We are greatly indebted to Edward Terrill, the clerk of the “Baptized Congregation” of Broadmead, Bristol, England who faithfully recorded the history of the church of which he was a member.
The Broadmead church was founded in 1640. In 1651 Thomas Ewins was called to be its pastor. The work grew under his leadership, drawing the attention of the enemy. On July 27, 1661, Ewins was arrested while preaching. After two months in jail, he was released and began preaching once again. Two years later, he began a full year in jail. During that time he would preach through the bars of his fourth-floor cell to the church members below.
The Broadmead assembly took attendance seriously, meeting out-of-doors and from house to house. One meeting place was in a small second floor room. Those ladies who couldn’t squeeze into the hall, sat on the stairs listening, and when the sheriff came, they would begin singing, signaling to the others to disband. Terrill records that the determination of the congregation to meet, despite the laws against conventicles, was so strong that those who absented themselves without good cause were disciplined as disorderly.
Pastor Ewin, suffering the physical effects of his incarcerations, died on this day in 1670, at an early age. Bro Terrill put into the church records: “Anno 1670. Our Pastor, Br. Ewins, having layen a greate while weake, he Departed this life … in ye worke of ye Ministry; Preaching ye Gospel! clearly of Free Grace by faith in Christ Jesus. Wherein he laboured aboundantly, in ye Publick, and in his particular charge ye Congregation …. He was a man full of selfe-denyall, and subdueing his Natural Temper; soe that he walked very lovely and holy in his Conversation, shewing patience where it required, and meekness toward all men …. He was interred in James’s Yeard …. Accompanied with many hundreds to ye Grave, ye like funerall not seen long before in Bristol!. He left soe good a savour behind for faithfulness to Gode, and humility towards men, That his very chief Persecutor, (Sr. Jo Knight), said, he did believe he was gone to heaven.”
