Memorials of the Independent Churches in Northamptonshire

SECTION 1.-INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT.

Northampton has been distinguished in the history of this country by the struggles there maintained for the liberties of Englishmen; nor has it been unknown in the efforts that have been made to secure the liberty of Christian worship and the purity of divine institutions.

Soon after that "morning star of the Reformation," John Wickliffe, appeared, about the year 1369, his doctrines were introduced into Northampton, and met with much favour in the town. Notwithstanding the earnest opposition of the clergy, they were cherished by several persons of rank, the Mayor himself being tainted with the heresy. A formal complaint was made to the King in council by one Richard Stannisworth, a woolstapler, that the chief magistrate, John Fox, harboured in his house James Collyn, a fierce maintainer of Lollardy (as the sentiments of Wickliffe were called), in Northampton, and that they encouraged the preaching of the Lollards, contrary to the prohibition of the Bishop of Lincoln. Thus it appears that there were numbers at that time in Northampton ready to welcome the days of reformation from the corruptions of Popery.

When the Reformation was introduced, and sanctioned by the rulers of England, amongst those who sought a greater degree of purity in the worship of God than the sovereign would allow, and who could not conform to the relics of Romanism that were retained, were several devoted men who laboured and suffered in Northampton.

Francis Merbury was a minister at Northampton during this period, when the Puritans struggled to obtain a change in the existing state of things. He was brought into many troubles for Nonconformity, being several times cast into prison. On Nov. 5th, 1578, he was convened before the High Commission, where he underwent a severe examination, and was sent a prisoner to the Marshalsea.

Edward Snape, after being educated in the University of Cambridge, became minister of Saint Peter's Church, Northampton. He was a decided Nonconformist, a laborious preacher, and a zealous advocate for a pure reformation of the Church. It is stated that when the parishioners of St. Peter's understood that he did not account himself a full minister until he should be chosen by some particular congregation, they immediately chose him to be their minister. In 1590 he was brought into trouble on account of the Associations held in Northamptonshire and Warwickshire. He was a zealous and active member of these assemblies, for which he was summoned before the High Commission. He moved the Mayor of Northampton to unite with other towns in presenting a supplication to the Queen, humbly beseeching her Majesty to hear their cries, and grant them a more pure ecclesiastical discipline.

The following anecdote is related of this persecuted servant of God: "He was cast into prison by the bishops for his Nonconformity; and all his money being expended by his long confinement, he met with much unkind usage from the gaoler. The good man being one day on his knees in fervent prayer to God, and the window of his chamber being open, he observed something thrown into the room; but he resolved to finish his prayer before he examined what it was. When he rose from his knees, he found to his great surprise that it was a purse full of gold. By this unexpected supply he was more comfortable in his situation, and enabled to make his keeper more humane ever after. "The Lord heareth the young ravens that cry; how much more," it is observed, in connexion with this, "will he hear his afflicted people?"

Humphrey Fenn was several years minister at Northampton-a most learned and venerable divine, whose ministry was rendered very successful: yet he underwent many troubles for Nonconformity. While at Northampton he experienced the cruel oppression of the times-was apprehended and committed to close prison, where he remained a long time. During his confinement the inhabitants of Northampton presented a supplication to Queen Elizabeth, humbly and earnestly desiring her Majesty to grant his release, and his restoration to his beloved ministry. In this supplication they affirmed, upon their dutiful allegiance, that during his abode in that place he had lived a honest and a peaceable life; and they gave a high character of his diligence in preaching, his obedience to God, and to those in authority. It does not appear whether this application was at all successful. Mr. Fenn, with some others, presented a long letter to the Queen in vindication of their own innocency; but we have not discovered how long they remained in prison after that period.

John Penry, a very distinguished Puritan, after leaving the University, was settled for some time at Northampton. He was brought before the High Commissioners for Nonconformity, and after examination, cast into prison. After a month's confinement, he was discharged; but when he had obtained his release, they sent their pursuivants to apprehend him, and again commit him to prison. Walton, one of them, went immediately to Northampton, and upon entering Mr. Penry's house ransacked his study, and took away all the books and papers which he thought proper; but Mr. Penry was not to be found. Upon the publication of 'Martin Mar-Prelate,' he was again apprehended.

He became at length a member of a Church of Brownists, meeting about London, sometimes in the fields and woods, in the dead of the night, to avoid the fury of the prelates. During his imprisonment he wrote a most pious, affectionate, and encouraging letter to Mr. F. Johnson, the pastor, and the rest of the brethren. It is addressed "to the distressed and faithful congregation of Christ in London, and all the members thereof, whether in bonds or at liberty;" and he concludes by subscribing himself, "their loving brother in the patience and sufferings of the Gospel, John Penry, a witness of Christ in this life, and a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed." He at length lost his life for the cause to which he was devoted, for he was executed May 29th, 1593.

Arthur Wake was another of these worthies, who had some connexion with Northampton. He was a son of John Wake, Esq., descended from an ancient and honourable family. He became a most popular and useful preacher. In 1565 he was presented to the living of Great Billing, in Northamptonshire. He was very much persecuted for his Nonconformity, and at length deprived of his living. In the year 1593 he was residing at Northampton, and engaged as minister of Saint John's Hospital in this town. It is stated that "he was a divine of good learning, great piety, and a zealous, laborious, and useful preacher."

By the rigorous proceedings of the ruling prelates the Church was deprived of many of its brightest ornaments, and nearly all its faithful pastors were ejected, especially in Northamptonshire. In the vicinity of Northampton there was William Fleshurne, or Fletcher, B.D., rector of Abington, in 1588. Of him it is recorded, that in 1590 he was one of the Puritan ministers who associated in general synods and particular classes at Northampton, Fawsley, and other places, to promote the new discipline in opposition to the Established Church. He obtained the vicarage of Moulton in 1607, and held it till his death; but appears to have resided at Abington, where he was buried the 3rd of May, 1627.

Dr. John Preston was born at Heyford, in Northamptonshire, in the parish of Bugbrook, 1578. He became a very popular preacher, but met with considerable opposition on account of his Puritan principles. He had a strong constitution, which he wore out in the study and in the pulpit. Being desirous of dying in his native county and among his old friends, he retired into Northamptonshire, where he departed this life in a most pious and devout manner in the 41st year of his age, and was buried in Fawsley Church, old Mr. Dod, minister of the place, preaching his funeral sermon to a numerous auditory. His practical works and sermons were printed by his own order after his decease.

William Prandlove was a respectable Puritan minister, who about the year 1562 became vicar of Fawsley, in Northamptonshire, and in 1577 he became rector of Lamport, in the same county. He united with his brethren in their private associations, and took an active part in promoting the desired ecclesiastical discipline, for which, in the year 1590, he was apprehended and cast into prison, where he remained a long time. He was after carried before the High Commission and the Star Chamber, where he underwent the severe scrutiny of his ecclesiastical inquisitors.

In connexion with these statements relating to Puritan ministers who maintained and suffered for their principles in the county town of Northamptonshire and its immediate vicinity, it may not be considered unsuitable to state that a Sir Richard Knightley, at Fawsley in this county, who received the honour of knighthood from the Earl of Leicester, at Fotheringay, in the 8th of Elizabeth, 1566, was one of the earliest and most zealous patrons of the Puritans, or opposers of the new Act for the Uniformity of Worship, who assumed the importance of an organized party in 1568. Their publications, principally from the pen of John Ap-Henry, better known by the assumed name of Martin Mar-Prelate, were industriously though secretly disseminated by means of a travelling printing press, conducted by one Walgrave. To elude detection, the scene of its operations was frequently changed. It was first set up at Mousley, in Surrey, from whence it was removed to Fawsley, and worked in a private upper room, approached only by a winding staircase. Its next stage was to Norton, another of Sir Richard's seats. It was subsequently conveyed to Coventry, Woolston, in Warwickshire, and finally to Manchester, where it was seized by the Earl of Derby. For these clandestine proceedings Sir Richard and his associates were summoned before the Court of Star Chamber, and heavily fined; but Archbishop Whitgift, though one of the most prominent objects of their attack, with a truly Christian spirit obtained by his intercession a remission of their sentence. In the succeeding reign, Sir Richard ventured, with Sir Edward Montague, Sir Francis Hastings, and 60 or 80 other gentlemen, to petition the King on behalf of the Puritan clergy of this county; but they were severely rebuked in the Star Chamber and at the Council Table for their presumption, and Sir Richard was dismissed both from the lieutenancy and the commission of the peace.

There is another name that is connected with Fawsley and the county of Northampton, to which we should like to devote a single page-the name of John Dod, A.M., generally styled "the Decalogist," from his celebrated exposition of the Ten Commandments. He resided several years at Fawsley, under the patronage of the Knightley family. This learned Puritan divine was the youngest son of John Dod, Esq., of Shacklach, in Cheshire, where he was born in 1555. He was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge. He was successively minister of Hanwell, in Oxfordshire, Fenny Drayton, in Leicestershire, Canons Ashby and Fawsley in this county. In a work published in 1635, entitled 'A Plain and Familiar Exposition of the Lord's Prayer,' there is a dedication to his much honoured, loving friend, Mr. Richard Knightley; where he states, "I dedicate this book unto you, that as the Lord is my witness that I pray daily for you by name (and so, by his assistance, I purpose to do while I live), so I must leave some testimony behind me to men after my death (which I continually wait for) of my unfeigned and hearty thankfulness for all your favours and goodness to me and mine." He survived ten years after this, and died at the very advanced age of 90 years-was buried at Fawsley, 19th of August, 1645. He published a number of different works; but his sayings acquired great provincial celebrity, and have been printed in various forms. Fuller characterizes him as "by nature a witty, by industry a learned, by grace a godly, divine." His life was written by Samuel Clarke.

Mr. Dod was several times silenced for his want of entire conformity to the established system; but he maintained his principles to the last, being distinguished by his fervent spirit of devotion, his entire reliance on God, his submission to the Divine will, his trust in the Redeemer, his heavenly-mindedness. "The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance."

Though this Work chiefly relates to one denomination of Nonconformists in Northamptonshire, it appeared to us desirable to include a short notice of these early advocates of Nonconformity, especially in the town of Northampton, though they did not generally come out from the Church as by law established; for they laboured to obtain a further reformation, and would rather suffer than conform to all that was required. Their principles and their spirit gradually led on to all that has since been manifested in the support of genuine, evangelical, vital, voluntary Christianity, in the different communities that have separated from the Established Church.

SECTION 2.-THE CHURCH AT CASTLE HILL.

There are some places of worship which attain notoriety entirely from some celebrated individual that has been connected with them. The talents, the learning, the preaching, or the writings of one of the ministers, have identified the place with his name.

This is the case with the Meeting House at Castle Hill, Northampton. A plain structure, resembling many others that were built about the same period, it is regarded with the deepest interest, as the place where Doddridge spent the greater part of his life as a pastor. In that place Doddridge laboured; there stands the pulpit in which Doddridge preached; to that vestry Doddridge retired; there he often watched and prayed; at that table he oft presented the memorials of a Saviour's love, and poured forth from the fulness of an affectionate, fervent heart, the strains of an exalted faith and piety.

No certain record can be found of the first formation of the Church assembling in this place. Its origin is lost in obscurity. When the "Act of Uniformity" passed, Mr. Jeremiah Lewis, rector of Saint Giles's, Northampton, was ejected from his living; but such was his natural reserve, and such his retired habits, that it does not appear that he ever preached after his ejectment. He did not long survive that event. "He was a man of great meekness; remarkable for his prudence; much beloved by the neighbouring ministers."

Mr. Samuel Blower, who was ejected from Woodstock, in Oxfordshire, is recorded as the first pastor of this Church. Of his history but little is known. He was educated at Oxford, and was a Fellow of Magdalen College. Of his general character we are informed, "that he was of a meek temper, peaceable principles, and a godly life;" of his sentiments, that "he had very exalted thoughts of divine grace and redeeming love;" of the prevailing spirit of his ministry, "that he discovered a very tender regard to young persons, and would often address himself very affectionately to them, not only in his sermons, but in his visits; and that he rejoiced much when he saw anything hopeful in their characters:" of his method of preaching, that "he affected not a pompous way; nor did he dispense the truths of the Gospel with the wisdom of man's words, knowing that that was not so likely to be attended with a divine blessing-Scripture revelations, in Scripture language, were the main subjects of his discourses:" of his friendships we are told that "he was a most desirable friend, being free and communicative, candid in the last degree, of a very sympathizing spirit with those in affliction, and particularly mindful of them in his prayers; and he was so firm and constant where he professed friendship, that it must be some very ill thing indeed that was the occasion of his breaking it off." Of his devoted piety it is said, "that wherever he had an interest, he was for improving it for God to his utmost, and took every opportunity to do so."

He published a funeral sermon for Mrs. Elizabeth Tub, from Psalm xviii. 46: "The Lord liveth, and blessed be my rock," &c. Mr. Blower afterwards removed to Abingdon, in Berks, where he died in 1701.

The records of this Church commence with the following statement:-

Acts and Memoirs of the particular Church of Christ at Northampton, of which Mr. Samuel Blower was pastor.

In the year 1695, this Church did, upon the departure of the Rev. Mr. Blower, their pastor, give their unanimous call to Thomas Shepherd to succeed him in the pastoral office, who thereupon accepting the call, did actually succeed him in the office aforesaid.

The form of the Church Covenant:-

We, this Church of Christ, whose names are underwritten, having given up, ourselves to the Lord and one to another according to the will of God, do promise and covenant, in the presence of God, to walk together in all the laws and ordinances of Christ, according to the rules of his Gospel, through Jesus Christ so strengthening us. (This was subscribed by about 164 names.)

A memorandum on the next page states, "That Thomas Shepherd, accepting the call this Church gave him, did own and declare his willingness and consent to walk with them as a pastor with his people, so long as they could walk comfortably together in all the ways and ordinances of the Lord."

Under date of September 11th, 1696, we have the following statement, from which it appears that Mr. Shepherd's ministry at Northampton was of short duration:-

At a Church-meeting then holden, it was publicly owned by this Church that Thomas Shepherd, their present pastor, was not under obligation to a continuance with them, by virtue of any conditional consent or promise made upon sitting down. The conditions not being observed by this people, my engagements to them thereupon must needs cease.

About a year and a half from this time, i.e., February 25th, 1698, Mr. John Hunt was chosen the pastor of this Church. His father was one of the ejected ministers, a Mr. William Hunt, ejected from the vicarage of Sutton, in Cambridgeshire. He was a man of eminent piety and great usefulness, and two of his sons became devoted ministers among the Dissenters. The pastor of this Church was first at Royston, and from thence came to Northampton, and afterwards he became minister of the Independent Church at Newport Pagnell. He appears to have inserted the following passage from Philip Henry's 'Life' among the Church records:-"Those ministers who will rule by love and meekness need no laws or canons to rule by, other than those of the holy Scriptures."

He was a man of considerable talent, and wrote several valuable works. There appear to have been 100 members admitted to the Church during the ministry of Mr. Hunt; that ministry closed at Northampton in 1709. He died at Tunstead, in Norfolk, in 1730. On February 22nd, 1709, after divers repeated calls, and days and times of seeking God, Rev. Thomas Tingey gave his acceptance of the call of this people, together with the reason of it, and was solemnly ordained unto the pastoral office and charge of this Church of Christ-Mr. Dowley, of Lutterworth, Mr. King, of Wellingborough, Mr. Some, of Harborough, Mr. Norris, of Welford, Mr. Ironmonger, of Buckingham, Mr. Jackson, of Buckby, Mr. Mason, of Spaldwich, and Mr. Wills, about to be settled at Kettering, and Mr. Dale, of Creaton, being present.

Mr. Tingey had previously been minister at Newport Pagnell, so that Mr. Hunt's removal was an exchange of situations with him. Mr. Tingey was an evangelical and able minister, and very zealously exerted himself, even beyond his strength, to preach the Gospel in destitute towns and villages around. On leaving Northampton he became pastor of an Independent Church in Fetter Lane. Dr. Ridgley preached his funeral sermon, and published it, in which he gives him a high character as an able and successful minister. He died November 1st, 1729, a few weeks after his settlement in London.

The ministry of Mr. Tingey appears to have continued about twenty years, until the first part of the year 1729, for on September 28th of that year we find the first invitation given to Doddridge, with a view to the pastoral office.

As we have a more full account of this pastorate than of any other over the Church at Castle Hill, and as it is invested with some peculiar interest from the labours of Doddridge, so we think it proper to present the particulars to some extent before the reader. The following is a copy of the invitation:-

From the Dissenting Congregation at Castle Hill,

Northampton.

The Church of Christ in Northampton sendeth greeting.

Reverend Sir,-The dispensations of God's providence towards us in suffering the removal of our late pastor is very awful, and we hope hath lain with weight upon our hearts. It hath urged us to make prayer and supplication that God, the Great Shepherd, would appear and direct us in this difficult and weighty matter, and send among us one whom he will eminently own and make a great blessing unto us.

Sir, we have had some taste of your ministerial ability in your occasional labours amongst us, which have given a general satisfaction to the congregation; but this matter being so important, we humbly apply ourselves to you, that you would come and preach among us as a candidate for a month. We leave our brethren, who will bring this, to use what further arguments they may think meet, and recommend you to the wisdom and conduct of the divine Spirit, and continue our prayers and supplications to the great God for our direction. We subscribe our names by the order and consent of the whole Church. (Signed by ten persons.)

The prospect of this removal to Northampton became a matter of great concern to Doddridge and his friends. He had recently commenced his academy at Harborough; he was engaged as assistant to Mr. Some; the latter was very unwilling for him to entertain the idea of removing at this time; and from his representations, and the regard Doddridge had for his friendship, with some other circumstances, he had almost arrived at a determined refusal. But in the Church at Northampton there was much concern about the matter, and they did all in their power to obtain a compliance; and it was as if God worked with them. They made such representations to the ministers who were likely to have influence with Doddridge, as to engage them on their side. Mr. Clarke, of St. Alban's, wrote, October 21st, 1729-

Dear Sir,-Your resolution with respect to Northampton I could not but approve, according to the view I then had of the matter; but to-day Mr. Bliss, of that town, called upon me with a letter from the Church, in which they represent how unanimously and earnestly they desired your settlement among them, and how ready they should be in every particular to make the removal agreeable to you; and that as to the objection from your attendance upon your pupils, they would gladly accept of what time you could spare without any damage to them, as they are sensible that you have abilities to go through with both employments. They further urged, that should you refuse their invitation, it might expose them to the danger of division, and they could not join unanimously in any other call. Mr. Bliss also told me that they could have a house fit for your academy on easy terms, and that they would furnish some of the rooms for you at their own expense; and that if Mrs. Jennings did not think fit to remove her family, and is out of pocket by having provided for the reception of your pupils, they would make her a handsome present to reimburse her. In short, that the people were so set upon having you on any terms, that they would do anything for you in their power, and earnestly desired me to press you to consent.

I must own, their very great zeal in this matter weighs very much with me; and the more so, because it would give you the prospect of being of great service there, and by that means in all that county, where you might be an instrument of promoting a more catholic spirit, as well as of bringing in souls to Christ. I am ready to think that God has some special work for you to do there.

And Mr. Some, the most decided and earnest opponent of the change, goes to Northampton to converse with the people about the matter, intending to prevail on them to give it up; and he, in writing to Doddridge, says, "The hearts of the people are moved altogether as the trees of a wood when bent by the wind; and they are under such strong impressions about your coming to them, that it is impossible for a man to converse with them without feeling something for them. The mention of your name diffuses life and spirit through the whole body, and nothing can be heard of but Mr. Doddridge. I find myself in the utmost perplexity, and know not what to say or do. I think I am like Saul among the prophets; and that the same spirit which is in the people begins to seize me also."

Still, before his removal from Harborough, he undergoes a great struggle. He had almost decided, notwithstanding all this, to remain there; went to Northampton to "lay down his good friends there as gently as he could"; preached to them with this view from "When he could not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done." He thinks much of the weight of business that would lie upon him as tutor and pastor; of his own youth; the largeness of the congregation, and having no prospect of an assistant. But he is passing through a room of the house where he lodges, and hears a child reading a chapter in the Bible to its mother;-the only words he distinctly catches are, "As thy day so shall thy strength be." This deeply impressed him, yet he persisted in his refusal. Then a deacon of the Church, whose father was ill, presents an urgent request for him to improve his father's death when he is taken away. He dies that night. Doddridge is detained by his promise for the funeral. He is greatly assisted; many attend, and express the greatest satisfaction in his labours. While waiting for this funeral the young people come to him in a body, and entreat his continuance, promising to submit to every method of instruction he might propose. At length he is so overcome as to be convinced that it is his duty to accept the invitation, though still directly contrary to the advice and wishes of his friends; yet, seeing the hand of God in it, he breaks through all other restraints. After much earnest prayer, correspondence, and consultations, Doddridge sends his answer to the invitation to the pastoral office, of which the following is a copy:-

To the Congregation at Northampton, on my acceptance of

their Invitation to undertake the Pastoral Charge.

December 6th, 1729.

My dear Friends,-After a serious and impartial consideration of your case, and repeated addresses to the Great Father of Light for his guidance and direction, I can at length assure you that I am determined by his permission to accept of your kind invitation, and undertake the pastoral care of you, with the most ardent feelings of sincere gratitude and affection.

You will easily apprehend that I could not form this resolution without a great deal of anguish, both with regard to those friends whom I am called upon to resign, and in reference to that great and difficult work that lies before me, in the care of your large congregation and my academy. But I hope that I have sincerely devoted my soul to God and my Redeemer; and therefore I would humbly yield myself up to what, in present circumstances, I apprehend to be his will. I take this important step with fear and trembling, yet with a humble confidence in him, and with the hope that in the midst of these great difficulties he will not leave me entirely destitute of that presence which I desire to prefer to everything which life can bestow.

As for you, my brethren, let me entreat of you, that "if there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels of mercy, fulfil ye my joy." Let me beseech you to remember, that by accepting your call I have entrusted the happiness of my life into your hands. Prepare yourselves, therefore, to cover my many infirmities with the mantle of your love, and continue to treat me with the same kindness and gentleness as those dear and excellent friends have done whom I am now about to leave in compassion to your souls; for God knows that no temporal advantage you could have offered would have engaged me to relinquish them.

May my heavenly Father comfort my heart in what is now determined, by giving an abundant success to my ministrations among you, so that a multitude of souls may have reason to praise him on that account! and let me beg that you will bear me daily on your hearts before his throne in prayer, and seek for me that extraordinary assistance without which I must infallibly sink under the great work I have thus undertaken.

I shall continue to recommend you, my dearly beloved, to the grace of Almighty God, the great Shepherd of his sheep, with that affection which now so peculiarly becomes your most devoted friend and servant, in the bonds of our common Lord,

Philip Doddridge.

The account of the ordination we present, as inserted by Doddridge in the records of the Church:-

After repeated solicitations, long deliberation, and earnest prayer to God for direction, I came to the resolution to accept the invitation of my dear and most affectionate friends at Northampton on Saturday, December 6th, 1729, and certified the Church of that resolution by a letter that evening. I removed from Harborough and came to settle here on Wednesday, December 24th. On Thursday, March 19th, 1730, I was solemnly set apart to the pastoral office by prayer, and fasting, and imposition of hands. Mr. Goodrich began with prayer and reading Eph. iv.; Mr. Dawson prayed; then Mr. Watson preached from 1 Tim. iii. 1, "If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work." Mr. Norris then read the call of the Church, of which I declared my acceptance; he took my confessions of faith and ordination vows, and then proceeded to set me apart by prayer. Immediately afterwards, Mr. Clarke, of St. Alban's, gave the charge to me; and Mr. Saunders, of Kettering, the exhortation to the people; and Mr. Mattock concluded the whole solemnity by prayer.

It was a delightful, and I hope it will prove a very profitable, day. I write this memoranda of it under the remembrance of a painful and threatening illness, which detained me from my public work the two ensuing Sabbaths. The event is still dubious; but I leave my life and my dear flock in the hand of the great Shepherd, hoping what passed on my ordination-day will be an engagement to me to live more usefully, or an encouragement to die more cheerfully, than I should otherwise have done. Amen.

I administered the Lord's Supper, for the first time, on Lord's-day, April 12th, 1730. I hope we had much of the presence of God with us, and may regard it as a token for good. On the 4th of February it pleased God to add to us eight persons, in whose character and experience we find great reason to be fully satisfied.

The number of names entered in the Church-book, as we consider by the hand of Doddridge, is 342.

After about ten years' labour as pastor, tutor, and author, finding the state of the Church not to his satisfaction, and feeling that he could not attend to it as it appeared to him to require, he endeavoured to engage the Church to choose some assistants to him in his work among the people, under the name of elders. They acceded to the request of their pastor, and unanimously made choice of the Rev. Job Orton, Rev. John Evans, as also of Mr. John Brown, to assist the pastor in his care of the society; and also desired Mr. Samuel Heyworth, by divine providence resident among them, though a member of the Church at Rowell, to assist, by his counsels and labours, in the same office. They were solemnly recommended to God by prayer at a Church-meeting, February 26, 1740, having then signified their acceptance of the call.

These elders appeared at once to enter with an earnest spirit on the duties of their office. After several meetings amongst themselves, with the concurrence of the pastor and deacons they drew up a letter, to be presented to the Church, expressive of what they considered to be the duties to which they were called, and of what they regarded as necessary to the good order and prosperity of the society. The letter was gratefully received by the Church. Special Church-meetings were appointed to consider the proposals it contained, and the unanimous sanction of the members present was given to what the elders desired. Regarding the letter as an interesting document, we shall here present it before the reader:-

The Elders and Deacons of the Church of Christ assembling on Castle Hill, Northampton, to their brethren of the Church, greeting.

Dear Brethren, beloved in the Lord,-As we are chosen, in common with our pastor, to watch over you, and serve among you in offices relating to the public honour, edification, and comfort of the society, we think it our duty to address ourselves to you with one consent, on a subject which appears to us of great importance.

You cannot but know, dear brethren, that our Lord Jesus Christ, whose servants we are, has by his apostles commanded his Churches that they "withdraw themselves from every brother who walketh disorderly, and not according to the traditions received from them; that they mark those that cause scandals among them; and that if any obey not the word, that they note that man, and have no fellowship with him, that he may be ashamed; and that if any brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner" (and, upon the same principle, if he be a liar, or one that defrauds others), "they should not eat with such a one; but that" (though such as are without are to be referred to the judgment of God) "they judge those that are within, and put away from among themselves such wicked persons." These, brethren, are the precepts of Christ, according to which, by our entering into Church fellowship, we engaged to walk; and we apprehend that the neglect of these precepts, and the discipline in the Church of Christ which should be founded upon them, is a great evil, which often provokes God to withdraw from his people, and to hinder the success of other ordinances while this is neglected. We do therefore, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, beseech you that ye would attend to these precepts, and would consent to proper measures for the regular exercise of discipline among us. And as we have observed that several have withdrawn themselves from the table of the Lord, though their names stand as members among us, we desire that the Church would take it into consideration, and that if it shall be found (as they fear it will) that some have withdrawn on account of such irregularities in their behaviour as have given scandal and offence, we cannot think the matter ought to rest merely in their withdrawing from us, but that it is our duty as a Church solemnly to admonish them, and, where the offence has been great and public, to separate them from our communion, till God shall give them repentance to the acknowledgment of their sin; after which, it is our undoubted duty, on a suitable time of trial, with proper declarations of their repentance, to admit them again in the spirit of love and rejoicing in their recovery.

We do therefore, in concurrence with our pastor, by whose approbation we write these things, exhort you, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you enter into a serious disquisition of these things; and advise, that you appoint a day in which they may be solemnly discussed, at which the members of the Church shall be present, and such only; at which time we, the elders, are ready to exhibit a list of several persons absenting themselves from communion, of whose cases the Church will do well to judge, that such measures may be taken concerning them as the precepts of our common Lord direct; and we desire that the elders may now be commissioned, in the name of the Church, to give notice to such persons, if they think proper to attend at that meeting, that if they have anything to offer in favour of themselves and their own conduct, they may be heard, and all due regard be paid to their defence; they being also in the name of the Church informed, that if they do not so attend, their absenting themselves without sufficient reason assigned will be taken as a confession of their being incapable of offering any excuse, so that the Church will accordingly proceed against them.

To this, as our unanimous advice to the Church, we have here set our hands, that if any of us then should be absent, our approbation of these measures may be evidently declared; and we pray that God may guide you in all your deliberations and resolutions, to the glory of his name, and the honour and edification of this Society.

April 2nd, 1741.

After this follows a number of cases presented to the Church for suitable admonition and discipline. One entry we will quote, as deserving the attention of the Churches of Christ at the present day:-

It is the unanimous judgment of this Church, that the frequent acts of bankruptcy which have happened in Dissenting congregations, as well as elsewhere, have brought so great a dishonour on religion, and occasioned so much mischief and reproach, that we think ourselves obliged in duty to enter our public protest and caution on this head; and we do hereby declare, that if any persons in stated communion with us shall become a bankrupt, or, as it is commonly expressed, fail in the world, he must expect to be cut off from our body, unless he do within two months give to the Church, by the elders, either in word or writing, such an account of his affairs as shall convince us that his fall was owing not to his own sin and folly, but to the afflicting hand of God upon him; in which case, far from adding affliction to the afflicted, we hope that as God shall enable us we shall be ready to vindicate, comfort, and assist him, as his friends and brethren in Christ.

Signed, in the name and presence of the Church, this 1st day of May, 1741, by the pastor and deacons.

Shortly after this Doddridge is deprived of his valuable assistant in the academy and the Church, Job Orton; and he parts with him in a manner that indicates the high sense he entertained of his worth, and the affectionate attachment he felt to him. When it was decided for him to leave, we find this record:-

Our dear and reverend brother, Mr. Job Orton, having declared his purpose of leaving us, on the invitation of the united Church at Shrewsbury, was solemnly recommended to God by the prayers of the Church, several hours being spent in that exercise, and then was dismissed to the said Church at Shrewsbury by the following letter, sent by the pastor, in the name of the Church:-

"The Church of Christ assembling on Castle Hill, Northampton, to the Church of Christ in Salop assembling.

"Dear Brethren and Friends, beloved in the Lord,- As the providence of God hath seen fit to remove from us to you our reverend and dear brother, Mr. Job Orton, who has for many years resided amongst us, and has of late years, with great honour and acceptance, ministered unto us and assisted us under the office of an elder; though we cannot resign him without the most affectionate and tender concern and deep regret, yet, being obliged to acquiesce in the determination of the great Head of the Church, though to us a very painful one, we think it our duty by these letters to dismiss him from our stated communion to yours; which accordingly we hereby do, blessing God for all the advantages we have enjoyed by his ministry and presence, and earnestly praying that his labours may not only be highly acceptable and delightful to you, as we are persuaded they must be, but that they may be crowned with abundant success. We cannot doubt but your conduct to him will be so obliging and affectionate, as abundantly to demonstrate the sense you have of the singular favour of Providence to you in sending among you so able, so faithful, and so zealous a labourer; and we earnestly desire your prayers for us, that God may make up to us, by his immediate presence and blessing, the unspeakable and otherwise irreparable loss which we sustain by his removal from us.

"Signed, by the unanimous direction of the Church, at their Church-meeting, October 1st, 1741, in the name of the whole society,

"Philip Doddridge."

Another memoranda by Doddridge we shall here insert:-

May 2nd, 1748.

I reviewed the list of the Church from the beginning, and found that from 1694, when Mr. Hunt was settled as their pastor (that is, within the compass of 54 years), 784 members have been admitted, inclusive of those then found-that is, one year with another, more than 14 members each year: of which 240 only continue alive and reside still among us; of which, 58 were admitted before my settlement with the Church;-and, as I have admitted 299, they show that 117, who have been admitted from that time, are either removed or dead, besides many others who were admitted before.

N.B.-Seventy-eight have been my pupils.

This would average, during the ministry of Doddridge, 16 admissions in a year.

The following letter of Doddridge, written about this period, containing some statements relating to his Church and his feelings as a pastor, we think never before published, may here be suitably introduced. It was addressed to "the Rev. Mr. Ryland, in Warwick," father of the late Dr. Ryland, of Bristol, and afterwards minister of College Street Chapel, Northampton.

Northampton, May 17th, 1747.

Rev. and dear Sir,-I am much obliged to you for your affectionate letter, and shall be very ready to give you a visit and a sermon, if Providence give me a convenient opportunity; but my motions are at present uncertain, depending partly on some visits I expect from my friends, and partly upon other circumstances. Be assured, Sir, that if I have an opportunity I shall be very glad to see you and serve you to the best of my little power, and think myself happy in an opportunity of doing anything to promote the kingdom of Christ amongst you or elsewhere. I beg your prayers for me. Through the Divine goodness I continue well. I have been much afflicted by the breach made in our Church by the Moravians, who have got from us a little congregation. The affliction has been increased by the death of some very promising and hopeful persons, especially of one who died last night, and whose age, circumstances, and character concurred to give us the greatest hopes of usefulness from him; so that it is one of the greatest blows of that kind that I have received since I came hither. My spirits are much grieved and oppressed; pray that I may be enabled to wait on the Lord with quiet submission and humble hope.

We congratulate you on your marriage, and heartily recommend you and Mrs. Ryland to the Divine blessing.

I am, Rev. and dear Sir,

Your affectionate brother and obliged humble servant,

P. Doddridge.

One more entry we have in the Church-book, relating to his success as a pastor:-

Some Remarks which have occurred to me on the State of the Church since January 1st, 1747, which I note for the Instruction of any future Pastor.

At the time above mentioned, I took a review of the number of Church members, which I found more decreased since Michaelmas, 1745, than I ever knew it to be in double that time; for I found that since that time we have received only 15 members, and have lost 17; 12 have died or removed the last year, and only 8 of the 15 have been admitted this year; so that our decrease since Michaelmas, 1745, is 2, and since this time twelve-months, on the whole, 4-a very discouraging circumstance, especially considering how much I have abounded in exhortations to the Lord's table during the last year.

N.B.-The omission of the names of three, since recollected, who were admitted in 1745, made the state of affairs appear more melancholy than I afterwards found it to be.

His last statement is-"In looking over the account for the year 1749, I find that 22 had been admitted, and 22 removed by death or otherwise; so that we were just as at the beginning of the year-in all, 239."

These statements rather surprise us; considering what the writer of them had devolving upon him in the care of his academy, in his extensive correspondence, in his numerous and valuable publications, that he should, amidst all this, pay so particular and minute attention to the state of the Church of which he was pastor. It shows strikingly the activity, ardour, and entire devotedness of his spirit. But, alas! it was too active and ardent for the material framework long to sustain the efforts to which it was impelled. Hence the very next entry we meet with is, "That the Rev. Philip Doddridge, Doctor of Divinity, after being twenty-one years pastor of this Church, died at Lisbon, to which place he had resorted for the recovery of his health, on the 26th of October, 1751, we may truly say, to the unspeakable loss of this Church."

How he lived and how he died is very extensively known, by the Memoir published by Orton-the "Centenary Memorial" of him recently sent forth by Stoughton; so that, though we would fain linger over his memory, yet anything further respecting him would seem to be out of place here.

We happen to have in our possession a copy of the poem sacred to the memory of Doddridge, as it was first published by its author, Mr. Henry Moore, who had been one of the Doctor's students, and was afterwards settled as a minister in Devonshire. It is the same poem in substance as is given by Orton at the close of his 'Memoirs of Doddridge'; but it is there considerably altered from this first copy. It is thus inscribed to Mrs. Doddridge:-

Permit me, Madam, to present to you the following poem, as a testimony of my high veneration for the memory of my deceased tutor, and my tender sympathy with his afflicted family.

I am, Madam, your most obliged humble servant,

H-- M--.

Northampton, February, 1st, 1752.

We extract the following lines from pages 7-9:-

O, snatch'd for ever, ever from our view,

Thou best, thou greatest of thy kind, adieu!

Thou, in whose ample, comprehensive mind,

All the ten thousand streams of science join'd;-

All the fair train of social virtues smil'd,

And bright religion beam'd divinely mild.

Ah, love shall listen with delight no more,

While from thy lips Truth pours her sacred store;-

No more, while studious to instruct and please,

You temper serious sense with graceful ease;-

No more, with zeal for God and virtue fired,

By reason govern'd, and by heaven inspired,

Thy various eloquence our ears shall charm,

Command our passions, and our bosoms warm;

Bid in our breast seraphic raptures roll,

And spread the generous flame from soul to soul;

While sinners start, by conscious terror stung,

And tremble at the thunder of thy tongue.

Once more, adieu! O friend, instructor, guide,

With whom our hopes, our fairest prospects died.

With what fond zeal we press'd the throne divine,

To rescue from the grave a life like thine!

If ardent prayers-if streaming sorrows, shed

In all the bitterness of soul-could plead,

Our prayers, O Doddridge! had revers'd thy doom,

And tens of thousands wept thee from the tomb.

But cease, rash Muse-oh, tremble to repine!

'Tis heaven demands him, and we must resign.

All-perfect Goodness ever wills the best:

Then bow submissive to the high behest,

And silent drop the tributary tear

That nature's forced to pay to friendship dear.

Though heaven forbids us to indulge our grief,

A tear it will allow-the soul's relief.

Yet who would wish him still confin'd below,

Struggling with dire disease, or loads of woe?

Then dry the tear, suppress the rising sigh,

Weep not for him who could rejoice to die.

E'en when the quiv'ring pulse, the panting breath,

And clay-cold sweat, presag'd th' approach of death,

His steady soul, by conscious virtue arm'd,

No inward stings or gathering clouds alarm'd.

Calm as the silent surface of the sea,

When ev'n the gentle breeze has ceased to play,

Fair hope, strong faith, his sinking soul sustain'd,

In smiling peace each rising care seren'd;

Heav'n on the saint shed down her cheering ray,

And open'd on his mind her dawning day.

Then his warm breast with bliss ecstatic glow'd,

Fir'd with th' approaching vision of his God.

Impatient of his soul-confining chains,

Eager he welcom'd the dissolving pains;

Already seem'd on seraphs' wings to rise,

Already spurn'd his dust, and tower'd into the skies.

Methought I saw him mount the starry way,

His temples beaming with celestial day.

Rapt in a flamy car, sublime he flew-

The flamy car fire-breathing coursers drew;

Swift as the lightning glimpse he flash'd along;

While, waiting for his flight, a white-rob'd throng

(Once wretched souls, enslaved by Satan's yoke,

Whose painful bonds his arduous labours broke),

Grateful and happy, smile to see him rise,

And hail him welcome to th' applauding skies;

Ten thousand harps, harmonious as the spheres,

Proclaim their joy, and charm his ravish'd ears.

In proceeding with the Memorials of this Church, now bereft of its beloved and honoured Doddridge, we find that the Rev. Robert Gilbert was called to be the pastor, and entered upon the pastoral charge at Lady-day, 1753. This worthy man died December 28th, 1760. We are unable to ascertain what was the condition of the Church during the ministry of Mr. Gilbert; but have some reason to conclude that it was not in a united or prosperous state. Considerable difficulty might be expected to attend the choice of a successor to such a pastor as the one that had immediately preceded; and this more fully appeared after Mr. Gilbert's short course of labour had closed.

Mr. Hextal was the next pastor of the Church. He was a native of Broughton, near Kettering; became a member of the Church at Kettering under Mr. Saunders; for which, see the Memorials of the Church at Kettering. He was a student at Northampton under Dr. Doddridge; first settled at Creaton, then at Sudbury, from which place he came to Northampton. We have no record of the time when he entered on his ministry at Castle Hill, and no account of anything that transpired during his ministry; but under the date of April 16, 1775, we have this record: "It was this day agreed, by a majority of eighteen brethren of this Church, to dismiss the Rev. Mr. Hextal from his office as pastor, minister, and teacher." This appears to have led to very painful altercations between the friends of Mr. Hextal and those that were opposed to him, which ultimately led to a separation from the Church and congregation. Those who were attached to Mr. Hextal endeavoured to regain the pulpit for him by a process of law, pleading the right of the subscribers to a vote for the pastor; but this was overruled, as contrary to the deed which gives "the power to the Church (upon giving six days' notice by the deacons) to elect, place, and displace a minister as they think proper." The result was, that Mr. Hextal's friends withdrew, and built the Chapel in King Street, where Mr. Hextal ministered till the close of his life. The names of thirty members are given, as having been first admonished for withdrawing themselves from the Church, and, refusing to return, were declared as no longer standing in this relation to them. The name of Mary Doddridge occurs amongst those who had withdrawn. In 'Orton's Letters to Dissenting Ministers,' we have the following passage, in a letter dated December 26, 1762: "My last letters from Northampton encourage me to hope that Mr. Hextal will be comfortable and useful there." To this, Mr. Palmer, the editor, appends the following note:-

An amiable and respectable minister, who removed from Sudbury on account of dissensions occasioned by a party spirit in electing members of Parliament, and succeeded Mr. Gilbert in the congregation of which Dr. Doddridge had been pastor, where he soon met with equally cruel usage, and was obliged to withdraw to a new Chapel which his friends erected for him, where he ended his days in peace. His great candour and benevolence gave occasion to morose-minded people, who disliked some that espoused his cause, to charge him with a want of orthodoxy; whereas, in point of sentiment, he was in fact higher than the generality of acknowledged Calvinists. Such is the blindness of bigotry.

These unhappy circumstances greatly diminished the numbers in the Church. Under date of April 24th, 1777, we find the names of only 64 members, showing a great decrease since the death of Doddridge.

Rev. John Horsey was unanimously invited to the pastoral office February 2nd, 1777, and testified his acceptance of it on the 2nd of March. He was dismissed from the Church at Ringwood, to be received as a member of the Church at Northampton, and then ordained as the minister. The following is the account Mr. Horsey gives of the ordination service:-

Having accepted the pressing solicitations of my friends, I was solemnly separated to the pastoral office over the Church of Christ assembling on Castle Hill, Northampton, on May 14th, 1777. Mr. Scott, of Hinkley, began with prayer, and reading the 100th Psalm and 3rd Chapter 1st Epistle to Timothy. Mr. Towle, of London, delivered an introductory discourse, received the Church's account of the steps they had previously taken, read by Mr. John Wood, together with a renewal of their call; I testified likewise my acceptance of it, and delivered my confession of faith. Mr. Saunders, of Bedworth, set me apart by prayer and imposition of hands; Mr. King, of Welford, gave the charge, founded on 1st Cor. iv. 2; Mr. Rowley, of Warwick, prayed; Dr. Mayo, of London, preached on 2nd Cor. iv. 5; and Mr. Bull, of Newport, concluded in prayer. Our assisting friends officiated respectively with an amiable order and propriety, the Divine Spirit was eminently with us, and his blessing, we hope, will attend the important transactions of the day.

June 1st.-I administered the Lord's Supper for the first time; it was a very comfortable season. May God grant us his presence in our future engagements of a similar nature!

Mr. Horsey's ministry over this people extended to the lengthened period of fifty years, during which time 170 members were added to the Church. He died on May 12th, 1827. Mr. Horsey was a man of very gentlemanly appearance and manners, great ease, affability, and much kindness; his style as a preacher pleasing, and rather attractive, not distinguished by much energy; but we have heard that in the first years of his ministry at Northampton it was popular, and drew together a rather crowded congregation.

Much has been said and written respecting Mr. Horsey's deficiency in orthodox views, or in distinct statements on some of the great points of evangelical truth. He had the charge of the academy for a time after its removal from Daventry, at the resignation of Mr. Belsham. Suspicions arising as to his sentiments on the person and work of Christ, he resigned his office as tutor, and the academy was for a time broken up; nor was the Church or congregation after this in a flourishing state under the ministry of Mr. Horsey. The attendance declined; the number of members diminished. This may be the case under certain circumstances where there is no deficiency in truth, or piety, or ability, on the part of the ministry, and hence may present no certain criterion of the one or the other; and there were a number, we believe, of truly pious devout persons of evangelical sentiments, who continued under the ministry of Mr. Horsey, esteemed his character, and prized his preaching. Yet it must be allowed, we apprehend, that there was a certain vagueness in his statements respecting the person and work of the Redeemer, which showed either that the mind of the preacher was not earnestly intent on discovering and grasping the truth, under a powerful impression of the value of the truth, or that it had formed opinions to which it was unwilling to give a clear and distinct utterance; but Mr. Horsey manifested the spirit of devotion, and a humble reliance on Christ as the Saviour of sinners, and would be found "looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life."

When Mr. Horsey's infirmities increased so as to render him incapable of fulfilling all the duties of his office, Mr. Charles Hyatt was invited to become co-pastor; but Mr. Horsey being removed by death before this connexion had been completed, Mr. Hyatt was then invited to take the pastoral charge, which he accepted, and was ordained September 25th, 1827. We present Mr. Hyatt's account of the engagements of the day:-

After solemn deliberation and prayer to God for direction, I accepted the invitation of my kind friends at Castle Hill to become their pastor, and conveyed that resolution in a letter to the Church, 1827. On Wednesday, September 26th, I was solemnly recognized as the pastor of the Church. Mr. Edwards, of King's Head Lane (now King Street) Meeting, commenced the services of the day by reading and prayer; Mr. Robertson, of Wellingborough, delivered the introductory discourse; Mr. Toller, of Kettering, asked the usual questions; Mr. Hyatt, senior, offered up the ordination prayer; Mr. Morrell, of Wymondley, delivered the charge, founded on Rev. ii. 10; Mr. Fletcher, of Stepney, preached to the people, from 1st Cor. xvi. 14; Mr. Gray, of College Lane, concluded with prayer. It was a most delightful and interesting service. Nearly 50 ministers were present, and the impressions then made will, it is hoped, never wear away.

After this settlement, some of the friends of the late Mr. Horsey separated from the Church and congregation, and commenced the Unitarian interest in the town. On this subject we present the following statement-

Friday, November 22nd, 1827, we held our first Church-meeting, when the following letter was read to the Church:-

"To the Church of Christ assembling under the pastoral care of the Rev. Charles Hyatt.

"We, the undersigned members of the Church of Christ assembling in Castle Hill Meeting, having, in obedience to the dictates of our consciences, united in the formation of a society of Christians, whose worship is directed solely to the one God the Father, agreeably to the express injunctions of our Saviour, deem it proper to withdraw, and hereby beg leave to announce our withdrawment, from the worship and communion of the Church to which we have hitherto belonged, on account of the discordance existing between the mode of worship as there practised and that which we believe to have been enjoined and observed by Christ and his apostles."-(Signed by nine members.)

The individuals who signed this letter, in connexion with some of the subscribers, formed themselves into a society professing Unitarian sentiments.

The list of the members at Castle Hill after this contains but fifty names.

Mr. Hyatt's ministry in Northampton continued six years and three months, when he removed to be co-pastor with his father in London. He preached his farewell sermon March 21st, 1833. Something more than eighty members appear to have been admitted during this period.

Mr. Hyatt was the son of the Rev. Charles Hyatt, of Shadwell, London. He was born in the year 1805. Trained in the fear of God, he resolved, on leaving school, to devote himself to studies preparatory to the Christian ministry. Although but fifteen years of age when he formed this resolution, yet he was eligible for admission into Wymondley College, under the auspices of the trustees of Mr. Coward, and accordingly he entered there in 1820, under the patronage of Dr. Collyer. He honourably occupied six years in his studies, and then became the pastor of the Church at Northampton.

He was strongly urged by his father to resign his charge at Northampton, to undertake the co-pastorate with him in the Church at Ebenezer Chapel, Shadwell-the people having invited him to this office. His acquiescence in this request proved a great source of comfort to his venerable father, with whom he indeed laboured "as a son with the father" in the Gospel. He took an active part in the labours of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society, and, in 1844, was chosen to be its secretary. The growing infirmities of his honoured father threw the whole weight of pastoral duties upon him; and his frame, always delicate and prone to disease, began to yield to the pressure of labour, which was too much for his strength. On the 16th of June, 1846, his venerated father died; and in nine short months after this, the happy spirit of the son was gathered to his fathers. This change came upon him somewhat by surprise. It is a well known symptom in pulmonary disorders, to look for restoration to health and activity even to the last; and when, therefore, he learned from his physician that there was no hope of his ultimate recovery, it was to him an unexpected announcement. But it caused him neither depression nor alarm. He was prepared for the event; and in the last days of his sickness he was favoured with a continued rapture of love, hope, and joy, which was never interrupted but by the paroxysms of pain which terminated his amiable and holy life. He died in the 42nd year of his age.

Rev. John Bennett succeeded Mr. Hyatt in the pastoral charge at Castle Hill in June, 1833, and is the present minister of this Church. The number of communicants at the present time is 160. There are 300 children in the Sabbath-schools.

Since the commencement of Mr. Bennett's pastorate, four young men have gone out from this Church into the regular ministry. Three members of the Church are almost constantly engaged in village-preaching; but there are no stations connected with the Chapel.

The present Meeting House was built in the year 1695. It is just according to the general fashion of Dissenting places of worship of that era, in respectable towns-a plain building, entirely destitute of architectural ornaments, three galleries, and large pillars to support the roof. Commodious school-rooms were built for the Sabbath-school in the year 1825, at a cost probably of ￡500. About fourteen years ago the lower part of the Chapel was entirely repaired; lobbies made for the gallery stairs, stone steps to the galleries, new aisles, and cost about ￡400. It has just undergone considerable alterations-pillars removed, new roof, and new galleries, at a cost of ￡500. It was re-opened for worship on Wednesday, the 6th of October. We have been favoured with the following account of the services by the pastor:-

On the Wednesday morning the Rev. J. Sherman, of Surrey Chapel, preached an admirable sermon, to a very large and deeply interested audience, the Rev. T. Thomas, of Wellingborough, having commenced the service with reading and prayer. In the evening the service was opened by the Rev. W. Todman, of Yardley, Hastings, who read the Scriptures and prayed. The Rev. Dr. Archer, of London, then delivered a most eloquent discourse, which was listened to with the deepest interest by an audience which filled the Chapel to overflowing. The friends dined together, and took tea at the Milton Hall. On the following Sabbath the Rev. H. Toller, of Market Harborough, preached morning and evening, with his customary power and acceptance, to overflowing congregations. The various collections amounted to more than ￡85. The cordial and fraternal spirit manifested by the other Dissenting Churches in the town was such as to afford the deepest gratification to the friends of the Redeemer at Castle Hill. Altogether, the occasion will long be remembered with pleasure and thankfulness by this ancient Christian society.

In the vestry are Doddridge's table, chair, and looking-glass.

The present state of the Church at Castle Hill is such as, we have no doubt, excites grateful emotions to the God of all grace from the pastor and his flock; and in the words of their beloved Doddridge they would say,-

"Th' eternal Shepherd still survives,

New comfort to impart;

His eye still guides us, and his voice

Still animates our heart."

SECTION 3.-THE CHURCH AT KING'S-STREET.

When discord and contentions arise in a Christian society they are productive of great evils-opposed to the spirit of the Gospel, they prove a hindrance to the advancement of individual piety, and to the extension of the kingdom of Christ among men. Yet the God who "makes the wrath of man to praise him," often overrules the disagreements that arise in his Churches for "the furtherance of the Gospel." In the preceding account of the Church at Castle Hill it will have been seen that during the ministry of Mr. Hextal dissensions arose, which led to his dismissal from his office as pastor by a majority of the Church.

In the month of August, 1774, Mr. Hextal was afflicted with a disease which rendered him incapable of fulfilling all his duties as pastor of the Church at Castle Hill. It was therefore determined to invite an assistant; and it appears that the greater part of the Church wished to have a minister who was not quite agreeable to Mr. Hextal and the major part of the subscribers. This was the occasion of much dissension. A great deal of acrimonious feeling was manifested; pamphlets were written on both sides; and at length a separation ensued; the Chapel in King Street was built, and Mr. Hextal carried on his ministry there. It was erected in the year 1776.

In a preface written by Mr. Hextal to one of the pamphlets that was published, we find the following paragraph, which we extract as expressive of the principles he maintained, and the spirit he wished to exemplify and promote. After censuring the injudicious zeal of some, he observes,-

I mention these things, not to encourage a disregard or indifference about the peculiar doctrines of the Gospel-far be such a thought from me. I believe them, and will earnestly contend for them in the spirit of meekness. The doctrine of the divinity of Christ, on which I humbly apprehend the efficacy of his atonement depends; the fall of man, or his lost estate by the great apostacy; the deity of the Spirit, and the necessity of his influences to renew fallen man to the divine life, are doctrines I believe evidently discovered in Scripture. These I have constantly insisted upon in the course of my ministry, for the truth of which I can appeal to those who have heard me ever since I came to this place. But it has ever been my opinion, that these doctrines, which I look upon as the distinguishing glory of the Gospel, should be maintained in the spirit of love and candour, with soft words and the strongest arguments we can use; and sorry I am that the word 'candour' should sound harsh, and give offence to any Christians, especially to any that belong to the Church and congregation that enjoyed so long such a burning and shining light as Dr. Doddridge, in whose example and ministry the zeal for Gospel truth adorned with moderation, benevolence, and charity, appeared with such an amiable lustre; and who, "though dead, yet speaketh" in his learned, valuable, and useful writings. * * * May we all be thoroughly convinced, and helped to act agreeable to the conviction, that he is the brightest ornament of his Christian profession, the best friend to the Church of Christ, and partakes most of the temper of heaven, who best loves all of every denomination that he thinks bear the name of Jesus, and most readily exercises candour and forbearance to those who differ from him in non-essentials. Should the separation here be permitted to continue, may we live in peace, and sincerely pray for each other.

Here Mr. Hextal laboured until the close of his ministry, and ended his days amongst this people, dying at the age of 66 years.

The following inscription is on a tablet in the Chapel:-

LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Sacred to the memory of the Rev. William Hextal, a faithful minister of the Gospel, and sometime pastor of this Christian society; who remarkably exhibited in his life what he warmly recommended from the pulpit,-unfeigned piety to God, and universal benevolence to men.

Having endured many and great afflictions, both in body and mind, he entered into the rest which remains for the people of God, November 4th, 1777, aged 66.

Mr. Porter was the next pastor of the Church, entering on his office a short time after the death of Mr. Hextal. The register of baptisms, it is stated, was begun a.d. 1778, by Thomas Porter, pastor of the congregation that assembles in Kingshead Lane, Northampton. The last entry made by Mr. Porter is of a baptism that took place August 8th, 1784; the next being by Mr. Edwards, August 13th, 1786; so that Mr. Porter's ministry was not continued for much more than six years.

About the year 1786, Mr. B. L. Edwards became the pastor of this Church, and filled this office for 45 years, as he died January 2nd, 1831, aged 66 years. The following account of Mr. Edwards appeared in the Congregational Magazine, shortly after his death:-

Mr. Edwards pursued his preparatory studies for the ministry at the Theological Institution then conducted at Hoxton, we believe under the tuition of Drs. Savage, Kippis, and Rees; and from thence he proceeded to the station which for so many years he has occupied with an unblemished character. As a minister of Christ, he united orthodoxy of sentiment with liberality of spirit; as a man, he was admired most by those who were best acquainted with him-warm and faithful in his friendships, of a most enlarged benevolence, and universally regarded as the ardent and consistent advocate of civil and religious liberty throughout the world. The later years of life were distinguished by a growing spirituality of mind; and as he drew near to the close of his labours upon earth, he seemed to increase in the fervour of his public ministrations. The illness which terminated in his death was of short duration. On the second Sabbath in December he preached three times: on the afternoon of the day he delivered a funeral discourse, founded on the exhortation of Christ to his disciples, "Be ye also ready," and distinguished by unusual earnestness and deep solemnity; and in the evening he closed his public labours by a sermon from Psalm xxxi. 19. Though from that time till within three or four days of his departure he was too unwell to leave the house, yet no painful apprehensions of immediate danger were excited in the minds of his friends. On the Thursday night preceding his dissolution he became, however, materially worse, from which time he rapidly declined, until, on the morning of the Sabbath, he received the summons, and entered into rest. An individual who on two occasions saw him during his illness, was gratified with the delightful frame of spirit he discovered when speaking of the heavenly world, and the blessedness of those who had reached that place. He is understood to have declared, a short time before his departure, his simple reliance upon the atonement of Christ; and in the anticipation of the great change, to have adopted the words of the Apostle, "I know whom I have believed." The nature of his afflictions, however, prevented him from conversing much; and though he expressed sufficient to satisfy his friends as to the calm and happy state of his mind, their hope of his meetness for the kingdom of heaven rests upon the evidence which a long life furnishes to them spent in the cause of Christ, and for the good of men.

His mortal remains were committed to the earth on the 11th of January, in the presence of a large assembly, within the walls of the place in which, for so long a period, he had preached the Gospel of the grace of God. Mr. Griffiths, of Buckby, delivered the funeral oration; Mr. B. Hobson, of Welford, and Mr. T. Toller, of Kettering, conducted the devotional parts of the service. On the Sabbath following, the funeral sermon was preached to a crowded auditory, from a part of the 7th and 8th verses of the 4th chapter of the 2nd Epistle to Timothy, by Mr. James Robertson, of Wellingborough. Mr. Edwards for many years filled the office of Secretary to the Association of Independent Ministers of the County of Northampton, and was a liberal and disinterested supporter of the Provident Society connected with it.

The following inscription is in the Chapel for Mr. Edwards:-

To the memory of Benj. Loyd Edwards,

upwards of 45 years the able, conscientious,

and affectionate pastor of the congregation

assembling within these walls,

this tablet is placed by his bereaved flock,

as a testimonial of his faithfulness in,

and their gratitude for, a connexion

which terminated only with

his lamented death, on the 11th of January, 1831,

in the 67th year of his age.

Mr. John Woodward became the pastor of the Church July 1st, 1832. It appears that though this congregation has been highly respectable, yet the number of Church members has been comparatively few; for when Mr. Woodward became pastor, a list of members is given, numbering 33. From this time to April 5th, 1835, when Mr. Woodward resigned, 15 persons had been admitted to the fellowship of the Church.

The next pastor was Mr. Thomas Milner, M.A., known as the author of 'The Seven Churches of Asia;' 'The Life and Times of Dr. Watts;' 'Scripture and Astronomy;' 'Gallery of Nature;' 'Descriptive Atlas of Astronomy,' &c., &c.

November 28th, 1847, Mr. G. Nicholson, B.A., the present pastor, entered on his labours here. Since that time 25 persons have been admitted to the Church, so that the present number of communicants is 72.

During the ministry of Mr. Milner new school-rooms were erected, at a cost of ￡336. 6s. 5d. There are 95 children in the Sabbath-schools.

The accommodation in the Chapel, we are informed, is not so great as it ought to be; nearly every seat being taken, so that there is no surplus room to which to invite the poor. Architectural difficulties have hitherto stood in the way of enlargement, but it is hoped that some way of surmounting them will, in no very distant period, be found.

SECTION 4.-COMMERCIAL STREET CHAPEL.

The Independent Chapel in Commercial Street, Northampton, presents a pleasing memorial of the Christian zeal and liberality of the late Thomas Wilson, Esq., of Highbury Place, London-a gentleman who devoted his time, his energies, and his property to the promotion of the cause of Christ, more immediately among Protestant Dissenters of the Independent denomination.

Mr. Wilson's attention was directed to the town of Northampton as a place which, on account of its increasing population, required some additional efforts for promoting the kingdom of the Redeemer. After many inquiries had been made for ground that would present an eligible site on which to erect a Chapel, a purchase was made in Commercial Street for ￡600; and a neat and respectable Chapel, sixty-two feet by forty-two, was there erected, at a cost of ￡2,000, besides ￡100 for alterations. This was at a considerable distance from other places of worship.

The Chapel was opened for public service on the 9th of April, 1829. The Rev. J. A. James, of Birmingham, preached a very excellent sermon in the morning, on sanctification, from John xvii. 17-"Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth."

Rev. J. Stratten, of Paddington, preached with much energy in the evening, from 2 Thess. iii. 1-"Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified."

The Chapel was for some time supplied by the Rev. Messrs. Blackburn and J. Clayton, of London; Adkins, of Southampton; Gear, of Harborough; Johnson, of Farnham; and Prust, of Highbury College.

After the Rev. Edmund Thornton Prust had finished his studies at Highbury, he was invited by the congregation, no Church having then been formed, to supply for six months.

On the 1st of December, 1829, a Christian Church was formed in the presence of Mr. Walter Scott, late of Rowell, now of Airdale, and the late J. Pinkerton, of Weedon.

Mr. Prust was afterwards chosen to the pastoral office by the Church and congregation unitedly, and was ordained on the 21st of April, 1830, when the following ministers were engaged:-Mr. B. L. Edwards, of Northampton, read the Scriptures and prayed-Thomas Toller, of Kettering, delivered the introductory discourse-John Sibree, of Coventry, asked the questions, and received the confession of faith-Walter Scott, of Rowell, offered the ordination prayer-John Leifchild, of Bristol (now Dr. Leifchild, of London), gave the charge, from 1 Tim. iv. 6, "A good minister of Jesus Christ," which was published by request-Charles Hyatt, sen., of London, concluded with prayer.

In the evening the Rev. C. J. Hyatt, of Northampton, read and prayed-J. W. Percy, of Warwick, preached to the people, from 1 Thess. v. 13, 14-W. Gray, of Northampton, concluded with prayer.

The following reference is made to the services of the day, in an advertisement prefixed to the printed charge:-

The ordination was attended by a number of his brethren of the town and neighbourhood, of several denominations, who gave on that occasion an instance of brotherly love and concord that will not soon be forgotten. The young minister, with his only remaining parent, and the patron of the Institution from whence he had emanated, seated on either side, received the following address from a minister of his native city, who was well authorized to bear on that occasion a public testimony to his respectable attainments, his unblemished reputation, and his amiable manners, which from a child had procured him the esteem of a large circle of friends and acquaintance. A spirit of fervent love, of ardent prayer, and of devout seriousness, characterized the services of the day, and inspired the hearts of all who witnessed them with hopes of the most pleasing results.

Twenty-two years have passed since then, and those pleasing results have, through the blessing of the great Head of the Church, to a great extent been realized. The Church, which was originally formed of eight members who had received dismissions from Churches to which they had previously belonged, has received from the commencement to the present time 315 members. The present number of communicants is about 150. The number of scholars in the Sabbath-schools is about 400.

Since the decease of Mr. Wilson, a marble tablet has been erected in the porch of the Chapel, with the following inscription:-

This Chapel was built a.d. 1829, at the sole expense of the late Thomas Wilson, Esq., of Highbury Place, London.

This tablet is erected in grateful commemoration of his liberality.

The congregation have erected galleries in the Chapel, with organ, and an additional school-room, at a cost of nearly ￡1000. A commodious school-room has also been lately built, on a site adjoining the Chapel-yard, for Sunday and Day Infant-schools, with class-rooms for senior scholars. The daily Infant-school numbers more than 120 children, and the Sunday Infant Class about 170. A tablet in the school-room has the following inscription:-"This School-room was built a.d. 1851, for the use of Sunday and Day Infant Schools in connexion with Commercial Street Chapel, and in memory of Stephen Prust, Esq., of Bristol, who was only prevented by death from erecting it himself."

In looking at the whole, encouraging indications, we consider, may be very clearly discerned of the Divine blessing attending the word of heavenly truth, and giving sanction and success to the efforts of his servants.

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