DEVONSHIRE.

(Continued from page 107.) HARTLAND.--A new independent interest has lately been raised here, under pleasing circumstances. A neat meetinghouse was erected in 1818. The attendance is good, and there is a considerable probability of usefulness. Mr. JOHNS, through whose labours the cause originated,is the pastor of the church assembling here.

HATHERLEIGH.--The first minister of whom we have any account, in connection with this place, is Mr. RICHARD GLANVILLE, who was ordained August 7, 1705, over the congregation at Truro. In all probability, he removed to Hatherleigh in the same year, as in 1706 Mr. NICHOLAS BRINLEY was ordained at Truro. In the year 1713, Mr. Glanville was settled at Liskeard, where he died in March, 1748. Mr. Glanville must have left Hatherleigh in 1708, as in that year Mr. GEORGE LISANT was ordained there. Mr. WILLIAM GILLESPY was ordained at Hatherleigh in April, 1729, and died there in 1743. In 1746, Mr. GEORGE CASTLE was ordained the pastor of this church.. It is understood that this gentleman embraced the Arian creed. The congregation decreased under his ministry; and, at present, there is no Dissenting interest in the place.

HOLSWORTHY.-An Independent church existed here in the time of Cromwell. It was gathered by Mr. HUMPHREY SAUNDERS, the minister of the parish. It was against this gentleman that Sir WILLIAM MORICE wrote his Cana quasi KoLn. 4to. 1651. Mr. Saunders defended himself, in a tract entitled "Antidiatribe; or an Apology for administering the Lord's Supper to a Select Company." 8vo. 1665. Of Mr. Saunders a pleasing account is preserved by Calamy. In all probability, this church was scattered in the persecution which ensued at the Restoration. In 1687, Mr. MICHAEL TAYLOR instituted a Dissenting cause here, over which he continued pastor till his death, in 1705. Of Mr. Taylor an account is preserved by Calamy. Mr. BENJAMIN FLAVELL WAS ordained over this church August 23, 1710. After this circumstance we have no account of Dissent in this place.

Mr.

KINGSKERWELL.-A Dissenting cause existed here very early in the last century, and was, at one time, well attended. It has, however, for many years, been extinct; and the old meeting-house is now a stable. A sermon is preached here on the Sabbath evening, and occasionally. in the week, by the members of the church at Newton. The attendance is encouraging. Of the series of old ministers all that we know is, that Mr. EDWARD COTTON was ordained here, July 17, 1711, and that he died in January, 1747; and that Mr. THOMAS CHAPMAN was ordained here, October 10, 1753. He removed to Collumpton, and finally to Totness.

KINGSTEIGNTON. In the year 1809, Mr. Crook, of Newton, commenced preaching in a private room in this village, and was occasionally assisted by Mr. Gleed, of Teignmouth. In 1816, a small building was opened for regular worship, chiefly through the liberality of Mr. Robert Burd. This meeting-house is supplied by various ministers. The number of stated hearers is estimated at 60. Its number of members is 14.

KINGSBRIDGE. Independent. - The Dissenting interest in this place originated

from the labours of Mr. JOHN HICKES, of Trinity College, Dublin, an ejected minister. He was born at Moorhouse, near Thirsk, in Yorkshire, in 1633, and obtained the living of Stoke Damarel, in Devonshire. From this living he was ejected at the Restoration. He then removed to Saltash, in Cornwall, whence he was ejected in 1662. On his second ejectment he came to Kingsbridge, where he embraced all opportunities of preaching, and eventually gathered a church on the Presbyterian form of discipline. In 1671, Mr. Hickes printed "A Narrative of the Persecutions endured by the Dissenters in Kingsbridge,' an interesting tract which has recently been republished. Many curious facts, relative to the early history of Nonconformists in Devonshire, are given in that publication. We shall extract a few which have a more immediate connection with Kingsbridge. At that time, many respectable persons in Kingsbridge and its vicinity were Dissenters, and were accustomed to meet for divine worship in a secluded spot, now called Sorely-Green, and in other retired situations. The persecution which then raged prevented their having any building set apart for their devotional exercises. They worshipped God under the canopy of heaven. Though they used every precaution to prevent surprise, they were often dispersed by armed men, who threatened the bitterest revenge on Mr. Hickes, if he were found. Dr. Calamy has preserved a long account of this excellent man. There is every probability that a meetinghouse for this congregation was built towards the latter part of Mr. Hickes's ministry. The next minister was Mr. Edmund Tucker, of Trinity College, Cambridge. He was born at Milton Albot, near Tavistock, in 1627. On his ejection, in 1662, he came to Kingsbridge. Dr. Calamy says of him, "Through affliction, and the failure of his intellect, he was taken off from preaching more than a year before his death, which was some-. what suddenly, July 6, 1702, in the 75th year of his age. His funeral sermon was preached by Mr. John Cor, who succeeded him at Kingsbridge. In Mr. Hickes's narrative, Mr. Tucker is called Tooker. Of Mr. Cox, his successor, we have no information, except that, in a few years, he removed to Newton. Mr. Alexander Walker now undertook the pastoral charge of this church. His ancestors were from Ireland, and emigrated from that country, in the rebellion of the Papists, in the reign of Charles I. Mr. Walker was ordained in 1711, at North Moulton, and, in probability, came to Kingsbridge in a few years after that period. He was a very respectable character, very exemplary in his life, and much beloved. The time of his decease is not known; but, in all probabi

lity, it occurred about 1740. In Mr. Walker's time a new place of worship was erected. On the decease of this gentleman, the cause considerably declined through the introduction of Arianism; and, in a short time, the place of worship was shut up, the congregation_dividing itself between the Baptists and Episcopalians. In this state things continued for many years. The Dissenting interest at FORD, a village about six miles distant, was nearly in the same state, and from the same cause. It was therefore at length thought advisable for the two congregations to unite, and to maintain betwixt them an evangelical ministry. This plan was, however, not carried into execution for some time. Messrs. Mends, of Plymouth, and Kinsman, of Devonport, kindly lent their aid in keeping the interest from failing, and, at length, prevailed on Mr. Evans to take the charge of the united congregations. The old meeting-house, being now in a dilapidated state, was taken down, and a new one erected, in 1790. Since that period, the church has been denominated Independent. In 1792 an unhappy division took place, and Mr. Evans, henceforward, confined his labours to Ford. Mr. Evans's life was published in the Evangelical Magazine for 1811, and to that account we refer our readers for any additional information respecting that excellent man. The pulpit was now supplied by the ministers of the Countess of Huntingdon's connexion, till June, 1803, when Mr. George Denner, an Independent, became the minister. In 1806 he resigned, and the church was again without a pastor, till November, 1814, which Mr. John Petherick (from Hoxton Academy) became the stated minister. He left in 1816, from a desire to preach the Gospel in Ireland. In November, 1816, Mr. James Angear succeeded. He resigned his office in January, 1821. In the next month Mr.Josiah Davies, from Axminster Academy, became the minister of this ancient church, over which he was ordained the pastor in 1823. In this situation he yet continues. There was an annuity of twenty shillings per annum belonging to this interest, the bequest of Mrs. Weymouth, but it ceased in 1792. Thomas Burnett, of Kingsbridge, who died -in 1808, bequeathed to the Society £400. in the three per cent. consolidated annuities. A legacy of £100. stock, three per cent. reduced, was also left for the support of the Gospel in this place, by Robert Pearse, of this town, who died in March, 1821. In the year 1670, a Free Grammar School was built in this place, at the expense of a Protestant Dissenter. The first master of it was Mr. Barter's amanuensis. The trustees are all Dissenters at this day, and Mr. Evans was, for some time, the master;

but he voluntarily resigned the office, and it is at present holden by a clergyman. This charity provides a sufficient sum of money to bind the scholars apprentices to different trades, on the completion of their studies, and, at the close of their apprenticeship, to set them up for themselves.

MODBURY.-Mr. JOHN WITHERS WAS the first settled minister of Modbury meeting; and it is probable that he came there soon after the Act of Toleration took place. He was ordained August 26, 1691. He removed from Modbury to Exeter in 1703. The congregation was then pretty large, perhaps about three hundred. Mr. WILLIAM GILES succeeded Mr. Withers, and continued at Modbury about fourteen years. Mr Giles was ordained in 1703. He then removed to a congregation_at Cockwood, near the mouth of the river Ex, where he continued till his death in 1762. Mr. George Hanmer was the third minister of Modbury. He was ordained in 1718, and died of a consumption in 1723. He was buried in Modbury church, in an aisle belonging to Servington Savery, Esq., of Shilston, in that parish, who was a great supporter of the Dissenting interest.

Mr.

H. was father of the late Mr. John Hanmer, of Plymouth. Mr. Richard Evans, son of the gentleman of that name at Collumpton, was ordained here, August 24, 1723; but, two years afterwards, died of the small-pox at Shilston, and was buried by the side of Mr. Hanmer. After his death, the meeting was supplied for several years by Mr. John Cudmore, son of Mr. Cudmore of Chulmleigh. About 1729, Mr. Roger Flexman, of Torrington, was chosen as the pastor of this church, and ordained in 1730. Here he continued till 1732, when he removed to Bow. After his removal, the congregation was unsettled for several years. In 1735 the congregation chose Mr. John Cranch, a native of Kingsbridge, as their pastor. He was ordained in the same year, and remained there till 1745, when he removed to Ilminster. From that time, till 1750, Mr. Batson, of Kingsbridge, supplied the pulpit, but refused to be ordained amongst them, he being in principle a Baptist. About 1750, Mr. George Waters was recognized as the pastor of this church. Mr. Waters came originally from Scotland, and brought with him testimonials from the Presbytery of Dalkeith, and, on this recommendation, was received by the Assembly. He removed to Falmouth in 1757, and was immediately succeeded by Mr. HENRY MOORE, a pupil of Dr. Doddridge. Mr. Moore was ordained in 1757. The congregation, which was once numerous, gradually fell away, and, in 1789, was reduced to about 50 persons. In that year Mr. Moore removed to Liskeard,

We know nothing of this interest subsequently to Mr. Moore's departure.

MORETON-HAMPSTEAD. - Mr. ROBERT WOOLCOMBE was ejected from this place in 1662. Many of his congregation thought it their duty to continue under their ejected pastor, and provided a house for worship. But the Court, bent on the suppression of Nonconformists, passed acts more strict against conventicles, by which the Dissenters were obliged to meet in secret. In 1687, Mr. Woolcombe and eleven others procured a license, dated Whitehall, July 18th, by his Majesty's command, signed Sunderland, for which a considerable sum was extorted from them, to exempt them from persecution, but which was rendered useless, in seven weeks after, by the declaration for liberty of conscience. From the year 1662 to 1687, the rent of the house and salary to the minister were duly paid, notwithstanding the fines imposed upon the people. Mr. Woolcombe died in 1692. On his death, a division took place among the people, and, for a time, the Dissenters here had two places of worship; but afterwards there was a union under Mr. ANGEL SPARK. He was ordained here June 21, 1692, and continued till 1721. In 1722 Mr. MICAIAH TOWGOOD was chosen pastor, and was ordained here in that year. In 1736 he removed to Crediton. On Lady-day, 1737, Mr. DANIEL HARSON succeeded him. He remained here till 1742, when he went to Bristol, and was succeeded, in 1743, by Mr. JOHN PARR, from Okehampton, who had been ordained there in 1715. Mr. Parr continued to officiate at Moreton till 1775, when, on account of his infirmities, he resigned the pastoral office. He died in 1779, aged 88. On the 2d of March, 1748, Mr. Richard Heard, one of the congregation, purchased the meeting-house of Mr. William Satter, and Elizabeth Mary Satter, and, in 1760, assigned the meeting-house to trustees, for the remainder of a term of 998 years, for the use of the congregation. From the time of Mr. Parr's resignation, there was no minister settled over this congregation, till the 29th of March, 1776, when Mr. EVANS, of Sherborne, was chosen pastor; but ill health obliged him to leave in a few months. In August, 1776, Mr. JAMES RoWLAND was elected pastor. He was ordained in June, 1778. On his removal, Mr. BRANSBY succeeded. To him followed Messrs. COOPER and SMETHURST. The Baptist Society, of which Mr. JACOB ISAAC was many years minister, united with this congregation, in 1819. services are conducted, in the morning, at the Baptist meeting; in the afternoon, at this place of worship. A new meetinghouse was built in 1800, on the scite of the old one.

The

LETTER FROM CANTON.

"Canton, Nov. 15, 1825.

"In my letter to you from Batavia, the capital of Java, which I wrote to you in the beginning of last September, I mention the previous steps by which we had proceeded so far, continually experiencing the goodness and mercy of our heavenly Father. I no doubt mentioned the state of insurrection against the Dutch Government, in which the Javanese were at that time; we felt a little of the danger, and had some difficulty in getting a passage from that place to Singapore; but on the 13th September, we reached Singapore, after a very short passage of seven days; at that place we remained about fourteen days, one of us in the house of the Missionary, Mr. T, the other in the house of a Scotch gentleman and merchant, Mr. N. From this very rapidly rising commercial settlement, we obtained a passage in the Hon. C.'s ship, the Windsor, Capt. Haviside; this is the first fine ship in which we have been fated to make any of our voyages, she is 1326 tons; she made a fine passage up the China Seas in 15 days to Macao, though it was at the most critical season of the year, the breaking up of the Monsoon; we had very heavy and almost constant squalls, but not dead against us until the change of the moon, when the Monsoon broke, and excited considerable apprehensions in the Captain and Officers, that it would be attended by a typhon; this evil, however, did not happen to us, and through a kind providence, and the excellent management of the Captain and those under him, we reached Macao on the 15th of October, where the Company, servants, and their families reside one half the year, that is during the season when the ships are away, and no business is being done at Canton among the Europeans. We found a part of Dr. Morrison's house unoccupied, the other part having been let to a merchant during his visit to England; of this we understood that we might take possession for the few days we should remain. We could get no beds, as the only inn there is in Macao, which is kept by a Chinaman, and none of the gentlemen we saw offering us either beds or apartments, we bought a couple of chairs, and we had our mattresses, and remained in the house until November 2, when we took a passage by a second river which runs from Canton. We were three days getting up this river to Canton, 100 miles; this is a noble river,

in many parts as wide as the Thames at London bridge, and in many parts wider, receiving almost innumerable, smaller, but navigable rivers all along its course as far as we went. The population on the banks of this river is very great, and the number of boats, each containing its family, is almost incredible as they certainly are innumerable. The smaller boats are all managed by the females, while the husbands and fatliers are pursuing some other occupation on shore during the day; these boats, of which multitudes are always ready to take a fare, both at Macao and Canton, are singularly clean and neatly arranged, and we observed in every boat, large or small, there is a part appropriated for holding one or more idols, with incense and sacred candles, &c., and that they never fail to light up these sacred tapers at sun down, and to burn their gilt paper, with other manifestations of their regard to what they call religion. Now, in this, though the Chinese are altogether too superstitious,' yet their diligence in these superstitions awfully reproves the Europeans, or rather the Protestants of England and America here, who pay no more regard to the institutions and principles of the true religion, than if they were Mahomedans. The buildings and premises here at Canton, in which the gentlemen in the Company's service reside and transact their business, are on a good scale, and very respectably built and convenient; they range along the bank of the river, which is here about the width of the Thames at London bridge, literally covered with boats, and of all sizes, having a spacious quay in front. These buildings are called the British Factory, having in the front, on the quay, the English flag flying from a very high flag staff. In a range with these buildings, are the American, the Portuguese, and Spanish fac tories, which, taken separately, are exceedingly less extensive than the British; the factory of each nation has its flag flying in front, except the Spanish, whose flag staff has at present no colours flying.

"The want of attention, which we experienced at Macao, has been amply made up at Canton; our want of introduction has not inconvenienced us. Sir J. WMr. T, Mr. P―, Mr. D- and the very amiable and clever Mr. M. have been abundantly civil and attentive, as have many others both of the Hon. Company, and resident Merchants Free Traders.

"We have seen all that is to be seen in the suburbs, or in the river, of this celebrated city. Into the city none are permitted to go; but, two days since, we had the singular good fortune to force our selves through two of the gates into the

city, in two different parts, under the guidance of Captain H and Mr. M The crowd of Chinese contended with us, at the first gate; but while they were striving with those two gentlemen, Mr. Tyerman and I pushed through for a yard or two, so as to see the inside of the walls, and the streets right and left; but they soon hurried us back, and we were glad we did not get a little bambooing for our temerity. At the next gate we attempted, we succeeded in getting through, without molestation, for fifty yards; but thought it prudent then to retreat, lest they should compel us to remain longer than we wished. The outside and inside of the city are much the same. All the streets are narrower than Monmouth-street. They are from 3 to 7 feet wide only, having the trades distributed into closes-Shoemakers' streets, Tailors' streets, Mercers' streets, Carpenters' streets, Butchers' streets, Fish-mongers', Looking-glass makers', Painters', Gold and Silversmiths', &c., ad infinitum. Only merchants, eating houses, and barbers' shops are every where. Some barbers shave the head, chin, and face; others shave the ears, inside and outside; the nose, in and out; the eyes, inside and out, or, at least, they scrape within the eyelids, and cleanse the corners of the eye. Can we doubt but the great number of blind Chinese, and tender eyed, we see every where, is partly occasioned by this preposterous but universal custom?

"Canton is 15 miles above Whampoa, (which is a part of this noble river, so much nearer the sea,) where all the foreign vessels lie, whether belonging to the Company or not. We yesterday had the delightful opportunity of sailing down, in Captain Thomas's boat, to that place. The scenery of the country is strikingly beautiful; and the constantly varying scenes on the water are most intensely curious and amusing. We had the good fortune to get on shore unmolested, and to enter one of those singular and picturesque buildings, a huge pagoda, of nine stories, octagonal, 42 feet in diameter at the base, and higher than the Monument on Fishstreet Hill. We passed three forts; one is called the Portuguese Folly, another the French Folly, from their having been abortive attempts, on the part of those nations, to overawe the Chinese.

"We saw, for the first time, one of the largest boats, of a singular construction, in which they keep and breed ducks. There were thousands of these tame water-fowls on the bank of the river, feeding at the edges of a paddy ground (rice ground). They are under the most complete management. In the morning, on opening their coops, they flock to the shore; and, at the first sound of a whistle or call, NEW SERIES, No. 17.

they flock back again to their coops on the sides of the bank.

"But I must cease to-day, Sir. J says he must have our letters."

EXTRACTS OF LETTERS FROM ITALY.* The Carnival at Naples-Catholic Emancipation--The shock of an Earthquake-Its effects at Tito--The Evidence of Volcanic Action--The Procession of the Host--The Superstition of the People--The awful want of the Scriptures.

THE Carnival is just over. The Carnival! about which so much is said and written, and with which our youthful imagination is so much excited. How many tales of one's infancy have been laid in the merry scenes of the Carnival! and how many ideas of humour, mirth, and gaiety, are associated in one's mind with that period when a whole nation is given up to licensed revelry, and king, priests, and people, as is supposed, mingle together in one spring-tide of delight and joy! Such may be the Carnival existing in the imagination of the renders and tellers of poetic tales; but such is not the reality. Whatever this celebrated festival may have been in former ages, or what it may be in other states, I know not, but it is now, here, as stupid and senseless as any thing that was ever offered in the shape of insult to the human mind. Imagine, if you can, (for it really requires to be seen to be believed,) people of all ranks, sexes, and ages, masked and riding in open carriages, up and down a street which is the Cheapside of Naples, pelting each other with sugar-plums!! In this, the whole amusement of the Carnival consists. Those who have the greatest number of friends pelt most, and get most pelted, for they are expected to overwhelm with a hurricane of sweets, those whom they most love, or to whom they are best known. Indeed, with such fury of friendship and affection are these missiles hurled, that if the faces and persons of the

combatants were not well masked and protected, visible signs would be left on the features of many a fair one, as no very agreeable memento of the rencontres of the day.

In this amusement, then, do grown gentlemen and ladies seriously occupy themselves, day after day! kings and priests take part in it, and even the barefooted monk elevates his shaven crown amidst the crowd, and twists his sombre