Rev Matthew Smith MA was born in York.
He was educated at Edinburgh. About 1679, he declined offers of a living of £200 p.a. in the Church of England. Instead, he accepted an invitation to serve the Dissenting congregation at Kipping, Thornton.
By 1682, persecution of dissenters led to secret services being held.
For about 3 years, he preached on alternate Sundays at Kipping and Mixenden.
He walked from Thornton preaching to the dissenters of Mixenden, Warley [1693], Sowerby Bridge and Todmorden – often covertly and at night – and evading soldiers.
Many of his services were given outdoors, including Binns Hole Clough and Stod Fold Farm, Mixenden.
In 1682, during persecution of dissenters, a troop of soldiers were sent to look for him. In 1682, John Hanson invited him to Mixenden.
On 19th August 1687, he was ordained in a house in Sugden Head, halfway between Kipping and Mixenden.
Following opposition at Kipping, he moved to Mixenden.
In 1688, attitudes to dissenters having changed, he started to build Mixenden Independent Church.
In 1689, under the Toleration Act, he obtained licences to hold meetings at Kipping House, Thornton and the house of Jonas Dean in Mixenden.
In 1693, he left Kipping and married Susannah, daughter of Lieutenant Sharp, in Sowerby.
Children:
At Mixenden, he originally had just one member – John Hanson – in his congregation.
In 1687, he established a church at Mixenden. Many of the congregation had been influenced by Nathaniel Heywood.
He published many of his sermons.
In 1700, he wrote a book entitled
The true notion of imputed Righteousness and our Justification thereby
in which he supplied the missing chapters to an unfinished book by Bishop Stillingfleet. The book caused some considerable controversy – Heywood didn't like it – and resulted in his being the first Yorkshire nonconformist to be called heretic by other nonconformists. There was talk of his being dismissed from his ministry at Warley.
He was appointed afternoon speaker at Northgate End Chapel.
Smith then added to the book
A defence of the foregoing doctrine against some growing opposition among neighbours, Ministers and others
He also wrote
A Treatise concerning the Decrees of God
In 1702, he published a poem entitled The Vision, or a Prospect of Death, Heaven and Hell. This was well-received by those who had criticised his earlier book.
In 1705, he was involved in establishing the first Chapel in Warley. Warley Congregational Church
He was offered money to get him to conform. Attempts were made to move him to Bingley, but the congregation supported him and he stayed.
He leased The Langhton, Ovenden from Thomas Richardson [1707].
He bought land and property in the district, including Mixenden Old Hall, Moor End. In 1710, he acquired Hambleton Head Farm.
In 1717, he built Moor End Congregational Church on his own land. He was minister at the church [until 1736]. He preached alternately at what was to become Warley Congregational Church.
He died of palsy. After his death, his son John took over the Ministry.
He was buried inside the Chapel at Mixenden.
His son, John, completed a volume of Matthew's memoirs
Page Ref: QQ_162
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