202 History of the 



place." {a) The name of " Independent " was formerly applied to 

 Anabaptists and vice versa, and it would thus appear that as early 

 as the year 1672. the Baptists had a place of meeting in Dedwin- 

 clough. As Cloughfold is situated therein, it is not unreasonable 

 to infer that at this date the denomination, either at that place or 

 in its neighbourhood, had a veritable existence. However that 

 may be, there is no record of any settled Nonconformist minister 

 or preacher here at that early date. 



About the end of the century two cousins, Yorkshiremen, by 

 name William Mitchel and David Crossley, found their way into 

 Rossendale Forest. These men were itinerating Baptist Preachers, 

 holding strict Calvinistic views, and deeply imbued with that spirit 

 of energy and self-devotedness which characterises the leaders in 

 all great movements. 



With admirable foresight they began their labours at Bacup and 

 Cloughfold (the latter more populous than the former in those days,) 

 two places void of the immediate presence of any religious teacher 

 of their persuasion, the lack of which they determined, as far as in 

 them lay, to supply in their own persons. We gather from the 

 scanty memorials which exist of these men, that they were sincere 

 and devout Christians — not to be daunted by difficulties — on 

 whom opposition and reproach acted but as a stimulus to redoubled 

 exertion. Where comparative barrenness before existed, they, 

 by earnest and persevering labour, and the blessing of Providence, 

 were the instruments of producing a rich and abundant harvest, 



(a) Extracted by the late J. E. Bailey (Editor of the "Palatine Note Book") 

 from No. 185, Record Office, St. Papers Dom. Chas. II., 1672, and quoted by 

 Mr. Abram in his " History of Blackburn." 



These licenses were issued by the Government consequent on the 

 " Declaration of Indulgence" published by Charles II. on March 15th, 1672, 

 by which he relaxed the severities entailed on Nonconformists by the " Act 

 for suppressing Conventicles, 1664," and the " Five Mile Act, 1665," and 

 declared his "will and pleasure to be, that the execution of all and all manner 

 of penal laws in matters ecclesiastical, against whatsoever sort of Nonconfor- 

 mists, or recusants, be immediately suspended." 



