preached; the former from John, vi. 44; the latter from Luke, viii. 1. Messrs. Tomlin, of Chesham; Tyler, of Haddenham; and Williams, of Waddesdon Hill, prayed. lingford, preached, from 2 Peter, ii. 22: Prayer was offered by Messrs. Shenston and Davies. The business of the Association was transacted in the afternoon, when a ReIn the afternoon, the business of the port was given of the moneys received by Association was transacted. Messrs. | the Treasurer on account of the Baptist: Hunt, of Tring; and Clark, of Ivinghoe, | Mission and a distribution made of the prayed. Mr, Tomlin, of Chesham, Association fund. Mr. Bicheno, of was chosen Moderator; and Mr. Groser, Newbury, and Mr. Dyer, of Reading, of Risborough, Secretary. Letters were were re-elected Treasurer and Secretary read from the churches, and contribu- | for the year ensuing; and it was agreedtions for the Baptist missions to India that the next Association should be held and Ireland received. A dimunition of at Reading, on the 2d Wednesday in numbers in one of the churches (Wad- | June, 1818. Mr. Dobaey, of Wallingdesdon Hill,) had been occasioned by ford, was nominated to preachi. the circumstance of 17 having been dismissed, to form a new church at Quainton; the Association, however, found a clear increase of 14. Its aggregate number of members was 967; the number of children in Sunday schools, in connection with it, about 800; and the pumber of villages in which preach- | ing is maintained by its churches, 21. In the evening, prayer was offered by Mr. Clarabut, of New Mill; Mr. Groser, of Risborough, preached, from Phil. i. 27, and concluded by prayer. The next meeting of the Association is to be held at Risborough, on Wednesday, May 27, 1818: Messrs. Clarabut and Williams to preach.. A Circular Letter is to be prepared for that occasion, "On the utility of Associations:" Mr. Godwin to write it. BERKSHIRE. | Tus meeting of this Association was held at Oakingham, on Wednesday, June 11, 1817, and attended by a number of Christian friends from neighbouring | places, who found the various services of the day peculiarly impressive aud❘ refreshing. These services commenced at halfpast ten, by singing and prayer. Mr. Davies, pastor of the church at Oakingham, was chosen Moderator; and the letters from the churches were read by their respective pastors. From these it appeared, that the clear increase of members in the four associated churches, during the past year, was 29. Prayer was then offered by Mr. Dyer, of Reading; Mr. Welsh, of Newbury, preached, from Isaial, liii. 1; and Mr. Shenston, of London, from Rev. vii. 9, 10; Mr. Isaac Sloper, of Beccles, in Suffolk, concluded in prayer. | | CARNARVONSHIRE. THIS Association was held at Pwllhely, (Brinepool,) on the 7th and 8th of July, 1817. Monday evening, at six o'clock, the Rev. Simon James, of Nevis, prayed ; the Rev. John Davies, of Carmarthen, preached, from Haggai, i. 5; and the Rev. David Evans, of Dolau, from 1 Cor. xv. 1, 2. Met on Tuesday morning at six. The Rev. Christmas Evans, of Llangefni, prayed: the Rev. John Michael, of Llanfachreth, preached, from Isaiah, xxvii. 13; and the Rev. Timothy Thomas, junior, of Newcastle Emlyn, from Matt. xxiv. 44. Assembled at ten o'clock. The Rev. John Edwards, of Ruthen, prayed; the Rev. David Evans, of Dolau, preached, from Rev. xxii. 2; and the Rev. Timothy Thomas, senior, of Aberduar, followed, from John ix. 4. The congregation re-assembled at iwo. The Rev. Evan Jones, itinerant preacher, prayed; the Rev. William Erans, of Cwmfelin, preached, from Rom. iii. 23, 24, 25; and the Rev. Christmas Evans, of Llangefni, from Rom. viii. 3. Resumed at six in the evening. The Rev. John Michael, of Llantachreth, prayed; the Rev. Robert Edwards, of Lixum-green, preached, from James, i. 18; and the Rev. Daniel Jones, of Cwmsarnddu, from 1 Peter, ii. 5. The next Association is to be holden at the same place. HANTS AND WILTS. THE Hants and Wilts Missionary As sociation, held their Midsummer meet In the evening, Mr. Dobney, of Wal-ing at Romsey, July 16, 1817. Mr. Saffery preached in the morning, "On love as a fruit of the Spirit," from Gal. v. 22. In the evening, Mr. Miall, from Psalm xlii. 11. Mr. Bulgin preached on the preceding evening, from 1 Cor. i. 9. There was an early meeting for prayer. The devotional parts of the services were conducted by Messrs. Hicks, Bulgin, Giles, Miall, Tilly, Headden, Early, and Saffery. The next Association is to be at Salem-chapel, Portsea, September 17; Messrs. Giles and Saffery to preach, and Mr. Bulgin on the preceding evening. The morning sermon is to be" On joy as a fruit of the Spirit." ORDINATIONS. KEPPEL-STREET, LONDON. THE public settlement of the Rev. George Pritchard, as pastor of the church in Keppel-street, (of which the Rev. John Martin had been the pastor fortythree years,) took place on Tuesday, August 26. The service commenced. by Mr. Ivimey reading portions of scripture, from Ezek. xxxiii. and Acts, xx.; and praying. Mr. Thomas Thomas, after reading the four first verses of the 1st chapter of Hebrews, explained the principles upon which our churches are founded; stating the reasons why we dissent from the church of England; being the same as the Protestant establishment of this country use to justify its separation from the church of Rome. W. Ashlin, Esq. the senior deacon of the church, gave an account of the circumstances which had led to the settlement of Mr. Pritchard, in which very honourable notice was taken of the past usefulness, in that church, of the ministry of their late pastor, who had resigned his office so soon as his friends pointed out to him his inability, from age and infirmities, any longer to fill it. Mr. Pritchard stated the various steps which had led him to his present connection, with the church, from the period of his resigning the pastoral office at Col chester, and gave a confession of his faith. Mr. Upton implored the Divine blessing upon the pastor, and his future ministry. Dr. Jenkins gave the charge, founded upon Acts, xx. 27, “ For I have not shunned to declare all the counsel of God." After stating that the design of a preached gospel was for the conversion of sinners, and the edification of saints, and remarking that God had, in every age, taised up men for this work, under the various characters of prophets, apostles, evangelists, pastors, teachers, and ministers, he considered the apostle Paul as a finished model of this character, and as breathing a spirit for the imitation of others in the words of the text; from which he remarked, 1. That it is the duty of a minister to declare all the counsel of God. 2. That a minister would be assaulted with temptations, to shun declaring some parts of that count. sel. 3. That a faithful minister would not shun to declare the whole counsel of God, whatever it might cost him. Dr. Newman addressed the church, from 1 Thess. v. 12, 13. After congratu lating the church on the liberty they had enjoyed and exercised in choosing their present pastor, unfettered by any human authority; and assuming that they were already well acquainted with all the duties of church members, and disposed to practice them, he remarked, that the verses enjoined two duties upon them, with respect to their pastor: 1. They were to know him; which intended that they were cordially to receive him, for all the purposes mentioned, viz. as their teacher, their president, and their monitor. 2. They were to esteem him very highly in love. Dr. Newman observed, that the translators had not overstrained the meaning of the original terms, to set forth the importance of the pastoral office; saying, that the late Gilbert Wakefield had rendered them "regard him with the utmost fondness of affection." The reasons assigned why the pastor should have the affectionate esteem of his people, in proportion to the legitimate claims he may have from exe cuting the "work" assigned him, were, "the dignity of his work"" the difficulties connected with its proper dis charge"-"the benefits resulting from it" and "the heavenly reward which through rich grace awaited those who faithfully discharged it." Under all these heads much" sound speech, which could not be condemned," was employed. The remarks on the pastor's character, as a teacher, were excellent. As it was desirable he should declare all the counsel of God, so it was requisitę the people should be willing to receive it all. "Some persons," said he, "learn but three or four letters of the alphabet; but in order to read so as to receive in struction, they should learn the other twenty also. Many hearers were quite willing to hear the doctrines of the gospel, who were unwilling to have the precepts enforced PRACTICALLY upon their hearts and lives." He mentioned an anecdote of Thales, a Grecian philosopher, who, while gazing at the stars, fell into a ditch. A woman hearing of the knowledge which Thales had of astronomy, replied, "How should he know any thing of what is so far off, while he cannot see what is at his feet!" "Let us," said the Doctor, "ponder the path of our feet, or our knowledge of doctrines will not prevent us from falling into the ditch." He reprobated those also who make the decrees of God the rule of their conduct; observing, from Tillotson," that it was like the mariner, who, in a dark night, would attempt to guide his vessel by the stars, which he could not see; while he neglected to observe the compass that was just before him." Our limits prevent us from giving more of this judicious address. The service was concluded with prayer, by Dr. Winter. Much Christian feeling was apparent throughout the whole of this service; and it was peculiarly delightful to hear the good wishes expressed towards the minority (who we understand intend to form another church) both by the pastor and the deacons. We hope that where separations are considered necessary in our churches, they will always be conducted with the good temper, wisdom, and affection, that in this instance are manifested by all parties. DERBY. ON Wednesday, June 25, 1817, the Rev. C. E. Birt was ordained pastor of NOTICES. Annual Meeting of the Baptist Mis sionary Society at Oxford. ON Tuesday, September 30, the Committee will meet at three o'clock in the afternoon. There will be a sermon the same evening at half-past six o'clock. On Wednesday, Oct. 1, two sermons will be preached in the forenoon: service to begin at half-past ten. The Society will meet for business the same day at four o'clock. The Rev. Mr. Birt, of Birmingham; Mr. Hall, of Leicester, and Mr. Hughes, of Battersea, are expected to preach. Auxiliary Missionary Society for THE Annual Meeting of this Society, which was published to be held at Fairford, is, from unavoidable circumstances, removed to Abingdon, where it will be held (in the Rev. J. Kershaw's meeting-house) on Wednesday, September 24: service to begin at eleven o'clock. DIED, July 28, 1817, Richard Morris, aged 70 years; forty-two years minister of the Baptist church at Amersham, Bucks. Poetry. the Particular Baptist church at Derby. A wounded Spirit who can bear? The service was commenced by Mr. Hinton, of Haverfordwest. Mr. Birt, of Hull, delivered the introductory discourse, requested a public recognition of the relation which had been formed, and received the confession of faith. After which, Mr. Birt, of Birmingham, sought the Divine blessing on his son, and delivered a very affecting and impressive charge, from 2 Tim. ii. 7. Mr. Hall of Leicester, addressed the church, in a very interesting discourse, from Acts, iv. 32; and Mr. Smith, their former pastor, concluded in prayer. In the evening, a sermon was preached by Mr. Jarman, of Nottingham, from 1 Sam. ii. 30; and the service was introduced by Mr. Jones, of Sheffield, and closed by Mr. Gawthorne, Independent minister of Derby. The sacred services of the day were highly interesting; and the tokens of Divine approbation which have been already given, encourage the most pleasing expectations. Or all the torment this side hell, J. D. LONDON: Printed by J. BARFIELD, 91, Wardour-Street, Soho. |