory of 1830.
The said Indenture of September 12th 1829 identifies the understanding that the first Bible Christian Chapel in Penryn was on Lower Street [then known as Fore Street] near the junction with Truro Lane. The agreement was between a Mr Francis Major of the Borough of Penryn and Mr Joel Morcom, a mine agent acting on behalf of the Bible Christians . We must assume that the Bible Christians built their Chapel there in 1829/1830 because [1] the Trade Directories from 1830 onward refer to a Bryanite or Bible Christian ‘Place of Worship’ in the town; [2] that when they moved into their new Chapel in 1866, reference is made to an older Chapel; and [3] the Tithe Map of February 1845 identifies a Chapel belonging to the “Wesleyan Methodist Society” on Fore Street. As on the same document a Wesleyan Society Chapel is also identified on Chapel Row, it seems that there is an error concerning the designation of the Fore Street Chapel.
At this stage in the history and development of the Bible Christian Society in Penryn, there does not seem to be any involvement by family members in the Church. At the same time, one must remember that the Society in the town was very small [membership being less than 40 persons]. Having said this, there is evidence that the King Nicholls had had Nonconformist links, as it appears that Richard and Grace King Nicholls had been married in a Nonconformist Chapel in 1803.
Due to the growth and expansion of the Movement in Cornwall, the Circuit System was changed several times during the course of the 19th century, sometime as part of Gwennap or Hicks Mill Circuit and at other times as part of Falmouth Circuit.
Growth there was within the Falmouth area, which included the two main chapels in Falmouth and Penryn, plus smaller chapels at Flushing, Mawnam and, later, Mylor. In 1834, the Falmouth Circuit was mentioned as being one of four that were specially favoured with revival influence and power at the time.
In the Indenture of 1848, as well as mentioning the acquisition of the piece of land at the back of Francis Major’s dwelling house off Fore Street, and the turn-over of responsibility concerning the mortgage that was taken out in 1837, the trustees for the Chapel were mentioned. They were William Corier of Penryn [cordwainer], William Rule of Mylor [yeoman], William Parkin Williams of Penryn [carpenter], James Davis of Penryn [ironmonger] and William Warne of St Austell [miller]. Accompanying this indenture was a document explaining the bond of Christian expression that held the Bible Christians together, and something of the responsibility of local Chapel Trustees. “Of the circuit in which each chapel is situated... to have and enjoy the said premises in order that they may therein preach and expound God’s Holy Word and perform all the acts of religious worship. The said trustees shall have full power to choose from among themselves a steward as Treasurer who shall receive all the seat rents and all sums might may be collected for the benefit of the said chapel...”
My Great Grandfather Robert Treneer [who originally was a Teamster on the Carclew Estate and later farmed at Gonreeve near Treluswell in the St Gluvias’ Parish] became one of the trustees of the Chapel, as well as being a class leader and dedicated teetotaller. His son, John, told a wonderful story about his father (recorded in a letter to a local newspaper in 1934), “My father was teamster for 25 years on Carclew Estate, except at seeding time and harvest. Then he sowed the grain by hand and carried the seed in, mowing with the help of 15 men. In those days they got no extra money for mowing, but there were 16 gallons of local brewed beer a day sent out, one gallon a day for each man. My father did not drink; the other 15 got the 16 gallons. The land steward was a Mr Sanders, a Scotsman. He said to my father one day: "Robert, why don’t you drink the beer, if you are punished for it I will take half your punishment.”
When the future leader of the Movement, F W Bourne visited the Fore Street Chapel accompanying Billy Bray in 1863, he mentioned that the meeting at which Billy had preached on the theme, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty”, “…was one of the best [meetings] that the writer ever attended”. Bourne also added that “New chapels ought at once to be built in Penryn [& Falmouth, where he also visited] in eligible situations, and much more attractive and commodious” . Billy Bray also officially visited the town in the year following the building of the new Chapel, when the District Meetings were held in the West Street premises. The proceedings began on the Monday evening [June 24th 1867], and on the following morning Billy began the day when he preached “a warm, unctuous and earnest discourse on Hebrews 6:12” at 5.00am. This was followed at six o’clock by the business meeting!
The Bible Christian Movement grew and expanded throughout the Duchy by means of the many localised “Revivals” of the 19th Century – Penryn being no exception. During this period, the “Bible Christian Magazine” reports on Penryn Revivals in the 1830s and 1850s, and also in the1860s, 1870s and again in the 1890s. Writing for the February 1866 edition, James Coles shares, “God is moving among us in some other places in the circuit. At Penryn a blessed revival is in progress. It commenced last Sunday week, Jan. 7th. During the preaching service a very gracious influence rested upon the congregation, and many tears were shed by saints and sinners. In the prayer meeting one cried for mercy, and after she left the chapel, before closing her eyes in sleep, she found peace. One man, among the many wrought upon, directly the service was closed, made his way home, retired to his bed-chamber, fell on his knees, and implored mercy from the hands of God. He sent for his pious father, who first went to the house, and then came for me. Before my arrival the man had obtained the forgiveness of his sins, was very happy in God, and doing his best to help his dear wife, who was earnestly crying to God for the salvation of her soul. Meetings were held every night last week, and not a night without a soul or souls crying for mercy. Many have been converted, men and women, young and old. One dear old man about 70 years of age is among the converts. I preached last night, Monday, Jan. 15th. A crowded congregation, and several in distress. Many at Penryn are working hard to get some living stones to go in the chapel by the time it is completed; this revival came most opportunely. Brethren, pray for us.”
story continued
