spectable Noblemen and Gentlemen accepted the office of Vice Presidents. Several interesting speeches were also delivered by Clergymen, Dissenting Ministers, and Gentlemen of the neighbourhood. More than 700 were immediately subscribed. Bedford Auxiliary Society. himself, that each might exercise We gave a short account, in everlasting source of immortal hap our last, of the formation of this Society; and mentioned the naines of the principal speakers on that occasion. We now insert, by particular desire, the substance of Mr. Whitbread's speech, -the just aud liberal sentiments of which have so justly excited general approbation. S. Whitbread, Esq. one of the Members for Bedford, then rose on behalf of the Vice Presidents, and spoke to the following effect: I cannot express the great delight and satisfaction I feel that I have this day, for the first time in the course of my life, seen publicly realized the great maxims of the Gospel. I have, for the first time, heard acknowledged that great incontrovertible truth, without the recognition of which human wisdom is vain, that the Gospel of Christ is able to stand alone; that it requires not the assistance of man to make it penetrate into the heart of man; and that, from the propagation of divine knowledge by Jesus Christ, down to the present day, it is the Gospel, and the Gospel alone, which is designed to speak to the heart, and thereby raise the soul to everlasting glory. - Gentlemen, it would ill become me, after so much has been said, and so well said, by those who have preceded me, and whose peculiar province it is to propagate the great light which emerges from Heaven, and to diffuse it among men; but I may say that I have peculiar satisfaction in witnessing the arrival of this day among you. It has been one great object of my life to direct men to that great precept of holy writ, Search the Scriptures; -to discuss them for themselves; -they were designed to be searched by every man for piness; and that if a man be truly in heart a Christian, if he have courage to acknowledge himself such by word and by deed, if he will proceed to transact all his public and private concerns with the maxims of the Gospel in his hand, and engraved on his heart, the wisdom of the wisest who do not act on that system, will be confounded before them.. He next adverted to the happy situation of this highly. favoured country, favoured, indeed, in the enjoyment of many blessings to which other countries had long been strangers; but let us not, he said, exult in our happiness as if it were the result of our own merit or wisdom, let us bless God as a nation, as we do bless God as individuals; let us not approach the throne of grace in self-approbation, but remember that we owe our superiority to the blessing of God through the propagation of the Gospel- let us recollect that the best of men, and the most pious of nations, if it could be so said of ours, after all, fall far short of what they ought to be; and have more ground for humiliation than applause. The language most becoming us will be, God be merciful to me, a sinner. He proceeded to allude to what had fallen from another gentleman, to that solemu feast of Pentecost, when we are told, that by a particular inspiration of divine grace, the power of languages was given to the apostles, and every one heard them speak in his own tongue! he was himself impressed with this before it had fallen from the lips of another, and had said to himself, How happens it that in this joyful assembly, without prejudice, without contention, every sect should find itself addressed in its own language, whether as members of the Church of England, or classed among the various descriptions of Protestant Dissenters ? how find we this whole assembly of one accord, and oue mind? Why, because for the first time this day we felt and understood the true principles of the Christian faith. He believed that the blessing of God was upon them; that from that day forth arose the strong hope that all animosities on the subject of religious opinion would be done away, though he believed that a difference of opinion on points where the great foundation of faith was, the same may have been permitted by God, for preserving alive a zealous spirit to investigate the doctrines contained in the holy Scriptures. He firmly hoped and believed that, in a time much shorter than could have been anticipated, Christians will maintain their Christian character and profession without regarding those particular points of difference which subsisted among them. — The barrier from this time might be considered as broken down; and it should be his endeavour to demolish and to prevent the vestige of it from being left. An Auxiliary Bible Society has been recently established at Poole, Dorset; of which B. L. Lester, Esq. M. P. is President; E. B. Portman, Esq. M P. and John Dent, Esq. M P. are Vice Presidents; Rev. P. W. Joliffe, is Treasurer; and the Rev. T. Durant, Secretary. It is both hoped and expected that the example first set by Weymouth, and now followed by Poole, will be imitated by all the respectable towns in the county. The Wallingford Auxiliary Society was formed January 7, at the Town Hall, John Alluutt, Esq. in the Chair.The Rev. R. B. Fisher delivered a very appropriate speech. Mr. Alderman Allnut recommended the object with great ability, and read communications from the Bishop of the Diocese, from the Bishop of Durham, from W. L. Hughes, Esq. one of the Members, and from Col. Tilson, expressive of their approbation. The Rey. Mess. Marsh, Stewart, and Raban, together with the London Secretaries, also delivered their sentiments, amidst the plaudits of the audience. A Subscription was commenced, which is not yet closed. ORDINATIONS, &c. June 25, 1811. Mr. J. B. Pearce' (late student at Homerton) was ordained at Clavering, Essex, successor to the Rev. J. Bailey, now classical tutor at Wymondley. Mr. Morrison, of Stebbing, began with prayer and reading; Mr. Dobson, of Chissill, delivered the introductory discourse; Mr. Jennings, of Thaxted, offered the ordination prayer; Dr. Winter of London, gave the charge; Mr. Forster, of Maldon, offered the general prayer ; preached to the people; and Mr.. Mr. Chaplin, of Bishop Stortford, Hopkins, of Newport, concluded by prayer. Sept. 18. The Rev. J. Burdett was solemnly ordained over the Baptist Church at Sutton in the Elms, Leicestershire; when Mr. Cuttress, of Arnsby, began the service by prayer and reading select passages of Scripture; Mr. Jarman, of Nottingham, delivered the introductory discourse, and asked the questions; Mr. Edmonds, of Gilsborough offered the ordinationprayer; Mr. Sutcliffe, of Olney, gave the charge; Mr. Robert Hall preached to the people; Mr. Fraukfin engaged in prayer. A sermon was preached in the evening by Mr. Hartley, the Independent minister of Lutterworth. The congregations were very numerous indeed, and all the discourses appropriate. Nov. 6, was publicly recognised the election of Mr. Welsh (late under the tuition of Mr. Sutcliffe, of Olney) to the pastoral office over the Particular baptist church, King's Lynn. Mr. Greene, from Dereham, began by reading the Scriptures, and by stating the desigu of the meeting; Mr. Sutcliffe prayed for the minister, and addressed him from Acts xx. 23; Mr. M. Wilks, from Norwich, addressed the church from 1 Thess. v. 13; Mr. Wilks preached again in the evening from Heb. iv. 9. In 1808 the chapel was rebuilt; to defray the expence of which, the church and congregation have contributed handsomely: but a considerable debt yet remains; to liquidate which, an application will soon be made to the liberality of the religious public. Kent Education Society. Nov. 14. At the Half-yearly Association, held at Chatham, a Society was formed (on a plan recommended at a previous meeting in July) under the above name, For the Assistance of Dissenting Ministers (of Evangelical Principles) of the following Denominatious, viz. Presbyterians, Independents, Baptists, and those in the late Lady Huntingdou's Connection, by providing for the Board and Education of their Children; and for putting them out as Apprentices. At this meeting it was determined that, at the next East Kent Haif-yearly Association in April next, at Canterbury (on the Wednesday nearest the full moon) six children shall be ballotted for, to be boarded and educated under such instructors as may be then agreed on; and the following gentlemen were chosen officers of the Society: viz. John Parnell, Esq. Canterbury, Treasurer; W. White, Esq. Deal; G. Conquest, M. D. Chatham; and W. B. Collyer, of Farmingham, Trustees: and the Rev. Jos. Slatterie, Chatham, Secretary. The following is an outline of the Articles adopted by the Society. That the children of ministers, having more than one child, whose income does not execed£ 100 per ann. or having more than two children, their incomes not exceeding £120 (and so in proportion) shall be eligible for admission. That six children be admitted at the Commencement, and a sum not execeding £25 per ann. be allowed for each. That the age of admission be from 10 to 13; none to remain after 14; nor the girls after 13-That they shall be placed out as apprentices, with a premium not exceeding £30.-2. That the funds for this Society be raised by annual snbscriptions, from 1s. to 10s. by benefactions, public collections, and legacies. 3. That if any surplus arise from year to year, it shall be placed in the funds in trust, for the object of this Institution: and that any minister leaving the county shall cease to receive aid from this Institution.Ministers desiring the admission of their children at the next meeting, must send their application, with a proper certificate, sealed up to the Secretary, before the 1st of April. Mr. Nov. 28. Mr. Saunders, lately a member of the church at Isleham, Cambridgeshire, was ordained Pastor of the Congregational church. at Barton Mills, Suffolk. M'Kenzie, of Isleham, introduced the service by reading, &c.; Mr. Norman, of Soham, explained the nature of an ordination, and asked the usual questions: the church gave an interesting account of the leadings of Providence, in bringing Mr. S. among them, and recognised the call which Mr. S. had accepted; Mr. S. delivered his confession of faith; Mr. Norman offered up the intercessory prayer; Mr M Kenzie gave a solemu charge from Ezek. iii. 17-21; Mr. Dewhirst addressed the people from Phil. ii. 16, and concluded in prayer. In addition to the account given of this promising interest (in our Magazine for July, 1810) we are informed that, on May 2, 1811, ten persons residing in the neighbourhood, were formed into a church; and several more have since joined them and they have now the pleasing prospect of a spiritual harA Sunday School, upon a small scale, is also begun, and promises much advantage to the village. May this instance stimulate 'other good men, in neighbourhoods, destitute of the gospel, to open their houses for reading and prayer!: for by such means they may ex-, tend the empire of the Saviour, as has been happily done in this place.. vest. : LONDON. 'Dec. 12, the Rev. A. Reed, late of The Seminary at Hackney, under the tuition of the Rev. Geo. Colli-.. |