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were supplied by Mr. Wood, Mr. James Biggs, Mr. Dunscomb, Mr. Rippon, (now Dr. Rippon of London) and Mr. Purdy. In 1772, June the 30th, Mr. J. Biggs came on their invitation from Bristol; and was ordained to the pastoral office, August the 5th, 1773.

the people.

Mr. Wills in 1770. In 1771, they | Mr. Dore, of London, addressed Mr. S. continued with them till October 1790, and removed from Wantage to London, where he preached occasionally, and afterwards settled at Kingston-Lisle; where he continued to exercise his ministry to the great satisfaction of his people was much beloved, and died February the 23d, 1812. He was interred in the burying ground belonging to the meeting house, Wantage.

Messrs. Hugh, and Caleb Evans, of Bristol, and Mr. Turner, of Abingdon, officiated on the occasion. Mr. B. remained with them upwards of seven years; but discouraged on account of his little success, the great declension of the church, and the improper behaviour of some of the members towards him, he removed from hence to Dublin, in March, 1781.

After Mr. B's removal, the people invited a Mr Love, then of Kingston Lisle, a village about six miles from Wantage, who came for a short time amongst them; and in February, 1782, removed to Carton, in Bedfordshire. Mr. L. afterwards left the Dissenters, entered the Church of England, and became lecturer of St Michael's, Wood-street, London.

The church now applied to Mr. Evans of Bristol to recommend to them a married man; in compliance with this request, he recommended Mr. Thomas Smith who was then a student in the academy. Mr. S. first came to Wantage November 16th, 1782; staid three months; and then returned to Bristol to finish his studies.

At this time Mr. Enoch Francis being at liberty, who had many years been pastor of the Baptist church at Exeter, they applied to him; and after hearing him some time they unanimously requested him to become their pastor; with which request he complied in December 1790, and continued with them till June, 1794.

They had now various supplies for some months; when inviting Mr. West, of Carlton, he came as a probationer in 1794, and his ministry being approved, he settled as their pastor.

Mr. W. continued with them upwards of sixteen years, and removed to Dublin in Ireland, in June, 1811, where he is comfortable, respectable, and useful.

After Mr. West's removal, the friends invited Mr. Pryce, then at Wellington in Shropshire, who being then moveable, visited Wantage in 1811. Here, however, he did not long continue, but removed to Falmouth, in Cornwall, in 1814, his present situation.

From 1814 to 1816 they had various supplies, principally mi

At their particular request he returned to them June 5th, 1783, and in compliance with the advice of friends, Mr. S. became or-nisters from the neighbouring dained July the 11th, 1787: Mr. Dunscomb delivered a discourse on the nature of ordination, and offered up the ordination prayer. Mr. Turner gave the charge, and

churches, and other supplies as they were able to obtain them.

In the spring of 1816, Mr. Jas. Jackson was in Oxfordshire supplying Watlington and Chalgrave,

ANECDOTES

for some months, but not having any permanent engagement, he was requested to supply Want

OF PIOUS SEAMEN.

of London Tavern, March 19, 1818, for the purpose of provid ing a floating Chapel on the river Thames for the use of Sailors, a minister, who was present, related the following anecdotes:

age. With this request Mr. J. AT a meeting held at the City complied, and his labours obtaining the general approbation, the friends repeated their request.→→ During his stay at Watlington he paid them several visits: since December last he has been resident amongst them, and has now become their pastor, to which office he was ordained July 9th,

1817.

The Rev. J. Kershaw, of Abingdon, opened the services, by reading the thirty-third chapter of Exodus, and offering solemn prayer.

The Rev. J. Bicheno, of Coat, Oxon, performed the introductory service, asked the usual questions of the church and mi

mister, and received Mr. J.'s confession of faith.

-

The Rev. William Steadman, D.D. (formerly Mr. J.'s tutor) offered up the ordination prayer, and delivered a very impressive charge from John, v. 35. "He a burning and a shining

was

light."

The first related to the solici

tude for the safety of human lives which a sense of religion, upon the minds of sailors, would promote.-Sailing from the island of Jersey in a heavy sea, the minister remarked a conversation be tween the man at the helm and the sailors, whether they should be able to clear the point of the Carbeer rocks, without making another tack; when the captain gave orders that they should put off, in order that they might run no risk. The minister address ing the captain, said, "I am hap ful a commander." The captain py to find that we have, so care replied, "It is necessary I should be very careful, because I have great responsibility; and that souls on board. I think of my should any thing happen through my carelessness, that I should have a great deal to answer for; but should an accident occur after I have taken all the care I can, then I shall not be accountable." He added, "I wish never to forget, Sir, that souls are very valuable." The minister turning to some of his congregation who were upon deck with him, said, "The cap

The Rev. J. Dyer, of Reading, addressed the people from. 1 Cor. iv. 1, "Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God." And the Rev. D. Williams, of Fairford, concluded in prayer.

Met again in the evening, when the Rev. Mr. Davies, of Oakingham, prayed; Rev. Dr. Steadman preached from Phil. i. 12, "The things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel ;" and the Rev. Mr. Welch, of Newbury, concluded. We have reason to believe that the services of the day were eminently blest to many souls.

VOL. X.

tain has preached me a powerful get, when I am addressing my sermon; I hope I shall never forfellow-creatures on the concerns of eternity, that, I. have souls on board."

The next anecdote was to i

T

was, by these worse than barbarous Popish persecutors, who neither regard the laws of God nor nature, compelled, with her own hands, to husband, and near forty more were set fire to her dear father; and her forced to bear faggots, a kind of pen

lustrate the advantage of sailing with pious sailors, from the confidence it would inspire in the minds of passengers in the time of danger.A captain in the west of England distinguished for his decided piety, and for the de-ance used in those days for such as corum of his ship's company, they suspected of heresy; and mahad several passengers on board, ny were forced to wear the pictures among whom was a captain in of faggots in green cloth, or silk, on his Majesty's Navy, and his fa- their sleeves; some for the term of mily. A storm coming on, the at any time they left off that badge life, some for so many years; and if lady was exceedingly alarmed, of heresy, they were to be burnt; when her husband endeavoured and indeed it was almost as bad to to calm her mind by the follow- keep it on; for such was either the ing address: "You need not be superstition of the people, or the terafraid, for captain has been ror of the prelates, that scarce any to prayer, and the mate is gone deal with those that were so marked. would, or durst relieve, employ, or to prayer; and I understand that so soon as the sailors can be spared, they are all going to prayer; so that there is no danger of our being lost."

It was understood that this was said seriously, from a persuasion that God would hear and answer the prayer of his servants. It might be certainly expected, that should religious instructions be conveyed to the minds of this class of the community, that many human lives will be saved; ás there can be no doubt but many accidents arise from the irreligious spirit and conduct of profane and inebriated sailors.

"Among others of this sort, there was one Thomas Harding, of Chesham, who for ten years together wore this green faggot; but one time in the Easter holidays, while the other people went to church to their woods, there solitarily to worship the idolatrous mass, he retired into the living God in spirit and in truth; when as he was busied in a book of English Prayers, one chanced to spy him, who in haste went to the officers of the town, declaring that he had seen Harding in the woods sently run to his house to search for looking in a book!! The rabble prebooks, and pulled up the very boards of the floor, under which they found certain books of the Holy Scriptures in English. This was enough to convict him of a relapse into heresy; so he was seized and carried before John Langland, bishop of Lincoln, then lying at Woobourn, who quickly condemned him, and he was conveyed back to Chesham, and there burnt to ashes. But when they first kindled the fire, one threw a billet at him that dashed out his brains, which it is supposed was done out "THE towns of Agmondesham of pure zeal, to obtain the forty days' [Amersham] and Chesham in Buck-pardon of all sins; there having foringhamshire, were very eminent for professors of the Gospel. In the year 1506, one William Tylsworth was burnt in a close in Agmondesham; at which time his only daughter, named Joan (the wife of one John Clark, and a faithful woman,)

POPISH PERSECUTION
IN ENGLAND.

Extracted from a Work entitled "The
History of Popery," in two Vols.
by several Gentlemen. Printed in
London, 1736.

merly been a proclamation, that who ever should bring a faggot or stake to the burning of a heretic, should have forty days' pardon: whereupon many ignorant peoplefcaused their children to bear faggots on such oc casions." Vol. ii. part v. p. 367, 366

Juvenile Department,

HISTORICAL ESSAYS.

No. VIII.

On the Corruption of Christianity in Britain during the Reign of Henry the Second. A. D. 1154–1170.

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trated, in the early part of this reign, by the humiliating conduct of the rival sovereigns Henry and Lewis of France, who, meeting his holiness, as he was most falsely called, at the castle of Torci on the Loire, both dismounted and conducted him into the castle, walking on foot by his side, holding each à rein of his horse's bridle: a spectacle," exclaims one of his votaries, "to God, angels, and men, and such as had never before been exhibited to the world!" a spectacle, the Christian youth will not fail to remark, contemptible in the eyes of the spiritual mind, because the reverse of the conduct of Him by whom kings reign, of whom this dignitary feigned to be the representative; who, uniformly, refused the honour that cometh from men, made himself of no reputation, and humbled himself to death, even the death of the cross, for the good of the church, constantly verifying by his conduct the truth of his decla

WE have already seen, that the success of the Roman pontiffs in the augmentation of their unscriptural power was much influenced by the talents and disposition of the reigning monarch: and it is equally evident, that the happiness or misery of a kingdom, under a system of superstition so notoriously corrupt, materially depended on the conduct of the clergy: such facts could not have escaped the discriminating observation of so able a prince as Henry II. It must, therefore, have been an advantage to him as important as it was singular, that he could arrive at the throne with so little of their officious aid, and commence his government in a tranquillity, that, in those rude ages, seldom adorned an incipient reign: the un-ration, that "his kingdom was not bounded confidence in his talents of this world." greatly contributed to this blessing. In addition to the extraordinary competency of this sovereign, the extensive continental possessions which he brought with him to the crown, forming nearly a third part of France, not a little increased his importance. It might, therefore, have been expected, that the sad consequences of clerical usurpations would for the present cease, because, the ecclesiastics would rather content themselves with recent acquirements, than hazard the displeasure of so powerful a ruler; and this perhaps might have been his happiness, had he not so grossly mistaken the character of the man whom, on the first vacancy, he promoted to the primacy.

The reverence entertained for the Pope, and the proud dignity to which he had arrived, were illus

It was not uncommon in this age of absurdities for infants to be be trothed to each other in marriage by their interested parents. Thus Margaret of France and young Henry of England were affianced to each other long before they could understand the nature of the contract, and the fortress of Gisons was a part of her dowry. This fortress was committed to the care of the knights templars till the solemnization of the nuptials. Henry, covetous of the dowry, solemnized the nuptials at once, and accordingly got possession of Gisons. being resented by Lewis, Pope Alexander III. interposed his authority, and allayed the storm of their anger. It is worthy of remark, that this Pope was then residing in France, having been driven from Rome, by the anti-pope Victor IV:

This

so little did these interested men his great liberality to their order; regard even the semblance of de- and affecting the most extraordinary cency and consistency, and so little gravity and sanctity, the very reverse did they act up even to their false of his late ostentatious habit, his pretences, and so sunk in the dark-conduct attracted the greater attention.

Having been the confidant of the King, he was well aware of his designs against the clergy, and thought it policy early to сопvince him, that it was as much his own design to defend and increase the privileges of the priesthood, as it could be Henry's to attack and abridge them. He therefore required the Earl of Clare, a most powerful nobleman, to give up the barony of Tunbridge, because it was anciently annexed to the see of Canterbury, although it had been enjoyed by the Earl's family ever since the Conquest. Nor did Becket rest here, but presented one of his favourites to a living that did not belong to him, and afterwards excommunicat

ness of superstition were their votaries, as to allow such monstrous imposition. Though Henry, in this instance, had no great reason to be 'dissatisfied with the Pope's mediation, yet he might justly dread, that the interference now employed in his favour, would be hercafter as efficacious to his injury, especially as it was his design, if not to curtail clerical power, at least to prevent its encroachment. The death of the aged Archbishop of Canterbury, however, seemed to favour his views, as it afforded him an opportunity of endeavouring to fill that station more to his satisfaction, which was of the utmost consequence, as the matter appeared rapidly hastening to a crisis, whether the King or Primate should be in reality go-ed the person in whose gift it was vernor of the nation.

for expelling the individual he had placed in it: nor would he absolve the party, till after repeated remonstrances and threats from the King himself.

Thomas à Becket, already raised to the dignity of Chancellor, was the person selected by Henry, contrary to the advice of his friends, for the vacant benefice: one with whom O who can estimate the sum of he was familiarly friendly, one to human guilt and misery that has whom he had been particularly arisen from the neglect of scriptural kind, and on whose grateful returns advice and example in ecclesiastical he thought he might doubtless cal- concerns! Spirituality, and conseculate. The priests of this period quent simplicity, are the great chasetting a higher value on human racteristics of the modern dispensathan on divine approbation, were tion; hence the offices in the Chrisever anxions for popularity, as that tian church are few in number, and alone could ensure their triumph their nature as far removed as possiover kingly power. The first act of ble from the pomps and vanities of Becket, after his promotion, showed this wicked world; nor are such how indispensable he considered offices at the disposal of any indivithis advantage. He therefore im-dual, however great his wealth, exmediately resigned the office of tensive his influence, or elevated his Chancellor, without consulting his rank. benefactor; stating, that it became him to occupy himself solely in the "discharge of his spiritual duties. He substituted exemplary abstinence for his former luxury, and wore dirty sackcloth next to his skin, which, pretending to conceal, was the more remarked. He inflicted painful discipline on himself; and daily, on his knees, washed the feet of thirteen beggars, afterwards dismissing them with presents. He ensured the favour of the monks by

་ ་ ས

Among the numberless inventions of popery, for which, alas! thousands of hypocritical priests will have to answer in the tremendous day of accounts, was the awful delusion of receiving money from the ignorant, in mitigation or excuse of the penance enjoined as auxiliary to the pardon of their sins; and to such an alarming extent had this infernal practice reached, that Henry calculated the sums thus extorted from his subjects, exceeded the

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