ROBERT ORME SHEVYN must be noticed both because of the interesting story of his conversion and because his friends thought him worthy of a mural tablet, which is placed inside the Melbourne chapel near that recording the virtues of one of his venerable pastors. This friend lived at Ticknall and was for some years so strongly attached to the Established church as to count it a sin to enter a Dissenting chapel. His three daughters, however, had become members of the Melbourne General Baptist church.

Being taken ill and thinking himself near death he began to feel uneasy in the prospect of eternity. But instead of sending for the parish clergyman he sent for a person from Melbourne who was accustomed to make wills, and who on coming and getting no instructions in the matter, after a time said "Mr. Shevyn, I suppose you want me to make your will?" "No," was the answer, "I don't want to talk about my earthly affairs; but haven't you got a doctrine at Melbourne about the forgiveness of sins?" "Yes," returned the other "we have." " Well," observed the sick man, "if it should please God to raise me up again I'll go and hear it."

He got well and did not forget his vow, though he was sorry he had made it. One Sunday morning to the surprise and delight of his daughters he offered to accompany them to chapel. But when about half-way there he began to relent saying "Well, what a thing it is! All my friends are going to church and I am going to a stinking meeting." Still his vow held him fast and he proceeded. But when Melbourne was reached, feeling ashamed to be seen with his daughters, he made an excuse for leaving them saying he would call upon old John Smith, a member of the church, and with him he entered the chapel.

Now old John Smith was hard of hearing, and so had to get near the preacher. He therefore took his friend on to the pulpit stairs, who fancying all eyes were directed towards him said, "John, we munna be here," and came down to a less prominent seat. The venerable Francis Smith was in the pulpit, and when he read out his text, Acts xiii. 38-9 - "Be it known unto you men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins," etc., the attention of Mr. Shevyn was at once arrested and fixed; and he listened with delight to the exposition of the "doctrine at Melbourne about the forgiveness of sins."

His idea of the "meeting" was changed, and he never went to the Established church again. He was soon able to rejoice in the knowledge of sins forgiven, was baptized and received into the church, and remained an honoured member until eighty-two years closed his pilgrimage and he was exalted to join the throng of the redeemed who have "washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."

Quoted from:
"Historic Memorials of Barton & Melbourne General Baptist Churches"
by J R Godfrey, Senior Pastor of the Barton Church
Leicester: Printed & Published by Buck, Winks & Son, High Street
London: Elliot Stock, Paternoster Row (1891)

Note: I am not a lawyer, but this book having been published in 1891, I understand it to be well out of its 50 years' copyright. Should I be badly informed, please contact me and I will remove this page immediately. Meanwhile, Baptist records being notoriously difficult to source, I hope that it will be as helpful to others as it has been to me.