Brief Notices. WORKS ON MISSIONS. 1. Christ and Missions; or, Facts and MISCELLANEOUS. Principles of Evangelism. By Rev. W. 1. Mark Wilton, the Merchant's Clerk. We have postponed our notice of Mr. Clarkson's admirable missionary volume (1) from month to month, hoping to find space somewhat more commensurate with its merits than a brief notice affords; but we have been still disappointed. It is a book which cannot be read without interest and advantage. It urges the claims of the missionary enterprise with arguments of great power, and in language which often rises to true eloquence. The chapter on the Morals of Heathendom and the Future State of the Heathen are very valuable. The brief illustrative sketches of eminent missionaries toward the close of the volume are well selected and ably written. Of its style we have given a specimen in an extract on a previous page. The volume has our very warm commendation.-Mr. Mather's small pamphlet on Indian Missions (2) we suppose to be an amplification of his address on the same subject at the recent meetings of the Congregational Union. The statements are calm and well considered, the statistics carefully selected and digested, the pamphlet replete with valuable information.-The writer of the pamphlet on Christian Zeal (3) first describes the amount of existing evil in the world; and, secondly, urges upon the church to attack it with the weapons which God has put into its hands. The statistics of the first part we would fain hope are somewhat exaggerated; the appeals of the second part are earnest and forcible.-We have on several occasions called the attention of our readers to the News of the Churches (4). It gives every month an admirable summary of the movements of the churches, both at home and abroad. It forms a monthly supplement to the Acts of the Apostles. The letters by Mr. McLeod Wylie, which have appeared in it, are among the very best which have been sent home from India during the mutiny. We call the attention of our readers to efforts made by this gentleman on behalf of the Karen Mission. kin & Marshall; Ipswich: J. M. Burton.. Mark Wilton (1) is an admirable tale; exciting without being melodramatic, full of moral and religious teaching, yet never prosy, and its morality never obtrusive, it is specially addressed to young men just entering life and launching upon the temptations of a great city, and is adapted for usefulness to them. Its great moral is the important, though much neglected one, that too great facility of temper and inability to say No, firmly and decisively, are fatal to excellence.-Messrs. Ward & Lock have published an admirable book for boys (2). It gives a vast amount of information about the various industrial processes of England, conveyed in a most attractive manner, and illustrated by spirited woodcuts. No lad could wish a more interesting book; no teacher could give a more instructive one. With very few exceptions, the latest improvements in machinery and manufactures are given; the descriptions are so clear, and the illustrative pictures so numerous, that the process is easily and perfectly understood. - Mr. Spurgeon's oratory is made up of so many, and such various elements, that no series of mere extracts can explain the secret of its popularity, or illustrate its power. It depends not upon any single characteristic, but upon the tout ensemble. The volume of Gems (3) perhaps contains as good a selection of single sentences and short paragraphs as could be made. But those who judge Mr. Spurgeon by it will griev ously err in their estimate.-Some months ago we spoke very favourably of a volume on the British Islands, in their topographical features, published by the Tract Society. The volume which is now published under the same general title is quite equal to the former, and gives a clear account of the past history and present condition of our manufacturing and agricultural industry. Intelligence. ANNIVERSARY AND OPENING SERVICES. KING'S ROAD, READING.-This place of worship, which has been closed for enlargement and repairs, was reopened on Thursday, September 9th. The alterations have completely changed the appearance of the building, which is now a very handsome edifice, in the Italian style, and capable of seating about 1,000 persons. The improvement will be still more manifest when the decorations and tinting of the walls are entirely completed. The morning sermon was preached by the Rev. C. Stovel, from Eph. ii. 8; and the evening sermon by the Rev. H. Allon, from Eph. iv. 21. The congregations were large; and the Revs. S. Lepine, C. Harcourt, J. Rowland, J. Drew, T. Welsh, and the Revs. W. Legg, T. G. Horton, and C. H. Bateman took part in the engagements of the day. On the following Sunday the Rev. J. Aldis, minister of the place, preached morning and evening, and the Rev. T. G. Horton in the afternoon. The total expense of the alterations is estimated at about £1,600, and of this sum about £1,200 has been already raised. HILL STREET, PECKHAM.-This place of worship having been closed for the erection of a gallery and other alterations, was reopened on Lord's day, August 22nd, when sermons were preached by the Revs. C. Stanford, R. Robinson, and T. J. Cole; and on the following Tuesday evening a public meeting was held, presided over by the Rev. Dr. Steane, when addresses were delivered by the Revs. R. B. Lancaster, D. Nimmo, J. Pearce, and G. Rogers. From the statement made at the meeting by the pastor (the Rev. Thomas J. Cole) this rising cause presents many features of interest. BACUP.-On Lord's day, Aug. 22nd, sermons, on behalf of the Sabbath school, Bacup, were preached in that place of worship by the Rev. D. Crumpton, of Salendine Nook. The collections amounted to £37. SWAFFHAM, NORFOLK.-On Thursday, Sept. 2nd, the foundation-stone of the new chapel in this place was laid by the Rev. W. Woods. The Rev. J. T. Wigner gave an address, and Mr. Woods gave a brief sketch of the history of the Baptist interest in the town from its commencement. In the evening a public meeting was held, when interesting and appropriate addresses were given by the Revs. G. Williams, E. Price, S. B. Gooch, R. Williams, T. Watts, W. H. Smith, and J. T. Wigner. WALTON-ON-TRENT.-On the 11th ult., a new chapel built in this beautiful and populous village was opened by sermons by the Rev. R. Kenney and the Rev. A. Pitt. The congregation on both occasions was crowded, many not being able to gain admission. The whole cost (£140) was discharged by Mr. Tomlinson, one of the deacons of Burton-on-Trent Baptist chapel. The collections at the opening were conceded by him, simply to give the public an opportunity of testifying their sympathy with the undertaking. Fourteen persons from this village have, within the last four months, been baptized and added to the church at Burton. BARNSLEY.-The Baptist chapel, Barnsley, has been closed for six weeks, undergoing very extensive improvements. The estimated costs were about £150, but Mr. Fidler generously engaged to complete them for £50. On Sunday Aug. 29th, the chapel was re-opened, when sermons were preached by the Rev. L. B. Brown, pastor, and the Rev. J. Deer. On the following evening a public tea was provided. After tea, addresses were given by several ministers and friends. About £25 are already raised towards defraying the expenses in curred. BANBURY.-A new Sunday schoolroom was opened here last Friday. The Rev. C. Vince preached in the afternoon, after which a tea-meeting was held. A public meeting was held in the evening, at which the Rev. W. T. Henderson presided. Addresses were delivered by the Revs. W. Allen, C. Vince, J. Flecker, and other ministers. LLANELLY.-After many years' delibera tion the Baptists in this place determined to erect a chapel for the English-speaking population. It was recently opened for public worship by sermons from the Revs. N. Haycroft, W. Hughes, and J. Killorgan. The services were continued on the following Tuesday, when the Revs. L. Lewis and T. Davies preached. The subscriptions and collections amounted to the very large gave the charge, the Rev. W. J. Cross sum of £708 16s. 10d. addressed the church, and the Rev. G. West addressed the young and the teachers. HACKLETON, NEAR NORTHAMPTON-On Wednesday, Sept. 15, 1858, the anniversary of the Baptist Chapel, and the 45th year of the ministry of the Rev. W. Knowles, was celebrated. Tuesday evening, after baptising five candidates, the Rev. T. J. Haddy preached. On Wednesday, Rev. T. Thomas and Rev. T. T. Gough preached; and Rev. Messrs. Marriott, Dennett, Haddy, and Gough, conducted the devotional exercises; more than two hundred sat down to tea. Considerable repairs and alterations have been made. The expense-about £10-has been met by voluntary subscriptions. RECOGNITION AND ORDINATION SERVICES. WHITEHAVEN.-On Wednesday, Aug. 25th, the Rev. Smith Hutcheson, of Ren frew, was publicly ordained pastor over the Baptist church, Whitehaven. The Rev. A. Jack read and prayed. The Rev. J. Har bottle preached, and asked the usual questions. The Rev. D. Kirkbride offered prayer, after which the Rev. J. Pottenger gave a charge. In the evening the Rev. J. Taylor preached to the church and congregation. The whole of the services were very impressive. Most of the Dissenting ministers of the town were present, and took part. BURTON-ON-TRENT.-On Tuesday, the 7th inst., a numerously attended tea-meeting was held to welcome the Rev. A. Pitt as pastor of the church meeting in the above place. After tea, the Rev. R. Kenney occupied the chair. Mr. Mason, sen., read an account of the circumstances which led to the invitation of Mr. Pitt. Mr. Pitt, in his reply, stated that the events to which they had just listened shut him up to the conclusion that God's hand most unmistakably brought it about. Interesting addresses were also delivered by the Revs. J. Brambridge, A. Mackennal, B.A., Messrs. Parker, Smith, and Taylor. REGENT STREET, LAMBETH.-On Tuesday, Sept. 7th, Rev. R. B. Lancaster, late of South Shields, was recognised as the pastor. Previous to the service a tea-meeting was held. Addresses were delivered by the Revs. R. B. Lancaster, W. Barker, J. H. Millard, W. Howieson, J. George, A. G. Fuller, W. Heaton, Esq., Thomas Bell, Esq., and J. Meredith, Esq. (chairman). THORNBURY, GLOUCESTERSHIRE.-On Monday, Sept. 6th, 1858, the Rev. J. Light was recognised to the pastorate of the church at Thornbury. A tea-meeting was held, after which a service, when the Rev. T. Young offered prayer, the Rev. T. Jones MINISTERIAL CHANGES. The Rev. J. L. Whitley has resigned the pastorate at Burnham, and accepted that of East Dereham, Norfolk, and hopes to commence his stated labours there on the 25th inst.-The Rev. J. Davis of Neath, has accepted the invitation of the Baptist church at Arlington, Gloucestershire, and commenced his labours on the 8th of the present month.-The Rev. Isaac Lord has resigned the pastorate of the church at Turret Chapel, Ipswich, and accepted that of the church at Cannon Street, Birmingham.-The Rev. James Martin, of Edinburgh, has accepted the unanimous invitation of the church and congregation at Derby-road, Nottingham, to become their pastor, and will commence his labours The Rev. R. Hall, B.A., late pastor of the (D.V.) on the third Sabbath in October.church in George Street, Hull, has accepted an invitation from the church at Olney, Bucks, and intends to enter on his pastoral labours on the first Lord's day in October. -The Rev. H. Lawrence, late of Truro, has accepted the invitation of the friends Hill, Shrewsbury, and commenced his meeting in the Baptist chapel, St. John's labours on September 5th.-The Rev. F. Nicholson has resigned the pastorate of the church at Bournton, and would be glad to supply any vacant church.-The Rev. J. church at Hanham, is at liberty to engage Newth, having resigned the pastorate of the any vacant church. with His address is 1, Colston Parade, Stapleton Road, Bristol. RECENT DEATHS. REV. JOHN WILLIAMS. The late Rev. John Williams, who for nearly thirty-seven years had been pastor of the Baptist church, East Dereham, Norfolk, calmly fell asleep in Jesus, April 20th, of the present year. He was a native of Cambridge, and the child of pious parents, whose great concern was the early conversion of their children to God. He was born January 24th, 1792. Soon after leaving school he went to London, and was exposed to much worldly influence and grievous temptation; God in great mercy overruled it for his good; he saw, as he had never seen before, the utter vanity of all earthly enjoyment, he sickened at the "pleasures of sin," which are "but for a season," and he resolved to decide for Christ. On his return to Cambridge in 1813, he joined the Independent church,, the church, nor have I heard of any good and in the same year, having strong desires as regards conviction and conversion;" and for the work of the ministry, was called to then he breathes forth the utterances of his exercise his gifts before that church; the soul in humiliation and prayer. After this result was that they unanimously recom- a revived state of things was enjoyed, many mended him to the committee of the were added to the church, and perhaps, on Academy at Gosport, and afterwards as the whole, the last two years of his ministry cordially recommended him to the direc- were amongst the most productive. This tors of the London Missionary Society for greatly gladdened his heart as he neared labour in heathen land. The former re- his journey's end. But whether it was commendation was accepted, and he ful- gloom or brightness, wintry desolation or filled his term of study at Gosport with summer fruitfulness, Brother Williams pahonour, and in the esteem of the commit- tiently laboured on until called home. tee. The latter application was negatived; his own country was the field selected by the Lord of the vineyard for his servant to labour in. At the close of his college term, he supplied two or three vacant churches, and finally accepted an invitation to the pastoral office at Watton, in Norfolk, in the year 1820. Now commences a new chapter in our brother's history. Whilst a student at Gosport, doubts had arisen in his mind concerning infant baptism; these doubts had never been removed; now settled as a pastor, the question came again before him, and as his diary shows, he resolved to give the whole subject a thorough and prayerful examination; thus he continued for many months," earnestly seeking Divine guidance, with much anguish and many tears." He became fully convinced that believers in Christ were alone the proper subjects of baptism, and immersion the mode. He accordingly resigned his connection with the church at Watton; and the church at Cambridge, hearing of the change in their friend's views, the pastor was requested to "write to Brother John Williams, expressing the good wishes of the church for the prosperity of their seceding brother,"- -a testimony as honourable to his conscientiousness as to their affection and Christian love. The church at Dereham never was able to raise much salary, and our dear brother never trained them to it. For several years he kept a school, he then took a farm, and for some years before his decease relinquished the farm and engaged a mill. By these means he and his beloved wife trained up a large family in respectability and com. fort. Some of these preceded him to glory, nine are left to mourn the loss of a most devoted father. It was the joy of our dear friend to see six of these give evidence of conversion to God and avow their faith in Christ ere he exchanged earth for heaven, and he entertained the hope that the remaining three had entered the same path. May that hope be realised, and all his children live to adorn the gospel here, and be finally united with their father in heaven! He has left behind a widow, of whom it will be sufficient to say that she was in every way a helpmeet, an inexpressible blessing to him; and while she keenly feels the stroke of bereavement, is yet enabled to say, "Thy will be done," and to anticipate a reunion in a better world with the departed one, in whose company she passed thirty-six years of holy fellowship, sanctified by the gospel, and blest with the favour of their Lord. Our brother was an eminently kind, cheerful, loving man; all his brethren loved him, all felt his removal. His home was the home for all the servants of Christ who "passed that way," to all of whom was accorded a cheerful, hearty welcome. He heartily loved Christ, and the prayer of the apostle was his, "Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen." Our departed friend was baptized at St. Clement's, Norwich (now the Rev. T. A. Wheeler's), by the Rev. G. Gibbs, on the 2nd October, 1821, and on the 29th same month, commenced supplying the pulpit of the vacant church at Dereham; the church unanimously invited him to the pastoral office, which he accepted, and was ordained in June, 1822, when the brethren, The remains of our beloved brother were Kinghorn and Gibbs, of Norwich, Pickars, committed to the grave, close to the place of Ingham, and Hewitt, of Swaffham, took in which he had so long preached the part in the services. Here he patiently gospel, on Saturday, the 24th of April. A and diligently laboured until within a few large number of sincere mourners attended weeks of his death; sometimes amidst dark the solemn service; the Revs. J. B. and discouraging scenes, "faint, yet pur- Gooch, C. T. Keen, J. Williams (Indesuing," at other times cheered with pleasing pendent), taking parts in the service, and tokens of divine success. In 1827 he the Rev. J. T. Wigner delivering the writes, "This has been the most unsuc-address. cessful year of my ministry; none added to On Sabbath day, May 2nd, the Rev. J. T. Wigner preached a funeral sermon to head Cemetery, when the Rev. W. Barker the bereaved congregation in the chapel, delivered a very impressive and approand another sermon in the evening in the priate address to her bereaved husband and Corn Hall; the crowded congregations on mourning family; and on the following both occasions, and the deep earnestness and Lord's-day evening, her pastor, the Rev. feeling with which they listened, told how W. Barker, improved her death at Church good John Williams was esteemed and be-Street, Blackfriars Road, from Numb. xxiii. loved by all, and how sincerely his removal 10: "Let me die the death of the rightewas regretted, whilst it verified the truth ous, and let my last end be like his." of Holy Writ, "The memory of the just is blessed." J. T. W. London, Sept. 30th, 1857. H. D. MRS. CATHERINE DAVIS. The subject of this brief notice, Mrs. Catherine Davis, was born in the city of Worcester, May 28th, 1797. Her pious mother was a member of the Baptist church in that city, and was baptized by the late Rev. Samuel Pearce, of Birmingham, in the year 1795. Miss Day was brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and it pleased God to call her by his grace in early life, under the ministry of the Rev. William Belcher, by whom she was baptized and received into the church, at Silver-street, Worcester, in May, 1815, in the eighteenth year of her age. By unaffected piety and gentleness of manner, she secured the regard of the members of the church and the esteem of her pastor. She was an active and devoted Sabbath School teacher. Her regular attendance upon the means of grace, especially at the early prayer-meetings on Lord's-day morning, was worthy of imitation. She greatly enjoyed the word preached by her late revered pastor, the Rev. Thomas Waters, A.M., and profited much under his ministry. She always esteemed it a great pleasure and a high honour to entertain the ministers of Christ, which she frequently had the privilege of doing, as her husband sustained the office of one of the deacons of the church for ten years, until his removal from Worcester, in December, 1840. Through heavy losses in business and painful reverse in circumstances, Providence removed her and family to London, where she attended the ministry of the Rev. Joseph Davies, then the pastor of Church Street, Blackfriars Road, but now of Portsea, till his removal. The chasm occasioned by her death will be long and painfully felt by her bereaved family, who have sustained an irreparable loss. Her death was sudden and unexpected. She had been ill for a week, and suffered much pain, which she bore with Christian fortitude, but no suspicions were entertained of danger, nor did she herself seem at all aware that death was so near at hand. She fell asleep in Jesus, on Thursday, the 13th August, and on Tuesday the 18th, her mortal remains were committed to the grave at Nun MR. ENOCH GRIFFITHS Was born in Birmingham, on the 12th of July, 1812. Both his parents were members of a Baptist church. In 1829 he was baptized, and received into church fellowship at Tewkesbury, at which place his mother then resided. In 1834 he left Tewkesbury for Birmingham, where he became connected with the friends at Bond Street. While at Birmingham he offered himself for the work of the Christian ministry; and after some time an opportunity being afforded him of engaging in the service, in the county of Norfolk, he proceeded to that county in 1839. Two or three brief engagements in different villages were succeeded by his settling as pastor of the Baptist church at Necton. On his arrival there, in 1840, the number of members was nominally 56, virtually about 46. During his ministry of less than 9 years, about, 68 persons were baptized, 48 of whom continued in connection at the time of his leaving, the actual number of members then being about 80. Mr. Griffiths left Necton in 1849; and, after having ministered the Word for different periods of time at Aldborough, Upwell, and Burnham, he became, in 1856, pastor of the Baptist church at Wrexham, where, says a deacon of that church, he laboured with unremitted zeal for the welfare of the church and congregation. The same friend states that Mr. Griffiths's labours on the last Sabbath he occupied the pulpit, and the last but one of his life, were peculiarly characterised by energy and seriousness, and that he attended the prayer-meeting on the following Monday evening in a similar frame of mind. The next morning he was attacked with pressure on the brain. Medical aid was obtained, but could not avert the stroke ; and early on Monday morning, the 7th December, 1857, his spirit departed. Mr. Griffiths has left a widow, but no children. Mr. Mathews, of Aldborough, in speaking of the character of our deceased brother, bears pleasing testimony to his faithfulness as a preacher, to his usefulness as a public man, his kindness, his conscientiousness, and his independence. |