ALDERMANBURY POSTERN.-Independent.

sun. Nevertheless, he never published any thing of his own, but was employed as the industrious and accurate editor of several performances of others. The excellent Mr. Howard, who honoured him with his friendship, submitted some of his publications to Mr. Cole's revisal; and he superintended the printing of the last edition of Dr. Lardner's works, for which he had a peculiar esteem. About the year 1793, he was engaged to undertake the editorship of the Protestant Dissenters Magazine, for which office he was judged by all concerned in that publication, peculiarly well qualified; and it was a great loss to the public that, in consequence of returning and increasing infirmities, soon after he had accepted the proposal, he was obliged at first to postpone, and very soon totally to relinquish all concern in that publication. His health and spirits being somewhat revived, he determined upon a visit to his friends in his native country, and died suddenly at Sible-Hedingham, at the house of Mr. James Finch, for whom he had a particular regard, and who had ever shewn him the truest friendship. This event took place October the 18th, 1794, when, as it is supposed, he was nearly seventy years of age. The property he had saved by great frugality, he bequeathed to his poor relations. Mr. Cole was a firm Dissenter, of the Independent denomination; of great frugality, and a strenuous assertor of civil and religious liberty. He was a man of considerable learning, of the strictest integrity, and true piety.

JOSEPH BARBER.-This venerable minister pursued his studies for the ministry under Mr. John Kirkpatrick, a Dissenting minister and tutor at Bedworth, in Warwickshire. His first settlement was with an Independent congregation at Brentwood, in Essex, from whence he removed to Basingstoke, in Hampshire. In the year 1760, Mr. Barber accepted an invitation to remove to London, to take charge of a newly formed church, consisting of such persons as separated from Mr. Pike's church at the Three Cranes, in con

ALDERMANBURY POSTERN.- - Independent.

sequence of that gentleman having embraced in part the tenets of Sandeman. The worthy Mr. Godwin, and his church, having kindly granted to this infant society the use of their meeting-house at Little St. Helen's, on the afternoon of the Lord's-day, Mr. Barber commenced his ministerial services in London at that place, and continued to preach there till the year 1764, when Founders'-Hall meeting becoming vacant, in consequence of the removal of Mr. Lawson's congregation to London Wall, his people took a lease of that place, and continued to assemble there till the year 1797, when the lease being expired, the congregation, which was somewhat reduced in numbers, did not think fit to renew it, but, upon an invitation to that purpose, determined to form an union with the congregation at Aldermanbury Postern, under the pastoral care of the Rev. Thomas Towle, then likewise in a declining state. The union was solemnized Nov. 19, 1797, and was publicly recognized on the 23d of the same month, in the following manner: Mr. Goode began with prayer and reading the scripture; Messrs. Towle and Barber, both declared publicly their cordial ap. probation of the union formed between their respective churches; Dr. Fisher preached upon the nature, faith and joy of a Christian church, from Col. ii. 5. Messrs. Clayton and Kello, engaged in prayer; and Dr. Stafford pronounced the blessing. Henceforward these two aged ministers divided the work between them, till Mr. Towle was disabled, almost two years before his death. Since that time Mr. Barber has had various ministers to assist him. Many years ago, he was chosen into the Merchants' lecture, upon a Tuesday morning, at Pinners'-Hall; but this service, on account of increasing infirmities, he lately resigned. Since the death of Mr. Towle, Mr. Barber has become the father of the Dissenting ministers in London. His long standing and respectable character have justly given him weight in his denomination, and called him to officiate frequently upon public occasions. Some of these services, upon funeral and other

LORINERS'-HALL.Extinct.

occasions, he has published: as a sermon on the death of the Rev. Nathaniel Trotman, 1793; another on the death of the Rev. Thomas Reader, of Taunton, formerly his fellow-student, 1794; a funeral sermon for the Rev. Richard Winter, 1799; an oration at the interment of the Rev. William Ford, Jun. 1784; another at the interment of Dr. Stafford, 1800, &c.

LORINERS'-HALL.

EXTINCT.

THE company of Loriners, or Leather-Cutters, though

an ancient fraternity, was not incorporated till the reign of Queen Anne, A. D. 1712. Their hall, situated over against the north end of Basinghall-street, was occupied for many years by the Dissenters for a meeting-house; but like many of the other city halls, it passed through various hands, and no distinct history of it is now to be obtained. The earliest mention that we find of Loriners'-Hall, in connexion with the Dissenters, is in 1699, when it was taken by a newly formed congregation of Particular Baptists, who separated from the General Baptist church in White's-alley. The occasion of this division was the exclusion, for misconduct, of Mr. JOSEPH TAYLOR, from the pastoral office in that church. As it may be matter of surprise to some persons, that a Particular Baptist society should grow out of one of the General persuasion, it is explained by Mr. Taylor embracing the tenets of Calvin; his example being followed by those persons who adhered to him. The General Baptists always disowned them as a church; but they were afterwards acknowledged by the Particular Baptists. Mr. Taylor did

LORINERS'-HALL-Extinct.

not preach long to this society, and, we believe, was never regularly settled as their pastor. When he left them, they applied to the Particular Baptists, who recommended Mr. THOMAS HARRISON, a promising young minister, and then assistant preacher to the Baptist congregation in PettyFrance. Mr. Harrison being invited accordingly, accepted their call, and was ordained to the pastoral office by Mr. Leonard Harrison, and Mr. Hercules Collins, in the month of Dec. 1699. From this time they were encouraged by several ministers among the Particular Baptists, particularly Mr. Joseph Stennett, and Mr. John Piggott, who occasionally preached here. Mr. Harrison's labours with this society were but of short duration; for on the 14th of August, 1702, he was removed by death, in the prime of life, being only 35 years of age. Some account of his life and character has been already given under the article PETTY-FRANCE, to which place we refer the reader. After Mr. Harrison's death, his church united with the Particular Baptist congregation, formerly meeting in Petty-France, but then in Spitalfields. That church had been lately deprived of its pastor, Mr. William Collins, and Mr. Nathaniel Hodges was chosen to take charge of the united society. But a fuller account of its proceedings will more properly fall under our notice when we come to speak of ARTILLERY-LANE.

After the departure of the Baptist congregation, Loriners'Hall was taken by a society of Independents, under the care of Dr. Singleton, who removed hither at Midsummer, in 1704. The Doctor did not survive any great while, but was succeeded by the celebrated Dr. DANIEL NEAL, who was ordained at Loriners'-Hall, in 1706. Mr. Neal's congregation increasing, he removed, after a few years, to a large meeting-house, in Jewin-street. Loriners'-Hall was then taken by Mr. RICHARD PAIN, who brought his congregation from Brewers'-Hall, and occupied this place several years. But in 1728, he removed to Girdlers'-Hall. After this, Loriners'-Hall fell into the hands of the Methodists.

CURRIEKS'-HALL.-Particular Baptist.

In 1739, it was occupied by a Mr. ROBERT SEAGRAVE, a clergyman of the church of England, and Master of Arts, who joined Mr. Whitefield's connexion. In the year just mentioned, this gentleman published "An Answer to Dr. Trapp's four Sermons against Mr. Whitefield, shewing the Sin and Folly of being angry overmuch. With a View to explain the present Controversy, and point out the true Ground of his being disagreeable to the Ciergy." Mr. Seagrave was, also, the author of "Observations upon the Conduct of the Clergy in Relation to the 39 Articles. Wherein is shewn, that the Church of England, properly so called, is not now existing. With an Essay towards a real Protestant Establishment." The preacher at Loriners'Hall, in 1750, was a Mr. Samuel Hull, of whose history we know nothing, excepting that in that year he published a sermon occasioned by the late shocks of earthquakes, preached at Loriners'-Hall, March 11, 1749-50, from Matt. xxiv. 44. Loriners'-Hall, after being shut up for some time, was at length taken down, and all traces of it are now lost.

CURRIERS'-HALL.

PARTICULAR BAPTIST.

THE company of Curriers was incorporated by James the

First, in 1605; but the society was of much greater antiquity, having founded a guild, or religious fraternity, in the conventual church of the White Friars, in Fleet-street, as