faving knowledge of himself. O, how it ought to humble us, when we look to the rock from whence we were hewn, and the hole of the pit from whence we were digged. What were we more than the thousands of our fellow mortals that furround us? We were finners vile as they, and with as little defire to know the ways of the Lord. Bleffed be the Lord, he has a few whom he hath chofen in Chrift, from before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blame before him in love; these will he make willing in the day of his power; and if we can fay with a happy affurance that we are his, what have we then to fear?-The comforts of his Spirit may be withdrawn, but he will never utterly forfake us. When I confider the work in which I am engaged, and my own un worthiness, I am almost ready to defpair; but when I reflect that the Lord has chofen the weak things of the world to confound the wise, and those which are ftrong in their own imaginations, I am encouraged to proceed in the work, relying on the arm of the Almighty God of Jacob. O, my dear Brother, may the Lord open our eyes to behold more and more the important character we fuftain! The character of a Christian is great, but how much more that of a Chriftian Minifter! We are in a particular manner placed as lights in the world-may the Lord enable us fo to let our light fhine before men, that they may be conftrained to glorify our heavenly Father! May the Lord be with you to blefs you may he keep you humble in the great work to which he has been pleased to call you, and make you the happy inftrument of much good to many fouls! As I fhall not have the opportunity of writing to many of my friends, you will be fo kind as to give my kind love to them. Though I have been very concife, yet let it not hinder you from fending me a particular relation of all things fince I left. My kind respects, remember, to Dr. Haweis and Lady Ann. I remain, dear Friend, In the bonds of the ever bleffed Gospel, J. NOBBS. P. S. Our fabbath morning is your Saturday night; but we alter our prayer meetings, that we may have them at the fame time with you. O, be furé never to forget me at the Throne of Grace! SIR, When I wrote this I was at Tongataboo, but my health has obliged me to quit the country, therefore hope to fee you in my own native land. I fhould have wrote another letter to you, but not having an opportunity, I was glad to fend this, adding thefe few lines. So farewel, my dear Friend, J. NOBBS. Will it not be faid, "What hath God wrought!" The Lord has mark, ad this anniversary with fingular mercy. He has done for us exceeding abundant above all that we could ask or think." The most confcious and timid, who stood aloof, and waited to fee the event, before they would venture to countenance the caufe, will now be constrained to fay" this is the finger of God," while the zealous friends of the Miffionary Society, will be induced to redouble their diligence, and many Miffionaries with devoted hearts, offer their faithful fervices, faying, "we will go with you, for God is with you." Amen and Amen. CAUTION. CAUTION. THE public will do well to be guarded against any furreptitious and fpurious publications, which may be intruded upon the world, as informa. tion from the South feas; as foon as the genuine and compleat journals, with the charts arrive, it is the intention of the Directors to arrange the materials, and to communicate to the public the true ftate of their miffion. By order of the Directors J. EYRE, Secretary. N. B. We are favoured with one of the most beautiful letters we ever read, from a failor on board the Duff, to his wife and child. But the length of the preceding accounts unavoidably obliges us to poftpone it to the next number. *** We are authorised to ftate, that the annual accounts of the Missionary Society will be balanced, on the 21st of June. SERMON TO THE JEWS. ON Sunday evening, May 20th, the Rev. Rob. Balfour, of Glasgow, preached a fermon to the Jews, at the chapel (late Mr. Wefley's) in the Cityroad, THE SECOND ASSEMBLY OF THE UNION OF CHRISTIANS AT BEDFORD was held, according to an appointment noticed in our Magazine for laft December, on Tuesday, 24th April; and was by far more numerously attended than the formation of the Union had been. From forty to fifty minifters were prefent. In the forenoon, at the old Meeting-houfe, the Rev. J. Sutcliffe, of Olney, began the public worship with prayer. The Rev. W. Bull, of Newport Pagnel, (Prefident of the Union) preached from Acts ii. 26. " And the difciples were called (xpatica, inplying a divine appointment) CHRISTIANS firft at Antioch." The Rev. - Cofens, of the Methodist circuit in Northamptonshire, concluded with prayer. In the afternoon, a conference was held at the New Meeting-house., The Rev. J. Geard, of Hitchin, introduced with prayer. From the reports made by the Officers and other members of the Union, the following particulars which appear interesting to the religious world in general, were deduced. 45 Minifters and preachers, moftly Baptifts (of free, and of strict commumunion) and Independents; with feveral of the Church of England, Unitas Fratrum, and Methodist focieties, have joined, or otherwise affifted the Union. 150 Private Chriftians, belonging to the ftated congregations within the immediate limits of the Union (which are 34 in number), have been active in conducting meetings for prayer, and reading difcourfes, where fermons could not be preached. Others, both men and women, have been very useful in the inftruction of Children; and feveral thousands have concurred to affift with their prayers and donations; all the communicants, and many other serious members of congregations, having in feveral places joined the Union. 100 Towns, Villages and Hamlets, are, by these means, fupplied with opportunities of evangelical inftruction and devotion; many of them every week. In the more populous places, a lecture is preached each Lord's day evening, by the united labours of several neigbouring minifters, who visit them in fucceffion. In thefe inftances, the attendance is usually much crowded; and in fome places, it already seems very defirable Grable that commodious Meeting-houfes could be erected; but there appears no probability of the funds being rendered equal to such an undertaking. Oppofition has difcovered itself in various forms; but hitherto without fuccefs, wherever the Gofpel has once taken root. In most cafes the difinterested fervices of the minifters, and the people of Chrift, have been attentively and gratefully accepted; and in fome, both the lectures and prayer meetings, have been evidently attended with spiritual efficacy. One inftance occurred, in which a Ġentleman had been provoked, by the fuccefs of the Gospel, to relinquish a curacy which he held. A Baptift Minifter, who had been useful to the parishioners, directed them to means whereby an Evangelical clergyman was brought into their church; and having done this, he completed the fpecimen he had afforded of a truly chriftian spirit, by leaving the pious clergyman and his awakened parishioners, to walk together in peace and love; whilft he directed his own labours to another village, which was then wholly deftitute of the Golpel. In adverting to the former proceedings of the Union, a motion made by the treasurer, Mr. John Forfter, of Biggleswade, was adopted; which, it is hoped, will be found of effential advantage to the correfpondence and cooperation of the diftricts, into which the Union is diftributed. A felect committee, confifting of two perfons chofen in each of the diftricts, was thereby appointed to act with the Officers of the Union; who remain as first nominated, till the next general meeting. Among the refolutions that were paffed, was one for printing a detailed report of proceedings, and an Addrefs to other Religious Affociations, on the fubject of Chriftian Union. The conference was clofed with prayer by the Vice-prefident; who had acted as moderator of this affembly, in confequence of the President's exertions in the former part of the day. In the evening public worthip was refumed at the New Meeting houfe. The Rev. A. Fuller, of Kettering, and the Rev. D. Hennell, of Wellaf ton, engaged in prayer. The Rev. T. Wake, of Leighton Buzzard, preached from Isaiah liv. 17. The foleinn engagements of the day fufficiently evinced, that the hopes entertained at the formation of this union among chriftians of all denominations in the neighbourhood, were grounded upon the foundation which God hath laid in Zion, and that they had been prepared by his fignal bleffing. At a fubfequent conference, many of the fervants of Chrift avowed, with genuine humility and love, their fhame and regret for the prejudices, which had formerly separated them from their brethren; expreffing their gratitude to the Lord, for the fpiritual bleflings they had experienced, in their mutual fellowship, and united exertions. May an abundant portion of the fame bleffings be extenfively and rapidly diffused! ASSOCIATIONS. PHILADELPHIA. BY the minutes of the Philadelphia Baptift Affociation, it appears, that they held their last annual meeting, Oct. 3, 4, 5, 1797, at Lower Dublin, Pensylvania. The introductory sermon was preached by brother See the Plan of Union, in our Magazine for last October. It is more fully detailed in the introduction to a fermon, preached by the Rev. Samuel Greatheed, at the formation of the Union, and fold by Conder, Button and Chapman. VOL. VI. Nn Samuel Samuel Jones (D. D.) from John vii. 46.-after which brother W. Ko gers (D. D.) was chofen moderator, and P. Wilson, clerk. This affociation comprites 35 churches, containing 2332 members, be fide hearers. From 20 only of thefe letters were received, by which it ap pears, that in the courfe of the last year, they have acquired 70 additional members, and have loft 77 by death or difmiffion. The affociation having procured a charter of incorporation, chofe Dr. S. Jones, of Lower Dublin, prefident-G. Ingels, of Philadelphia, treasurer, and Dr. W. Rogers, fecretary. The circular letter, " on chriftian liberty.` was written by brother T. Memminger, and the other fermons preached by W. S aughton, from A&ts vii. 22, 23. and W. White, John iii. 16. DORSET. from ON Wednesday the 11th day of April, the affociated ministers of the county of Dorfet held their yearly meeting. Mefsrs. Gurteen, Field and Rogers engaged in prayer before fermon. Mr. Grey preached from Ifa. xlv. 24. former part. Mr. Lamb concluded in prayer. In the afternoon the minifters refolved to procure and fupport an itiner ant minifter in the county. In the evening Mefsrs. Sedcole, Cracknell and Ashburner, engaged in prayer, before fermon. The Rev. Mr. Underwood preached from 1 Cor. vi. 17. and Mr. Vickery finished with prayer. I ESSEX AT a meeting of the affociated Proteftant Diffenting minifters, in the county of Effex, held at Terling, May 8th, it became a fubject of converfation, what steps fhould be taken for the further fpread of the Gofpel in that county. It being thought most confiftent with their principles, as minifters of congregational churches, that measures for this purpofe fhould come from the churches themfelves, it was agreed, that each of the minifters prefent, fhould fpeedily lay the matter before the church of which he is pastor, and request them to appoint one of their members, with their paftor, to a tend a meeting, to be held at Dunmow, June 5th, to confider of a plan for forming a congregational fociety, for the farther fpread of the Gofpel, in the county of Effex. That meeting is to commence with public worship, and a committee was appointed to prepare a plan for the confideration the minifters and meffengers of churches which may be then affembled. KENT. THE minifters and friends of the independent Kentish affociation, propofe to hold their next annual meeting, at Mr. Parnell's meeting, Canterbury, on the 4th of July enfuing, Mr. Slatterie, of Chatham will preach in the morning, and Mr. Beaufoy, of Town Sutton, in the evening. A lecture by a neighbouring minifter will be preached on the preceding evening. ORDINATIONS. REV. MR. GORE. BY a train of peculiar providences, an old prefbyterian meeting in Sandwich, which was nearly deferted, came into the hands of the Rev. Mr. Sloper, of Devises, and Mr. Turner, of Basingstoke, by whofe kind exertions exertions, Gospel minifters were fent to preach there. The labours of Mr. Gore, late of Hoxton academy, for near two years paft, have proved remarkably acceptable and useful. A Society being gathered, Mr. Gore was, on Wednesday, May 16th, fet apart to the pattoral office among them. Mr. Jefferson, of Basingstoke, delivered the introductory discourse, and Mr. Sloper offered up the ordination prayer; Mr. Burder, of Coventry, gave the charge; and Mr. Geo. Townfend, of Ramsgate preached to the people. It was a day of great joy and gladnefs to many, and not a little enlivened by the reading of Captain Wilfon's letter. A numerous company dined and fupped together, when the converfation was directed to the most useful topics, particularly the spread of the everlasting Gospel, in the villages, and other means of doing good to the fouls of men. REV. MR. RANDALL. On Thursday, May 17, the Rev. Mr. Randall was ordained to the paftoral office, over the independent church in Back-ftreet, Horfelydown. The Rev. Mr. Radford opened the work of the day with prayer and reading the Scriptures. Mr. Townsend delivered an introductory discourse, afked the questions, and received the confeffion of faith. Mr. Williams, of Stepney, prayed the ordination prayer. Mr. Crole delivered the charge from ii. Cor. 2. 17. "For we are not as many, which corrupt the word " of God, but as of fincerity, but as of God, in the fight of God, "fpeak we in Chrift. Mr. Gould preached to the people from 1. Theff. V. 12, 13. "And we beseech you, Brethren, that ye know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you, "and to esteem them very highly, in love for their work's fake, and be "at peace among yourfe!ves." And Mr. Buck concluded in prayer. Mr. Bickerdike, of Woolwich, gave out the hymns. OPENING OF CHAPELS. FOLKSTONE. At Folkftone, in Kent, a neat Chapel, formerly belonging to the particular Baptifts, was lately opened (with the prayers of the Church of England) in the Countefs of Huntingdon's connection, by the Rev. Mr. Thomas Drew. The Chapel was well filled with a refpectable and attentive congregation; and it is hoped that the word of the Lord will run and be glorified, as there appears a great difpofition for hearing among the inhabitants of this town. TOWN SUTTON. We have the pleasure to learn that the congregation, under the paftoral care of the Rev. S. Beaufoy, at the above place, have, through the generous affiftance of the public, and particularly of the honourable Trustees of the late Dr. Simmons, been enabled to discharge all the incumbrances on their Meeting-houfe; and that being built on free land, it is made over in truft for the ufe of the church of Chrift for ever. |