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Rev. Drs. and Messrs. Collyer, Bogue, Smith, Waugh, Lewis Way, Hunter of Gloucester, G. Mutter, Shirley, Blackburn, and Clementson, and T. Roberts, Esq. Just as the President was addressing the meeting in conclusion, Dr. Robinson of Dublin entered the hall, and being introduced to the audience, announced the formation of an Auxiliary Society in that city, which has very recently been visited by one of the foreign agents, in company with a highly respected friend and supporter of the Institution. The meeting broke up about four o'clock, and upwards of twenty guineas were collected at the door, besides some subscriptions received on the platform.

OXFORDSHIRE ASSOCIATION.

CHIPPING NORTON, May 27, 28. Engaged Messrs. Wright, Hinton, Beetham, Heafford, Clark, Jayne, Howlett, James Hinton, Junr. Kershaw, Walton (John iii. 4), Richard Price (Heb. ii. 10), Searl (of Banbury, Independent), and Joseph Price. Next Association at Blockley, Whit-Monday and Tuesday, 1823. Increase of Members 75.

ESSEX ASSOCIATION.

MAY 28 and 29, the Annual Association of Baptist Ministers and Churches for the above county was held at the Rev. J. Wilkinson's, Saffron Walden. The following was the order of the several services.

Tuesday afternoon, at three. While the ministers and messengers were transacting the business of the Association, public worship was conducted in the Meeting-house by Messrs. Waldron of Stortford, and Ragsdell of Braintree. The former began in prayer, and the latter preached from Ephes. iii. 20, and concluded.-Evening at six. Mr. Carter, from the church in Potter-street, began in prayer. The letters from the various churches were then read, affording, upon the whole, an encouraging proof that the Lord has not "forgotten to be gracious," and that his arm is "not shortened that it cannot save.' The service was concluded by Mr. Wilkinson, who also gave out the hymns.

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Wednesday morning, at seven. Mr. Pettit of Sampford began in prayer; Mr. Haynes, the Itinerant of the As

sociation, prreached from Luke x. 42, and concluded.-Half-past ten. Mr, Francis of Colchester prayed; Messrs. Garrington of Burnham, and Pilkington of Rayleigh, preached; the former from Luke xiv. 22, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room; and the latter from Ezekiel. xlvii. 6-10. Mr. Haynes then gave a pleasing and highly satisfactory account of his itinerary labours, during the preceding year; and Mr. Edmonds of Cambridge concluded the whole by prayer.

It was with much pleasure we observed the cordiality and union by which the above meeting was distinguished. The love of Christ appeared to have bound all hearts together in Christian affection. The sermons that were delivered were equally remarkable for their impressiveness and their piety; and when the time of separation arrived, it was evidently connected with a lively hope of an everlasting Association on high.

THE Baptist Church at BOVEY TRACEY, Devon, has long appeared in the list of churches of our denomination; but there are no documents to furnish a correct history of its origin, and the changes it has experienced. It appears, however, from ancient letters, that a church existed there in the year 1660, and that the Rev. Robert Steed of London, sometimes visited them; and the Baptist Register informs us that when the churches published their Confession of Faith, in 1689, the church at Bovey Tracey united with them, Mr. Clement Jackson being then their pastor. Who immediately succeeded Mr. Jackson is not quite certain; but after some time they had a Mr. Elihu Lemon, and after him a Mr. Mead, for their ministers. Tradition says, their congregations were respectable; but from causes at present unknown the interest declined, and became nearly, if not altogether, extinct; and if the Lord did reserve to himself a remnant who mourned for the low estate of Zion, and wrestled with him for a revival of his work, it seems they had no certain place of meeting, to hear an occasional sermon. There was but little appearance of true godliness in the neighbourhood till about the year 1770, when a pious family came to reside at Bovey, who were acquainted with the late excellent Dr. Caleb Evans, President of the Academy at Bristol. The Doctor

in his occasional visits to this family, inquired respecting the state of religion in the neighbourhood; and finding there were a few pious persons in Bovey and its vicinity, he sought them -out, and brought them to unite in the worship of God, and with the assistance of his friends, procured for them our present meeting-house, which is part of a very ancient building, of popish origin, and still bearing vestiges of the superstition of those remote ages. The Rev. Thomas Lewis and the Rev. Philip Gibbs, pastors of the churches at Exeter and Plymouth, and the Rev. Benjamin Morgan of Bridgewater, assisted in this work. On July 22, 1773, a church was formed, consisting of twenty members, who continued in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in prayers; and enjoyed the ministry of the word, and broke bread, as often as they could obtain a minister to labour among them. They kept up worship by reading and prayer, having many of their neighbours in regular attendance with them, and waited ten or twelve years before they could obtain a stated ministry. In this they set a laudable example to small and poor churches, who too often give way to despondency, and "despise the day of small things." The ministers of Plymouth, Kingsbridge, and Exeter, visited this little society occasionally; and their kind friend Dr. Evans assisted them much by sending them supplies from the Academy. Of the ministers who spent some time at Bovey, between the years 1773 and 1795, we find the names of Messrs. Symonds, (late of Taunton); Williams, Hatch, Birt, (now of Birmingham); Boyce, (now of London); Lloyd, Philips, Dunn, (now in America); Giles, and Williams (now of Cheltenham).

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THE Rev. William Catton was ordained pastor of the Baptist Church in ULEY, Gloucestershire. Mr. Cousins (King's Stanley) commenced with reading the scriptures and prayer; Mr. Walton (Cheltenham) delivered the introductory discourse, asked the usual questions, and received the confession of faith; Mr. Hawkins (Eastcombs) offered the ordination prayer; Mr. Winterbotham gave a very instructive charge, from 2 Tim. iv. 5; Mr. Burchell (Tetbury) preached to the people from Deut. i. 38; and Mr.. Thomas (Wotton-under-Edge)• concluded with prayer.

In the evening Mr. Bennett (Dursley) commenced with prayer; Mr. Walton (Cheltenham) preached from Heb. vi. 19, 20; and Mr. Taylor (Independent minister of Uley) concluded with prayer. Mr. Cousins of King's Stanley read the hymns.

an impressive address to the deacons ; and Mr. Hogg of Kimbolton concluded with prayer.

MAY 22, a new Baptist Church was formed at WOODFORD, near Thrapston, consisting of eleven persons, eight of whom had been members of other churches in the neighbourhood, Their present pastor came to Bovey and the remaining three had been rein April 1795, when the church con- cently baptized. Mr. Simpson of Bysisted of about thirty members, and thorn described the nature of a gospel was ordained in March 1796. His la-church, recognized the union, and gaye bours have not been altogether in vain, and both he and the church have much cause for gratitude to God; but they have been, and still are, exercised with trials, as by death and otherwise many valuable persons have been removed from them; and the ancient fabric in which they assemble for worship having undergone frequent repairs, is at length so completely decayed, that they fear it is absolutely necessary to rebuild it. This is the more painfully felt, in consequence of the church and congregation being in general very poor, and unable to un

On the following morning the Rev. Thomas Miller, late pastor of the Church at Oakham, was recognized as the pastor of this infant cause: Mr. Pickering of Brigstock began the service with reading and prayer; Mr. Hogg delivered the introductory address, asked the usual questions, and prayed; Mr. Hall of Kettering deli vered an appropriate discourse on the Duties and Excellence of the Pastoral Office, from 1 Tim. iii. 1; Mr. Simpson

addressed the church on the Duties of Christians towards the Gospel, from Phil. i. 27; and Mr. Belcher of Oakham concluded with prayer. Mr. Allen of Irthlingborough gave out the hymns. In the evening Mr. Parkins of Aldwinkle prayed; Mr. Miller, late of Braintree, preached on the Increase of Scriptural Knowledge, from Dan. xii. 4; and Mr. Hawkins of Keysoe' concluded the interesting services of the day with prayer.

MAY 29, Mr. Thomas Horton, late student at Bristol, was ordained pastor of the Baptist Church, Morice-square, PLYMOUTH DOCK. Mr. Will cocks of the same place commenced with reading and prayer; Mr. Crisp of Bristol asked the questions, and received the confession of faith; Mr. Saffery offered the ordination prayer; Dr. Ryland addressed Mr. Horton, and Mr. Winterbotham the church; Mr. Parrot (Independent) of the place closed in prayer.

JUNE 26, the Rev. Daniel Davies, late of Merthyr-Tydvil, was publicly ordained at Eagle-street Chapel, to the pastoral office over the Welsh Baptist Church at BROAD WALL, STAMFORD-STREET, BLACKFRIARSROAD. The Rev. D. Davies of Lincoln began with reading and prayer; the Rev. Micah Thomas of Abergavenny delivered the introductory discourse, asked the usual questions, and received Mr. Davies's confession of faith; the ordination prayer was offered by the Rev. George Pritchard; an impressive charge was delivered by the Rev. Joseph Ivimey from 1 Tim. iv. 6; and the Rev. Robert Pritchard of Cardiff addressed the church in Welsh, from 1 Thess. v. 12, 13, and concluded in prayer.

BURTON STREET CHAPEL, Burton-Crescent, London, having been fitted up as a permanent place of worship for the church and congregation under the pastoral care and stated ministry of the Rev. John Edwards, (Secretary to the Baptist Home Missionary Society,) was re-opened on Lord's-day, July 7, 1822. The Rev. Dr. Steadman of Bradford, and the Rev. Dr. Waugh of London, preached upon the occasion. The church consists of upwards of seventy members. The public services will continue to be in the morning and afternoon of the Lord's-day, and on Wednesday evening, at the usual hours. A Sundayschool is about to be established.

A Correspondent desires us to say, that a new Baptist Interest is formed at BRIGHTON; that the attendance is already very considerable; and that a Minister of respectable talents, and of Calvinistic and liberal sentiments, would find this a very eligible situation.

NOTICES.

ON the first Wednesday in Septem ber will be held at Abergavenny, the Anniversary of the Welsh and English BAPTIST EDUCATION SOCIETY. Messrs. Jenkin Thomas of Oxford, and John Davies of Tredegar, are expected to preach. That the subscriptions and donations of the distant friends may be brought forward into the report, they are respectfully solicited to pay them, in the interim, to Mr. Stephen Marshall, High Holborn, London; Rev. J. Thomas, Oxford; Rev. Daniel Jones, Liverpool; R. Brinton, Esq. Birmingham; and Mr. Wm. Phillips, or Mr. Ebenezer Harris, Bristol.

AN anniversary service, commemorative of the settlement of the Rev. J.

Franks at Newport in the Isle of Wight, will be held on Wednesday, August 21. The Rev. B. H. Draper of Southampton, H. Russell of Broughton, and J. Saffery of Salisbury, are expected to preach: the former on the preceding evening. The friends of Mr. Franks wish it to be distinctly understood, that by this public patronage they do not intend the smallest obstacle to a re-union of the churches, which they would rather solicitously promote, if it could be accomplished under his pastorship.

CORRESPONDENCE.

MR. EDITOR,-I was pleased with the manner in which the writers of the two "Errata," in May and June Magazines, speak of my late venerable friend Mr. Whitfield of Hamsterley, and I am glad to find that two other Institutions, beside the Bath Society, assisted in promoting the comforts of this "Man of God" in his declining days. The non-insertion of this assistance was entirely owing to the nonpossession of information: and beg to add, that I made as many inquiries, and wrote with as much care and inpartiality, as even J. G. himself could possibly require.

Yours very respectfully,
Newcastle upon Tyne.

R. P.

A Token of Affection to the Memory of Mr. John Griffin, LATE PASTOR OF THE INDEPENDENT CHURCH AT EXETER,

AND OF

MR. ALFRED CECIL BUCKLAND, LATE OF FROME,

Author of "Letters on early Rising ;"

Both of whom recently died in their Twenty-sixth Year.

TWICE hath the solemn tone

Of knells funereal met my list'ning ear :-
Two minds to friendship dear,

Have pass'd for ever to the world unknown.

No longer could they stay;

Blest youths, by Christ redeem'd,
In you the graces shone serenely bright,
Inspiring sweet delight, -

And winning ev'ry heart whereon they
beam'd.

But, borne from earth, where troublous You, in my boyhood days,

oceans roll,

Far, far beyond the pole,

I lov'd beyond the rest of my compeers,
And gaily did the years

To heav'nly homes they wing'd their Lead us united in our studious ways.

glorious way.

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Before the sapphire throne

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There shall we meet again,

Of God, they now appear; and sweep And there of purer friendships quaff the

the lyre

With pure ethereal fire,

joys,

Where sin no more annoys,

While saints and angels them their kin- Subject no more to fell disease or pain.

dred own.

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Friendship will often weep,

What bliss ineffable,

To roam together o'er yon golden plains,
Where noon eternal reigns,

The love of our Incarnate God to tell!

Though now your precious dust

And Truth and Science heave the pensive In silence sleeps, beneath the cold green

sigh.

Fair Zion long shall mourn

sod,

Yet shall the hand of God,

Her son, her minister, and faithful friend, Remould it for th' assembling of the just.

And o'er the tomb shall bend,

Whither ber Griffin was in sadness borne.

Alfred, though thou art dead,

O Lord, to thee I cry,

My sins forgive; help me to run the race,
And share the glorious grace

Thou still dost plead, with reasons drawn Of my blest friends and kindred, now on

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Irish Chronicle.

THE famine which prevails in the districts where the Schools of the Society are situated will, it is feared, for a time greatly interrupt the attendance of the children. The schoolmasters are reduced to such poverty, that it has been found necessary to pay them a quarter's salary in advance. It is very desirable that the friends of the Society would use all their exertions and influence to increase the funds, making them sufficient to meet the probable exigencies which may be occasioned by the distressing situation of the schoolmasters. It is creditable to many of the Baptist congregations, that they have come forward promptly, and collected liberally, in aid of the suffering Irish, and there is no doubt that their bounty will be properly applied; but it is hoped they will also remember, in reference to the wants of the Society, the words of the Lord Jesus, "These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." Luke xi. 42.

From the Rev. Josiah Wilson to the of thousands, adoring the wisdom and Secretary.

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Annexed you have the Return of the Schools for the present quarter, and I also inclose the Readers' Journals for this month. To those really acquainted with the state of the country, both are more encouraging than could have been anticipated. In some of the schools there is much of a pleasing and animating nature; but in all, the painful effects of the present unparalleled distress of the country are manifest. On inquiring for the absent children, the answer generally is, they are gone to get the only meal they have for the day; or they are at home, so weak and sickly for want of food, that they cannot attend; or they are down in the fever; or they are gone with their parents to beg. Such in fact is the state of the country, that whether at home, in the schools, or on the road, misery is predominant in every scene; and actual starvation appears at only one step distance from thousands of objects by whom we are surrounded. The feeling heart cannot but be melted into pity, and the pious mind drawn out in devout supplications that spiritual prosperity may spring out of temporal adversity; and should it bear any proportion in point of extent, the heavens would ring with the acclamations

goodness that were manifest in the affliction.

Before I quit this subject, I cannot forbear making two remarks in con. nexion with it, as they tend to develope the character of the Irish peasantry. The first is, in reference to the spirit evinced by the people under their sufferings; it is almost univer sally so patient, as to excite astonish ment in a foreigner.

In the whole extent of my circuit, but very few depredations have been committed, although many have been found nearly famishing, and some hav● actually died of want. The other observation refers to the gratitude they seem to cherish for the prompt and noble munificence of the English, in their present efforts to relieve their distress. They are free to acknowledge that, had circumstances been reversed, the spirit they have generally cherished towards the English would not have led them to evince the same benevolence. I hear that public praises were presented to God in a Roman Catholic Chapel, last Lord's-day, for the liberality of the people of England.

I have a pleasing fact also to state in reference to education, viz. that at present no opposition is given to the schools; and that I have had within the last few weeks, applications from four priests for schools in their several parishes.

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