About Us

Our Heritage

As a denomination, now known as the Strict Baptists (and/or Particular Baptists), we can trace our heritage back to the 1600s in London, England, and are affiliated with the Gospel Standard Baptists.

Being a ‘Strict’ Baptist refers to the ‘restricting’ of church membership and the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper, to those who have been baptized completely in water, (as distinct from those who sprinkle or pour water on babies or infants). Those who are able to profess their repentance and faith in Jesus, are candidates suitable to participate in ‘believer’s’ baptism.

The title of ‘Particular Baptist’ is in reference to our adhering to the Calvinistic doctrines of free and sovereign grace; ‘particular’ (as distinct from being general), refers to the extent of the atonement.

Gospel Standard Baptists

To understand our affiliation with the Gospel Standard Baptists, we need to briefly explain how it came to be so.

Throughout the 1700s there was, in England, just one Particular Baptist denomination. Though there were differences, substantially the denomination remained one. However, towards the end of the century, a spirit of error was creeping into some of the churches, and a separation was inevitable.

Some time later, on August 1st, 1835, a new magazine appeared for the first time from an obscure printing works in Manchester. The name given to it was the Gospel Standard. The idea was that of William Gadsby’s son, John, an energetic young printer, at the time enjoying the sweet liberty of the gospel. It was essentially a spiritual magazine and contended strongly for the truths which William Gadsby loved and preached.

The outer covers of the magazine contained details of chapel services and names of the ministers who were preaching. Thus, without any formal organisation, chapels and ministers began to be loosely gathered around the Gospel Standard. Some ministers began to be known as “Standard men,” and it was generally realised what this signified.

Over 180 years have now passed and the Gospel Standard has appeared without fail each month, even during past times when it was necessary to stand firm in the face of controversy and the possibility of further separation amongst its subscribers. It is now the oldest religious monthly magazine in England.

Strict (and/or) Particular Baptists connected with the Gospel Standard magazine were known to be concerned for the honour and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, hence our affiliation.

Further details of our English heritage and the Gospel Standard history can be found on their website, here.

Hawthorn, Melbourne Chapel History

According to the first-hand knowledge and eyewitness account of John Chandler (recorded in the book, "Forty Years in the Wilderness"), a small group of people who loved the doctrines of free grace, came out from the General Baptists in Hawthorn, and were meeting for worship in a hay store adjoining a Mr Silk’s shop. This was the first of the Particular Baptists in Hawthorn. Although John was a member at Ebenezer Strict Baptist chapel in Victoria Parade, Collingwood, he often met at other chapels nearby, in search of a sound experimental ministry.

The newly formed congregation were sitting under the minister, Mr Perrin, who, after a while, bought a small allotment in Henry Street and had a little chapel built around 1865. John did not think they formed themselves into a church, as no records were kept of their meetings. Mr Perrin supplied the ministry for a few years until at length he left them to be supplied by various other ministers. They invited Mr S Ward and formed a church under him, from which time John Chandler became responsible for the church books and the minutes of their meetings. He and his wife Ruth cast in their lot with them in 1880.

When the railway line from Melbourne was extended to Camberwell in 1882, steam trains were passing within a few yards of their building, so during a service, they could not hear what was being said and they felt the building shake around them. Subsequently, a church meeting was held in 1883 and it was decided to ask the Railway Commissioners to buy the place. A committee was appointed to wait on the Commissioner. The Member for the district introduced them, and their grievance was laid before him. They eventually offered them £200, and gave them the building to remove, which was accepted.

The first site bought for that purpose was in Auburn Road, but it did not meet with the approval of the rest of the church, so another site was found; the present one in Burwood Road, at a better price. The contract was given to their present pastor, Mr Samuel Ward, and whilst it was in the process of relocation, the local Independents kindly lent them their old building to meet in, rent-free. The original building, being moved only about a few hundred yards around the corner to the new site, was lengthened ten feet and made two feet higher during the process, with works taking around three months to complete.

A tea-meeting was held for the opening of the new chapel, from which they received a good collection, although there was still a shortfall to cover their debts. It was proposed that twelve of the attendees (including members of the church and congregation) should each give £5 to clear the debt, which they agreed to and did. Mr Samuel Ward was the pastor until he died in 1885.

Further pastors at Hawthorn have been:

Mr Thomas Witts (1895-1908)
Mr John G.Flitton (1919-1924, although he supplied the pulpit from 1916)
Mr A.Rex Toogood (1947-1966, although he had preached from 1929)
Mr Benjamin J.Wheatley (1970-1984, when he removed to Tasmania)
Mr Gordon Seymour (1997-2017)

We are thankful to say that over the last few decades there has been a good measure of unity and peace amongst us by the grace of God, as it continues to be a witness to this day, upholding the Biblical doctrines of free and Sovereign Grace in this land. For the LORD said ‘for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.’ 1 Samuel 2:30.

Ryde, Sydney Chapel History

The cause was begun in 1862 by Mr James Hicks of England, who was one of the first Particular Baptist ministers in the state and was fundamental to the history of the denomination. The following account is slightly adapted from an article in the Local Journal and published in the Australian Particular Baptist Magazine, recording the events that led up to the opening of the present chapel:

For many years, past members of the Particular Baptist persuasion have existed in Ryde. Services were held in an old schoolroom under the charge of Pastor Hicks which then existed in the vicinity of where Mr Andrew Jupp’s orchard was situated.

After several years of his ministerial labours, members of the chapel were inclined to have their own building. This they did by obtaining a site of land and erecting a stone chapel with a timber interior on the main road, close by Holy Cross College. Here, Pastor Hicks continued his labours with good results for some 20 odd years, scarcely ever missing a Sunday.

With the old chapel eventually getting into a dilapidated condition, it was decided to submit it and the land for sale, with the view to erect a new chapel more centrally situated. This came to pass and enabled the friends to proceed in their worshipping.

A gentleman named Mr Gallard generously offered a block of land for the construction of a chapel to be built on the site of the corner of Hatton and Parkes Street (now Blaxland Road) which was a very suitable location. Tenders for the work were invited and a gentleman named Mr Enoch Wilkinson, who had previously erected the Marsfield Council Chambers, was successful.

Mr Wilkinson soon started work, and in a short time from commencement, the chapel was completed for the opening services in 1896.

Some pastors of Ryde have been:

Mr James Hicks (1862-1903)
Mr Lew Layton (1969-1993)
Mr Gordon Seymour (1997-2017)

Some regular ministers when there were no pastors were:

Mr David Whyborn (1918-1932)
Mr Joseph Stevenson (1934-1945)
Mr Rowland Wheatley (1993-1996)

When they were left without a minister in August 1993, the congregation was supplied via taped sermons until May 1994 when the long-distance phone relay system was set up with Melbourne by Mr Rowland Wheatley.

Present Day Hawthorn and Ryde

Presently the two chapels are strongly united and are effectively one congregation with services streamed from Hawthorn, to which Ryde listens each week unless they have a visiting minister. In such a case, the service is streamed from Ryde chapel through this site.

Neither chapel currently has a pastor, rather, generally relying on reading sermons. Ministers of Gospel Standard persuasion are regularly invited from either England or the United States of America. Such ministers hold to the Gospel Standard Articles of Faith (see also What We Believe). Visits by such invited ministers are posted on the announcements board on the home page. These ministers also occasionally preach live via an internet call, when there are suitable timezone differences, such as week-evening services preached by ministers in England.