While listening to MacArthur's "Fundamental Priorities of a Good Church", I heard two "puritan" preachers mentioned without names. Thus, I was unable to learn about the incidents in more detail.
After some search, I believe I've found one, but while the major background is similar, some minor details differ, unless it's the wrong guy, which I doubt.
1. Charles Simeon, a preacher who has often found church locking door and pew against him (10-12 years) simply because he wanted to preach directly from the Bible. He allowed the Word to change the people despite the fact that he's got a legal order to force open doors which he didn't use.
2. Still unknown to me: There was another Puritan who came to a church in New England and said he was going to preach through Isaiah. He preached there over 25 years and died in chapter 8. That's too slow.