if you are willing, I send for insertion in the next month's Repository.

I had been speaking of the need which man has of a revelation, and - concluded thus:

"Inestimable is the value of our Christian faith, and happy is he whose mind reposes upon it with the most perfect trust;-happy he who, upon this subject, has the fewest doubts and misgivings. The longer we live, the more must we be convinced how much of the pleasantness and the beauty of this life would be taken away, if it were not regarded as the forerunner of another and a better. In this world, few days pass over our heads without the occurrence of something alarming and appalling to our weak and shivering nature. When we see how soon the greatest minds are overturned; how speedily the brightest intellect and the purest virtue become eclipsed, or go down ere their day be spent; when we see constantly removed from before our eyes those who have been the light and life and ornament of our age, who walked in wisdom's ways, and trod the paths of justice; when we behold these things, and stand wondering at our own mysterious being, what a privilege and a happiness it is that, from such contemplations, we can take refuge in the thought of that country, nigh which despair comes not, and where the voice of lamentation and weeping is heard no more. Our country, mankind, has this week been deprived of one of its best and ablest friends. He is gone upon whom the eyes of op. pressed and weeping humanity have been long fixed as its firmest stay and trust. He is gone whom Mercy and Benevolence were eager to acknowledge as their constant and faithful servant. He is gone whom all good men delighted to honour as the advocate of justice, and the defender of him that had none to help him. The eye that hath seen him shall see him no more.' We may seek him, but shall not find him.

Bitter constraint and sad occasion dear!' "Mournful, indeed, it is, that such a life, at such a time, should have been lost to his country-to the world: more mournful still that its beautiful day should have been closed by so dark an hour; but over this last and

dreadful act let us draw, as no doubt the mercy of God will draw, the veil of oblivion. In the deep darkness of his soul it was done, and let it not be remembered against him. The bright deeds of his life who can forget? His labours of love who will cease to remember? The tear shed upon his grave will be a tribute to virtue-an offering and a sacrifice to the spirit of humanity. He rests from his toils, but his works shall follow him. The name of Romilly, embalmed in the regrets, consecrated in the love and admiration of living minds, will go down to distant ages with a blessing on it. When we are numbered with the dead, and the remembrance of our names has perished from the earth, he will live in the thoughts and be cherished in the recollection of thousands. Generation after generation shall rise up and speak of his good deeds, and teach their children to lisp the story of his virtues. The remembrance of his name shall dwell in the bosoms of the just, and warm their hearts to mercy. Thus the virtuous and the good never die: they continue to live even upon earth, by the thoughts which they inspire, and the actions to which they prompt. And in heaven their spirits are with God. In his keeping they are sure and safe. Let us gladden and fortify our hearts with this faith. When the sun of our human hopes is set, and the light of present comforts is withdrawn, let us think of that day which no darkness shall overshadow, when God shall be unto us an everlasting light, and his favour our eternal glory." THOMAS MADGE.

copy:

"The author of this book was once a practising attorney at Newark-uponTrent, Nottinghamshire.

"The place of town-clerk becoming vacant, this truly great man, and my cousin Richard Twells, (a man of no despicable parts, and well-learned too,) were competitors for this little employment (for it is not, communibus annis, worth above 40l. per annum). Twells having the better interest in that mean corporation, (for Mr. Cooke, who had been twice mayor, made shoes for all our family, and used to bring them home himself,) had a majority in that despicable body, and obtained the place. Warburton was so piqued at the disappointment, that he fell hard to his studies, got into orders, and having good friends, is now one of the greatest divines we have, quoad critical erudition.

R. D." I have given you a copy verbatim, and I believe literatim, for I have copied his abbreviations and paren

theses.

tability. All that could be accomplished by talents, industry, example, aud by controversy, has been nobly performed by the champions of the cause they have planted, it is ours to water, that the fruit may be more speedily brought to maturity. The Fellowship Funds certainly appear well calculated to effect this desirable object.

Warmed with this persuasion, I may perhaps be hurried by impatience, since I cannot suppress a feeling of great disappointment at finding, that in the course of two years, not more than twenty Fellowship Funds have been announced, whereas, a very imperfect and scanty list of Unitarian societies reaches to one hundred and fifty.

Either I must delude myself with a prospect of imaginary benefits to result from these funds, or their utility has not been duly considered by many societies; for nothing but the absence of the strong conviction which I feel of their high importance, cau account for tardiness or indifference as to a measure which appears so simple in its detail, so powerful in its operation, and so completely within the reach of the most circumscribed means.

I may assert with confidence that there is not an Unitarian in the kingdom, who does not either personally suffer from, or see abundant cause to lament the non-existence of that which it is so entirely in their power to create, and still we go on year after year, in a state of suffering and inactivity, permitting the cause to languish under the chilling influence of poverty, societies in some cases without ministers, in others without proper places of worship; or if these be at length obtained, exposed to the certainty of a heavy debt, inextinguishable by any other means than private charity.

I must own, that looking to the zeal, the resolution and perseverance, required to produce an Unitarian, and at the same time to the simple measure which has now been for two years submitted to consideration, I feel at a loss to account for the existence of the above evils and deficiencies, being quite unwilling to suppose that the moment of conversion, the act of profession, or the comfortable establishment of any individual society, is the signal for returning apathy, or of indifference

towards the general interests of the cause; but what name, then, shall we

SIR,

NOME

remains in debt, and deficient of ministers, when its members have the means, with great ease to themselves, of providing for both, and it is not done; when a body of 50,000 Dissenters (and they have been estimated much higher) possess no other fund for general purposes than the diminutive sum of 400l. per aunum, chiefly arising from legacies; and that, with an indolent sort of benevolence, they only give when distress grows clamorous, and then the aid being partial and ineffectual, disheartens both the giver and the receiver?

Disposed, however, to believe that it is not want of zeal, much less of liberality, but solely of conviction, which retards the application of the remedy, I beg to solicit the attention of Unitarians to the following considerations:

The half of 50,000 penny-a-week subscriptions, would amount to upwards of 5000l. per annum; but the half of that sum would render the Unitarian cause flourishing as to its finances, compared with what it is. In a twelvemonth, scarcely a debt would remain upon any society; new chapels might be erected; whilst a sum would by degrees accumulate, for the purpose of educating and paying of missionaries, increasing the salaries of ministers; and societies would no longer feel disheartened, nor contribute by their debts and poverty, to deter men of unprejudiced minds from joining them, which, I have not a doubt, has happened; for, to change to an unpopular religion, and be taxed for it too, cannot but create an besitation, highly favourable to the cause of orthodoxy. If this calculation be deemed too sanguine, let it be remembered that it supposes but 12,000 subscribers; if deemed admissible, let it prevail upon some of the able Correspondents in the Monthly Repository and Christian Reformer, to bring the subject frequently into notice and discussion, which, I trust, will not fail to recommend Fellowship Funds to general approbation and adoption.

DENARIUS.

aware that a Society has lately been formed in London, for the Relief of Aged and Infirm Dissenting Ministers belonging to the Three Denominations, (as they are called,) Presbyterian, Independent and Baptist. The importance of such a design to a highly deserving and very compassionable class of persons, and to our general interests as Dissenters, cannot, I think, be questioned; nor can auy liberal mind be displeased to see different denominations of our brethren meeting on a common ground, and, without compromising their own individual opinions in regard either to doctrine or discipline, cordially agreeing to carry into effect a most benevolent object. But as the term Presbyterian has of late become somewhat ambiguous, and the reason of its adoption, as including Unitarians, may not, at first sight, be apparent to every one, I beg leave to say a very few words on that head. It has happened, that, for a series of years, Dissenters have been recognized by the government of the country as distributed into the three classes, Presbyterian, Independent and Baptist. And, in point of fact, it is certain, that Unitarian ministers, for instance, such distinguished individuals amongst them as Mr. Belsham and Mr. Aspland, belong to the General Body of Dissenting Ministers in London, by ranking themselves under the denomination, Presbyterian: consequently, that term cannot be understood to have any thing in its meaning that is exclusive.

If it be asked, why introduce "Denominations" at all into a charitable institution, I answer, that it is for the purpose of guarding against any misapplication of the funds to improper objects, whether through ignorance or partiality. Each denomination is supposed to be best acquainted with the claims of its own ministers, and, therefore, it is required that every minister applying for relief, shall be certified to be an approved minister by the class of Dissenters amongst whom he ranks himself. They are to be judges of his admissibility amongst their own body; and, if he be so certified, no questions can be asked respecting doctrinal opinions, ordination, or any other point of that kind.

This, I hope, will be considered as satisfactory. The principle is the same as that adopted in the Widows' Fund and the Society of Deputies, in both of which it is sufficiently notorious, that the claims of Unitarians are always considered equally with others. The Committee of the new Institution consists in part of Unitariaus, which is, I conceive, a sufficient pledge of the manner in which the Society means to carry into effect its professed design, namely, that of embracing all the Denominations of Dissenters in the arms of Christian benevolence.

I sincerely wish that no misapprehensions or unfounded jealousies, on any side, may throw a damp upon a design likely to be so useful.

SIR,

A CONSTANT READER.

Prescot, October 8, 1818. YOU are often congratulated upon

tarian cause, and its manifest extension in the United Kingdom; and you have had latterly the reiterated pleasure of reporting intelligence of the erection of new chapels.-Will you pardon me, if, like Jeremiah among the prophets of old, I rise up among my rejoicing brethren, to condole with you, Sir, and them, on the melancholy fact, that many of the chapels in which our ancestors worshiped, and in some of which our revered relatives have officiated, are either totally deserted, and in a state of alarming dilapidation, or have fallen into the hands of strangers! I beg leave, Mr. Editor, to call your attention to three cases of the former nature, that I humbly conceive are deserving of notice; and which, I apprehend, might, by a little exertion and expense, be rescued from their present degraded and useless condition, and restored to their pristine dignity and usefulness: they are the Presbyterian chapels at Stafford, Stone and Newcastle-under-Line. It is a lamentable fact, that for some years, though commodious and endowed chapels, they have been either totally or partially disused, as religious edifices.

Respecting that at Newcastle-underLine, I am not able to report so correctly and explicitly as I could wish to do. I have been informed, that

the interest there suffered materially by the conduct of the last incumbent; amiable and respected in his youthful days, and for some years revered by his people, but subsequently deserted by them, in consequence of his contracting very unpleasant habits. The major part of them, I understand, resolved upon uniting themselves to the episcopalian congregation of that town. A considerable endowment was enjoyed by Mr. ——, up to the period of his death. It amounted, if I mistake not, to 60l. per annum. 1 am not prepared to say into whose hands it has fallen, nor whether it be recoverable: I rather think a trustee is living.

Of the Presbyterian chapels at Stafford and Stone, I can report more decidedly; as, during the last nineteen years of his life, my uncle, the late Rev. Henry Procter, was pastor of the small congregations that assembled in them. Small, indeed, were

the pastoral charge; and as they were composed, principally at least, of aged persons, (some of them married, but without families, and others in a state of celibacy,) the melancholy office devolved upon him of interring the remains of friend after friend, in quick succession: and, by the rapid march that the infirmities of age made upon himself, he was prevented from making any great exertions to revive the cause. Since the death of my uncle, who departed this life in his 76th year, no stated minister has been appointed. During the consultations of the small remnant of his flock, in what manner they should act, I occasionally preached to them; but the most active trustee died, and the chapel has been since shut up. That at Stone, I have been recently informed, is occupied as a charity day-school, by the Independents of the town, who pay rent for the use of it. A venerable member of that little flock, died some months ago, and has left a son, with a numerous family. About two acres of land, and some money at interest, belong to that chapel.

The endowments, in land and money, attaching to the chapel at Stafford, amount, at a moderate calculation, to upwards of 30l. per annum. To this chapel there is a burial ground. One trustee, I rather think, survives, with