obtain a new chapel, but from various causes they failed; in more than one instance, money to a considerable amount was raised, but was afterwards returned to the contributors, or, with their consent, devoted to some other purposes. After her Ladyship's death, the cause suffered material diminution; but the managers were not left without tokens of Divine favour, and good was effected by the preaching of the Word. On the Rev. William Cooper's visiting Bristol, fresh vigour was infused; the attendance on the means of grace was very great, the chapel was found far too small for the persons wishing accommodation, and he frequently preached from the window to a much larger number outside than within. The Lord gave testimony to the word of life, and many were brought, through his instrumentality, to a saving knowledge of the truth: he proffered his services to the committee of management in relation to a larger and more suitable building, but it was not accepted, and nothing was done. The pulpit was regularly supplied by ministers in the Connexion with acceptance, and with various degrees of success; the labours of some now living, and of others who have fallen asleep in Jesus, are still remembered with satisfaction and gratitude.

In 1820-1 a fresh effort was made to erect a new chapel, when 8007. were collected and expended in the purchase of a piece of land and buildings, which site was afterwards deemed ineligible; it was therefore disposed of, the proceeds vested in government securities, and a deed executed, placing it in the us, and while here was boarded, aud even the very postage of his letters paid without expense to him.' He was in my own house, and most kindly treated; and the only minister that ever made a single complaint for pay or any one thing. This I am obliged to say for the credit of my committee friends there, and which is but due to their fidelity and generous conduct on all occasions. I really wish poor Owen well, but his excessive pride will ruin both his ministry and character. I know that you will take no notice as from me, as I have not yielded to these reproaches, as wishing to part in peace and love with him, and so not have him hurt by any thing arising from the people towards him; and as it is ever easier to keep peace than to make it after it is broken. By this you will be able to settle matters clearly with him till the 28th of April for this last year, with a note sent him of 25% and what Bristol gives, that the balance due may be paid by me by that time. Be so good to let me have the names of our friends that mean to abide with us, that a letter of attorney may be made out for their security; and believe me, dear Sir, your faithfully obliged friend, "S. HUNTINGDON.

"P.S. It does appear Mr. Owen has said, he left the Connexion on account of my having pressed him to secede.' Nothing can be a more unjust or cruel lie, as I never once named it; and, between ourselves, had he ever offered, I must have made an excuse, as his ministry settled among us does by no means admit of it, as the great shortness found by us in it. Had he continued to preach as he now does, and as wishing him well, had he not sought to leave, I, through tenderness, would have continued him; and to me his behaviour was proper and peaceable, and ever ready to execute the wants and wishes of the people when called for. I wish you to have this great untruth contradicted before he leaves, and the greatest justice and most honourable conduct proyed to him from me by every means, Please to return his letters,"

hands of the trustees of the Connexion, to be employed by them in the erection of a chapel in Bristol when opportunity

should offer.

In 1823 the Rev. William Lucy became the resident minister, and the lease of the chapel expiring in the autumn of the following year, the propriety of immediately commencing a new one was strenuously urged by many, but it was thought prudent to take another short lease of seven years, towards the close of which several members of the congregation, after almost incredible difficulty, became possessed of the spot in Lodge-street, on which the new chapel now stands, and proceeded to its erection. The dimensions of the building are sixty-two feet ten inches by fifty-two feet nine inches, within the walls, exclusive of a recess sufficiently large to admit the pulpit and desks: it is of the Gothic order, and is built with stone, faced on two sides with freestone; it was opened for Divine worship in August 1831, one month only before resigning the old chapel; on which occasion the Rev. John Brown, of Cheltenham, preached in the morning, and the Rev. James Sherman, now of Surrey chapel, in the evening. The expenses incurred, including excellent school-rooms underneath one half of the chapel, and a crypt underneath the other half, together with a commodious vestry, was upwards of 4,500l. The chapel is computed to accommodate between eleven and twelve hundred persons. The additions to the congregation have been very encouraging since the opening of this place of worhip: the number of communicants has considerably increased, and there is reason to hope that good has been effected through the preaching of the Word.

CHAPTER XLIX.

Lady Huntingdon's Chapel at Reading-Mr. Talbot-Letter from Mr. VennMr. Hallward - Death of Mr. Talbot- Mr. Cadogan Mrs. Talbot Sir Richard Hill-Mr. Hallward and Lady Huntingdon-Letter from Lady Huntingdon to Mr. Hallward-Mr. Cadogan's preaching-Lady Huntingdon's Chapel opened Mr. Piercy-Letter from Lady Huntingdon to the Managers -Mr. Gurdon-Mr. Cadogan's Conversion-Lady Huntingdon's Letter to Mr. Codogan-Mr. Hallward-Death of Mr. Cadogan-Chapel opened by Mr. Rowland Hill and Mr. Eyre-Mr. Sherman.

IN tracing the history of Lady Huntingdon's chapel at Reading, it will be necessary to revert to some preceding circumstances relative to the first introduction of the Gospel into that town.

About the year 1767 the Rev. William Talbot, LL.D., Vicar

of Kineton, in Warwickshire, was presented to the vacant living of St. Giles's, Reading, by Lord Camden, then Lord Chancellor, it being one of the best livings in the gift of the Crown. Mr. Talbot was an extraordinary man, both for piety and generosity; and Mrs. Talbot also was a Christian of more than common excellence. While he resided at Kineton, he frequently made excursions to various parts of the kingdom, where he proclaimed to numerous congregations the glad tidings of the gospel. Being a ready and pathetic speaker, he was every where heard with attention. The opposition he met with did not in the least disconcert him, but he persevered in his work, and had the satisfaction of seeing his labours blessed. As early as the year 1757, we find him itinerating for Lady Huntingdon, in Northamptonshire, accompanied by Mr. Madan. "I had, not long ago (says Mr. Hervey), the favour of a visit from your worthy neighbour, Mr. Talbot. He came, accompanied by Mr. Madan; and both were like men baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire--fervent in spirit, and setting their faces as a flint."* When her Ladyship was afterwards induced to enlarge the sphere of her labours, and erect and open chapels at Brighton, Bath, and other places, for the preaching of the pure gospel of the grace of God, she sought the assistance of those ministers of the Established Church who bore a faithful and honourable testimony to the grace and atonement of the Redeemer. With Messrs. Whitefield, Romaine, Venn, Madan, Howel Davies, Daniel Rowlands, and other faithful witnesses of God, Mr. Talbot was united in sounding the gospel trumpet in these highly favoured places. The grand motive which induced Mr. Talbot to leave a people where he was so generally respected and beloved, was the hope of more extensive usefulness; and in this he was not disappointed. He who had blessed his ministry at Kineton to the saving conversion of many, had still more abundant blessings in reserve for the inhabitants of Reading. Immediately on his removal thither, his excellent friend, Mr. Venn, addressed the following letter to him, which deserves to be rescued from oblivion :

"My dear Friend,-The love which sprung up in my heart towards you, when we first met at Ludbury, has not waxed cold. No sooner, therefore, did I hear of your providential removal to another and larger flock, than my heart was engaged in prayer; and I now sit down on purpose to send you some account of the things which I ask of my God in your behalf. In the first place, I beg of him to enable you to preach Jesus Christ, in the glory of his person, in the fulness of his grace, and

*Letter to the Rev. John Ryland, then minister at Warwick, afterwards at Northampton, father of the late Rev. Dr. Ryland, of Bristol,

in the length, breadth, height, and depth of his love; to preach him as a free, present, Almighty Saviour of the sinful sons of men; to preach him with increasing clearness; and to this end, I pray that you may have more precious discoveries of your own salvation in him, that you may speak as the apostles did, from a rich experience of the reality of the blessedness of believing in Jesus. Secondly, I beg of God, that in the discharge of your office, you may exert yourself-not to injure your valuable health; but, as far as your strength will hold, to go on, imitating the great Shepherd himself, who, from his incessant labours, was taken for fifty, when little more than thirty-his very countenance was aged. Thirdly, I pray that you may be filled with bowels of mercies; that not only the counsels you give, and the consolations you administer to the faithful, but even all your denunciations of truth to come, may breathe a tender love to the souls of men. Fourthly, I pray that you may be bold as a lion to encounter reproach, and to bear all revilings, yea, and be willing to be a monitor unto many for His sake, whom the nations abhorred. Fifthly, I pray that you may serve God with all humility and many tears, feeling the plague of your own heart, and yourself to be the chief of sinners; for then the Spirit of God rests upon us, and our fellow-sinners are melted down. Sixthly, I pray that all the discouragements you may meet with, all the opposition from your own people speaking perverse things, and all the various trials you are to meet with in your new station, may be more than counterbalanced, by finding the word of the Lord in your mouth, mighty to convince and to convert; by seeing seals added to your ministry, and precious souls your epistle of commendation, known and read of all men. Finally, my prayer to God for you, and for myself is, that our death may crown our ministry; that we may with our latest breath so testify of Christ, that we may add fresh weight to every discourse we have once made to our people in defence of the gospel. These petitions I have, and I trust I shall often, put up for my dear friend. Having almost lost all my voice, and returning from the rank of standard-bearer in the camp of Israel to that of a private soldier, I have abundantly more time to pray for my dear companions with whom I was once a fellow-labourer in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ; and though his all-wise appointment has fixed us in such distant parts of the vineyard, that probably we shall seldom meet here, it is in this case no small gratification to Christian love, that our meeting never to part cannot be far off; we shall both appear among the brands plucked out of the fire; both be numbered amongst those who have turned sinners from the errors of their ways, and been witnesses for a crucified God in a day of rebuke and blasphemy: that meeting I reckon much upon; I want to have it vastly more realized to my mind; I want to shout for joy, uttering the heathen celebrated saying with the faith of assurance, 'O! præclaram illam diem.' Yours, &c. "H. VENN.”

At Reading, Mr. Talbot enjoyed a general esteem, and received every mark of respect even from those who differed widely from him in opinion. The Rev. John Hallward (since Vicar of Assingdon, in Suffolk,) was his curate, having been ordained

from Oxford, and licensed upon his title. He was a man of the same spirit as the vicar, and, like him, lived in the hearts of a numerous people. Mr. Talbot's labours were extensively blessed in the awakening of sinners; and it is supposed that in the few years that he exercised his ministry at Reading, he had between two and three hundred seals, such as shall be his crown of rejoicing in that day when the chief Shepherd shall appear. But so mysterious are the ways of God, and so unfathomable his designs, that, in the prime of life, and in the midst of usefulness, this faithful and successful servant of Christ was removed from this world.

Mr. Talbot had not long left Reading on a visit to his intimate friend, Lord Dartmouth, when tidings reached Mrs. Talbot of his being ill of a putrid fever, which, it is supposed, was contracted before he left home, by attendance on a person who lay ill of that contagious disease. Many of his congregation had fixed a day to implore the Almighty for a continuance of his useful life; but before the day came, he was called to eternal rest. His illness was of short duration, and he left this scene of mortality, for a life of immortal happiness, on the 2nd of March, 1774, in the fifty-seventh year of his age, at the house of his intimate friend, the late Mr. Wilberforce, uncle to the late worthy member of Parliament, of the same name.

The melancholy news of Mr. Talbot's death soon reached Reading, and deeply affected his congregation. It was vain to entertain the hope of procuring the living for his worthy curate, Mr. Hallward, or any other clergyman of his sentiments. Numerous applications were made for the living to the then Lord Chancellor, who unexpectedly conferred it on the Rev. William Bromley Cadogan. He was not then ordained, and it was more than a twelvemonth before he was capable of holding it. The people heard of the appointment with grief, but there was no remedy. Their only hope was, that the new vicar, being a young gentleman of noble family, would feel no disposition to do the duties himself, and that Mr. Hallward might be continued in the curacy. Under the sequestration occasioned by Mr. Cadogan's minority, Mr. Hallward was continued in the curacy by the churchwardens, and ordained priest during that period upon the same title, which was readily accepted by the Bishop.*

Succeeding such a man as Mr. Talbot, who possessed so

Not long after the death of Mr. Talbot, Mr. Hallward preached a discourse on Titus iii. 8, at the annual commemoration of Mr. West's charity; but for particular reasons, its publication was deferred till the month of November. The sermon was entitled "The doctrine of Faith and Good Works stated and considered," and contains a very necessary, useful, and scriptural vindication of the great doctrine of justification by faith from the charge of licentiousness and morality, and points out the true nature and place of good works; nor is it the