Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

James Stratten in the evening. This place of worship is of long standing, and formerly was well attended, but the interest gradually diminished, till at length the chapel was shut up. In the year 1805, it was ebtained by an annual rent, and since purchased and placed in the hands of trustees. It was supplied by various ministers, till the late Rev. John Atkinson went to reside there, who preached regularly. After his removal, for want of suitable management, it declined, and the decay of the roof made it unsafe for occupation. Of late, several families in Epsom, feeling for the spiritual wants of the inhabitants, proposed to raise £100. for the re-establishment of an evangelical ministry, to which a friend in London added £50. In consequence of these encouragements, the chapel has been put into substantial repair, and contributions for the liquidation of the remaining debt of £350. are respectfully solicited through the medium of the Rev. Thomas Lewis, of Islington. It will be supplied from Hoxton Academy, until a suitable minister is obtained.

Sickness and Death of the Rev. Stephen Morell, Jun. late of Norwich.-Some inaccuracies respecting the departure of the above excellent young minister appeared in the number of the Congregational Magazine for December, which we can scarcely regret, as they have produced the following interesting letter from his esteemed father the Rev. S. MORELL, of Little Baddow, Essex; with whom we sincerely sympathize in the mingled feelings which this bereavement must produce in his mind. We regret that a press of matter prevented its insertion in our last number.

"The account of the illness and death of my late beloved son, in your number for December, being not quite correct, I am induced, by the repeated solicitations of many of your readers, to send you a short statement; which you will perhaps have the goodness to insert in your next number. Although his removal at the last took place much sooner than I had apprehended, the event itself was not unexpected or sudden; as he had been resident with me nearly three months after an attack of hæmorrhage, attended with circumstances that scarcely allowed the indulgence of even a faint hope of his ultimate recovery. But fears, which I was anxious to hope would prove groundless, were seriously awakened by circumstances which I will not now particularize, but which produced a depression of spirits, and, I fear, an effect upon his bodily health from which he never afterwards recovered.-His introduction to the Church assembling in the Old Meeting at Norwich, and the affectionate cordiality with which he was accepted by them, and invited to

the pastoral office, was in the highest degree encouraging. Of this he was deeply sensible; and I had indulged a hope, when called to attend his ordination in the mouth of June, that, with a mind at ease, and with prospects on every account exhilarating and cheering, he might be usefully employed in the service of the sanctuary, to which his heart was fervently devoted. Such was not the will of God. Twice he enjoyed the privilege of administering to his flock the memorials of that grace on which his own hopes were built. One member was added to the church; others were proposed. Every preparation too was made for domestic comfort, and on the 3d of August he left Norwich, alas! not to return after a few weeks, as we all hoped, with the dear friend who was to have been a sharer with him in all the joys and sorrows of life; but--to return no more. The fatal attack, to which there had been for some months a constitutional tendeney, took place on the 10th of August. On the following day, he arrived at Little Baddow. Every succeeding week was marked by increasing debility his religious joys increased in the same proportion. His lively faith, his growing spirituality, his communion with God, which he assured me, several weeks before his death, was inexpressibly delightful, were indicative of the scenes that were quickly to be unfolded. At length, not more than a week before his removal, it became my solemn duty to apprize him of the certain event that was before him. I knew, he would be able to bear it; but little expected the perfect composure with which he received it. His answer was, with a smile upon his countenance, have thought for some time that my case ' was dangerous, and now I hope it will please God to hasten the end: I fear nothing so much as a long lingering con'sumption. I have often put my soul into 'the hands of Christ, my intercessor, and 'he has accepted it. I am not afraid to 'die, and I am prepared to stand before my God.'--Sentiments of the same import, with increasingly strong expressions of joy, were repeated daily and hourly.-'I long to depart. I am looking forward 'to eternity without trembling; and why 'should I tremble? My affections are 'not on the earth; my soul has long been 'given to Christ. If I could now choose, I should prefer to die. Every thing here appears to me so low, so mean, so gross, 'I should be glad to break the trammels

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

'I

of mortality to-night, and enter into a 'state pure and refined, fit for an im'mortal soul.'--This state of mind he was favoured to enjoy for five days, without interruption. He was not confined to his bed; he even walked out on the day preceding his death, and sat up with us later than

usual. In the evening he enjoyed some sleep for a few hours after he withdrew; became evidently worse about one o'clock on the morning of Thursday, October 21st; and after uttering such language expressive of spirituality and joy, with scarcely any interruption for three hours, as I had never before listened to, or exactly conceived, he expired, almost without a struggle. I refrain from stating more, as a Memoir of his Life, and a full account of the closing scene, is now preparing, and will be offered to the public within a few weeks.

The Death and Funeral of the Rev. John Whitehouse, of Dorking, in Surrey-He died on Saturday, January 22, 1825, in the thirty-eighth year of his age, and the twelfth of his ministry at Dorking. The piety of his heart, the mildness of his manners, and his disinterested zeal for God, endeared him to all who knew him. He has left an afflicted widow and five children to lament for him. To the church and congregation over which he presided, the loss is great; indeed, he is a public loss. The Surrey Mission, of which he was one of the most active Secretaries, will long remember his labours of love, to promote the interests of that important Institution. The high esteem in which he was held, appeared on the day of his interment, a day which will be long remeinbered by those who were present on the occasion. The following is a correct account of the order of the day. At three o'clock the corpse was removed from his late residence to the chapel, preceded by the following ministers:-Messrs. G. Clayton, Lewis, Jackson, his medical attend

ant, Lacey, Hunt, Varty, Dubourg, Smith, May, Schofield, Harper, Forsaith, Phili more, Irons, and Haynes. The pall was supported agreeably to his own request by Messrs. Knight, Percy, Johnston, Widgery, Dallison, and Churchill then followed his relations, and the members of the church and congregation, two and two, after them a large company of the inhabitants of the town. The solemn service was conducted as follows:-Mr. Jackson, the Senior Secretary of the Surrey Mission, began by reading and prayer, Mr. G. Clayton delivered an appropriate address, and Mr.Lacey concluded with prayer. At half-past six o'clock, a large congregation assembled again in the chapel, when Mr. Churchill commenced the service with prayer; Mr. Lewis preached from Philippians, i. 21.; and Mr. Knight concluded the solemnities of this truly affecting day with prayer.

Recently died after a short illness, the Rev. C. SLOPER, of Hitchen, Herts.

NOTICES.

Wilts Association.-The next half yearly meeting of the Wilts Association, will be holden at the Rev. Mr. Goode's meetinghouse, Sarum, on the Wednesday in Easter week. Mr. Jay is engaged to preach in the morning, and Mr. Elliott in the evening.

The Rev. ROBERT VAUGHAN, of Worces ter, having been unanimously invited to succeed the Rev. JOHN LEIFCHILD, at Kensington, which invitation he has accepted, will commence his labours there, on the first Sabbath in April.

Answers to Correspondents, &c.

COMMUNICATIONS have been received this month from the Rev. H. Evison-J. Hayter Cox Joshua Shaw-J. A. James-J. Winterbotham-T. Golding-C. N. DaviesW. H. Stowell T. Jackson-Joseph Fletcher-W. Orme-J. Blackburn-John Alexander.

Also from H. Heudebourck-A friend to Missions-H. R.-Rob. Boyle-J. B. Williams-Amicus-B. Hanbury-Eλα--J. S. H.--A. B.—N.-W. H. S.-A.-Viatorius Mercator-Quidam-T. L.--E. T.--J. H.

A. is thanked for his Communication, but is informed, it is a standing rule with us to admit no anonymous Reviews.-There are particular reasons which prevent the wish of our respected correspondent A. from being complied with. Our friend Viatorius, &c. is thanked for all his attentions, We are always glad to hear from him, and his Communication on Statistics will be peculiarly acceptable. We doubt whether the Biography of Gervase Disney would be sufficiently interesting.--A Correspondent, who signs A. B. complains of the inaccuracy of some modern editions of standard works, and wishes to give a hint to the editors of such reprints. He says, that in the Leeds edition of Doddridge's Works, he made, some time since, a list of thousands of Errata. The persons concerned in all such undertakings should print from the best editions, and revise the press with great care, as the devotions of a family may be very unpleasantly interrupted by the occurrence of such mistakes in the course of reading.--T. L.'s poetry is well-intended, but unfit for publication.--E. T. wishes to know where he may find a Memoir of Thoma de Laune, and who was the editor of his "Plea," that speaks of himself as his fellow-prisoner for non-conformity? Amicus (Beds) is informed we have it not in our power to answer his queries at present.

[graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Published April 1825, for the Congregational Mag. by BJ Holdsworth. StPauls Church Yard, London

[blocks in formation]

RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE INDEPENDENT CHURCH IN YORK,

NOW UNDER THE PASTORAL CARE OF

THE REV. JAMES PARSONS.

IN municipal honour, York has always been reckoned the second city in England. It contains about 23,000 inhabitants, and twenty-four Episcopal churches, besides several other places of worship. A chapel having been erected in Grape-lane, about forty years ago, which was supplied for some time by ministers in the Countess of Huntingdon's connexion, Mr. Samuel Whydown was sent by that body of Christians, in the year 1796, to officiate here; but a separation having soon afterwards taken place, the grounds of which we are not able to state, he withdrew with the Seceders, and formed them into an Independent Church, and erected a small chapel in Jubbergate, which was opened by the Rev. Messrs. Parsons and Howell, December 28, 1796. Mr. W. having involved himself in some pecuniary difficulties, and meeting with little encouragement in his ministry, left York in 1800, and was succeeded by Mr. Godfrey Thurgarland. The cause continuing in a languishing state, after preaching here for fourteen years, was induced to resign his charge, but he still resides in York, keeping a respectable school.

Mr. T.

It had often been a subject of surprise and regret, that while numerous congregations in the Independent connexion assembled at Leeds, Hull, Sheffield, Halifax, and other towns in the county, NEW SERIES, No. 4.

the capital of such an extensive division of the kingdom should furnish no larger congregation than is usually found in a small village; and as to contributions to the Missionary Society, Dissenting Academies, and other kindred institutions, the congregation at Jubbergate was nearly a blank; while some ascribed this anomaly to the supposed unconquerable prejudice of the inhabitants against nonconformists, others thought they saw the cause of such unusual congregational depression, in the very ineligible situation of the chapel, and the ineffective quality of the ministry.

The church being considered as dissolved, and the chapel given up to the trustees, a few friends at York requested the interference and assistance of their brethren in

the county; in consequence of which a meeting was held in Jubbergate Chapel, November 22, 1814, Mr. Rust, of Hull, in the chair, to deliberate on what measures might tend, through the Divine blessing, to the revival of religion in the congregation. The Rev. James Bennett, the Rev. Edward Parsons, Rev. William Eccles, the Rev. William Howell, with various other ministers and representatives of the Yorkshire congregational churches, were thus brought together, when it was unanimously resolved, that the place should be supplied for some time by a succession of approved

« AnteriorContinuar »