About

This is my website for republishing online the text of James Smith’s ‘Light for Dark Days’. James Smith was pastor of several Baptist congregations in Cheltenham (there were some splits in his time). Three buildings remain, they are Bethel Baptist (now Christadelphian and rebuilt) Salem Baptist (now a night club, the church continues in ready-made modern premises), and Cambray Baptist Church. When minister at Salem, James Smith was called to New Park Street, London, where he was the predecessor to CH Spurgeon. He returned to Cheltenham partly for health reasons and partly due to the urgent pleading of a portion of his former congregation who had split from Salem and were ready to give up their attempts to found another church. But he returned, and thankfully so, as Cambray Baptist Church continues to  this day, although not a Particular Baptist Church, it continues to have a solid evangelical witness in the town and within the Baptist Union.

I also hope in the future to write something more biographical on James Smith as time and resources allow.

 

Jonathan Hunt

Cheltenham