ORDINATIONS.

NOVEMBER 2, 1797. The Rev. A. Dixon was ordained to the paftoral office in the independant church at Milbourn Port, in Somerfetfhire. The Rev. Mr. Herdsman delivered an appropriate difcourfe both to the paftor and the people, from iii John ver. 4. and the Rev. Meffrs, Mofen, Edwards, Underwood, Warlow, and Grey, engaged in the other parts of the fervice.

REV. MR. ATTLEY.

FEB. 1, 1798, the Rev. Henry Attley was fettled over the independ. ant church and congregation in Hornchurch-lane, Romford. Rev. J. Douglas, of Chelmsford, began the fervice with reading fuitable chapters and a fhort prayer. Mr. Platt, of Holywell-mount, defcribed the proper fubjects, and the glory of the church of Christ; and propofed the ufual questions. Mr. Brooksbank, of Haberdashers'-hall, engaged in the general prayer. Mr. Matthew Wilks, of the Tabernacle, preached to the minifter and people on Ezek. xxxvii. 16 and 17; and Mr. Buck, of Princes-freet, concluded by prayer. Meffrs. Douglas, Humphrys, and Gold, gave out the hymns. In the evening Mr. Douglas prayed, and Mr. Brooksbank preached.

OBITUARY.

MISS INGHAM.

ON Sabbath evening, July 16, 1797, died at Nottingham, Mifs Eliza, beth Ingham, eldest daughter of the Rev. G. Ingham.

Mifs I. had long difcovered a confiderable attachment to the public worship of God, and was obferved to discharge private religious duties with confcientious exa&nels; but had not made a public profeflion of the faith of Chrift. During her illness, which was long (a pulmonary confumption), the read the fcriptures with much attention, liftened with pleafure to the converfation of chriftian friends, and, when reduced very low, ufed much pains to be always prefent at family prayer. When converfing on the great concerns of the foul (which in confequence of natural referve fhe did freely but with few), the expreffed a very proper conviction of their importance-fuitable views of the falvation of the golpel-and an anxious concern to be found in Chrift; but complained of much darkness of mind, and the want of that love, joy, and peace which the conceived to be the genuine fruit of faith; hence, as might be expected, she was fubject to bondage through fear of death. On the morning of her diffolution the prayed earnestly that her darkness might be removed; this fupplication appeared to be very graciously answered, and she departed expreffing by words, and by tokens when unable to fpeak, her faith in Chrift, folid peace, and lively hope of immortality. Earnestly exhorting her fifters and friends to attend to the one great concern, the recommended to them the gofpel which now proved fo firm a fupport for herself; expreffing her gratitude to those who had prayed with her in her affliction, the now defired them to join with her in thanksgiving and praife.

ANN PARROTT

of

DIED, on Thurfday Sept. 14, 1797, at Blechley, in the county Bucks, aged 23 years (after á fhort but painful illness). She was a pious

young

young woman, who in the moft peaceful manner breathed her foul inte the hands of her Redeemer, and had an abundant entrance into the joy of her Lord. Her difpofition was naturally chearful: true piety and integrity of conduct were the leading features of her moral character. In her deportment she was affable and serious, and a true lover of the gospel of Chrift; the openness of her temper excellently discovered that experience of the grace of God which the profeffed, and the manner in which the left the world plainly fhewed fuch a peaceful and unfhaken dependance on her Redeemer, who had bought her by his blood, that it was a confirmation to her furviving relatives and friends of the bleffed effects of living by the faith of Jefus, in promoting holiness of life, removing the fears of death, and anticipating future happinefs and glory.

MR. THOMAS BAGEHOT,

WAS born at Great Torrington, Devonshire, in the year 1774. His grandfather was a Diffenting Minifter, educated under Dr. Doddridge. His father and mother both dying very nearly together in a consumpton, left Mr. T. B. and his brother to the care of an uncle, who was a Dif fenting Minifter at Torrington, and he also dying foon they fell into other hands; and the meeting being fhut up, they went to church with their trustees. Mr. T. B. was always thoughtful and well inclined, but was little known till the late Rev. Mr. Reader, of Taunton, fent his students to preach there occafionally. He then eagerly caught at the opportunity of hearing the gofpel, and made himself known to the preachers, who finding him a perfon of good capacity and great ferioufnefs, encouraged him to go to Mr. R. with them. He needed no perfuafion, and foon put himself under his care. But he had not been there much above two years, when Mr. R. died. All the churches felt and lamented their lofs, but it was more severely felt by Mr. B. as it put a stop to the profecution of his accademical ftudies. He made fome attempts to finish them in other feminaries; but not fucceeding, and finding his conftitutional infirmities increafing, he endeavoured to improve himself at home, with what little affiftance he could get from neighbouring minifters. He was fo frongly bent upon doing good, that, there being no minister at the meeting, he collected the very few of the congregation that were left, and prayed and read a fermon to them twice, and generally three times, every Lord's day; and, latterly, would now and then give them a fermon of his own. When any appeared affected under the word (as one or two were remarkably fo), his joy was inexpreffible. But he could not long continue this labour of love. The tymptoms of a confumption increasing rapidly, he was advised to change the air. Accordingly, in September laft, he went to Bideford; but was then fo weak as not to be able to go abroad, but in a fedan. He was, from the beginning fully fenfible of his danger, and reconciled to his approaching diffolution. When the apothecary was flattering him with the hope of things taking a favourable turn, and hesitated to answer fome queftions, Mr. B. faid, "You may speak out, Sir, I am not afraid to know the worst." He had fuch a strong affection to his native place, that he fometimes expreffed a wish to live to attempt to do fome good there. But even that he gave up, and fubmitted entirely and cheerfully to the divine difpofal, without the leaft uneafiness or apprehenfion. He had taken care to lay a good foundation, or rather to build on that precious and fure foundation which God hath laid in Zion. And though his trials were very great, From the violence of his cough, his difficulty of breathing, and extreme

weaknefs,

weakness, yet none of these things moved him. He knew that God had made with him "an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and fure: and this was all his falvation and all his defire." He was confined to his bed about a fortnight, and was full of admiration and thankfulness for the love and tenderness of his heavenly Father in taking down his tabernacle fo gently, pin by pin. "I believe," said he, "I fhall never more go to that dear place, the house of God, below; but I hope ioon to eat of the heavenly manna above." Being asked if he was comfortable in his foul, he said, “ I am not distressed about futurity: no one knows what it is to die till they come to ftruggle with it. Sicknefs is a bad time to prepare. I dread the paffage, but am not afraid of the confequences."

"Corruption, earth, and worms
"Shall but refine this flesh,

« 'Till my triumphant Saviour comes
"To put it on afresh.

"What a mercy that I have fuch a great Saviour to to look to! and a precious Saviour he is. Oh that I loved him more! He is my hope, my dependence is entirely on him." And then added, with tears of joy, "This is the man, th' exalted man,

"Whom I, unfeen, adore;

"But when my eyes behold his face,

"My heart fhall love him more.”

"I fometimes want clearer views, but I would not part with the hope I have for twice ten thousand worlds. The Comforter is promised, but I am so weak that I could not bear much comfort. Pray for me, I am so weak that I can hardly pray for myself. 'Tis a mercy that God hath given me fuch patience. My fighs do not proceed from murmuring, but weakness. What fhould I do now without the confolation of the gofpel?" To one who expreffed an uneafinefs that he could not diftinctly underftand him, he faid, "'Tis a mercy for me that God hears whifpers." He was much pleased with that hymn, and would have it often read to him, "When langour and difeafe invade

"This trembling house of clay,

"Tis fweet to look beyond our cage
"And long to fly away."

He was heard in the night to fay feveral times, "Oh how I long for heaven!" And when his end drew near, being asked how he was, he said, “almost home." Thus died this excellent young man, Nov. 12, 1797, aged 23.

MRS. BAR.

MRS. ELEANOR BAR was a character highly refpected, though in a low eftate. She was chapel and veftry-keeper of the Lock Chapel, near Hyde Park Corner, about forty years; during all which time the was well known to a great multitude of God's people, and held in cordial eftimation by them. She was awakened early in life among the Methodists. About 20 years of age an impoitumation and caries of the os homeri, or upper part of the bone of the arm, brought her to St. George's Hospital, where nothing, on a confultation of furgeons, was judged capable of faving her life but the diffection of the arm at the articulation with the shoulder; an operation in furgery that, if I remember right, had hardly then ever

been

been attempted. Their decifion was communicated to her as the only poffibility of preferving her life; and the, on reflection, refolved to fubmit to the terrible sentence. That eminent furgeon, and excellent man, Mr. Bromfield, was appointed to perform the operation; and it was five and twenty minutes before it was completely finished: during which the admirable skill of that great anatomitt in fo unusual an operation, was only exceeded by the astonishing patience and fortitude of the gentle fufferer, who never once complained, or manifefted the leaft impatience; and when she was conveyed from the theatre to her bed, burst out in finging, “Praise God from whom all bleffings flow," &c. To the astonishment of many fhe was restored to perfect health. Mr. Bromfield bore her the kindelt friendship; and as there were few occupations in which he could be placed for a provifion, he, who was the father of the Lock Hofpital, and the great inftrument of bringing the gofpel, with all its bleffings, there, made her chapel-keeper, which office he held with great fidelity to her dying day.

It is not my intention to enter into the particulars of her life and converfation, but having heard of her happy death and departure about a month ago, I fend you the inclofed letter, which was fent to the miniller of the chapel, who engaged to preach the funeral fermon. May my last end be as happy and triumphant. T. H.

Rev. and Dear Sir,

Understanding you mean to mention fomething on Sunday evening concerning the death of my dear mother, by your defire have fent an account of her glorious end.---She fweetly prayed for friends that had been kind to her, that the Lord would reward them and theirs, not forgetting even her enemies! Being in great bodily pain till the latt day and night, her time was chiefly spent in prayer for faith and patience to hold out a little longer. Once the cried out, "Cut fhort thy work, O God! yet in thine own good time," and then repeated the first verse of that bymn,

Jefu, lover of my foul, &c.

Mrs. H. a neighbour, hearing how happy and perfectly fenfible fhe was, came to fee her; to her fhe faid," I am going home; fhout-rejoice," and then added,

"He is a God of fovereign love, who promised heaven to me," &c. On Mrs. H. taking her leave, the deceafed faid, "Don't weep; we fhall foon meet again."---To another fhe faid, "Don't go back-prels forward-look to Jefus."--In the dead of the night the broke out finging,

"Freely, fully juftify me, give me eyes thy love to fee."

When the faw one of her children crying, fhe faid, "Weep not for me-rejoice, rejoice! I am going home-this is not my home. Into the hands of my ever dear Jefus I commit the five children which he gave me: fear him, trust him, love him, and we fhall meet in his kingdom." To another the gave her bleffing, and faid, "I have a good hope for you, that I fhali meet your fpirit in the realms above, and be for ever with the Lord." Frequently the would fay, "I am coming, Lord! I am coming."

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To an old Chriftian friend the faid, " 'Tis almoft over-what a precious Saviour, to have paid the ranfom for unworthy me by dying in my place!" and added, "Prefent me to thy Father, and my Father---to thy God and my God! Ah! this triumphant spirit of mine will triumph over this corruption of flesh, and the worms too.

"Pre

"Prepare me, Lord, for thy right hand,

Then come the joyful day!"

Dr. Underwood coming to fee her the night before the died, he faid, "My old friend, I did not expect to fee you fo bad;" to which the faid, "I have got the start of you, Doctor, and am going home;” adding,

་་

"Where all the fhip's company meet,

Who fail'd with the Saviour on earth," &c.

Dr. U. defired that if she was alive in the morning, we fhould fend to your houfe, with his compliments, and fay if you wished any thing that would do your own foul good, or the fouls of others, to come and fee her: but early that morning the fweetly flept in Jefus.

Nov. 30, 1797.

REVIEW OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS.

Proofs of a Confpiracy against all the Religions and Governments of Europe, carried on in the select meetings of Free Mafons, Illuminati, and Reading Societies. Collected from good authorities, by J. Robifon, A. M. Profeffor of Natural Philofophy, and Secretary to the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 8vo. Price 7s. Cadell and Davies.

PROFESSOR R. informs us that, after being early initiated in the myfteries of Free Masonry in England, he visited many of the most celebrated lodges on the Continent, where he learned many doctrines," and faw" many ceremonials," which have no place in England: and that, befide perufing the most authentic and interesting publications on this myfteri.. ous fubject, he was fo happy as to gain poffeffion of some very curious MSS. From these various fources he has derived the proofs here offered of a confpiracy against government and religion, of which we shall give our readers a brief analysis and review.

Chap. I. Schifms in Free Masonry. Mr. R. traces the origin of these focieties in the friendly affociation of artifts and mechanics en ployed in architecture; and finds the fift certain infance of admitting perfons, who were not builders by profeflion, in the cafe of Mr. Afhmole, the antiquarian, and Col. Mainwaring, into the lodge at Warrington in 1648. From England this custom foon fpread abroad, and obtained generally in all the foreign lodges: whence originated the diftinction between free and accepted mafons. Of the latter clafs was our King Charles II. who condefcended to frequent the lodges; but his brother James was of a graver cast, and no admirer of these frivolities. In his time, however, the Englih lodges became the fashionable refort of his courtiers; and after his abdication the French lodges ferved them as places of rendezvous, and afforded the means of correspondence with their friends in England.

Malonry received a vast number of embellishments and refinements from the gay and speculative turn of the French philofophers; and it is not at all wonderful that, under the veil of impenetrable fecrecy, their focieties became the nurseries of infidelity. Whenever religion becomes the topic of conversation in convivial focieties, it will be either boldly denied, reduced to fuperftition and formality, or refined to unintelligible mysticism; for the Bible is fuch an enemy to vice, that wicked men can never cordially eiteem it. The mischievous tendency of these meetings was the greater on VOL. VI.

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