dience to these points, this little church has been favoured with more marked encourage inent than during any former period.

Much inconvenience having long been felt in the position and accommodation in Mark Street, the brethren had been waiting an opportunity of making some improvements. In the meanwhile their attention was providentially directed to the chapel in Windmill Street, as being advertised to be let. It was larger than they immediately required, but encouraged by various friends, and guided by several circumstances in answer to prayer, they entered into an engagement for the place. Having been thus far led and helped, they trust that, though weak in present means, the Lord will continue to sustain them and bless them; advancing his glory in the salvation of sinners, and the exaltation of the Redeemer's name.

NEW CHAPEL.

WOLVERHAMPTON.

The friends of the baptist denomination, after much prayerful deliberation, have removed from their place of worship in Cannon Street, to the more commodious and eligible chapel in St. James's Street, which was opened for divine worship on Lord's day, March 25th, when two appropriate sermons were preached by the Rev. F. Tucker of Manchester. On Easter Monday, April 9th, a tea meeting was held in the chapel, when the following ministers delivered appropriate addresses: Rev. W. Smith, Rev. W. Bevan, independent ministers; the Rev. F. Wheeler of Moulton; Rev. J. Morris of Walsall and the Rev. R. Aikenhead. A lively interest

was evinced in all the services.

The baptist cause in this town has been languishing for many years past, and in February, 1848, the church here numbered only twenty-three members. But in answer to the earnest prayers of his people, the divine blessing has been poured out upon this few, and we trust the day is soon coming when in this place "the little one shall become a thousand," and the cause of our God prosper abundantly.

Argoed, was set apart to the ministry at the above place on March 28, by prayer and imposition of hands. The Rev. R. Ellis, Sirhowy, defined the nature of the Christian church, and proposed the usual questions. The Rev. J. Rowe of Risca preached to the minister, and the Rev. T. Evans of Beulah to the church. The Revs. E. Thomas, Machen, J. Lewis, Blaenau, and E. Thomas, Bethel, preached also on the occasion. Three deacons were ordained by imposition of hands at the same time.

The aspect which the cause of the Redeemer wears in this place is very cheering to the church and the minister.

KEPPEL STREET, LONDON.

The Rev. John Robertson, M.A., late of the United Presbyterian Church, and more recently baptist minister at Middleton Teesdale, Durham, having accepted the unanimous invitation of the church meeting in Keppel Street to occupy the pulpit for a time, with a view to the pastorate, commences his labours there (D.V.) on Lord's day, the 6th of May.

RECENT DEATHS.

MRS. WALLDEN.

The subject of this notice was a Christian of long standing. For the unusual term of sixty-six years she had been in unbroken connexion with the same Christian society, viz., the baptist church at Wokingham, to which she was united September 1st, 1782. With one exception, she was the only survivor of all who composed the church at that period; one aged sister still lives, who was united to the church in the following month of the same year. Her Christian course did not, however, commence at that period. For some years previous she had given her heart to God, and had been an avowed disciple of Christ, though not connected with any particular Christian community. Her earliest religious impressions were produced when between twelve and thirteen years of age. Her parents and friends were all, at that time, professedly attached to the established church, and to one or another of the numerous churches in the metropolis she was frequently led, but without receiving any benefit. One sabbath evening she was induced by a friend to attend a dissenting chapel. The order of the service was new to her. During the prayer she felt much interested, but the sermon produced an impression upon her mind never to be forgotten. The evil and danger of a sinful course, so clearly exhibited, convinced her that something more was required than a mere outward attendance upon prescribed forms. She searched the scriptures for herself, and seized every opportunity that offered to listen to a preached gospel among

the dissenters. Unknown to all, the work of grace was carried on, and the young disciple was eagerly and anxiously seeking that peace that passeth all understanding. Nor did she seek in vain; it pleased God by the agency of his word and the preaching of the cross to lead her to see that Christ was in every respect the Saviour she needed, and to enable her to give him her heart. This took place when fourteen years of age, while listening to a preached gospel from the lips of one who was a stranger to her, and whose name she never heard. In the course of his sermon the preacher paused and very solemnly addressed the assembly on the importance of immediately surrendering the heart to Christ, and exclaimed, "Who is there in this congregation that is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord ?" She inwardly responded to the appeal, and then and there gave herself to the Lord to be his while life should last. This she considered the time when she could in truth say,

"I am my Lord's, and he is mine." That servant of Christ never knew the result of his appeal in her case. And in how many instances, while God's servants seem to be labouring in vain, may the word be made secretly to operate and produce the desired results. It was not long after this that her principles and her integrity were put to a severe test. She had been in the habit of visiting an aged relative who was passionately fond of cards, an amusement which, more than any other, had been a source of pleasure to herself. While under her first impressions she was convinced of her duty to relinquish this gratification; and now, having, as she considered, given her heart to God, she resolved at once and for ever to abandon it as sinful, and as a waste of the precious time given her to prepare for eternity. She had no sooner formed the resolution than an invitation arrived from this relative to spend some days with her. With a mind perplexed, and dreading the reception she might meet when her resolution was known, but fully determined, in dependence upon God's help, to adhere to it, she repaired to the residence of her relative, and found her preparing to join an evening party at her favourite game. With her she must go; to the party she went, anxiously waiting the time when she must stand by her resolution or fall into the snare. The cards were at length brought, and shared among the parties, all of whom, beside herself, received their portion. Surprised at her hesitation, her relative inquired the cause, when she at once declared that she could no longer play, and would much prefer retiring, while they enjoyed the game. This was the signal for an outburst of mingled anger and derision. She was assailed by all as puritanical and a methodist, and ridiculed as righteous over much. But neither ridicule,

frowns, nor entreaties, could prevail; she was enabled to triumph over the enemy; and from that hour her relative never once solicited her to violate her conscience, or to join her in the once favourite amusement. When relating this circumstance to the writer a few weeks before her death, she expressed her devout gratitude to God who had kept her in the evil hour, and enabled her to maintain her resolution. It was not until five years subsequently to this period that she united herself to any Christian community. While on a visit to some friends at Wokingham, the subject of believers' baptism attracted her attention, and being satisfied, from a perusal of the New Testament, that thus she would most fully obey her Lord's command, and express her love to and dependence upon him, she offered herself to the church, and with three others, all of whom she long survived, was baptized September 1st, 1782. Some years after, she was united to her late husband, one of the earliest members of the church, and who filled the office of deacon for more than thirty years. Her Christian course was not marked with any very great changes. Difficulties and trials, in common with her companions and fellow disciples, she met with. Left a widow with several children in the year 1814, she found the promises of Jehovah sufficient for her comfort; indeed, her faith in the word of God was very considerable. She could rest upon the promises of an unchanging God with firm confidence, and all her doubts and fears fled when reminded of those promises. When age and increasing infirmities rendered her attendance upon the means of grace impossible, the word of God was her companion and her comfort. The firm and sterling character of her faith was rendered very conspicuous during her last illness. Though for a time harassed with the suggestion that she had been deceiving herself so many years, she was enabled to overcome it and say, "If the Lord had meant to destroy me he would not have shown me so many tokens of his love; I will trust and not be afraid." She said at one time, "I cannot exult as some have done, but I have a firm and settled peace." What most distinguished her, for some time before her death, was the delight with which she anticipated the hour of her departure, and the glory that would follow. "O what will it be to see my Saviour, to be free from this poor, worn out, sinful body, to be like him." "What a mercy that one so unworthy is permitted to have such a hope!"

"There shall I see his face,

And never, never sin."

She often spoke of the love of Christ to one who had been so long useless, and wondered she had been spared, while the more active and useful were taken. A few hours before her death, the writer was favoured with a

last interview. She said, "I am in the valley." Yes," was the reply, "but you are not alone." "Oh no," she said, "thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. And now what could I do without the hope of the gospel. I have no other hope." That well known verse was repeated to her,

"Nothing in my hands I bring,
Simply to thy cross I cling," &c.

"Oh yes," she replied, "that is very delightful, that is just what I feel. Nothing in my

hands!' Nothing !"

"A guilty, weak, and helpless worm.”

From this time she continued rapidly to sink, and conversation soon became impossible. About a quarter past twelve in the morning of the 17th of January, 1849, she sweetly fell asleep, aged 85 years. Thus died this aged servant of Christ, the morning of whose days was consecrated to God, and whose later years verified the Psalmist's statement, "They shall still bring forth fruit in old age, they shall be fat and flourishing, to show that the Lord is upright." Devout men carried her to her tomb, and her death was improved by her pastor from 2 Cor. v. 8.

MRS. SARAH LEWIS.

The subject of this brief narrative departed this life at Weymouth on Tuesday, March 6th, in the 73rd year of her age. Her maternal ancestors were connected with the baptist denomination for generations. Having from her childhood attended the means of grace, she gave indications of early piety which led her first to give herself to the Lord and then to his people, joining the baptist church at Ryeford, Herefordshire, by being publicly immersed on a profession of repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and for about half a century was enabled by divine grace consistently to maintain the profession made in the days of her youth. The church at Ryeford was formed by an ejected minister in 1662, the year that the act of uniformity passed, and continues to this day a faithful witness to the truth. Her principles as a dissenter, a baptist, and especially as a Christian, were strengthened and confirmed by the constant visits of the ministers who occupied the pulpit at Ryeford to her father's house, the Lays' Farm, seven miles from Ryeford, where worship was for years conducted on the evening of the sabbath. Soon after her marriage with Thomas, second son of the late Mr. C. Lewis of the Park, Herefordshire, she, with her husband, removed to Caerphilly, Glamorganshire. There being no English baptist cause at that time in the town of Cardiff, seven miles distant, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis exerted themselves to get the gospel intro

duced. Their efforts so far succeeded that a congregation was regularly collected together to whom Mr. Lewis as regularly preached the word of life, and in 1806 a baptist church was formed of six members, of whom Mr. and Mrs. Lewis were two. A chapel was at length built, and in March, 1809, Mr. Lewis was ordained as pastor of the church, when the late Rev. J. Roberts, and Dr. Ryland of Bristol, and others, took part in the services. Of this church Mr. Lewis continued the pastor till his death; it is now one of the most flourishing in the principality. A sister of Mrs. Lewis settled at Coleford, Gloucestershire, where herself and husband, Mr. Hatton, were instrumental in the establishAnother sister with her husband, Mr. Wilment of the present important baptist church. liams, settled at Monmouth, who were instrumental in raising the baptist cause in that

town.

After the death of her husband, Mrs. Lewis removed to Coleford, and for more than twenty years was a constant attendant on the successful ministry of the Rev. J. Fry, who remarked to the writer of this sketch, that whoever might be absent from the services of the sanctuary, Mrs. Lewis was sure to be there. Her love for the means of grace was remarkable. The sabbath morning prayer-meeting found her there, the sabbath school enjoyed her services, the morning and evening worship of the Lord's day was never neglected except through illness; and the other services of the week, together with those held in some neighbouring village, were equally her delight. Nor was she only concerned for her own salvation, that of her children shared her anxious solicitude, and, therefore, the services, domestic and public, she herself attended they were required to attend also. Thus bringing up her fatherless family in the way they should go she had the satisfaction of seeing most if not all of them brought to know the Lord. Some fourteen years ago she removed to Weymouth, where her eldest daughter is settled, and united with the baptist church, Bank Buildings, of which the Rev. J. Trafford, A.M., is pastor. Her religious history was somewhat uniform, and therefore no new features were to be looked for. The same attachment to the means of grace, and the same activity in the Saviour's cause, as far as advancing age and infirmities would permit, were observable still. So entire was her deadness to the world that it may with truth be said of her, that her only enjoyment was derived from religion. Her husband having died when he was about thirty-two, she was early left a widow with seven children, the eldest of whom was not ten years old. She experienced the truth of the Saviour's words, "In the world ye shall have tribulation," but was sustained by "a good hope through grace," of that "rest that remaineth for the people of God." Her

decline was so gradual that her end was rather sudden and unexpected; she was only detained from her much-loved place in the house of God one sabbath, and not confined to her bed a single day. The evening before her death she retired to rest about nine o'clock, and her granddaughter, of whom she was very fond, being with her read several psalms to her and the portion for the day from "The Believer's Daily Remembrancer," by the Rev. J. Smith, a book of which she was particularly fond. The passage on which that portion is founded is Isaiah xli. 10, "Fear thou not." She repeated every word as they were read to her, and thus drank in the heavenly consolation, and for the last time commended herself to the Lord on whom she believed. In the morning she was found insensible and speechless, and about ten in the forenoon gently breathed her last, and thus being absent from the body is present with the Lord. She was interred by her pastor in the burial ground, Bank Buildings, Weymouth, who also improved her death in a suitable discourse from "He that is our God is the God of salvation, and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death."

REV. DAVID DENHAM.

Mr. Denham, who formerly sustained the pastoral office at Margate, afterwards at Unicorn Yard, Southwark, and more recently at Cheltenham, was seized with apoplexy in the pulpit, on the morning of Lord's day, November 25th, and on the 8th of December expired. His family intend to publish a memoir.

REV. ELIEL DAVIS.

The Rev. E. Davis, pastor of the baptist church, St. Ives, Huntingdonshire, soon after a church meeting on the 29th March last, at which he had had the pleasure of pro

posing his second son to the fellowship of the church, retired as usual to rest. He was in his ordinary health. Scarcely half an hour had elapsed, however, ere he was seized with an illness, which in five minutes deprived the church of a judicious and faithful pastor, his wife of an affectionate husband, his numerous family of a kind and devoted father. "Be ye ready also, for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh."

We learn that Mr. Davis's means were always very limited, but that, nevertheless, he owed no man anything but love. For his widow and nine children a contribution is opened, which we are happy to hear has reached nearly £500. Ebenezer Foster, Esq., Cambridge, is treasurer; the Rev. Samuel Green, Walworth, secretary.

MISCELLANEA.

BAPTISM OF A MINISTER.

On Lord's day, April 15th, the Rev. Thomas Rix, minister of the Wesleyan association chapel, Scarborough, was baptized, with his wife and two others, by Mr. Evans, in Ebenezer chapel, in the presence of a large audience. Mr. Rix gave an interesting account of the causes which had led to the change in his own mind.

RESIGNATIONS.

The Rev. T. Pulsford requests us to state that he has decided on leaving Duffield Road, Derby, at Midsummer, from the conviction that his usefulness is greatly curtailed and his health injured by the smallness and inconvenience of the chapel and vestry. Mr. Pulsford adds, that he has waited twelve months in the hope that the means of purchasing and enlarging the place would be found, but no resources being available for these purposes, he deems it his duty to retire.

NYE.

To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine. SIR,-Your readers will, I doubt not, be glad to know that the able review of Dr. Massie's lecture on the painting by Herbert of the five independents with Philip Nye at their head, in the Westminster Assembly, which appeared in your Magazine for October, 1847, is reprinted as a cheap tract, with considerable and valuable additions. Notwithstanding that unanswerable review, Dr. Massie and most, not quite all independent

Philip Nye uttered the glorious words attributed to him by Dr. Massie in his first lectures, and that he and the other independents contended for liberty of conscience and not for a contemptible toleration (chiefly of themselves) merely. Only last month the Evangelical Magazine reiterated these disproved fictions! It is most charitable and fair to suppose that all these parties sin in ignorance of history. They should not be allowed to do so. They may be unable now to procure easily a review in a magazine al

most two years ago, but the tract now printed will be within their reach. Let them answer it before they ever again lecture on the enlarged views of Nye and his friends; as Mr. Underhill shows they had yet to learn "the simplest elements of liberty of conscience." The contest was for the independents to be included in the national church with the presbyterians.

Every baptist wherever this picture has come or may come, should possess himself of this tract. He should show it to the lecturers or get them to purchase it. At the present day, full liberty of conscience, manifesting itself especially in anti-state church principles, is obtaining universal honour. Baptists are not only now its most consistent defenders, but in the times of Philip Nye and his party, and long before, were the only body which had always and steadily maintained it. The attempt is, therefore, most unworthy in this age of "pictorial teaching," to filch from our forefathers the crown for which they suffered so much, and to transfer it to men who bitterly denounced in the assembly itself a baptist memorial for full liberty of conscience.

Having had occasion, in a local controversy, to refer to the review now reprinted, and my statements having been somewhat impugned, I applied to the reviewer, Mr. Underhill, on the subject, who sent me in return such valuable corroboratory documents that my independent brother, with whom I was in controversy, as well as myself, thought them too good for a local newspaper only; I therefore applied to Mr. Underhill to reprint the review with these additions, and he has kindly (with your concurrence) put the whole into my hands for that purpose. It will, I expect, be ready for circulation by the first of May at latest. It will be published at not more than twopence or threepence by Mr. Heaton of Leeds, and may be had through any bookseller, of Mr. Benjamin L. Green, Paternoster Row, London.

I am sir, yours respectfully,
F. CLOWES.
Horton College, April 10th, 1849.

NEANDER'S PRESENT VIEWS OF BAPTISM. To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine. SIR,-It occurred to me a short time ago that it would be desirable to ascertain from Professor Neander himself whether he or his friend Jacobi had changed their opinion respecting the non-apostolic origin of infant baptism, which some might suppose to be the case from the omission of the passages asserting that view from the late copies of Kitto's Biblical Cyclopædia, as mentioned in the letter in your March number. I therefore wrote to the professor, apprising him of the omission, and stating that on account of

| the esteem in which his writings are held, by dissenters especially, in England, by none more than by baptists, it was a point of much interest to our denomination to know whether so impartial a witness to one of our main propositions, viz., that infant baptism was not to be found in the New Testament, had really changed his opinion on that point. I also informed him of the importance of this view, in controversy between protestant dissenters in England, inasmuch as they profess to deny that "the church has power to decree rites and ceremonies," and to find all their institutions generally of an ecclesiastical, and especially of a ritual kind, in the word of God. That he might indeed see the use made by us of the views of writers like himself, I enclosed him "The Verdict of an Impartial Jury on the Origin of Infant Baptism," which embodies in the more popular form the substance of my article in your February magazine. have just received the following reply, of which I send you a rather close translation.

I am, yours respectfully,

F. CLOWES.

DEAR AND HIGHLY HONOURED SIR,-It gratifies me to be able to enter into communication with a man of the sentiments expressed in your kind letter, and in the first peace, I thank you sincerely for the kind feeling which you manifest towards me. In respect to your question, I have still the same opinion concerning the origin of infant baptism which I have hitherto propounded in my writings. For the reasons which I have publicly expressed, I cannot deduce it from an apostolic origin. In a new edition of my Monograph on Tertullian I have had an opportunity to declare afresh my opinion on the subject; and in a few weeks, as soon as the new edition now printing is finished, I will send you a copy by the first opportunity which offers through the booksellers.

I must for myself approve of infant baptism from internal grounds, in virtue of the relation between baptism and regeneration, and from the stand-point of a church already established, of a Christian family-life corresponding to the idea. I believe that it proceeded not from superstition, but from the power of the Christian idea, and of Christian feeling. I cannot however believe that a supernatural operation on the child in the moment of performance is connected with infant baptism, for the special reason that there exists as yet no susceptibility for it.

I must therefore acknowledge that relatively, those are right who reject infant baptism. The one side is the letter, the other the spirit and the idea, in its favour. May we not, however, think such differences too important! and forget in them the higher nature of Christian fellowship? The kingdom of God to which we all belong, which we