5. I still reflect, with much pleasure, on sundry interesting conversations held with Christian friends of both sexes; and call to mind many a useful hint, counsel, exhortation, or experience. Many a poor and mean disciple of Christ has put me to shame, sometimes by his very countenance (testifying the peace of God which filled his soul); at other times by a few words spoken, or by a brief relation of some occurrence in his life. O how many opportunities have we for improvement, if we are but willing scholars!-Lord Jesus impart to me that single eye and child-like heart which become thy followers!

6. The providence of God did not permit me to meet with some of my most intimate friends in Basle, they being gone to visit some of the congregations of the brethren in Germany. At first I

was disposed to repine at this dispensation; but presently recollect ing that beautiful verse of Lavater, my heart joined in the sentiments therein expressed:

Only Jesus can supply
All my wants,
-to Him I fly :
Jesus! fill my heart and mind!
To thy will be mine resign'd!
Earthly friends may faithiess prove
Thine is never-failing love!
On thy word we can depend,
Ever faithful to the end!

7. I visited several of the villages and hamlets round about Basle, in order to renew former Christian acquaintance. In these places, likewise, the Lord has a seed that serveth him, and many choice souis among them. O how will it be in Heaven, when all are gathered together!-that will surely be a mul. titude which no man can number. [To be continued.]

ministers.

here every fortnight for seventeen Mr. Howell preached years with little apparent success,

when he determined to attend this

Congregation no longer; but on the livering what he thought would be very morning on which he was dehis last sermon, a woman, who had hitherto heard him without any se rious concern, was awakened to a true sense of her sinful state, and remains to this day a humble follower of Jesus.

Soon after this, he and others began to preach at Boroughbridge; where there has been a considerable increase of hearers, and some instances of indisputable conversion. It has been long and generally lamented that, through the smallness of the meeting-room, the ministry of the word has been much con fined; but an opportunity having at length been oftered to the people for erecting the above convenient house, they much rejoice that they have been enabled to accomplish the work, though not without some opposition from the adversaries of Zion. A church has been formed;

a Society for distributing Religious Tracts has also been established; and the number of stated hearers is now likely to be much enlarged.

About eighteen months ago, the Rev. Messrs. Howell, Jackson, and others, by an application to the lord of the manor, obtained leave to preach in the Tolbooth, at Thirsk, a populous market-town in the North Riding of Yorkshire. This town, and the neighbouring villages, presenting a field of usefulness into which few labourers, on account of the distance, had hitherto entered, they continued their services every fortnight, which were soon attended by as large congregations as the building would contain; and also by an earnest and spreading desire among the people, that attempts should be made to erect a more commodious place. A subscription was accordingly opened, which was encouraging ; and, certain difficulties relative to the trusteeship being removed, by the interference of friends at Hammerton and Knaresborough, a piece of ground was purchased in a very eligible situation, and the foundation of a chapei, sixteen yards by ning, was laid thereon; which, through the good hand of the Lord, is now completed.

On the 24th May, 1804, this house was opened for public worship. In the morning, Mr. Howell began with prayer, and reading a select portion of Scripture; and Mr. Vint, of Idle, preached from Mat. xvi. 18; in the afternoon Mr. Jackson engaged in the work of intercession; and Mr. Graham, of Darlington, in that of preaching, from Acts xvii. 22, 23; Mr. Hill, of Ravenestonedale, in Westmoreland, delivered a lecture in the evening; after which, Mr. Howell concluded the service of the day by an appropriate prayer.

A large and respectable congregation is likely to assciable in this place, where the word is now intended to be dispensed every Lord's Day: a privilege which many appear thankfully to acknowledge, and a few really to enjoy.

May 20, 1804, a large and commodious chapel was opened at Wey

mouth. The Rev. Wm. Jay, of Bath, preached in the morning, from Mat. xviii 20; and in the evening, from Heb. xii. 25 The afternoon-sermon by the Rev B. Cracknell, from Gen. xxvi. 17. The services were numerously attended, and the prospects of use. fulness very encouraging.

I

On Whit-Monday last, May 21, was held an Annual Meeting at Peppard, intended to counteract the vile practice of revelling. Mr. Hackett, of High Wycomb, preach ed in the morning, from 1 John i. 7; Mr. Jeary, of Rodborough, in the afternoon, upon the Common, from Cor. vi. 11. In the evening, Mr. Douglas, of Reading, in the chapel, from Prov. xiv. 9. Mess. Lovegrove, Holloway, bik erdike, and others, assisted in the service.

9

May 24, 1804. At a Meeting of Ministers and others in the Baptist connection, at Hebden Bridge, a Society was formed, under the title of "The Northern Education Society," for the purpose of encou raging pious young men, recom mended by the churches to which they belong, as persons of promis. ing abilities for the ministry. Nearly Sool, have been already subscribed. Mr. J. Bury, of Blackburn, is ap pointed Treasurer; and the Rev. T. Littlewood, of Rochdale, Sec.

On Thursday, May 31, a com. modious and very neat place of wor ship was opened at Chigwell-Row, Essex. The services of the morn iug were introduced by singing; Mr. Gray, assistant - preacher to Mr. Booth, read suitable portions of Scripture, and engaged in prayer; Mi, Ford, of Stepney, delivered a discourse from 2 Cor. iv. 7, and concluded. In the afternoon Mr. T. Thomas prayed; Mr. Collison, of Walthamstow, preached from Eph. i. 17, 18, and closed the opportunity in prayer. The place was crowded, the auditory attentive, and the whole of the exercises solema and impressive.

June 14, 1804, a neat and commodious place of worship (lately erected by the exertions of the Independent Congregation under

pastoral care of Mr. Castleden, with liberal assistance from other friends of the gospel) was solemnly opened at Woburn, Bedfordshire. Mr. Bull, sen. of Newport-Pagnel, who had laid the foundation of the present interest, by preaching once a fortnight for several years at Woburn; and Mr. Greatheed, under whose ministry a church was formed there in 1789, preached in the fore. noon on this occasion; the latter from Zechariah iv. To, the former from Psalm cxvi. 25. Mess. Steward, of Malden, and Morris, of Dunstable, engaged in prayer.

In the evening. Messrs. Wake, of Leighton Buzzard, and Hunt, of Ridgemount, prayed; and Mr. Blundel, of Luton, preached from Isaiah lxii. 7. It is not known that the gospel was preached at Woburn, since the ejectment in 1662, till within thirty years past. The neighbouring preachers, in Mr. Wesley's connection, then began to visit the town. About fifty persons join

ed the church while Mr. Greatheed statedly preached there; but their place of worship, till the present meeting-house was constructed, had been an old thatched building, which was not only small, mean, and inconvenient, but likewise not secured in their possession. The late Mr. Raban, of Olney, who preached there one Lord's Day every month, till Mr. Greatheed took the pastoral charge in 1791, and Mr. Scroxton (now of Bromsgrove) who assisted him during six years that he retained it, were considerably useful toward the establishment of the gospel at Woburn, The congregation remain cordially united under their present minister; and have room to hope, that their acquisition of a suitable place of worship will greatly conduce to the progress of the gospel around them.

ON Thursday, June 14, after a serinon preached at Pimlico by the Rev. J. Townsend, on 2 Cor. viii. 9, for the Benefit of a Sunday. School at Ranelagh Green, the following anonymous lines were addressed to the preacher:

"Aht for my sake he became poor, that I, through his poverty, inight be made richt― My silver

and gold shall be his: and what give I but of his own ?"

Have the goodness to present the inclosed (a Bank-note for Ten Pounds) to the Managers of the School, from a sincere friend."

"On Sunday, as a party of young parish of Workingham, Edward men were playing at cricket, in the was eagerly engaged in the game, Kimble, aged twenty-three, who dropped down and expired imme diately." Public Ledger, June 2.

One would be ready to hope that no person in a Christian country could be so lost to all sense of decency, as to engage in such an exercise on the Lord's Day; but, alas! it is too true, and awfully demonstrates the extreme depravity of the times. Some blaine, it may be feared, attaches to Magistrates and Parish Officers, who do not exert their authority to suppress such unchristian practices. If, however, offenders of this sort escape punishment from men, they cannot avoid the displeasure of a holy and just God.

The Rev. Mr. Hey, of Bristol, has resigned his charge in that city;

and has sailed for America. Vari, ous conjectures having been formed respecting his motives, it may not be improper to present to our read. ers the following extract of a letter he wrote to a friend immediately before his departure:- You have been sadly misinformed respecting my object in going to America; it is not to hide myself in the woods, but to act on a grand Missionary Plan. I expect, if life and health are spared, to see England again in a year or two; ill which time, I earnestly pray you may be kept and blest with all your children," &c.

We are grieved to learn, from a correspondent of veracity, that in one of the universities of Germany, a person has been appointed Professor of Divinity, who has the au.. dacity to treat the history of our adorable Saviour as a mere romance, and in a manner that shocks the feelings of every Christian!

We are informed, that The Village Sermons have been reprinted at Salem, in North America.