No. CLVIII.]

MR.

R. BENJAMIN GOODIER (whose death was announced in the Monthly Repository, XIII. 582,) was born April 25, 1798, at Hollinwood, near Manchester. He received from his Creator a peculiarly happy disposition and excelleut abilities: these, during his childhood, were cultivated only by his affectionate and judicious parents, whose care he amply repaid by his growing virtues. His fondness for books at a very early age has been attributed to the establishment, at the chapel which he frequented, of a library for children, of which he became a member when five years old, and the librarian when be was not more than twelve; and this supposition is sanctioned by the particular interest he always took in the formation of children's libraries. Though apparently destined by Providence for the humbler walks of life, being brought up to his father's business, which was that of a weaver, he neglected no opportunity of improving his own mind, and promoting improvement amongst the young persous in his neighbourhood. It was he who gave rise to the Sunday School belonging to the chapel at Dob-lane, and who instituted a meeting for the improvement of the youth of the congregation assembling there, on the plan which he recommended in the Christian Reformer. [Vol. I. p. 307.] This society had a very beneficial effect on himself, and on several young men who united with him.

He was always distinguished by industry, charity and prudence in the regulation of his personal expenses. His virtues were the offspring not merely of a happily-tempered mind, but of well-formed rules of conduct and rigid self examination. From the age of seventeen he accustomed himself to keep a journal of his actions: this he considered the most effectual preventive of waste of time and im

[Vol. XIV.

proper use of money; he well remarks, that " spending penny after penny, and taking no account of it, is the way to be poor."

In the year 1812, Mr. Goodier's talents attracted the notice of some gentlemen of the Unitarian persuasion, who heard him, before a numerous assembly, engage in a conference on doctrinal subjects, with several Methodists, and the preachers of the New-Jerusalem Church in his neighbourhood; and a subscription was entered into in order to furnish him with the means of preparing himself to become a Christian teacher. From this period, which was the month of August, till the ensuing April, when he was placed at the Unitarian Academy at Hackney, he devoted to study all the time he could spare from his daily avocation, and made considerable progress in the Latin tongue, under the kind and gratuitous instruction of Mr. Jones, the minister at Dob-lane. The following extract from his diary, a few days after his arrival at Hackney, will shew the proper feelings with which he began his new career. "1818, April 25th. On this day I shall complete my 20th year. It becomes me to consider the many blessings I have enjoyed in the course of my life, and also the improvements I have, or might have made of them. In this period the goodness of God towards me has been great indeed; the mercies I have received have been greater than I can value, and more than I can number. Who is it that caused me to be born in a country where the glad tidings of the gospel are heard? Who is it that has given me parents who have educated me to consider the gospel as the best gift of God to man? Who is it that amidst the many corruptions of Christianity, has so appointed things that I have been brought up in the knowledge of the only true God and of

Jesus Christ whom he hath sent;' knowledge which is invaluable; which tends to comfort the heart and disperse those clouds of darkness, those mists of superstition, which attend the popular systems of theology? But besides my spiritual advantages, I enjoy many temporal ones. The capacity of being in some degree useful to my friends and neighbours, has produced many advantages of a worldly nature, which are likely to render my situation in life comfortable and pleasant. My health is good, my mind is easy, and I am placed in a situation where I possess many means of improvement. I have lately arrived at this place for the purpose of entering upon the studies preparatory to the Christian ministry. This object is one of the most important which can engage the attention of any man. By entering here, I become placed under many obligations and duties to which I have hitherto been a stranger, and am indeed exposed to an awful responsibility. Whether I consider the expectations of my friends and relations, the obligations I am under to the supporters of this Academy, the necessity of doing credit to my worthy instructor, or the importance of the office I am preparing to fulfil, the great variety of the knowledge I ought to possess, connected with the shortness of the time allowed for the preparation, I feel my mind forcibly impressed with the absolute necessity of redeeming the time. May God assist me in this arduous undertaking, and whatsoever I do may it prosper! If I seek in reality for the blessing of God, I shall without doubt find it; but it is in vain to expect his favour and approbation unless I strive, by all the means of grace in my power, to increase in knowledge and virtue." Mr. Goodier's conduct during his residence at the Unitarian Academy evinced the sincerity of these serious thoughts and pious aspirations. He was a rare example of great rapidity of mind united to indefatigable industry. Such was his progress in every study he entered upon, that all his tutors derived the highest gratifica tion from instructing him. Whilst devoting his hours to the acquirement of science and of languages, the moral ends of these studies were never absent from his mind; nor did he content

himself with gaining stores of knowledge, but already began to perform the duties of a Christian minister; he occasionally filled the pulpit, in various places, in a very acceptable manner, and many of our readers must recollect with pleasure the good sense, piety and acquaintance with the Holy Scriptures, apparent in the speeches he made at the religious conferences carried on in the Lecture-room of the Gravel-Pit Meeting. His conversation in private society was not less interesting and instructive; he seemed to think every moment lost that was not employed on some useful subject; yet he had none of the harshness or pedantry which sometimes belongs to the hard student; he was constantly amusing as well as intellectual. He was equally admirable as a learner or a teacher: in company with persons whose judgment he revered, he would easily and unobtrusively lead to topics on which he hoped to gain information: when conversing with young children, of whom he was particularly fond, and who eagerly sought his society, he divested instruction of dulness; and even when listening to the silly arguments of a weak-minded disputant, he failed not to treat him with the patience and consideration due to every fellowcreature; for if the ludicrous absurdity of some remark forced a smile into his countenance, that smile was so full of candour and benignity, that it could scarcely hurt the feelings of him who had caused it. With all this gentleness and modesty, he possessed that manly independence of thought essential to the pursuit of truth: the writer of this article does not remember, on any other occasion, to have seen him look so indignant as in repeating a conversation in which it had been taken for granted, from the attachment he had expressed for his theological tutor, that he had adopted some religious opinion because it was believed by that gentleman.

Whilst thus eagerly acquiring knowledge, and delighting himself with the prospect of a life of usefulness, this excellent young man was attacked by a disease, of which he had felt some symptoms before he left his native county. Early in the summer of 1814, he began to complain of a

pain in his side, and his friends were alarmed by his becoming subject to a sort of cough, which, though slight, is often connected with a fatal malady. His health from this time was varying, and sometimes in an alarming state; but his love of study remained undiminished, and he yielded unwillingly to the persuasion of his friends to relax in his attention to it. Before the close of this session, however, his disorder had increased to so great a degree, that two eminent medical men at Hackney decidedly opposed his wish to resume his place in the Academy, after the vacation should have elapsed; on his return home, his medical friends confirmed the advice of these gentlemen, and, painful as the sacrifice was, he acquiesced in their decision. But in relinguishing the character of a theological student, he did not give up his exertions in the cause of truth. He took the most lively interest in the erection of a chapel for Unitarian worship, at Oldham, in Lancashire: he visited several towns for the purpose of soliciting subscriptions towards the expenses of this building, by which means he obtained a considerable sum; and, as his fluctuating health would permit, undertook to conduct the religious services of the place,

Still, hopes were occasionally entertained of his recovery, and he considered himself well enough in the summer of 1816, to accept an invitation to preach for some months to the congregation at Newport, in the Isle of Wight. After being there a short time he had a relapse, which prevented him from performing the du ties he had undertaken; a gentleman in the neighbourhood kindly supplied his place in the pulpit, and Mr. Goodier remained only to receive the benevolent attentions which, in his weak state, were bestowed on him by his friends.

As a last resource, it was judged expedient that Mr. Goodier should take up his abode for a time in a warmer climate. He at first thought of accompanying a young man, who had been one of his fellow-students at Hackney, who was going to Ja

* See an interesting account, from Mr. Goodier's pen, of the opening of the Oldham Chapel, in Vol. XI. pp. 121-123.

maica as an Unitarian missionary; but this project was abandoned, and at the end of the year 1817, or the beginning of 1818, he set sail for the South of France.

In this part of the narrative it would be most gratifying to make known all the munificent and sympathizing friendship of which this happy youth was the subject: it is a glorious proof of the enthusiasm awakened by the sight of extraordinary worth and superior talent, and of the kindly and disinterested regard with which the benevolent Creator leads man to view his suffering brother! But delicacy to those individuals forbids the naming of his benefactors, or a too particular detail of their acts of liberality; suffice it then to say, that to one gentleman and his family chiefly he was indebted for the means of taking his departure to a more genial clime; and that in the house of that gentleman he had previously spent a considerable time, watched over, during a most trying illness, with all the tender cares that would have been lavished on a fa vourite son. His letters from France, to this generous friend and his amiable lady shew that he appreciated their kindness. On the 7th of February 1818, he wrote:

"MY DEAR SIR,

"I am happy in so soon. having an opportunity of writing to you again. Captain A. returns to Liverpool, and kindly offers to convey to you as many letters as I wish. Your past unparalleled kindness leaves me no room to doubt that you will be glad to hear of me; and for my own part, exiled as I am from my home and my country, each of my friends seems doubly dear to me. You will not, I am sure, be surprised that, even in the midst of novelty and variety, I should feel at times that something is wanting to my accustomed happiness, when you consider how completely all my wants were anticipated under your hospitable roof. Happy indeed was it for me to find such a refuge in a time of need; and happy perhaps is it for me, that circumstances have arisen which have removed me from it as soon as my health was decidedly improved. Too much repose would have blunted my faculties; too much happiness would have corrupted me. You must, I fear, at times have thought me ungrateful in having never ex