In a letter more recently received from Mr. C. this paragraph upon the fame fubject-" I muft repeat it with gratitude, that the fchools have been, and still are much blessed in our poor country. I have full confidence that many children are now in glory, who were first awakened under instruction in these little feminaries, and many more are promifing members of different churches in the several parts of the country." LITTLE HARBOROUGH CONFERENCE. AT a conference of Minifters, held at Little Harborough, in Warwickshire, on Tuefday, Nov. 21, 1797, were prefent Meffrs. Bull, jun. Burder, Copperfield, Church, Denham, J. Edmonds, Fleming, T. Gardner, Grundy, Hewit, Higgs, Knight, Sir E. Leigh, Moody, S. Morell, J. Morcil, Saunders, Simmons, J. Smith, Whitehead, and Wilson. After the put lic fervice, in which a fermon was delivered on the sub. ject of Brotherly Love, from Heb. xiii. 1. J. Moody, was chosen chairman, and G. Burder, Secretary. Mr. T. Bull, jun. read the minutes of the meeting held at Bedford, on Oct. 31, for the purpose of forming an extensive union of ferious Chriftians; when, after a difcuffion of the fubject, the following refolutions were unanimously adopted. I. That the univerfal union of serious Chriftians of all denominations is highly defirable, and ought to be attempted. II. That this meeting, earnestly withing to promote fuch an union, do approve of the general plan, propofed by our brethren at Bedford. III. That Meffrs. Burder, J. Edmonds, Grundy, and Knight, be a Committee, to correfpond with the Bedford Union, and make their report their report at the next meeting, which is intended to be held on April 4, 1798. IV. That the minifters prefent, engage to make their respective congregations acquainted with the proposed union, and endeavour to excite their attention to it. It was also recommended to each of the minifters ferioufly to confider the fubject, and to communicate to the Committee, by the 12th of January next, any hints which may occur to them, tending to promote the object in view. ORDINATION. REV. MR. CASTLEDEN. THE Rev. Michael Caftleden, was ordained to the paftoral office, over the independant church at Aylesbury, Bucks, September 21, 1797. The Rev. Jofeph Brooksbank, Haberdashers Hall, preached the evening preceeding from If. Iv. 3 and 4. Mr. Gough, of Wendover, began the ordination fervice by prayer, and reading the 3d and 4th chapter of the fift epiftle to Timothy. Mr. Maurice, of Fetter-lane, delivered `a fuitable introductory difcourfe, and asked the usual queftions. Mr. Rolls, a deacon of the church, gave a short account of the dealings of Providence respecting their fituation, and Mr. Caftleden's coming amongst them. Mr. Sympfon, of Hoxton, gave the charge from 1 Timothy iv. 12. Thresher, of Abingdon, prayed the ordination prayer; Mr. Brooksbank, preached from 1 Cor. i. 2.; Mr. Harris, of Aylesbury, concluded. Mr. Fletcher, of Biceiter, gave out the plalms and hymns. Several other Miniuers of different denominations attended, and the folemnity will jong be remembered both by minuters and people. Mr. OPENING OPENING OF CHAPELS. CANTERBURY CHAPEL. NOVEMBER 26, 1797, a beautiful chapel was opened at Canterbury, in Lady Huntingdon's connection. The number obliged to depart for want of room, was greater than that of those, who by a more early attendance fecured admiffion. The Rev. Dr. Haweis, and the Rev. Mr. Caldwell, preached. Lady Ann Erskine, was prefent on the occafion. NEW TABERNACLE, PLYMOUTH. ON Friday, 8th December laft, the new Tabernacle in Plymouth, was opened for public worship. In the morning, the Rev. Mr. Paddon, of Traro, began with prayer; Mr. Mends, read Pfalm exxxii. and 1 Kings chap. viii.; Mr. Gibbs, of Plymouth, preached from Matt. xviii. 20. • Where two or three,' &c.; Mr. Ifaiah Birt, clofed the fervice with prayer. In the evening, Mr. Birt engaged in prayer, and Mr. Paddon preached on Exodus xx. 24. laft part In all places, &c. Very many found these folemn and refreshing opportunities; and it will be a matter of joy to thofe who love the profperity of Zion, to hear that there is an evident revival of the Lord's work in Plymouth. Many give pleafing teftimonies of their being lately awakened by divine grace. Prayer meetings are held every night in the week, and are well attended. PRINCES-STREET CHAPEL. ON Sunday, December 3, the chapel in Princes-ftreet, Finsbury-fquare, London, was opened on the independant plan. The Rev. Mr. Bryton preached in the morning, from Exodus xx. 24. Mr. Buck, minifter of the place, preached in the afternoon and evening. The chapel was well attended, and the people were ferious and attentive. SURRY MISSION. WE are informed, that on Wednesday, January 3, 1798, a public meeting will be held at the Rev. Mr. Hughes's Meeting, Batterfea, for the purpose of fetting apart two Itinerant Minifters engaged by the above fociety. Service to begin at eleven o'clock in the forenoon. LONDON ITINERANT SOCIETY. WE learn that the first annual fermon, will be preached before this fociety, at Surry Chapel, by the Rev. Rowland Hill, at fix o'clock, on the evening of Tuesday the 16th of this month (January,) and that the Lord's Supper will afterwards be adminiftered to the teachers, preachers, and ferious friends of the inftitution. MR. FELL's LECTURES. DR. Hunter, of London, has undertaken to continue the lectures, on the evidences of Chriftianity, began by the late Mr. Fell. They are to be delivered on the fecond and fourth Sabbaths in January, February, March and April, in Dr. Rees's Meeting Houfe, Old Jewry. E 2 OBITUARY. OBITUARY. MR. GAMBIER, On the 16th of March, 1797, died Mr. W. J. Gambier, of the city of London. The bufinefs he executed at the East India House, and on the Royal Exchange, rendered him eminent in his profeffion, His great integrity in bufinefs commanded confidence and efteem from all who had any dealings with him. He was remarkable for industry and punctuality in his commercial affairs; but he did not fuffer his attention to temporal concerns to fupercede the more important duties of religion. He contrived in the bufieft times to appropriate fome part of the day to private devotional duties, and reading fome portion of the word of God, On no occafion did he omit to affemble his domeftics to family prayer morning and evening, He was careful of preferving a confcience void of offence both towards God and towards man. If in the courfe of bufinefs he unintentionally injured any one, he was anxious to make reparation, and in a way which precluded every charge of oftentation, by the compensation being commu nicated clandeftinely to the party injured. After his retirement from bulinefs, he may be faid to have devoted the whole of his time to prayer and reading the fcriptures. He fcarce allowed a fufpenfion from thefe duties for the neceffary reft which nature requires, He was an early worshipper at the house of God, and during the fervice of the Church of England, to which he was attached, his whole deportment was marked with the deepeft humility, reverence and devotion. The poor have loft in him a liberal benefactor. Many perfons fuppofed, from his fcrupulous attention to every moral and religious duty, that his expectations were built on the merit of works, He manifefted, however, particularly at the clofe of his life, an entire dependance on the merits of Jefus Chrift for falvation. On the day of his diffolution he evidenced a patient, meek, child-like difpofition, that could not but excite the admiration of thofe around him. Having affembled his domeftics to family prayer, in which he exercised great fervency of devotion, at the conclufion he fat down in a chair by his fire-fide, repeating that his dependance was on Jefus Chrift alone, till'articulation failed: when he fell asleep, and died without a groan. MRS. HEBDEN. MRS. H. was a woman highly favoured in the beauty of her perfon, and the endowments of her mind, which were confiderably improved by a literal education, and matured by reading and an habitual custom of writing her thoughts upon different occafions. At an early period of life fhe had entered into the marriage relation with the object of her affections, who was continued to her for only a few years. This connection was rendered happy for the time by mutual attachment, and prosperity in the common concerns of life. But how often do we fee that the brightest mornings are but the prelude of the darkest and moft tempefteous days! It pleafed God to afflict Mr. H. with a wasting diforder, which in a short time put an end to his life, and the worldly happiness of his wife was buried in the fame grave. Befide the fevere fhock which rent her feeble frame in the death of her husband, she was doomed to encounter another equally fevere. The cafe cafe of the widow oppreffed by an adverfary is exactly defcriptive of her fituation after her husband's death, with this difference, that he met with no redress. In her painful and diftreffing moments the writes in the following strain: "O thou great Difpofer of all human events! as thou haft feen meet to de"prive me of the dear object of my earthly happiness, do thou fill up the "great vacuum. Be thou fole poffeffor of my heart! My felicity has been "too long confined to earthly objects. My purfuits have been mere bub. bles, which always broke before I came into poffeffion. O may my "thoughts arise above the things of this tranfitory exiftence! May I "confider myself as a candidate for eternity! Grant me humble refigna"tion to thy will, and teach me to know and fee thy hand in all this af"fliction." Her feeble constitution now began to be very feverely tried, and he had ferious apprehensions of her own speedy diffolution; which, by the bleffing of God, tired up her mind to ferious thoughtfulness, and earneft prayer. In her papers written at this period, the expreffes her fervent defires to God in the following petitions: Oh heavenly Father! I long to feel a plea"fure which the world can neither give nor take away. I am far from "happinefs, but do thou begin a good work in my heart, and carry it "on. Grant that I may fee more of the depravity of my nature. I "throw myself at the Redeemer's feet in godly forrow. May I experi "rience his pardoning love! I confefs my own weakness, and look unto thee, who muft work every thing good in me., Grant that I may not "ftop fhort! Let me not be an almost Christian only, but altogether fo. "Let my eternal falvation be always nearest to my heart, nor let Satan "triumph over me. Strengthen my weak faith, and enlighten my dark understanding; and let the trials I have to encounter bring me nearer "to thyself." The afflictions of her mind refpecting the concerns of eternity were now encreased by the great diftrefs the felt from other confiderations. But the juftified the ways of God, and defired to learn obed ence. The Lord was detaching her feelings from the things of this world, and preparing her mind for the joys of his falvation. Let us hear her own words:" Righ❝teous art thou, O Lord, in all thy judgments, and thy ways are paft finding out. Thou hast thought fit to wound my feelings in a very tender part. It is impoffible for me to defcribe my pain at this mo "ment; but thou, Lord, art all fufficient for me. Let not thine anger "burn against me forever. Appeale thy wrath, O God! and do thou "permit me, who am but duft and afhes, to call thee my God. Thou "hast seen meet to call my dear husband from a world which abounds "with troubles, and to leave me for fome time to be toffed up and down "by the waves of adverfity. O give me ftrength according to my day! "Let me not look for, nor expect comfort from the fading enjoyments of "this world, but enable me to trust in Him who is able to help in every ❝time of need." O Lord, my help in ages paft, Mv поре for time to come; Be thou my guide while troubles laft, And my eternal home. The Lord who always heals the wounds which his grace, and the operations of his Spirit make in the foul, was pleafed to revive her hopes, and to pour into her wounded fpirit the confolations of his fpecial grace, and redeeming love. She fays, "The Lord has taken away my earthly hulband, "husband, but I have obtained an heavenly one." The riches of divine mercy opened on her mind in all their fulnefs. The mediation of the Son of God, and the efficacy of his redeeming blood, difpelled her gloomy fears, and were the folid foundation of her divine comforts, which were indeed peculiarly high and fpiritual. She frequently spoke of them with great fervency, and the highest affurance. Being afked if he enjoyed an application of the benefits of the redemption of Christ, and felt the foundation firm on which the ftood? her reply was, "O yes, I have no fears "of my own intereft in thefe invaluable bleflings. The Lord Jefus "Chrift is my Saviour. I know in whom I have believed, and he is able to keep that which I have committed to him. If I had a thoufand "fouls I durft venture them all upon this firm bafis. He that believes "shall never be confounded. I do not repine at any of God's dealings "with me. He has led me in the right way. My great troubles have "been fanctified to my spiritual good. I would undergo them all again, "on the affurance they would end so well." In the views of mortality fhe fpoke with the greatest affection, and as one who earnestly wished to be gone. Indeed he had familiarifed this fubject by frequent meditation. In her papers I find the following devout foliloquy on that theme. "Far away all melancholy apprehenfions of pain and death! For what is pain? An hour of trial, the proof of our "faith, patience, and fortitude. What is death? The poffeffion of our "reward, the end of our dangers, and the point to which we have been "tending fince our birth. What is parting with our friends? More bit"ter than death itself, because it leaves us deffitute of our dearest supports ❝in a fituation when we need them most. This then is the most severe "pain, the most noble trial." How ear She poffeffed the peace of God which paffes all understanding. Every thing of a worldly kind now difappeared in the opening prospects of eternal glory. Nothing carnal ruffled her fpirits, which were borne on the wings of exalted devotion to anticipate the fruition of God. neftly did the long for her departure, expreffing herself often, when the could bear to do it, in paffages of fcripture adapted to her cafe. To conclude in her own words. "What glorious profpects open on the be"liever! What unparalleled beauties prefent themfelves to his view! "Though he is toffed to and fro with the tempeft of misfortune for fome "time, yet his hopes of future glory are fure. These hopes encourage "his foul while he lives, and brighten upon him when he is about to die. "Then, he "Claps his glad wings, and foars away, ANN RHODES. HOW admirable is the variety of the means by which God brings his people to an anxious concern for their fouls! Could we distinctly examine the experience of Chriftians in general, perhaps we fhould find something peculiar in the converfion of each individual; and, from the whole, we fhould doubtlefs be led to adore the manifold wifdom of God. Some inftances are extraordinary, and we have the pleasure to communicate one of that defcription, hoping it may excite an admiration of divine goodness in the hearts of many; and, for more particular fatisfaction, we have the liberty of mentioning the names of the perfons concerned. The |