Our church, Radcliffe Road Baptist Church, Bury , was started in 1835. A figure who played in a key role in the formation of the church was William Gadsby (pictured right). Gadsby spoke at the inaugural service of our first church building on Bridge Street in 1836. And the "mother church", Hope Strict and Particular Baptist Chapel in Rochdale, which planted our church in Bury, had also been started by Gadsby. While I am a conviction Reformed Baptist, I knew very little of William Gadsby and the Gospel Standard churches. Gadsby's story is that he grew up in the midlands in extreme poverty and with very little education. He was first converted in late adolescence (17), and later baptised on profession of faith at age 20. He ministered first in the midlands before taking up the role of pastor of what became Rochdale Road Strict and Particular Baptist Chapel in Manchester (picture below), where he was pastor from 1805 until 1844 (39 years). By all accounts, notwithstanding t...