Majesty's Government and from the House | church of the Particular Baptist denomination of Commons. They seem ignorant, not- was formed at Lumb in Rossendale, Lancawithstanding the Papers printed by Parlia-shire, when the Rev. Richard Ashworth was ment and other publications, that the average of these murders has been for many years from forty to fifty per month! I fear that little more can be done in the General Court." Another proprietor, in a more re-discourse; the Rev. Robert Heyworth, of rent letter, expresses the same sentiments. publicly ordained as their pastor. Mr. Ward, student at Accrington, commenced the service with reading and prayer; the Rev. F. W. Dyer, of Bacup, delivered the introductory Clougnfold, offered up the ordination prayer, The necessity, propriety, and importance attended with imposition of hands; the Rev. of Societies to promote the abolition of hu- John Pilling, of Goodshaw, gave the charge man sacrifices to India, appear evident. to the minister from Isaiah, lxii. 6: Mr. Dyer "Human sacrifices were first forbidden at then offered up the prayer for the newlyRome by a decree of the Senate, B. C. 95 elected deacons ; and the Rev. J. Harbottle, years; but some persons still continuing of Accrington, addressed the Church from them privately, the Emperor Augustus re- Psalm cxxii. 9. The cause at Lumb owes newed the prohibition with effect. Tibe- its existence to the blessing of God upon the rius suppressed them in Gaul, and Claudius labours of some Baptist Ministers residing extirpated the Druids, as well as their san- in Rossendale, who engaged alternately to guinary worship, in that country. These preach at Lumb every Sabbath evening. sacrifices existed in Britain till about A. D. The attendance was large, amounting some60, when Paulinus Suetonius overthrew the times to some hundreds of hearers; and it is Druids and their inhuman rites, so that they hoped the word preached was not unblessed. never afterwards revived. And will it be The Lord was pleased at length to raise up endured that our own heathen conquerors a minister for this congregation in the person have done more for us than we are willing of Mr. Ashworth, then one of them, and to do for our Indian subjects? Shall the several were baptized. At length eighteen mere natural principle, Homo sum, hu- persons obtained their dismission from the mani nihil a me alienum puto,' have exercised Church at Goodshaw, under the pastoral an influence on pagan Rome, and shall care of the Rev. John Pilling, with a view to Christain Britain refuse to acknowledge the be formed into a distinct society. Since that force of the same argument?" (Poynder's time, they have been favoured with additions Speech on Human Sacrifices in India, at Lumb; and, as the neighbourhood is p. 220,) Let all who feel the tender visit-populous and the spirit for hearing great, we ings of nature,'-all who would deliver hope this little one will become a thousand. their country from blood guiltiness," all who look for the time when "they shall not hurt nor destroy in all his holy mountain," promote the establishment of kindred institutions in every part of the United Kingdom, and by a constant and simultaneous expression of the public voice to the Senate of the nation," relieve the oppressed, jadge the fatherless, plead for the widow." DR. SOUTHAM, Chairman. ORDINATIONS, &c. BIRMINGHAM. The Rev. Thomas Swan, late Professor of Divinity in Serampore College, has accepted an unanimous invitation to the pastoral office of the church in Cannon-street, Birmingham. LUMB, LANCASHIRE. WELLINGTON, SHROPSHIRE. On Tuesday, Oct. 21, the Baptist Chapel, Wellington, Shropshire, was re-opened after having been rebuilt and enlarged, when two sermons were preached, the first, (in the afternoon) by Mr. M. Kent of Shrewsbury, and the other in the evening by Mr. Smith, of the Mariners' Church, London, who was passing through the place. On the following Lord's day three sermons were preached by the Hon. G. H. R. Curzon. Several neighbouring ministers were present and took part in the services, which were all well attended. Many could not gain admittance on the Sabbath evening. The church here have to express their gratitude to their friends for the kindness shewn to them on this occasion. The collections amounted to £64 7s. Id. WOODFORD. On Thursday, September 25th, Mr. H. Tonkin was publicly set apart to the pas On Wednesday, November 19, 1828, a toral office over the Baptist Church at Wood ford, Northamptonshire, when after singing, (Psalm, xvii. 15. Romans, xi. 33). At two Mr. Allen of İrthlinghoro' read the Scrip- Mr. H. Herbert, Newton, (Independent) tures and prayed; Mr. Green of Thrapstone prayed, and Messrs. J. Reynolds, Cowbridge, delivered the introductory discourse, asked (Methodist) and D. Davies, Swansea, preachthe usual questions, and received the con-ed (John, ix. 35. Psalm xcii. 13.) At six, fession of faith; Mr. Parkins of Aldwinkle Mr. D. Thomas, Newbridge, prayed, and offered up the ordination prayer; Mr. Green Messrs. Morgan, Brecon, (English) and J. of Bluntisham addressed the minister and Thomas, Neath, preached (Psalm, ii. 12. people in a very affectionate and suitable Romans, iii. 31). The attendance was very manner from Acts xx. 28; and Mr. Simp-numerous and respectable. The expenses son of Bythorne concluded with prayer. attending the enlargement, &c. are about 4001; 100l. of that sum has been raised in the neighbourhood; to liquidate the remaining debt, they are obliged to apply for assistance to the Christian public. ROSS, HEREFORDSHIRE. RELIEF OF WIDOWS. On Wednesday, November 19, 1828, Mr. E. A. Claypole was publicly recognized as the pastor of the Baptist Church in Ross, Herefordshire. The Rev. John Horlick, of The following cases of Widows approved Mitchel Dean, commenced with reading and by the Committee have been relieved, and prayer; the Rev. Micah Thomas, of Aber-no case coming within the rules of the gavenny, described the nature of a Christian Society has been refused: .Rev. Mr. McPherson. church, and proposed the usual questions; A. A recommended by the Rev. Mr. Davis. the Rev. John Fry, of Coleford, presented M. A... the ordination prayer; and the Rev. W. A. A. Winterbotham addressed the minister from E. B. A. B. 2 Tim. 4, 5. The Hon. G. H. R. Curzon E. B... BRIDGEND, GLAMORGANSHIRE. E. J H.N -P E. S M.S. .Rev. Mr. Mann. Rev. Mr. Jarman. Rev. John Fry. .Rev. Mr. Mann. Rev. Mr. Cook. Rev. Mr. Phillips. Rev. Mr. Acworth. .. Rev. Mr. Williams. .Rev. Mr. Miall. Rev. Mr. Ivimey. On November the 26th, 1828, the Baptist Chapel at Bridgend, Glamorganshire, was The Annual Meeting of the Stepney re-opened, after being enlarged and repaired. Academical Institution will be held at the At ten o'clock, Mr. J. Roberts, Conbridge, King's Head Tavern, in the Poultry, on prayed, and Messrs. J. Lawrence, Llanell- Tuesday evening, the 27th instant. tydfawr, and C. Evans, Cardiff, preached chair to be taken at 6 o'clock. The ERRATA. Page 586. col. 1. line 15 from bottom, for Yaxham read Yoxham. 25 from top, for disregarged read disregarded. 20 Mr. read Dr. 20 from bottom for Meeting Houses read Meeting House. JANUARY, 1829. Ir may not be unsuitable, at the commencement of another year, for the Committee to remind their friends of the Baptist Irish Society that they require annually about £3000 for the support of nearly ninety day-schools which contain 8000 children, fifty-three Itinerant and Sunday Readers of the Irish and English Scriptures, and six ministers, and that the Treasurer was about £300 in arrears at the end of the last quarter. The Committee most urgently renew their call upon their brethren, the ministers of the Baptist congregations, and all true-hearted Protestants, to come forward to help their funds. They hope it will not be found necessary, after supporting their expences for nearly fifteen years, that they should be obliged to dismiss any of their agents for want of the necessary pecuniary aid! Surely such useful and unexpensive means as they employ will not be checked in their operation for want of money! Brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified" in Popish Ireland, "even as it is with you" in Protestant England! Watch ye; stand fast in the faith; quit you like men ; be strong. Let all your things be done with charity.” From the Rev. Mr. Thomas. Limerick, Nov. 18th, 1828. MY DEAR FRIENDS, the caravan, then walked to Bally Car and preached that evening. Examined the school next day and preached again. The priest of Dysart, where I intended to have My last letter, with the Readers' Journals, gone before my return, was in the caravan, was sent from hence on Monday the 20th of which was crowded. There were a great October, on my return after a journey with number of priests in town; Lieut. Col. Mr. Franks, who I now hope is much better O'B. who was in the caravan, asked priest than he was when I was obliged to leave W. why priest M. of Carrafin spoke so him-but with those who I am sure took desperately and unguardedly in the open every possible care of him. If he was not street? W. replied, "that he was a well I should have gone to him on the receipt of meaning man." The Colonel asked him after his letter. We should be glad to see him here some time, what objection could they have often entirely if the Committee would give to the people reading the Scriptures? The him leave he is quite an Irishman, and the priest replied that the Scriptures were falsely people like him. The hardship and fatigue translated; that the Protestants corrupted which he endured while travelling with me and changed them to answer their own purmust have injured him, to say nothing of the poses. I thought it my duty to reply, and fright he got, the day that I was near being proved from the most distinguished of his murdered in his presence, only that we own writers, that it was the best translaturned into a friend's house which was not lation, and a noble work, and shewed to the far distant. I suppose he would be sur people that what he attributed to the authoprised to hear that I had to go through the rized translation, may be justly applied to same immense multitudes since, on my way the Douay Testament. 1st, that it supto Cloughjordan through Nenagh, and it ported idolatry. Heb. xi. 21. "By faith was at dusk in the evening of a fair. But Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the the Lord protected me. sons of Joseph, and adored the top of his On my arrival here I had to visit some rod." 2nd, that it contradicts itself, "Exsick persons, one of whom has since died cept ye do penance ye shall likewise perish," with an entire dependance on the blood of and "by the works of the law no flesh living the Redeemer; he was until lately very shall be justified," which cannot be reconmuch averse to real religion. ciled. 3rd, it denies the Saviour's sacri On Thursday, October 25th, I left here fice," making purgation for sin." Heb. i. 3. on a north-western journey, and went that though "by one offering he hath perfected evening as far as Newmarket on Fergus in for ever them that are sanctified." Heb. B 500, and the same number down stairs, which he built for the purpose, would not contain half the people and children that would attend. x. 14. He appeared greatly confounded, he said "he believed I was a swaddling preacher; that he wanted none of my preaching, desired that the subject should be changed; but I was determined they should hear. On Monday morning, October 27th, Mr. After the Colonel left at Crattoe, the priest S. gave me £8 for the Society. I placed said he should be plain with me, and com- T. one of the Society's readers under his menced abusing me and the whole Protes care, and left him about ten o'clock. I got tant church. He did not know at this time to Ennis about one, and mentioned my inthat I was going to preach at Mr. Syng's, tention of preaching in the evening, to Mrs. in his parish, near Carrafin. He poured M. She said that she would not advise forth in the most violent manner against that me, and particularly as Mr. M. was not at most respectable and truly excellent gen-home; that it would, she feared, be attendtleman, for no other reason than his trying to ed with great personal danger; that the peoeducate the poor children, and for instruct-ple were afraid who were inclined to go out ing, feeding, and cloathing them and their parents. He said, in a violent manner, that were he not a priest, he would have led the parish to extirpate him with fire and sword, and that he should do it. I have heard several respectable persons say that they certainly expect this good man will be murdered. Though I received great insult, I did not forget myself, and said I did not wish to offend him. On Saturday, Oct. 25, went on to Ennis; our friend, counsellor M. was not at home. His good lady lent me a horse, and I rode off to Carhue in Dysart, near Carrafin, to my friend Mr. S. about ten miles from Ennis, and thirty-five from Limerick. When I was about two miles from Ennis, M. the very violent priest of Carrafin overtook me. "Ha! (said he) is this you? where are you going?" I said, "To Mr. S." — « May be you are going to help him." He began to abuse Mr. S. in a manner which I cannot describe, and greatly insulted me. I said I did not wish to offend him in return. He might be heard roaring about a mile off. I begged that he would not be in a passion, and asked him if he could not speak calmly? He said that the Baptist Society was designed and calculated to destroy the holy Roman Catholic Church, that existed since the days of the Apostles. What arrogance! I said, that the church of Christ had existed since that period, separate from what is called the church of Rome, and that was acknowledged by some of the most distinguished persecuting doctors; for instance, R. Saacca. He poured out torrents of burning lava. I had to turn to Carhue, and he went off roaring to Carrafin. 1 expounded a psalm that evening to a good number in Mr. S.'s house, and preached three times next day, (being the Sabbath,) to considerably large Roman Catholic congregations, with very few exceptions. I felt very happy the people were very attentive, were it not for the priests and demagogues who went to the place to terrify them, and into their houses, and are continually abusing them. Mr. S.'s large school-room, or rather meeting-house, holding about to hear, and others very busy, being sessions time; and that there were a great many evil disposed persons, but she would not take upon her to prevent me. However, I felt anxious to preach, and went to a person to get him to go round to tell the people. As I was returning, I was called in the street by the said M. the priest of Carrafia: there was another priest or two with him and a layman. M. asked me in an impudent manner, if I told Mr. S. what he desired I should? I said, I could not take upon me to mention all he said, and that I wished to have no difference existing, if possible, between them. M. asked in an imperative manner what Mr. S. said? I answered that he did not speak unkindly of his friends, as they did of him. M. said in a violent manner, that I was a smooth-faced, designing hypocrite," &c. shook his whip over my head, and gave me three slaps of it on the hat. All I said or did in return was, "I thank you, Sir," nor have I made it known in the public papers. Some friend in Ennis bas, and there is a part of what he mentioned in the Ennis Chronicle, copied into the Limerick Chronicle of this day, which I send you. It has excited great indignation among the Protestants. Some said they could not have borne it, but my conduct has given great satisfaction to the pious people. There were numbers of persons in the street, but all on the priest's side. I asked one man who was standing with the priest, to remember the circumstance when I met him a little after; but he denied he saw him strike me, but acknowledged he heard him abuse me in presence of a friend of mine, and that he used the whip. He might have had me murdered, if the time had served; no per son would have witnessed against him, "as it would have done God service, and the priest could absolve them." I preached at Cloughjordan on the 1st Lord's day of this month as usual; the second at Birdhill, and in other places in the intermediate days. I re-established the school at O'Briensbridge or Montpelier. That was only a few days discontinued; and I placed an excellent mistress over it, who was educated in one of our schools. The last could not stop in consequence of marrying a bad man. The school was very prosperous, and will be again. I have had to rent a room for it by the quarter for 12s. as the only means of continuing it, if the Committee think well. I send the Readers' Journals, they will give an idea of the state of the country, particularly Thomas Busbe's in S. Ryan's, a person told him there would certainly be a Roman Catholic king. W. THOMAS. My congregations in Ballina are, as to numbers, better than ever they were. On the evenings of the Lord's day our house of worship is literally crowded, and the congregation is not fluctuating, but steady, and includes in it several Roman Catholics. To-morrow, if the Lord will, I shall leave home for a few days, for the purpose of visiting the schools and preaching. My next shall inform you as to particulars, and in the mean time I remain Yours sincerely, J. P. BRISCOE. From the Rev. J. P. Briscoe to the Secre. taries. Ballina, Nov. 17. 1828. DEAR BRETHREN, From the Rev. John Franks of Thurles. MY DEAR SIR, The state of things here is truly alarming. Many protestants consider themselves unsafe in their own houses, much less out of them; and the danger of travelling in many parts is confessedly great. In some small country towns, villages, and especially lonely houses, the terror felt and manifested is indescribable; and which I have had faller opportunity of witnessing, and by consequence feeling, than I should have done by residing in a city or large town for a long life. It is much to be feared that the worst I have been fully employed since I last addressed the Committee, in visiting the schools and preaching in different places, as opportunity offered. At this season of the year, when the people are so generally employed in digging the potatoes, a large attendance, either in the schools or on my preaching, is not to be expected; besides which, we are now so strenuously opposed by the priests, that it is matter of grateful surprise that a vestige of the Society's institutions is left in the country. Still, how-is yet to come; but should the postsherds ever, the numbers in both cases are encouraging, and the spirit of inquiry seems to acquire vigour from the very opposition with which it has to contend. The state of public feeling is, I am sorry to say, more than a little alarming. It would be at considerable hazard that any of us ventured abroad after nightfall. Both Brother Wilson and myself have made up our minds not to appoint any night schools this winter, because while we are of opinion that few would attend: we also fear that the lives of those who inspected them would be in jeopardy. About a fortnight ago, in the middle of the night, we were thrown into a state of considerable alarm by a loud noise which awoke the whole of us. I immediately sprang from my bed to ascertain the cause, which I found to be the throwing of a large stone through one of our windows, and which was thrown with such violence as to break not only the glass, but also the wood work of the sash. This is the fourth time our house has been attacked in a similar way. What is to correct the evils that superabound in this wretched country? Nothing but the powerful and universal operation of scriptural truth, and (if you can believe me) I am endeavouring to diffuse the knowledge of that truth by public preaching, and by teaching from house to house. of the earth strive with each other, the Lord God omnipotent reigneth; and as I feel satisfied I am where he would have me to be, I can trust him for protection. But while I am at ease about myself, I am not altogether so about some others, particularly Mr. Thomas. He is well known as a diligent and successful swaddling preacher, and which is more than sufficient to mark him out as an object of priestly vengeance. I witnessed one of the most daring attacks possible made upon him, and which I have every reason to believe would have been attended with the most serious consequences, had we not at the time been near a place of safe retreat. He certainly ought not, in the present state of things, to travel on foot in the country, and especially in some places. I do not regret having come to this country, were it only to see what I already have, of the operations of the Baptist Irish Society. God indeed has honoured it, and if it have an enemy, I am bold to say, had he accompanied me on my tour, he must and would have become its friend. At the commencement of it, I assuredly did not expect much; but what I have seen, has not only greatly surprised me, but often caused me to say to myself, "Should I be counted worthy, and my health admit of it, I shall be willing and happy to live and to die in promoting, to the utmost of my power, the godlike objects of the Baptist Irish So |