William Button: The Other Successor Of John Gill
“A History Of The English Baptists”, Joseph Ivimey:
Church In Dean Street
The meeting-house in this street, which is on the south side of Tooley Street, was erected in the year 1774, for the people who separated from the church, which had been lately under the care of Dr. Gill, upon the choice of Dr. Rippon to succeed that eminent minister. They met for a short time in the meeting house in Maze Pond, until they were formed into a new church, January 13, 1774.
The ministers engaged on that occasion were Dr. S. Stennett, Mr. Benjamin Wallin, and Mr. (now Dr.) Rippon. The sermon preached by Mr. Wallin was published, entitled, “The Church an Habitation of God through the Spirit.” To this is prefixed the introductory discourse by Dr. Stennett. It thus commences: “As separation has not long since taken place in the church lately under the pastoral care of the Rev. Dr. Gill, occasioned by a difference of opinion respecting the choice of the Rev. Mr. Rippon, their present pastor; and, as with their cordial approbation, and consent, the persons so separating have agreed to form themselves into a distinct Christian church; and as you, my friends, thus formed by mutual consent, have invited us to be witnesses of your incorporation,” &c.
Mr. William Button was ordained their pastor on the 6th of July, 1774. His father was a deacon of the church under Dr. Gill. His son William had been brought up in the academy at Northampton, under the care of the Rev. John Ryland. Here he was brought to the knowledge of the truth, and was baptized by that eminent minister when he was thirteen years and a half old. He studied for the ministry under Mr. William Clarke in London. He commenced preaching at nineteen years of age, and was invited by Dr. Gill’s people to labour among them, December 18,1773. The new meeting-house was opened Novem ber 17, 1774, and Mr. Button preached three sermons on the occasion. His ordination took place July 5, 1775; the ministers who were engaged on that occasion were Dr. Stennett, and Messrs. Booth, Reynolds, Clarke, Martin, Wallin, and Ryland. After labouring with this church upwards of forty years, he resigned the charge, July 10, 1813. He died in August, 1821. A funeral sermon was preached for him, by the writer, at Eagle Street meeting, and an address was given at the grave by Dr. William Newman: these were published.
He was a solid, judicious minister, and a worthy man; but his engagements in business were very prejudicial to his success as a minister. In his last years, he was brought into great pecuniary difficulties, by the conduct of two of his sons, whom he did not properly control. The writer will not soon forget how emphatically he expressed the sentence, not long before his death, the tears rolling down his cheeks, “I have committed Eli’s sin, and have received Eli’s punishment.” His example is a warning to ministers who have accepted a pastoral office, how they engage in a business, which requires constant attention and vigilant superintendance. They had better cast their families upon the care of Providence, than adopt such means for their support. There are but few men who are capable of performing two things so very dissimilar, as studying for the pulpit and conducting a large bookselling business: either office, as good Latimer expressed it, “requiring more than half a man.” It is inspired advice which ought not to be trifled with, “Give thyself wholly to it.”
Mr. Button was the compiler of a Biblical Dictionary, and the author of several well written tracts. He published also a controversial work in reply to Mr. Fuller’s “Gospel worthy of all Acceptation,” &c.
Mr. Button was succeeded by the Rev. John Cramp, who had been a student at Stepney. After a few years he resigned his office, and is now engaged in business, but occasionally preaches. [Since the above was written, Mr. Cramp has relinquished business, and removed to St. Peter’s, near Margate, where he assists his father in the ministry, who has long been the pastor of a church there.]
After Mr. Cramp left Dean Street, the church was reduced to a very low ebb indeed. But another Baptist church in the neighbourhood, uniting with it, has preserved it. This church had been collected under the ministry of Mr. Lewis, the present pastor of the church in Dean Street.
William Button (1754-1821) was a Strict and Particular Baptist preacher. He served as pastor for more than forty years of the church meeting at Dean Street, Southwark. This was a newly formed church, the members of which had separated from Cater Lane Chapel. After the death of John Gill, these persons opposed the pastoral appointment of John Rippon.
