sideration were satisfied that the course pursued and sanctioned by the majority of the subscribers was a violation of the trust-deed. A second meeting was held, and the offensive resolution of the previous meeting was unanimously rescinded. The discreditable game thus exposed and put an end to at Bristol, is, we have reason to think, being played in other places; but we trust the good example set by Mr. Armstrong will not be lost, and that successful champions for religious liberty and fair-dealing between sect and sect will arise wherever their labours are needed.

Baths and Washing-places for the Poor.

A Bill is prepared, and is about to be submitted to Parliament to enable parishes to borrow money on the security of the rates, for the purpose of constructing baths and wash-houses for the labouring poor. If well managed, there is no doubt that these bathing-houses will more than support themselves. Even if no interest were paid on the capital thus expended, the country would benefit by the improved health of the labouring poor. By the charitable efforts of a few individuals, baths and wash-houses on a small scale have been opened in Glasshouse Yard, in the city of London, and in the half-year ending November 1845, there were 13,538 bathers, 15,643 washers, being persons in the humblest walks of life, and 140,034 articles were washed. In the second half-year there were 14,124 bathers, and 19,934 washers, and 143,432 articles washed; so that in one year they had 27,662 bathers, and 35,680 persons who had washed 260,526 articles. Now if there be added the other members of the families of those persons who had used the wash-houses, it would appear that, including the bathers, there were 87,000 who had directly or indirectly benefited by this establishment. The outlay, exclusive of the money sunk in the apparatus, &c., was no more than £400 a-year. The above statements were recently made to the House of Lords by the Bishop of London. We are glad his Lordship is disposed to support by his influence this important sanitary reform.

Portrait of Rev. John Kenrick.-Mr. Patten has executed the work entrusted to him by the Committee of "The Kenrick Testimonial" in a masterly style,

and produced a portrait admirable alike for its artistic skill and its perfect resemblance. The picture is in the exhibition of works of art by the Royal Society of Manchester. It was previously exhibited in the Common Hall of Manchester New College during the recent Examination, and gave general satisfaction to Mr. Kenrick's old pupils and friends. As soon as the exhibition at the Royal Institution closes, the picture will be put into the hands of some eminent engraver. The print will, we trust, be worthy of the picture.

Testimonials to Dr. Sadler.-An interesting meeting was held on Friday evening, July 17, at the Manor House, Hackney, to present a testimonial from above seventy of the younger members of the New Gravel-Pit congregation to the Rev. Dr. Sadler. The testimonial was a handsome silver Salver, with the following inscription from the pen of a distinguished friend and author: -"Presented by some of the younger members of the New Gravel-Pit Congregation to the Rev. Dr. THOMAS SADLER, in testimony of their affectionate regard and grateful sense of his acceptable ministry and zealous exertions for their religious and intellectual benefit.-Hackney, 17 July, 1846."

At the same time, a handsome silver Basket, with an appropriate inscription, was presented to Dr. Sadler from some of the elder members of the congregation.

1846. April 2, at his house in Tanner's Lane, Pindleton, near Manchester, in the 75th year of his age, the Rev. AB. BENNETT, for some time a minister in connection with the Village Missionary Society supported by different Unitarian congregations in Manchester and its vicinity. Mr. Bennett was born in London, October 6, 1771. His parents belonged to the Established Church. Early in life, he joined the Wesleyan Methodists; but being attracted by the preaching, first of Mr. Winchester, and afterwards of Mr. Vidler, who were successively ministers of the congregation then assembling in Parliament Court, Artillery Lane, he underwent a gradual change of opinion, and at length decidedly embraced Unitarianism. He enjoyed the friendly regards of several eminent persons, whose names are well known to the Unitarian public. Among them may be mentioned the late Mr. Marsom and the Rev. Robert Aspland, of Hackney. He occasionally preached, without giving up the business in which he was engaged; but in 1803, he accepted an invitation from the congregation at Ditchling, in Sussex, and

devoted himself exclusively to the duties of the ministry. He removed from Ditchling to Poole, in Dorsetshire, in the year 1817, where he exercised his ministry till 1826; when he again removed to Manchester, to undertake the office of village missionary. In the latter years of his life, till disabled by growing infirmities, he was employed partly in tuition and partly in officiating as a supply in Manchester and the neighbourhood.

Mr. Bennett was one of that numerous class of inquirers, coming out of various Christian denominations, who at the end of the last and the beginning of the present century were strongly attached to the investigation of doctrinal truth, and for the most part ended their researches in Unitarianism. He was a worthy and upright man, fond of knowledge and earnest in the pursuit of truth, and much respected by those who knew him for his mental integrity and the shrewd vigour of his understanding. He was suddenly seized with paralysis in the beginning of 1843, and his life was finally terminated by apoplexy. He was interred

in the grave-yard attached to Upper Brook-Street chapel, and his remains were accompanied to their last restingplace by most of the Unitarian ministers in Manchester.

April 6, aged 26, JAMES CUNLIFFE, of Long Holme, Rawtenstall. He became a member at the Unitarian chapel, Rawtenstall, in February 1844, and taught a number of young men on the Saturday evenings to read, write, &c. He loved and served his God while in health, and at the close of his life he had a bright prospect of that rest that remains for the people of God.

April 28, at Highfield, Stalybridge, aged 26, MARIA, daughter of Abel HARRISON, Esq.

May 12, at Oxton, in his 63rd year, WILLIAM, son of the late Rev. Robert LEWIN, of Liverpool.

May 19, at Nantwich, Cheshire, the Rev. JAMES HAWKES, aged 74 years. The subject of this brief obituary notice was born at Buckingham in September 1771; and in 1792, entered the Academy at Northampton, over which the Rev. John Horsey at that time presided as Divinity Tutor. For the character of this benevolent and conscientious man, our departed friend invariably expressed the highest esteem and veneration while living, and subsequently to whose death he inserted in the Monthly Repository a just tribute of grateful respect to his memory. After spending the usual term of five years at College, with great satisfaction and improvement in all his studies, our deceased friend entered upon his ministerial duties in connection with a small society_of liberal Dissenters at Congleton. From this place, after remaining only a short time, he removed to Manchester, and became extensively engaged in private tuition, and in supplying various congregations in the immediate neighbourhood. At that time, in consequence of the removal of Mr. Davis, the pulpit of the Old chapel at Dukinfield happened to be vacant, and in June 1800, Mr. Hawkes was elected to the pastoral charge of that long-established and now affluent society. At his first settlement here, the village was just opening upon its distinguished career of commercial and manufacturing prosperity, and beginning to rise, from comparative obscurity, to its present high rank and importance

in this enterprizing, intelligent and populous district. The Old chapel was, at that period, with the exception of a small building occupied by the Moravians, the only place of public worship within the township, and the congregation at this place numbered only 87 persons of all ages. Simultaneously with his settlement at Dukinfield, Mr. Hawkes established a Sunday-school, the first institution of the kind within the village. In connection with the school, a juvenile Library was opened with much spirit, and with a judicious selection of books. There was also Library set on foot for the use of the Sunday-school teachers and members of the congregation. The originality of these plans at the time, and their admirable adaptation to the community for whose benefit they were designed, excited much attention in the neighbourhood, and multitudes pressed forward eager to avail themselves of these rare advantages. So great was the public thirst after knowledge, that much difficulty was experienced, at that distance from Manchester, in supplying books to meet the sudden and unexpected demand. These and other plans of improvement connected with the school and chapel soon began to produce a visible effect upon the congregation. The attendance upon social worship was greatly increased. The chapel was almost entirely re-pewed, and the burial - ground enlarged and beautified. In 1811, the seatholders, with their families, amounted to 210 souls in Oct. 1812, to 239; when, from some slight cause of dissatisfaction, Mr. Hawkes thought proper to remove to Lincoln.

At this latter place, he endeavoured to carry the same plans into effect which had been so successful at Dukinfield; but the result, in that city of the priesthood, was widely different; and, after struggling with difficulties and discouragements for several years, he finally left Lincoln and removed to Nantwich, near to the scene of his first settlement in the ministry. Here he continued to labour, with varied success and amidst numerous trials, nearly to the close of last year, when, from the growing infirmities of age and the inroads of disease, he was rendered incapable of public duty, and consequently resigned his charge. It was his intention to have removed to a distance from the place where he last resided, and to have closed his days in privacy and retirement in an adjoining

county. But a mysterious, though wise and gracious, Providence has otherwise determined and appointed his lot. By the slow but certain progress of incurable disease, he has been removed alike from active duty and passive suffering to that rest for which his sincerity and benevolence, his zeal and fidelity, have so well prepared him.

We may have erred in the estimate we have formed of the character and abilities of our departed friend. His mind appeared to be rather distinguished by sprightliness than vigour, and by quickness of perception more than solidity of judgment. He seized with avidity on every benevolent plan of public usefulness of which he approved, and endeavoured to carry it into effect with the purest and best intentions, if not invariably with all the wisdom of this world. His dispositions were amiable, and his deportment uniformly unassuming and void of ostentation. He was thoroughly imbued with the meek and humble spirit of his Divine Master, while his charity and benevolence of heart knew no distinction of sect or age or character. He loved every man as a brother; and wherever ignorance or suffering claimed his sympathy and aid, was ever ready to sacrifice his personal ease and gratification for the welfare of others. His disinterested benevolence of heart, and his simplicity and purity of life, had prepared him for a calm and tranquil death. He died full of filial trust and assured hope of Divine acceptance, through Christ Jesus, to everlasting

life.

May 24, aged 35 years, Mr. WILLIAM BEATTIE TAYLOR, of Floweryfield, Cheshire.

May 25, at Manchester, SAMUEL DARBISHIRE, Esq., Barrister-at-law. His death was awfully sudden. In recording the circumstances of it, the Editor of the Manchester Courier adds the following remarks: "A more amiable gentleman than Mr. Darbishire, or one more highly respected and beloved by a large circle of friends, never lived, and his premature death, at the age of 27, has filled his professional brethren, among whom he was an universal favourite, with profound and heartfelt sorrow. He had been in an infirm state of health for some months; indeed, he never entirely recovered from the effects of the rupturing of a blood vessel last autumn. On the

day of his death, he had appeared as usual at the Court at the Salford intermediate sessions, and concluded the case in a prosecution for felony very ably and with much calmness and circumspection, but he nevertheless appeared weak and weary. Shortly afterwards, about five o'clock, he left the Court as usual. We know the rest of the sad history. And in that abundant measure of 'good-will towards men' which he ever dealt out whilst living, may peace be with him' hereafter."Mr. Darbishire was, by personal conviction as well as education, an Unitarian Christian, and did not shrink on proper occasions from the avowal of his opinions. At the beginning of last year, he gave to his fellow-townsmen a proof of the interest which he felt in the views of religion which he cherished, by presiding at the anniversary meeting of the Strangeways Unitarian congregation.

May 26, at Brighton, Mr. SAMUEL FRANCIS, in the 75th year of his age.

May 28, of apoplexy, in his 71st year, at his residence, Bradford Street, Birmingham, Mr. JAMES THORNTON. He was one of the oldest members of the New-Meeting congregation in that town, having been a hearer of Dr. Priestley, and a regular attendant at that place of worship ever since.

May 29, LAURENCE ROWE, Esq., of Brentford, in the 54th year of his age.

May 29, at his house, 64, Great Prescott Street, Goodman's Fields, aged 46 years, Mr. THOMAS CHAPMAN. He conducted for nearly twenty years a respectable day-school, and his services were much valued in the neighbourhood. He had been for many years a member and deacon of the General Baptist church in Worship Street, London, by the pastor of which, the Rev. B. Mardon, his last hours were attended, and his remains solemnly committed to the dust.

June 1, at Godley, Cheshire, in her 62nd year, DEBORAH, daughter of the late Thomas TURNER, Esq., of Godley.

June 5, at Hackney, GEORGE LODDIGES, Esq., aged 60.

June 16, at Trowbridge, aged 38, MARIA SIMS, the beloved wife of Samuel MARTIN, minister of Conigree