civilized world, and who, at the time we speak of, was a fellow-tutor with Mr. Johns, holding the chair of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. The connection here formed with this justly celebrated man, led afterwards to his becoming a permanent inmate in Mr. Johns' family, and to the formation of an intimacy which during a period of forty years was not interrupted by one unkind word or deed, and which, with a rare felicity, never knew "the shadow of a change."

From Manchester, Mr. and Mrs. Johns retired with dejected hearts to Wrexham, where he had been appointed master of a small free-school, and where, in the ways of a kind but often myterious Providence, they were called to bear privations and annoyances. Here, within a fortnight after their arrival, a second child was born; so that a new claim was made on Mr. Johns' earnest, affectionate, but hitherto unavailing, exertions. Wrexham, it soon appeared, afforded no means for supporting and educating a family. Hence, after he had resided in that place nine months, Mr. Johns was induced to accept an invitation from the Presbyterian church at Nantwich, in Cheshire, though the salary was not more than sixty pounds a year. He went to Nantwich, April 7th, 1801; but before leaving Wrexham, he had again formed most valuable friendships which were afterwards interrupted only by death. At Nantwich, he realized the plan he had formed at Totness, and, opening a school, soon proved himself a successful teacher of youth. But the place was small, and, with all his diligence, he found it difficult to maintain his family. Here, too, he was visited with one of those very severe and dangerous attacks of sickness to which he continued liable through life, and which at last put an end to his existence, at an advanced age it is true, but still under circumstances which, a few months before his demise, seemed to give his friends the promise of enjoying his intercourse for no inconsiderable period.

But a wider sphere was now about to open for Mr. Johns. His were talents, industry and learning which could, in the long-run, scarcely fail to find the proper field for their beneficial exercise. If Mr. Johns had hitherto been little engaged in public life and before the world's eye, he had not allowed his leisure to run to waste, nor his comparative seclusion to make him

disregardful of self-improvement. He studied as diligently as if already he had his eye on the situation of distinguished usefulness which he afterwards occupied. In this he affords a striking and very desirable admonition to young ministers, who may learn from his example the proper and only sure way of emerging from social obscurity. A few notes which we have discovered among his manuscripts, shew us that this was the era in Mr. Johns' life to which mainly he owed the great influence that he exerted at a later period. Now was it that he laid in those stores of varied knowledge which made him, in the best sense of the term, a learned man, and fitted him for the position that he held, and the duties he performed, in the capital of the cotton manufacture, which, on his settlement there, he found just beginning to rise to that high position and commanding influence of which it is now possessed. The course of reading through which Mr. Johns went in the earlier period of his ministry was very extensive and diversified, but confined to the best standard works in each particular department. Embracing the Greek and Latin Classics, it took in a range of English literature which consisted of the best works then in existence. And while at one extreme we find him engaged in the careful and minute study of the Fathers of the Christian church-a species of reading to which he remained to the last attached at the other, he relaxes his mind and refines his taste by the perusal of travels, poetry, and even superior works of fiction. Most surprising is the diligence with which these notes make us acquainted; and we cannot well solve the problem how, in addition to his preparation for the pulpit and other pastoral duties, he could study so many standard works.

His second removal to Manchester was occasioned by an overture made to him by Mr. Grindrod, master of a large and well-established school in that place. The terms proposed were such as few men would have had the courage to accept. Mr. Johns had already had some experience of his ability and success in the very difficult and laborious office of instructing the young; and as the prospects that presented themselves were good, he determined to make the trial, which, in a business point of view, as well as in higher relations, was eminently successful. This, which was Mr. Johns'

VOL. II.

last change of residence, afforded peculiar advantages, not only for social intercourse and self-improvement, but also for the most beneficial exertion of his talents. When, in the commencement of the present century, Mr. Johns settled in Manchester, good schools and good instructors_were very rare. The Manchester Grammar-school, whose funds and whose position were such as to qualify it for giving a good education to the sons of at least the propertied members of the community, was guided in its course and manner of instruction by narrow and antiquated views; and in consequence, left the merchants and higher shopkeepers of the place, who were fast rising to opulence and consideration, to provide for themselves means of educating their sons. In this juncture, Mr. Johns appeared with the requisite enlightenment, learning and industry. Thus entering on his important occupation under favourable auspices, he continued for about thirty years to discharge its duties with untiring assiduity and increasing success. The amount of good which he rendered to society in this office, can be known only to a Higher Power than man. Those, however, who have been acquainted with Manchester during the last forty years, are well aware that many of its most respectable and influential citizens owe their education, and in their education no small portion of their highest good, to this conscientious, faithful and painstaking teacher. And if, as is unquestionably the case, a marked improvement is observable in the tone of manners and social intercourse of the substantial classes of the town-if the less refined pleasures are among them falling into disrepute if the sons of the existing generation give some promise of reaching a yet higher position in personal culture-if, amid much narrowness and bigotry, partly imported into the town by clerical agitators, and inferior social elements from distant parts, a healthy and active spirit of liberality, both in politics and religion, pervades a large portion of the upper class of its native citizens-no inconsiderable share of the merit may fairly be allotted to the efforts of the subject of this narrative.

His pupils were fully aware of the obligations that they owed to their able teacher. Repeated proofs were from time to time given to Mr. Johns of the high estimation in which his

cares and labours were held by those who had been benefited by them; and on his retiring from his school duties into private life, he was not only followed by kind and respectful regards, but gratified by a very handsome present of plate, bearing this inscription:"Presented to the Rev. William Johns by his Pupils, to testify their high esteem for his character, and their grateful sense of the value of his instructions. February, 1832." We may here introduce one of the numerous testimonials which emanated from the respect and gratitude of parents: it is a letter from the celebrated Dr. Adam Clarke, himself no mean scholar, and is creditable alike to both parties :—

"My very dear Sir-I cannot reconcile it to my conscience to receive my son from under your care, without expressing my very high satisfaction at the progress he has made. You have done him justice, and he does you credit. I can and must say, I never had as much cause for thankfulness in any case of the kind hitherto. I have had my sons with very good and excellent teachers, to whose charge I could neither lay injustice or neglect, and who, indeed, in all respects, behaved well towards them; but none of them in any given time ever profited so much as my Theo. has done with you. Truly and deeply sorry I am that he could not enjoy this privilege longer, and that his younger brother cannot now be put under your care. I have authority to add, that his mother, who is no mean judge in these matters, is equally satisfied with Theo.'s progress in English, &c.

"I have sent you by Mr. Orme, a sort of a dissertation on Diplomas and Dypticks, and especially on the_vignette and seal of your own. Had I not been so greatly pressed for lack of time, I

should have endeavoured to have made it more worthy of the society's attention. However, I may yet mend it. With hearty love to yourself, Mrs. Johns and Mr. Jones, I am, my dear Sir, yours affectionately,

"A. CLARKE." "London, March 7, 1806."

In consequence of his own eminent success in communicating classical and general knowledge, and the growing repute which attended on Dr. Dalton's mathematical and chemical instructions, Mr. Johns' house became a centre of the highest educational influences in the town and neighbour

hood. It also gradually acquired another character. Mr. and Mrs. Johns were eminently hospitable; and when they began to find themselves at ease in their circumstances, they saw no reason why they should not prudently indulge their natural disposition. "I remember," says a relative, "with tender regret the happiness of our humble but hospitable house, and particularly the pleasant evenings that we spent together after the business of the day was over. I dwell upon the individual peculiarities which gave interest and variety to the conversation, and the dear forms and faces arise before me almost with the vividness of reality. Alas! they have left us behind them."

"The Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society," whose reputation is associated in the page of history with the name of Dalton, offered to Mr, Johns an opening for cultivating intercourse with the best-informed men of the district, of which he was not slow in availing himself. Not long after he came to Manchester (Oct, 18, 1805), he was elected a member. He gave his heart to every thing in which he engaged; and as he proved to be a more than ordinarily useful member, he was in succession elected "a member of the Committee of Papers" (April 25, 1806); then joint Secretary with Mr. Dalton (May 9, 1807); and on Oct. 18, 1816, one of the Vice-Presidents. Of this office, within about three years, he tendered his resignation, which, however, was not accepted; and he continued to discharge its duties till April, 1822. The papers which he read be fore the Society are numerous, and in their subjects shew the extent and variety of his knowledge, as in their contents they display its accuracy. We give the titles of some Essays on which we have reason to believe he himself set a value :-" An Attempt to account for the Gratification derived from Tragedy;" "An Attempt to point out some Inconsistencies in Cæsar's Account of the Political Circumstances of the States of Gaul at the time of his Invasion ;" "Remarks on some Passages from the Commentaries of Cæsar, relative to the use of Greek Letters by the Gauls and Druids;" "On the Origin of Verbs compounded with Prepositions in the Greek Language, with a Method proposed of investigating their Meaning" "On the Origin of Surnames"-his last paper, read before the Society, Feb. 23, 1841.

The studies and active duties of the scholar did not make Mr. Johns neglect the claims of his sacred calling as a minister of Jesus Christ. Not many years after he fixed his abode in Manchester, he engaged in preaching to a congregation at Partington, lying about twelve miles distant, on the south-west of the town. But as the major part of the people openly avowed Calvinistic opinions, he thought it his duty to withdraw, leaving, if he did not with characteristic liberality advise, the trustees to allow the congregation to choose a minister who held the same opinions as themselves. He then accepted that ministerial charge which he continued to hold till a short time before his decease. This lay at Cross Street, a small village in Cheshire, on the road from Manchester to Altringham. The soil here was not of the most genial kind; but whatever could be done by diligence, care, kindness and generosity, was done by our revered friend, patiently and perseveringly, for a long series of years. Indeed, his attachment to the duties of the ministry was very strong; and, far from decreasing with his growth in years, it became more decided, if not more influential, especially when at length he judged it prudent to relieve himself from the toilsome and exhausting engagements of his school.

The great cause of Christian reform, which, as we think, not without good reason, he held to be intimately connected with the spread of Unitarianism, found in Mr. Johns a steady, wise and generous supporter. At a time when many were half afraid of their own convictions, and at any rate seemed disposed to leave the progress of Christian truth to the sole care of Providence, Mr. Johns, well knowing that it is by instruments that Providence carries forward its benign purposes, took, with only a few co-operators, a constant part in popular efforts to extend in Manchester the influence of Unitarian Christianity. In the district of the town denominated Hulme, an effort of this nature, after giving promise of success, proved abortive. Mr. Johns and his fellow-labourers met with a better reward in their endeavours to plant Unitarianism in Salford; and he must be regarded as not the least influential of a small knot of active individuals who prepared the way for the now flourishing congregation of Unitarian Christians who worship in the Strangeways

chapel, under the ministry of Dr. Beard.

The same wise zeal for the spread of what he deemed Christian truth, made him a steady friend to popular institutions designed to explain and recommend Unitarianism to general acceptance. We may mention as an instance the countenance and support which he gave to "The Cheshire Presbyterian Association." The sermon which he delivered at the meeting of this useful and well-conducted society, held at Hyde, on Wednesday, October 3, 1838, is one of no ordinary merit; and having special reference to the then exciting topic of orthodox aggression on the houses of worship, burial-grounds and properties received by Presbyterians and Unitarians of the present day from their predecessors, who, in many cases, were their lineal ancestors, it gave special satisfaction, and was received with marked favour. From an analysis of it, which was published in the Christian Reformer, Ñ. S., for November and December, 1838, we supply the following extract:

"The present state of the Christian profession and morality makes a strong appeal to our Christian zeal and consistency. For men are every where too much instigated either by gross views of interest, or by an unhallowed spirit of partizanship and fanaticism, or (and this, unhappily, applies to the far greater mass) they are almost avowedly irreligious and immoral. Is it not, therefore, for the good of the world, and even of our professed adversaries, that we should openly profess and fearlessly advocate what we deem to be Christian truth? For what chance of success can those have to Christianize mankind, who are in the correct opinion of the world insincere in their professions, and are making religion subservient to purposes which will not bear to be avowed? Let us, however, advocate pure Christianity solely as the indispensable means of advancing human knowledge, virtue and happiness. For these great and glorious objects, let us be content to be excluded not only from privileges, dignities and emoluments, and even (if it must be so) from the most inconsiderable endowment, but let us also cheerfully submit to be evilspoken of, and to be treated with injustice and scorn; and let us never be cast down on this account, never desert the path of duty, and never relax in our zeal and constancy.

"If the vexatious persecutions to which we have been exposed, and the calumnies which have been so actively circulated against us, shall have the good effect of awakening our energies, of calling forth advisedly our united efforts, and of exciting the attention of impartial and sensible men, in whom the love of Christian truth has not been wholly depravated by the love and fashion of the world, to the real merits and importance of the various interests and questions in agitation, they will produce much more good than harm; and thus, though for the present not joyous, but grievous,' they will leave no lasting regret in the minds of those who have been exercised by them. Let us pray, Christian brethren, that they may be attended with this desirable and beneficial result-the result no doubt intended in the visitation of Providence. May they be the means of trying our sincerity, of proving our zeal and devotedness, of purifying our motives, of urging our exertions, and of raising our affections above all low, unworthy and selfish objects!

"And while we are actually encountering the inconveniences and evils of unchristian opposition, and vilified with reproaches falsely for the sake of Christ, let us remember that this has ever been the lot of the wise and good-of prophets and apostles-and that their fame in after-times, and the estimation of their meritorious services to the world, were a full measure of recompence for their most painful sufferings. And let us, finally, endeavour to prize the real value of the motive and to feel the full force of the encouragement held forth by our Saviour to the sincere friends of Christian truth and righteousness, and to the devoted friends and benefactors of their race-For great is your reward in heaven.""

To the work whence these passages are taken, and to its predecessor, "The Monthly Repository," Mr. Johns was a constant contributor, induced not only by a sense of their value, but by a high respect for the gentleman who for so many years conducted them with exemplary fidelity and wellmerited success. The papers which he wrote for these periodicals are too numerous to be here specified; but we must be allowed to draw attention to those important contributions to the history of Northern Presbyterianism, which he extracted from the records of

the Manchester Classis, and which may be found in the sixteenth and seventeenth volumes of the Monthly Repository.

We have already alluded to Mr. Johns' attention to the voluminous writings of those who bear the name of the Christian Fathers. This study, commenced in his early manhood, he continued as long as his health and strength permitted. The results of his careful, diligent and extensive reading in this department, he was, even from the first, accustomed to put into writing; and in process of time he found himself in possession of a very large mass of valuable materials. These it was his intention to elaborate into a work, the aim of which was to shew, by actual instances and verbal quotations, the rise and progress of the corruptions which now load, disfigure and conceal the religion of Jesus Christ. A portion of his collected materials he published in the year 1836, in a volume entitled, "An Essay on the Interpretation of the Proem to John's Gospel. London: Simpkin, Marshall and Co.;" and by his brother ministers in Manchester and others, it was strongly hoped that the final results of labours which had extended over many years would at length be given to the public. A cursory glance over his manuscripts has given us some reason to fear that, ample and important as the collected materials are, no mind but his own could with propriety attempt to conduct them through the press, though we are not without a hope that a small portion of them may be published.

The labour, however, was its own reward; and it was to his friends a pleasing spectacle, of which we shall never lose the recollection, to see the venerable man engaged during his declining years in revising and arranging the fruits of many an hour of gratifying industry, finding a tranquil recreation in what to most of his own class would be a wearying labour: Sed videtis ut senectus non modo languida atque iners non sit, verum etiam sit operosa et semper agens aliquid et moliens; tale scilicet quale cujusque studium in superiore vitâ fuit. (Cicero Cato Major, § 8.)

But this study of Christian antiquity had a direct and powerful influence on Mr. Johns' mind and opinions. Hence, at least in part, it was that he was so firmly attached to a positive and historical Christianity, in contradistinction to what has been termed "the

spirit of the Gospel." We do not mean to intimate that he considered Christianity in any other light than as an eminently spiritual religion. To forms, ceremonies and every thing outward he was firmly and warmly opposed. But he could not understand how the Christian spirit could be developed, or exist apart from those fundamental truths consisting of facts, doctrines and principles, in which to him the essence of it lay. To learn those facts, to ascertain those doctrines, and to work out those principles for himself, he thought his primary duty; and he believed that fidelity in this task would, in the use of proper means, issue in such a sanctifying influence over the life as to make the man of God "thoroughly furnished to all good works." And in this task he found special assistance from his minute and extensive acquaintance with the history of the primitive church. He had, in the course of his studies, walked round our Christian Zion, marked her bulwarks and counted her towers. (Ps. xlviii. 13.) Habitually conversant as he was with Christianity in its rise and progress, he knew and felt it to be a reality. Appreciating the Christian Scriptures at their real historical value, he was unassailable by insinuations or open attacks on their early origin and credibility. The stream of Christian history he traced up till it is lost in the mists of the first century, by signs and vouchers of whose worth he was well assured; and in consequence he had himself a firm belief in Christian history, and held that others would agree in his opinion in the degree in which they became familiar with the actual facts. Under this impression he frequently expressed his regret that so little attention was paid, especially among what may be termed the laity, to the systematic study of theology and the Christian Scriptures. Christianity, as an historical religion, must require for its just appreciation, a correct knowledge of its early history, and especially of the circumstances under which its primitive literature came into existence. We do not mean to intimate that its evidence depends on any mere archæological questions. We hold that the Gospel carries in its own essential qualities proofs that are likely to be satisfactory to the minds of most persons whose standard of morality is high. But we also think that such persons might derive addi