Tuesday 24 January 2012

Baxter's Kidderminster Today!

On a recent visit to Kidderminster, England, the town in which the celebrated Puritan, Rev Richard Baxter ministered in the seventeenth century, I was amazed at how ignorant the local people regarding their greatest son.  The first ‘sign’ of Baxter was at Baxter United Reformed Church; I asked if this was the church that Baxter preached in, and was met with ignorance.   

To the Parish church of St Mary and All Saints, I strolled, and the over-ruling providence of God allowed me inside.  What a joyful and humbling experience it was just to be there. I could easily imagine the place filled to capacity with earnest hearers and seekers after Christ as Baxter applied the Gospel as understood and taught by Calvin with clinical precision to men’s consciences.  

I went to the New Meeting House where the Unitarian church meets, and saw the pulpit (dated 1621) from which he preached “the unsearchable riches of Christ,” (Eph.3:8).
To read a fuller story, may I refer you to Baxter.  It is truly amazing how the mighty town and churches of Kidderminster have fallen into unfaithfulness, apostasy, unbiblical ecumenism. May God have mercy on that town and on our country.

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