THE EARTHEN VESSEL.

[JUNE 1, 1857.

in my law place as a transgressor; and after for several Sabbaths, but I could not obtain
a little time, I did as the Lord commanded all comfort; and, therefore, began to doubt again;
that love Him, walked through his ordinances I could not feel my heart softened, and it was
and was united to the Church, and dwelt for with a heavy heart I went to the Lord the
two years in the love and zeal of the Lord. evening of the first Sabbath in the new year
But the time came, when I was removed when these words were delivered, "Come
from the breast, and sharp afflictions were now, let us reason together, saith the Lord;
laid on me and my household. Nevertheless, though your sins be as scarlet they shall
the Lord did not remove the breathing of prayer be as white as snow; and though they be
from me, but wrought deliverance in his good red like crimson they shall be as wool." They
time and way, and for upwards of six years I sank deep, and ran through every fibre of my
was enabled, by humble prayer and supplica- soul, with all its life giving power, and I said,
tion to call upon the name of the Lord Jesus" Bless the Lord, O my soul, who forgiveth
all thy sins; and praise him who redeem.eth
thy life from destruction." Blessings for ever
on his dear name, he keeps my soul alive; Iam
kindly restored by my brethren to my former
privilege in the church, and I earnestly en-
treat an interest in the prayer of the righte-
ous family of that God

Christ. Alas! my heart grew cold and in-
different in the ways of the Lord; I could
neglect the outward means of grace, the
preaching of the word became a dead letter;
and some little thing transpired in the
church which my carnal mind did not like,
and like a silly sheep I left the fold, not know-
ing, and little thinking, the danger I was
about to be exposed to. Prayer became a bur-
den:
mixed more with the world: became
more worldly minded; and for upwards of two
years this death-like feeling grew upon me. I
seldom went to the Lord's house; and when I
did, it was with a sad and heavy heart;-no

13

"Who does my wandering soul restore :
And unto a Triune Jehovah be glory for ever
and ever.
Lord, let me stray from thee no more."
Amen.

H. H.

PUBLIC

AS PASTOR OF BEULAH CHAPEL,
CHAPEL STREET, SOMER'S TOWN.

word of encouragement from the people: no RECOGNITION OF MR. S. COZENS,
still small voice from the Lord :-and when-
ever I attempted to pray (which was seldom)
it returned into my own bosom; and like one
of old, I said, "the Lord shutteth out my
prayer." I concluded I was an hyporerite; and
ten-fold more the child of hell, than as if I
had never named the name of Christ.

1, therefore, resolved not to think upon it,
and I would pursue something extra in this
life so as to fully occupy my thoughts and not
think of the past, but these words were sent
and like an arrow entered my reins, "LET HIM
resist the words, but they followed me like a
ALONE." I tried everything in my power to
stream, and I went more into the world, to
drown the thought. Nothing but death could
be felt; banishment from God and that for ever
for my sins; which were against light and
knowledge. I shunned the people of God:
would go any way rather than meet them; but
alas! I was plunged more and more into the
jaws of the arch enemy, and I said, "I shall
die in my sins-the Lord has let me alone, to
fill up the measure of my iniquity, and cast
me into that burning lake for ever;" andI said,
"cut the cord, and let me go." Oh, the dread-
ful thought. But at this extreme point, the
ever blessed Lord forgot not to be gracious; his
thoughts were not my thoughts, nor his ways
my ways, although walking in darkness and
had no light. The Lord said-"return unto
me, and I will have mercy on thee." But as I
looked within,
the Lord have mercy on such a vile, backslid-
said "O my soul, how can
ing, sinful worm as me? it never can be."
Satan went his full length. It is with wonder
I stand, and with astonishment I behold, the
loving kindness of the Lord thus lengthened
out to me, and say "truly his mercy endureth
for ever;" for he constrained me to fall down
at his feet and confess my sin, and implore his
mercy and pardon; and again brought me under
the sound of the gospel.

I was again strengthened to go to his house

new pastors, ordinations, recognitions, and other
THE London churches are wonderful places for
gatherings than they are by the conversion of
exciting occasions.
sinners, and the sweet confirmation of living
are kept up more efficiently by these extraordinary
We fear that many of them
saints.

noticed that ministers and people go on very well
During the last twenty years, we have often
the history.
together until ordination day is over:-then de-
clension comes, and a

sermon closes up

honoured, our much-tried, and well-qualified
ministering brother, Samuel Cozens, whose recog-
We sincerely hope it will not be so with our
nition took place on Tuesday, May 12th, 1857.
neither gave his call by grace, his call to the
ministry, nor his articles of faith.
It was a singular recognition day. Mr. Cozens

church, we took a leading part in the services; and
When Mr. Cozens was first ordained over a
a very solemn account he gave, then, of his con-

version and of his call; but we suppose in the
proved the truth of these events in the consciences
of the people that they did not require any formal
course of his
Beulah he has so fully
declaration. He has grown a much greater man
since his ordination at Farnborough, in Kent. He
has been a pastor now many years; and he is
growing into deserved popularity, both as an
among our young men, that London can produce a
much more studious and laborious man than is this
author and as a preacher; and we hardly think,
men might learn a useful lesson from him: most of
favorite brother of whom now we speak. Younger
the older ones are too well satisfied with their jog-
Samuel Cozens will, with God's blessing, labour on
so successfully that when some of the leaders are
trot method ever to learn of any one.
taken home; when such men as John Foreman,
We hope
James Wells, George Murrell, Samuel Milner,
George Moyle, James Newborn, James Nunn, and
James Shorter, have become worn out in the work,
REBEL SAVED," may be favoured to instrumentally
that, then, this, "THE LOST FOUND AND THE
churches who hold fast by the foundation princi-
preside over the important interests of those

i

ples and never-to-be-divided ordinances of the New Testament.

Most of the men whose names we have mentioned, have had a hard and a long day's work in Zion; and, although John Foreman seems as strong to labor as ever, and James Wells is more valiantlar and more successful than ever, yet, these, and the much older men must go to heaven. The numerous churches which now fondly unite beneath their ministry must loose them. The fathers must "finish their course;" and it is, therefore, cheering to see, in this our day, that the Lord is not unmindful of Zion's future wants. He is preparing a school of young prophets, and is training them, we hope, for great usefulness in the church when her present pastors shall have entered into their rest: then, the Cozens's, the Chivers's, and the Caunts; the Bloomfields, the Bowles's, and the Butterfields; the Davises, and the Flacks; the Hanks's and the Hazeltons; the Meeres's, the Parkers, and the Palmers; the Wilkins's, the Williamsons, and the Whitteridges, with a host beside, will stand up to verify that beautiful prophecy-"Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all

the earth."

But we must return to the recognition day. Our reporter has furnished lengthened notes of the striking and suitable sermons preached on the occasion; but we have not room for them. We can only give the following outline of the services.

"The public recognition of Mr. Samuel Cozens, as pastor of the church meeting for Divine worship at Beulah, Somer's Town, took place on Tuesday, May the 12th, 1857. Amongst the ministers present we noticed Mr. J. Wilkins, of Greenwich; Mr. W. Flack, of the New Road; Mr. Hazelton, of Mount Zion, Chadwell Street; Mr. Benjamin Davis, of Leighton Buzzard; Mr. Dickson, late of

Dover.

The morning service commenced by MR. DICKSON reading a portion of Scripture and prayer. After which,

MR. JAMES WELLS preached from-"But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." Mr. Wells divided his subject into four distinct depart

ments

First-Diversity.
Second-Unity.
Third-Sympathy.
Fourth-Design.

" *

said :-Having made you wheat, I shall now turn
you into ground.
• Some say, "If my
minister knew my heart he would expose me before
the whole congregation." Ah, the minister will
surely find you out. I had some time back a regu-
good-tempered man, a member of the Surrey
Tabernacle. His wife one day remarked to me,
"John is so good-tempered, he has not been out of
temper with any one for the last twenty years."
"Ah, madam, he has something to go through
before he goes to heaven," I replied. John-for
that was his name-was accustomed to say "Amen"
after I had finished; but on one occasion I noticed
he did not do so. I said to him, "You did not
say Amen to-night." "No, sir, you went rather
too far in experience for me." The last thing I
heard of John was that he had had something to
put him out, so as to cause him to be downright
angry. The next time I met him he held down
his head. I called out, "Do not hold down your
head; I know all about it, and am glad of it."
"Glad of it, sir?" "Yes, glad of it; I knew you
must have something of the sort before you went
home. You will hear me all the better to-night."
So he did; for when I had finished he cried out,
"Amen; Amen ;" and was the best clerk I ever
had.

For full one hour and a-half this rapid speaker illustrated and opened the different sections of his subject. About 150 sat down to dinner; and Dearly 300 to tea. In the afternoon, Mr. J. E. Bloomfield delivered an able address from the words "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." But the most powerful and delightful part of this day's privileges was the perfectly original and profoundly interesting sermon in the evening, when Mr. James Wells took for his text-"Behold! the days come, saith the Lord, that the ploughman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt." Noticing,

1.-The reaper.

II. The ploughman.

III.-The treader of grapes.
IV. The mountains.

This discourse was full of experimental and ministerial truth. We only give a morsel:-Election is often made a scythe. One evening while preaching, a woman ran into the Surrey Tabernacle out of the way of a dog-fight, and her husband (as all good husbands should do) ran in after her. I was speaking about those whose names were written in the Lamb's Book of Life. They went away; the woman said to the man, "I don't like that man; yet there is something in him I do like." They came again: both were brought to know the truth.

Under the head of The Ploughman, Mr. Wells

We should like to have given some portions of the church's history where Mr. Cozens now is the pastor; but this must come another day.

MR. MOYLES' NEW PARSONAGE.

Lane Chapel, Peckham, on Monday, May 11th, to A TEA and public meeting was holden in Rye aid the erection of a parsonage for their esteemed pastor, Mr. George Moyle. About 200 sat down to tea; and at a quarter to seven the meeting commenced by singing

"Dear Lord, we now together meet, And flock around thy mercy seat," &c. After which, Mr. Moyle read a Psalm. Mr. G. Wyard, of Tring, implored the Divine blessing. Mr. Moyle then said: Dear friends, I thank you for your company on the present occasion. We are brought together to-night for something rather particular-it is to erect an house for the minister, for me; whether it be a long time, or a short time, I shall want it. If death or Providence removes me, there will be an house for the minister who shall stand in this pulpit. The church has unanimously agreed to it. Mr. Congreve said: Two months since we had a meeting for the building of an house for our pastor: at that time we had not entered into a contract with a builder, but since that time we have done so it will cost £315. The collecting books and donations were called for. The money collected by books was £61 68. ld. Donations received the same evening, £12 14s. 6d. Subscriptions received before, £25. The Chairman then said £100 has been gathered all but 9s. and 5d. A gentleman then said: We must make it up an £100 this evening. This was done. Addresses were then delivered by Mr. Bloomfield, on The Pillar of Cloud and Fire; Mr. Milner, on The Passage of the Red Sea; Mr. Meeres, on The Smitten Rock; Mr. Austin, on The Daily Manna; Mr. Attwood, on The Brazen Serpent; and in the absence of Mr. Bland, the Chairman called upon Mr. George Wyard to speak upon "The Promised Land." Mr. Wyard said: Though he liked the promised land, he found it was too late to travel there at that hour of the night. He made a few practical remarks, and the happy meeting closed with prayer by the pastor.

IPSWICH.

THE sixteenth anniversary of Bethesda Chapel, Ipswich, was held on Lord's-day, April 26, when three sermons were preached by Mr. J. E. Bloomfield, of London. More than a thousand persons were present to hear a full and free salvation, published, in no mean manner, by one who they had

long known, and now loved such preaching, and such a preacher. Our good brother felt, on seeing so many who had known him from his childhood, unusually excited, and appeared as though he could not say enough in praise of his gracious God and Master; but he was enabled to speak blessedly, and to crown him Lord of All. May his Master stand by him, and make, and keep him, faithful unto death. Collections amounted to £21. "And, again, praise the Lord all ye Gentiles, and laud him all ye people." Rom. xv. 11. May 9th, 1857. J. Poock,

THE EARTHEN VESSEL.

meeting: about 135 sat down. meeting, brother Curtis opened the service by On the Monday following, we had a social tea prayer; after which, our minister addressed the At the public providence and in grace, the Lord had brought him among us. It was stated, during the evening, that meeting at considerable length, shewing how, in the friend (who owns the chapel as his own property) resigned it into the hands of the church for three years; to be renewed at the expiration of that term, at the nominal rental of 641

which time he enjoyed many precious visits fact, his recent removal from Stonehouse to
from the Lord. He said it was
"Sweet to look back and see his name
In life's fair book set down;
Sweet to look forward, and behold
Eternal joys his own."

The love of Christ was his darling theme, as manifested to his never-dying soul. He would say it was a sea without bottom or shore. He spoke sweetly of that river John spoke of in the Revelation; on either side was the Tree of Life proceeding out from the throne of God and the Lamb. He seemed to anticipate by faith the glorious inheritance in that land, where every hour shall

Clapham appears to have been a providential and ministerial mercy both for the church at Garner, and Mr. Rowland himself. In consequence of the severe and protracted illness of their late much beloved pastor, Geo. Elven, the former were greatly in need of a sound and comprehensive ministry: while the latter (Mr. Rowlands) was anxious to find a people among whom he could comfortably settle. They have been brought together for a time. The chapel is crowded with hearers, and some hope is entertained that great good will flow out of those singular and mysterious events which are connected with the history of this somewhat recently formed church at Clapham.

66

The works to which we have referred may be had in the vestry of Garner Chapel; of that dear and long afflicted man of God, R. Eve, of Balham-hill; or of Robert Banks and Co., Dover-road, Southwark.

find sweet employ,

In that eternal world of joy." Though he had many dark seasons, and privations of communion with the Lord, yet he said, "The foundation of God standeth sure," and heaven was his home.

His love towards his church and congregation was great; so much so, that even in dy. ing circumstances he expressed a desire if he could be but carried to the chapel to see them, NEW GERMAN REFORMATION, would be a great gratification to him. He preached so long as he could well stand, to proclaim the truth of the ever blessed gospel, and the love of God in Christ towards poor, perishing sinners before the foundation of the world, through the teaching of the Holy Spirit

A few hours before he died. he prayed that his heavenly Father would cut short his work, and take him home to himself, that he might live and reign with him for ever. As he lived, so he died, believing, trusting, and resting on the oaths and promises of his Lord and Master. His end was peace. After having faithfully preached and served as pastor of the Loddiswell Independent Chapel, Devon, forty-eight years, was taken from the church militant to the church triumphant above, in the 79th year of his age; was interred in the tomb with his beloved wife on the 6th of May, 1857, in the presence of a great concourse of people. He was highly respected, and his name much revered. Loddiswell, May 8. JOHN GAY. "ROWLAND'S DREAM," "EXPOSITION OF THE TWENTY-THIRD PSALM."

AND HIS

THOMAS ROWLAND is now the useful minister of Garner Chapel, Wirtemberg-place, Clapham; and the author of the above two pamphlets; the first, a metaphorical dialogue, illustrating the love of Christ to his church; the second, an exposition of the twenty-third Psalm. Our brother Rowland being deprived of his natural sight, and consequently debarred from the advantages of those most excellent privileges, reading and writing, certainly could not find authorship to be a very easy matter. Both these works, however, are calculated to be very useful to believers, and especially to doubting and distressed souls; and it has been our happiness to move among some good Christians who have not only derived much comfort from these works, but also from Mr. Rowland's ministry. In

THE

AND

MR. J. G. ONCKEN,

THE HAMBURGH MISSIONARY.

DURING the last two months, professing Christianity has been exceedingly busy, and a nearly every day in the public buildings and large variety of meetings have been holden spacious chapels of the metropolis. We could only attend two of them-the Society for carrying the Gospel to the Jews, and "The Continental Evangelisation" Society. Our object in noticing the latter is, for the purpose of calling special attention to the good and the great work which, we believe, Mr. Oncken, under God, has been the means of effecting. And as we had a fair opportunity of hearing that devoted man's account of his labours, trials, and persecutions; as we personally witnessed his noble and his unflinching determination to stand by the principles and the practice of the New Testament, although Dr. Steane, and Baptist Noel, had endeavoured, publicly, to censure the German Baptist Churches for their strict communion allegiance; and, furthermore, because we have every reason to believe that Mr. Oncken has been sent into the work by the Lord; and, consequently, has been called to suffer many things, while, by heavenly help, he has been instrumental in planting many churches, gathering in many precious souls, and spreading, far and wide, in Germany, the name and fame of that glorious Shiloh, of whom the inspired patriarch said-" And UNTO HIM SHALL the gathering of THE PEOPLE be;" therefore, we feel it to be our privilege, this month, to publish it as our most decided conviction that Mr. Oncken, and the German mission, deserve the sympathies, the prayers, and the practical co-operation of all the churches in Great Britain who stand fast by those revelations and laws which our Lord and Saviour, and his apostles after him, left for our instruction and obedience until the end of time.

We have not room, this month, to enter so

obtained the indulgence while on a visit to England, authorised Mr. Oncken to procure as many Bibles for ready money as he wanted, in his name. But when the secretary of the Bible Society found this out, he refused to allow Mr. Oncken to have any more copies. Therefore (said Mr. Oncken) I called on that gentleman, and, with a fearful curse and an awful imprecation upon me for preaching the Word of Life, he declared that I should have no more Bibles. "What do you know about preaching ?" said he; and then smiting his breast, he exclaimed, "We are the men-we are the men!" And the poor man got into such a rage, that I thought of what Paul said about fighting with wild beasts at Ephesus. It was, therefore, under the most unfavourable circumstances that the work of revival was commenced in Germany. The ecclesiastical and civil power united to prevent any efforts being made for the spread of the gospel out of the pale of the National Church; and, ever since the Reformation, till the Baptist movement, twenty-five years ago, none did ever take place. As pioneers, the Baptists had been obliged to bear the heaviest persecution. And let this ever be borne in mind, that all persecution for conscience' sake, in Germany, had been originated and carried on by the National Protestant Church.

His object in coming to England at this time was twofold-to awaken in the hearts of all who love Christ greater and greater interest in the spiritual condition and necessities of the continent of Europe, and to secure active co-operation in the work in which he and his brethren are engaged. Every missionary effort of the right stamp would be sure to meet with opposition; persecution ought not to be thought surprising, for the Master himself had distinctly told his disciples-and the declaration applied to those who live now as well as to his immediate followers-that in the world they should have persecution. It was his lot more than twenty-five ago to begin to labour as a home missionary in his native country. His work was to go into the heart of Christendom, and to proclaim to the people with a loud voice, "You are no Christians;" and this solemn charge he adduced evidence to prove. At the close of the last and the commencement of the present century, there was little else left of the glorious German Reformation besides the errors which Luther unhappily embodied in his catechisms. Twenty-five years ago, out of the He believed that there had been given to the large number of ministers in the city of Ham- nonconforming Christians generally in Gerburg, there were only five who maintained the many a spirit of great wisdom, so that they doctrine of the divinity of our adorable Lord, had never provoked persecution, which would all the rest were Rationalists And it seemed be a wicked thing. On the contrary, every that this state of things would continue, for means that could be employed had been used out of thirty-four students for the ministry to conciliate and prevent persecution. Before who applied for examination at the hands of he was incarcerated, he went to the head of Dr. Rambach, only one professed his faith in the police, then a distinguished member of the the proper Divinity of Christ. Consequent senate, and asked him, at a private interview, upon such teaching in the pulpit the churches not to employ his measures against the Chriswere deserted; for out of a population of tians to the uttermost. But that gentleman 150,000, in the city of Hamburg, not more replied, "Whilst I can move this little finger than 4,000 attended the places of worship. it shall be moved to your destruction." Mr. He had heard a home missionary in Hunt-Oncken replied, "You will find it is all labour ingdonshire say, in a tone of deep lamentation, lost. You are a scholar, and know history, that in that country, numbering 60,000 people, and must be aware that persecution has never only 33,000 attended places of worship on the succeeded in its design." He replied, "If it Lord's-day. For himself, making the com- does not succeed in Hamburg, it shall not be parison between that county and his own city, our fault." And that gentleman had kept his he felt the proportion of attendance was most word. The police were constantly on the alert delightful and encouraging. Only think of for the suppression of the Baptists; and many the difference,-150,000 people, and only 4,000 of them were imprisoned, as he was also himworshippers, and 500 of these attended the self, and his goods confiscated and sold. But poor humble Baptist chapel. And let it not be the Word of God and the power of God was supposed that Hamburg was the worst city or not; and when the place where the one church district in Germany. In the Grand Duchey used to meet was closed then it multiplied of Mecklenberg, for example, things were still into twelve churches; so that Christian life worse. In one district it appeared that a was not only not destroyed, but fostered and minister went to his church twenty-nine times strengthened. Their success had been wonwith a sermon in his pocket, but had to return drous, and all the glory must be given to God, as often without preaching it, because not a for it was clearly his work. Twenty thousand living soul went near the place. precious souls and more had been converted to the faith, seventy four churches formed, and 586 preaching stations opened. The church members numbered some 7,000, and about 1,500 good and devoted Christians had emigrated to the far west of America.

In Hamburg, when he began his labours twenty-five years ago, the ministers of the National Church were utterly and irreconcilably opposed to the circulation of the Scriptures except by means of themselves; and he, not being a Lutheran clergyman, was looked upon as a heretic. He could not therefore, obtain Bibles in his own name from the depot. But the pastor of the Independent church, who had

We hope to furnish our readers with facts and comments connected with Mr. Oncken, his work, his opposers, and his friends, in future numbers.

fully into the history and present prospects of the German Baptist Mission as we could wish. Mr. Oncken, in the course of a lengthened address at the meeting we have referred to, said