1973 Article
An article written for an unknown magazine in 1973
SURREY
The Spread of the Gospel in Hurst Green
within living memory: how
HURST GREEN
EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH
came into being
Richard and Doris Empsall. Hurst Green
(We are greatly indebted to Miss Ethel Overall for most of the following information)
At the end of last century a Church of England Mission Room was built at the top of the Green. Sunday Services, a Bible Class and a Sunday School were held.
At that time there was already existing about a mile away at Pains Hill an independent non-conformist Chapel (still known as the Dissenters Chapel) where Services, a Sunday School and a Band of Hope were held. 11 or 12 families sent their children to this Sunday School. There were two or three in each family attending from Pains Hill itself and from Limpsfield Chart, contributing to a good-sized Sunday School. There were classes before the morning service, and an open school in the afternoon. Some families took their own food so that they could stay on for the evening service, Miss Dora Pointer kindly making tea for them. Lanterns were carried to show the way on the roads. Much prayer was made for the district, and the services were conducted by visiting preachers.
By the year 1912 Mr. and Mrs. Morphew came to live near Hurst Green, and were able to take over the full charge of Pains Hill Chapel. This lady was the founder of the "Surrey Prayer Circle". An even greater work began, much visiting being done by her. Four prayer meetings a week were held. Weekly Cottage meetings for prayer and Bible Study were held at which several took part. These were held in different homes in the district of Holland and around. Open Air meetings were a feature of the activities of the Christians, one being held at the Plumbers corner, Limpsfield on Sunday evenings both summer and winter, whilst for most of the year open air meetings were held in Holland, Lower Holland, Hurst Green, Mill Lane, Broadham Green and Oxted Station.
Pains Hill organised Tent missions at South View, Holland in 1908; in Holland in the field opposite King's shop; in Tanhouse Meadow, Broadham Green, and in Masters Park, Oxted. Many missionary meetings were held.
Mr. and Mrs. Morphew eventually left the district, their place at Pains Hill Chapel being taken by Mr. and Mrs. Ryde, who had come to live at Oxted during these years.
Miss Dora Pointer, in her younger days, would speak of the need for a chapel at Hurst Green or near because the Christians were unable to find any place to meet other than a room over the stables at the big house on the Greenhurst Estate. Here they held their meetings before they were able to re-open Pains Hill chapel. It was these Christians who brought back the Gospel to Hurst Green.
From out of all this grew HURST GREEN GOSPEL MISSION HALL.
With Mr. and Mrs. Morphew had come Mr. and Mrs. Crittall, becoming also members of Pains Hill Chapel. They came to live in Mill Lane (Hurst Green). Seeing the need for a Sunday School in the immediate neighbourhood, they commenced one in their kitchen. This grew until both their rooms were more than filled.
Mr. Ryde was pressed to hold a Sunday Service somewhere in the neighbourhood. The only room that he could get was the Laundry Mess Room, the Laundry being on one side of the Green of Hurst Green (Hurst Green was a piece of common grazing ground), and here Sunday evening services were commenced. Mr. Ryde and Mr. R. Gurr worked together here and at Pains Hill. It was not considered safe to hold children's meetings in the Laundry because of the stables with their horses, the water tanks and the vans. So Mr. and Mrs. Crittall opened their home in Mill Lane.
When these friends had to move, concern was so great that prayer was made to the Lord for some replacement. Mr. Ryde was able to get a piece of land on the other side of the Green, and here an ex-army hut was erected. The GOSPEL MISSION HALL was brought into being. We have now reached 1922. The large piece of land on which the present church now stands was originally rented for one shilling per annum, and was later purchased. The Hall was erected, but there was neither water, electricity nor gas. Those who attended the services had to walk over on wet grass to get there. The poor cleaners were allowed what they called "lovely" buckets of hot water with plenty of soap in it, which they had to carryover the Green from the Laundry. Memory says "Thank you" to those devoted cleaners. Mr. Ryde was in charge of the work. The preaching ministry on Sunday evenings was shared mostly between Mr. Ryde and Mr. R. Gurr, with the assistance at times of some visiting preachers.
Mrs. Gardener had been holding a Saturday morning (Sunday) School class in her home in Mill Lane, and these children came over to the Gospel Mission Hall. A meeting for prayer and Bible study was held one evening every week. Open air meetings were held, and visiting was done. Eventually a clinker path was made over the Green, and a regular Sunday morning service was commenced.
In 1950 a manse was built to accommodate Pastor and Mrs. Stanley Edwards. In their days (he was pastor of the church for 14 years) a new brick church was built on the same land, and was opened on 1st August 1955. The name of the church was changed to: HURST GREEN EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH; a membership and a constitution were instituted; gas and electricity were laid on; an electronic organ was purchased.
Many have been converted to Christ. The church has now 13 regular meetings every week, which include seven for children and young people; these seven include two club nights, one for boy Covenanters, and the other for Girl Covenanters. The meetings range from a regular weekly meeting for pre-schoolers, through Sunday School to Boy Covenanters and Girl Covenanters and on to adult meetings. In addition to a half day of prayer held every month, regular coffee mornings are held for younger women.
Some of the members of the church visit regularly parts of the district with the Gospel magazine "Challenge".
The church has been witnessing now for 50 years, the Jubilee celebrations being held last December. (1972)
