piety, prudence, and loyalty, and calculated as much as possible, to soothe the irritation of the public mind, and to oppose the progress of the intended Bill. May 16th. The General Body of Protestant Dissenting Ministers, of the three denominations, residing in and about London and Westminster, held a Meeting at the Library, RedCross Street. Dan. Taylor, Chairman. The Resolutions adopted by our ministering Brethren, recite the rights of religious worship and public instruction which belong to them as men and as Christians, and the recognition of these rights from the Revolution to the present days, with their sense of the criminality of submitting in passive silence, to any restrictions of those rights. They state in mild terms the tendency of the Bill to excite dissatisfaction and discontent, and that imposing restrictions, in the province of religion, by the magistrate, will be in various respects injurious and oppressive. They close with resolving to make every constitutional effort in their power against the bill's passing into a law, and for that purpose to pre. sent a petition to the House of Peers. ORDINATIONS. On Thursday the 28th of February last, the Rev. William Stephens (late Pastor of the Church in Little Prescot Street, Goodman's Fields, London) was ordained over the New Baptist Church meeting in New York Street, Manchester. Mr. Roby of Grosvenor Street Chapel began the service by reading and prayer, and delivered an introductory discourse; Mr. Stendman of Bradford asked the usual questions; Mr. Littlewood of Rochdale offered up the ordination prayer; Mr. Steadman gave the charge to the Minister from 2 Cor. iv, 1. Seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not. Mr. Lister of Liverpool addressed the Church from Phil. ii, 29. Hold such in reputation, and Mr. Sam. Bradley of Mosely Street, concluded the service by prayer. Mr. D. Griffiths was set apart to the pastoral office, at Cwmivor, Carmarthenshire March 13, 1811. Daniel Davies of Landysyl prayed, Mr. Evans of Pantyielyn described the nature of a Gospel Church, asked the usual questions, and offered the ordination prayer; Z. Thomas gave the charge from Acts xxiv, 16; J. Watkins addressed the Church from Heb. xii, 7; T. Thomas preached to the people from Ps. xlvi, 7; and J. Davies of Landysyl concluded with prayer. MI. D. Williams was set apart to the pastoral office at Ffynnonhany, Carmarthenshire, April 16, 1811. D. Davies of Aberduar prayed; T. Thomas' described the nature of a Gospel Church, asked the usual questions, and offered the ordination prayer; J. Davies of Landysyl gave the charge from 2 Cor. i, 10, 2 Cor. xii, 9, and 2 Cor. i, 5. who is sufficient for these things? My grace is sufficient for thee; But our sufficiency is of God. J. Watkins addressed the Church from 1 Tim. v, 17, and concluded with prayer. And Rev, W. Ragsdell having re signed the Pastoral office of the Church, meeting in How's Lane, Plymouth, has accepted the uoanimous Invitation of the Church meeting in Thrapston, Northamptonshire. On Wednesday April 17th, 1811, Mr. Peter McFarlane, late Student, of the Bradford Academy, was ordained pastor of the Baptist Church at Rawden, near Leeds, Yorkshire. The service began about half past 10 o'Clock in the forenoon. Mr. Trickett of Bramley read the Scriptures and prayed; Mr. Lister of Liverpool stated the nature and constitation of a gospel church, found ing his discourse on Mat: ini, 2. The kingdom of Heaven, asked the usual questions, and received Mr M'Farlane's confession of faith? Mr. Oddy of Howorth offered up the ordination prayer, accompanied with laying on of hands; Mr. Steadman of Bradford, Mr. McFarlane's late Pastor and Tutor, gave the charge from 2 Tim: ii, 15. Study to show thy self approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Mr. Langdon of Leeds addressed the Church from 1 Thes: ii, 8. For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord; and Mr. Scarlett of Gildersome concluded the whole service in prayer. Suitable hymns were given out at proper intervals by Mr. Dyer of Blackbura. Met again at 5 in the evening. Mr. Dyer prayed; Mr. Lister preached from Gal. vi, 14. But God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world; and Mr. Shaw of Horseforth concluded in prayer. Baptist Academical Institution, at Stepney, near London. March 25th, we are informed the Rev. William Newman removed from Bromley to Stepney, to take the charge of the pupils of this Institution. Three young men have been admitted as Probationers. The members of our denomination in the Country, as well as those in London, have now another powerful appeal to their liberality, and an appeal, we trust, that cannot be made in vain. Donations and Subscriptions are received by Joseph Gutteridge, Esq. DenmarkHill, Treasurer. —— -Donations of scarce and valuable books, and the application of Candidates (post paid,) are received by the Rev. W. Newman, President. BAPTIST ASSOCIATIONS. Time and Place of their respective Meetings. Northern, at Stockton, Monday and Tuesday, June 3 & 4. York and Lancashire, at Manchester, Wednesday and Thursday, June 5 & 6. Northamptonshire, at Oakham, Tuesday & Wednesday June 4 & 5. Suffolk and Norfolk, at Grundisburgh, Tuesday, June 4. Kent and Sussex, at Battle, Tuesday and Wednesday, June 4 & 5Oxfordshire, at Oxford, same days. Midland, at Bromsgrove, same days. Western, at Portsea, Wednesday and Thursday, June 5 and 6. Many Articles of Intelligence, &c. were omitted, to make room for "the Proceedings on Lord Sidmouth's Bill, Printed at Smith's Printing-Offee, Tiverton. THE BAPTIST MAGAZINE. JULY, 1811. Memoir of the Rev. Wm. Crabtree, of Bradford. THIS great and good man, who was for upwards of 50 years as great an ornament and blessing to the Baptist denomination, as any one in the northern part of the kingdom, was born near Heptonstall, a large manufacturing village in the west riding of Yorkshire, on the 8th day of December, 1720. Little is known of his parents; they were weavers, and died when he was young. Weaving was his employment. Till about 23 years of age he lived without God in the world, and was addicted to many evil practices. Bad company was the means of leading him to many excesses of depravity, of which in after years he spoke with evident marks of genuine contrition. His great and happy change was effected under the ministry of that zealous and successful man, Mr. William Grimshaw, the episcopal minister of Howorth, another manufacturing village, a few miles distant from the place of his residence. It was Mr. Grimshaw's constant practice, though a clergyman, to preach in private houses, in all the surrounding villages. In that department he was laborious to a very uncommon and an almost incredible degree, preaching sometimes (including the regular services of the Lord's day) upwards of 20 times, and seldom less than 12 times a week. He divided the country into districts, taking one regularly each week. His usual manner was, upon entering the house, after having with uplifted hands pronounced a blessing upon the people assembled, to fall down upon his knees, and pray with great fervency, and then preach with a plainness and pungency peculiarly adapted to his auditory, for a convenient space of time; and thus having dismissed his congregation, to hasten without delay to the next village, or to another house in a distant part of the same village, provided it were large, and there repeat the same exerVol. III. Ο cises. Such a man may be expected to be an extensive and lasting blessing. He may indeed be considered as the parent of nearly all the religion in that part of the country, which before he arose, exhibited a sad scene of ignorance, barbarism, and profaneness. He speaks, as the late Mr. Newton, who has written a life of this extraordinary man, informs us, of 400 communicants at his own church, the greater part of whom he considered as converted persons, and of 5 dissenting congregations, all of whose ministers, and most of whose members were the fruits of his own labours. He was prudent and attentive to the wants of men's bodies as well as to those of their souls; frequently giving money to the necessitous, and always charging his hearers upon his dismissing them on week days, to repair immediately to their secular employ. On one of these excursions, Mr. Crabtree, being a chosen vessel unto Christ, and the time for his conversion being arrived, was led to attend his ministry. Mr. Grimshaw's subject was the prodigal Son. Mr. Crabtree speaks of being highly entertained with the former part of his discourse, but says, he was pierced to the heart with a sentence he dropped towards the close of it, to the following purport, "If you have been guilty of one sin only, that one sin will damn you as surely as thousands." He was hereby led to reflect upon his own awful state, being conscious that he had committed sins innumerable, This damped all the ardour of his mind after carnal pleasures, and turned his pursuits into a channel very different from that wherein they had run before. He now sought for pardon for his sin, and case for his guilty conscience. How soon, and by what particular means he obtained relief, we do not recollect to have heard; but one evidence of the genuineness of his repentance was remarkable, which he often mentioned to his particular friends, and which, as it reflects no dishonour upon himself, and may suggest some important hints to others, in a like situation, we shall relate. Previous to the above impressions on his mind, he, like others perhaps of the same occupation, had been in the habit of embezzling some of the property of his em ployers. This was unknown, and likely to remain so to them; but as he was sensible it was criminal in itself, and fully known to God, he would not rest satisfied without making restitution. This restitution to the utmost of his power, he in a little time fully effected, except in a few instances in which the parties injured generously refused any compensation. Though M. Crabtree received his first religious impressions under the preshing of Mr. Grimshaw, yet from the vicinity of his habitation, as is very probable, he statedly attended the ministry of Mr. Richard Smith, the pastor of the Baptist Church at Warnsgate, a place very near him. Mr. Smith was a very able, laborious, and popular minister, and may be considered as the parent of the Baptists in that part of the country. Mr. Crabtree finding his ministry very useful, and after an impartial enquiry into the subject, being fully convinced that the prin ciples of the Baptists accorded with those of the New Testa ment, soon became a member of his church. Not long after his connection with the church it was apprehended he had talents for usefulness; he was therefore called by the unanimous voice of the church, to the work of the ministry about the year 1750. At that period some Baptists residing at Heaton and Manningham, villages in the neighbourhood of Bradford, some of them Members of the Church at Rawdon, the oldest, and till near that time, the only Baptist Church in hat part of the west of Yorkshire, others being lately baptized and having no opportunity of joining any Church, determined on attempting an interest in their own neighbourhood. For this purpose they opened a house for public worship, at the latter of the abovementioned villages; and were assisted by the occasional labours of the aforesaid Mr. Smith, and also of Mr. James Hartley, another of the fruits of Mr. Grimshaw's ministry, then pastor of the newly raised, Baptist church at Howorth. Hearing of Mr. Crabtree they requested him to visit them, and occasionally labour amongst them. Tradition says, his first text was Acts x, 29, Therefore camc I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for; I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me. His ministry proying acceptable, and his friends being encouraged to persevere in their attempts, he soon received an unanimous call to reside and statedly labour amongst them, with a view to become their pastor. With this invitation he complied and they were formed into a church and he ordained over them in the month of December, 1753. Mr. Richard Smith, Mr. James Hartley and Mr. Henry Lord, Pastor of he Church at Bacup, in the adjoinining County of Lancaster, assisting in the various services. Previous to the formation of the church, his friends had removed their stated place of worship into the town of Bradford, and procured and fitted up for the purpose, a building, which had been before used as a cockpit. In the course of the next year, finding that place too small for the accommodation of the hearers, they procured ground and erected in a more commo |