Bierton Particular Baptists Continues

from Bierton Particular Baptists International, Our Work

Christian Times Magazine International

BIERTON PARTICULAR BAPTISTS ARTICLES OF RELIGION 1831 9 the Gospel Standard 1rules of conduct. A full account may be read in, “The Bierton Crisis2”, available from Amazon.co.uk.

In July 2003 Mr Clarke returned from mission work in the Philippines and was informed by Mr Crane, the Bierton church overseer that the Bierton chapel had been closed for worship, on the 22nd December 2002 due to the last church members death. David recalls that this time n December that it was exactly the same time he was continuing his ministry, preaching and teaching the Gospel in Baguio City, where 30 souls had confessed their faith in the lord Jesus. This was the work of William Poloc3, who was our sent man. As a result David baptized 30 souls who had been added to the Church, so confrming the ministry of William C. Poloc. David baptized them in his capacity as a sent minister from the Bierton Strict and Particular Baptist Church.

Mr Crane suggested David return to Bierton and reopen the chapel and he informed him that the Association of Grace Baptist Churches LTD (South East), 7 Arlington Way, London EC1R 1XA, had taken on the responsibility of the churches property. They had taken the Bierton Church Trust Deed from the lawful Trustees, Mr Janes, Mr Martin, Mr King and Mr Baumber who had expressed they were too old to bare the responsibility of looking after the chapel.

It transpired that our Bierton Trust Deed had been lodged with Gwen Eliss one of our senior church member’s solicitor, which is a fact that is important when registering property with the Land Registry for the frst time. They had recovered the Bierton Trust deed from the Solicitor when she died.

When I returned form the Philippines I approached the Association of Grace Baptist Churches LTD to use our chapel for the ministry work they refused permission. This was because they wanted to sell the chapel and proft from the sale. They had hastily gone on with demolition work, contrary to the terms of trust, seeking to sell the Chapel, at a proft once they had acquired planning permission. Where as I had already negotiated and planned that summer to bring two Filipino Particular Baptist ministers to the UK to visit various churches and our chapel would 1 See Gospel Standard Rules of Membership. 2 The Bierton Crisis, By David Clarke, ISBN-13: 9781534701717 3 William Poloc’s Testimony 62 and found in,”Trojan Warriors”. have been the ideal solution for some of our meetings. The Association of Grace Baptists Churches LTD were not concerned or interested in carrying out the wishes and desires of the original church founders and church members of the day. To their shame. The Association frst of all denied that we were a Gospel Standard Church and my standing as a member of the Church. When I sent them a copy of my book, “The Bierton Crisis 1984” and letters of confrmation from Mr. Ramsbottom along with Mr. Cranes confrmation that Mr Crane had suggested and supported my request to re open the chapel, they tried to say I was no longer a member. This was despite my bringing to their attention the fact of our strict rules, in relation to cessation of membership ensured that I by default remained a member of the church along with Irene Mary Holloway and Mr A king. The truth was that I along with Irene Mary Clarke (now Holloway) were still church members as our membership continued. The Church never terminated our membership and Mr Crane confrmed this in writing and I had presented this information to the Association of Grace Baptists Churches LTD with my application to use our chapel. When I stated that they were not the lawful trustees, as the Church had not elected them to that position, I was ignored. I asked them to confrm that the copy of the Trust Deed that I held was one and the same as the one they had recovered from our deceased church member, they refused my request. This was because the trust deed states who were the legitimate Trustees, how they are to be elected and the responsibility of church members. Trustees were to be elected by the church and to be men who believed and supported the doctrines stated in the indenture. The reality was that the Bierton Church was a Gospel Standard Cause and had no association with Grace Baptist churches. The church would never have elected this Association to be its trustees because their beliefs were those of the London 1869 Baptist Confession, and not those of our Church, which was the Bierton Church and Gospel Standard.