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PROTESTANT SOCIETY. Congregational Collections to the Protestant Society for the Protection of Religious Liberty.

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perused Dr. Stackhouse's valuable History of the Bible, and the late Bishop Porteus's Lectures on the Gospels. The result has been, his renouncing the tenets of that religion in which he was brought up, and embracing the doctrines and opinions of the Reformed Church. His conversion has, we understand, produced a very strong sensation in the College of Maynooth; and a great number of the students have manifested an inclination to oo follow his example. Mr. Crowley is about 38 years of age, and a gentleman of singular modesty, spotless reputation, and profound learning.

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THE Rev. Matthew Crowley, who has lately conformed to the Protestant Religion, was Professor of the Sacred Scriptures in the College of Maynooth, near Dublin. This gentleman's conversion was principally occasioned by the following circumstance: He had been for some time preparing himself to give his class in the College a Series of Lectures upon the Protestant Heresy,' as it is theologically termed in the Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Seminaries; and for this purpose had diligently studied all the leading points of controversy between the Protestant and the Roman Catholic Religion, and most carefully examined that fountain of all truth the Holy Scriptures; and critically, and with a mind bent apou impartial investigation, had

Persecution according to Law. An Account of the Proceedings of the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the county of Berks, held at Reading, Jan. 16, 1811, on the Appeal of William Kent, against a Conviction of W. H. Price, Esq. in the Penalty of

20, for Teaching and Praying in a Meeting, or Conventicle, held in an uninhabited house, in other manner than according to the Liturgy of the Church of Eng land, where five persons or more were present. We extract this account from a REPORT, taken in short hand by Mr. Gurney, and printed at Reading by M. Cowlade and Co.

IN September 1810, a few persons of the late Mr. Wesley's society (commonly called Methodists) living in the parish of Childrey, Berks, procured a house to be licenced, agreeably to the Act of Toleration, which was duly certified in the registry of the Bishop of Salisbury.

In this house Mr. Wesley's preachers attended, and preached once every Sunday; and, in the morning and evening, some of the congregation held a Prayer Meeting.

On Sunday, October 21, William Kent, William Franklin, and others, assembled in the evening for Prayer and singing Hymns. At this meeting Margaret Partridge, a servant of the Rev. Mr. Beaver, Lawrence Belcher, and John Bush,

a constable, and others of their party, attended; but did not join in prayer, by kneeling down with the rest. In the ensuing week, the Rev. Mr. Beaver laid an information before W. Price, Esq. under the Conventicle Act (21 Charles II) against William Kent and William Franklin; who were both convicted of teaching and praying, and fined in the penalty of 20 each. Mr. Kent having refused to pay the money, a distress warrant was issued on the 18th of December, by virtue of which John rush distrained a horse of Kent's, which was sold by auction, Dec. 24. Kent bought his horse for £25; which money he paid to the constable; who, after deducting expences, returned to Kent the overplus.

Dec. 27, Messrs. Barfield and Hedges, Solicitors for Mr. Kent, entered an Appeal with the Clerk of the Peace; of which he gave notice to the magistrate.

"On Tuesday, Jan. 15, the Appeal came on to be heard before Lord Radnor and the Bench of Justices, at Reading: an Abstract of which we copy from the Report, just published.

The Counsel for the Appellant were Mr. Gleed and Mr. Cooper; and for the Respondent, Mr. Wakefield.

Mr. Wakefield opened the proceedings. William Kent appeared, and pleaded Not Guilty. Mr. Wakefield stated the provisions of the Conventicle Act; and also those of the Toleration Act, observing, that if the Appellant had not qualified according to the latter, he would be liable to the penalties of the former.

But he anticipated the defence which he supposed would be set up by the Counsel for the Appellant, namely, That he did not preach or teach, but only prayed. In answer to which he pleaded, that it is impossible to pray without teaching.' Is it possible,' said he, that you can pray to the Almighty to grant any one blessing, without teaching that the Almighty can confer that blessing ?' — and, referring to the Lord's Prayer, said. "Can you pray

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to God to give the congregation their daily bread, without teaching that God has the power of granting that daily bread? When it said,

Our Father which art in heaven,' is it not an assertion that God is in heaven? Thy will be done os earth as it is in heaven, is it not teaching--that in heaven his will is done, and that on earth it ought to be done? Can you find any prayer that does not inculcate some doe trine, and so is, in some way of other, preaching to and teaching the congregation?'

This gentleman added, that he was instructed to say that the fol lowing words would be proved to have been spoken by Kent. Those who came out of curiosity's sake, I call for the Lord God to strike them' (these words, however, were not proved; and had they been spoken, the plain meaning is, May the Lord God strike them with a conviction of their sin and misery !). but the learned gentleman thas commented on them: Very gentle language, gentlemen! I do not think it unlikely it may go forth into the world that we are perse cutors, for preventing the Appellant's offering up his prayers to the Almighty;-and yet he calls upon the Lord to strike those who came for curiosity's sake; and also said, that he came there in the name of the Lord Jesus; and did not care for man or devil.

The Counsel then made a kind of apology for the reverend gentlemaa who, on this occasion, condescended to turn INFORMER, - stating that, according to the act of Char es II, it was his duty so to do:- but i -would have been far more difficult to have proved, from the word of God, that such a prosecution was his duty,-the duty of a clergyman of the Church of England to take the advantage of an almost obsolete act, made in the reign of the Stuarts, in the spirit of persecution, in order to prevent a few pious people from praying to God- an act which every liberally-minded an must hold in detestation.

We now present to our readers an Abstract of the Evidence giver

in this case, of the Arguments of Counsel, and the very curious manner in which the Verdict was given.

Lawrence Belcher sworn.
Examined by Mr. Wakefield.

Q. Do you know William Kent? A. Yes.

Q. Do you know any house of his in Childrey? A. Yes.

Q. Were you ever in his house? A. Yes.

Q. When? A. On the 21st of October.

were

Q. How many persons there? A. I cannot tell; but I think there were as many as a score. Q. Was W. Kent there? A. Yes. Q. What time of the day was this? A. Sunday evening.

Q. Was it light or dark. A. Dark. Q. Were there any candles? A. Yes.

Q. In what position was Kent? A. Kneeling down, holding forth. Q. Was any body else kneeling? A. Yes, all the congregation were kneeling.

Q. What were they all doing? 4. Holding forth.

Q. What do you mean by holding forth? A. I do not know, I am

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Q. Did you hear any particular words? A. Yes.

Q. What did he say? A. That be did not care for either Man or Devil.

Q. Did you hear any other words before you heard those? A. No, I do not know that I did.-I did not take any notice of what he said.

Q. Did you hear any thing after he said that? A. No. Q. Did you go away? A. Yes, I got out-I went out.

Q. You went away afterwards?

A. Yes.

Q. Before it was over? A. Yes. Q Did Kent continue on his knees afterwards. A. He was up when he said that.

Q. You did not hear any thing like the service of the Church of England going forward?

Lord Radnor. Does he know

what the Service of the Church of England is?

Mr. Wakefield.-You have been at Church? A. Yes.

Q. Was any thing like the Service of the Church of England going forward? A. No.

Lawrence Belcher cross-examined by Mr. Gleed.

Q. On the 21st of October with whom might you be living--were you a servant? A. No.

Q. What then? A. I was living with my mother, a home.

Q. On the 21st of October you were living with your mother, in this parish? 4 Yes.

Q. Who went with you to this place?-did you go alone or in company? A. I went in company.

Q. Who went with you? A. Margaret Partridge.

Q. She is a servant of the Rev. Mr. Beaver? A. Yes.

Q. Did the young woman propose it to you, or you to her? 4. Ne'er a one of it.

Q. Did you propose to the young woman to attend at this place, or did she propose it to you? . There were more than she and me.

Q. Who was there besides ? A. James Jordan.

Q. I want to know from you who proposed going to the Meeting? A. Me.

Mr. Gleed-What do you mean when you speak of the Liturgy of the Church of England? Do you know what is comprehended within the meaning of the words The Liturgy of the Church of England?' A. No.

Lawrence Belcher Re-examined by Mr. Wakefield. Q. Have you not been used to to Church? A. Yes.

go Mr. Gleed. I asked him to the fact, Whether he knew what the Liturgy was; and he said he did not.

Mr. Hallett (a_Magistrate.) What did he say when he got up? I understood you to say, that when upon his legs, he said he did not care for Man or Devil? A. Yes.

Q. Did he look angry and hard at you, as if you came to offend him A. No; he did not look at me any more than any body else.

Mr. Henry Marsh (a Magistrate.) Did he appear to have finished his prayer when he said he did not care for Man or Devil? A. Yes.

Q. Did it appear as if he was talking with them? A. Yes.

Q. Was he in prayer when he

said he did not care for either Man or Devil? or had he finished his prayer, and did he then say I do not care for either Man or Devil?' Did he appear to be praying at the time? A. Yes.

Margaret Partridge sworn., Examined by Mr. Wakefield. Q. Do you know William Kent ? A. Yes.

Q. Where does he live? A. At Childrey.

Q. Has he an empty house there?

A. Yes.

Q. Ilave you ever been in that house? A. Yes.

Q. When was that? 4. On the 21st of October last, — a Sunday evening.

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Q. How many people were there? 4. Between thirty and forty.

Q. Was W. Kent there? A. Yes. Q. What were all the people doing?-were they standing or sitting? A. They were all kneeling.

Q. Was Kent saying any thing? A. Not when I first went in.

Q. What did you hear before you heard Kent say any thing? A. I heard two or three before I heard Kent.

Q. Can you recollect what those two or three said? A. No.

Q. What did you hear Kent say 4. I did not pay particular attention to what he said; but I heard

bim utter the word ' DAMN.'

Q. Did you hear him say any thing else? A. I heard him say

*CURIOSITY.'

Q. Were those words uttered as exclamations, or were they part of

a series of words?-Were the words DAMN and CURIOSITY' single words, or were there words before or after them? A. I do not remember what he said before or after.

Q. When you heard this, was Kent on his knees, or standing? A. I do not know.

Q. Was he kneeling or standing? A. I do not know, indeed. I could

not see him.

Q. What was the tone of his voice? was this the voice of prayer or conversation? A. He began very low, and spoke very load indeed.

Q. Did it appear to you he was praying, or preaching 4. It did not appear to me like a prayer. Q. Was it addressed to every body? A. Yes.

Earl of Radnor.—Was the Prayer on a religious subject? A. I do not recollect;—I did not pay particu lar attention to what was said.

Mr. Henry Marsh. — You only heard the words DAMN and CURI OSITY. A. No.

Earl of Radnor.-Was it addressed to the Supreme Being?- to God Almighty? A. Yes.

Q. He began, O God, or something of that sort? A. I do not recollect the words with which be began.

Mr. Gleed.-The only words she heard were DANN and CURIOSITY. [ To be concluded in the Supplement.]

LONDON.

We are happy to learn that the attempts lately made in some of the provincial papers to destroy the reputation of a Country Minister, of some celebrity, have proved abortive; and that after a minute investigation, a most respectable Committee of Gentlemen (who have affixed their names to their Report, in some of the public prints) have pronounced him ENTIRELY INNOCENT of the Charges alleged against him.'

Homerton Academy, which has undergone considerable repairs, will be re-opened on the 11th inst.; on which occasion a sermon will be preached in the morning, by Dr. Winter, at Dr. Smith's Meetinghouse, Hackney; and another is the evening, by Dr. Collyer, at New Broad Street. Collections after

both sermons.

We are informed, that on Thurs day morning, Dec, 26, a General Meeting of the Managers, Subscribers, and friends of the various 20

cieties for visiting and relieving the Sick Poor, will be held at the Rev. Mr. Thomas's Meeting, Devonshire Square, precisely at 10 o'clock, when a Mass of interesting information will be laid before them. Ministers are particularly requested to attend.

Mr. Henry F. Burder, having been chosen Assistant to Mr. Pal mer at Hackney, a few ministers were requested to unite with the congregation in imploring the divine blessing on that connexion, on the 31st of October last; when Mr. Ford, of Stepney, began the service: who was followed iu prayer by Mr. Waugh, of Well Street, Oxford Road. Mr. Jay, of Bath, delivered an appropriate discourse, which he was desired, both by the ministers and the church, to publish. Mr. George Burder, of

Fetter Lane, concluded.

On Thursday the 7th of November, the Rev.Alex. Fletcher was admitted, by the Associate Presbytery of Coldstream, to the pastoral care of the Scottish Church in Miles's Lane. Mr. R. Fletcher, of Hamil ton, began the public service by reading suitable portions of the

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holy Scriptures. After prayer, by Mr. John Belfrage, of Slateford, a sermon was preached by Mr. Jack, of Manchester, from Cor. i. 21. It pleased God, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe.' The moderator of the Presbytery then recited the measures which had been taken bythe church, and which had issued in the act of the Associate Synod, translating Mr. Fletcher from Down to his present charge in Miles's Lane; required the members of the church to recognize their cali, — and Mr. Fletcher also to recognize his for

mer vows at ordination; and to express his cordial acquiescence in the present call, together with his firm purpose, thro' divine strength, to fulfil the various and important duties of a gospel minister among them. This being done, the moderator, by solemn prayer to God, and in the name of Him who holds the stars in his right hand, and regulates all their movements, admitted him to the pastoral charge of his people. Some scriptural counscis were afterwards suggested to him and to the congregation; and the service was concluded with prayer by Mr. Lee, of Horndean.

MISSIONARY COLLECTIONS, &c.

Rev. Mr. Raffles and Congregation, Hammersmith

Berry and ditto, Warminster

Collection at Melbourn near Royston, at a Sermon, by the Rev.

J. Townsend

Friends at Chatteris, by the Rev. Mr. Miller

United Congregations at Brighton, at the Monthly Missionary

Prayer Meeting

Perth Missionary Society, by Rev. J. Willison

A. H. 5.

B. Z. 41.

Rev. Mr. Kemp and Congregation, Swansea

A Friend, by Mr. Butcher

Ditto, by Mr. Ricks, of Canterbury

Collections by the Rev. J. Townsend.

Rey. Mr. Morell, St. Neots, Huntingdonshire 8 11
Mr. Dobson, Chishil, Essex

Mr. Robinson, Steeple Bumstead, ditto
Mr. Owen, Debenhain, Suffolk

Mr. Gurteen, Canterbury. Kent
Mr.Cramp, St. Peter's, Isle of Thanet
Mr. Young, Margate

Sundries

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Collections by Mr. Wray in our Supplement.

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