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diff --git a/40542-0.txt b/40542-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9f625cc --- /dev/null +++ b/40542-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3614 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40542 *** + +[Transcriber's Notes: Irregularities in spelling have been maintained, +as did the typesetters when setting the numerous correspondences. + +The typesetting on this was poor, especially with respect to +punctuation. + +Due to the number of tables, this file would read better in a monospaced +font. + +Italics are designated with "_", small caps "=", bold "+".] + + + + + THE + BAPTIST MAGAZINE. + + ----------- + JUNE, 1835. + ----------- + + + MEMOIR OF MR. ISAAC WYKE, LATE OF ABERGAVENNY. + +=Mr. Isaac Wyke=, surgeon, late of Abergavenny, was born at Leominster, +July 25th, 1770. His parents were pious members of the Baptist Church in +that town, then under the pastoral care of the late Rev. Joshua Thomas. +They, therefore, led him in early life to attend on the ministry of +their worthy pastor, and trained him up in the nurture and admonition of +the Lord. Thus privileged, the importance of religion was often pressed +on his attention, and its excellence presented to his view; and he was +thereby preserved from many of the snares, the follies, and the sins +into which young persons, less favourably circumstanced, are often +hurried. + +It was not, however, till his sixteenth year, that he appeared to be +truly renewed by the grace of God. Then he manifestly became a new +creature in Christ Jesus. With his whole heart he now devoted himself +to the Lord, was baptized by Mr. Thomas, and received into the church. +His subsequent disposition and conduct fully confirmed the sincerity of +his profession, adorned the doctrine of God our Saviour, and greatly +endeared him to his pastor and fellow-members. The lively zeal he +manifested in the prosperity of the church, his increasing spirituality, +and his active diligence in promoting its interests, soon induced his +brethren to choose him to the office of deacon, in connexion with his +pious father, who had been previously called by the church to that +important office. Instead, however, of being unduly elevated with the +honour of the post assigned him, his mind was solemnly impressed with +a sense of its responsibility. With deep humility, therefore, +faithfulness, and zeal, he applied himself to the discharge of its +duties, to the full satisfaction of his brethren, and the manifest +promotion of the peace and prosperity of the church, throughout the +several years of his subsequent residence in Leominster. + +In February, 1803, as directed by Divine Providence, he removed with +his family to Abergavenny, where he spent the remainder of his life. +Here a new sphere was presented to engage his active zeal. Many were his +efforts to do good, nor were those efforts vain. In April, 1807, he and +Mrs. W. (his now surviving widow), with three other persons, were formed +into the first English Baptist Church, in Abergavenny; the Rev. M. +Thomas, who had recently resigned his charge at Ryeford, being pastor, +and Mr. Wyke, deacon--a feeble, but devoted band. His active zeal, +pecuniary contributions, and strenuous efforts were put under cheerful +requisition to foster this infant cause; and, through the blessing of +heaven, sinners were successively converted, and the church was edified +and increased. Mr. Wyke continued an honourable member and deacon of +this church about twenty years. + +In 1827, however, he and Mrs. Wyke, with several other members, withdrew +from it; when they met for worship in a meeting-house which was kindly +lent them in another part of the town. Soon afterwards, circumstances +transpired that induced them to withdraw from this place also; and to +commence, in Lion Street, the bold undertaking of erecting a new house +for the worship of God. Mr. W. took the whole responsibility on himself; +and in July, 1828, a neat, substantial, and commodious meeting-house, +with suitable vestry and burial-ground, was completed. The Rev. Dr. +Steadman, of Bradford, who had been intimately acquainted with Mr. Wyke +from his earliest days, and the Rev. J. Edwards, now of Nottingham, a +native of Abergavenny, preached at the opening; and on the following +Lord's-day, a church of seventeen persons was organised, Mr. W. set +apart to the office of deacon, and the Lord's Supper administered by Dr. +Steadman. The property was invested in trust for the public; a mortgage +of £200 only being left on it; and with the exception of this sum, the +whole expense incurred was generously liquidated by Mr. Wyke. Long as +our worthy friend retained any capability of effort, he laid himself out +to promote this interest; and both the material building, and the +spiritual house, here cemented in Christian love, present a striking +monument of his liberality, and strenuous exertions to promote the cause +of his God and Saviour. + +His religion was evidently the effect of genuine principle; of principle +the most salutary in its influence on his own mind, and therefore +practically exemplified in all the lovely graces that beautify and +adorn the Christian character. His religious sentiments were truly +evangelical. Guided by heaven's bright lamp of inspired truth, he +steered with the utmost caution the middle course, between the high +daring of Antinomian presumption on the one hand, and the delusive +quicksands of Arminian legality on the other. Christ to him was the +Alpha and Omega. The doctrines of grace he contemplated, not with a mere +speculative faith, or as so many propositions to constrain the cold +assent of his understanding; but as the wonderful disclosure of the +unutterable grace of God, giving life as well as light to the soul. The +cross of Christ was his ever favourite theme; and when listening to +discourses that strikingly portrayed the contrast of the moral +wretchedness of man, and the unparalleled love of God his Saviour, the +most intense interest was plainly pictured on his countenance; the +delight that pervaded his bosom constrained him to look around on his +fellow-worshippers with beaming eyes, that seemed to say to them, "See +how he loved us!" while his whole soul was manifestly absorbed in +wonder, love, and praise. + +Actuated by such views and feelings, as well as by a warm desire to do +good, he preached occasionally for many years; principally in destitute +villages, where, but for his disinterested efforts, there would have +been no vision to direct perishing sinners to the Saviour; but often +also, with disinterested kindness for his own and other stated pastors, +whenever his services were called for. The reputation of his character +and the loveliness of his example, as well as his mental treasure of +human and divine knowledge, secured him the most candid attention, and +gave an interesting and edifying charm to his discourses. While he +pointed to heaven, he also himself led the way. + +His profession of religion, extended as it was, to nearly half a +century, was remarkable for its uniform consistency and unfailing +constancy. As the disciple of Jesus, he was spiritual, humble, and +zealous. In his official capacity in the church, he was watchful, +diligent, and active; condescending, affectionate, and kind to the +poorest of the flock; loving to all his brethren, and much beloved by +them. In all the relations of life he sustained, whether as a husband, +parent, friend, or neighbour, the excellencies of his religion were +developed with more than common lustre; and secured to him a +well-deserved reputation, a most profound respect. That he had his +imperfections we readily admit; and if, as astronomers inform us, there +are dark spots even on the sun in the heavens, no wonder that feeble +creatures, dwelling in dust, should present some shades of infirmity. +But yet as the sun of nature, in spite of his spots, pours a constant +flood of refulgent light upon surrounding worlds, so our esteemed +friend, notwithstanding some manifest imperfections, presented to all +who encircled him the light of an eminent example of religion, in the +unyielding integrity of its principles, and in all the amiable +loveliness of its practice. Through the grace of God which was bestowed +upon him, his path was truly as the shining light, which shineth more +and more to the perfect day. + +Here, however, he had no continuing city, and at length the time of his +departure hence drew near. A paralytic stroke, in 1824, had admonished +him of his approaching change. Though from that seizure he was soon, in +part, mercifully recovered, and was still in a good degree active and +useful; yet his mental powers then received a shock, in consequence of +which they gradually became still more and more impaired; so that for +the three or four last years of his life, his intellect resembled a +magnificent structure, fallen and in ruins. As long, however, as any +capability remained, he continued to attend the house of God with the +liveliest interest; and for a long time was conveyed to it, when much +enfeebled, in a Bath chair. He had the happiness of seeing the last of +his children received into the church, on profession of repentance +towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. The last time he ever +attended on the public means of grace, was with much difficulty, in +October, 1833, when his youngest son was baptized; and it was to him a +most sacred season of unspeakable delight and joy. From this time he +continued in a very feeble state, both of mind and body, though without +much suffering; till Monday, 28th July last, when he was assailed with +the illness, that quickly manifested itself to be the harbinger of +death. The conflict, however, was short, for on the following Sabbath +evening, Aug. 3rd, 1834, he was released, and his emancipated spirit +took its soaring flight to his long desired and eternal rest. "Precious +in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." His remains were +interred on the following Thursday, by the Rev. John Campbell, pastor of +the church in Lion Street, who delivered an interesting, appropriate, +and solemn address on the occasion. On the following Lord's-day, Aug. +10th, Mr. Williams of Ryeford preached his funeral discourse, from +Isaiah lvii. 1, 2. + +May all who read this memoir be followers of our deceased brother, as +he was of Christ! + + W. W. R. + + + THE CHRISTIAN ARMOUR. + + THE GIRDLE. + + _To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine._ + +=Amongst= other predictions of the Messiah's character and fitness for +the offices which he had undertaken, we read, Isa. xi. 5, that +"righteousness should be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the +girdle of his reins:" and the apostle reminds us that, if we would +profit by the example of the Captain of our salvation, and the armour +which he hath provided for us, we must have our loins girt about with +truth. The girdle was used chiefly to strengthen the loins, but was also +of great service in uniting the different parts of the armour compactly +together. If a body be loaded with armour hanging loosely, many wounds +may be inflicted, unless they are fastened together by the belt or +girdle: so the Christian's graces may prove insufficient to preserve or +fortify him, unless compacted by the girdle of sincerity. + +As the apostle had directed the posture in which the Christian should +maintain the fight, so he exhorts them to gird the loins, as the seat +of bodily strength, which we are to understand spiritually, as "the +loins of the mind," (1 Peter i. 13,) to be girt about with truth. + +=Truth= may be considered as opposed to error, or to insincerity; and as +characterizing man's creed, or his conduct. There is truth in doctrine, +and truth in duty; truth in principle, and truth in practice; and the +_Christian soldier_ is supposed to possess all these. We regard it here +as synonymous with sincerity, and corresponding with the exhortation +of Joshua to the chosen tribes: "Serve the Lord in _sincerity_ and +_truth_;" and of the apostle to the Corinthians: "Keep the feast with +the unleavened bread of _sincerity_ and _truth_." In like manner we +are to enter on the conflict with our spiritual adversaries with the +utmost integrity, otherwise the greatest advantages will prove utterly +unavailable. Christian sincerity is too generally considered as nothing +more than _good intention_, which may exist with great error in +doctrine, and evil in practice; and has been found in the superstitious +bigot, and the blood thirsty persecutor. + +But the sincerity required in a good soldier of Jesus Christ, implies +an _honest endeavour to understand the will of God; a prompt obedience +to the word of command; and an entire devotion to the cause of truth +and righteousness_. + +Sincerity may consist with very defective views of divine truth; but it +will not consist with allowed deviations from truth or duty. The wisdom +that is from above is "without partiality and without hypocrisy." It is +allowed, that Paul, before his conversion, "_verily thought_ that he +_ought_ to do many things against the name of Jesus;" but it does not +appear that he took pains to examine the claims of Christianity as he +might have done; and, but for the abounding mercy of God through Christ, +his ignorance and unbelief would have formed no cloak for his sin. It +could not be for want of opportunity that he did not attend the ministry +of Christ himself. Why did he not first search the Scriptures as the +Bereans did, to see whether things were as the apostles affirmed them to +be? Nathanael of Galilee was the subject of a popular prejudice when he +said, with an air of indifference and distrust, "Can any good thing come +out of Nazareth?" Yet he went to examine for himself; and when he saw, +he believed with the heart, and confessed with the mouth, and obtained +that honourable testimony that he was "an Israelite indeed, in whom +there was no guile." + +Nor is it less essential to sincerity that the soldier yield a prompt +obedience to the word of command. No intelligence, nor skill in armour, +will make up for the want of integrity manifested by the disobedient. +Who does not see the insincerity of those Jews who, it is said, believed +in Christ, but were afraid to confess Him? Or of that amiable youth who +turned back from following Him, rather than part with his possessions? +Or of him who would follow Christ, but must wait for the death of his +father? Or those to whom He said, with a degree of severity not usual +with the Saviour, "Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things that +I say?" but added, "Then are ye my disciples indeed, when ye do +whatsoever I command you." + +The sincerity of Paul, when converted, was evident to all, and remains +as a model for every honest-hearted inquirer. Observe, how inquisitive! +"Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" What resolution to obey! +"Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood." And what +perseverance! "What mean ye, to weep and break my heart? I am ready, not +only to be bound, but to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord +Jesus." This decision of character cleared his course, and brought other +disciples to a better mind; for it is added, "When he would not be +persuaded, they ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done!" + +In the same interesting character we have exemplified that entire +devotion of heart and life which demonstrated the sincerity of his +profession, the purity of his motives, and the strength of his +attachment to the Author and Finisher of his faith. + +On no occasion did he discover the feebleness usually attendant upon a +divided heart, or the selfish pride which, under the garb of zeal for +God, so often seeks its own glory:--not like Jehu, who, it is admitted, +exterminated the family of Ahab at the command of God, yet was actuated +by a spirit of vain-glory; and as what he did was not to please God, +so the ambitious cruelty from which he acted was avenged on his +posterity:--not as the Jews, who, in keeping religious fasts and feasts, +did it to themselves and not to God. The apostles could say, "Whether +we live, we live to the Lord; and whether we die, we die to the Lord." +So that the one universal rule of action which gave simplicity to +their aim and unity to their efforts, was, "Whether we eat, or drink, +or whatever we do, we should do all to the glory of God." + +From the important nature of this branch of armour, we may infer its +extensive usefulness. + +To compact together the various graces of the Spirit; and to strengthen +the soul under great and long-continued conflicts. Thus the Lord +strengthened David, and prepared him for conflict, Ps. xviii. 39: "Thou +hast girded me with strength to the battle." Alluding to this, he +expected preservation in the evil day, Ps. xxv. 21: "Let integrity and +uprightness preserve me." In prophesying of the Messiah, he employs a +similar expression, Ps. cxiii. 1: "The Lord is clothed with strength, +wherewith He hath girded himself." + +The worth of this may be learned by the want of it. How many "faint in +the day of adversity," showing that "their strength is small!" For want +of this, Peter and Luke were carried away with dissimulation; and were +recovered by means of a painful exposure, and public rebuke. + +Through insincerity the children of Judah carrying bows turned back in +the day of battle; and Demas forsook the apostles, and returned to the +bosom of the world. Unhappy man! For a time he appeared to give up earth +for the hope of heaven, then turned from the holy commandment for the +sake of the world; and, for aught that appears, was finally cast away! + +Contrast with these, others, fighting under the same banners, and who +contended against similar foes, but were by nature equally insufficient +of themselves; yet these were sincere, girded with truth. Behold Daniel +and his three noble associates, who would neither relinquish, nor defer, +nor even conceal their religion, but presented a firm crest to the +insulting foe; and, having faith unfeigned, love without dissimulation, +and a spirit without guile, no poisoned arrows could pierce them, no +furious threatenings could divert them; and when they had passed through +the furnace, "their clothes did not so much as smell of the fire." In +like manner the apostles could say in the midst of much tribulation, +"Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in +simplicity and _godly sincerity_, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the +grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world." Let every +Christian soldier have "_his loins girt about with truth_," and "_the +feeble shall be as David, and David as an angel of God!_" + + _Clapham._ J. E. + + + THE LATE CHRISTOPHER SMART. + + _To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine._ + +=A writer= in the April Number of your Miscellany, influenced by the +genius displayed in the verses of Mr. Smart therein quoted, requested to +learn more of the history of the poet. If the following particulars are +considered worthy of insertion, I will also offer for your future pages +the biography of another literary character. The present narrative of +the incidents in the life of Mr. Christopher Smart presents a great mind +under the influence of a common but dangerous evil, and displays +powerful arguments to call off the Christian from that pernicious habit +which brought ruin on him. This will be seen in the sequel. + +=Christopher Smart= was born at Shipbourne, in Kent, April 11, 1722. His +father was possessed of almost £300 a year, from an estate in that +neighbourhood. His mother was a Miss Gilpin, of the family of the +celebrated reformer, Bernard Gilpin, by the father's side. His +grandfather had been a prebendary of Durham, in the reign of Charles I., +and was accounted by the puritan party as the proto-martyr in their +cause, having been degraded and deprived of all his ecclesiastical +preferments, fined £500, and imprisoned eleven years. When restored to +liberty by the parliament, he appeared as a witness against Archbishop +Laud: the libel for which he suffered was written in Latin verse, and +was published in 1643. + +The family estate at Shipbourne was, at the death of his father, sold at +a considerable loss to pay his debts, and the widow and family were thus +left destitute. His father was a man of liberal education, and probably +communicated to his son a taste for literature; and to the same source +may possibly be ascribed that train of pious reflections which appeared +so conspicuous in many of his poetical pieces. + +Smart was born earlier than the usual period of gestation, which might +occasion a tenderness of constitution. His taste for poetry is said to +have appeared when he was only four years old, in an extempore effusion +which has not been preserved, but which is said to have indicated a +relish for verse, and an ear for numbers. He was educated at Maidstone +until he was eleven years old, at which time his father died, and his +mother was induced to send him to Durham, where he might enjoy the +advantages of a good school, change of air, and, what in his +circumstances became desirable, the notice and protection of his +father's relations. + +Young Smart was cordially received at Raby Castle by Lord Barnard, and +also obtained the friendship of the Hon. Mrs. Hope, and the more +substantial patronage of the Duchess of Cleveland, who allowed him £40 a +year until her death in 1742. It was probably owing to the liberality of +Lord Barnard that, after he had acquired very considerable reputation at +Durham School, he was sent to Cambridge in his seventeenth year, and +admitted at Pembroke Hall October 30, 1739. + +At college he was much more distinguished for his poetical effort and +classical taste, than for an ambition to excel in the usual routine of +academical studies, and soon became a favourite with such of his +contemporaries as were gay and licentious. His imprudence involved him +in difficulties; and his difficulties, not being quickly removed, +induced an habitual neglect of pecuniary matters, which adhered to him +throughout life. His pursuit of convivial enjoyments, and frequent +excess, formed the chief blot in his character. + +In 1743 he was admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Arts: and July 3, +1745, was elected a fellow of Pembroke Hall. In 1747 he took the degree +of Master of Arts, and became a candidate for the Seatonian prize, +which was actually adjudged to him for five years, four of them in +succession.[A] It is probable that he might have succeeded in the year +that he failed, but his thoughts had been diverted from close attention +by an important change in his situation. + +[Footnote A: The subjects of these poems were: "The Eternity--the +Immensity--the Omniscience--the Power--and the Goodness of the Supreme +Being." They were severally published from the year 1750 to 1756.] + +In 1753 he quitted college, on his marriage with Miss Ann Maria Carnan, +the daughter, by a former husband, of Mary, wife of Mr. John Newbery, +the bookseller, of St. Paul's Church-yard. + +Smart's pleasing manners, and generally inoffensive conduct, procured +him the friendship of Dr. Johnson, Garrick, Dr. James, Dr. Burney, and +other literary men of eminence. The friendship of these scholars, and of +Lord Delaval, to whom Smart had been private tutor, were of great use to +him when in distress. Dr. Johnson manifested much sympathy for poor +Smart, and in a time of need promptly lent him his aid. The notices of +this feeling in Boswell's Life of Johnson are very interesting; but with +all literary men our poet was not in harmony, for so much rancour was +manifested between Smart and Sir John Hill, that the former began a work +entitled _Hilliad_, and the latter was equally pugnacious in a +periodical, entitled _Smartiad_. Smart was injured by this war of +obloquy with one, whom to conquer was to exceed in the worst part of his +character. Hill was a compiler of books and a hackneyed practitioner in +the arts of that profession. He was beneath the notice of Smart. "The +Hilliad," which is perhaps one of the most bitter satires ever +published, would afford a very unfavourable opinion of our author's +character, had it not been an attack on a man who had rendered himself +ridiculous and contemptible by practising with unblushing effrontery +every species of literary and medical quackery. + +In 1754 was published his "Hymn to the Supreme Being," written on his +recovery from a dangerous fit of illness _brought on by intemperance_. +This illness continued through 1755, and part of 1756. Who can think of +the benumbing and debasing effect of spirits, and not shudder at the +apathy with which the practice is viewed? He could write a Hymn of +Gratitude to the Supreme Being, and yet not discover the cause of his +illness, and depart from the practice. The constitution of Mr. Smart +required the utmost care. His mind was easily excited. His disposition +was naturally amiable and placid, but the use of spirits created so much +mental irritability upon an imagination uncommonly fervid, that his +powers gave way, and produced strange alienation of mind; and ignorant +that the use of spirits thus withered and morbidly inflamed his powers, +he sought assistance from the destroying enemy, and at last his +paroxysms became so violent and continued, as to render confinement +necessary. In this melancholy state, his family (for he had now two +children) must have been much embarrassed in their circumstances, but +for the kind friendship and assistance of Mr. Newbery. Many others were +forward to assist; and particularly Dr. Samuel Johnson. + +Your readers, Mr. Editor, after perusing this sketch of Mr. Smart's +history, will doubtless be gratified by the account which Mr. Boswell +narrates of a conversation with Dr. Johnson on the case of Smart. The +Doctor observes: + + "Madness frequently discovers itself merely by unnecessary deviation + from the usual modes of the world. My poor friend Smart showed the + disturbance of his mind by falling upon his knees, and saying his + prayers, in the street, or in any other unusual place. Now although, + rationally speaking, it is greater madness not to pray at all, than + to pray as Smart did, I am afraid there are so many who do not pray, + that their understanding is not called in question. Concerning this + unfortunate poet, Christopher Smart, who was confined in a madhouse, + he had, at another time, the following conversation with Dr. Burney: + Burney--'How does poor Smart do, Sir? is he likely to recover?' + Johnson--'It seems as if his mind had ceased to struggle with the + disease; for he grows fat upon it.' Burney--'Perhaps, Sir, that may + be from want of exercise?' Johnson--'No, Sir; he has partly as much + exercise as he used to have; for he digs in the garden. Indeed, + before his confinement, he used for exercise to walk to the + alehouse; but he was carried back again. I did not think he ought to + be shut up. His infirmities were not noxious to society. He insisted + on people praying with him; and I'd as lief pray with Kit Smart as + any one else.'"--_Boswell's Life of Johnson_, Page 349, vol. i., + Edit. 1822, 8vo. + +After his recovery, which was, as it appears by his conduct, not quite +complete, he joined with Rolt, to write for a Magazine published by +Gardner,[A] which continued only two years. The contract was for +ninety-nine years, and Smart and Rolt were to have a third of the +profits. Dr. Johnson, with a friendly feeling, wrote some articles. + + [Footnote A: Mr. Henry Gardner, whom the writer of this note knew + well, lived at the corner of Melford Lane, in the Strand. He was a + shrewd man, and probably made the contract for ninety-nine years to + bind the services of two irregular men.] + +Smart's madness, according to Dr. Johnson's account, discovered itself +chiefly in unnecessary deviations from the usual modes of the world, in +things that are not improper in themselves. He would fall upon his knees +and say his prayers in the street, or in any unusual place, and insisted +on people praying with him. These were regarded as the vagaries of an +eccentric man, and not hallucinations of the mind arising from the +effects of stimulating drinks; but some were wiser, and placed him in +confinement, "to give his constitution a chance of recovering from the +effects of intemperance." When his mind appeared to be in some measure +restored, he took a pleasant lodging near St. James's Park, and +conducted his affairs for some time with prudence. He was maintained +partly by his literary occupations, and partly by the generosity of his +friends, receiving, among other benefactions, £50 a year from the +treasury, but by whose interest this favour was obtained is not known. + +In 1757 he published "A Prose Translation of the Works of Horace." From +this performance he could derive but little fame. He thought that such +a translation could be useful to those who are desirous of acquiring or +recovering a competent knowledge of the Latin tongue. The good or the +evil of literal translations is yet a problem, and each side of the +question has its advocates. Though our poet was engaged on the one +hand in translating the Odes of Horace into prose, on the other he +successfully translated Pope's Ode to St. Cecilia into Latin verse, and +thereby obtained the notice of Mr. Pope, with whom a correspondence +ensued, of which Mr. Smart was not a little vain. + +In what manner he lived for some time after this, we are not told; but +Garrick, finding him in pecuniary distress, gave him the profits of a +benefit at his theatre. + +In 1763, he published "A Song to David," in which there are some +passages greatly to be admired, and which, Mr. Editor, as a man of +taste, you have introduced to your readers; but there are some to be +found of even more majestic animation; and it will surprise the reader +when he is told that this piece was composed by him during his +confinement; when he was debarred the use of pen, ink, and paper, and +was obliged to indent his lines, with the end of a key, upon the +wainscot. In the same year he published "Poems," and at the conclusion +betrays that irritability and self-conceit which are frequently observed +to precede, and generally to accompany, derangement of mind. + +In all these poems his imagination, although occasionally fine, went +often into wild excesses, and evinced that his mind had never recovered +its _sober_ tone. In his intervals of health and regularity, he still +continued to write. His "Translation of the Psalms of David" afford a +melancholy proof of want of judgment and decay of powers. We find him at +length an inmate of the King's Bench prison. Here he died after a short +illness, occasioned by a disorder in his liver, May 18th, 1770, leaving +two daughters, who, with his widow, were long settled at Reading, and by +their prudent management of the bookselling trade, transferred to them +by Mr. John Newbery, were enabled to maintain a very respectable rank in +life. + +Of his personal character, the following particulars yet remain to be +added from the memoirs: "His piety was exemplary and fervent; it may not +be uninteresting to the reader to be told, that Mr. Smart, in composing +the religious poems, was frequently so impressed with the sentiment of +devotion, as to write particular passages on his knees. He was friendly, +affectionate, and liberal to excess; so as often to give that to others +of which he was in the utmost want himself." + +In his religious poems on the Supreme Deity, written for the Seatonian +prize, the fault was perhaps in the expectation that such subjects can +be treated with advantage. In the preface to Pope's Ode to St. Cecilia, +he allows that, "the choosing too high subjects has been the ruin of +many a tolerable genius;" and Dr. Johnson, with majestic energy, +remarks, that "whatever is great, desirable, or tremendous, is comprised +in the name of the Supreme Being. Omnipotence cannot be exalted; +infinity cannot be amplified; perfection cannot be improved." + + =Leumas.= + + + A CANDID APPEAL TO CONGREGATIONAL CHRISTIANS. + + _To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine._ + +=Of= all the divisions existing among the real servants of Christ, there +is none, I think, so remarkable, nor more injurious, than the separation +of congregationalists into the two parties of Pædobaptists and +Antipædobaptists. Perfectly agreed as they are respecting the character +of the New Testament church, and occupying exactly the same position +with regard to the ecclesiastical establishments of this country, it +appears truly surprising that they should yet entirely disagree as to +the qualifications entitling an individual to the sacred initiatory +ordinance of the Christian dispensation; and that, after the lapse of +centuries, during which the finest talents on each side have been +employed in the discussion of the subject, that they should yet remain +as decidedly opposed upon it as at the first. Perhaps both parties are +equally culpable with regard to the spirit in which their respective +positions may have been maintained; but it is evident that only one of +them can be wrong with regard to the letter. Christians of all parties +are now entertaining the hope, that the day is drawing nigh when the +spiritual vision of the members of Christ shall be so improved as to +enable them to avail themselves of the full light of the gospel to +subdue their respective prejudices and antipathies; and when the love of +Christ shall be so shed abroad in all hearts, as to lead them into that +blessed state of union, into which it is predicted the church is to be +brought. And here I beg to ask, considering how simple is the nature of +the question which divides the congregationalists into two parties, if +this blessed movement ought not to begin with them? And what an honour +it would be, to be the first in this glorious movement! And surely it +may well animate us earnestly to desire this goodly precedence, when we +consider how powerfully and influentially the example would act on all +other Christian parties, so as probably to lead all rapidly forward to +the happy, long-desired consummation. In the meantime we may well bear +with the errors of other parties, considering how many causes concur to +keep them under the dominion of their prejudices, and that all of them +are heightened by the spectacle of our own unnatural division, while we +are calling upon them to submit themselves to the laws of the New +Testament. O that all controversial argumentation might for the future +be conducted only in the spirit of love! that all might be prepared to +lay aside censoriousness, and all appearances of contempt, to avoid all +unseemly confidence, and sedulously to watch against a spirit of self +exaltation, desiring that the Lord alone may be exalted in the display +and in the triumph of his truth! When the Spirit of the Lord shall be so +poured upon his church, that the truth shall be sought in this way, +errors will soon be detected, and the blessed union of saints be quickly +accomplished. The church is not without the means. The cause of our +differences is not the want of sufficient spiritual light. + +I have remarked above, that _one_ of the parties only on the subject of +infant baptism can be wrong with regard to the letter; and here it is +with real grief that I must appear in the character of a partisan; but I +humbly submit to the candid consideration of my Pædobaptist brethren +whether what follows be not a fair representation of the principal +grounds on which the advocates of the practice of baptizing infants +found their arguments in support of the practice: _The covenant of +grace, as it was revealed to Abraham, discovers it to be the will of +God, that the infants of believers in Christ should be dedicated to God +by baptism. That the practice was sanctioned by the apostles, and +designed to be a blessing to children, and serviceable to the cause of +the gospel._ + +The following queries are, with great Christian respect and affection, +offered for the consideration of the Pædobaptist servants of Christ. + +1. Does it not appear to be a fundamental principle in the New +Testament, and designed to have been constantly kept in view, that the +churches of Christ should, as far as human judgment and Christian +charity would allow, be exclusively voluntary associations of persons +brought to desire the salvation of Christ, and to be numbered as his +servants? + +2. Is there any part of the New Testament which will justify a church in +recognizing any persons as the children of the promise, unless they +appear to be partakers of the faith of Abraham? On the contrary, does it +not plainly appear that the New Testament children of the father of the +faithful should receive baptism as Abraham received circumcision, a seal +of the grace which they had being yet unbaptized? + +3. Were not circumcisions under the Abrahamic covenant more extensive +and indiscriminate than the circumcisions under the Mosaic economy, and +therefore more unlike New Testament baptisms than the latter? Wherefore, +then, is the former covenant represented as affording the archetype of +Christian baptism? + +4. Under the Old Testament covenant the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, +and Jacob were by natural birth--whether partakers of spiritual faith or +not--equal members of the commonwealth of Israel. But is not the New +Testament covenant, in this respect, essentially different, the +principles of the gospel not recognizing unions of the holy and the +unholy, and the New Testament containing no provisions for the +government of such communities? + +5. Is not the New Testament covenant peculiarly distinguished from the +Jewish, whether considered as Abrahamic or Mosaic (was the latter any +thing more than a development of the former?) by its _unveiled_ +spirituality, and by its respect for individual moral character? + +6. Does the New Testament, in any part, appear to recognize the people +of Christ in a corporate capacity, except as they appear to be united by +the spiritual principles of the gospel? + +7. Is not the remarkable fact, that Pædobaptism obliges its advocates to +retire back to the book of Genesis in search of a covenant to justify +them in their use of the _New Testament_ ordinance of baptism, of itself +nearly sufficient to evince that their practice is inconsistent with +_the covenant of grace, as it is revealed in the gospel?_ and does it +not become a certainty, when it appears that circumcision under _the +Abrahamic covenant_ was, in some important respects, an institution of a +perfectly contrary character to the ordinance of baptism; the former +exhibiting a _compulsory_ character, which rendered it imperative upon +Abraham to circumcise Ishmael, and to _enforce_ it upon his whole +household, whether bond or free; and to enjoin it for all their +posterity, under the awful threatening of utter exclusion from the +covenant and family of God? Is there not here _a most striking contrast_ +with the inspired records of the institution and administration of the +ordinance of baptism? + +8. If the views of the apostles on this subject had been coincident +with those of Antipædobaptist divines, could they have refrained from +declaring them, when the conduct of the teachers of circumcision was +such as to create continual occasions which called for a plain statement +of the gospel doctrine of baptism? Did not the state into which the +infant church at Antioch had been brought by these teachers particularly +require that such statements should be made? Would not a declaration on +the part of the apostles, in their assembly at Jerusalem, of the +doctrine of Pædobaptism, have tended at once to terminate the +controversy? Is it imaginable that they should have refrained, on this +occasion, from informing the Gentile converts that, by the substitution +of baptism for circumcision, they and their children were exempted for +ever from the claims of the circumcisers? + +9. What law of the gospel is broken by those parents who, without +baptism, prayerfully devote their children to Christ? + +10. Are the children of Antipædobaptists, if brought up in the nurture +and admonition of the Lord, less likely to become living members of +Christ than the children of Pædobaptists; and is there any spiritual +benefit conferred on these by the rite, of which those to whom it is not +administered are deprived? + +11. Whenever a pious Jew might have been asked the question, What +benefits are secured to the children and nation of Israel by the rite of +circumcision? he could at once, by a reference to the appointment, and +to the promises and threatenings connected with it, have given a clear +and satisfactory answer to the question; but when a similar question is +proposed to Pædobaptists respecting their practice, are they able to +give to it a like satisfactory answer? Is there any agreement on the +subject? Is not every thing here vague, mystical, and incongruous? And +wherefore is this? Is it not simply because that, unlike the Jew, they +canot refer to "the law and to the testimony?" + +12. Is not the distinction existing in Pædobaptist churches, between +persons who are entitled to one only of the sacraments of the gospel, +and those who are entitled to both; between unconsciously initiated +members, and professed voluntary members, entirely without countenance +from the New Testament? + +13. Was not baptism in the apostles' days a special means of grace in +the church; and was it not always designed to be so? But if it is not a +means of grace to infants, does not the baptizing them plainly tend to +nullify a gospel ordinance, depriving both them and the church of its +benefits? + +14. Has not the practice of infant baptism, in all ages of the church, +been a pernicious source of delusion? And is there any way of avoiding +its injurious influence on the world, and regaining the benefit of the +ordinance to the church, but by following up the principles of the New +Testament, and abandoning the practice of infant baptism? + +Let these inquiries be seriously, impartially, and prayerfully +considered, by all who are concerned for the purity and efficiency of +the church, the unity of its members, and the glory of its Author. + + =Antipædobaptist.= + + + ON A MISSIONARY SPIRIT. + + _To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine._ + +No period of the rolling year, perhaps, is received with more cordial +feelings of joy than the one on which we have now entered. To the +admirer of the works of nature--its smiling face--its verdant +mantle--the exchange of the chilly blast of winter for etherial mildness +and softer gales, cannot but afford pleasure and delight; for "lo, +winter is past; the rain is over and gone; and the time of the singing +of birds is come." + +To those that love to contemplate God, not only in the works of nature, +but also in those of grace, the approach of this month cannot but be +hailed with feelings of joy, on account of those delightful +opportunities which are then afforded of hearing our missionary +brethren, who have come from the east and the west to rehearse all that +the Lord has done for them, and how he has opened the door of faith unto +the Gentiles (heathen). + +It is, however, to be feared that, with many, the pleasure that is felt +in attending these public meetings arises from the mere excitement of +passion, not based upon or guided by any fixed principle; and therefore, +like the morning cloud and early dew, soon passes away. If it be asked, +What is the true spirit which every Christian should possess in +reference to the publication of the truth? it may be replied, _A +missionary spirit_; which includes, + +1. _A spirit of importunate prayer._ What single employment is there in +which we may be engaged, or what enterprise can we undertake, that does +not depend upon our Maker for success? The merchant may freight his bark +for a distant shore; but for its safe arrival into port, he must look to +Him who holds the waters in the hollow of his hand, and whom the winds +and sea obey. The husbandman may prepare the soil, and implant the seed +but from God alone can he expect the gentle showers of rain, and the +congenial sunshine. And if the blessing of God is absolutely necessary +for the success of undertakings relating to temporal affairs, how much +more so in things that are spiritual! Here, especially, Paul may plant, +and Apollos water; but it is God alone that can give the increase. And +in what way are we to seek it but by prayer? It is prayer that will open +the windows of heaven, and cause the Almighty to pour us out a blessing, +so that there shall not be room to receive it. It will come down like +rain on the new-mown grass--as showers that water the earth. + +In all the dwellings of Jacob may prayer be heard ascending to the Most +High, for blessings to attend our meetings! + +2. _A spirit of thanksgiving._ It is the distinguishing feature in a +worldly man's disposition or character, that, however he may be inclined +to pray for worldly prosperity, he is always backward in acknowledging +the blessing bestowed; yea, the more God lavishes his favours upon him, +the less does he recognize the hand of the Giver. Let us act as becometh +Christians. Let our hearts overflow with gratitude for mercies received. +Let past mercies excite us to gratitude, and encourage us in our future +labours. + +3. _A spirit of rejoicing._ Let not the interesting intelligence that +may be afforded be read with cold indifference. What is the Christian's +joy and crown of rejoicing? Is it not the salvation of the soul through +his instrumentality? If there is joy in heaven over one sinner that +repenteth, shall it not produce joy in our bosoms when we hear, not of +one, but of many being brought to the knowledge of the truth? + +4. _A spirit of active benevolence._ Here is the test of our love to +Jesus. What is more diffusive or expanding, or constraining in its +nature, than the principle of love? It has for the object of its aim the +glory of God, and seeks in every way to promote it. The desire of such a +soul is, that Christ may be magnified in his body, whether it be by life +or by death. + +May a _missionary spirit_ be the one which animates every reader! + + X. Y. + + + UNION IS STRENGTH. + + _To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine._ + +=I have= seen a circular respecting the "Baptist Union." It is a very +common remark, that "the Independents and the Wesleyan Methodists are +more united than the Baptists." How is this, or why should it be? They +are probably more numerous, and this may be owing to unity. Let us look +at the counties of Surrey and Sussex. Is there any Baptist interest +between Clapham and Horsham? At the latter place there are some general +Baptists. Again: are there any Baptists between Croydon and East +Grinstead? At Brighton there are some; but take the road from Brighton +to Portsmouth, and where will you find any? Not at Worthing, nor +Arundel, nor Chichester, nor Emsworth, nor Havant. How is this? Either +the funds of the Baptist Home Mission are deficient; or there is a want +of exertion. Again: from Wandsworth to Guildford, Godalming, and onward +to Portsmouth, are there any Baptists? If there are, it is unknown to +me. Again; if you could describe a circle of twenty miles circumference, +making Findon, near Worthing, the centre of the circle, where will you +find any Baptists, if you except Brighton and Horsham? + +Some twenty years since there were a few general Baptists at Chichester; +but they have long been extinct. Now, Sir, if there really was that +union of heart, of mental energy, of exertion, and of purse, _which +there ought to be_, I might have been spared putting the questions which +I have just asked. + +Again: at Leeds there is a population of nearly 130,000, and, properly +speaking, but _one_ Baptist interest. There is ample room there for +several; there is no lack of Independents and Methodists at Leeds. I +fear, Sir, that this is only a very small sample of what might be given. +I do not think that we so much lack preachers, _as funds to support +them_. + +At some places, probably, the preachers might teach a school: although +that is not the best way a preacher might be employed; yet, in an +emergency, it might be adopted. The subject, however, _deserves_ serious +consideration. We want "a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull +altogether;" and then something might be done. Again: is there that +union, and cordiality, and brotherly kindness, and Christian affection, +and personal intercourse, between the rich and the poor amongst us, +which our Master has enjoined and _commanded_? I trow not. Until _this_ +is effected, how can we expect prosperity and increase? Do we not also +want more prayer--secret prayer for each other; social prayer; and, when +we pray, that we may love each other, ought we not _to do it_, "not in +word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth?" + + =A Baptist of the Old School.= + + + POETRY. + + A BROKEN HEART. + + What makes me court seclusion's shade, + And shun this vain world's gay parade, + Whose pleasures blossom but to fade? + A broken heart. + + What makes me heave the deep-drawn sigh, + And raise to heaven my weeping eye, + And inly groan--I scarce know why? + A broken heart. + + What makes me bend before God's throne, + There all my guilt and misery own, + And seek my help from Christ alone? + A broken heart. + + What makes the word of life so sweet, + That I could sit at Jesu's feet, + And never quit that dear retreat? + A broken heart. + + What makes the cross such charms to wear, + That while I gaze and linger there, + No room is left for dark despair? + A broken heart. + + What is it mellows all my joy, + Weans me from every earthly toy, + And leads to bliss without alloy? + A broken heart. + + What spreads new rapture through the skies? + 'Tis when a soul for mercy cries, + And angels see with wondering eyes + A broken heart. + + What though the wounds of sin are sore, + Jesus, my Lord, has balm in store; + I'll use it, till I feel no more + A broken heart. + + + COMMUNION OF SAINTS. + + I love to hear the rising songs + That celebrate the Saviour's name + Attuned by kindred hearts and tongues, + Who think, and feel, and speak the same. + + No voice of discord there is heard; + No thoughts unholy or unkind; + No jarring, unharmonious word, + To mar the melody of mind. + + No more the party-wall of pride, + Erected by one common foe, + The hearts of brethren shall divide, + While passing through the vale below. + + No more, secluded and unknown, + In isolated paths they tread; + Nor speed their devious way alone, + Till numbered with the silent dead. + + One faith is beaming in their eye; + One hope within their bosom glows; + While hastening to the realms on high, + The blissful region of repose. + + One is the heaven-born joy they feel; + The holy peace and calm delight + That each enraptured spirit seal, + When Calvary opens on their sight. + + One Lord redeemed them with his blood, + And rose triumphant from the tomb, + To lead them to one Father--God, + Whose smiles their darkest hours illume. + + One Spirit breathes in every soul + With life, and power, and love divine; + Diffusing radiance through the whole, + Till bright in holiness they shine. + + And in one home they all will meet, + Their dangers and their sorrows o'er; + And one delightful theme repeat,-- + United there to part no more. + + =Eta.= + + + REVIEWS. + + _Memoir of the Life and Writings of the Rev. Joseph Ivimey, late + Pastor of the Church in Eagle Street, London, and twenty years + gratuitous Secretary to the Baptist Irish Society._ By =George + Pritchard=.--Wightman. + +If there be a name which more than any other merits honourable mention +in this periodical, it is unquestionably that of =Joseph Ivimey=. He was +one of its earliest correspondents, contributed largely, in various +ways, to bring it up from Tiverton to London, and wrote frequently in +all its departments. He was ever ready to cheer its friends, and to +fight with its enemies; for the interest of our ministers' widows lay +very near his heart, and in all his multifarious engagements in relation +to this object, he was evidently stimulated by Christian compassion. + +The name of Mr. I. will be identified with all the great institutions +connected with the denomination to which he thought it an honour to +belong; and, more especially, in the list of Ireland's benefactors he is +certainly destined to hold a very distinguished place. Our departed +brother knew that words are cheaper than stones in the street; but it +will be remembered that on one occasion, particularly, he devoted much +time, and labour, and property, and influence, by which he encouraged +the committee to send over ship-loads of necessary food to keep the poor +Irish alive from famine. + +Mr. I. was born at Ringwood, in Hampshire, May 22nd, 1773. It appears, +from the interesting narrative before us, that he lived in ignorance and +unbelief till he was 18 years old. Mr. Thomas Williams,[A] in the +presence of his two maternal aunts, said to him one day, "Young man, do +you know any thing of these things?" With an honest promptitude, by +which his whole life was characterized, he unhesitatingly replied, "I +know nothing at all about them." But the arrow had gone deep into his +heart; and nothing but the balm of Gilead could save him. Subsequently +he derived much benefit from Elisha Cole's popular book on Divine +Sovereignty, and from a sermon delivered by Dr. Steadman. He was +baptized at Wimborne, September 16th, 1790, by the late Rev. John +Saffery. In the following year he removed to Lymington, and derived much +instruction from the Rev. James Barnett, who still survives, and is in +communion with the church at Eagle Street. + + [Footnote A: Afterwards an Independent Minister, at Bradford.] + +He came first to London in April, 1793, and communed with the church in +Keppel Street, then under the pastoral care of the Rev. J. Martin. +Occasionally, also, he heard Mr. Swain at his Lord's-day evening +lecture, in Devonshire Square. + + "In taking the coach by which he was to depart, he silently said, 'I + will never see this London again.' But the words of the prophet are + greatly to be preferred: 'O Lord, I know that the way of man is not + in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.'" p. + 34. + +In 1794, he removed to Portsea, and was married July 7th, 1795. By this +marriage he had two sons, and four daughters: one son and one daughter +survive to lament the loss of their father. Early in 1803, when nearly +thirty years of age, he was encouraged to preach by the church at +Portsea, to which he and his wife were united, under the care of Joseph +Horsey and Daniel Miall, who were co-pastors. Relinquishing secular +business, in September, 1803, he removed, with his wife and two +children, to Wallingford, and became assistant to Mr. Lovegrove. Having +occupied the station at Wallingford nearly twelve months, he was invited +to Eagle Street, in consequence of the resignation of the late Rev. +William Smith. In July, 1804, he removed to that same London of which, +at an early period, he had thought so lightly; and there the remaining +half of his life was happily, honourably, and usefully spent. He died +February 8th, 1834. But why should we further pursue the narrative? From +the date of his settlement in London, he was "an epistle of Christ, +known and read of all men." + +The narrative is full of incidents, with which are interspersed many +most judicious reflections; and in the "Conclusion" we have a correct +and complete delineation of Mr. I.'s character. We are deliberately of +opinion that it could not have been intrusted to better hands than those +of his esteemed colleague in the gratuitous secretaryship of the Irish +Institution, who has executed his task in a very pleasing and edifying +manner, with great delicacy and fidelity; much to the credit of his own +piety, judgment, and taste. We are happy to add that the work is very +neatly got up, very correctly printed, and ornamented with a good +likeness of our deceased brother. + +Mr. I.'s ministry was greatly blessed from on high. The congregation was +never before so large, new members were added continually, and the place +of worship was considerably enlarged. + + "From the records of the church it appears that during his pastorate + more than eight hundred were added to its fellowship. Twenty young + men were encouraged to give themselves to the work of the Christian + ministry, four of whom received missionary appointments, and two are + at this time in Ireland, zealously exerting themselves in the + service of the Baptist Irish Society." p. 314. + +And, in a letter dated in 1826, Mr. I. says, "The church now consists of +more than 470 members." p. 192. + +Of the great labour of his life, "The History of the English Baptists," +in four large volumes, 8vo., we may venture to predict that it will be +far more in demand before this century closes than it is now. The +author, we believe, never received any thing like compensation while he +lived; he will be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. Mr. I. +believed, as did also the late Rev. James Dore, that when a man ceases +to be a strict Baptist, there is no resting-place for his feet till he +finds himself a strict papist. + +But it cannot be justly maintained that our zealous brother shut himself +up within the narrow precincts of his own denomination. So far from it +that he had free and open communion with Christians of almost every +name. Soon after he came to London, he was elected a member of the +committee of the Religious Tract Society; and at the hospitable rooms of +Messrs. Hardcastle and Reyner, Old Swan Stairs, near London Bridge, he +cheerfully mingled with Churchmen, Dissenters, and Methodists, of every +shade and every grade; all agreeing, however, to insist upon the leading +doctrines of the gospel in all their publications. He was not, it is +true, in the habit of going "to the house of God in company" with Mr. +Taylor, the old Presbyterian Minister of Carter Lane, Doctors' Commons; +nor with Dr. Winter, the Congregationalist; nor with Richard Philips, of +the Society of "Friends;" nor with Mr. Butterworth, nor Dr. Adam Clarke, +of the Methodist connexion; but he often "took sweet counsel" with one +or another of these eminent persons; and with these more frequently than +with many others, because they were among his nearest neighbours while +his residence was in Harpur Street; nor was there among them all a more +resolute and determined advocate in the great cause of civil and +religious freedom, or in any of the pious and charitable institutions +which beautify and bless our native land. + +The excellent volume before us will show that our beloved brother, when +most strenuously pleading for liberty, was quite alive to the claims of +all lawful authority. He was for "laws and liberties combined," nor ever +gave countenance to the daring and presumptuous schemes of any wild and +unprincipled demagogues in this or in the sister island. His political +creed, he has often been heard to say, was built upon the revolution of +1688, and the "Act of Settlement." He knew as well as any man what the +House of Brunswick owes to the Protestant Dissenters; and what the +Protestant Dissenters owe to the House of Brunswick. Let his printed +funeral sermon for the Princess Charlotte, and another for the duke of +Kent, and another for George the Third, be lasting monuments of the +ardent and affectionate loyalty which he himself so deeply felt, and +which he was assiduous to cherish in the ever-widening circle of his +acquaintance. + +Many of his constant hearers must have been aware that their pastor's +heart and house were open to ministers and other friends from all parts +of England; to many from Wales, Scotland, and Ireland; and that his +correspondence with North America was frequent. But very few of them +probably could ever guess at the number of private applications that +were made to him by letter for his advice and assistance. No man was +more public; and yet, by early rising, and still more by a strong desire +to be useful, he had formed himself to habits of promptitude and +facility in the dispatch of business, that to ordinary minds were truly +surprising. Always alive and awake, he knew every thing that was done in +_London_ to promote the cause of Christ, or to hinder it. Enjoying the +confidence, and the occasional visits, of such men as Saffery and +Steadman, and Fuller and Hinton, and Kingborn and others, he was no +stranger to whatever occurred in the _country_. + +May the amiable young pastor who succeeds, with all his brethren in +office, and every other member of the much-favoured church in Eagle +Street, long continue to flourish under the smiles of the Great Head of +the church, without whose gracious influence nothing is strong, nothing +is holy! + +We might have added that Mr. Pritchard has appended to the Memoir a few +abbreviated sermons of our lamented friend, which, no doubt, will be +often read by those who heard them; and from which strangers may learn +something of the spirit and style of the minister at Eagle Street, in +his ordinary pulpit exercises on the Lord's-day, and on week-days. + +If it be said, "Mr. Ivimey was sometimes wrong in temper, or wrong in +his measures," the answer is, "This may be easily said, and justly, of +every good man that breathes, who is in active life." + +But, after making every concession that could be extorted from candour +and truth by the most jealous and jaundiced prejudice, we need not fear +to assert that much, very much, will remain, to excite admiration, and +gratitude to the great Author of all good, in his sincerity, clear as +crystal to the bottom; in his unquenchable zeal for the glory of God, +and the best interests of mankind; in the labour, the energy, and +unfainting perseverance with which he pursued his object; in the noble +disinterestedness which he evinced on all occasions;--and these, all +will admit, were the most prominent features of his character. + +If this work meets with only half the attention it deserves, it will be +extensively read in this country and in America; and the zeal displayed +in the full-length portrait of "a good minister of Jesus Christ," will +provoke very many. + +We had marked several striking passages for quotation; but, on +reconsidering the matter, deem it best to recommend the whole to all +those of our readers who have not already seen it. + + * * * * * + + _Scripture Views of the Heavenly World._ By =J. Edmondson=, A.M. + _pp._ 260.--Mason. + +This work is written in a very serious, unpretending manner; and if it +do not greatly augment our knowledge of heaven, either as a place or a +state, yet it supplies such varied and valuable elements of thought, and +exhibits so much to enkindle ardent desire, that, as a volume of piety, +it deserves to rank high. We think, indeed, it is scarcely possible that +any one, whose affections are in any degree set upon the things which +are above, should read it without deriving considerable advantage. On +the sublime subject of heaven, the venerable author (for so we +understand we may denominate him) mentions twenty views:--"There is a +Heavenly World--Scripture Names of Heaven--God is present in Heaven--The +Presence of Jesus in Heaven--No Sufferings in Heaven--No Death in +Heaven--No Night in Heaven--No War in Heaven--Heaven is a holy +Place--Heaven is a happy Place--Heaven is a glorious Place--Happy +Employment in Heaven--Extensive Knowledge in Heaven--We shall know each +other there--Many Ranks and Orders in Glory--The Religion of Heaven is +Love--The Resurrection Body in Heaven--The Pleasures of Heaven are +pure--The Wicked are shut out of Heaven--Heaven is eternal." + +The preface contains some succinct and sensible observations on the +immortality of the soul. Among others, the following occurs:-- + + "Ideas of good and evil, right and wrong, are planted in the human + heart. And there is in good men, what might be in all, a continual + cleaving and approximation to the Deity. When sin is committed, it + is followed by a sense of guilt and a fear of punishment, except in + those hardened sinners who have debased themselves by a long course + of disobedience. All these principles, when carefully cultivated, + are accompanied with ardent longings after immortality; and they + prove that man is connected with a higher order of beings than those + who are around him here, and that he is designed for a higher state + than that in which he now stands. For we perceive nothing of this + kind among the inferior creatures of our world. They are not, nor + ever will be, capable of knowing moral good and evil, much less of + knowing the God who made them. And will man, with his superior + powers, die for ever?" + +Without pledging ourselves for the correctness of every sentiment or +sentence in the pages of this useful work, we would earnestly recommend +it to the attention of our readers generally. + + * * * * * + + _Two Years' Residence in the New Settlements of Ohio, North America; + with Directions to Emigrants._ By =D. Griffiths=, Jun. pp. + 197.--Westley and Davis. + +The information and advice contained in this small volume must be very +valuable to those, especially, who contemplate a transition to Ohio, +with the intention of making it the place of their permanent abode. The +worthy author appears to have been a very diligent observer of men and +things during his short sojourn in the new world, and to have faithfully +recorded the result of his observations. Reason and experience unite to +testify that, in removing from place to place, little can be calculated +upon besides an exchange of one class of difficulties for another; and +in many more instances than are disclosed, it is highly probable that, +could the former be resumed, it would be thankfully accepted. Such, at +least, has been our impression from all the accounts we have yet read of +emigrants and emigration. For the edification of our readers we give the +following extract:-- + + "It may surprise an Englishman, if he be unacquainted with the + American character, that farmers, who were well off in New England, + should leave a comfortable home for the wild woods of Ohio. The best + explanation of this fact may be furnished, perhaps, by a comparison + of the English and American character, given in an American + publication, called 'The Biblical Repository,' although penned for + another purpose. 'This is connected, no doubt, with a great feature + of European character, which at once strikes Americans, that all + ranks and classes there have a far _greater enjoyment of the + present_ than ourselves. Our national character, so far as we have + one, consists in a spirit of enterprise, excited by the desire of + improving our condition. It may be shortly styled a _love of + gain_--gain, not only of wealth, but also of reputation, of comfort, + of happiness; gain of all that is supposed to be desirable. Our + enjoyment consists more in striving after this gain, in + anticipations and in the very act of acquiring; theirs, in + possession and quiet fruition.' Local attachments, domestic comfort, + and almost every kind of present temporal happiness, in the English + sense of the term, give way to the love of gain. Unquestionably, + this was the principle which led many of the New Englanders to Ohio; + and certainly the organ of acquisitiveness must be very prominent in + the Yankee cranium, for I never met with a farmer there, however + long he had been settled, or however comfortably, but would, from + this same love of gain, sell out, and move away." p. 53. + +More than eighty pages of this volume are devoted to the subjects of +"Temperance Societies," and "Religious Revivals:" these should certainly +obtain close attention from the reader. Concerning the latter there +will, no doubt, still be much difference of opinion; yet, if it be +indulged with candour, and expressed with affection, it may be rather +beneficial than injurious. + + * * * * * + + _Twenty Sermons._ By the late Rev. =W. Howels=, Minister of Long + Acre Episcopal Chapel. pp. 440.--Shaw. + +It is to be lamented that the reputation of the deceased so often +suffers from the defective prudence of the surviving. We have no doubt +that these sermons were delivered from the pulpit by the respected +individual whose name they bear, and that, by those who knew and valued +him as a preacher, they may be read with pensive pleasure and real +advantage. But we have also no doubt that, could Mr. Howels have been +consulted, he would have refused his consent to their publication, till +they had been submitted to his careful and severe revision. That they +contain many admirable sentiments and sentences, we readily admit; but, +unhappily, some of the most striking and valuable paragraphs are +seriously injured by rash and inconsiderate expressions, which an +extemporaneous and energetic speaker, in the fervour of oral +communication, may be induced to utter, but through which, were he +preparing his discourses for the press, and therefore for cooler +inspection, his pen would be unsparingly drawn. Without having said thus +much, we could neither have discharged our duty to ourselves nor our +readers; but with such cautionary intimation we can cordially commend +them to their perusal. + + * * * * * + + _The Domestic Harp._ By =David Ives=. pp. 80.--Baynes. + +The worthy author of this small neat publication says, "A few of these +pieces have appeared before, in a periodical, called 'The Christian's +Pocket Magazine.'" He remarks, also, in his short preface, "No glossary +will here be required, but one member of a Christian family may safely +read them to another with the certainty at least of being understood; +and, the author feels a satisfaction in adding, without the danger of +offending the most sacred affection." The reader of these verses will +find that, while the preceding commendation is fully sustained, the +author might have gone even further. But as he has not, we will. These +poetical effusions are not only plain and pious, they are sensible and +instructive; and though they may not exactly range with the more lofty +efforts of poetic genius, yet they contain passages and pieces which +would not suffer by comparison with many which might be referred to in +more splendid volumes, the product of illustrious names. The following +specimen is selected, not on account of its superiority, but because it +best suits our space. + + + LINES FOR AN ALBUM. + + "When thinking on the ways of man, + This little rule did rise,-- + That he who lives without a plan, + Will die without a prize. + + Reflection still to those who hear + This further guide hath given,-- + That the best plan is godly fear, + And the best prize is heaven." + + * * * * * + + _The Sacred Classics. Expositions on the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, + and the Ten Commandments; with Two Discourses on Matthew xxii. + 37-39, and Hebrews iii. 10. To which are added Expository Lectures + on Psalm xxxix._ By =Robert Leighton=, D.D., Archbishop of Glasgow. + With an Introductory Essay, by =John Pye Smith=, D.D., pp. 292. + Hatchard. + +The distinguished names inscribed on the title-page of this volume of +the "Sacred Classics" cannot be rendered more eminent by our +commendation. The praise both of the deceased and the surviving is in +all our churches; and their works, we doubt not, will continue to edify +and adorn the human mind from generation to generation. + + + BRIEF NOTICES OF RECENT PUBLICATIONS. + +_The Works of William Cowper, his Life and Letters, by William Hayley, +Esq., now first completed by the Introduction of Cowper's Private +Correspondence; Edited by the Rev. T. S. Grimshawe, A.M., Rector of +Burton, Northamptonshire, and Vicar of Biddenham, Bedfordshire; Author +of the Life of the Rev. Legh Richmond. Saunders and Otley._--We have +received the early volumes of this admirable publication. The manner in +which it is brought out is highly creditable to all the parties +concerned in the undertaking; and we have no doubt of its being in very +extensive demand by readers of almost every description. It is our +purpose to watch its progress, and, at the close, to present our readers +with a more enlarged account of its peculiar claims to their attention. + +_The Posthumous Letters of the Rev. Rabshakeh Gathercoal, late Vicar of +Tuddington; now first published, with Explanatory Notes, and dedicated +to the Lord Bishop of London. p. 288. Westley._--There are many passages +in these letters which, in the keenness of their satire, and the +pungency of their wit, cannot be exceeded by any thing in the writings +of Butler, South, or Swift; with this further commendation, that their +edge and point are directed exclusively against error and arrogance. On +the subject of dissent we have seen no recent publication which can be +compared with this in clearness, copiousness, and power; combining so +many important facts of history with so much of interesting and +practical influence. In the presence of such a writer the advocates of +superstition and intolerance must quail; but the admirers of the +uncorrupted Christianity of the New Testament, of every denomination, +will hail him, in this labour of his hands, as the intrepid friend of +freedom and religion. + +After all, we are praying and anxiously looking for a period, when works +of this description shall have become obsolete; when ignorance shall be +entirely dissipated, and the "true light" universally shine: for the +knowledge of the Lord shall have covered the earth, as the waters cover +the sea; and man shall no longer say to his neighbour, Know ye the Lord: +for then, all shall know him, from the least to the greatest. + +_The Great Case of Tithes truly stated, clearly opened, and fully +resolved. By Anthony Pearson, a Justice of Peace in Westmoreland, in the +time of the Commonwealth. Harvey and Darton._--This very cheap and +seasonable tract is No. 63, and is printed for the Tract Association of +the Society of Friends. It cannot fail to excite attention. + +_Suggestions on National Education, with a View to the Advantage, not +only of the Poor, but of all Classes of Society. By John Smith, Lecturer +on Education, Liverpool. Simpkin and Marshall._--This very sensible +writer maintains that Government ought to do that which no individual +has power to do, namely, to show the public what education really is, +and the best modes of carrying it forward--that the teachers of the +millions have yet to be created. He urges the necessity, the +practicability, and the benefit of his plan. We hope ere long this great +subject will have a free, full, and fair discussion in the House of +Commons. + +_Reasons for Dissenting from the Church of England; showing that the +Ancient Jewish Theocracy is no Authority for an Ecclesiastical +Establishment, &c. &c. By a Country Farmer and Minister of God's Word +and Ordinances. Simpkin and Marshall_--Though we dissent from this +Dissenter in various particulars, we think every reader will see that +the "Country Farmer" is quite an overmatch for the clergyman who paid +him a visit. + +_The Life of the Rev. Jean Frederic Nardin, Pastor of the Church at +Blamont: Translated from the French. By the Rev. Robert Blessley. Ward +and Co._--We have perused this little tract with the liveliest interest; +and cordially thank Mr. Blessley for translating, and Mr. T. Lewis for +recommending it. It contains an excellent example for pious young men; +and especially for those of them who are students in divinity, pastors, +itinerant preachers, and missionaries. + +_The Spirit of Holiness: Four Sermons. By James Harrington Evans, +Minister of John Street Chapel. pp. 168. Griffiths._--These plain, +evangelical sermons are entitled to serious perusal. We think them well +calculated to instruct, to reprove, and to console. + +_Memoir of the Rev. Basil Woodd, M.A. By the Rev. S. C. Wilks, M.A._--An +excellent Memoir, published by the Religious Tract Society. + +_Puritan Farm; or Old Ways kept up in New Times. By a Puritan Family. +Ward and Co._--A very entertaining little work. We hope it will be +continued. The "spoundings" of the female labourer on the burial of +Christ are charming, and the character of the great Dr. Owen is +developed with much judgment and taste. + +_A Manual of English Grammar, Philosophical and Practical, &c. &c. By +the Rev. J. M. McCullock, A.M., Minister of Kelsoe. Second Edition, +revised. Simpkin and Marshall._--We are glad to see a reprint of this +excellent "Manual," the first edition of which we recommended to the +public not many months since. + +_Memoirs of a Sergeant, late in the Forty-third Light Infantry Regiment, +previously to and during the Peninsular War; including an Account of his +Conversion from Popery to the Protestant Religion. pp. 278._ Mason.--Of +its kind, this is certainly a very respectable work; but the sieges, and +battles, and wounded, and slain, are so many, that it was quite a relief +to arrive at the end of the terrible detail. Perhaps some would choose +to call it interesting; and we do not mean to say that there are not +connexions in which it may be properly so contemplated. The pious +reader, however, cannot fail to have his mind so deeply affected, as his +eye glances over these pages, by the consideration of that which is the +cause of war, and of every other calamity which has desolated the earth, +as greatly to qualify his gratification arising from martial sounds, +glittering arms, or military evolutions. + +Towards the close of the volume there are some observations which +deserve attention from the members of the Peace Society; and all serious +persons will read with pleasure the author's account of his conversion. +We hope he may live long to fight the good fight of faith, and finally +die more than a conqueror. + +_Essay on the Habitual Exercise of Love to God, considered as a +Preparation for Heaven. By Joseph John Gurney. pp. 165. Seeley & Co._ No +one whose mind is under a sacred influence, can rise from the perusal of +these pages without a consciousness of having been admitted into +privileged society. The principles, spirit, and tendency of this work, +are eminently important. Were they but permitted to exercise that +practical dominion over the judgment and conduct of men generally, to +which they are fully entitled, a change as marvellous as beneficial +would be the result; in the evidence of which its divine nature and +origin would be abundantly manifested. The work is divided into the +following sections:--"General Remarks on Meetness for the Heavenly +State--On the Contemplation of God in Nature and Providence--On the +Contemplation of God in Redemption; the Father, the Son, the Spirit--On +Communion with God--On Submission to the Will of God, and Conformity to +his Attributes--On Love towards Man--Conclusion." Our sincere wish is +that this work may obtain a very extensive circulation. + +_Helen of Coquetdale, or the Fair Bondager; a Tale, in two Cantos: with +a few other Fragments, in Verse. By a late Fellow of Oriel College, +Oxford. pp. 140. Oliphant._--The principal article in this small volume +contains many pious and some excellent passages; yet, as a whole, we +fear it is not destined to be a favourite. We scarcely know what to say +as to public taste, in relation to poetry, in the present day, except +that we are apprehensive it is too refined to be attracted with the +versification, &c. of "Helen of Coquetdale." We were ourselves much more +favourably impressed with two or three of the minor pieces. + +_Illustrations of the Bible, &c. Part 12. Churton._--The continuation of +these admirable engravings is entitled to, and we hope is receiving, +enlarged public attention and support. The following are the +illustrations contained in the twelfth part: "Belshazzar's Feast--The +peaceable Kingdom--Esther kissing the Sceptre--Death of +Absalom--Solomon's Charge--The Death of Sampson--Jonah cast into the +Sea--Hezekiah beholding the Sun-dial." + +_1. Fruits and Flowers. By the Author of the "Wheatsheaf." pp. 212. +Darton._ + +_2. The Garden. By the Compiler of "Fruits and Flowers," and the +"Wheatsheaf." pp. 263. Darton._--These elegant little volumes cannot but +be highly acceptable, especially to our pious young readers; they +contain such a selection of prose and verse, presented in a form so +attractive, that we may fairly presume upon their becoming favourites to +a very great extent. + +_Sober Views of the Millennium. By the Rev. Thomas Jones, of Creaton, +Northamptonshire. Seeley and Burnside._--This little work answers to its +title in a very great degree. Let the Millennarians be induced soberly +to read and consider its contents. + +_The Christian Journal. Conducted by Members of the Relief Church._--No. +27, for March last, contains a Review of Mr. Anderson's Funeral Sermon +for Dr. Carey, and several other highly interesting articles. + + + OBITUARY. + + MR. H. H. FREEMAN + +Henry Hawkins Freeman was born at South Sydenham, in Devonshire, in the +year 1767, where he resided under the parental roof until he attained +the age of sixteen, when he was placed as an apprentice to a +ship-builder at Plymouth, whom he faithfully served; during which time +he occasionally, with worldly companions, sought pleasure on the +Lord's-day; but has declared he found no gratification therein: but on +the contrary, his conscience witnessed against him when so engaged, and +left him miserable. His cousin, Mr. Henry Hawkins, Baptist minister of +Stroud, Gloucestershire, then residing at Plymouth, exhorted him to +attend the means of grace, and seek the salvation of his soul. While +attending the Baptist chapel, How's Lane, under the pastoral care of the +late Philip Gibbs (for whom he cherished a strong affection), the Lord +was pleased to meet with him. The sermon blessed to his conversion was +from Numb. xxiii. part of the 10th verse: "Let me die the death of the +righteous," &c. The observation of the preacher, that unless he lived +the life, he could not die the death, of the righteous, fastened upon +his mind. He felt he was a sinner before God, and was led to cry for +mercy, which he obtained through Christ. He united himself to the people +of God, and, through divine grace, was enabled to walk consistently, so +that the enemies of religion have acknowledged him to be a good man. He +was a friend to peace, and possessed a meek and quiet spirit. For many +years he filled the office of a deacon. In 1820, he was removed by +Providence to Honduras; and during his stay there, it may be said of +him, "He was a light in a dark place." He felt much pleasure in +directing the negroes to the Lamb of God; and, although for four months +at a time, in the interior of the country, and with no companions but +the sons of Africa and his Bible, he was quite happy, and declared that +"the word of the Lord was precious to him in those days." + +Towards the end of 1822 he returned to England, and united himself with +the Baptist church in Little Prescot Street, London. In the kind +affections of many of its members he still lives. He often rejoiced in +spirit that God had called nearly all his children, and made them +partakers with himself of like precious faith. + +The Lord was pleased to remove by death, July 16, 1833, the partner of +his life, after a union of thirty-seven years, which he severely felt; +from which period he rapidly declined. He was not fond of speaking of +himself; but feeling a lively sense of love to his Redeemer, he was +constrained to speak of it, and would often say he could appeal to his +Saviour as Peter did, "Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that +I love thee." About a month before his decease, he observed to a +minister, "Though the earthly house of this my tabernacle be dissolved, +I have a building of God," &c. + +He was seized with epileptic fits on Tuesday, August 26, 1834, while on +a visit to his daughter at Aylesbury. After the first fit, he became +sensible for a few minutes, when a pious friend, sitting at his +bed-side, asked him if he was happy. To which he replied, "Yes." The +friend expressed a hope that the gospel, which had been his support +through life, would be his comfort in his extremity. To which he +emphatically returned the same answer. On being asked if he would give +up his hope for ten thousand worlds, he replied, "No, Sir." On referring +to a sermon he had heard on the Sabbath previous, the good man said, +"You know Christ is an ever-present Friend. He will not leave you now. I +hope you will still look to him." He said, "There is no other refuge." +These were his last words. A return of the fits came on; and, after +lying until Thursday morning, the 28th, at 5 o'clock he fell asleep in +Jesus, to wake no more until the morning of the resurrection. + +He was removed to London, and interred in a vault under Wycliffe Chapel, +September 2nd, and his funeral sermon was preached by Mr. Stovel the +following Sabbath, from the portion of sacred writ blessed to his +conversion. + + + RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. + + * * * * * + + FOREIGN. + + CANADA. + + _Extract of a Letter from Mr. John Edwards. + Clarence, Jan. 5, 1835._ + +In alluding to the work of grace in Breadalbane referred to in Mr. +Fraser's letter, inserted in April number, he says: "Since (it began) +the work has been progressing in a manner quite unprecedented in these +parts. From August to November nine persons who had been in a +backsliding state were restored, and eight new converts were baptized +and added to the church. During last month (December) forty-one have +also been baptized, making a total of fifty-eight, added since August. I +left the settlement last Friday, when Mr. Fraser assured me there were +twenty-two, in addition to the above number, whom he had good reason to +believe were converted characters; besides a number under convictions. +Among the subjects of this work is the man of grey hairs nearly eighty +years of age, and the child of thirteen, and many younger, under deep +convictions. The most astonishing feature in this work of grace appears +amongst the youth at school. There are more than forty children +attending it, and instead of vanity and trifling, sedateness and +seriousness now mark their behaviour. When spoken to of divine things, +they are all attention, and so eager to be instructed, that it is with +difficulty they can be prevailed on to leave school. Mr. F. told me, +that when passing the school one evening at ten o'clock, he found a +number of the boys holding a religious meeting; it was the second time +they had met for this purpose, unknown to any body. He now devotes one +evening of the week to their peculiar benefit. He farther assured me, +that he was satisfied six of these dear youths had experienced a change +of mind, and nearly all the scholars seem deeply concerned for the +salvation of their souls. So general has been the awakening, that very +few of the hearers remain unconcerned about their souls. + +Referring to the means of this awakening, he says,--"They set apart a +day for fasting and prayer: they humbled themselves before God, and he +was entreated of them. In the month of November one of their number went +to Montreal, and told our brother the state of things. He immediately +wrote to a devoted and worthy brother, who is pastor of the Baptist +church at Fort Covington, New York (near the boundary line). They met, +the following week, at Breadalbane, and spent four days faithfully and +affectionately stating the truth. All secular affairs were laid aside, +and one concern occupied the attention of old and young, which was the +"one thing needful." + +Of several interesting incidents connected with this work, I will +mention one. Mr. Gilmore, on his way to the settlement, called on a +pious lady, who lives fourteen miles from it, and told her of the +intended meeting. Her servant is the daughter of an Irish Catholic, who +lives at Breadalbane. The lady told her she must go to the meeting; and +directed her to ask permission for her sister, who lives in a place of +service adjoining, to accompany her. Leave being granted, the lady took +the girls into her room, and prayed for them most earnestly, that the +means of grace they were about to enjoy might be blessed to their +conversion. They attended during the meeting, and on going home from one +of the services they were accompanied by one of their former associates, +who had been lately converted; on their way she pressed on their minds, +with much earnestness, the truths they had been hearing; and before +parting with them, took them a little off the road, kneeled down on the +snow, and prayed fervently for their conversion. This, to them, was an +additional proof of the reality of the solemn truths they had just +heard. Before leaving the settlement, they called on Mr. F., and told +him the state of their minds, and he believes they returned to their +places converted characters. + + * * * * * + + +DOMESTIC.+ + + PUBLIC MEETINGS. + + WESLEYAN METHODIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY. + +The annual meeting of this Society was held on Monday, May 4th, in +Exeter Hall. John Hardy, Esq., M.P., in the Chair. + +The business of the day was opened, with singing and prayer, by the Rev. +J. Taylor, Chairman of the Conference. + +The hall was crowded to excess, and hundreds sought admission in vain. + +The Rev. Dr. Bunting read the Report, which, though described as an +abstract, was of very great length. It commenced by stating that the +society had twenty-four missionaries and six scripture-readers in +Ireland. They had established schools, at which 7,000 children were +receiving daily instruction, many Roman Catholic families preferring to +send their children there rather than to schools of their own +persuasion. In Sweden, much good has been achieved, and much more might +reasonably be expected, as schools had been established. A society had +also been founded for the purpose of opposing the doctrine of the +heathen; this society had received the Royal sanction, as well as the +support of the principal Bishops, who employed a Wesleyan Missionary as +their Secretary. In Germany also much progress had been made. There was +one society, consisting of 395 persons, and many others were in a state +of probation. In France also the cause of true Christianity was rapidly +advancing. Last year there was in one district a Wesleyan Society +consisting of 268 members, but this year it had increased to 464 +persons, of whom only 70 were English. In Paris seven schools had been +established, and there was an ample opening for five more. There was +also in Paris an Auxiliary Society, by whom 25,000 French tracts have +been circulated, in addition to which 400_l._ had been collected there. +In Spain also the circulation of the Scriptures was making considerable +progress. At Gibraltar a chapel has been built on ground furnished by +Government, and was fully attended by the military. A school was +likewise established, at which 30 children attended daily. The +missionary in Spain wrote 35 letters to the booksellers and others of +the principal towns, calling upon them to become venders of the Holy +Scriptures on commission. One bookseller replied that he should feel +honoured by executing such a commission, not only in his own town, but +on any part of the Peninsula. The missionary having travelled into +Spain, described the moral condition of the great mass of the people as +most deplorable, the light of the Scriptures being altogether hid from +them. In Seville there were 90,000 Roman Catholics, 70,000 of whom +attended neither mass nor confession. Many of these had fallen back upon +infidelity and free-thinking as a refuge from the mummeries of popery. +One Spanish prelate had distributed 3,000 Spanish Bibles in his +district, observing that the battle was not now against Luther or +Calvin, but against Antichrist. Protestants and Catholics, he said, had +an equal hope of salvation, as they both professed the essential +doctrines of Christianity. At Malta, the society was progressing, but at +Alexandria the missionary was withdrawn for the present, it being quite +hopeless for one person to make any progress, particularly when the +ravages making by the plague were taken into consideration. In the South +Seas, particularly in New Zealand and the Friendly Islands, the +missionaries had made the most astonishing approaches to the general +establishment of Christianity. Much good had also been effected both in +Southern and Western Africa, and the West Indies; in the island of +Ceylon they had 10 missionaries, and the Scriptures were translated and +circulated, and schools were established at which 4,000 children were +receiving daily instruction. The prejudices of the people had been +boldly met, and idolatry had been shaken to its foundation. In the West +Indies they had 76 missionaries, but it was hoped they would be +increased to 100, for whose labours there was an ample field. They were +preaching God's holy word to 800,000 of their fellow-creatures just +emancipated from that sin and shame and curse of the country--slavery. + +After some details, the Report went on to say, there were 260 +missionaries divided between 170 missionary stations. There were 48,304 +members, and 37,965 children were educated by the body. The amount of +the year's revenue was 53,437_l._ 15_s._ 2_d._, being an increase on the +former year to the amount of 1,204_l._ 8_s._ 2_d._ This did not include +the splendid legacy of Horatio Cock, of Colchester, which was one-eighth +of his whole fortune, amounting to 5,274_l._; this, with special +contributions, raised the year's revenue to 60,865_l._ 15_s._ but the +average would be about 54,000_l._ + +Lord Mountsandford, Sir Andrew Agnew, Bart., the Rev. J. Clayton, the +Rev. Theodore Drury (Vicar of Keighley), the Rev. J. Dixon (of +Liverpool), the Rev. Dr. Codman, (one of the Deputation from America), +the Rev. Professor Tolock (of Berlin), the Rev. Mr. Williams (a +missionary from the South Seas), the Rev. Dr. Humphry (President of +Amherst College, in the United States), the Rev. W. Reilly (of Dublin), +the Rev. R. Newton (who was loudly applauded), Henry Pownall, Esq., W. +G. Scarth (of Leeds), Thomas Palmer, Esq., the Rev. John McLean, the +Rev. R. Alder, and the Rev. M. Wilson, addressed the meeting, which +lasted from 11 until a quarter past 5 o'clock: after which thanks were +voted to the Chairman. + + * * * * * + + CHRISTIAN INSTRUCTION SOCIETY. + +The subscribers and friends to this Institution held their tenth +anniversary at Finsbury chapel, on Tuesday, the 5th of May. Long before +the time appointed for taking the chair, this spacious building was +crowded by a most respectable audience. + +At six o'clock the Earl of Chichester took the chair, and the services +were commenced by praise and prayer. + +The Secretary read the Report, from which it appeared that, during the +past year, 566 copies of the Holy Scriptures had been circulated, 1662 +cases of distress had been relieved, and 2976 children had been induced +to attend various schools. At the present time there were 75 +Associations, having 1630 visitors, attending 40,666 families, and +holding 91 prayer-meetings. To supply the increasing appetite for +religious and moral books apparent in the lower classes, the Committee +had provided a series of Loan Libraries. There were now fifty such +libraries, each containing fifty volumes. Several interesting facts, +showing the benefit which had resulted from local prayer-meetings, the +loan of tracts, and open-air preaching, were adduced. The mission to +resident foreigners, announced at the last meeting, and conducted by Dr. +Giustiniani, had been attended with the most salutary benefit. Repeated +attempts had recently been made, with considerable encouragement, to +visit the jails and poor-houses. Supplies of tracts and other +publications had been granted to several country Associations. + +Thomas Challis, Esq., then stood forward and presented his accounts as +Treasurer, from which it appeared, that the balance due to the Treasurer +at the last Anniversary was £126 2s. 9d.; the total receipts during the +past year amounted to £1,041 19s. 4d.; the expenditure to £1,024 0s. +1d.; leaving the balance now due to the Treasurer £108 3s. 6d. + +The Rev. J. Leifchild, T. Binney, J. Burnet, C. Stovel, J. Williams, T. +Morell, J. Blackburn; also C. Lushington, Esq., M.P., and H. Dunn, Esq., +in animating and appropriate speeches urged the claims of this Society +on the attention of the Meeting. + + * * * * * + + ECCLESIASTICAL KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY. + +The sixth anniversary of the Society for promoting Ecclesiastical +Knowledge was held in Finsbury chapel, Moorfields, on Wednesday evening, +the 6th of May. Dr. Brown was in the chair. + +After prayer by the Rev. A. Fletcher, and some introductory remarks by +the Chairman, the Rev. Dr. Bennett read a report, which consisted +chiefly of an exposition and defence of the principles and operations of +the Society. It excited deep interest, and drew forth repeated +expressions of applause. + +The receipts by subscriptions, donations, and collections, amounted to +£180 4s. 6d.; and the sale of books, to Dec. 31, 1834, amounted to £128 +11s. 8d. The disbursements were, printing, publication, paper, and +copy-rights, £254 2s. 7d.; postages, advertisements, books for review, +&c., £26 4s. 5d.; commission and advertisements for publications, £28 +8s. 8d.; balance in hand, £3 8s. 10d. Their new monthly publication, =The +Ecclesiastical Journal=, had more than paid its expenses, and the Society +was not in arrears, either to printers, or to other tradesmen. The only +arrear was the remuneration which, in honour, was due to those who had +furnished important communications. + +The Rev. C. Stovel, T. Scales, of Leeds, Mr. Davis, Blackfriars; also +Mr. Brown, of Wareham, D. Wire, Esq., H. Thompson, Esq., B. Hanbury, +Esq., G. Hadfield, of Manchester, and A. Pellatt, Esq., severally +defended the principles of the Society, and showed the necessity for its +existence. + + * * * * * + + BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. + +The thirty-first Anniversary Meeting of this Society was held on +Wednesday, the 6th of May, at the great room of Exeter Hall, and was +more numerously attended than any meeting since the formation of the +Society. Long before the chair was taken, notwithstanding the +unfavourable state of the weather in the morning, every part of the +hall, save a few seats reserved on the platform, was so closely +occupied, as in many instances to be inconvenient to the parties; but +even with that inconvenient pressure, there was not sufficient room for +all who claimed admittance. Under these circumstances it was determined +that the lower room should be opened for those who could not gain +admission into the greater, and that after the Report had been read to +the large meeting, it should be taken down and read in the lower room, +where the Treasurer of the Society, John Thornton, Esq., had consented +to take the chair. Several distinguished supporters of the Society +kindly acceded to the suggestions made to them, that they should deliver +their addresses to the meeting in the lower room. Amongst these were the +Hon. and Rev. Baptist Noel, Rev. C. Daley, Rev. G. Clayton, and the +Rev. Dr. Morison. + +At eleven o'clock Lord Bexley, the President of the Society, came on the +platform. His Lordship was accompanied on the platform by the Marquis +Cholmondeley, the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, Lord Lorton, Lord +Mountsandford, Lord Teignmouth, Rt. Rev. the Bp. of Ohio, the Rev. +Archdeacon Corrie, the Rev. J. W. Cunningham, Mr. Plumptre, M.P., Mr. +Hardy, M.P., Mr. Lushington, M.P., and many other distinguished +supporters of the Society. + +The Secretary, the Rev. A. Brandram, read the Report, which gave +statements and extracts from the communications of correspondents in +various parts of the world, describing the progress of Bible +distribution in those places during the year. The distribution by the +Paris Bible Society had, in the year just closed, amounted to 62,194 +Bibles and Testaments; the distribution of the previous year had not +exceeded 55,666. The accounts from Paris contained also most gratifying +intelligence of the progress of the Society in Switzerland, in some +parts of which a distribution to the amount of 27,000 copies had been +effected by two of the Society's colporteurs. It appeared from extracts +from Dr. Pinkerton's report of the distribution of Bibles and Testaments +in the North of Europe, that 27,935 copies had been distributed last +year in the Hebrew, Greek, Latin, German, Polish, and other languages, +and that a considerable number of these had found their way into the +hands of Roman Catholics. After adverting to the satisfactory progress +of Bible distribution in other parts of Germany, in Sweden, and Russia, +the principal Bible Society of which latter place had already +distributed 717,977 copies of the Sacred Scriptures, the Report adverted +to the state of Portugal and Spain. In the former country there was now +no persecution for religious opinion, but every man was allowed to +choose which religion he pleased, and to worship God according to the +dictates of his own conscience. In the Islands of the Mediterranean and +in Greece, the distribution of the Holy Scriptures had gone on +favourably, and the prospect was equally favourable in Moldavia, +Wallachia, Bucharest, and part of Persia. In Calcutta, and other parts +of the East Indies, there had been a much greater than ordinary +distribution of Bibles and Testaments, and larger collections had been +made to forward the objects of the Society. The accounts from New South +Wales, and the Islands of the Pacific, were also most satisfactory. Two +translations of the New Testament into the language of the different +Islands of the Pacific had been brought to this country by the Rev. Mr. +Yate and the Rev. Mr. Williams, and were now being printed by the +Society. After going into some details from the accounts from Africa, +which were on the whole favourable, the Report observed that they were +the reverse in the States of South America. The attention of the Society +had, during the last year, been greatly directed to the West Indies, +with the view of an extensive distribution of the Scriptures to such of +the newly emancipated negroes as could read. An extra subscription of +£15,000 had been raised for the purpose of promoting that object without +interfering with the general funds of the Society. The Report proceeded +to give extracts from the communications from several islands, showing +the earnest desire of the negroes to avail themselves of every +opportunity to obtain religious instruction. It added that the first +shipment made by the Society to that part of the world consisted of +73,695 copies of the Scriptures, the conveyance of which was given by +the owners of the vessels without any expense to the Society. From +returns from the Isle of France, it appeared that 60,000 negroes had +received civil freedom, not one in ten of whom knew how to read; and the +ignorance was, of course, great in proportion. Adverting to the progress +made by the North American Bible Society, the Report stated that its +receipts in the last year were 88,600 dollars; that its issue of Bibles +and Testaments exceeded 110,000 copies, bringing up the whole +distribution, since the commencement, to 1,113,000. The receipts of the +past year amounted to £107,926. 1s., being the largest amount ever +received in one year since the Society's first commencement. In that +amount there were two items, which could not be included in the +permanent income of the Society. The first was a legacy of £11,695. 12s. +9d. (less by the legacy duty), being a bequest of the late Horatio Cock, +Esq.; and the other a sum of £15,000, voted exclusively for the negro +fund. But when these were taken into account, the general subscriptions +of the Society would be found to be little less than those of the +previous year. In these were included a sum of £29,184. 13s. 7d., being +the amount of free donations from auxiliaries to the Parent Society. The +expenditure within the year was £84,249. 13s. 4d., leaving a balance +exceeding £23,000; but the engagements of the Society amount to above +£69,000. The distribution by the Society in the past year amounted to +653,604 Bibles and Testaments, and portions of the Holy Scriptures, +including those sent to the West Indies, &c.; but even after deducting +the latter, it would be found that there had been a considerable +increase of the issues in the last year as compared with the previous +years. The Report, after again adverting to the exertions made for the +West Indies, and the prospect held out that those exertions would, under +the Divine blessing, be attended with complete success in the religious +instruction of the negro, proceeded to state that the present year, +1835, was the third centenary anniversary of the first printing of an +English Bible. It then contrasted the state of society, and of England +generally of that day with those of the present, and deduced the moral +greatness of England now, compared with what it was then, to its +exertions to promote the free circulation of the Holy Scriptures. At +that time the number of copies in circulation was very small; the extent +of the demand in the present day, as contrasted with that, might be +judged of from this fact, that in one day last month orders had been +given for 365,000 copies of new editions. + +Amongst the speakers were the distinguished individuals whose names have +been already mentioned, to which may be added, the Rev. Dr. Spring +(representative of the American Bible Society), J. Leifchild, W. Yate, +of the Church Missionary Society, Mr. Williams, and Hugh Stowell. + + * * * * * + + BRITISH AND FOREIGN SCHOOL SOCIETY. + +The thirtieth Anniversary of this Institution was held at Exeter Hall, +on Monday, the 11th of May. On no former occasion have we witnessed a +more numerous attendance. + +At twelve o'clock Lord Brougham appeared on the platform, and was +received with long continued cheers. + +Edward Dunn, Esq., the Secretary, read the Report, which commenced by +noticing the death of the late J. B. Wilson, Esq., who had been a warm +supporter of this Institution. By his will he had bequeathed to it the +reversion of £2,000 three per cents. It went on to state, that the +Society's premises had been altered and completed in a most satisfactory +manner, but the expense had exceeded that for which provision was made. +The model school carried on under the direction of Mr. Crosswell +continued to maintain its high character, and was a source of the +greatest satisfaction to the Committee. There had been scattered in the +country 103 young persons, who had received assistance from this +Society, without which they could not have been introduced to spheres of +active usefulness. Persons of various Dissenting denominations, and +members of the Established Church, had taken advantage of the +Institution, and had manifested in their conduct towards each other that +unity which bound all Christians together in the love and service of +their divine Master. A number of new schools had been opened with +considerable prospects of success. Since the last anniversary, +Government had made a second grant of £20,000 towards promoting +education, which had been accompanied by a difference in the mode of +distribution, so that the schools conducted on this system had obtained +only £6,800 of it. The Committee felt that whatever was done should be +on broad and general principles. Grants of slates, lesson books, and +other materials, had been made during the year. Fifty-nine schools, +educating 7,250 children, had been aided during the same period. The +report then reverted to the Society's foreign operations, and +particularly noticed the desire for instruction manifested by the +negroes in the West Indies. It concluded by adverting to the benefits +which the Institution had conferred on the country. + +William Allen, Esq., presented his accounts, as Treasurer, from which it +appeared that the total receipts during the year were £2,645 10s.; the +expenditure amounted to £3,482 7s. 1d.; showing a deficiency upon the +general statement of the year of £836 17s. 1d. Those reports, he +observed, only showed the receipts and expenditure of the current year; +perhaps, on a future occasion, it would be advisable to give a statement +of the Society's assets, and carry on the balance. + +The principal speakers on the occasion were, Mr. Ainsworth, M.P., Mr. +Pease, M.P., H. Pownall, Esq., Mr. Hume, M.P., C. Lushington, M.P.; Rev. +Messrs. G. Clayton, J. Burnet, Dr. Humphreys, J. Williams, and Professor +Vaughan; besides the noble Chairman, whose opening and closing address +imparted no ordinary interest to the meeting, and were listened to with +marks of the warmest approbation. + + * * * * * + + PROTESTANT SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY. + +The twenty-fourth anniversary of this important institution was held at +the City of London Tavern on Saturday, the 16th of May. On no former +occasion have we ever witnessed greater interest excited. At an early +hour every part of the large room was crowded, and hundreds retired, +unable to gain admission. On the platform we observed Mr. Brotherton, +M.P.; Mr. Alderman Wood, M.P.; Mr. Ewart, M.P.; D. W. Harvey, M.P.; Mr. +R. Potter, M.P.; Mr. J. Scholefield, M.P.; Mr. C. Lushington, M.P.; Mr. +J. Parrat, M.P.; Dr. Brown, and several dissenting ministers. + +At twelve o'clock the arrival of Lord Brougham, who had been appointed +to preside on the occasion, was announced, and called forth the repeated +acclamations of the assembly. His Lordship immediately took the chair, +supported by John Wilks, Esq. on his right, and Mr. Alderman Wood on his +left. + +And here we cannot help expressing regret that our limits will not allow +us to present our readers either with the opening or closing address of +the Noble Chairman on this occasion. Without pledging ourselves to the +correctness of every sentiment that was uttered, we have no hesitation +in affirming,--which is perhaps the highest eulogium in the fewest +words,--that these eloquent appeals were every way worthy of the +liberal, the enlightened, the energetic =Henry Brougham=; a name which, +whatever lustre it may derive from the title appended to it, will ever +be indebted for its highest and most gratifying honours, to the heart, +the intellect, and the character of the man. + +For these speeches, together with those of Mr. O'Connell, Dr. Brown, J. +Wilks, C. Lushington, D. W. Harvey, the Rev. Messrs. Stowell, Hoppus, +Sibree, Morell, Dr. Morison, &c., &c., we must refer our readers to the +Patriot of the 20th ult., whose ample columns will afford them a +gratifying report of the meeting. + +The following Resolutions were unanimously adopted:-- + +1. That to the great and benignant principles of Religious Freedom, =this +Society=, including many hundred congregations of Protestant Dissenters +of different denominations, in England and Wales, continue firmly +attached: That they must alway regard every interference with the rights +of conscience as offensive and unjust--as detrimental to general +happiness--and as calculated to produce those hypocrisies or martyrdoms +which wisdom and goodness abhor: And that such interference exists in +every age when perfect social equality, irrespective of religious +opinions and modes of worship, is not enjoyed; and in every country +where any civil advantage is bestowed, or prejudice inflicted, in +consequence only of religious opinions entertained, or modes of worship +preferred. + +2. That such principles should be avowed by =this Society=, if they were +but humble and unconnected individuals, or if they constituted a small +minority in the State; but may be more confidently cherished, and more +boldly proclaimed, when Dissenters from the Established Church are great +in numbers, information, independence, activity, influence, and +wealth--when experience has demonstrated the wide and deep injuries +which other principles and practice produce--when the energies and +benefits of the _voluntary_ principle have been felicitously +evinced--and when the situation of other countries proclaims that +Religion and Religious Freedom best prosper together--and that no +secular alliances are needful to promote the happiest influences of +piety, or the progress of truth: and that, to disregard, or to +insufficient attention, to these principles, =this Meeting= mainly +attribute the numerous grievances which yet peculiarly affect Protestant +Dissenters, and the inadequate progress made by the Legislature and +successive Administrations towards their redress. + +3. That among those grievances =this Meeting= include the continuance of +=Church Rates=, which they had hoped, ere now, would have ceased;--and to +which they object because these Church Rates press specially on peculiar +portions of the people--because they might be averted by a just +appropriation of property belonging to the Church--because they occasion +extensively irritating feuds, and local litigation--and because they are +peculiarly obnoxious to those parishioners who, conscientiously +dissenting from Church Establishments, erect and maintain their own +places of worship--and support their ministers--relieve the necessitous +of their communion--educate the young--and defray every congregational +expense, without asking or desiring assistance from the State, and at +their own spontaneous and voluntary charge. That in connexion with this +object, =this Meeting= sincerely express their condolence with =Mr. John +Childs=, of Bungay, in the imprisonment he is now enduring in the County +gaol at Ipswich, on account of his conscientious objection to the +payment of Church Rates--and also its abhorrence of the system which has +subjected to such cruel and unmerited sufferings, an individual who has +conferred great benefits on the cause of Religion and Morality by means +of the press. + +4. That =this Meeting= also object to the continuance Of =the Marriage +Laws=, which for the solemnization of Marriage, drag Protestant and +Catholic Dissenters, in defiance of their conscientious aversion, or +doctrinal opinions, to the Altars of the Established Church--and regret +that their sound principles have not been regarded in the measures +propounded by the last and preceding Government, for their relief. And +while they acknowledge the courtesy their claims have received, they +express their belief that satisfaction will never ensue till all classes +have the option to consider Marriage as a religious solemnity, or as a +civil contract--and to have the religious solemnity celebrated by the +Ministers of the Congregations or Denomination to which they belong--nor +till Marriages may be registered by a civil officer with safety and +facility, and on economical terms. + +5. That the want of a =National Civil Registration of Births, Marriages, +and Deaths=, is also among the wrongs which =this Society= have exposed +and deplore. That whilst they know that much-needed and incalculable +benefits would result to _the whole Empire_ by the improvement +required--that valuable statistical information would be supplied, and +all property become more secure--yet that the imperfections of the +present system are peculiarly oppressive and vexatious to Dissenters +from the Church, and that the evils they suffer must induce them to urge +for an efficient and immediate remedy with universal, anxious, and +unslumbering zeal. + +6. That whilst =this Meeting= acknowledge the efforts made by a former +Administration, who have now succeeded to the Government, and by liberal +Members of the Legislature to remove the impediments which prevent +Dissenters from sharing the benefits and honours of our =National English +Universities=--they have yet to complain that the spirit of intolerance, +and of selfish and sectarian exclusion, has been triumphant; and that +even the Charter to the London University, founded on expansive and wise +principles, has been deferred: and especially as on the survey of Europe +and America, and even of Scotland, they discover that Colleges and +Universities, with powers of conferring degrees, have been numerously +and usefully established--and as they believe that the prevalence in +England of similar liberality would improve our national destinies, and +give cause both for Science and Religious Liberty to rejoice. + +7. That many other matters prejudicial to Dissenters require +interposition and relief--as, 1. The absurd jurisdictions of the +Ecclesiastical Courts, and their powers to enforce by penance and +indefensible punishment the decrees they pronounce. 2. The liability of +Dissenters to provide substitutes if chosen church-wardens. 3. The heavy +charges arising from the want of some summary means of perpetuating the +Trusts of their Chapels, without the enormous tax from frequent +conveyances at present sustained. 4. The non-extension to them of the +remission of duties chargeable on the materials used in the erection of +their places for worship, which is allowed in favour of the churches and +chapels of the Established Church. 5. The powers of the clergy to +prohibit the tolling of the bell on the death or funeral of Dissenting +parishioners, and to refuse the admission of their corpses into the +church, and to read the Burial Service over those who die unbaptized, +though interred in the parish church-yard. 6. The exclusion of +Dissenting Ministers from officiating (as is permitted in Ireland) in +church-yards at the interment of friends. 7. The difficulty of +punishing, summarily, the interruptions of public worship by the +persecuting or profligate. And 8. The right of Clergymen, however +prejudiced, incompetent, and unpopular, officially to preside at +Vestries of parishioners; as well as other matters, diversified and +vexatious, which chiefly arise from the peculiar favour manifested to +the Established Church, and the withholdment of that perfect equality as +to civil rights between religionists of every class, for which =this +Society= will ever contend. + +8. That with such various grievances, urgent and unredressed--and +regarding the dispositions manifested, by high ecclesiastical +authorities and parties proud in rank and power, to agitate the people +and the parliament by alarms for the Established Church, and to resist +even the reasonable concessions so justly required--and believing that a +crisis has arrived or is approaching, on which the early triumph or +temporary retrogression of the rights of conscience may depend--=this +Meeting= would urgently invoke Dissenters and Methodists, and all friends +to liberal principles, throughout the empire, to be up and stirring--to +prepare for new strifes and elections--to nominate and the return to +the House of Commons only such Representatives as will vindicate those +rights firmly and with zeal--and to afford to the present Administration +the countenance and cooperation merited by their sacrifices and efforts +for Freedom and Reform, and which may enable them to do justice to +Ireland and Great Britain, by promptly correcting every ecclesiastical +and corporation abuse.--And that =this Meeting= regard with decided +approbation and gratitude the strenuous efforts now making in and out of +Parliament to remove the taxes upon knowledge, satisfied that there is +no greater obstacle than such taxes to religious liberty, as well as to +religious instruction. + +9. That the following ministers and gentlemen of different denominations +constitute the Committee of the Society, with power to add to their +numbers, and appoint all other officers: + + Rev. F. A. Cox, LL. D. + ---- W. B. Collyer, D.D. F.A.S. + ---- George Collison + ---- Alexander Fletcher, A.M. + ---- Thomas Jackson + ---- Thomas Lewis + ---- John Morison, D.D. + ---- Thomas Russell, A.M. + Mr. Edward Ashby + William Bateman, Esq. + James Esdaile, Esq. + Martin Prior, Esq. + Thomas Wilson, Esq. + Matthew Wood, Esq. M.P. + John Wilks, Esq. M.P. + James Young, Esq. + +That cordial thanks be rendered to those by whom the duties of the +office have heretofore been fulfilled--and that James B. Brown, Esq., +LL. D., be requested to become Treasurer to this Institution. + +10. That the Meeting avail themselves gladly of another opportunity to +reiterate their grateful expressions to John Wilks, Esq., M.P., the +Honorary Secretary of the Society from the formation, for the zeal and +prudence he has displayed--and for the devotedness and ability with +which he has often resisted intolerance and persecution, and struggled +for that vital and glorious liberty, to which he has long proved himself +to be entirely attached. + +11. That the Society cheerfully offer their acknowledgments to those +members of the Legislature who have presented their petitions and +laboured on their behalf; and hailing with gratification the presence at +this Meeting of =Joseph Brotherton=, Esq., M. P., =William Ewart=, Esq., +M. P., =Daniel Whittle Harvey=, Esq., M. P., =Charles Lushington=, Esq., +M. P., =Daniel O'Connell=, Esq., M. P., =Richard Potter=, Esq., M. P., +=Joseph Scholefield=, Esq., M. P., =T. Thornely=, Esq., M.P., and +=Matthew Wood=, Esq., M.P., they hope during future efforts to receive +their unabated support. + +12. That this Meeting are also rejoiced by the presence of the Rev. Dr. +Codman, the Rev. Dr. Humphrey, the Rev. Dr. Spring, and the Rev. Mr. +Baird from America--and congratulate them and the world on the proofs +supplied by their interesting, enlightened, and prosperous country in +favour of the voluntary principle in matters of religion, and which +demonstrate that her grace and glories may be well and widely diffused +without alliance to the State. + + BROUGHAM, (Chairman.) + +13. That =this Society=, who have hailed as Chairmen at preceding +Anniversaries some of the most distinguished Royal and Noble advocates +for Civil and Religious Liberty, feel peculiar pleasure in expressing +their gratitude and delight that =the Rt. Hon. Lord Brougham= has +presided at their Meeting this day. Assured of the cordiality and +success with which for many years, he has dedicated his intellect, +eloquence, and vast attainments, to the cause of Education--to the +abolition of Slavery--to the accomplishment of legal, corporate, and +public reforms--and to the general amelioration of his country and the +world--=the Meeting= are cheered by the interest he has manifested in +the claims and wrongs of the hundreds of thousands of their countrymen +whom they represent--and anticipate from the powerful support he can +supply that ere long victory will smile on their efforts, and that +knowledge, truth, and liberty will for ever prevail. + + * * * * * + + THE LEICESTERSHIRE BAPTIST ASSOCIATION. + +The Baptist churches in Leicestershire, formerly connected with the +Northamptonshire Association, which embraced most of the churches in the +counties of Derby, Rutland, Leicester, Nottingham, Lincoln, Buckingham, +Bedford, and Northampton, impressed with a conviction that its +efficiency was considerably impaired by its extent, thought it desirable +to form a separate Association, which should be more limited in its +range, and more definite end concentrated in its efforts. + + +In pursuance of this object, a meeting of ministers and deacons, with +their friends, was convened in the school-room of the Harvey Lane +chapel, Leicester, on Monday, November the 10th, 1834; when the +following resolutions were unanimously passed:-- + +1. That the churches of the Calvinistic Baptist denomination, assembling +at Arnsby, Appleby, Husband's-Bosworth, Loughborough, Harvey-Lane, +Leicester, Monk's-Kirby, Oadby, Sheepshead, and Sutton-in-the-Elms, do +now form themselves into a Union, to be called "=The Leicestershire +Baptist Association=." + +2. That the great design of this Union be the promotion of the kingdom +of Jesus Christ; by holding meetings for mutual exhortation and united +prayer;--by affording opportunities for the cultivation of brotherly +love between the ministers and members of the several churches; by +endeavouring to advance the cause of the Redeemer throughout the county. + +3. That this Association hold its meetings twice a year--on the Tuesday +in Easter week, and on the first Tuesday in November: and that they be +holden at each place connected with the Union in its turn; each minister +being expected to preach in his course. And that at the Spring meeting a +report of the state of the churches be received, and the business of the +Association transacted. + +4. That with a view to the relief of cases of ministerial distress, to +assist in carrying the gospel into neglected villages, and to defray the +necessary expenses of the Association, a fund be established, sustained +by collections at the half-yearly meetings, as well as by private +subscriptions. And that a Committee of Management be formed, composed of +the ministers and deacons of the churches. + +5. That all churches in the county or its vicinity, wishing to unite +with the Leicestershire Association, be requested to convey their +sentiments, either by letter or otherwise, through some member of the +Union, at one of its regular meetings; and that such applications be +attended to without delay. + +6. That Mr. New, of Arnsby, be requested to act as Secretary, and Mr. C. +B. Robinson, of Leicester, as Treasurer, for the first year; and that +the Secretary be desired to give a fortnight's notice of each meeting to +the ministers or deacons of the churches. + +The Association held its first meeting at Arnsby, on Easter Tuesday, +April 21. The services commenced, in the morning, at half-past ten +o'clock, when communications were received from different churches; in +the afternoon Mr. Aveline, of Loughborough, preached from Acts xvi. 5, +"_On the present state of religion in the churches, and the best means +of promoting its improvement:_" in the evening Mr. Mursell, of +Leicester, preached from 1 Cor. xv. 24. The services were numerously +attended, and left a very gratifying impression; from which it is hoped, +that the Union may be productive of considerable good. + +The next meeting of the Association will be held at the Harvey Lane +chapel, Leicester, on the first Tuesday in November. + +It is to be regretted that, from some misunderstanding, no numerical +report was received from many of the churches; consequently, the results +of the past year cannot be accurately recorded. + + =J. New=, _Secretary_. + + * * * * * + + WELLS, SOMERSETSHIRE. + +The following important and interesting case of the Baptist Church in +the city of Wells, is respectfully submitted to the consideration of the +friends of Zion. + +In the year 1814 a few persons, desirous of advancing the cause of +Christ in this populous city, opened a room for the preaching of the +gospel, which, being well attended, led to the purchase of some freehold +property, that was converted into a chapel and burial-ground, the cost +of which was £540. This case received the sanction of the ministers in +the neighbourhood, among whom were the Rev. Messrs. Ryland, Roberts, +Murch, Saunders, and Tidman. + +Subsequent to the removal of the first minister, the Rev. J. P. Mursell +fixed his residence among them, and it pleased the great Head of the +Church to bless his labours to such a pre-eminent degree, that it became +absolutely necessary to build the present commodious chapel, which was +opened in October, 1827, by the Rev. Robert Hall. + +The cause, from that period, has been growing, until the Rev. Mr. +Groser, their late pastor, embraced the _sentiments_ of Mr. Irving, and +renounced _believers' baptism_. Having given up his pastoral office over +this church, and opened another place of worship in the city, many of +the church and congregation followed him, which has placed this once +flourishing interest in peculiar difficulties with regard to the +finances. The sum expended in building the present chapel, including the +debt remaining on the first purchase, is as follows:-- + + Purchase, Building, &c. 1190 15 7 + Subscriptions and Contributions 890 15 7 + ---------- + Balance due 300 0 0 + ---------- + +The ministers in the neighbourhood have kindly afforded their aid, and +view this interest as one of no ordinary importance, since it presents +an extensive field for the exercise of genuine benevolence. The deacons +and friends, having the fullest confidence in the liberality of the +Christian public, respectfully solicit _early donations_, that they may +be freed from the payment of interest money, by the present debt being +liquidated, and thereby be enabled to give all their support to a +faithful minister of the everlasting gospel. This hope is greatly +strengthened by the consideration, that, through the blessing of God, +the congregation is increasing, and the prayer-meetings are well +attended. The following ministers will cheerfully receive contributions +for the above case:--Rev. S. Summers, T. S. Crisp, and T. Winter, +Bristol; J. Jackson, Bath; T. Clarke, Paulton, near Bath; J. Mason, +Norton St. Philip's, near Bath; J. P. Mursell, Leicester; T. Price, +London; J. S. Bunce, Devizes; W. Jones, and J. Dyer, Frome; and Mr. C. +Tyte, Watchmaker, Wells. + + * * * * * + + CHAPELS OPENED. + + KEYNSHAM, NEAR BRISTOL. + +In the autumn of the last year it was found necessary to take down the +old meeting-house, its dilapidated state having rendered it unsafe to +worship in. A new one is erected on the same site, the internal +arrangements of which are much more commodious than those of the former. +It was opened for Divine worship on Tuesday, the 21st of April; on which +occasion, Mr. Summers, of Broadmead, Bristol, preached in the morning, +from 1 Cor. xiii. 12; Mr. Winter, of Counterslip, Bristol, in the +afternoon, from Matt. xiii. 16, 17; and Mr. Lucy, of Lady Huntingdon's, +Bristol, in the evening, from 1 Pet. iii. 18. The devotional services +were conducted by Messrs. John Jackson and James Jackson, of Bath, +Probert, of Bristol, and Fuller, of Hallen; Mr. Ayres, the pastor of the +church, closing the services of the day with prayer and thanksgiving. +The collection amounted to £32. The whole cost will be £700; about £300 +remaining yet to be liquidated. The church and congregation, by no means +opulent, have exerted themselves to the utmost, and would feel +particularly grateful for such assistance from their Christian brethren +as should render it unnecessary for their pastor to leave them for the +purpose of soliciting contributions. They trust this new period in their +history will be the commencement of a brighter day than any which has +yet dawned upon them. + + * * * * * + + THOVERTON, DEVON. + +A new Baptist chapel was opened for Divine worship at Thoverton, October +2nd, 1834; when the Rev. S. Nicholson, of Plymouth, preached in the +morning; and the Rev. J. Baynes, of Wellington, in the evening. Mr. +Hoskins, minister of the place, was publicly ordained and recognized as +pastor of the church in the afternoon, when the Rev. P. Anstie, of +Exeter, described the nature of a Christian church; the Rev. S. S. +Hatch, of Honiton, asked the usual questions; the Rev. C. Sharp offered +the ordination prayer; the Rev. Dr. Payne (Indep.), of the Western +Academy, gave the charge; the Rev. Messrs. W. Blaudy (Indep.), C. +Bushby, and R. Pyne, took part in the devotional services, which were +numerously and respectably attended. This neat and substantial chapel, +measuring 49ft. by 32ft., including two school-rooms, a small +burying-ground, and expenses of writings, &c., cost only £480. Nearly +one-third of the amount has been already obtained; for the remainder Mr. +Hoskin is now soliciting the Christian public. The previous destitute +state of this neighbourhood, and its present promising appearance, give +it peculiar claims on their attention. + + * * * * * + + SHREWTON, WILTS. + +A new chapel was opened at Shrewton, Wilts, November 20, 1834. The Rev. +P. Saffery, of Salisbury, was to have preached the morning sermon, but +in consequence of illness, his place was kindly supplied by the Rev. C. +Williams, Independent minister of Salisbury. The afternoon and evening +sermons were preached by the Rev. Messrs. Day, of Wincanton, and Winter, +of Bristol. + +The services were interesting and impressive. The pastor of the church +at Shrewton, the Rev. J. Gunning, is about to appeal to the Christian +public to aid his poor but zealous flock in liquidating the debt which +remains on their new place of worship; and it is hoped that he will meet +with kind and liberal encouragement. + + * * * * * + + HATHERLEIGH, DEVON. + +On Thursday, the 12th of March last, the new Baptist chapel at +Hatherleigh, Devon, was opened for Divine worship. In the morning, +brother Veysey, of Torrington, read and prayed; and brother Nicholson, +of Plymouth, preached from Matt. xiii. 33; and brother Pyne, of +Bideford, closed in prayer. In the afternoon, brother Pyne read and +prayed; and brother May, of Croyde, preached from Acts viii. 5. In the +evening brother Pulsford, of Torrington, read and prayed; and brother +Nicholson preached from John vi. 37, 38, and closed in prayer. Though +the rain was tremendous all the forenoon, yet the place was crowded, and +great numbers were prevented coming by the waters which overflowed the +roads. This is a cause commenced by the Baptist friends of Torrington, +and at present promises to be successful, far beyond the most sanguine +expectations of its warmest friends. + +A gallery appears to be much needed already. May the friends of the +Redeemer be ready cheerfully to aid this poor but pious people in this +good and very desirable work! The present erection is 45ft. by 28ft., +and has cost about £300., of which not more than £50. has been raised. +Here is a fine field for a home missionary. If a holy, active man could +be placed there, there is good ground to expect a most abundant harvest. + + * * * * * + + +ORDINATIONS.+ + + CHATHAM, KENT. + +On Thursday, February 26th, the Rev. F. Overbury was publicly recognized +as the pastor of the Baptist church meeting in Providence Chapel, +Chatham. The Rev. R. W. Overbury, of London, commenced the service with +reading and prayer. The Rev. T. Price, of Devonshire Square, delivered +the introductory discourse, asked the usual questions, and received Mr. +Overbury's confession of faith. The Rev. W. G. Lewis, of Chatham, +offered the ordination prayer. The Rev. W. H. Murch, president of +Stepney College, gave the charge, from Col. i. 7; and the Rev. J. Smith, +of London, preached to the people, from Phil. i. 27. The Rev. P. +Thompson, A.M. (Indep.), concluded the interesting service with prayer. + + * * * * * + + ARTILLERY-STREET, LONDON. + +On Wednesday, May 20, the Rev. C. Bathurst Woodman was publicly +recognized as the pastor of the church assembling in Artillery-street, +Bishopsgate without. The Rev. J. B. Shenston commenced the service by +reading the Scriptures and prayer; Rev. N. M. Harry, of Broad-street, +delivered the introductory discourse; the Rev. J. Belcher asked the +usual questions; the Rev. A. Tidman, of Barbican, offered the +designation prayer; and the Rev. J. E. Giles, of Salters' Hall, +delivered the charge to the minister. + +On the following evening, the Rev. T. Price, of Devonshire Square, +preached to the people; the Rev. Messrs. Murch, president of Stepney +College, Davies, of Aldermanbury, Peacock, of Spencer Place, &c., +conducted the other parts of the service. The interest of the meeting on +Wednesday was greatly increased by the presence of the venerable Isaiah +Birt, who, though too ill to officiate, attended for the purpose of +expressing his deep and affectionate interest in the welfare of his +young friend, Mr. Woodman, and of the church assembling in +Artillery-street chapel. + + * * * * * + + EVESHAM, WORCESTERSHIRE. + +The Rev. J. Blakeman, late of Crayford, has accepted the unanimous +invitation of the Second Baptist Church, Evesham, Worcestershire (late +Rev. C. Room, removed to New Park Street, London), and entered on his +stated pastoral labours the first Sabbath in April last. + + * * * * * + + DEPUTATION TO AMERICA. + +The Secretaries of the Baptist Union have received a letter from Dr. Cox +and Mr. Hoby, dated New York, April 15. We are happy to learn that our +esteemed brethen reached the shores of America the preceding day in +safety, and were then preparing to enter upon their arduous duty. + + * * * * * + + +NOTICES.+ + +The first Meeting of the East Kent Particular Baptist Association will +be held (Providence permitting) at Dover, on Tuesday and Wednesday, June +the 9th and 10th. The brethren, T. Cramp, of St. Peter's, and Steadman, +of Ramsgate, to preach. On Wednesday evening a public meeting will be +held, in order to form an Auxiliary Baptist Misssionary Society for +East Kent and its neighbourhood. The Rev. Eustace Carey is expected to +be present. + + * * * * * + +The Annual Meeting of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Association of +Baptist churches will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday in Whitsun week, +in George-street chapel, Manchester. Brethren Godwin, Steadman, of +Bradford, and Stephens, are to preach. In case of failure, brethren +Acworth, of Leeds, Harbottle, of Accrington, and Larom. + +Accommodation will be provided for such friends as may come from a +distance. + + * * * * * + +The annual meeting of the Bristol Education Society will take place on +Thursday, the 11th of June instant, at the vestry of Broadmead meeting, +Bristol. The sermon will be preached by the Rev. James Acworth, of +Leeds, at Broadmead meeting, at eleven o'clock in the forenoon. + + * * * * * + +The Annual Meeting of the =Baptist Union= will be held at New Park Street +chapel, on Wednesday morning, June 17. Breakfast at six o'clock. The +chair to be taken precisely at seven. + +A preparatory meeting of the ministers and representatives will be held +at Salters' Hall chapel, on Monday, June 15th, precisely at five o'clock +in the afternoon; when it is earnestly hoped the brethren, especially +those from the country, will attend. + + * * * * * + +The annual sermon for the Baptist Building Fund will be preached by the +Rev. J. J. Davies, of Tottenham, on Sunday evening, June 14th, at Maze +Pond chapel. Service to commence at half-past six. + +The annual meeting will be held on Monday evening, June 22nd, at +Eagle-street chapel, Red Lion Square; the chair to be taken by Joseph +Fletcher, Esq., at half-past six. + + + RECENT DEATHS. + + MRS. MARY MIDDLETON. + +Died, on the 16th of April, in the eighty-fifth year of her age, Mary, +relict of the Rev. J. D. Middleton, the first pastor of the Baptist +church, Lewes, Sussex. For upwards of fifty years she honourably +sustained the Christian character, and "came to her grave in a full age, +like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season." + + * * * * * + + MR. NICHOLAS MEHL. + +Died, on May 2nd, 1835, Mr. Nicholas Mehl, of Chiswick, a deacon of the +Baptist church at Hammersmith, in his 82nd year. He was a native of +Strasburg, in Germany, and left that country for England at the age of +19; was baptized by the Rev. J. Uppadine in the year 1806. He was one of +the warmest friends to the Baptist cause at Hammersmith, and his +unassuming simplicity of manners, purity of conduct, and marked +benevolence of character, made him beloved by all who knew him. It may, +with truth, be said, he devoted his time to the cause of God, paid much +attention to the poor, and in promoting their comfort seemed to find his +own happiness. May his aged widow, and the church with whom he has been +so long connected, trace his footsteps, and follow him as far as he +followed Christ. His remains were deposited in the vault beneath the +school-room, attached to the Baptist meeting-house, on Thursday, the 7th +of May, there to repose until the resurrection morn. The Rev. J. +Uppadine improved his removal the following Sabbath morning, from Rev. +vii. 14, to the end. + + * * * * * + + THE REV. SAMUEL SAUNDERS. + +On Tuesday morning, May 19, at half-past one o'clock, died, suddenly, of +a fit of apoplexy, in the 56th year of his age, the Rev. Samuel +Saunders, for nine years pastor of the Baptist church assembling in +Byrom-street, Liverpool. By this sudden and painful stroke the church is +clad in mourning, and a deep and solemn impression is made in the town +at large. A memoir of the deceased may soon be expected. + + + NEW PUBLICATIONS. + + _Just Published._ + +The Just Cause; or, the Claims of the Dissenters Expounded, and their +Conduct Vindicated. + +An Appeal to the Legislature and the Nation, upon the unconstitutional +Character and irreligious Tendency of an Ecclesiastical Establishment, +united with the Civil Government. By A. Z. + +Strict Communion Vindicated. An Answer to the Question, "Why are you a +Strict Baptist?" By John Bane, minister of the Gospel, Aylsham. + + * * * * * + +=Errata.=--In our last number, at page 185, for "tracts" of Elias Hicks, +read "tenets." And in p. 186, after "bold," read "that of" the +Apologist. + + + + + IRISH CHRONICLE. + + JUNE, 1835. + + +An esteemed correspondent, in forwarding recently a valuable +contribution to the funds of the Baptist Irish Society, most justly +remarks, "The Society has walked, perhaps more than any other, 'by +faith, and not by sight.'" And, perhaps, whatever difficulties may have +attended its walk, no society has received greater encouragement calmly +to pursue "the even tenor of its way," or to "walk by the same rule," +and to "mind the same thing." At the same time, it may not be improper +to remind the considerate and generous benefactors of the institution, +that "the administration of this service not only supplieth the wants of +the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God." + +It is intended, Providence permitting, to hold the approaching Annual +Meeting of the Society at the City of London Tavern, Bishopsgate Street, +on Friday morning, the 19th instant. Breakfast at six o'clock, and the +chair to be taken at seven precisely. It is expected that the Rev. +William Thomas, of Limerick, one of the society's earliest agents, will +be present, and communicate to the meeting much interesting +intelligence. + +On the previous Monday, the 15th instant, the claims of the society will +be advocated, at the Rev. J. E. Giles's chapel, Salters' Hall, by the +Rev. E. Steane, of Camberwell, who has kindly consented to preach the +Annual Sermon. Service to commence at half-past six in the evening. + + * * * * * + + _To the_ =Secretary=. + + _Limerick, April 18th, 1835._ + + My dear Sir, + +Having only returned to this from various places where I have been +visiting the schools and preaching as usual, and must go off in the +morning to preach at Castle Connell and O'Briens bridge, and trying to +grasp every thing, I have only time to write a few lines, and with them +send the readers' journals, as they must go off by the next post, to be +in time. I was much delighted with the Bristol and Keppel Street +Schools, which I have just seen, though in different directions. I trust +I was very useful at Ballycar, where a young lady, twenty years and two +months old, was called in a few hours into eternity, the niece of Major +Colpoys, and daughter of Alderman Abbott of Dublin; she died in the +Lord, and left several unquestionable testimonies. + + Purged in the flood which flowed from Jesu's side, + She lived a Christian, and a Christian died. + +I attended her funeral, and gave several lectures at Ballycar, which I +trust tended to instruct and comfort: several were much affected. I +wrote since a letter, which I hope may be accompanied with a blessing to +her amiable family in Dublin. + +I have been since my return preaching at Castle Connell and at +Cloughjordan, and have been this week to Maththeal, to try to get a +place of our own in that town for preaching; it is much wanted, and it +is the next town (though poor and yet populous) in consequence to +Limerick in the county. Good Mr. Finch took me in his gig from Finchly, +there and back; I lectured there, and he gave me £3. for the Society, +and promised me another pound. He and his truly pious and worthy lady +treated me with great kindness. + + Your's, &c. + =W. Thomas.= + + * * * * * + + _To the_ =Secretary=. + + _Coolany, April 20th, 1835._ + + Dear Brother, + +Notwithstanding all the opposition that is made to some of our schools +in this district, still there is every reason to believe that this +opposition is useless, and, instead of the enemy accomplishing what he +desires, it will by the blessing of God have a direct tendency to +further the object it wishes to suppress, and strengthen the cause it +aims to destroy. It appears to me that ignorance is already so far +removed from the bulk of the peasantry, that every attempt to keep them +from seeking instruction will prove a failure. It is evident to every +one that makes a little observation, education is removing ignorance; +and every attempt to stop its advancing progress will prove abortive, +and from whatever persons it may proceed, will expose them to infamy and +shame. However numerous may be our opposers, so long as we are pursuing +the welfare of man in accordance with the principles of divine truth, +whatever difficulties we may have to contend with, we need not be held +in suspense with regard to the issue. May it be our concern to pursue +our course in the spirit of Christians, then our feeble exertions will +have the approbation and blessing of God! "And who is he that will harm +you if ye be followers of that which is good?" + +With this you will also receive the journals of the inspectors and +sabbath readers. I hope that the Lord is blessing their labours in +leading sinners to the knowledge of the truth, in promoting the +doctrines of the gospel, and the advancement of his own glory. Many of +the people are beginning to feel anxious to read the Scriptures for +themselves, and to feel the importance of taking them as their only +guide; and, whilst there are some that implicitly lean to the authority +of the priest, there are others who reject the traditions of men, and +claim the indisputable right of judging for themselves in matters that +relate to the salvation of the soul, and the glory of God. + +During the present month, besides supplying at Ballina on the Sabbath +during Mr. Allen's absence, I have visited several places in the +country, and hope to visit them as often as I possibly can. The +preaching of the gospel, accompanied by the blessing of God, like the +waters of a mighty river, bears down all before it; and Jehovah has +promised that it shall rise and expand, like the waters of the deluge, +until it cover the whole earth, and universally prevail. A few Roman +Catholics have attended preaching since I came to reside in this +village. May the Lord give me wisdom and understanding that I may be +wise to win souls to Christ, and more grace that I may be more devoted +to his service! + + Your's &c. + =J. Bates.= + + * * * * * + + _To the_ Rev. =J. Bates=. + + _Easky, Mar. 30, 1835._ + +Since my last letter I travelled through parts of the counties of Latrun +and Sligo, earnestly endeavouring as usual, by reading, conversation, +and expounding the Scriptures, to promote the design of our Institution +among my friends and acquaintances. + +Within one mile of Dromahare, I entered the house of an old woman of +ninety-eight years, with whom I had often-times before conversed, on the +doctrine of justification by faith; when she understood I had arrived, +she sent for me, stretched out her hand, and said she was happy to see +me before death would call her away. I told her I was sorry to see her +so low, but as it was the will of the Lord, we ought to be resigned to +his will. I asked her what her dependance was? Her reply was, In Jesus +Christ alone, and that she had derived great comfort from reading some +tracts I had left her, the last time I was with her; I said to her, +"Have you never done any thing to please God?" "O no, Sir, I was too +long of that opinion, and through hearing you, and reading the parts of +the Scriptures you pointed out to me, I am persuaded that all the power +and the glory is the Lord's." I was rejoiced to find so great a change +in this poor woman, and endeavoured to point out to her the Lamb of God, +who taketh away the sins of the world. I read several chapters of the +word of God, and prayed with her. I conversed and read with many +Protestants and Roman Catholics during my journey, as well as in the +neighbourhood in which I live; many of them will pay great attention, +while others think they are not safe to hear me read the Scriptures. + + =F. Irwin.= + + * * * * * + + _To the_ Rev. =W. Thomas=. + + _Ballycar, April 13, 1835._ + +I forward you an account of my labours, during the past month. March +17th. In Crussagh, I read Matt. xxv. to four persons, pointing out to +them, from the parable of the ten virgins, the absolute necessity of +watchfulness, and of being prepared to meet our Lord when he doth come. +March 22nd. In Newmarket, I read 2 Cor. v. to two persons, pointing out +to them the full assurance which the apostle Paul had of the immediate +happiness, in eternal felicity, after death, when he could say, "We +know that, if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we +have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the +heavens." One of these persons said he could not be convinced that any +poor sinner could be good enough to enter heaven, or appear in the +presence of God, without being cleansed from his sins in purgatory. As +to goodness, our Lord declares, "after all we have done, we are +unprofitable servants." And he says of the unprofitable servant, "Take +and bind him, hand and foot, and cast ye the unprofitable servant into +outer darkness, where there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing +of teeth." Again, we read in Eph. ii. 8. "By grace are ye saved, through +faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, +lest any man should boast." Again in Titus iii. 5, "Not by works of +righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved +us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." +After reading different passages of Scripture to these persons, proving +that "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God eternal life +through Jesus Christ," I endeavoured to convince them, from different +passages of Scripture, that Christ, after having purged our sins, sat +down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. March 28th. In Drumline, +I read John v. endeavouring to impress on the minds of three persons the +necessity of reading the Scriptures, and of obeying that direct command +of our Lord's, who says, "Search the Scriptures." One of these persons +replied, that the Scriptures ought to be read by every person, and he +was convinced any person preventing others from reading them, had a +great deal to answer for. April 2nd. I read to two persons Matt. vi. +pointing out to them the crime of persons who repeat the Lord's prayer, +who have the smallest enmity to others, showing them they were not +calling upon God to forgive them, but they were calling upon him to +condemn them, as long as such a spirit of hatred existed in their minds. +These persons never seemed to have considered this before, and seemed +much alarmed at the idea of it. April 5. In Quin, I read Luke xi. to +five persons, pointing out to them the great inducement which our Lord +gives to prayer, when he says, "If a son ask bread of any of you that is +a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a +fish give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good +gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give +the Holy Spirit to them that ask him!" April 10. In Granahan, I read +Acts v. to four persons, pointing out to them the dreadful visitation of +God's judgment on Ananias and Sapphira, in consequence of a lie, showing +them from different portions of Scripture, that liars are set down with +murderers. + + =Samuel Cross.= + + * * * * * + + _To_ =Rev. J. Allen=. + + _Ballina, April 18, 1835._ + + Dear Sir, + +It is now about twelve months since I entered on the active duties of my +station at Easky. On beholding opposition directed against the cause of +Christ from various quarters, and conscious of my own weakness, I +commenced my labours with a trembling heart. In humble dependence on Him +who can do infinitely more than short-sighted mortals can comprehend, I +entered the field, and, the Lord's name be praised, experienced that +"the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong;" and though +"there are many devices in man's heart, nevertheless, the counsel of the +Lord shall stand." In the commencement, Roman Catholics and nominal +Protestants were unwilling to come under the preaching of the gospel; +but at present Roman Catholics, as well as Protestants, are regular in +their attendance at preaching; and the spirit of inquiry, that prevails +among both parties, exceeds any thing that I have hitherto witnessed. +May not the friends of Christ hail with rapture the approach of that +period, when their exertions on behalf of Ireland will be rewarded, and +their hopes realized? Yes: there is at present much cause of +thankfulness, that their labours have been already abundantly owned, and +the word of the Lord is gone forth, and is daily prospering in the +things whereunto it was sent. + +During the spring, as the people can come a longer distance, the +congregations, on the Sabbath-days, are larger than in winter, but on +the week-days not so well attended in the villages, as the people are +employed in the fields. However, I endeavour to meet them at their work, +for the purpose of speaking to them about the salvation of their souls; +and on these occasions I find the Irish language very useful, as the +most inveterate opposers of religion, when addressed in their own +tongue, are ready to hearken with attention. The conversations that +occur from time to time are often very interesting. + + =M. Mullarky.= + + + CONTRIBUTIONS. + + Received by the Treasurer:-- + + £ s. d. + R. G., per W. L. Smith, Esq. 1 1 0 + Legacy of the late Mrs. Bailey, of Brixton 200 0 0 + T. Stephens, Esq., Ramsgate 1 0 0 + Mrs. John Gale, Bedford 0 10 0 + Mrs. Gamby, ditto 0 10 0 + + Received by the Rev. J. Dyer:-- + + Rev. J. B. Burt (Beaulieu) and friends 2 0 0 + Sylvanus Fox, Esq., Wellington 0 10 0 + Hetton, by Mrs. Greatrex 1 10 0 + Manchester, York Street Sunday School, by Mrs. Giles. 2 2 0 + Plymouth, by Rev. S. Nicholson 3 1 0 + John Baylis, Esq., Ponders' End. 10 0 0 + Rev. J. Stuart, Sawbridgeworth 1 1 0 + Bewdley, Friends, by Rev. G. Brookes 1 15 9 + Edinburgh, Friends, by Rev. W. Innes 4 0 0 + Edinburgh, Friend, by Miss Haldane 1 0 0 + Rev. Reynold Hogg, Kimbolton 2 2 0 + + By the Secretary:-- + + A Friend to the Baptist Irish Society, + by the Rev. C. Elven, of Bury 100 0 0 + W. Paxon, Esq., ann. subs. 1 1 0 + W. B. W. 5 0 0 + C. Robson, Berwick 5 0 0 + The Baptist Congregational Missionary Society, Berwick 5 0 0 + + Collected by the Rev. S. Davis,-- + + At Cheltenham, additional 2 2 6 + Worcester, Mrs. Page 5 0 0 + Birmingham 34 5 10 + Liverpool 100 4 8 + Bradford (Yorkshire) 3 0 0 + Rochdale 8 5 0 + Manchester 33 9 0 + Bolton 4 0 0 + Warrington 8 14 7 + + * * * * * + +Subscriptions received by S. Marshall, Esq., 181, High Holborn; Mr. P. +Millard, Bishopsgate Street; Messrs. Burls, 56, Lothbury; Rev. G. +Pritchard, 4, York Place, Pentonville, gratuitous Secretary; by Messrs. +Ladbrokes and Co., Bankers, Bank Buildings; by Mr. H. D. Dickie, 13, +Bank Street, and Rev. Mr. Innes, Frederick Street, Edinburgh; and P. +Brown, Esq., Cardigan. + + LONDON: J. HADDON, PRINTER, CASTLE STREET, FINSBURY. + + + + + MISSIONARY HERALD. + CXCVIII. JUNE, 1835. + + + BAPTIST MISSION. + +The Friends to this Mission are respectfully informed, that the +following arrangements have been made for the =Annual Meetings of the +Society=:-- + + TUESDAY, JUNE 16. + +=Morning, xi.=--The Committee of the Society will assemble at the Mission +House, Fen Court, when the company of all ministers of the Denomination, +who may be in town, is requested. + + WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17. + +=Morning, xi.=--Sermon at the Poultry Chapel (Rev. J. Clayton's), by the +Rev. =Samuel Summers=, of Bristol. + +=Evening, vi.=--Sermon at Surrey Chapel, Blackfriars Road, by the Rev. +=Benjamin Godwin=, of Bradford, Yorkshire. + + THURSDAY, JUNE 18. + +=Morning, IX.=--Meeting for prayer, at Eagle Street Meeting House. Some +Minister from the country is expected to deliver an Address. + +=XI.=--Annual Meeting of the Society, at Finsbury Chapel, =T. F. Buxton=, +Esq., M.P., in the Chair. + + + FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. + + COLOMBO. + +We have much pleasure in communicating the following intelligence from +this important station. The baptism of twenty-four native converts in +less than a year, and the formation of another church composed of those +who were lately heathens, are circumstances of great interest, and must +be very encouraging to our worthy brother, who has been labouring so +diligently among them. + + At nearly the conclusion of another year, I am reminded of my + obligations to write to you. On surveying the events which have + occurred in it, we have reason to sing both of mercy and judgment to + our heavenly Father. While much affliction has reigned around us, I + have to bless God for the continuation of my own life and health to + labour for Him. Each of the members of my own family have had to + endure a large degree of sickness and debility; yet it has not come + near to myself, except as the enervating nature of a tropical clime + has produced a considerable degree of lassitude, connected with the + labours of a Missionary life. Nor do I recollect that, during the + year I have been obliged to suspend any public exercise through + personal indisposition. This continuance of health has been rendered + more valuable in consequence of the repeated illness of my + colleague, brother Siers, who has been many times laid aside from + his work, so that I have been obliged in many instances, as far as I + could consistently with my stated engagements, to take what devolves + on him. As he is chiefly occupied in labouring among the Portuguese, + I have been under the necessity of cultivating an acquaintance with + their language, and have now acquired a sufficiency of it to preach + in it the glorious Gospel of the blessed God. + + In the commencement of the year, things wore a distressing + appearance, and we went forward with our work under many + discouragements. But in the progress of the year I do not know of + any part of the time since I have been here, in which a greater + degree of the Divine blessing appears to have rested on my labours, + as far as the native population is concerned. Twenty-three + Singalese, and one Tamil man, after subjecting them to a + considerable trial, and private as well as public instruction, have + been baptized and added to the church, and they appear to continue + to walk according to the vows they have made. Sixteen of these live + contiguous to the village called Byamvillee, which I either supply + myself or some of our friends, every Sabbath-day; so that we have + now a little church in that village of twenty-eight members, to whom + the word of God is regularly preached, and the ordinances of His + house duly administered. By the aid, too, of some of the members of + our Singalese church, we have been enabled, on a Sabbath-day, to + carry on a village itinerancy to a greater extent than before. So + that, in addition to the Singalese, Portuguese, and English + services, which are conducted in our regular places of worship in + the Grand Pass, Pettah, in the Fort, and Hanwella, we have seven + places around Colombo, or in the environs of it, where there is + Singalese preaching, either every Sabbath or every other + Sabbath-day. These are independent of many places to which, on week + days, we go to make known the name of the Saviour. + + In consequence of the recent removals of the 61st and 97th regiments + from Colombo to other parts of the island, our English church has + been almost entirely scattered; but a small number are now again + collected, who have been regularly organized into a Christian + society. Our schools, which at the commencement of the year were + much diminished by the alarming prevalence of the small-pox, have + again recovered to in general their former size; especially the + female school in our own yard, conducted by my own family, which now + numbers more than fifty scholars, who have made very rapid progress + in reading and in needlework. I fear unless we can obtain further + assistance in this school, it must for a time be renounced, as my + eldest daughter appears, by a continued pain in her side, to labour + under a liver complaint, which renders a relaxation of her labours + indispensably necessary, even if a removal to a colder clime be not + requisite to save her life. Our schools, with the exception of one, + which, on account of local circumstances, has for a time been lately + discontinued, are the same in number as at the conclusion of the + last year--and the number of attendants nearly the same. + + The inhabitants of this part of the island have been much afflicted + lately by a dreadful flood, which no one living ever recollects to + have been equalled. It came on suddenly and unexpectedly, at + mid-night, like the judgment day. By it multitudes were roused from + their slumbers, and obliged to fly for their lives. Many were killed + by it; the houses of others destroyed--and being near the approach + of harvest, the injury done to the rice and other crops is + incalculable. Many of our members have suffered severely from it, in + the loss of their little property, in the destruction of their + houses, and in the bodily privations they have endured. I went on + Wednesday last to preach at a village where one of our members + lives, and the account he gave me of the perilous condition in which + he and his family were, was most heart-rending. The water rose as + high as the shoulders of a tall man in his house. His dwelling was + washed away. He and his son were obliged to ascend to the outside of + the roof of a bungalow, where they remained two days without food; + if they called no one could hear them, they could get near no one, + nor any one near to them. There, amidst the pelting of the rain--the + howling of the wind--the creaking of the trees--and the fear of the + place on which they were sitting falling, they were obliged to + continue. The government, with the most commendable diligence, sent + boats laden with rice and dried fish, as far as they were able; and + a subscription has been opened to afford relief to the sufferers, + which has been liberally supported. I engaged persons, whom I + supplied with money, to go among the most needy in and near to + Colombo, and give them food to prevent their dying with hunger. Our + meeting-house at Hanwella has been entirely destroyed by the + inundation; and, in the present state of things there, I do not + think it expedient to build it again. A small bungalow will be + erected for the accommodation of those who wish to hear the word of + God; and I hope to obtain a sufficient quantity of timber from the + wreck to erect a little place of worship at Byamvillee, if I can + obtain sufficient subscriptions for it. + + I have now my hands completely full in preparing an answer to a + Catholic priest's reply to a tract I published on saint and image + worship. I believe I mentioned the original tract, entitled, "St. + Antonio," in my last, which has excited no small stir among the + papists in this place. An abusive and crafty reply has been + circulated by them, to which the Tract Society here has deemed a + rejoinder requisite. As I was the person who began the assault, the + burden of preparing it has fallen on me. The drift of the answer + will be to disprove the authority of tradition--to destroy the + claims of the Roman Catholic church--and show the vanity of the + arguments by which they endeavour to support their soul-destroying + idolatry. It will occupy, as far as I can judge, about 250 pages, + and is now nearly ready for press. Indeed the first sheet is gone to + it; but as the Wesleyan press works very slowly, and they have two + or three other works in hand, it may be some time before it makes + its appearance. O that it may be the means of leading some of the + multitudes of the deluded people by whom we are surrounded, to + consult the Bible for themselves! + + * * * * * + + SEEBPORE. + +We are thankful to report that our friends Mr. and Mrs. Penney, and +their companions, arrived in safety at Calcutta, about the end of +September. Two months afterwards, as our readers will perceive by the +following letter, Mr. and Mrs. George Pearce rejoined their missionary +associates, with health mercifully recruited by their voyage. + + By the good providence of God my dear partner and I arrived once + more in Calcutta, in safety, about the end of November last, after a + speedy and pleasant passage to the shores of India, of three months + and twenty days. The voyage proved very beneficial to the health of + us both, but particularly so to Mrs. Pearce, who landed here much + stronger than she was when she left Bristol. We had the happiness of + finding all our immediate associates well; and that Mr. Penney, with + his companions (with the exception of Mrs. Anderson, of whose + lamented decease you have long ere this been apprised), had arrived + in safety. I mentioned in my letter to you from Madeira, that the + Captain of the St. George had requested me to conduct divine service + on the Lord's-day. This I continued to do till the close of the + voyage, and I had the happiness to witness the regular attendance of + most of the passengers, as well as the ship's company. We have to + speak in the best terms of the treatment we received from the + Captain and officers of the ship, and also from the passengers. + + I should have written to you before this, but I was anxious to + inform you at the same time of the station we are to occupy in + future. That point is now settled, and Seebpore, the place I + mentioned to the Committee when in England, is to be the place of my + future labours. Here I have already obtained a house, situated on + the bank of the river, about a mile and a half below brother + Thomas's, at Howrah, and am now residing in it. The spot will prove, + I hope, a very eligible one for native work, as we are in the midst + of a very dense and respectable Hindoo population, with ready access + to numerous villages a few miles in the interior. With the exception + of one or two schools for teaching Bengalee, under the patronage of + the Bishop's College, there is nothing being done here, for the + instruction of the heathen in the knowledge of Christ; and I believe + of late years, nothing has been done. As far as I know of Calcutta + and its suburbs, there is no spot that I am aware of, that needs + missionary efforts more than Seebpore, and none more eligible. May + the blessing of God attend the efforts now about to be made for + their spiritual benefit! + + The brethren have requested me also to resume charge of the + Luckyantipore station, and to take the oversight of Kharee also, as + brother W. H. Pearce is desirous of relinquishing it, in consequence + of his increasing work in Calcutta. This I have consented to do, not + however without being in some measure sensible of the arduous nature + of the work now devolving on me; especially as the number of people + at the stations have considerably increased, and are greatly + increasing. I would, however, humbly look to Him who giveth strength + according to our day. This department of my work will occasion my + leaving home for days together several times in the year. The + brethren have also considered it proper to divide the Christian + Boarding School; and as Mrs. Ellis was desirous of some relief, + owing to the increase of the schools, her weaker state of health, + and the increasing cares of her family, Mrs. Pearce has been + requested to take charge of the girls' department; which she has + consented to do; and in the course of a few days expects to enter + again on this interesting sphere of labour. I have little more to + add, excepting just to mention that, about ten days after my + arrival, I accompanied brother W. H. Pearce on a journey to + Luckyantipore, where we had the pleasure of baptizing eight natives. + A full account of this interesting journey you may soon expect. + +Under date of the 9th of December, Mr. Anderson remarks:-- + + Since I have no interesting intelligence to communicate respecting + my own labours in this country, perhaps I may be privileged to speak + of the good that has apparently resulted from the labour of others. + And here I would refer to the native church, over which W. H. Pearce + presides as the pastor; it is impossible to contemplate but with + feelings of interest and gratitude, upwards of sixty of your + fellow-creatures, who were once in the darkness of heathenism, now + uniting in rendering worship to the true God. There is an appearance + too in many of them, that would indicate that they live very near to + God--that they are none other than the meek and penitent followers + of the Lamb. I would not forget to mention the schools at Chitpore, + under the care and superintendence of my esteemed friend the Rev. J. + Ellis; they speak highly of the diligence and devotedness of the + labours both of himself and of his dear partner in life. Having been + requested to examine them in history, geography, and the Scriptures, + I complied, and the result was most satisfactory, and beyond all + expectation. I would that I could say any thing to stir up the minds + of the friends at home on behalf of these valuable institutions. In + addition to the five youths, who have publicly professed their faith + in Christ by baptism, and who afford unequivocal proof of a change + of heart, there are two others, who will speedily follow their + example. We bless God for these fruits, which we hope are but the + earnest of a future glorious harvest. + + * * * * * + + DIGAH. + +We learn, by a letter from Mr. Lawrence, dated the 22nd of November, +that he was about to remove from this station to Allahabad. At that +large and populous city, which, it is expected, will be the seat of the +new presidency, he will be joined by Mr. Anderson, and both will labour +in conjunction for the benefit of the native population of Allahabad and +its neighbourhood. The reasons for taking this step have been explained +at length to the Committee, who concur in the arrangement, and trust it +will promote, in an increased degree, the great object in view. + + * * * * * + + JAMAICA. + +The tenor of recent letters from this island is, on the whole, highly +satisfactory. Our brethren on the north side are actively engaged in +rebuilding their chapels. Mr. Knibb writes from Falmouth, under date of +the 20th of February:-- + + My church is, I hope, in a prosperous state; most of the backsliders + have returned with weeping and supplication, while the inquirers are + pressing forward to the kingdom of God. Since my return rather more + than 200 have been baptized; their experiences have delighted me; I + do believe that the Lord has been with them of a truth: full 1000 + are now waiting for examination. I shall proceed slowly and + prayerfully with them, and I hope shall receive assistance from + above. Most of those who have been baptized were praying for five + years, during which time, their conduct, as far as we are able to + discover, has been consistent. My plan is this, I examine each one + privately, Mrs. K. talking with the females. The deacons are + appointed to examine into their conduct, and I get them to talk with + them. I then call a church-meeting, read over the names of those + whom I have examined, and of whom I think favourably, and request + any member present to mention any thing they know against any one. + If nothing is said, I receive them for baptism. I speak as plainly + as I can, and I feel that, if they are deceived, I am clear of their + blood. + + On February the 14th, the corner-stone of the new chapel was laid, + and a glorious day it was. Being Saturday, the country friends could + be with us, and they came from various distances of ten to fifteen + and twenty miles round. About half-past three the service commenced. + We had erected half our useful tent, and had provided a temporary + platform under it. Brother Hutchins commenced by giving out the + 102nd Psalm: + + Let Zion and her sons rejoice, + Behold the promised hour; + Her God hath heard her mourning voice, + And comes t' exalt his power. + + Brother Burchell read several short and very appropriate portions of + the word of God, and engaged in prayer. Brother Tinson gave a short + address; when he and brother Dendy, with myself, proceeded to lay + the stone, which had previously been prepared, and a cavity made, in + which was placed a bottle containing a short account of the + formation and the history of the church and the laying of the stone, + with the coins of his present Majesty in it. After reading aloud the + inscription, I placed the _medal_ struck in commemoration of the + abolition of Slavery, presented to me on the 7th of August at the + City of London Tavern. When this part of the ceremony was completed, + which excited intense interest, brother Dendy gave a most + appropriate address for about fifteen minutes, and we sang, + + Now let the slumbering church awake, + And shine in bright array; + Thy chains, O captive daughter, break, + And cast thy bonds away. + + The collection was then made, which amounted, with the one on Lord's + day for the same object, to £104. 10s., of our money. I then + addressed the multitude assembled, urged upon those who were + emancipated an attention to their duties, and having, as I thought, + a fit opportunity, as two or three magistrates were present, assured + them that I was still the foe of slavery, and the friend of the + oppressed; and that, while they acted right, I would defend them, + let the consequences to myself be what they might. Another hymn + being sung, brother Dexter concluded in prayer. Though nearly 3000 + persons were crowded together, the utmost order prevailed, while to + me it was truly a happy day. + + On the Sabbath-morning (the fifth anniversary of my recognition as + their pastor), the ordinance of baptism was administered to + seventy-two persons. The place selected was the sea, at the point of + a beautiful cove; full 2500 persons were assembled, no unseemly + noise was made, or gazing curiosity manifested. We commenced by + singing and prayer. Brother Burchell administered the ordinance; it + was one of the most solemn seasons I ever had the pleasure to + witness. On returning home numerous were the greetings we received + from our happy friends; the narrow road was lined for nearly half a + mile with them--truly it was a scene I longed that you should + behold. Brother Burchell preached in the morning; I received the new + members by the right hand of fellowship in the afternoon, and + administered the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, which was a solemn + season, and rendered additionally so by its being the anniversary of + my pastorate among them; which brought to their and to our minds our + dear departed brother Mann. At the conclusion I tried to sing the + hymn we sung at his death, but they wept and sobbed aloud. Oh, they + did love him, they still love him, and he was every way worthy of + their love. Brother Tinson preached in the evening; and, rather + fatigued _in_ but not _of_ the exercises of the day, we closed our + fifth anniversary. + + The first stroke of the foundation was struck on the 10th of + February, the anniversary of dear Mann's death; it was not done by + design, but was purely accidental. The corner-stone was laid on the + anniversary of my release from prison, being three years from that + period. + + + HOME PROCEEDINGS. + + DEPARTURE OF MISSIONARIES. + +Mr. and Mrs. Quant embarked for Nassau, in the Little Catharine, Captain +Kopp, on Monday, May 11th; and Mr. and Mrs. Shotton, for Jamaica, in the +Witton Castle, April 28th. + + LIST OF FOREIGN LETTERS LATELY RECEIVED. + + =East Indies= Rev. W. H. Pearce Calcutta Dec. 8. + ---- G. Henderson Berhampore Dec. 9. + ---- G. Pearce Seebpore Jan. 7. + ---- Ebenezer Daniel Colombo Dec. 27. + + =West Indies= ---- H. C. Taylor Old Harbour March 6. + ---- J. Clarke Jericho March 21. + ---- W. Knibb Falmouth March 17 & 24. + ---- T. Burchell Montego Bay Feb. 23, & + March 17 & 24. + ---- F. Gardner Kingston March 30. + ---- B. B. Dexter Montego Bay March 16. + ---- J. Coultart Sydenham March 11. + ---- J. M. Phillippo Spanish Town March 26. + ---- Joseph Bourn Belize Feb. 7. + ---- Edward Baylis Port Maria Feb. 10 & + Mar. 13 + ---- Knibb, Abbott, + & Dendy Falmouth Feb. 7. + + * * * * * + + _Contributions received on account of the Baptist Missionary + Society, from April 20, 1835, to May 20, 1835, not including + individual subscriptions._ + + _Collected in Scotland by_ Messrs. =Groser= _and_ =Flood=. + + Dunfermline: + Collection at Baptist Chapel 5 0 0 + Mr. Dewar 2 0 0 + -------- 7 0 0 + + Capar: + Collection at Mr. Watson's 3 0 0 + Collected by Mrs. Sturrock 3 11 2 + Bible Class 0 10 6 + Collected at the Secession Church, Aug. 1, + (for Negro Education) 3 0 0 + -------- 10 1 8 + + Kirkaldy + Coll. at the Baptist Church 8 0 0 + John Fergus, Esq. 2 0 0 + David Landale, Esq. 1 1 0 + -------- 11 1 0 + + Anstruther: + Auxiliary Baptist Society 1 3 0 + Baptist Church 2 15 0 + Collection 1 1 6 + Missionary Box 0 10 6 + -------- 5 10 0 + + St. Andrews: + Collection 2 2 6 + Miss Wilson 1 0 0 + -------- 3 2 6 + + Auchtermuchty: + Collection at Dr. Taylor's 1 10 0 + + Perth: + Coll. at Mr. Newland's Church 5 6 6 + Do. at Mr. Thompson's 5 8 0 + Do. at the Independent do. 3 6 1 + Perthshire Bible Society (T) 3 15 9 + -------- 17 16 4 + + Dundee: + Aux. Society, by Mr. A. Low 10 0 0 + Baptist Meeting, Seagate 6 0 0 + Baptist Meeting, Baltic-street 4 0 0 + Chapel Shade Penny-a-week Society, by Alex. Doeg 2 0 0 + Cards, by Mr. James Low 0 14 0 + Collection at the Public Meeting at the + Rev. Dr. Russell's 13 13 8 + -------- 36 7 8 + + Forfar: + Friends at Kerrimuir 0 7 6 + Public Meeting 1 17 2 + -------- 2 4 8 + + Brechin: + Society for Missions, Tracts, &c. 3 0 0 + Collection at Mr. Blackader's Church W.I.F. 3 9 0 + -------- 6 9 0 + + Montrose: + Secession Church 7 12 0 + Monthly Prayer-meeting 1 1 0 + Penny Society, by Mr. Mudie 5 0 0 + A Thank Offering 2 0 0 + -------- 15 13 0 + Arbroath: + Collection at Mr. Ramsay's 3 3 6 + + Aberdeen: + Collection at South Silver-st 6 10 2 + Do. at John-street, including £2. 10s. + from a Friend 6 10 0 + Do. at Mr. Penman's 2 2 0 + Do. at Mr. Spence's 2 10 0 + Do. at Mr. Stirling's 3 13 4 + Do. at Mr. Thompson's, Sermon and Public Meeting 7 7 0 + Donation from Missionary Society in + Mr. Angus's Congregation 2 0 0 + From Female Servant Society 2 2 0 + From Rev. Mr. Biggs' Church, Fraserburgh 3 0 0 + Friends at Fogyloan W.I.F. 1 0 0 + Friends, per G. Laing W.I.F. 1 0 0 + -------- 37 14 6 + + Elgin: + Coll. at Mr. Pringle's Chapel 3 0 6 + Baptist Meeting 5 0 0 + -------- 8 0 6 + + Banff: + Coll. at Mr. Murker's Chapel 2 16 6 + United Prayer-meeting 1 10 0 + -------- 4 6 6 + + Pitgair: + Friends, by Mr. J. Farrier W.I.F. 1 0 0 + + Mill Seat: + Collection at Mr. Morison's Chapel 2 0 0 + + Glasgow: + Coll. at Rev. Dr. Heugh's 10 0 0 + Rev. Mr. Thompson's, Hutcheson Town 7 18 0 + Public Meeting 2 8 2 + Rev. Mr. Paterson's 5 0 0 + Wesleyan Methodist Chapel 1 11 6 + Rev. Mr. Anderson's, Relief 4 19 0 + ---- Mr. Macleod's 11 14 0 + ---- Dr. Wardlaw's 4 2 10 + ---- Dr. Beattie's 2 17 0 + ---- Mr. Oris, Female Assoc. 4 0 0 + Subscriptions, by Mr. Swan 14 6 9 + Do. do. for T. 2 4 0 + Do. do. for S. 1 19 0 + Do. for _Jamaica School_ 1 1 0 + -------- 74 1 3 + + Huntley: + Collection at Rev. Mr. Hill's 11 0 0 + Missionary Society 3 0 0 + Youth's ditto 1 0 0 + -------- 15 0 0 + + Paisley: + East Relief Church, Dr. Thompson's 9 13 4 + Baptist Church, by Mr. Watson 3 0 0 + Mrs. Dunn W.I.F. 1 0 0 + Collection at Dr. Ferrier's 2 6 1 + Do. at Independent Church 2 12 8 + -------- 18 12 1 + + Insch: + Collection at Rev. Mr. Campbell's 3 3 0 + + Greenock: + Collection at Baptist Chapel 7 7 6 + Do. Union-st., Secession Church 3 3 2 + South Parish Church 2 6 6 + -------- 12 17 2 + + Edinburgh: + Collection at Elder-st. Chapel 14 6 4 + Do. at the Tabernacle 14 7 4 + Do. at Mr. Johnston's Chapel, Nicholsons-street 5 0 0 + Do. at Dr. Brown's, Broughton Place 10 0 0 + Do. at Mr. Cleghorn's, North College-street 6 0 0 + Do. at Mr. M'Gilchrist's, Rose-street 11 11 5 + Do. ditto. Public Meeting 7 6 8 + Do. at Mr. French's, South College-street 2 14 6 + Do. at Mr. Wilkes, Albany-st 4 15 8 + Do. at the Baptist Church, Pleasance 6 7 10 + Do. at Elder-street Baptist Church + Missionary Society 3 3 0 + -------- 91 2 9 + + Remitted by Mr. H. D. Dickie, Edinburgh: + + St. Andrews Missionary Society 4 0 0 + Ditto Second donation 2 0 0 + -------- 6 0 0 + + Leith: + Leith Auxiliary Missionary Society 5 10 0 + Lochee Society for Propagating Christianity at + Home and Abroad 3 0 0 + Dumfries and Maxwelton Penny-a-week Society 3 0 0 + Friends in Edinburgh and Leith 15 11 4 + Ditto ditto T 0 10 6 + John Turnbull Hawick, Esq., for Chapels 1 1 0 + + Friends in Aberdeen, viz.: + Dr. J. Walker, Lynturk 0 10 0 + Mrs. J. Wright, Echt 0 10 0 + Ditto for Chapels in Jamaica 0 13 0 + -------- 1 13 0 + + Collected by James Dick 0 8 8 + ---------- + £424 11 7 + +To the above list we subjoin the following note from Mr. Groser to the +Editor: + + My dear Brother, + + When you publish the recent contributions from Scotland, I will + thank you to acknowledge the kindness which Mr. Flood and myself + experienced throughout our tour. At Edinburgh, at Glasgow, at + Dunfermline, at Kirkaldy, at St. Andrews, at Dundee, at Perth, at + Aberdeen, and at many other places; in short, every where that we + went, we were received with the greatest cordiality. More pulpits + were open to us than we had time or strength to occupy, and we were + compelled to pass unvisited some towns and villages where we had + reason to believe we should have found a hearty welcome. The thanks + of the Committee are especially due to the ministers of the + Seceding, Independent, and Relief denominations, for the readiness + with which they admitted us to preach and collect in their + congregations. Among those churches also which are known + technically as Scotch Baptists, we found much to admire and esteem; + and nothing but more frequent intercourse with each other appears + necessary to create between us and many of their ministers, entire + communion an fraternal confidence. + + I am yours truly, + =W. Grosef=. + + + Boxmoor, Friends, by Miss Church, (Sunday-school £1) 5 15 0 + + Reading, Auxiliary Society, on account, by Mr. Williams 38 0 0 + + Miss Cadby's Missionary Box 1 5 5 + + Oakingham, collection and subscriptions, by Rev. J. Coles 21 7 2 + + Otley, (Suffolk), by Rev. J. Sprigg 1 15 7 + + Hitchin, Missionary Association, by Miss Palmer 17 17 0 + + Poole, subscriptions, by Rev. S. Bulgin 2 1 0 + + Coate and Bampton, by Mr. Huckvale, (for Jamaica) 4 0 0 + + Ridgmount, Friends, by Miss Cuttriss 1 18 6 + + Great Shelford, subscriptions, by Miss Nutter 6 0 0 + + Suffolk, Society in Aid of Missions, by Shepherd Ray, Esq. 25 7 6 + + Bewdley, collection, &c., by Rev. G. Brookes 3 0 0 + + Missionary Box at Mr. Day's, Commercial-road 1 6 6 + + Exeter, balance of contributions, by Mr. Commins 44 17 7 + + Harlow, small subscriptions, by Miss Barnard 3 16 6 + + Hemel Hempsted, collection, &c., by Mr. Ford 21 12 2 + + Bath, subscriptions, by Rev. O. Clarke 8 1 0 + + Sway, contributions, by Rev. W. Mursell 6 0 0 + + St. Alban's, collection and subscriptions, by Rev. W. Upton 31 6 9 + + Harpenden, do. do. 3 18 6 + + Kent, Auxiliary Society, on account, by Rev. W. Groser 25 0 0 + + Dunstable, collection and subscriptions, by + Mr. Gutteridge, jun. 50 3 6 + + Lymington, &c., by Rev. J Millard 12 0 0 + + Canterbury, Subscriptions by Mr. Christian 8 12 10 + Collected by Miss Philpot and Mrs. West 19 5 0 + -------- 27 17 10 + + DONATIONS. + + Edward Giles, Esq., _Clapham Common_ 50 0 0 + + Mrs. Giles, _Do._ 50 0 0 + + John Baylis, Esq., _Ponder's End_ 30 0 0 + + B. L. Ward, Esq., _Stanground_ 21 0 0 + + Mr. Dunnicliff, _Clifton_, near _Ashbourne_, + by Rev. W. Hawkins 5 0 0 + + + _Widow and Orphans' Fund._ + + Lady, by Rev. John Neave, _Portsea_ 2 0 0 + + * * * * * + + + TO CORRESPONDENTS. + +The thanks of the Committee are returned to Mr. B. L. Ward, for +twenty-four of his pamphlets "On the Importance of Missionary Effort." +To Mr. J. E. Mogridge, Birmingham, for a parcel of books and pamphlets. +To Miss Dafforne, Camberwell, for magazines, and a parcel of small books +and lesson boards. To Mrs. Risdon, and Friends, Pershore, for work bags, +pincushions, needle-books, &c. To Mrs. Jacobs, of Wingham, for a similar +parcel. To Friends, by Rev. J. Pilkington, for ditto. To a Young Friend, +by Rev. J. M. Cramp, for pincushions, &c., prepared during long +confinement in a sick chamber; and to Ladies belonging to the Baptist +Chapel at Canterbury, for a box of useful and fancy articles for the +schools in Jamaica. + + J. HADDON, PRINTER, CASTLE STREET, FINSBURY. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Baptist Magazine, Vol. 27, June +1835, by Various + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40542 *** |