The pulpit formerly used at Kidderminster by Richard Baxter, the eminent
author of _The Saint's Rest_, is still preserved there. In his day it
stood on the north side of the nave of the parish church (St. Mary's),
against the second pillar from the east. But in 1786, the church was
"repaired, repewed, and beautified," in the style of those good old
times: when, it being thought advisable to have a new pulpit _built_ in
a central situation, Baxter's old pulpit was condemned, and, together
with other pieces of carved work, was offered for sale (!) by the then
churchwardens, as old and useless church furniture. The churchmen of
that day appear to have held the same opinions as their wardens; so the
pulpit (with the exception of its pedestal) was purchased by the
Unitarians of the place. Their successors have carefully preserved it,
and it now stands in a room adjacent to their chapel.
The pulpit is of oak: octagonal in its shape, and properly decorated
with flowers and architectural ornaments, in the well-known style of the
period. Gold letters, inserted in six of the panels, somewhat
ostentatiously informed the congregation that--
"ALICE · DAWKX · WIDOW · GAVE · THIS."
On the face of the pulpit, and immediately beneath the preacher's desk,
is the text:
"PRAISE · THE · LORD."
And round the sounding-board are the words:
"O · GIVE · THANKS. UNTO · THE · LORD. AND · CALL · UPON · HIS ·
NAME. DECLARE · HIS · WORSHIP · AMONG · THE · PEOPLE."
On the oak board at the back of the pulpit is the date:
"ANNO · 1621."
surmounted by a projecting crown and cushion of bold workmanship. The
mariner's compass is painted on the underside of the sounding-board, and
the entire pulpit bears manifest traces of having once been adorned with
gold and colours.
The octagonal pillar and pedestal on which the pulpit once stood, now
serve to support the floor of a bookseller's shop in the High Street.
Within the room where the pulpit is now preserved is placed a folio copy
of Baxter's work in four volumes, and an engraving of "the reverend and
learned Mr. Richard Baxter," taken from the original picture in the
possession of Mr. Fawcett, formerly of Kidderminster. A handsomely
carved chair, formerly the property of Bishop Hall, is also placed near
to the pulpit.
Can any of your correspondents inform me, if any engraving of Baxter's
pulpit has been published? I have made many inquiries, but have never
met with or heard of one. Three years since, I etched on the copper a
correct representation of the present state of the pulpit; when, in
answer to my inquiries, I was told that no one had even sketched it for
many years.
A notice of "Richard Baxter," and his 168 publications, occurs in "N. &
Q.," Vol. iii., p. 370.