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ject, and has excited much attention. Replies to the Lectures on the Perpetuity, and Answers to those Replies, have appeared in the old series of the Monthly Repository. Dr. John Jones has broached a new mode of setting aside its perpetuity, by insisting on a metaphorical .baptism, without water-intended by our Saviour in his command to the apostles, Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them-not in water-but as into three sacred streams, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, &c. This perfectly novel mode of administering Christian baptism is elaborately disproved in a paper of some length appended to the November No., 1826, of the "Monthly Repository." There has been also a spirited controversy on baptism between Dr. Cox of Hackney, and Dr, Wardlaw of Glasgow. Would that the baptismal contest were never disunited from Christian charity!

The General Baptists have, in some of their churches, three distinct orders separately ordained-Messengers, Elders, and Deacons ; and their General Assembly (when a minister preaches, and the affairs of the churches are taken into consideration) is held annually in Worship street, London, on the Tuesday in the Whitsum week, and they afterwards dine together with cordiality. They have thus met for upwards of a century. Dr. John Gale, a learned General Baptist, had a famous controversy, in the beginning of the last century, with Dr. Wall, vicar of Shoreham, who defended the practice of baptizing infants by immersion. But there has been a more recent controversy on the subject, between the late Abraham Booth and Dr. Williams. For an account of "The New Connexion of General Baptists," in the middle counties, the reader is referred to Adam Taylor's "History of the General Baptists," in two volumes. Robert Robinson published an elaborate work, entitled "The History of Baptism," illustrated with plates of the ancient fonts, &c., which he characterises at the close of his preface in these modest and appropriate words: "I feel happy, on reflection, that I did not set about this work on any motives below the dignity of a Christian, nor am I aware that I have prostituted my pen to serve a party, or once dipped

it in gall. Errors, undoutedly, there are many; but when did any individual of my species produce a work of absolute perfection? Such as it is I commend it to the candid perusal of my brethren."

To the class of Anti-trinitarian General Baptists, it has been no small gratification to find the immortal John Milton amongst them. In his recently-discovered theological work, he avows himself to be a Baptist, in these memorable words: "Under the Gospel, the first of the sacraments, commonly so called, is Baptism, wherein the bodies of believers who engage themselves to pureness of life are immersed in running water, to signify their regeneration by the Holy Spirit, and their union with Christ in death, burial, and resurrection." Dr. Sumner, the translator, has this note on the passage: "In profluentem aquam.-By the admission of this word into the definition, it is evident that Milton attributed some importance to this circumstance; probably considering that the superior purity of running water was peculiarly typical of the thing signified. Hence it appears that the same epithet, employed in Paradise Lost,' in a passage very similar to the pesent, is not merely a poetical ornament:

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-Them who shall believe,

Baptizing in the profluent stream-the sign
Of washing them from guilt of sin to life,
Pure and in mind prepared,-if so befall,-
For death, like that which the Redeemer died.

Book xii. 441.

Tertullian concludes differently, arguing that any water which can be conveniently procured is sufficient for the spirit of the ordinance." Many ministers in Wales prefer, with Milton, the running water, and therefore baptize, as I have often seen them, in the rivers of the Principality. This great man was decidedly in favour of the perpetuity of baptism; using, however, these remarkable words: "Indeed I should be disposed to consider baptism as necessary for proselytes, and not for those born in the church, had not the apostle taught that baptism is not merely an initiatory rite, but a figurative representation of our death, burial, and resurrection with Christ." Mil

ton examines the passages adduced in behalf of infant baptism, showing their irrelevancy in this long, and often not over-chritable controversy.

The propriety of the exclusive appellation of the term Baptists to those who baptize adults by immersion, has been questioned. Hence they are by many styled Antipadobaptists, merely as opposing the validity of infant baptism. But the term Anabaptist ought never to be applied to them. It is a term of reproach. The use of it is an indication of a want both of information and liberality.

DISSENTING ACADEMIES.

The Three denominations of Protestant Dissenters possess their own Seminaries, where young men designed for the Christian ministry are educated. Among the Presbyterians are to be reckoned the academies at York, under the Rev. Mr. Wellbeloved, and at Caermarthen, in South Wales, under the Rev. Mr. Peters; besides six exhibitions granted by Dr. Daniel Williams, to English Presbyterian students to be educated at Glasgow. Among the Independants are to be mentioned the academies at Wymondley-house, near Hitchin; at Homerton, under Dr. Pye Smith; and at Highbury, Islington, under Dr. Harris. The latter is a recently-built edifice, beautifully situated, and does credit to their taste and liberality. The academy at Wymondley-house, conducted by_the_Rev. Mr. Morell, was originally under the care of Dr Philip Doddridge, of Northampton; upon his decease it was consigned to Dr. Ashworth, of Daventry; but afterwards removed to Northampton, where the Rev. John Horsey superintended it for many years in a manner which did credit to his talents and piety. There is also an academy of Lady Huntingdon's, formerly at Trevecka, South Wales, now at Cheshunt. The Baptists have two exhibitions for students to be educated for four years, at one of the universities in Scotland (formerly Aberdeen, now

Edinburgh), given them by Dr. Ward, of Gresham College, the erudite author of "The System of Oratory."

There is likewise an academy at Bristol, belonging to the Particular Baptists, known by the name of The Bristol Education Society, over which the late Dr. Caleb Evans, together with his venerable father, the Rev. Hugh Evans, aided by the Rev. James Newton and the Rev. Robert Hall, presided for years with respectability. It is now under the care of the Rev. Messrs, Crisp, and Anderson, and a large structure, which cost nearly 10,000l. has been built, with accomodations for the thirty students. Here is an excellent library, part of which was a legacy from the late Drs. Llewellyn and Gifford; also a Museum, containing a well-executed medallion of their former active and liberal president, Dr. Caleb Evans; a painted window, representing scriptural scenes; a collection of idols from the East Indies, and a specimen of the translation of the sacred writings into the Eastern languages, by Dr. Carey, of Serampore, one of their own Baptist missionaries. The Particular Baptists have another academy, under the Rev. W. Steadman, at Bradford, Yorkshire; and a third has been established by them at Mile-End, having, during many years, for its president the Rev. William Newman, D. D., now retired. ilar institution among the General Baptists has met with encouragement. It was under the superintendance of the author of "The Sketch of the Denominations." wards of twenty years, but it has lately been transferred to the Rev. James Gilchrist, Newington-green. General Baptists of the New Connexion have an academy for the education of young ministers, under the Rev. Mr. Jerrom, of Wisbeach. A liberal education, both among Churchmen and Dissenters, lays the foundation for a respectable Christian ministry.

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The Protestant Dissenting Ministers obtain their literary degrees either from Scotland or the United States of America, for they are excluded from the national universities of Oxford and Cambridge, by the imposition of oaths, which no conscientious Nonconformist can take on his admission. The term university is a misnomer, when it

throws not open its gates to all classes of the community! An Alma Mater should be bountiful, without invidious discrimination.

Every enlightened and liberal mind must hail the approaching erection of the London University, where no invidious distinctions will exist, being thrown open for the admission of all who are friendly to the intellectual and moral improvement of mankind.

Dr. Daniel Williams, in 1711, " gave the bulk of his estate to charitable uses, as excellent in their nature as they were various in their kinds, and as much calculated for the glory of God, and the good of mankind, as any that have ever been known. He left his library for public use, and ordered a convenient place to be purchased or erected, in which the books might be properly disposed of, and left an annuity for a librarian. A commodious house was accordingly erected in Red-Cross-street, Cripple-gate, where his collection of books is not only properly preserved, but has been gradually receiving large additions. This is also the place in which the body of the Dissenting Ministers meet to transact their buisness, and is a kind of repository for paintings of Nonconformist ministers, for MSS., and other matters of curiosity and utility." The building itself belongs to the Presbyterians, but it is by the trustees (23 in number, viz., 14 ministers, and nine lay gentlemen) handsomely devoted to the use of the Dissenters. Hence it is that the general body of Dissenting ministers of the three denominations meet here to transact public buisness, when called together, while at the annual meeting the secretary reports the changes that have taken place during the last year. The Library, since its original endowment, has been augmented by the donations of liberalminded persons, and, lately, part of the founder's estate is appropriated for the purpose. Were every disssenting author, however, to send thither a copy of his publications (a measure that has been recommended, and ought to be adopted,) the collection would soon recieve a considerable augmentation. A second edition of the catalogue, in one volume octavo, has been published,

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