been highly esteemed by the manner, a firm and well-groundbest judges, was the last Mr. ed hope of a blessed condition Stennett preached; in which he in the eternal world; and to one, has given a just character of that in particular, who asked him in valuable person. He intended a what disposition his mind was, poem likewise to his memory, under his low state of body, and and made some progress in it; in the prospect of his great but his weakness, which was fol- change, "I rejoice," said he, lowed by his death, prevented" in the God of my salvation, his completing it. This piece, who is my strength and my unfinished as it was, would, pro- God." Thus he gradually sunk bably have been acceptable to away; and slept in the Lord the public: but it is unhappily on the 11th of July, 1713, and lost, except a small fragment, in the forty-ninth year of his printed among his poems. Being advised by his physicians to remove into the air, he went to Knaphill, in Buckinghamshire, the house of his brother-in-law, Mr. Morton. Here he declined apace; and his honoured friend, Dr. Mead, being consulted, who had formerly been exceeding kind and serviceable to him in a dangerous disorder, he soon discovered by the account sent him, that he was past hope of recovery; which soon after proved to be fatally true. When he drew near his dissolution, he called his children about him, and in a particular manner gave his dying advice to his eldest son, with respect to the management of his studies, and the conduct of his future life; and having charged upon them all due obedience to their mother, he pressed them, in a special manner, to a proper con.. cern for their souls; declaring to them, with the greatest assurance, and a pleasant smile in his countenance, "That if they were found walking in the ways of true religion, his God would be their God, to whose providence he could in faith commit them." He likewise signified to several about him, in a calm and sedate VOL. X. age. His active mind was indeed removed out of a weak and crazy tabernacle, from which it had often groaned for a release; and he left a world of labours, cares, and many sorrows. But the loss of a person endowed with such valuable accomplishments, and so useful to the world, just in the maturity of his years, was an unspeakable affliction to his friends, and greatly lamented by all the lovers of learning and virtue who were acquainted with him; several of whom came from London, and other parts, to attend his body to the churchyard of Hitchenden, in the county of Bucks, where it waits for the resurrection of the just. Dr. Joseph Stennett, who became the pastor of the church, in Little Wild-street, London, was his son; and Dr. Samuel Stennett, his grandson. The Rev. Joseph Stennett, now pastor of the church at Calne, is the great grandson of this truly eminent minister, whose name is still fragrant among the members of the Baptist denomination, of which he was, probably, the brightest ornament. A friend of Mr. Stennett drew up a Latin epitaph to his memory, of which the following is a translation: Sacred to the Memory of A very eminent Divine, Who was adorned with an excellent understanding and extensive learning; Who was endowed in early life with so great a degree of piety, That it is difficult to say, whether he was most eminent for religion or learning; He was very conversant in sacred literature, And discharged most assiduously every part of the sacred function. He endeavoured to adorn his Christian profession by an upright life, With scarcely less diligence in his own example, Than by study and eloquence to gain the approbation of others, He studied to recommend, as well in his preaching as in his writings, The chaste and pious muse. He employed himself in the praise of divine love, and of the great Redeemer In the celebration of sacred things, in which he excelled by the rules of art. But though he devoted his attention principally to heavenly objects, It was not to the total neglect of things earthly. At one time he discovered a persuasive elocution in the presence of his prince; And at other times he vindicated in his writings The cause of liberty and the public rights. But he also discovered great modesty in what related to himself, But he was by no means to be diverted from what he apprehended to be the truth As contained in the sacred oracles, Being rather confirmed in them. He was born A. D. 1663, at Abingdon, in the county of Berks. Where, after three years, he married Susanna Gill, Relinquished considerable property on the score of religion. He continued with great circumspection to feed and watch over them, Till at length, being worn out with the weight of cares, studies, and labours, He bid adieu to life, and slept quietly in Christ, A WORD TO SINGERS. HAVING been lately on a visit to N ** *****, I was pained to find the Psalmody of the congregation carried on in a very slovenly and improper manner. On making the observation to a friend, he said, "that they had just formed a small choir to correct the evil, and that they would meet on the be found to have had that beneficial tendency. The sentiments advanced on the occasion to which I allude, were nearly as follows: and believe, on the contrary, that you usually conduct yourselves. with propriety. But there are certain practices which, as singers, you are in danger of falling into imperceptibly, without watchfulness and care, and which are certainly very reprehensible. I will mention a few of these. A greater solicitude to putation, than for the honour and glory of the blessed God;— whispering and talking, as though you had no kind of concern in the other most important parts of divine worship; occasionally humming the air of some tune, in a low tone, as if the house of God were designed for a musicschool;-turning over your tunebooks, during prayer or preach readily suppose, you were really examining the different compositions, in order to write a critique on them; perpetually introduc "I understand that you intend to afford your neighbours and brethren all the aid in your power to render the singing in your congregation pleasing and respectable. In order to accom-sing for your own credit and replish this end, you are now met together. Your design is, in a high degree, praise-worthy, and if you properly carry it into execution, you will merit and receive the thanks of those with whom you usually associate. | Every one should aim at being of some use in the house of God. The meanest offices are, in some measure, dignified, which add to the comfort and pleasure of di-ing, so that a stranger might vine worship. I hope I should regard no duty as beneath me, by which I might give the smallest degree of interest to the service of the sanctuary. I thinking new tunes, evidently intiDavid meant to affirm the same, when he said, that he preferred being a door-keeper in the temple, to the highest post of honour in palaces of ungodliness. I hope you will all be actuated by a similar spirit, and you will not fail being useful, respectable, and happy, in the Christian society to which you belong. And that this may be the case, I would recommend three things to your serious reconsideration. The first is, Decency in your general deportment; the second is, Harmony among yourselves; and the third is, An anxious solicitude to sing with melody in the heart unto the Lord. "I. Be decent in your general deportment. Do not, my good friends, be alarmed; I am not going to charge you with the want of good manners; I hope mating your conviction, that the singing was designed for the display of your fine talents, rather than the spiritual edification of a whole people ;-singing so terribly loud, that one might reasonably imagine there was a serious contest among you, who should make the most noise. I hope you will not misunderstand me. None, but a person whose opinion is of very little consequence, would condemn you, because you sing with much scientific skill; or, because you now and then exchange a word with one of your companions; or turn over a leaf or two of a tune-book ; or sometimes sing a new composure; or, because you generally perform the part allotted you with spirit. Yet I do think, that our singing would be more impressive, if there were a large pro T most portion of the solemn and the thoughtless tongues!' Other «II. Be harmonious among yourselves. The disagreement of singers is so common, that it is become almost proverbial, that the sons of harmony are really some of the most discordant creatures in the creation. persons in our congregations may have differences, but they are too prudent to publish them immediately to all around them; but singers usually leave their seats, and from their appearance in some other part of the place of worship, declare to every one their want of mutual forbearance and harmony. The most inconsiderable and trivial circumstances, (I am really almost ashamed to make the remark,) have too often been sufficient en ances, in for I hope that you, my good friends, have no need of thee.' Take each of you for I'll not willingly offend, What's amiss I'll strive to mend, And I think you will be respect- "III. Sing with melody in your hearts unto the Lord. Do not forget that real religion has ever to do with the heart; in reality, it is the penitence, the faith, the love, and the obedience, of the heart. To sing with melody, is to sing with emotions of heart in full unison with the sentiments of the song. Is a hymn tirely to break up an excellent or psalm given out, descriptive of choir of singers. I have some-the sorrows of the penitent? He times really thought, that it might who utters the words with corbe useful to have the celebrated responding emotions of heart, couplet inscribed in a conspicu- sings with melody. Is the comous place in the singing gal- position expressive of praise to lery: God for his mercies? or of love dled in your bosom. O, have I not reason to be amazed at your indifference? Let your hearts, as well as your voices, be found in tune,-and God will lend a listening ear to your songs of praise, nor will your fellowcreatures withhold their approbation. to our divine Immanuel? or of of heaven-threatenings unspeakdevotedness to his honour and ably awful and alarming-I treat glory? or does it anticipate the constantly of themes which eminfinite blessedness in reserve for ploy the angelic harps in glory the people of God? He who and no sympathy is awakened sings them with melody, is con- in your bosom.-You are unscious of a spirit of holy grati-affected, unalarmed, unconverttude, and sincere affection, to-ed:-no raptures of love, gratiwards the Divine Being; hetude, or admiration are enkinknows, and, in some happy measure, feels, that it is infinitely reasonable that he should be the Lord's; and, on the wings of faith, he rises above terrestrial things; surveys, and longs to enter on the regions of everlasting bliss. It is, indeed, my very earnest prayer, that you may be inspired with this holy melody of heart. How lamentable is the consideration, that many utter sentiments, which infinitely concern them, of a kind the most delightful and awful, with the most entire indifference. Do not be guilty of this hypocrisy and profanity. Pray God to give you a new heart and a right spirit.' You cannot endure discords in music: ✪ that the more direful discords which too commonly subsist between the heart and the tongue, were equally abhorred! Be anxiously concerned, my dear friends, to sing with the spirit, and with the understanding also.' "It is well known, that the late excellent Mr. Cadogan had but little taste for music. An eminent musician, who was one of his hearers, occasionally sung some of the finest pieces of composition, in his hearing; and, since he was in raptures himself, he often expressed his astonishment that his minister was not in raptures also. One day, however, Mr. Cadogan said to him, * Give me leave, my good friend, to be astonished in my turn-I bring forward invitations of mercy, sweeter than the melody "How pleasing the reflection, that if you now thus celebrate the praises of God, the moment is not distant when, after a life of usefulness and felicity on earth, you shall meet together to celebrate, in a manner inconceivably more sublime, the infinite perfections, and the everlasting loving kindnesses of him who has redeemed you by his own precious blood, and who will present you faultless before the throne with exceeding joy. This is, indeed, the sincere and ardent prayer of your unworthy friend, Coseley. LETTERS FROM THE B. H.D." |