lost upon the rising interests of religion, both Baptist and Independent, in the town of Chippenham. The collections after the several services amounted to about £13. On Friday, the Annual Meeting of the Frome Auxiliary, in connexion with the above, was held at the Baptist Chapel, Badcox Lane, when the Missionary cause was advocated by the Hon, and Rev. G.H.R. Curzon (chairman,) the Secretary of the Parent Society, and also by the Rev. S. Curwen and P. J. Saffery, John Sheppard, Esq. and other gentlemen of the town and neighbourhood. The Hon. and Rev. G. H. R. Curzon, and |ing of the Leighton Buzzard Branch of the We are under the necessity of restricting ourselves within narrower limits, in noticing have lately been fulfilled. a variety of similar engagements which At St. Albans, the anniversary of the nesday, March 18, James Smith, Esq. of Auxiliary for that place was held on WedHamper Mill, in the Chair. Speakers Revds. Messrs. Harris, Elliott, Dyer, Robinson, Carey, Nicholas, W. Upton, and Daniel. the Rev. J. Dyer, (the deputation from the Parent Society), have visited the Baptist churches of Beckington, Bradford, Bratton, Chippenham, Devizes, Frome, Norton, and Trowbridge, (Back St.) from which places, in connexion with Salisbury, Trowbridge, (Bethesda), Downton, Shrewton, Laverton, Melksham and Corsham, nearly £300 will have been derived to the Mission during the year ending with the 31st March last. May The Annual Meeting of the Biggleswade a spirit of increasing liberality still prevail amongst our churches towards souls that branch of the Bedford Auxiliary took place on Monday, April 13, John Foster, Esq. are perishing for lack of knowledge, both at home and abroad; may they sow bounti-Chairman. The motions were moved and fully in "the field," which is "the world"nisters: Wayne of Hitchin, and Rowlands seconded respectively by the following mibelieving that they shall reap also bountifully, in the conversion of souls to God, in of Baldock; Eustace Carey, and Nottage the progress of the kingdom of Christ in of Roxton; Dyer, Secretary of the Parent the earth, and in their own real and spiri- Society, and Woodward of Ashwell; Mantual prosperity. May they sanctify all their ning of Gamlingay, and Beetham of Blunefforts by the most earnest prayer for the ham; Middleditch, Minister of the place, outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and manifest towards each other and to all mankind, that love, without which their utmost exertions will be but as sounding brass and the tinkling cymbal." J. B. and Brown of Shefford. At Little Staughton, on Wednesday, the 15th, was held the Annual Meeting of the Bedford County Auxiliary. Mr. Carey preached in the morning. In the afternoon Blyth Foster, Esq. presided, and a numerous assembly was addressed by the Revs. Messrs. Holloway of Cardington Cotton End, Dobson of St. Neots, Eustace Carey, Hem Wednesday, April 8th, was held the Annual Meeting of the Luton branch of the Bedfordshire Auxiliary, and was very re-ming of Kimbolton, Dyer of London, Knight spectably attended. of Staughton, Bean of Rushton, Bottle of Keysoe, Hillyard of Bedford, and Middleditch of Biggleswade. On Monday, April 20, the Annual Missionary Festival was held at the pleasant village of Great Missenden, and was as In the morning, T. Middleditch of Biggleswade read the Scriptures and prayed, and the Rev. Enstace Carey delivered a very interesting and appropriate sermon. In the afternoon, after prayer had been offered up by the Rev. Mr. Hopley of Hemel Hemp-numerously attended as in former years, if stead, Blyth Foster, Esq. was called to the Chair, and the various resolutions were moved and seconded by the Rev. Messrs. Wayne of Hitchin, Mann of London, Middleditch, Eustace Carey, Tabraham (Methodist) of Luton, Gould of Dunstable, and Upton of St. Albans. In the evening the Rev. Isaac Mann of Maze Pond advocated the cause of the Mission in a very powerful sermon. The collections were liberal, and the amount raised by this branch for the present year amounts to £90. On Thursday, April 9th, the Annual Meet not more so. The Chair was filled by W. B. Gurney, Esq. of London, and the following speakers addressed the meeting: Rev. W. Edelman of Wycomb, Hall of Chesham, Eustace Carey, Dyer of London, Williams, Curate of Wycomb, Statham of Amersham, Skene of Aylesbury, Tomlin of Chesham, Cooper of Amersham, Marks, Vicar of Missenden, Allom, the Baptist minister of the village, together with Capt. Mortlock, and Lieutenant-Colonel Moxon, of the East India Company's service. The Prescot Street Auxiliary Society to the Baptist Mission and to the Baptist took part in the business of the evening :--Irish Society, celebrated its anniversary on Messrs. James of Arnsby, Bromwich of Monday evening, the 27th of April, when Sheepshead, Wallis of " Green of son, the Chair was kindly taken by W. B. Gur-Thrapston, New of Loughborough, Burditt ney, Esq. Speakers the Rev. Messrs. of Sutton in Elms, Liddell of Hallaton, Campbell of Kingsland, Carey, Dyer, and with Eustace Carey and the Secretary of Griffin; Messrs. Brown, Haddon, Wilkin- the Parent Society. The two latter had Cooke, &c. preached on the preceding day at Leicester, The Annual Meeting of the Leicestershire Arnsby, and Loughborough, and by a geneCounty Auxiliary was held at the spacious ral interchange among the ministers of the Meeting House in Harvey Lane, Leicester, county, the object had been brought before on Monday, May 4. The attendance was all their respective congregations on the good, and the amount raised by this infant same day. The collections were as good as Auxiliary during the past year was stated to could be expected, in the present state of be about 1601. John Riley, Esq. presided lamentable stagnation to which the staple on the occasion, and the following ministers manufacture of the district is reduced. Contributions received on account of the Baptist Missionary Society, from April 20, to May 20, 1829, not including individual Subscriptions. FOR THE MISSION. ..... Great Missenden, Missionary Association, one moiety, by Mr. Potter Sunday School ..... £ S. d. 20 0 0 5 11 9 40 10 0 8. 0 0 0 19 8 19 Hitchin, Collected by Miss Bradley, 121. 6s. Subscription 10s. 6d............ 12 16 6 260040 30 Kent, Auxiliary Society, on account, by Mr. Parnell and Rev. W. Groser.. 90 4 J. H. Hinton...... Graham's Town (South Africa), Auxiliary, by Mr. A. Kidwell, 2d donation.. Bewdley, by Rev. George Brooks.. 15 00 95 3 Prescot Street Auxiliary, by George Morris, Esq. (two thirds) Haworth, 1st Church, Subscriptions and Collection, by Rev. M. Oddy 21. 15s.) Ross, Collected by Mrs. Lewis, and Subscriptions (Female Education).... Mr. Mundy Suffolk Society in aid of Missions, by Shepherd Ray, Esq. for Translations 17 12 Keynsham, Subscriptions, by Rev. T. Ayres ... Waltham Abbey, Collected by Mrs. Pugh, by Rev. Jas. Hargreaves. 0 13 9 4 13 6 8 0 308 4 13 11 4 14 3 5 2 2 Leicester, Collected after Serm. by Messrs. Carey and Dyer 28 1 3 Weekly Contributions Female School, by Miss Cort Public Meeting... 2 3 15 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 ...... 2 15 3 0 5 5 Produce of three Children's Boxes.. Trowbridge, 1st Church, Proportion of Subscriptions and Collection, by 162 $ 3 Mr. Wearing, (list as under) 28 0 Mrs. Harris.... Mr. Charles Long Collec. by E. Walton 1 3 4 Mrs. J. Long 4 5 4 Wm. Wilkins 2 19 0 The Boxes from Chipping Norton, advised on the 25th of April, were duly received; as also Boxes, containing various articles of Ladies' Work, for the Schools in Jamaica, from "the Ladies' Jersey Working Society in aid of the Baptist Mission, by Mr. Griffiths;" from Miss Keed of Lynn; and from some other friends, whose names we cannot specify, because no information was forwarded with the package. Several volumes of Magazines were also received from Mrs. Durrant, sen. by Miss Keed. Thanks are also returned to a "Lady, by the Rev. Jas. Hoby," for a Diamond Brooch, for the Jamaica Mission. P. S. of Burford is respectfully informed that all he wishes to forward to his friend in Jamaica may be sent by the first eligible opportunity to Fen Court, fully directed, and that the package shall be forwarded in the manner he wishes. The Editor assures his unknown juvenile correspondent, S. H. E. that her kind contri. butions "will be acceptable," and that "all imperfections will be excused." Littlewood & Co., Printers, Old Bailey. BAPTIST MAGAZINE. MEMOIR OF THE JULY, 1829. LATE MR. DAVID RISTE, DEACON OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST AT ISLEHAM, CAM BRIDGESHIRE. BIOGRAPHY should exhibit such features of those who are dead, as may by the living, be traced with advantage, either in avoiding their imperfections, or in imitating their excellences. Not every private life will furnish sufficient interest to authorize its being made public after death. The lives of some of the most excellent of the earth are passed in such constant seclusion, that to tell their simple, unadorned, and godly tale to strangers, would almost fail to excite their attention. But if to contemplate the progress of real religion, early implanted in the heart by divine grace, through the space of seventy years-if to view the consistent, humble, and devoted church member, for nearly that period-if to trace the conduct of a good deacon for upwards of fifty-nine years-if to take a farewell look of a hoary-headed saint matured for glory, at the age of ninety-four years, be calculated to convey any instruction, or to impart any interest; then, by the heirs of glory, this memoir will not be read in vain, though it is a record of one who "Kept the noiseless tenour of his way." to the forms of religion used in the Church of England. At a proper age he was apprenticed to a respectable grocer and draper, who afterwards came to reside in the village of Isleham. Having completed his term, with great fidelity and satisfaction to his master, he still continued with him after it had expired. On the 29th of December, 1757, he married Mary Gunstone, a young woman who was then a member of the church of Christ at Isleham, under the pastoral care of Mr. Samuel Lambert, where our friend had regularly attended the worship of God from his first coming into this village. A short time after this he took the business of his master, and the Lord blessed him with prosperity in the world. By industry, integrity, and punctuality, he obtained the respect and countenance of the greater part of the inhabitants in this place. His religion, which he publicly professed, after many conflicts in his own mind, on the 9th of May, 1762, was so conspicuous in all his dealings, that it not only secured to him the approbation of the wise and good, but it silenced the cavils of gainsayers, and doubtless promoted in no small degree his secular interests. "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him." "Godliness is profitable unto all things; having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." Mr. David Riste was born at Steeple Bumpstead, in Essex, on the 25th of September, (14th O.S.) 1734. In his boyhood and youth he was remarkable for the steadiness and sobriety of his behaviour, The piety of our friend, which and was very constant in attending shone with so strong and clear a VOL. IV. 3d Series. BB light to the world, could not be medical gentleman who attended concealed from the pastor and him, as past recovery. It pleased members of the church to which the Lord, however, to restore him he was united. Accordingly, upon from this affliction, and to add the death of Mr. Edward Pearson, about forty-six years to his life. who had been a deacon in the Soon after this, on the 19th of church for many years, on the 25th April, 1783, he lost his eldest of May, 1769, our brother was daughter, a fine young woman, by chosen to this important office, inoculation for the small pox. This which he sustained to the time of event was very trying and painful his death, being more than fifty- to so kind and tender a father; and nine years. It was with becoming what rendered it additionally distenderness and regard for the poor, tressing, she died from home, at with ardent attachment to the Bury St. Edmunds, where she had church, devout and anxious desires gone in perfect health, in order to for the prosperity of Zion, and be inoculated. The writer of this with unremitted diligence in admi-memoir has often heard him mennistering to the comfort and sup- tion this afflictive dispensation, in port of the successive ministers, connection with the support he dethat he discharged the duties of his rived from religion, when it so sudoffice. In few men have the qua- denly came upon him. As soon lifications of a deacon, mentioned as the mournful intelligence was by the great apostle, been more brought to him of the death of his piously and meekly discovered, beloved daughter, like the King of than in our venerable friend, through Israel, in the anguish of his soul such a long course of years. "He he exclaimed, "Would to God I used the office of a deacon well, had died for thee!" He felt in and purchased unto himself a good common with every tender parent degree." Good deacons are stars in similar circumstances, and he of no inferior magnitude shining in felt what many do not feel, deeply the Christian church, and when distressed respecting the state of they have shone with an undimi- the deathless soul of his daughter. nished brightness for sixty years, In this bitterness of mind, the their setting is the more evidently words which Peter heard when he perceived. The activity, zeal, saw the vision, were very powerpeaceableness, and heavenly-mind- fully and seasonably brought to his edness of deacons are, under the recollection "What God hath blessing of God, as essential to the cleansed, that call not thou comwell-being and prosperity of a mon." He knew that the Lord church, as the fidelity, purity, and could regenerate, sanctify, and active perseverance of the minister. make meet for glory, even in the Our friend, though he might not last painful affliction, where, to our drink so deeply of the cup of sor-short-sighted view, very few marks rows as some men, was nevertheless of religion were seen before. Here not exempt from them. Sorrows he rested, assured that the Judge arising from personal affliction, of all the earth will do right. How from family bereavements, and many dispensations occur, in which from the difficulties of the church, the mind can never receive satiswere keenly felt by him. In the faction, only as it resolves them year 1782, Mr. Riste was reduced into the gracious and unerring soto a state of extreme bodily weak-vereignty of the Lord! ness, and was pronounced, by the In the year 1805, death removed |