THENEW YORK ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATION8. 1897. LONDON: Printed by Littlewood and Co. 15, Old Bailey. PREFACE. THAT the Editors have been spared to bring another Volume of this Work to a close, demands their heartfelt gratitude to the Father of Mercies: they have sought, in conducting it, solely to promote the cause of God and truth, and therefore feel assured that the glory of Him "whose they are, and whom they serve," has been, and will be advanced, even by their feeble and imperfect labours. They consider it reason for congratulation, that a Publication devoted principally to the use of one of the smallest sections of the Christian Church in Britain should, at the close of eighteen years, maintain so large a sale; especially since the number of religious periodicals, during that time, has exceedingly increased. * The Baptist Magazine contains a greater number of pages than any other similar work at the same price; yet its profits have enabled the Proprietors to distribute, towards the assistance of a most deserving and necessitous class of petitioners, nearly £3000. The Editors have adopted means to secure monthly some ably-written papers, both in the Essay and Review departments of the work. • Of Magazines, Reviews, &c. devoted to the propagation of Protestant and Evangelical principles, there are many thousands issuing monthly from the London Press alone. On a variety of accounts, the present state of the Particular Baptists requires a Magazine to represent its principles, both as to doctrine and discipline, correctly; and to circulate its Foreign, Irish, Home Missionary, and other Intelligence extensively. The Conductors pledge themselves, therefore, to make this work the organ of the Denomination to the full extent of their ability and opportunity; and for this purpose they affectionately and respectfully invite the co-operation of their Christian brethren, whose contributions to its pages, or other means of influence, may assist to increase its merits and widen its circulation. In particular, they earnestly entreat the prayers of their pious readers, that the blessing of God may visibly attend the work. The Editors owe an acknowledgment to those kind friends from whom they have received expressions of approbation as to the improvements of the Magazine, and are anxious that their future labours may more entitle them to similar commendation." The Number for January, 1828, will contain a Memoir of Martin Luther, translated by a pious and respectable foreigner resident in London, expressly for the Magazine, from a German work most extensively circulated on the Continent in the year 1817, the third centenary of the Reformation; and the first of a series of Essays on "the undesigned Coincidences in the Histories of the Four Evangelists:" also an Engraving of Dr. Olinthus Gregory, Mathematical Professor of the Royal Academy, Woolwich. London, Dec. 15, 1827. BAPTIST MAGAZINE. MEMOIR OF JANUARY, 1827. THE LATE MR. PETER | had excited considerable interest able weight was laid on them by some who there can be no doubt that good was done amidst these appearances, which continues to this day, though many fair blossoms have` also gone up as dust, and their root becomes followed Mr. M'Arthur's ministry; still MR. PETER M'FARLANE, the late justly esteemed pastor of the Baptist Church in Bethesda chapel, Trowbridge, Wilts, was born in Scotland, in the parish of Luss, Dumbartonshire, in March, 1780. When in youth he was chiefly em-adopted Baptist sentiments, and was baptized ployed in herding sheep, on the mountains of that part of Caledonia, and was also engaged in fishing herrings latterly on some of its ex-people who were united together as a Church, tensive lakes. It was while thus occupied, that God called him by his grace, and from which he finally took him to labour statedly in the gospel of his Son. Mr. McFarlane's first cern about his state and danger began about the year 1801. He had either heedlessly, or from curiosity, gone to hear a Mr. Donald M'Arthur* preach, whose ministry as rottenness. In course of time Mr. M'A. by Mr. McFarlane, pastor of a Baptist Church Meeting in Skinner's-Hall, Edinburgh, after which he baptized many of his who worshipped at Port Bannatyne, in the Island of Bute, and also at Dunoon, on the Clyde, nearly opposite Greenock, at each of which places meeting-houses were fitted up for their accommodation, and by this time he devoted himself wholly to the ministry. It was not to be expected that such things should take con-place in a country, where hitherto they had been unknown, and yet excite no resistance; of course Mr. M'A. aud his friends had their own share of misrepresentation and reviling, and in one instance this broke out into open violence. In the month of October, 1805, a neighbouring gentleman acting as a justice of peace, on a sabbath morning, as this zealous minister was beginning the solemn services of the day upon the sea shore, within the flood-mark, opposite his property, he • Mr. McArthur had been engaged with a boat for some time on the Clyde and some of the western lakes; being awakened him-violently seized him, carried him away from self to concern about his own soul, he began to warn his neighbours of their guilt and danger, both privately, and more publicly at prayer meetings, with seasonable effect. The attention of the people in these parts were so generally excited, that the houses in which they were accustomed to meet were too small to contain the people who attended upon his instructions; of course he was obliged to resort to the fields, and address them there: uncommon effects began to appear under his alarming addresses; many people were agitated in a peculiar manner, and seized with paroxysms, which operated variously, and excited very general attention to his ministry wherever he went, and whether he addressed the people in English or Gaelic. It was soon evinced that there was nothing spiritual, nor saving in such excitements, though, for a season, considerVOL. II. 3d Series. his congregation, kept him in confinement until next day, when he delivered him over to captain Tatham, the regulating officer for the service of the navy at Greenock, who sent him immediately on board the Tourterella frigate, and out of the country. After being detained five weeks on board different ships of war, he was at length released by the express order of the Lords of the Admiralty. No sooner indeed were the circumstances of the case made known to the Board, than with the utmost promptitude they directed him to be discharged, and granted him a certificate, that he was never again to be impressed into his Majesty's service. After his discharge from the navy Mr. M'A. raised an action of damages against the above gentteman before the Court of Session. The late Henry David Inglis, advocate, and one of the Pastors of a Baptist Church, Edinburgh, undertook to B shire, especially in the islands of tion were few, and the represen tations of divine truth he had an opportunity of hearing, were vague and obscure. The variety of new opinions which were then afloat Bute and Cumbray. The preacher at that time addressed his congregation from Daniel, v.27.-" Thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting." However thought-in his neighbourhood on religious less Mr. MF. might have been when he entered the congregation, he soon found himself made a party; in all that was said he found himself described, and became convinced of all, and judged of all. Though his attention was now completely aroused and riveted to things spiritual and eternal, yet his mind was long and painfully exercised with a sense of his sin and danger, before he attained to that righteousness and peace which is enjoyed only in the knowledge and faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. His opportunities of religious instruc manage Mr. M'Arthur's cause before the court, but died while it was depending there; afterwards it was taken up by George Cranstoun, esq. advocate, who concluded his pleadings on behalf of his client in the following terms :-"The Toleration Act a hundred years ago inflicted a penalty of 1001. on any one who should interrupt or disturb a congregation during the performance of divine service; and is a hundred guineas too great a sum at present, to be awarded as damages, and solatium to the respondent, (Mr. M'Arthur) who was not only interrupted and disturbed in the midst of his congregation, and in the exercise of his acknowledged privilege, but dragged away with circumstances of peculiar insult, degradation, and cruelty, and forcibly detained for a period of five weeks on ship-board? If so great an outrage to justice, to humanity, and to the principles of the British constitution, committed by a magistrate in a dis tinguished situation, and aping the form and authority of law is not made a subject of penal animadversion, it ought at least to infer complete indemnification to the blameless sufferer." Judgment was, of course, given against the prosecutor, who was sub jected to a fine and considerable expences, while it proclaimed to Scotland the nature and extent of the religious privileges afforded her by the Toleration Act, which cannot be invaded with impunity. Some years subsequent to this, Mr. M'Arthur went to America, where he still resides. subjects, operated unfavourably upon him; his mind was constantly exercised about some new sentiment, and it was long before he attained clear and distinct views of the way of a sinner's acceptance with God. He frequently walked many miles when he knew a sermon was to be preached, in the hope of hearing something that would give him quietness of mind, and often he returned dejected and afraid, thinking that the day of grace to him was past; his body became wasted with the anxiety of his mind; he was unable to sleep, and indisposed for food or conversation, while his friends wondered, and feared what would be the result. At this time a sacrament occurred at Greenock, which he was resolved to attend, not formally to partake of it, as on former occasions, for now he dared not be a communicant, but he regarded it as a season where the Lord might possibly speak peace to his burdened spirit; he watched for the morning with intense anxiety, as he had to cross the Clyde, and stormy weather might frustrate his purpose. The sabbath dawned, but it was tempestuous, and his heart sunk within him, yet he recollected that he had braved many dangers to taste worldly pleasure, and well might he do it now, when his soul was at stake. He left his home, and on reaching the ferry, found that no boat could get off the shore, he resolved to further go the river, up and walked three miles to another place, where he met with a person desiring to cross. The storm had a little abated, they ventured together, and reached the opposite |