am determined not to yield. But as I was half way home, and the sport was over, I concluded for that time to give it up, but that in future I would persist and overcome all my convictions. Scou after this I went again into wicked company, with a determination to get rid of my convictions, and tried to exceed all the company in wickedness. When I returned home I was seized with such horror of mind, that I lay prostrate on the ground. I thought I had committed the sin against the Holy Ghost, and was tempted to destroy myself. After some time a gleam of hope entered my mind; then I began to pray, and weep bitterly, to abhor myself before God for the bold attempt I had made to resist him. My stubborn will was subdued, attachment to criminal pleasures was now destroyed, and the love of holiness inspired my breast. God was pleased to speak peace and pardon to my wounded spirit. In the year 1770, I joined the Baptist church at Soham, then under the pastoral care of the Rev. John Eve, who soon after resigned his office. The church was in a low state, the meetinghouse was rented; Mr. J. Diver, of Isleham, Mr. Fuller, and I, went to the landlord, and engaged to pay the rent for six months, to see how Providence might provide for the church. As the church could not pay the expense of ministers to preach, Mr. Diver and Mr. Fuller expounded the Scriptures on the Lord's day for, I believe, the space of a year and a half, until it appeared to the church that Mr. Fuller possessed gifts promising for the ministry. Accordingly he was called by the church to preach the gospel, and to continue his ministry to the church at Soham to which Mr. Fuller agreed. The congregation soon increased, sinners were converted, and our prospects became very encouraging.

After some time, the church requested Mr Fuller to accept the pastoral office, which having duly considered the subject, he did. Soon after, I was appointed by Mr. Fuller, at the church's request, to become one of the deacons of the church, to which I agreed, and continued in that office during Mr. Fuller's residence at Soham. When Mr. Fuller removed to Kettering, the church at Soham was left destitute of any supply, being unable to pay the expense. Fearing the ruin of the church and congregation, I yielded to Mr. Fuller's earnest request, together with that of the church, to exercise my gift on the Lord's day. In about two years, they gave me a

call to the ministry, which, with prayer and much trembling, I accepted. Having preached about two years longer, I was invited to the pastoral office, which I declined, but continued to preach until a supply could be procured. I received an invitation to visit the Baptist church at Carlton, in Bedfordshire, and after preaching six months, was ordained pastor. The Rev. A. Fuller addressed me; and the Rev. Mr. Emery, the church. I resided at Carlton six years, when unhappily some of my warmest friends became my bitterest enemies. I then resigned the pastoral office. The most respectable members of the church held a meeting in my house, at which they proposed to build a new meeting at Turvey, 2 miles distant, and advance my salary £10 per annum, if I would continue with them. My reply was, to divide the church would be an important step, but that I would consult Dr. Ryland, Mr. Sutcliff, and Mr. Fuller, and act accordingly; they thought it would be bettter for me to leave Carlton, which I did, and Dr. Ry. land, of Bristol, recommended me to Wantage, in Berkshire, at which place I continued sixteen years. Towards the close of that period, Antinomian sentiments prevailed in the town, and Mr. Huntingdon, of London, sent a preacher to Wantage; I thought it my duty to quit,which I did in May, 1820; I spent six months in Waterford; removed to Dublin, and preached to the church meeting in Swift's Alley, during thirteen years; when, through age and infirmity, I resigned the pastoral office.

When I review my past life, I see much to humble me before God; yet I hope, through the grace of God, my life has not been altogether useless: I have reason to believe that my poor services have been blessed to the conversion of many souls.

I reflect with pleasure that I was one of the number of ministers who met at Kettering, to form the Baptist Missionary Society, and since I have been in Dublin, I trust my labour in the commencement and progress of the Baptist Society for Ireland, has not been in vain.

I have for many years been accustomed to devote my birth-day to self-examination, humiliation, confession, and prayer. In looking over my papers, I find they contain much confession of sins, and humiliation before God, which would be of no use to the public."

If the subject of this obituary made any addition to the above account afterwards, it has not come to our

knowledge. During the last few years of his life, he was repeatedly visited by distressing paroxysms of a most painful malady; by the operations of which, he was finally released from this suffering state. The Rev. H. Ford,

the pastor of the church in Dublin, to which Mr. West formerly ministered, preached his funeral sermon in the presence of many who knew and highly respected the deceased.

DENOMINATIONAL STATISTICS.

To the Editor of the Baptist Magasine. I beg to express the obligation I feel to the Compilers of the statistical account of our churches you have given in the supplement to the Magazine; and think it must be highly gratifying to the Denomination at large, to have in one view such an interesting document.

But, Sir, there are two things connected with it which, in my mind, are much to be regretted. The first is, the incompleteness of the list. I do not consider this is the fault of the Compilers, who must have had great trouble in doing what they have done. I have had some experience of the difficulties of collecting such details, and know well where to lay the blame; but why should individuals, from a censurable indifference, neglect to furnish materials for so important an object, when every one ought to feel as much interest in furnishing information as the Compilers would have felt in receiving it? Those who have been guilty of neglect must be ashamed when they look over the list with the 'numerous blanks it exhibits, and when they read your note attached to it.

The other complaint I have to make is, at the number of churches in the list which are unconnected with any Association. This is by no means creditable to such churches, nor honourable to us as a denomination. In these days, the Christian church cannot afford to be so divided and disjointed; nor can any church be justified in taking up so independent a position. If a church be numerous and strong, it ought to be associated for the sake of those that are weak; and if a church be weak and feeble, it ought to be associated for the sake of those benefits which it may derive from such a connexion.

I consider, there must be something suspicious in the circumstances of a church which is unconnected with

an Association; and I trust, the tim will soon come, when all respect able churches, however small, shall be united in local Associations; then shall it be found"how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity."

I rejoice in your anticipations of furnishing a more complete list at a subsequent period; and would suggest, that early in the ensuing year, previous to the annual meeting of the various Associations, the Compilers should send a circular to the secretaries, with ruled columns, similar to the plan adopted recently by the Baptist Building Fund, requesting them to obtain, in their several localities, the necessary information for correcting the list you have now given; at the same time, let a strong appeal be addressed to the pastors of our churches, through the medium of the Magazine, urging them to furnish the necessary information. By these means, I would hope, a tolerably correct list might be secured.

December 10, 1835.

A COUNTRY PASTOR.

HISTORY OF THE BAPTIST CHURCH, PRESCOTT, DEVON,

To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine.

As the statistics of our churches are exciting considerable interest in the Denomination, I venture to offer, for your pages, the following brief account of the Baptist church at Prescott, Devon.

Prescott is a small village, seated on the edge of a pleasant valley, watered by the lively rivulet called 'the Culm. Some years ago it was much better inhabited than it is now; the population was both more numerous and more respectable. At that time a serge manufacture was briskly carried on in the neighbourhood; and several families, whose property was embarked in that trade, resided at Prescott. Now, the village contains but few houses.

The progress of machinery has dispersed the majority of its inhabitants; and the labouring class of the remnant that is left, it has deprived of their independence. Hence, a visitor in these parts must not be 'surprised to hear the improvements of modern times denounced as needless and mischievous innovations. Could our villagers have had their way, they would long since have given an opiate to the Genius of the empire. But Science, as she advances to enrich and ennoble the world, cannot but trample under foot a few in the rapidity of her march.

I have made these observations, to bespeak the candour of the reader towards the friends of the Baptist cause in this place. The declension, which this narrative will discover, must not altogether be attributed to an abatement of religious zeal in the people, but in a great degree to the diminution of their strength.

The early history of the church at Prescott is blended with that of Upottery, a village seven miles distant, where the father of the venerable Dr. Rippon laboured long and usefully. The memoranda of our church-book inform us, that Baptists were known here during the Protectorate; and that they went, with many others, from greater distances to Upottery for divine worship. It is said, they were by no means strangers to persecution for conscience' sake; and this may easily be credited, for only so far back as the time of Toplady, the parents of some of our Christian friends, in order to go without molestation to Broad Hembury, to hear that celebrated clergyman, were obliged to steal away from their homes before break of day. It is not churchism which worldly bigots so much love, nor dissent which they so much hate; but it is the doctrine of the cross, firmly believed, and zealously practised, that, both in the church and out of it, meets with their supreme abhorrence. The fathers of our little society often assembled in desert places to render united praises to their Lord; and that they might do so with the greater confidence, they chose the darkest night, as well as the wildest hill, or most lonely wood.

When Jeffereys, urged on by his wrong-headed, Jesuitical master, came into the west, some of them endured a great fight of affliction: the agents or abettors of the judge seem to have sought eagerly after one named Radford; and he scarcely eluded their pur

suit by hiding himself in a pack of wool.

About the year 1700, the Baptist brethren met for divine worship in a farmhouse called Old Hall,in this parish. Here they continued fifteen or sixteen years; and the number of the disciples being increased, it was thought desirable and necessary to build a meeting-house. A gentleman of the name of Cook made grant of land, and assisted with his own hands in the erection of the building, which was finished in 1718. The ground given by Mr. Cook afforded space for the meeting, for stables, for a garden and orchard, and also for a large burying-place. This house was taken down in 1785, and the present one opened by Mr. Alsop in 1786.

For some years after the erection of their first meeting-house, the church was peaceable and prosperous; but about 1728 grievous contentions arose amongst the members, some saying, "I am of Paul;" and others, "I am of Apollos." The minority insisted on retaining the minister of their choice, Mr. Bowshar; and the other, and larger party, with their pastor, Mr. Chamon, sought another resting place. Mr. Cook held with the minority, and at length he took Bowshar to his own house, entirely left the meeting, and carried his resentment to the grave, ordering in his will that his body should be buried in his garden. Mr. Chamon and his friends, having returned to the meeting, continued to labour in love for the welfare of the cause.

Prescott was not yet constituted an independent church; but, like Collumpton and others, was a branch of Upottery. Mr. Chamon administered the sacraments, and otherwise acted as pastor in the several places in succession; but was assisted in his pulpit duties by brethren denominated "teaching elders." The church here was regularly organized in 1745; and the services on that occasion were conducted by the Rev. Isaac Hann.

The church at Collumpton was formed in the same year. The oversight of the church at Prescott was committed to three of the members, who had previously sustained the character of "teaching elders." The first pastor of the church, after its separation from Upottery, was Mr. John Gillard; who was ordained in May, 1765. The Rev. Hugh Evans, of Bristol, gave the charge; and Mr. Day, of Wellington, preached to the people. For a long time previous to the settlement of Mr. Gillard, the

church was distracted with a controversy about singing. Some thought, that this exercise ought to form a part of the worship of God; but most of the old people could not be induced to tolerate it. When the psalm or hymn was read, they would rise and depart, as if to escape from some fearful profanation of God's house. George Whitefield, who occasionally preached here when visiting his friend Mr. Darracott, of Wellington, was the first person who broke in upon the customary mode of worship, and ventured to give out a hymn; and at a church-meeting, in July, 1754, "it was agreed to have singing once after every sermon."

Mr. Gillard remained at Prescott till 1771, and then removed to Yeovil. Mr. Gillard was succeeded by Mr. Wood, who laboured with fidelity for a year, and then left for Salendine Nook, in Yorkshire. Mr. Symonds then preached here a few months, and baptized twenty persons, the fruits of his predecessors' ministry. The church being again destitute, application was made to Bristol academy, and Dr. Evans sent them Mr. Joseph Alsop; who preached his first sermon here on the 22nd of August, 1773. When Mr. Alsop entered on his charge, the church consisted of sixty members, and the congregation, of about four hundred persons. The number of members increased considerably under Mr. Alsop's ministry, but there is no record of the total amount. Mr. Alsop

finished his useful and honourable life in April, 1786, in the forty-second year of bis age. He was an amiable man, and "a faithful preacher and pastor to this church."

The successor of Mr. Alsop was Mr. B. Thomas, who left Upton-on-Severn and came to Prescott in July, 1786; and during his protracted ministry, especially in the early parts of it, God gave him many souls for his hire. Mr. Thomas was superannuated in 1850, and died in Wales, at the beginning of the present year.

In 1831 Mr. William Gabriel, from North Curry, came to Prescott, and died on January 11th, of this year.

One or two other particulars, and I have done. The church at Uffculm was formed of members separated from Prescott in 1810; and the church at Hemyock, of members separated in 1833. This old interest has been long on the decline. Some of the causes, to which this state of things is to be ascribed, were wholly beyond the control of men ; and as for the others, we do better to

weep over them, than to narrate them. The ministers, whose names follow, were encouraged and sent into the sacred office by this church:

John Radford (died young); John Gillard, minister of Prescott and Yeovil; Nicholas Gillard, of Collumpton; Daniel Gillard, (it is thought) of Wantage; Thomas Smith, (it is thought) of Hammersmith; Thomas Langdon, of Leeds; John Fry, of Coleford; John Wood, of Uffculm; Samuel Tapscott, of South Shields; Alexander Henderson, of Belize; and last of all,

Your obedient servant,

Prescott, Dec. 9, 1835.

WILLIAM Barnes.

AUSTRALIA.

On the cover of our number for served an advertisement relating to this December, our readers may have ob ed correspondent writes to us as follows: new colony, concerning which a respect

"In every new colony it is important that emigrants of religious character should be encouraged to locate there, in the parties who have the direction of especially when there is every disposition its affairs, to foster the institutions of religion, and promote the moral and religious welfare of the colonists: therefore I hope that the Editors of your valuable Magazine will insert some paragraph in the body of the work, which may draw attention to the undertaking."

To this intimation we deem it unnecessary to make any addition; and taken in connexion with the advertisement, it affords a sufficient clue to further

inquiry to those persons who may be disposed to emigrate.

BAPTIST CHURCH, EXETER.

We beg respectfully, through the medium of your Magazine, to acknowledge the receipt of the undermentioned sums, in answer to our appeal to the numerous churches of the Denomination to whom our circular was addressed, and our sincere thanks for the cheerful and sympathizing manner in which they have been contributed.

We are apprehensive that our appeal will not realize our expectations; and that our plan, though easy and feasible, will in a great measure fail. We were in hopes that our own exertions, aided by the Christian benevolence of other churches, would have enabled us to have settled our chapel, to the sacred cause