result, if that crown which Cardinal York has bequeathed to a Roman Catholic prince, should ever be placed on such a head? It is enough for my argument, that the thing is even possible. What, then, would be the result? It would issue in the ruin of our Protestant colleges and academies, -the shutting up or demolition of our Christian temples, the proscription of our Bibles,-in short, imprisonment, banishment, and death, would again desolate our land; nor would the change be less extensive, or less tremendous, than that which befel the Jewish Church of old. Let Protestants look at, and ponder over, the awful fact. In the days of her prosperity, David said, Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof, mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces, that ye may tell it to the generations following: such is the present glory and moral strength of our British Zion. Pass to the contemplation of the same Church in the days of Jeremiah: All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth? All thine enemies have opened their mouths against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up, certainly this is the day that we looked for, we have found, we have seen it. Such would be the desolation of our churches, and the exulting language of our enemies, if ever the throne of Great Britain should be re-occupied by a Roman Catholic prince.

I

Improbable as is this danger, and far as I would fain hope it will ever be kept, yet we ought, as Protestants, to watch against the smallest degree of evil; and, in respect of our British Zion, we ought to indulge the sentiments and language of Holy Writ, Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces."

CHAPTER VIII.

Establishment of a Fund for the Relief of Aged Ministers.

In the early part of 1816, Mr. Townsend was deeply afflicted by the loss of his youngest son, who died in the West Indies. The intelligence was conveyed to him while on a committee for assisting the persecuted Protestants in the south of France. The friend who gave him the letter containing the melancholy news, said, "More room for faith and patience." So touching are the remarks in Mr. T.'s journal, that we give them as written at the period. January 4, 1816. "This was a day of deep distress to me, and mine; but I hope I felt as a Christian ought to feel, and spoke as a Christian ought to speak. I hastened to my family to mingle my tears with theirs, and weep over the loss of one whom we all loved and pitied. Never until now could I so well understand the meaning of David's words, or so fully enter into his feelings, when he exclaimed, O Absalom, my son, my son ! I have often thought that some texts resemble pictures; if you would see them to advantage, you must stand in one particular position: in that

position I then stood; I had lost an open-hearted, a generous, but an unfortunate son." On this occasion, the bereaved parent delivered a sermon from the following text. And Aaron held his peace. Lev. x. 3.

During this year, and that of 1817, Mr. Townsend appears to have suffered much from delicate health: his lungs were frequently menaced with attacks that were always alarming-often dangerous; but, of abatement in exertion, there was none; early and late he was attending committees, or preaching, and performing the private duties of a pastor.

On the 1st of January, 1818, he says, "I have now passed my sixtieth year, and feel many growing infirmities, and see my contemporaries dropping, one after another, into the grave. Each one, as he departs, seems to say to me, Be ye also ready."

On the 13th of the same month, we find the following entry. "Yesterday was the Deaf and Dumb election; I was extremely unwell the whole day, and was glad that the plan of taking the poll was so managed, as to allow of my getting home early. My frame often shakes, and will soon be dissolved. May I not only obtain the house which is from above, but feel the joy and bliss of that expectation, which the Apostle so happily experienced!"

In this year was commenced a fund for the relief of Aged and Infirm Ministers. It had been with much regret that Mr. Townsend had seen his efforts to provide an asylum for them fruitless. The Congregational School was in a languishing state, and no hope remained as to the

establishment of the former. His appeal to the public in 1811, had produced a bequest to Mr. T. from a benevolent lady in Bristol of 500., which was to be appropriated for the use of aged and decayed dissenting ministers. The interest of this sum, since that period, had been distributed according to the wishes of the testatrix.* But a more permanent provision for this benevolent purpose was opened January 22, 1818, by a meeting of the gentlemen of Mr. Coward's trust, and Mr. T.; at which it was proposed to form a society for Aged Ministers belonging to the three denominations. The commencement of the funds was to be 10007., advanced by the above trustees, and the 5007. bequeathed to Mr. T. in 1811. A resolution and an address were prepared, but the ministers of the Independent class generally disapproved of the union, not choosing to connect themselves with the Unitarians. Mr. Townsend wished the object to be carried into effect, either conjointly, or separately: his preference would have been for separation; but he did not think that the union involved any compromise of religious principle. How much his peaceful spirit dreaded unnecessary discussion, is evident from the following letter.

"Feb. 7,

1818.

"My dear Friend,-I am sorry to say, the further we advance in our endeavour to form a society for aged ministers, the more enlarged, the more indefinite, and the more determinate, are the dislike and the opposition.

* Mr. Townsend had associated Dr. Collyer with himself, as joint trustee for this 5007.