"I stand before you this evening either as a servant of Christ or as a servant of the devil."
These were the opening words of an address given by William Tiptaft on Christmas Day, 1829, in St. Helen's, commonly known as "the great Church," Abingdon, England, before the Mayor and Corporation, on the occasion of the appointment of the Master Governors of Christ's Hospital, Abingdon. Though the Articles and Liturgy of the Church of England maintained the doctrine Tiptaft preached, the ministers and members of that church manifested a violent hatred and opposition to it. Such preaching caused Tiptaft and his close friend J.C. Philpot, to secede from the Church of England to become leaders of local Strict Baptist churches.
The Abbey Baptist Chapel was constructed by William Tiptaft in 1832 where he subsequently ministered for over thirty years. He drew up Articles of Faith which served the church for over a century. The present Articles express similar truths, but are set in more contemporary language and they form part of the Trust Deed of the chapel, approved by the Charity Commission in February 1989.
Inside the main hall of the chapel there is a memorial stone (62kB jpg) which reads-
To the memory at whose sole expense this chapel was built A.D. 1832, and who boldly, faithfully and experimentally preached in it for over thirty years the glorious and blessed truths of the everlasting gospel, combining with a most searching ministry the tenderest regard for the feeblest mark of grace, and adorning the doctrine not only by the most unwearied love and liberality to the poor of the flock, even to the loss of all things for Christ's sake, but by setting to all an example of a Godly, self-denying and circumspect life. Died, August 17th, 1864, Aged 61 years
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