nity. They will perceive that this is not an additional call upon their benevolence, but an effort to render their contributions more efficient, and to present these offerings to our bountiful Lord in a manner more conformable to the genius of the gospel we profess. With one munificent exception, the contributions hitherto have varied from £20 to £5 per annum; a list of which may be seen at the Missionhouse, 6, Fen-court. In determining the amount to be subscribed, it is hoped, that each individual will, at least, resolve on a sum equal to his former expenditure in this way; some have already kindly made a considerable addition to that amount. Friends accustomed to relieve the "Board" Cases are already in possession of some guide-but they will not forget what has been communicated to irregular Cases also.

ly unite in a plan which, if their views of it be just, ought to be equally acceptable to their esteemed brethren in the country, and their friends residing in and near the metropolis. But if their attempts should prove ineffectual, and the scheme they have proposed fail of that support necessary to render it ellicient, they will, at least, have the consolation of reflecting, that they have aimed at promoting the comfort of their brethren, the cause of the Redeemer, and the glory of God; and it is obvious that nothing would be easier, in such a case, than to revert to the plan which has hitherto been adopted.

Communications from Subscribers

may be addressed to the Secretary, Rev. James Hargreaves, No. 6, Fencourt, Fenchurch-street; and, as some friends may wish for a personal interthe Committee will be able to arrange view on the subject, it is hoped that deputations for that purpose ere the

close of the year.

It is intended that the plan shall commence its operation with the NewIn the present month, year, 1825.

(December,) the case from Abbeyliex, in Ireland, examined and recommended by the Board hitherto subsisting, will be collected on in the usual

NEW CHURCH.

ON Wednesday, the 6th of October, 1824, an interesting meeting was held at a chapel called BEAULAH, near Pont-y-pool, Monmouthshire. Mr. J. Price, of Blaenau, read and prayed; Mr. J. Evans, Pen-y-garn, gave a brief account of the origin and progress of the Baptist interest in those parts; read over the names of 146 members, who had now received their dismission from Pen-y-garn, to form themselves into a distinct church, and concluded in prayer. Mr. J. James, Pont-rhyd-gr-gwn, stated the nature and origin of the office of Deacons, and then ordained three of the brethren to that office, by the imposition of hands and prayer, and preached on the duty of Deacons and members, from 1 Tim. iii. 13. Mr. J. Michal, Pont-hir, and Mr. T. Morris, Newport, preached to the people, from Matt, xvi, 18; John x. 28.

LINES

On the End of the Year 1824.

THE closing year! O awful thought! May land thee, sinner, on the shore Of vast eternity!

In its last hours may'st thou be taught To seek the Saviour's grace and power, To give thee true felicity.

The closing year! O sacred theme! May waft thee, Christian, on its stream, To everlasting day!

O seize its moments while they last, And work for God with ardent haste, Until thou art call'd away.

The closing year! O cheering hope! May prove the time of Jesu's grace,

To pour his spirit down! Then will our churches be built up: Then will they live in holy peace,

And Jesus wear the crown!

PROBOS.

the

Yet, notwithstanding this statement, it will be gratifying to the Committee to learn, that I scarcely recollect a quarter's inspection in which so many premiums were merited by scholars, for committing the scriptures, all the receivers of which having committed five, or more chapters, during the quarter, in addition to those before learnt; of this they will be satisfied, when I mention that, to one school I have sent five premiums, to another six, to another ten, to another thirteen, to another sixteen, and to another nineteen; besides several others.

I hope the mention of this will be a sufficient inducement to any of our friends who have suitable books, or other things, to give, to forward them, my stock is now getting very low.

I have the pleasure of stating, that now the dark evenings are coming on, my congregations are increasing in most places, although, through the summer, some of them have continued larger than ever. If inquiry be a pleasing indication concerning the truth, which I believe is admitted by all its friends, certainly there are pleasing prospects in this country, not. withstanding all the superstition, and bigotry, and vice, that yet prevail.

On my lately seeing Colonel P—,

Our congregation here is better than I could reasonably expect; the place being entirely popish, and our Sundayschool here, which I established, is prospering beyond all expectation, in the face of the most determined opposition. There are two priests here, and a popish bishop. On the 30th of August I left here, and arrived in Miltown, about thirty miles distant, in the evening; it is situated on the tremendous banks of the mighty Atlantic, to the north-west of this, and endeavoured to make known the way of salvation to as many as possible, and some appeared greatly staggered with respect to their confidence in the priests: the place is entirely popish. On Lord's-day, the 5th, preached at Moy in the morning, about six miles from Miltown, to a Roman Catholic congregation; there was only one Protestant woman. Four or five families threw off Popery, and others will follow them; there were about thirty of

hair-cloth would be his whole covering, sheets, blankets, quilts, and all, though he could well afford lying upon a bed of feathers; but mortification was his trade, and he looked forward in hope that his passage through Purgatory would be tolerable, in proportion to his sufferings here. Urged by superstition, he cut off his hair, and began to wear a wig, and resolved on devoting the rest of his days to religious services, in what is called performing rounds or stations at different places in the kingdom, famed for imparting peculiar merit to observances performed at them. Lady's well, Lough-derrig, Inniscaltraugh, or the Holy Island, &c. were frequently the scenes of his blind devotions, particularly the latter, at least ten or twelve times a year. This island lies in the river Shannon, has a steeple and seven churches; it would be difficult to describe. the seven and seven score rounds that are to be performed here on the sharpest stones, with the bare feet, and on the knees; the whole circuit of rounds, put together, is computed at upwards of twenty-eight Irish miles, besides seven Paters, seven Aves, and a creed, carefully counted on a string of beads at each and every of the seven and seven score, or 127 rounds. This Carmelite, who is a young man, and an eminent tailor, states, that you preached at Mr. George Long's, in the parish of Clounrush, last spring, where he happened to be at work, and declares, that when he saw the neighbours collecting to hear you preach, he gathered up the cloth that he had in hand, and retired to an adjoining room, lest he might be contaminated by your pestiferous preaching; and just when you commenced preaching, the light that he had, went out; he then stood up to the room door in the dark, and paid the greatest attention to what you preached, which made an impression on his mind that will never be forgotten; and, at his returning home to Tomgrany, he called at my habitation, but I was not at home, to know from me what I thought of the doubts that were upon his mind, and what I thought of what you preached; and he solemnly declared to my wife and family, that you levelled the Romish religion to the ground. "Oh!" said the Carmelite, at the same time stamping his foot, "Mr. Thomas, the preacher, sunk the Roman Catholic religion, never more to rise." In three or four days after, I met this man in the street of

(

Scariff, and not twenty yards from Priest Vaughan's door, and, to my great surprise, he spoke very friendly to me, (though he refused speaking to me twice when I spoke to him, since the priest turned me out of the chapel, nor would he even look to the side of the road that I might be at,) and asked me when did I see Mr. Thomas, the preacher; told me that he heard you preach at Long's; said, that you condemned and shook every part of the Romish religion; particularly Transubstantiation, the interference of angels and saints, extreme unction, &c. &c. I took an opportunity then, in a calm, loving, and submissive manner, of pointing him simply to the complete and finished work of redemption, and that the merit of the atonement was not to be attained by doing penance, by confessions into a priest's ear, by purgatory, by masses, ointments, &c. &c.; but that pardon, peace, &c. were unmerited free gifts of grace for guilty sinners, by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, once offered on the cross, when he had by himself purged our sins, &c. I also endeavoured to impress upon his mind the necessity of reading the scriptures, as the grand medium to bring him to GOD; and I rejoice to say, that, since that time, he is not a bigot, but like a noble Berean, and is, day and night, and from house to house, at every opportunity, searching and reading the scriptures to all who are willing to hear their joyful sound. He came on purpose to my house at least four or five times a week these two months back, and never ceases reading the scriptures, and has felt a great desire to converse with me upon the things of God, insomuch so, that he frequently continues, until clear day in the morning, talking of Moses and the Prophets, Christ and the Apostles, &c. This man could read the English well, though he did not know a single letter of the Irish, but could speak it fluently, and having seen several at my cottage, who could read the Irish scriptures, he expressed the greatest desire to know how to read them. I got an Irish Testament, and taught him the Irish letters, and continued instructing him the most part of five or six days: and before he went away, he could read three chapters of the Irish Testament fluently; and, whilst away from me, he applied himself diligently to the study of the scriptures, and to a language so endeared to the natives by every tie of love and affection; and, has made

such wonderful progress, that he sat in a class of Irish readers, the three last Sundays, at my house, and read the Irish scriptures in his turn, to the great delight of upwards of thirty persons, who were present upon that occasion; and I am told, by persons for whom he lately worked, that he, with the most indefatigable zeal, spends half his time reading the Irish scriptures to them, and declares that he never will be hindered by priest or bishop from reading the scriptures to his poor benighted brethren; others, following his example, are now, with the greatest avidity, learning the Irish: persons who never before thought of learning it, and thereby ensuring the study of the scriptures, as they will admit an Irish Testament, where they would not handle, or even look at an English one; even a revenue police-man,stationed in the barrack at Scariff, who is a Roman Catholic, is now eagerly learning the native language, and deeply laments that he did not begin when P the Carmelite did. He begged an Irish Testament of me; I gave him my own, which he sounds into the ears of the rest of the men, who are chiefly Romanists, and borrowed one for my own use.

THOMAS BUSHE.

Annual Meeting.

Legacy of £100, of Joseph

£ s. d.

Harris, Esq. late of

0

Legacy Duty, £10)..... 90 00

1

0

1 1

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...

200

0 10

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Collected by Rev. Mr. Gibbs:

At Nottingham...

70 10 0

Prov. iii. 9.

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At Derby

66

T. Mileham

2 10 0

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221

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