William Bampton

William Bampton

1787-1830

The command given by Jesus to his disciples to preach the gospel throughout the world has been carried out by Christians in every age and this was responsible for the rapid spread of the faith during the first centuries. Few countries since have escaped the attention of zealous religious organisations anxious to convert an unbelieving population and during the 19th century, the target of many was India where the Hindu were regarded as heathen.

The Baptists have a fine missionary association and a number of colleges for the training of young men for the ministry. During the past two centuries, they had members in every part of the world in which white men were found. One of the early pioneers in this work came from Bourne and he is remembered today in the annals of the Baptist Church. His name was William Bampton.

The official history So A Church Was Born - The Story of the Bourne Baptist Church 1645-1995 remembers him in these words: "Thanks be to God for people like William Bampton who faced, and still face, the dangers and hard work of the mission field. We remember this young man who first learned about how to love of Jesus from his parents and who worshipped at our first meeting house."

William Bampton was born in the town in 1787 and attended the Baptist Church with his parents during the ministry of the Rev Joseph Binns who was pastor from 1796 to 1834. When he was thirteen, William went to work at Boston where he joined the local Baptist church and after a few months, decided that his life was in the ministry and in 1814 he moved to Gosberton, near Spalding, to look after, rather than take over, the village chapel.

Apart from his official duties, William was studying hard and four years later he was appointed minister of the Baptist Church at Great Yarmouth. By now, he was intent on becoming a missionary and in 1820, his offer to serve in India was accepted. "This afternoon, I have solemnly devoted myself to the service of God among the heathen", he wrote in his diary.

The Particular Baptist Missionary Society had been established in 1792 by William Carey, a Northamptonshire shoemaker who joined the Baptists in 1783 and devoted himself to evangelism and preaching. His work spread to India, China, Africa and the West Indies and included a considerable impetus towards the abolition of slavery. Gifted in languages, he sailed for India in 1793 where he visited 200 villages and by 1809, had translated the entire bible into Bengali. His initiative was followed in 1816 by the formation of the General Baptist Missionary Society and the two organisations subsequently merged in 1891.

William Bampton offered himself to the Baptist Missionary Society and went to study at the Wisbech Academy, subsequently moving to London for instruction in medicine and surgery, vital training for the missionaries of the time. By 1821, he had married and on May 15th that year, he was ordained at Loughborough in Leicestershire when the General Baptist Missionary Society reported:

The meeting was one of a highly interesting and solemn description. Crowds of friends flocked from the neighbouring churches and some persons from a distance of thirty or forty miles. The chapel filled to excess and was unable to receive all who sought admittance and as numbers were deprived of the pleasure which those enjoyed whom were happy enough to gain a place within its walls. The services were deeply impressive. Mr Bampton, with an unusual degree of firmness and with much propriety, replied to the questions proposed respecting his motives and principles. The people in the congregation were then asked if they would pledge themselves to support the mission and pray for the missionaries, and requested if they gave that pledge, to express it by holding up their hands. Such a show of hands was instantly presented as had not been seen before. Never were so many raised at once before in our connection; and hand and heart seemed to go together.

A minister who preached at the service was William Ward who had himself been working at Serampore in West Bengal and had been the first missionary to return to England from the sub-continent. But he was also destined to return and it was he who accompanied William Bampton and his wife on their voyage to India. They sailed in February 1822, accompanied by another missionary, James Peggs, who had been ordained at Wisbech about the same time, and both had been challenged and inspired by what they had read of Carey's activities in India. The two young men were the very first missionaries to be sent abroad by the General Baptist Missionary Society who described these events as "a new thing in our land".

The voyage to Bombay lasted five months and when the party eventually reached Serampore, the two men consulted with missionaries already working there as to which was the best area for them to undertake their ministry and it was agreed that they go to Orissa where William Bampton began his work late in 1822. He learned the language, went into the bazaars, dressed in Indian costume and spoke to the people, telling them the story of Christianity, of the life and work of Jesus and of the message of God's love for each one of them. But his mission did not last long. The hard work and unhealthy conditions took their toll and he died at Poree, Orissa, on 18th December 1830. His wife returned to England the following year.

His death was reported by the Stamford Mercury on Friday 20th May 1831. "He was a native of Bourne and was well known at Boston, Wyberton and Gosberton at which places he resided at some time", said the report. "Deep and genuine piety, fervent zeal and patience amid protracted sufferings characterised this eminent Christian and an indefatigable labourer in the spread of Christianity among the dark places of this earth." Funeral sermons were later preached at the Baptist chapel at Gosberton and the General Baptist chapel at Boston by the Rev J G Pike of Derby.

Wood's History of the Baptists says: "So far as earnest, faithful, persevering labours for the salvation of the Hindu can render a man worthy of esteem and admiration, William Bampton ranks with the foremost Christian philanthropists and deserves to be held in everlasting remembrance."

Peggs subsequently returned safely to England and became minister of the Bourne Baptist Church, serving there from 1834 until 1841 during the period that the present chapel in West Street was being erected.