John Ball

Tiverton, Devon

Ball’s position in the church at Tiverton is unsure, as no designation such as “minister”, “elder” or “pastor” is mentioned after his name in the list of those attending the 1689 General Assembly, though this list implies that he was a “minister”. Tristram Truvin is listed as “minister” from this church in the Narrative, and was clearly a pastor in the church. In 1690, Ball became a founding member of Tiverton’s daughter church in Bampton, Devon, and was called “by unanimous consent upon tryall, to the office of Ruling Elders, or helps in goverm’t for the better management of the affairs of the church” [from the manuscript church book]. Such an action seems to have been rare among the Particular Baptist churches, as most of them did not recognize a distinction between ruling and teaching elders.