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Well,-who sang this verse with the proper melody? He who could recollect a period in his life, when, as a lost sinner, he saw, by faith, the merit of the blood of Jesus,-who was enabled to rest on it for acceptance with God -whose heart was so full of grateful joy, that his tongue could not help celebrating the infinite love of the Saviour, and who determined, in the strength of Divine grace, to celebrate it for ever. Did all the congregation sing it with this melody? Certainly not. Some have no genuine faith. They have never seen the precious, the inestimable stream, flowing from the bleeding heart of the Lamb of God.

What, then, Sir, did they say what was false, in the presence of God?

Undoubtedly they did. I am often pained on this account. Ministers should speak to their hearers on this subject.

"And when this lisping, stamm'ring tongue

Lies silent in the grave; Then in a nobler, sweeter song,

I'll sing thy power to save."

This last verse proves that there is a sad want of melody of heart in our congregations. Many who sang it, never think seriously of dying. I am sure of this. If they were going to a foreign land, never to return, would they not make some preparation for it? They would. If men thought aright of "the eternity on which they must shortly enter, they would think much of it; they would anxiously inquire how they might enter on it happily; but this they do not. And yet the world's noblest prize shrinks into nothing, when contrasted with this momentous question, How can I inherit eternal bliss?

Could each say, I bave such a wellfounded scriptural hope of entering heaven, that when my body is in the grave, I have no doubt but that my happy spirit will be celebrating, among the sons of light in glory, the omnipotent power, and the boundless grace of the Lord Jesus? What! Could the carcless, the impenitent, the man who is going on in his sins, the unbelieving, the prayerless, the scorner, say this? Yes, indeed, he might SAY or SING it, -but if his conscience were awake, it would tell him, that he was giving utterance to a palpable falsehood.

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OI much wish, that all in our con gregations would weigh the sentiments they utter in their sacred songs, lest they mock the Almighty with $0lemn sounds, on thoughtless tongues;" and he should say of them, as of the Pharisees, They honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

Are you so happy, Sir, as always to sing with the melody of the heart?

Certainly not; yet I hope I am concerned that I may do so. I fear that we all more or less, offend in this matter. There are verses of hymns which I sometimes feel it right not to sing; and I sing others, praying mentally that my heart may more and more accord with the sentiments contained in them.

I do think that there are some psalms and hymns expressive of such elevated devotion, that it is somewhat wrong to introduce them into the public services of a promiscuous congregation. I have been pained to hear persons of no piety, in whose hearts the world was evidently enthroned, singing,

"Could I command the spacious land,
Or the more boundless sea,
For one blest hour at thy right hand,

I'd give them both away."

O, my young friend,-we should think seriously before we go to the house of God,-we should attentively weigh the sentiments which are advanced by his ministering servants, and when invited to join the Psalmody, we should be careful that we utter nothing but what is true before the great Searcher of all hearts.

Southampton.

B. H. D.

MODERN MISSIONS.

(Extracted from the Quarterly Review, No. 63, p. 24.)

THE honour of giving the first impulse to public feeling belongs to the English Baptists. In what manner their undertaking was begun may be seen in the first number of this journal: suffice it here to say, that the person now so honourably known as Dr. Carey, who was, till the twenty-fourth year of his age, a shoemaker, opened

the way. It originated in the working of bis strong heart and intellect; a few of the ministers of his persuasion met together, and the first subscription for spreading the gospel in the heathen world amounted to £13 2s. 6d. This was in the year 1792. The London Missionary Society followed in 1795. The Edinburgh in 1796. The Church

Missionary Society in 1800. The Methodists had long had their Mission. aries in the West Indies and in America, but it was not till the impulse which they received from Dr. Coke, that they extended their exertions to a scale which made it necessary to form a separate Society for its support and management.

Obituary and Recent Deaths.

MR. DAVID DORE.

To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine.

AT the united solicitation of all the children of the late Mr. David Dore, deacon of the Baptist church at Lymington, I have drawn up the following memoir of his life; which they request may be inserted in the Baptist Magazine. "For they that have used the office of a deacon well, purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus." 1 Tim. iii. 13.

This office in Dissenting churches can never be unimportant, as a pious and scriptural exercise of it will ever add much to the comfort and encou ragement of the pastor, as well as the harmony and peace of the church. Mach evil might be prevented, did our churches pay a more strict and sacred regard to the necessary qualifications specified for this office in the holy scriptures. It is to be feared, that they are too frequently influenced by what is merely exterior, while they overlook what is of much greater importance, the candidate's wisdom, piety, zeal, and temper. It would be well for all churches, when contemplating an election of this nature, carefully to peruse a sermon on this subject by the Rev. Dr. Newman, in which is the following striking paragraph. "If I am not mistaken, I love all my brethren in the ministry. But if I could find it in my heart to wish an emphatical curse to any one of them, I should wish him to have among the deacons, a covetous, officious, fickle-minded, half-hearted, self-willed man, a Diotrephes; such a man as the late Mr. Robinson would

call a Lord-brother. Christian brethren, give to the minister I love, for a deacon, a man in whose house he may set down at ease, when he is weary and loaded with care; into whose bosom he may freely pour bis sorrows; and by whose lips he may be soothed when he is vexed and perplexed; by whose illuminated mind he may be guided in a difficulty; and by whose liberality and cordial co-operation, he may be animated and assisted in every generous undertaking."

Such is the Doctor's description of an office, which Mr. Dore, the subject of this memoir, sustained for many years; on which account it is hoped, that this short tribute to his memory may prove beneficial.

Mr. Dore was born at Newport, in the Isle of Wight, on the 4th of January, 1755. His parents were members of the Church of England, and the children, while under their authority, all attended that church. There were in the family, five brothers and two sisters. The eldest brother, Mr. William Dore, was educated at the Bristol Academy, and was called to the pastoral office of the Baptist church at Cirencester, Gloucestershire; which he filled with reputation, until he was called home by death to receive his reward. Mr. James Dore, who is well known in our churches, was called, while young, to the work of the ministry; and after finishing his studies at the same academy, was chosen pastor of the church at Maze-pond, London; where he laboured to the great satisfaction of his beloved charge, until an extraordinary and great affliction deprived them of his valuable exertions. A painful dis

pensation which recently terminated in his removal from this world of suffering. Mr. Thomas Dore is a deacon ofa Baptist church at Newport, where the sisters and the other brother still reside. Mr. David Dore, the subject of this memoir, was the second son. He was called, by the grace of God, when young. Curiosity induced him to attend on an occasional sermon preached at Newport, by Sir Harry Trelawny, who, at that time, was in the zenith of his popularity, and whose family, zeal, and talents, had induced the religious world to expect much from his labours. Under that sermon light broke in upon the mind of Mr. Dore, attended by the renewing influences of the Holy Spirit, which produced that change in his heart and conduct, which marked the whole of his after life. Soon after his conversion, the providence of God removed him to Lymington, in Hampshire, where he became united with the Baptist church, then under the pastoral care of Mr. Stradling. At the age of twentysix he was married to Miss Sarah Perry, of Fareham, by whom he had nine children, four of whom died in infancy. The other five still survive. Mr. John Dore, his only son, has for some years been the pastor of the Baptist church at Redruth, Cornwall. The four daugh all members of Baptist churches. This unusual felicity Mr. Dore had the satisfaction to witness, for some years, before he was called home to his rest; nor was he forgetful, with great emotion, to offer up his gratitude to that gracious God, who had so distinguished him. After having lived with his wife in christian harmony and affection thirteen years, the wise Disposer of all events saw fit to take from him the desire of his beart. In her death he lost one who had been a help-meet for him," and his chief solace under his domestic cares. Many years after, he was married again to Mrs. Elizabeth Cox, who died a few years before him.

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Mr. Dore was a member of the church at Lymington forty-six years. He was remarkable for his strict and conscientious observance of the Lord'sday, insomuch, that for thirty years he never could be prevailed upon to take a meal out of his own house on that day, unless when placed by Providence at a distance from home. As a parent,

he evinced the greatest solicitude for the eternal interests of his children: he gave them "line upon line, and precept upon precept," and they all grew up, as the reward of his care, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Not only was he regular and prompt in his family worship, but many who have been present at those seasons, have been much delighted and edified by the solemn and impressive manner in which it has been conducted. The scriptures were read with pious seriousness and reverence; his petitions were importunate and appropriate; no branch of his family or the church, was omitted; and none could be present without being sensible of the interest they had in his prayers.

Mr. Dore's general knowledge and affectionate manner, rendered him at once an instructive and pleasing companion. Astronomy was his favourite study, in which he made more than common proficiency. Some of his leisure hours were employed in constructing various kinds of orreries, by means of which he often illustrated to his children and other young persons, the motions of the heavenly bodies; contributing at the same time to their pleasure and instruction. Would that this were a practice more generally adopted! It is now, alas! too much the custom for young persons, the chil dren of professors, to devote the time of their juvenile meetings to that, which so far from profiting, only serves, if piously inclined, to bring guilt and darkness on the mind; and in other instances, to encourage a growing attachment to such worldly amusements, as by degrees diverge from what is even strictly innocent.

Mr. Dore was a deacon twenty-seven years, during which the church passed through many changes. A considerable portion of which time he was the junior deacon, and though his talents and knowledge were superior to those of his brother in office, he always paid a deference to him as his elder, and so managed, that in most cases of importance, he obtained his hearty concur rence; while, at the same time, they lived together in harmony and christian friendship. Mr. Dore in his office was not an eye servant, the interest of the church lay very near his heart; he was in reality, much afflicted in its adver

sity, and gladdened in its prosperity. Its temporal concerns he managed with the strictest economy, and his accounts were ever ready for inspection: nor would he suffer a year to pass without convening the members and subscribers, when his books were regularly examined, and all his vouchers proved. Whenever there was a balance against the church, be immediately adopted some plan for its removal; so that it was never long harassed with an accumulating debt. The want of attention to this part of the deacon's office, has often been the source of great unpleasantness in some of our churches. A heavy debt has thus been frequently contracted, and then the only imaginable expedient to remove it, has been to curtail the pastor's salary, a deprivation, which his already scanty finances bave incapacitated him with any degree of propriety to bear; and thus he has been left with the only alternatives, either of dragging heavily on with a weight of pecuniary difficulties, or of seeking another situation where those anxieties might be lessened or removed. Mr. Dore never attempted to encroach on the prerogatives of the pastor, he considered the pastor of the church as his pastor, and he was an example to the other members in the affectionate regard he paid to his public ministra tions, and his presidency at their church meetings. He would give his opinion, but never dictated; and if in the minority, he submitted without anger.

Much discord has sometimes arisen through too strong a disposition evinced by deacons to become dictators and rulers; but as this is unscriptural, so it has ever been productive of the worst effects. Mr. Dore would often say, that he was thankful that the responsibility of a ruler did not attach itself to his office. Discontented and captious members received no countenance from him, and when complaints of not being "profited" and "fed" under the ministry, were made to him, the persons who made them were generally reminded that the fault was likely to originate in themselves, and that as others were "profited" and "fed," their barrenness most probably proceeded from the want of a pious appetite. By thus acting, a spirit of discord was often checked and destroyed. He was very

eager in his co-operation to extend the gospel in the neighbourhood of the town where he dwelt. The surrounding villages, containing a considerable population, had long remained in a state of moral darkness. As soon, therefore, as a plan was proposed for introducing the word of life among them, Mr. Dore most cheerfully concurred, and assisted in forming a weekly subscription to meet the expenses, and readily, when he could be disengaged from business, accompanied his pastor in his labours amongst the villagers, Very soon a remarkable out-pouring of the Holy Spirit followed those exertions, and "the word of the Lord ran, and was glorified."

The poor found in Mr. Dore a judicious counsellor and sympathising friend, and to them he distributed the church's bounty with promptitude and impartiality.

But Mr. Dore, like other men, was not without imperfections; amongst which, undue timidity and indecision were conspicuous. He dreaded giving offence, and his excessive desire to please all, sometimes induced him to sacrifice his own judgment to the opinions of those who were not so capable of judging as himself. But those who knew him well, could clearly perceive that this weakness was always overcome when the glory of God, or the honour of religion, were in question: and in those instances in which his friends might deplore a too great hesitation, it was plainly discernible that it was more an error of the judgment than of the heart. This, more, over, is certain, that be fulfilled the office of a deacon well.

About fifteen years before his death, Mr. Dore was called by the church to unite the office of a preacher with that of a deacon. "The fields all around were white unto harvest," which induced him cheerfully to comply with the request, and, though far advanced in life, he never failed to fill up that part of alternate labour which fell to his lot with such punctuality and con

* There are now three churches in a flourishing state, the fruit of villagepreaching in the neighbourhood of Lymington, which probably include six or seven hundred hearers, and more than 150 of them have been baptized.

stancy, as clearly evinced that he was actuated by love to Christ, and love to souls. His sermons were full of Christ, and, in general, very methodical, and well adapted to the capacity and taste of those for whom they were designed. He had to contend with an imperfect enunciation and weak voice, which probably prevented him from being so generally acceptable as he otherwise would have been. On the whole be was acceptable and useful. In union with his pastor, and other preachers belonging to the same church, he had the satisfaction of seeing three flourishing churches formed as the fruit of their labours.

On behalf of one of these churches, meeting at Beaulieu Rails, and at their request, he went with their case to London, on the 1st of January, 1824, and laboured hard in collecting until the 24th. The debt he wished to liquidate was £105. He had succeeded in raising £93, and had hoped in a few days to have returned with the cheerful satisfaction of seeing the people whom he loved free from all incumbrance. But He "in whose hands are the issues of life," saw fit that it should be otherwise. He had been lodging at the house of his brother in Walworth, where, on the evening of the 23rd, he went to bed, apparently in perfect health, hoping to rise the next morning, and terminate his business in London. When the servant, however, knocked at the door of the chamber in the morning, she could obtain no answer. Alarmed at this circumstance, she ran down, and called another domestic, who, on entering the room, found him motionless and speechless. Medical skill and attention were called in vain to remove the sudden and painful stroke, which was a violent paralytic and apoplectic seizure. Under these circumstances it was impossible for Mr. Dore adequately to express the state of his mind; but there is no doubt but that his declining sun went down in brightness, although the mists of severe affliction somewhat obstructed the manifestation of its splendour. His manner seemed to demonstrate that he was perfectly tranquil and serene. On one occasion, when the 14th chapter of John was read, and his friends conversed on the "mansions prepared" for the children of God, he used all the

means in his power to express the inward exultation of his soul. On Thursday, the 4th of February, four days before his death, on being asked if he were happy and comfortable, he lifted up his hand with great energy, in token of affirmation. Frequent convulsions, acute sufferings, and the drowsiness of death, as his end approached, afforded no more opportunities of conversation with him, and in this state be lingered until Monday, February 9th, when his happy spirit abandoned its mortal habitation for a "house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens," exchanging time for eternity, and labour and toil for a blissful reward.

His earthly remains were removed to Lymington, and deposited in the family grave, in the Baptist burying-ground of that place. The funeral address was delivered by the Rev. James Millard. On the following Sabbath evening the Independents shut up their place of worship, in token of respect, and attended the Baptist meeting, where Mr. Millard preached a funeral sermon from Acts xiii. 36. The Rev. D. E. Ford, the Independent minister, assisted in the devotional exercises. Funeral sermons were likewise preached at Newport, and at Beaulieu Rails, where the deceased has so often laboured, and where his loss was much felt and deplored. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of bis saints." Mr. Dore, as a Christian, a deacon, and a minister, evinced many excellencies worthy of imitation. His children have lost an affectionate and wise father, and the ehurch a sincere friend: "Be ye followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

Chatham, March 12, 1825.

RECENT DEATHS.

W. G.

MR. JOHN SWEATMAN. MR. John Sweatman, one of the Deacons of the Church in Keppel-street, was suddenly removed from this world, by a fit of apoplexy, on Monday, the 4th ult. in the 68th year of his age. We hope to present our readers with a more enlarged notice of our deceased and esteemed friend.

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