Obrazy na stronie
PDF
ePub

ly for Cooper's Bridge, it being now past six o'clock. I arrived there with two friends from Huddersfield about seven, and went to the house where the friends meet: the room was quite full, and they had waited a considerable time for my appearance. After service, I walked two miles or more with Mr. Senior, to sleep at his house. He expressed himself highly gratified by the visit, and said that he had no doubt but the discourse delivered would have a very great and good effect; that it would remove the prejudice which had existed, and give the Methodists and others near, a more favourable opinion of our doctrines, and of those who espouse them. Mr. Senior is the leader of this Society, which is composed of about sixty or seventy members. I was very much pleased with his company and conversation, as a solid, judicious, truly spiritual and exemplary subject of the Lord's New Church and Kingdom.

On the Tuesday I returned to Manchester, where I remained the next day. On Thursday the 13th, I went with two friends to Middleton, about six miles from Manchester, and met the people at half past six. The Chapel, which is a decent place, and will hold, I imagine, three hundred people, was crowded, several Methodists and Calvinists attending. I preached from Joel iii. 17. The leaders of the New Church and others expressed great satisfaction, and conceived much good might arise from the meeting. I returned the same evening to Manchester.

On Sunday morning early, the 16th, I set off with a friend to visit several societies in Lancashire and Yorkshire. We went through Ratcliffe, from whence I was accompanied by two other friends to Holcomb Brook, a little village about fourteen or fifteen miles from Manchester, where I was to preach by appointment morning and afternoon. The Chapel there is supposed to hold, when quite full, near five hundred people; it was well filled in the morning, but by the afternoon the number assembled was very great, many friends from Ratcliffe, Middleton, Bolton, Haslingden, Accrington, and Bury, attending, so that when I went to the Chapel, about three o'clock, it was with difficulty I could get to the pulpit: the place, the stairs, and every corner, were crowded, and some hundreds could by no means get nigh enough to hear therefore just as I commenced the worship, Mr. Haworth of Accrington, the minister there, being with us, was called out of the Chapel by some friends, and desired to go to.

the inn close by, and preach to the people who could not get into the Chapel. The great room was immediately furnished with forms and chairs, a desk erected, and Mr. Haworth preached it is said to about three hundred persons, while I was addressing the congregation in the Chapel: it was an extraordinary and most pleasing opportunity, which will be remembered long after my body is laid in the dust. I should observe that Mr. Morecroft is one of the leaders at Holcomb Brook, and appears to be a very pious, zealous, and affectionate man.

In the evening we set off for Haslingden, about five miles further, where we slept that night, but owing to the heat of the place at Holcomb Brook, preaching twice, and riding so many miles, I found myself quite overcome and very unwell all night, and continued so the next day. I had to preach in the evening at Haslingden, but found myself rather better, and went through the service more comfortably than I could have expected. The place of worship was quite full, and several friends from other societies met me there. They have a leader to this Society, Mr. Pilkington, who appears to be a sincere orderly christian, and is I trust useful in his situation.

On the next morning (Tuesday) we set off for Keighley in Yorkshire, about thirty miles from Haslingden, where we ar rived about five o'clock, and soon after went to the Chapel. It is a very decent place of worship, and will hold several hundred hearers. It was well attended, some friends from distant societies came over, and we had a very agreeable meeting. Mr. Enoch, their minister, is respected by the Society, and, I have no doubt, is very useful among them.

The next day we returned to Manchester. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, I had some rest, and on Sunday, the 23d, F preached in Peter street Chapel, morning and evening, (Mr. Jones being in London.) In the evening, the Chapel was full; and after the service I addressed them in a few words upon the Missionary office, stating its design and uses, and suggesting a hope that the congregation would willingly contribute to its support : and, I understand, about ten pounds was collected. On the following morning (Monday 24th) I returned to Birmingham, and arrived safe and well, but greatly fatigued.

Thus, through divine goodness, I have completed a journey of four weeks all but two days; have met about thirteen societies,

travelled near five hundred miles, preached seventeen or eighteen times; but with all this labour and fatigue, have been preserved in health, good spirits, and free from accidents. The blessing of the Lord hath attended us, and I most sincerely hope and trust that much spiritual use will arise from our humble endeavours to promote general good, the increase of the Lord's New Church, and that pure faith, love, and life, which are essential to our well-being and well-doing while here, and to our final and everlasting happiness in the new heavens of Jesus Christ our only God in His Divine Human form; to whom be all the thanksgiving, praise, honour, and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Third Missionary Journey, performed by Mr. Hindmarsh.

The next Missionary journey was into Essex, in consequence of a wish expressed by the members of the New Church at Brightlingsea, that Mr. Proud would visit them at their approaching anniversary, which was fixed for the 29th of July, 1816–60. But Mr. Proud being unable to go at the appointed time, the General Conference prevailed on Mr. Robert Hindmarsh to sup-ply his place. A Report of this journey has already appeared in the Intellectual Repository; but it is judged proper to repeat it in the present general Report, with some additional circumstances not before made public.

As the rise of a Society of the New Church in the neighbourhood of Colchester, had attracted some notice in that large and respectable town, and had even called forth there a professed opponent of the doctrines, in the person of a Methodist preacher, who has endeavoured to vilify the character of Swedenborg, and make his sentiments appear ridiculous, in a small pamphlet, which has been extensively circulated; it was thought, that it might be useful in checking this opposition, and in improving the attention thereby excited into a serious and profitable inquiry into the real merits of the case, if convenience could be obtained for Mr. Hindmarsh to deliver a Lecture or two in that town. Two friends therefore went over from Brightlingsea to make inquiries, who, not being able to find any other suitable place, applied to the Mayor for the use of the Town Hall, stating the object to be the delivery of a Theological Lecture; and the Mayor,

without hesitation, immediately granted the request. Posting and hand-bills were accordingly circulated through the town, apprizing the inhabitants, "that on Friday the 26th of July, by permission of the Worshipful the Mayor, a Lecture would be delivered in the Town Hall, by Mr. Hindmarsh, from Manchester, on some of the most important doctrines of the New Church, called the New Jerusalem, particularly the doctrine of the divine trinity, the doctrine of life, or the way to heaven, and the state of man after the death of the body." Hereupon, as was afterwards learnt, the Corporation and the Clergy of the town took the alarm, and insisted upon the Mayor's revoking his consent; which was notified to the inhabitants by counter-proclamations, and the assiduous vociferations of the Town Crier. In the mean time Mr. Hindmarsh with some friends from London and Manchester had arrived, but remained without any knowledge of the change till about 3 o'clock, on the day appointed. On the spur of this emergency a large room was engaged at the Angel inn, a few paces from the Town Hall, and proper measures were taken to announce the change in the place of delivering the Lecture. Notwithstanding the shortness of the notice, the room was crowded, by seven o'clock, (the time of commencement,) almost to suffocation, and many went away unable to obtain admission. The number in the room was supposed to be not less than from four to five hundred. Previous to the commencement of the Lecture, and after the people were assembled, the landlord informed Mr. Hindmarsh, that he had been threatened with a fine of forty pound, if he permitted the Lecture to be delivered in his house; and he desired to know if any thing of a political nature was intended to be introduced. Mr. Hindmarsh assured him, that his subjects would be purely theological, that he was in no danger of any unpleasant results from the meeting, and that he should stand completely indemnified for any thing he might suffer on account of it. The landlord being satisfied with this assurance, told him he might begin as soon as he pleased.

The Lecture, as we have been informed by some who were present, was of the most clear and convincing description, and appeared to give much satisfaction to the greater part of the audience. Some few indeed near the door, among whom were noticed two or three Methodist preachers, were heard at times

to mutter disapprobation, saying of the Lecturer, "Why, he denies the doctrine of a Trinity of Divine Persons! he sets aside the atonement, the merits of Christ, justification by faith alone, and the resurrection of the material body!" Finding, however, that the company in general was too much engaged in listening to the doctrines of the New Church on these subjects, to suffer their attention to be withdrawn for a moment from them, they at length discontinued their opposition, and remained silent.

When the Lecture was concluded, which lasted an hour and a quarter, one of the Methodist preachers present asked leave to propose some questions; which being granted, he abused the permission by haranguing those who chose to listen to him, without giving Mr. Hindmarsh sufficient opportunity to reply; who, therefore, seeing a disorderly spirit beginning to manifest itself, and judging that no real good could be done by controversy, prudently put an end to the meeting; earnestly recommending to the company to reflect seriously and without prejudice on the important subjects, which had been laid before them that evening.

The friends from London had with them upwards of three hundred of the short Catalogues, lately printed at Manchester, and a few copies of Sandel's Eulogium, all of which were speedily dispersed among the persons assembled, and numerous applications were left unsatisfied. On the whole, we have no doubt that good has been done by the visit, both among those who heard the Lecture, and those who only heard of it. It has also been useful as an experiment, by which the important fact is ascertained, that a congregation may easily be collected to hear the doctrines of the New Church explained to them, in places where those doctrines had previously found no recipients. The impression made would, no doubt, have been stronger, and more likely to be permanent, could another Lecture or two have been given; but no other room being obtainable, and an inn being considered as a place not altogether suitable to the solemn nature of the subjects to be treated of, it was thought better to defer any further proceedings till a more favourable opportunity.

On the Sunday morning following, Mr. Hindmarsh preached at St. Osyth, and in the afternoon at Brightlingsea, to overflowing congregations; and in the evening he met the friends in the Temple there, for the purpose of conversation, when various in

« PoprzedniaDalej »