having made some attempts that did not promise much success, and that rather militated against his obtaining ordination in the established church, for which he had an early predilection, he was at length placed under the tuition of the Rev. Mr. Jones, Vicar of Lanavan Fawr, Brecknockshire. In this situation he continued till he had entered on his twenty-fifth year; and, having the advantage of clear instructions, and applying himself diligently to his studies, he made very considerable proficiency; so that, without going to an university, he was approved as a candidate for holy orders by the Right Rev. Dr. North, Lord Bishop of Worcester, and, receiving from him letters dismissory, was ordained deacon by the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Hereford, on a title given him by the Rev. James Stillingfleet, Prebendary of Worcester, on the 21st of May, 1780: and he was ordained priest by the Lord Bishop of Worcester on the 23rd of June, 1782. Thus he became curate to Mr. Stillingfleet, in the parishes of Knightwick and Doddenham in Worcestershire, which he served about six years and a half: and about a year and a half after he had received deacon's orders, he obtained, in addition, the curacy of Lulsey, (about a mile distant from Knightwick,) from the Rev. John Cocks, brother to Lord Somers. So that during five years, for a considerable part of each year, he performed three services every Lord's day, besides all the other duties of the three parishes: and there is reason to believe that his labours were not without success, in bringing sinners to "repentance to

"wards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus "Christ."

At the expiration of this term, Mr. Stillingfleet removed to the parish of St. John, Worcester, and Mr. Newell continued his curate in this new situation. Here at first he had many prejudices and disadvantages to encounter, on various accounts, and was at times not a little discouraged: yet by persevering in his work and labour of love, manifesting an affectionate spirit, and setting an edifying example, he in less than two years obtained the respect and affection of numbers in the neighbourhood, and was exceedingly regretted when he left them.

In what light Mr. Stillingfleet regarded his curate, will best be known from his own voluntary testimony, in a letter to his widow. I had form

ed,' says he, an expectation of seeing, once 'more, my former amiable and most valuable 'fellow labourer. Inconceivably, and beyond all 'imagination happy, as I am fully persuaded poor ' dear Mr. Newell now is; freed from a body of 'sin and death, and tasting largely of those plea'sures which are at God's right hand for ever" more; I cannot but lament his loss to you, to his children, to his friends, to the church of Christ in general, and to his parish of Missenden in 'particular. A more simple-hearted, devoted, 'faithful minister there never was; and Mr. Old'ham, in my opinion, will be at a great loss to 'find his fellow for his successor.' Let this extract suffice: It reflects honour on both parties, and no further observations on it are at all needful.

While Mr. Newell continued Mr. Stillingfleet's curate at Worcester, he was very unexpectedly, and without the smallest degree of application on his part, presented to the vicarage of great Missenden, Bucks, by James Oldham Oldham, Esq., on the recommendation of some respectable persons, who were well acquainted with his character. This took place in December 1787; and in this situation he continued till his death. In the year 1797, the perpetual curacy of Lee, a contiguous village, lapsing to the crown, the Lord Chancellor nominated Mr. Newell to it.

On the occasion of his being nominated to Missenden, Mr. N. made the following remark in a book which he kept for such purposes: When I reflect on the providence of God, and the many 'unexpected favours he has bestowed on me, I am. 'constrained to say, "Thou preventest me with "the blessings of thy goodness." My presentation 'to the vicarage of Missenden is a signal instance of the Lord's conferring unsought mercies upon 6 me. As the living was given me without solicitation, the comforts it affords me are the 'sweeter, and the crosses I necessarily meet with, ' are easier borne on that account.'

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Again he wrote, 'December 16, 1787, I preached my first sermon in Missenden church. The text 6 was, "Unto you is the word of this salvation "sent." (Acts xiii. 26.)-Some persons betrayed 'their ignorance, by ridiculing even the words of the text! And in the course of the following

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week, I was informed that the boys would run along the street, shouting, "Unto you is the "word of this salvation sent!" Could one have

'conceived such ignorance and profaneness to have 'existed in a land so favoured with the light of 'truth as this country has long been? Yet it is to 'be feared that it is far from being a solitary in'stance in proof that, even in England, many of 'the people are "perishing for lack of knowledge."—It is remarkable, however, that several instances occurred, in which Mr. Newell, attending the dying beds of pious persons, in his subsequent ministry, was told that this very sermon first excited in them serious thoughts about religion, and led them to inquire "what must we do "to be saved?"

Having obtained Lee he wrote thus: When 'the door is opened for preaching the gospel, we ' are filled with lively hope that some good will be 'done. The Lord having sent his word to Lee, some 'fruit is to be expected.' This was evidently his object, and leading desire: nor was it disappointed, for he lived to witness, and to note down, several remarkable instances of undeniable usefulness.

The income of the two parishes, however, for the short time during which Mr. N. held both, was very inadequate to the laborious services which he performed. The actual receipt from the vicarage of Missenden was less than 801. a year: and sometimes it fell considerably short of that sum. And the And the curacy of Lee, when first he took it, brought in a mere trifle; but its value was gradually improved by Queen Anne's bounty, and the purchase of land with it: so that the last two years of his life he seemed to himself advanced to comparative affluence, having received from his parishes about 1201. per annum.

For this stipend, after he obtained Lee, he preached and performed the whole service three times every Lord's day; twice at Missenden, and once at Lee. In this village the service had before been very seldom and very irregularly performed, in general not much more than once in the month; and the church was consequently little attended : but when it became stated he had the satisfaction to see a steady, increasing, and attentive congregation, with every indication of considerable usefulness.

Besides this he preached a lecture at Missenden on the Wednesday evening, and was unwearied in all other parochial duties, and in endeavours to promote the best interests of his flock, so that it is the opinion of several respectable persons that his exertions were too much for him, and that his strength was not equal to his burdens.

The important and useful labours of a parishminister afford few incidents suited to the purposes of biography. One week succeeds another, and brings with it the same or similar calls of duty, and gives occasion of exercises of patience, meekness, diligence, piety, and love, with little variety of circumstance: and frequently, the more estimable the character, the less is he known beyond his own circle, and the more uniform is the tenour of his life. In this way, indeed, he gains affectionate friends by substantial usefulness, who love and venerate him as a father; and he gradually overcomes opposition and prejudice by good behaviour, and is respected even by such as do not love him: because all become convinced that he would be their friend, and that he willingly renounces his