Rishworth Congregational Church History

RISHWORTH:
Rishworth Congregational Church History up to 1868.

After the death of the Rev Mr. Burnet, who had been Mr. Venn's curate, and who afterwards preached at Elland, some inhabitants of Rishworth, accustomed to attend his ministry, felt themselves at a loss for Evangelical teaching. For a time they worshipped at Sowerby, four miles distant. At length Isaac Nortcliffe began to preach to them in a private house at Parak Nook. In 1818 he and John Wadsworth gathered a few children together to form a Sunday-school. All their apparatus of instruction was a fragment of a Bible, a Testament, and a spelling-book. In 1824 they removed into another cottage, which was fitted up somewhat more appropriately.

The pastors of the congregation have been-

• 1816. ISAAC NORTCLIFFE. For three years he received no remuneration. At length his salary was from 7s. to £I 5s. per quarter. He died March 18, 1830, aet. 73.
• The foundation of a new chapel was laid in 1832, and opened the following year At this time a church was formed.
• The chapel received the help of students from Airedale College during several years.
• 1843. Rev. HANLEY PICKERSGILL, from Bramley Lane. He removed to Marsden, 1847.
• In 1858 galleries were erected, and the necessary amount raised by the people. The chapel was reopened on the Good Friday of the year. In 1864 the congregation mourned the loss of John Wadsworth, their deacon. He was well known among the delegates of the West Riding Home Missionary Society, and was worthy of the esteem with which he was regarded.
• The pulpit is now vacant.

NOTES:-
* "Congregational Register" for 1867.