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001 Ernest A. Payne, The Baptists of Berkshire (London: Kingsgate, 1951), p. 47. The earliest mention of Lincolnshire descent seems to be Walter Wilson, The Dissenting Churches of London (London: 1808), II, 592: "descended from a respectable family in Lincolnshire", and Dictionary of National Biography, edited by George Smith et al (London: Oxford, 1921-22), XVIII, 1037. The latter work, as I will show, has anyway some erroneous material about Edward Stennett, but I think that Payne has access to early material I do not know and that he has avoided repeating the accretions of time. back 002 A. R. Madalison, Lincolnshire Pedigrees (London: 1903) II, 636; (London: 1906), IV, 1220, 1310; Lincolnshire Parish Register, edited by W. P. W. Phillimore and A. K. Maples (London: 1905), 84f., 115, etc. back 003 Robert Cox, Literature on the Sabbath Question (Edinburgh: 1865), I, 162 tells of a book written by Theophilus Brabourne in 1630 against "ten ministers" including "M. Stinnet." Cf. A. H. Lewis, A Critical History of the Sabbath and Sunday (Plainfield, N. J.: American Sabbath Tract Society, 1903), pp. 301ff. In Seventh Day Baptists in Europe and America Plainfield, 1910), I, 93, it is stated this is Edward Stennett, I think this association is wishful thinking. Stennett, I think, is not a minister yet for several decades, not to mention likely being much too young. (For the rest of the thesis, this source will be abbreviated "SDBs in EA".) The Transactions of the Baptist Historical Society II (1910-11), 52 is written with objective hesitancy: "it is possible then that this is the man, or at least, one of his family. back 004 Payne, op. cit., p. 10. back 005 Joseph Stennett, Works (London: 1732), I, B4. This material is included in a biography of Edward's son Joseph, written by a third person. (this "B" will indicate the biography of Joseph Stennett. The biography's pagination is in Arabic numerals as is the regular text of the book, so I have chosen this method of differentiation between the two.) back 006 W.T. Whitley, Seventh Day Baptists in England, Baptist Quarterly XII no. 8 (Oct., 1947), 252f. I have no other information on this booklet by Stennett. Whitley's article, after I have done considerable research for this thesis, seems to me to be a fairly accurate reporting of the rise of the Seventh Day Baptist movement in England. This activity around 1650-60 becomes a movement in contrast to the very scattered observers of the seventh day Sabbath who lived in the previous half century or so (cf. SDBs in EA, I, 69-111, passim). back 007 A porter in that time was a burden bearer or a person charge of a door or gate: A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, ed. by J. A. H. Murry (Oxford: 1909), VII, 1142. This dictionary will be used occasionally throughout this thesis to understand certain words whose definitions may have changed. back 008 Payne, op. cit., p. 47; cf. Joseph Stennett, op. cit., I B3. back 009 Payne, op. cit., pp. 31, 47. back 010 The year is 1558, not 1653 as seems to be an erratum in SDBs in EA, II, 1339. back 011 Edward Stennett, The Seventh Day is the Sabbath (New york: American Sabbath Tract Society, 1852), pp. 34f. For the convenience of people connected with this thesis, I am using the pagination of the 1852 reprint of this book. back 012 Joseph Ivimey, History of the English Baptists (London: 1811), I, 320ff., 328; Daniel Neal, The History of the Puritans (New York: Harper, 1844), II, 383. back 013 A Baptist Bibliography, ed. by Edward C. Starr, (Chester, PA: Am. Bapt.Hist. Society, 1952), II, 169: A Narrative Wherein is Faithfully set forth the Sufferings of John Canne, Wentworth Day, John Clarke, John Belcher, John Recard, Robert Boggis, Petter Kidd, Richard Bryenton, and George Strange, Called (as their new book saith) Fifth Monarchy Men . . . (London: 1658). back 014 Payne, op. cit., p. 27; Transactions of the Baptist Historical Society, III, no 3 (May, 1913); The Sabbath Observer, January-March 1937, p. 131; The Sabbath Recorder, April 16, 1951, pp. 246ff.; Louise Fargo Brown, Baptists and the Fifth Monarchy Men (Washington: American Historical Assoc., 1913; Horton Davies, The English Free Churches London: Oxford, 1952), O. 70. back 015 History of the British Baptists (London: Griffen, 1923), p. 86. back 016 III (1912-13), 153. back 017 Francis Bampfield is active about the time of the restoration of the Stuarts and later became a Seventh Day Baptist minister in London, but I doubt very much if he had been a Fifth-Monarchist. back 018 Whitley, Seventh Day Baptists in England, op. cit., pp. 252f. back 019 The Seventh Day is the Sabbath, p. 46. It is possible that in England there is more material on Stennett and the Fifth-Monarchy movement that might change my evaluation. back 020 J.A. Houlder, A Short History of the Free Churches (London: 1899), p. 40. back 021 Williston Walter, A History of the Christian Church (New York: Scribners, 1950), pp. 473f.; J.J. Goadby, By-paths In Baptist History (London: 1871), p. 94. back 022 Houlder, op. cit., pp 56-59; Mitchell B. Garrett, European History 1500-1815 (New york: American Book Co., 1940), pp. 338f.; Documents of the Christian Church, ed. by Henry Bettenson (New York: Oxford, 1947), pp.401f. back 023 Joseph Stennett, op. cit., I, B4. back 024 A Continuation of the Account of the Ministers, Lecturers . . . who were Ejected or Silenced after the Restoration of 1660 . . . . (London: 1727), I, 133. back 025 (London), I, 226. Palmer goes on to mention the biography of Joseph Stennett by Dr. Ward in Joseph's published works. This biography for some writers is the source of the episcopal clerical notion. Neither is Stennett listed among the Royalist Clerical sequestrations or in the Puritan nominations. (Wm. A. Shaw, A History of the English Church 1640-1660 (London: Longmans, Green, and Co. 1900).). Some writers have missed these denials of Stennett being a Church England minister. With the biography add "E. Stennett, from Wallingford" to Calamy's listings. (Early English Baptists (London: 1864),, II, 295f.) (Further more Evans seems to think Stennett has always lived in Wallingford, but correspondence headings do begin at Abingdon and do not change to Wallingford until 1670-1671.) Based on this section in Evans, the Dictionary of National Biography (XVIII, 1037) makes Stennett a chaplin in the parliamentary army and a holder of a "sequestered Rectory at Wallingford". SDBs in EA (I, 93) repeats the Dictionary and adds his having been deprived of his living in the Church of England at the Restoration in 1660! I think Edward Stennett was neither a Church of England minister nor a chaplin in the parliamentary army. back 026 Op. cit. back 027 Joseph Stennett, op. cit., I, B4. Among the Baptists excommunicated from St. Helen's church in Abingdon on Jan 18, 1(570 was "Edward Stennett, brasier." (Arthur E. Preston, The Church and Parish of St. Nicholas, Abingdon (Oxford: 1935), p. 124n.) Could this have been Edward Stennett and his former occupation have been brass working? A negative note to hedge in Stennett's medical activity: He was not a member of the Royal Society of London, fifty miles away, which was formally chartered in 1662. (The Record of the Royal Society of London for the promotion of Natural Knowledge (London: 1940) back 028 Houlder, op. cit., p. 59; Garrett, op. cit., pp. 339f.; Documents of the Christian Church, pp. 402-407. back 029 Adam Taylor, History of the English General Baptists (London: 1818), I, 256. back 030 SDBs in EA, I, 95 mentions an extract from Stennett's book "Penalty for Sabbath-breaking" which may be seen in The Sabbath Recorder for April 25, 1845. This is not a separate book, but the closing section of this book. back 031 (London). back 032 Cowell's description, however fits the 1664 book. back 033 Cox, op. cit. back 034 Whitley, A Baptist Bibliography (London: Kingsgate, 1922). The only copy of Stennett's book available to me is incomplete. back 035 British Museum - Catalog of printed Books (London: Cloves, 1897); SDBs in EA, I, 105; Dictionary of National Biography, XX, 1071. back 036 The Sabbath Recorder, January-March, 1937, pp 128f. back 037 The Seventh Day Baptist Church Formed at Devonshire Square in the year 1675 (which we shall call Pinners' Hall Record Book), pp. 31, 45. back 038 Mennonite Cyclonedic Dictionary, ed. by Daniel Kauffman (Scotsdale, Pa.: Mennonite Pub. House, 1937), p. 283; C. Henry Smith, The Story of the Mennonites (Newton, Kansas: Mennonite Pub. Office, 1950), pp. 121f. back 039 Harwich is a seaport on the east coast, near Colchester. back 040 Whitley, A Baptist Bibliography, I, 83, 79. back 041 Stennett opposed men, who, for example, "do hold it lawful to multiply wives unto themselves pleading the example of the Saints of old . . Gen. 25: 22 "Whitley is probably thinking of Tillam when he writes: "A severe blow was given to The Seventh Day Baptists by one man who pushed his literalism so far that he revived much more Jewish legalism; but a protest was issued and most stopped at the Sabbath." (History of the British Baptists, p. 86.) back 042 Whitley, "Seventh Day Baptists in England," op. cit., p. 253. back 043 This is from Stennett's Feb. 2, 1668 letter from Abingdon, Berkshire to Sabbath-keepers in Rhode Island: Seventh Day Baptist Memorial, I (1852), 26f.; cf. parts in Henry Clarke, A History of the Sabbatarians . . . In America . . . To the Year 1811 (Utica, New York: Seward and Williams, 1811), pp. 10f. back 044 At this time in England, the ecclesiastical year began on March 25; therefore dates before March 25 each year usually carry the numbers of both the ecclesiastical and historical years. back 045 The Sabbath Recorder, March 24, 1952, p. 142. For the last quotation, cf. Seventh Day Baptist Memorial, I, 27f. and Issac Baccus, A History of New England with particular Reference to . . . Baptists (Newton, Mass,: 1771), II, 501. back 046 Letter of April 9, 1671 from Wallingford to Rhode Island: The Sabbath Recorder, March 31, 1952, p. 151: Payne, op. cit., p. 49. back 047 Victoria History of Berkshire (London: St. Catherine press, ca. 1927), III, 530. back 048 Joseph Stennett, op. cit., I, B4. Most Accounts that mention Edward Stennett and the Wallingford Castle are taken from this source. back 049 Garrett, op. cit., p. 341. back 050 W.H. Black, The Last Legacy (ca. 1840-70), p. 59; Whitley, History of the British Baptists, p. 136. back 051 Original Records of Early Nonconformity and Persecution and Indulgence, Transcribed and edited by G. L. Turner (London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1911), I, 543; cf. I1,. 951. The record concerning Stennett comes from "State Papers, Domestic Entry Book 38a. Preaching Licenses." Cf. Payne, op. cit., p. 49. back 052 Garrett, op. cit., p. 341; Houlder, op. cit., p. 64. back 053 Garrett, op. cit., p. 341; Documents of the Christian Church, pp. 407f. back 054 Payne, The Free Church Tradition in the Life of England (London: S. C. M. Press, 1944), p. 47. back 055 Letter of July 10, 1674 in The Sabbath Recorder, March 31, 1952. Cf. Payne, The Baptists of Berkshire, pp. 49f. (Payne says the letter date is August 10, 1674.) back 056 Samuel Hubbard's Journal, ca. 1633-1686 (Providence, R. I.:R. I. Historical Records Survey Work projects Administration, 1940), p. 102; cf. The Sabbath Recorder, April 28, 1952, p. 203. (The Journal gives the date for the letter as 1678, the Recorder, 1679.) back 057 I do not know why the meeting did not take place. Arrests of Bampfield did not start again until 1682. (SDBs in EA, 1, 65.) We must remember that the Seventh Day Baptists in Newport, R. I. had finally broken with the Baptist church on Dec. 23, 1671. (Bulletin of the Newport Historical Society #73, Jan. 1930, p. 4.) In 1678, according to Samuel Hubbard, there were only a total of thirty-seven members in Newport, Westerly, and New London. (SDBs in EA, II, 601 .) back 058 Thomas Armatage, A History of the Baptists (New York: Bryan Taylor, 1887), p. 562 back 059 Joseph Stennett, op. cit., I, B5; Goadby calls the player an actress (op. cit., p. 96). back 060 Joseph Stennett, op. cit., I, B4ff.; Seventh Day Baptist Missionary Magazine, Feb. 1822, p. 79; Wilson, op. cit., II, 592ff.; The Sabbath Recorder, March 1, 1883, p. 3; George B. Utter, Manual of the Seventh-Day Baptists (New York: Utter, 1858), pp. 30f.; etc. back 061 Joseph Stennett, op. cit., I, B9; I have not found any original record of his being imprisoned or released. back 062 Tho. Crosby, The History of the English Baptists (London: 1738), I, 367 says 1683 and SDBs in EA, I, 65 says 1684, so I compromise, 1683/84 which means the overlapping of the former ecclesiastical year with the latter historical year. back 063 Pinner's Hall Record Book, p. c. This organization meeting was on Sunday; this and most other days of the week are taken from Samuel N. Norton, Days and Dates: Julien and Gregorian (San Francisco: Carlisle, 1898). back 064 Garrett, op. cit., pp. 344f. back 065 Pinner's Hall Record Book, p. 1. back 066 Ibid., pp 4f. back 067 Ibid., pp. 10, 13, 17. back 068 Payne, Baptists of Berkshire, p. 58 back 069 Documents of the Christian Church, pp 408-412. back 070 Garrett, op. cit., pp. 345ff.; Arnold J. Toynbee, A Study of History (Oxford: 1939), IV, 199. back 071 Pinners' Hall Record Book p. 77. (There is a jump in the record book of ten years after Jan. 10, 1702/03 which is another factor.) back 072 A History of the English Baptists (London: Bapt. Union, 1947), p. 147. back 073 Transactions of the Baptist Historical Society, VII (1920-21), 231. back 074 This is the only source from which I know of the summons. back 075 SDBs in EA I, xxiii. back 076 W. H. Summers, History of the Congregational Churches in the Burks, South Oxon and South Bucks Association (Newbury: 1895), p. 283. ... There is now a stone in the wall of St. Peter's Church, Wallingford with the following inscriptions:
back 077 Calamy, A Continuation . . . (1727), I, 133; Ivimey, op. cit., II (1814), 74; A. C. Matthews, Calamy Revised (Oxford: 1934), p. 1230. back 078 Pinners' Hall Record Book, pp. 254, 256; Transactions of the Baptist Historical Society III, no. 2 (Oct. 1912), pp. 90ff. back 079 To put Edward's death date around 1714 would be almost impossible, for his son Joseph who wrote the epitaph for his parents died in 1713. But, of course, Joseph also wrote an epitaph for his brother-in-law, William Morton, in whose home he died. (Joseph Stennett, op. cit., IV, 274f.) back 080 SDBs in EA, I, 39; cf. 1, 44 which sets 1640 as the date for the foundlng of the original mixed congregation of observers of either Saturday or Sunday at Natton. back 081 As a general rule, the Free Will or "General Baptists" were Armenian in theology, holding that Christ died for all men; the particular Baptists were Calvinistic, believing that Christ's death was for the elect. I have the impression that there were exceptions to the general rule. (Payne, Baptists of Berkshire, p. 13; William Wail, The History of Infant Baptism, (London: Griffith, Farran, Okeden and Welsh, a 1705 book reprinted about 1875), II, 188; Richard Knight, History of the General or Six Principle Baptists (Providence, R. 1.: 1827), p. vii.) back 082 SDBs in EA, I, 39. back 083 The Sabbath Recorder, April 16, 1951, pp. 247f.; cf Whitley, Seventh Day Baptists in England, op. cit., p. 252. back 084 Cf. Payne, The Free Church Tradition . . ., p. 22. back 085 Joseph Stennett, op. cit., IV, 274. back |